For all of its wonderful options ad settings, K-9 is stupidly simple to remove.

Case Study: A friend in a yeshiva where they compelled the students to have filters needed to access a YouTube video for college. (For those judging, it was an all-male Jewish college.) Took me a few minutes of Googling.

EDITED

I’d suggest a remote proxy filter if you must have one. K-9 is stupidly simple to remove.

Several, my mom fried them. If you don’t have jelly, try putting a thin layer of jam on them. Absolutely epic!

Don’t freeze your iPod touch.

According to Apple’s website:

It’s too easy to accidentally moisten or freeze it to be too cold.

You’ll get better battery life on an iPod touch if you turn off bluetooth and WiFi when not using them. Also, notifications drain battery, so turn those off for apps that you don’t use. (Settings -> Notifications on iOS 5.)

Since it’s a fourth generation device, you have multitasking. Bring up the multitasking tray and press and hold on an icon until they start to jiggle. You can now manually quit any apps that you’re note using.

Best of luck, and don’t forget to check out my apps! 🙂

BY94 – YWN Radio is still working presumably because there are several minhagim of aveilus during the omer. Some people do listen to music now.

There are a bunch of great places to go (window) shopping if you like:

The Apple Store on Fifth Avenue is actually quite fascinating. (5th and 59th)

Also, FAO Schwartz is right next door. (5th and 59th)

Also in the area are Barnes and Noble (and Borders, which is closing soon. – 59th and Park)

Build-a-Bear is also in the city. (Near B&N)

I’m sure there’s a Toys-R-Us in the area as well. (No clue where.)

The best Pizza in the Five Towns is David’s (on Central). He’s so polite and takes a genuine interest.

I make apps for iOS and I would like to add my two cents.

yb613 – any app with a built in browser must be rated 17+ as per the App Store guidelnes. Report apps to Apple that are not properly rated. As I said, I make apps. I would know.

Leon Normanson – The TV is merely a scapegoat for poor parenting. Children who are shown proper love and care don’t need a TV to babysit them.

Guy-ocho – I’m not sure if you are not a native English speaker, or your a bluffing, but “Operating platforms” is completely the wrong word here. Try “languages” or “runtimes”. As far as removing the card and/jailbreaking, I would not do that. A jail broken device is much more likely to make the filters removable and doing either of those things voids your warranty.

The best solution as was mentioned, is to supervise and attach the device to your password protected iTunes account. I have actually restricted myself once on my iPod and forgot the password. I had to reset it. I have not tried updating the firmware. Again, just be vigilant with keeping up track of what’s going on.

Good luck!

@popa_bar_abba – You should think carefully before you make blanket statements. It’s not so obvious that Chazal could have made computers. Your statement can be applied to a million things.

It’s obvious that Chazal could have made penicillin. The fact that they didn’t shows that we are not meant to have it.

It’s obvious that Chazal could have made YWN. The fact that they didn’t shows that we are not meant to have it.

It’s obvious that Chazal could have made cars. The fact that they didn’t shows that we are not meant to have them.

And the list goes on: heating, indoor plumbing, tupperware, lightbulbs etc.

I agree with the original poster that computers should be used towards their immense potential for good things.

It’s idiotic comments like yours, @popa_bar_abba, that give the frum world a bad name amongst the modern orthodox, the the irreligious and thenations of the world. Statements like “It’s obviously an omen that you are doing something wrong.” or “We’re better off without him” (in reference to the President or any person) display an innate boorishness that we cannot afford to display. It’s a Chillul Hashem. If you have strong feelings, keep ’em to yourself!

@BP Zaideh – If you are thinking about “mundane things like money”, don’t you think that you have a long way to go until you can worry about the implications and effects of merely seeing a phrase as you make your way through daily life?

@BP Totty – Perhaps you should use paper currency a little more and stop using “plastic” as much.

(Despite Keynesian theory, spending is not a sign of a healthy economy, but a possible side-effect. A healthy economy is built up on savings not spending. If you’re saving money, where did it come from? the answer is: debt or savings. It sounds like you’re using too much credit.)

However, you have made an excellent point about the powerful potential of technology and the fact that we are not using it is a shame. Perhaps if we spent more time being productive and less time spewing l”h on these forums, the Gedolim would shun the internet less, if only slightly.

Happy Chanuka to all!

@ZachKessin – Freelancers outside of the US and Israel will work for ridiculous rates. This does not mean that they are unskilled. (I’ve seen decent work from these people, although I have never hired them.) (Where you the poster who said that they are working on an HTML5 book?)

@HaLeiVi – I wouldn’t use Microsoft word to design websites. The markup generated by most programs is nonstandard and difficult to maintain. Professional programs do generate decent code, but they are expensive and the OP would be better off hiring a web designer or firm.

@beinhassedorim – I advise you to ask your question on superuser.com. If you want a website, post here and I’ll try to get in touch. (I do charge a lot more than $4/hr.)

This is how ridiculous kol korehs start:

Somebody makes up a rumor about the local fish guy in the supermaket because he didn’t like him. Suddenly, fish is assur, water is assur, shaitels are assur. And, the shaitel has the dybuk of a fish in it.

Please, stop this idiocy!

As others have said, it depends on what you need it for.

@Sister Bear – I would like to add that Apple computers are *not necessarily better*. This is true *even for video and professional graphic artists*. I have done camp videos and weddings professionally. Don’t believe stereotypes. Also,I own an iMac (Core 2 Duo, late 2009) and *I make iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps*. That said, I’ve been using Windows since version 3.1 and the Windows side of things isn’t all that bad. Puleeez. If you are used to windows, stick with it.

@I can only try – good points.

I personally have (in addition to my iMac) an HP laptop which has some overheating problems when I try to play video games on it. I also have an HP desktop and an iPad. An iPad is, contrary to what some will say, more than a large iPod touch.

You can do word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, browse the web and send and receive email on the iPad. I think that makes it at least as much of a computer as Windows 3.1. (Also, email was rare in the Win 3.1 days.)

Good Shabbos.

mi.yodeya – No problem. I assume that you’re the mod mi.yodeya.com, Correct?

@mischiefmaker – To answer both questions (albiet in reverse order) – you can’t ask a question online and consider it private. There is no such thing as internet privacy.

If you want to ask a question, check out http://mi.yodeya.com

Pashuta Yid – Various languages have been developed for various hardware systems or, in some circumstances, to meed various software needs. Some companies develop their own languages for performance or other reasons. Ask the guy who made Ruby or Python and they will tell you that different languages have different drawbacks which they were trying to address. No language is perfect.

ZachKessin – Any chance of a courtesy copy for review? I am a yeshiva student in NY and I’ve done websites as a hobby since sixth grade. I’m in beis medrash for the last few years and I do iOS development too. I am the dev behind the recent YWN Radio app for iOS. I would love to check out your book. Please comment here and YW Editor can get us in touch if need be.

A gutten moed to all.

ichbinayid – Do I know you? It’s your style to introduce your site like that. “I was forwarded a message…”

AinOhd – What halachik issues doe iPad have over other devices? You are on YWN, isn’t that a halchik issue?

Nook may be better for because it looks and feels more like paper. You are less likely to get headaches form something like that. LCD screens like the iPad are still screens.

[Psst… YW Editor, surprised to hear me say that? 😉 Yes, I do love my iPad.]

I just have to laugh at this thread.

Hahahah.

Ok, done.