On Computers

Chromebooks offer efficient online operations

Laptops using Google's Chrome operating system, an alternative to Windows or Mac OS, are called Chromebooks and they are selling big. Sales are expected to reach 5.2 million units this year, up 79 percent over last year.

We first wrote about these laptops two years ago. The key issue with Chromebooks is that nearly everything happens online. The other advantages are light weight, long battery life and no viruses. Prices start about $200 and battery life runs about three to 11 hours, depending on the model. The latest ones are the Asus C200 and the Chromebook 13 from Acer.

Because nearly everything the Chromebooks do is online, the programs and services are maintained by Google. They provide the software, and every time you start up the Chromebook, Google does a virus check and clean-up if needed; there is no charge for this.

People who buy this kind of laptop have limited uses in mind: They're great for emailing; Web surfing; and using online apps for word processing, spreadsheets, phone books and other business software. Many people do nothing else on their home computers, so they may as well have a Chromebook for its speed and freedom from infection. If users want to play games -- a frequent source of problems -- they can download virus-clear and free ones from Google Apps. Don't use a Chromebook for your main computer if you need Microsoft Word and other offline programs.

The newer models have about 16 gigabytes of storage, so a user can download a couple of movies or TV shows from the Google Play Store to watch on the road. And, storage can be increased by plugging in a flash drive.

Beware of Hackers

Recently, a reader asked about the program Driver Restore. Absolutely do not download this one. Though keeping drivers up to date is important, this program and many like it will infect your computer.

Our favorite tech support guy, who owns the service at helphelpnow.com, says he has cleaned up dozens of computers infected by "driver restore" type programs. The company that makes it offers the same program with a hundred different names. They claim it fixes everything from slow computers to back pain. Why do people keep falling for this scam? Well, the answer is they didn't know it was a scam. The price of clear computing is eternal vigilance. Stick with well-known companies. And check with sites like helphelpnow.com.

Meanwhile, Deep in the Jungle...

If you're deep in the Amazon jungle, in a hurricane or traveling too far from a cellphone tower, your text message won't go through. (Good luck dealing with the giant anaconda.) A new device called goTenna fixes that by using radio signals.

The device pairs with a cellphone to let users send a text message even when they don't have Wi-Fi or a cellular signal. Users type on their phones as they normally would, and the messages go out as a radio signals that can be received up to 50 miles away.

The product should be out this fall, when a pair of goTennas (one for you and one for the person you want to talk to) will sell for $300. Those who pre-order can get a pair for $150. (Users, however, should know that low-power radio transmissions can be affected by a number of factors, such as intervening hills, buildings and warm air layers.)

Glide On

Glide is like Skype video calling but with a twist. When users tap "record," they begin streaming live video whether or not there's anyone waiting at the other end. Videos can be up to five minutes and the service is free.

All videos are stored in the cloud and can be viewed later. That way, they don't take up any space in a phone's memory. Users also can use Wi-Fi instead of a cellular connection, which saves data charges, and can store as many videos in the cloud as they wish. Videos can be sent to a group by tapping the names on your contact list who also use Glide.

We tried it out with our niece.

From our end, we were a bit embarrassed when she said we sent her "butt shots." She was kidding. What we had done accidentally was send videos of our thumb partially covering the lens. Glide recently added a preview option for those like us who would rather review a video before sending it. Lots more info at www.glide.me.

App Happy

Google the phrase "Chrome Web Store" to find lots of apps that will run right on your desktop. Here are a few nice freebies:

• Murder Files is a mystery game that takes place in a charming English village. In fact, it's so charming that you'll forgive the narrator for laughing at how slowly you solved a puzzle and then giving you just a silver star when the timer shows clearly you earned a gold one.

• Typing Club will help you master touch typing, also free.

• Gliffy creates diagrams and flowcharts. Include them in presentations, Web pages and documents.

Thin-film Solar Cells

Making solar cells can get expensive. What if you could just stick them on, or perhaps even spray them on?

Perovskite, an inexpensive calcium titanium oxide mineral found in the Ural Mountains in Russia, comes in several crystal varieties and can be manufactured.

Current research has found that perovskite reacts to light nearly as well as silicon. This is a recent discovery from a team at the University of Sheffield in England. They're aiming for 19 percent efficiency, but so far have achieved only 11 percent in the lab. If they get there, just about anything could be spray-painted -- your house, your car, your motorcycle, your TV and so on, with solar cells.

Bob and Joy can be contacted by email at bobschwab@gmail.com and joy.schwabach@gmail.com.

SundayMonday Business on 08/25/2014

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