ItsGeekToMe.co

Q: I have a new Toshiba with Windows 8. I can’t get the Xbox free games. When I click install it directs me to read an email that is never there. Maybe I need a Microsoft acct? I click my name and click change acct picture/click users. The screen says we need to verify your email address check email for message from Microsoft.  There is no message there. What do I do now?

– Sharon S.
Destin, Florida

A: One of two things is going on, Sharon.  Either you supplied an invalid e-mail address, when you signed up (which includes the possibility that you accidentally misspelled it) or Microsoft’s e-mail is being routed into your SPAM folder.  You do need an Xbox account to get the free games, but you shouldn’t need to have a Microsoft e-mail account in order to use the service.  Start by looking in your SPAM, and if you don’t see the expected e-mails there, double check the address you entered.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if when it “directs your to read an e-mail” it also tells you what address the e-mail was sent to.

Q: What should I do when the curser jumps all over the place or it will not move or is frozen?

– Eddy E.
Metairie, Louisana

A: Take the heel of your hand off your laptop’s touchpad, or disable it entirely if you’re using a mouse.  If you have repeated problems with it freezing, make sure your drivers are all up to date.  If you’re using a wireless mouse, try replacing the batteries.

Q: I recently installed a wireless Uniden video surveillance system. The video is stored on an SD card resident in the small monitor. If a robber broke in and took the SD card, I’d have no record of the video and I cannot see the video record without accessing the SD card. the Uniden monitor with SD card is connected to my router, which I can view realtime from another computer via the Internet. Is there a way I can view the files on the SD card remotely? And is there a way I can transfer files from the SD card to my computer so that I can access later? 

– John L.
Niceville, Florida

A: The problem of a thief making off with the recording media is a problem inherent with any video surveillance system.  About the only way I can think of to get around that is to hide or secure the recording device so that it can’t be tampered with.  In your case, since the media is located within the monitor itself, that’s not necessarily practical, unless you want to lock up the monitor itself. This is a limitation that you probably should have been aware of before making your purchase.  It sounds to me like you’re expecting capabilities beyond the unit’s design limits, but since I don’t know the model number, I can’t really say that with any certainty, since I can’t look at the user’s manual.   Therefore, anything I say beyond here is an educated guess, at best. Since you say the unit has Internet capability, you should be able to view the camera from any computer on your own home network in addition to ones on the Internet.  Depending on the server software built into the device, that ability may be limited to viewing videos only, without giving you access to the actual files on the media.  You could access the files directly by removing the SD card from the monitor and inserting it into a PC with an SD card reader.  You should then be able to copy the files to the computer using standard Windows file commands.  Whether this would do you any good or not depends on whether the files are stored in a standardized or proprietary format.  If the device uses standard a standard format like .AVI, .MPG, or .MOV, you can theoretically play them using the appropriate software.  If the device stores the files in a proprietary format, you’re probably out of luck.