2. Dona's Computer Capers- Feb 04
Tired or bored by your Xmas game gifts? Sick of shoot 'em up, violent scenes? Try a couple of these programs that are different, innovative, and entertaining.
Would you believe that an estimated 70,000 people attempted to become part of the program, An American Idol, last year? Cashing in on these ambitions, there is now an Official American Idol Audition Kit. With it, you can broadcast your songs, voices and talents to the nation, and have fun doing it. The Official American idol Audition Kit consists of computer software and a microphone that essentially turns your computer into a karaoke recording studio. You load the software into the computer, sing a song to a background track and upload it to the American Idol Audition Kit website. The kit costs $29.95 and gives you access to a wild array of items including your own uploads, what others have done, the ability to judge and vote on others, and win prizes. There are hints for improving your performance, too.
You can go to www.auditionkit.com even if you don't purchase the software. Here you can listen to, vote on, and determine the best talent and their scores. Those who participate as a contestant can win prizes including concert tickets, merchandise CD's, and more. Top vocalist winners receive airline tickets and a special VIP invitation to the next rung of auditions. There is also an interactive message area where you can contact others who have put their auditions on line.
This might be the greatest interactive entertainment with your computer because you are part of it. If you have a talented child, it could be the entry you need for that child's career. Check the site's offerings and, if it looks promising, buy the AuditionKit from a Target, Best Buy, or other distributor. Then you can register and become a candidate for the American Idol program.
I read an article in my Northwestern University college publication that someone had a collection some 10,000 old comic books including Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and others. If you're old enough to remember those comic strips of heroic efforts with the wildly picturesque drawings, you might envy that man his collection. If you're not, and even if you are, you no longer need to have Captain Marvel collector envy. Nor do you have to deal with musty, yellowing pages of paper in boxes and storage lockers. Why?
Marvel Comics, as well as other titles, now come on a CD– ROM where you can view the images in all their glory, and read the text as you might have read it in comic books and Sunday newspaper supplements. Don't want to read them on screen? Print them out in full color or black and white. You get even more than you used to in the original comic books. You also get complete character biographies with vital statistics and aliases, comic book computer wallpaper, and screensavers. A search for Marvel, Spider-man, and other Marvel characters can keep you busy for days.
For those who were born too late to enjoy these classis, they were known as the CD-ROM lets readers revisit 10 issues of 10 ground-breaking comics from the period known to collectors and fans as the "Silver Age" - a turning point in the industry that saw Marvel invent this new breed of superheroes, including Spider-Man the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four and X-MEN, showing comic-book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby at the peak of their creative powers. The discs are $19.95 from your dealer, and are compatible with the both Windows and Macintosh systems. See www.topics-ent.com and click on "references."
StarTech.com realizes a need, a problem, and sets about to find a solution. The company's main business is as a source for hard to find computer parts. Now they have developed the Video Game Jockey, a little black box that enables you to play your game consoles, such as Xbox, PlayStation2, Game Cube, Dreamcast, or other console gaming systems on your computer monitor. That's not all. You can also connect DVD players, VCR's VCD's and camcorders to your computer monitor using the Video Game Jockey.
This ingenious black box, measuring 6.5 in long, 4 in wide and only 1 inch deep, is the go between any of the above devices and your computer monitor. One side has connections for the power supply, VGA in, Monitor in, Line in, and speaker out. The other side has audio and s-video connectors. On top are adjustments for screen brightness, positioning, and mode. It will accept earplugs so if there is noise or other devices, such as a TV being used in the same environment, the person using the Jockey with the monitor can play the games without disturbing anyone else.
That means it converts video signals to VGA signals that can be displayed on your monitor. It supports NTSC and PAL video systems, composite video, and S-Video connections. It conforms to Plug and Play specifications; no software drivers are required.
As peripheral gaming devices, camcorders, and other systems with varied output channels become an integral part of your entertainment needs, the Video Game Jockey may well become a permanent resident next to your computer. It lists for $79.95 from your dealer or from www.startech.com. The company has a comprehensive catalog listing many other hard to find hardware items. Phone 1-800-265-1844.
I got tired of looking at my old 17" monitor that no longer worked. I knew there were sources for recycling old computer parts to prevent them from garbaging up our landfill and emitting who knows what kind of unhealthful rays now and in the future. But where? And how? A search turned up several impractical methods. Then I stumbled on a recycle or donate tab on the DELL Website. Dell has quietly gathered old useless, and useful, computers and put them in their proper pastures.
It's so easy! Select recycle on the drop down menu in Dell's home window and you'll be taken directly to information about recycling or donating. The result for my needs was to pack up my monitor and, for $15.00, Dell would arrange for a carrier to take it away and recycle it. The pick up service was marvelous because I didn't have to handle the unit, drag it to my city's recycle center, then pay for eliminating the unit by weight.
So while you're having fun, do the environment a favor, and get rid of your old computer, monitors, printers, etc. You'll feel good about doing something good.
Dona Meilach is the author of over 85 books with 10 on computers. Her just released newest book is WOOD ART TODAY from Schiffer Publishers. http://www.schifferbooks.com/. Put her name in the search box. Other computer organizations interested in running this column should contact the author. The column is also available as a free E-zine. Subscribe DCC: Contact Dmeilach@msn.com. Dona's Computer Capers may also be found at http://www.smalladdictions.com/Skateboard.