The Costco Connection

Questions about
electronics or computers
you purchased at
Costco? Email them to:

connection@costco.com.

Or mail to:

Q&A with Marc Saltzman

The Costco Connection

P.O. Box 34088

Seattle, WA 98124-1088 or fax to: (425) 313-6718.

Please include
“Marc Saltzman Q&A”
in the subject line. Marc
will answer selected ques-
tions in this column. We
regret that unpublished
questions cannot be
answered individually.

Ask Marc

Saltzman

Marc Saltzman,
a leading high-tech
reporter, contributes
to more than three
dozen prominent
publications, appears
on radio and TV, and is
the author of 15 books.
He’s on Twitter at

@marc_saltzman

JO H N G OL DS T EI N

Q: We need a video camera to document our activities this summer. I’d like a good camera with a good video camera. My husband wants to get one of those GoPro cameras. What do you think?

A: GoPro cameras are great for capturing hands-free action—you can mount them on a helmet or something else to film activities such as skiing down a hill or cycling—and the quality is exceptional. But they’re not really ideal for shooting everyday things, such as a child’s birthday. They’re not that comfortable to hold compared with a conventional cam-corder, plus there’s no screen to see what you’re shooting (though the latest version lets you see what you’re recording via a smartphone).

If you also need a good still camera, I’d recommend an inter-changeable-lens camera—from the likes of Nikon, Canon or Sony—as it can also shoot HD video. If you want better zoom for filming events such as a kid’s soccer game from the stands, go for one of the more traditional HD camcorders you hold in your hand as if you’re throwing a football (but much smaller).

Q: I’ve heard about using my smart-
phone with my home phone system via
Bluetooth. Can you explain?

A: Bluetooth connectivity is an exciting innovation for cordless phones. Bluetooth-enabled cordless phones, sometimes referred to as “Link to Cell” or “Connect to Cell” phones, can wirelessly connect with your mobile phone when you walk in the door. Then, when a call comes in, all your cordless phones will ring.

So now you don’t have to race through your home to answer your ringing smartphone. You can leave it in the room where you get the strongest reception, and perhaps keep it plugged in so it’s charged and ready to go. When you make a call, you

The
Costco
Connection
Costco carries a variety of
cameras, camcorders and acces-
sories in the warehouses and online
at Costco.com. A full suite of photo
services are available through
the Costco Photo Centers. You’ll
also find Bluetooth-enabled
home phone systems
at Costco.

can choose whether you want to use your landline number or your mobile one.

Actually, it’s no secret many people have canceled their home phone service in favor of being reached with just one mobile number. Even if you no longer have home phone service, you can still benefit from these Bluetooth-enabled cordless phones—it doesn’t matter whether you have a landline account or not.

Some models are sold in sets of
four or five in a box, and are
expandable to up to eight hand-
sets you can spread throughout
your home. Also, a battery back-
up feature is good to look for
in this type of system, as the
phones can still operate in the
event of a power outage (just
like a mobile phone).

Other features include support for two different mobile phones (perhaps yours and a spouse or partner’s), with separate ringtones and simultaneous talk with two smartphones on some models. Your mobile phone’s address book can transfer to your cordless phone’s built-in directory, and cordless phones are also a lot more comfortable to hold than a smartphone.

Some of these phones not only offer talking caller ID—announcing the name or number of who’s calling you—but also a talking text alert feature, in which the name or number of the person texting you is announced by your handset.

Q: I recently upgraded my Nikon at Costco. I
tried to use the self-timer feature, and I can-
not figure it out. Can you help?

A: Since you purchased your camera from Costco, the best place to get an answer to a question like this is Costco Concierge, Costco’s free tech-support service. You get access to this service when you purchase many electronics at Costco. The service can help with questions that arise while using cameras and other equipment, as well as setup questions.