Looking Forward and Back

Editors Note: Happy New Year to all my readers from Tucson. May you all be fortunate to spend a winter in Southern Arizona. I write these words while wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  For your information, spammers have been using my GoogleGroups distribution list that I use to e-mail out this blog to send out spam.  I apologize for that. I have taken steps so that it will ever happen again. New members can no longer join without my knowledge and approval. Once again, Happy New Year!!

Best new Windows software of 2009

This past year was not the best for new software developments. There were no surprising game-changers like Google Chrome in 2008, and no watershed moments. However, that doesn't mean there weren't some cool releases. I suspect that much of the best software of 2009 winds up becoming the foundation for innovations in 2010.

The Top 100 Web Sites of 2009

Some things about the Web are changing incredibly fast, others seem like they'll stay the same forever. Our list of the Top 100 Web Sites reflects that: We've selected 50 classic Web sites that we all know and love, and 50 new and/or undiscovered sites that you may not have heard of yet.

The Best Free Software of 2009

The best things in life often actually are free. Here, a list of 173 of the best things in life—free software, for launching apps, networking, backup, synchronization, entertainment, and more.

The 10 dumbest tech moves of 2009

It's that time of year again -- time to look back and offer my 2009 awards for the most malicious, obnoxious, offensive, or nonsensical behavior in technology. The 10 winners this year include some of the best-known companies on the planet, as well as some obscure but worthy candidates.

Tech Trends 2010: Predictions for the Year Ahead

We asked six IT industry observers to offer their predictions for 2010 and to speculate on who will be the winners and losers in the coming year. Here are their thought-provoking responses.

The Future of TV and Music?

Broadcasters' woes could spell trouble for free TV

For more than 60 years, TV stations have broadcast news, sports and entertainment for free and made their money by showing commercials. That might not work much longer.

Will recorded music survive the 2010s?

I have no doubt musicians will continue to perform throughout the 2010s, but they'll make less and less money from recorded music. The passion to make and sell recorded music is already starting to wane. Big record labels will be increasingly irrelevant so I wouldn't be surprised if Warner, Universal, Sony/BMG, and EMI eventually merge into one mega-label to sell and license back-catalog music. New music, that's another story. Already established bands, like Radiohead, have already proved the point: they don't need record companies anymore. They can sell their music directly to fans.

10 music-tech trends that will shape the next decade

Bill Gates has said that prognosticators often overestimate the amount of technological change that will happen in a year, but underestimate the changes that will take place over a decade. With the Zeroes coming to an end this week, and Steve Guttenberg's recent column questioning the viability of recorded music in 2020 as inspiration, here's my pick of 10 trends in music and technology that will shape the next decade.

Kindle is most gifted Amazon item, ever

Amazon.com on Saturday released its annual post-Christmas statement on holiday sales and made one thing clear: the Kindle was king, perhaps fueled by continued shifts in plans for shipments of Barnes & Noble's competing Nook e-reader. In another milestone for the e-reader, the company noted that on Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Amazon customers bought more Kindle books than physical books.

RUNit Desktop Download

The small, simple RUNit utility provides fast access to your most-used programs, via a menu you call up by right-clicking on the very edge of your screen.

Bad News for Microsoft and Amazon

Microsoft Loses Lawsuit, But Word Likely to Stay

First, the good news: No, you won't have to turn in your copies of Office 2007, even now that Microsoft has lost its appeal of a lawsuit brought by the Canadian company, i4i. The lawsuit, a patent battle over a feature few business users ever see, will cost Microsoft $290 million to settle.

Google vs. Microsoft: It's Going to Get Worse in 2010

One of the most heated battles among technology companies was waged this year between Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. For those who think this corporate fight hit a crescendo in 2009, industry analysts say they better think again. It looks like this is just getting started.

Hackers claim to crack Kindle copyright armor

A not-so-merry holiday gift for Amazon.com: hackers say they've successfully cracked copyright protections on the company's Kindle e-reader, making it possible to export e-books to other devices.

White House Picks New Cyber Coordinator

The White House has tapped a corporate cyber security Relevant Products/Services expert and former Bush administration official to lead the effort to shore up the country's computer networks and better coordinate with companies that operate 80 percent of those critical systems.

Microsoft Security Essentials Ranks as Best-Performing Free Antivirus

Anti-malware testing group AV-Comparatives.org not only gave Microsoft Security Essentials a top rating for malware removal, but now they've given it their best ranking in their performance test as well

We Interrupt Christmas to Bring You Some Tech News

Intel launches redesigned Atom chip for Netbooks

Intel is launching the biggest makeover of the Atom processor since the seminal chip debuted in the spring of 2008, and consumers can expect a crush of new Netbooks to follow.

Broadcom, Nvidia bring HD video to new Netbooks

Consumers who want to watch high-resolution HD video on Hulu on the newest crop of Intel-based Netbooks will have to seek out models equipped with special chips from Broadcom or Nvidia.

Ford cars to become Wi-Fi hot spots

The carmaker announced Monday the next generation of its Sync system designed to let Ford owners plug a USB modem directly into a car's built-in Wi-Fi, creating broadband Internet access to all passengers. Those in the car can jump online through any Wi-Fi-enabled device, from smartphone to laptop.

Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of 2009

With 2009 nearing its end, we take a look at the most-pirated movie titles across various categories. Aside from the usual suspects such as Star Trek and Transformers, the list also includes a few surprising entries, and some notable absentees.

Desktop Earth - The Earth on Your Desktop in Real Time!

Desktop Earth is a wallpaper generator for Windows. It runs whenever you're logged on and updates your wallpaper with an accurate representation of the Earth as it would be seen from space at that precise moment.

More Christmas Gifts from Jim

How to Increase External Hard Drive Performance in Windows Vista and Windows 7

In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you can increase the performance of external hard drive by increasing its speed in just a few easy steps. This is possible because Windows Vista and Windows 7 operate external hard drives connected by USB differently than internal drives.

iDailyDiary Free Version

iDailyDiary is a program tailored for taking daily notes, creating a journal, putting your thoughts into writing etc. The documents you create are encrypted, and require a password to access. The built-in editor supports graphics, hypertext links and links to other diary pages. iDailyDiary is fully searchable so you can always track down those important dates and reminders. You can also export your diary to HTML web pages. I liked it so much I bought the paid version.

Best Free Folder Synchronization Utility

File synchronization utilities help you keep updated copies of files or folders in two or more locations, such as different computers, network drives, USB drives, or online storage. While a file sync utility could be used as a simple backup tool (called one-way syncing), its real power lies in keeping an identical set of working files in two or more locations.

Build better online photo albums

Google's free photo-organizing app, Picasa, recently received a minor update to version 3.6. What is it? The capability to invite others to work on your online photo albums, which in turn means that your pals can invite you to help build their collections.

7 Multi-Site Torrent Search Tools For the Swarthy Downloader

So, it's torrent booty ye be after? Well, matey, I'll be happy to share a list of me favorite places to find forbidden treasures. Millions of torrents, thousands of places to look for them...What's a wayfarin' buccaneer to do? Why, search a whole pile of places at the same time, of course. After all, you're more likely to find gold with seven maps to the same pot than you are with just one.

Christmas Gifts

Editor’s note: Surprise – Christmas is only one week away. As news stories are few and far between this time of the year, it is time for me to reach under my virtual Christmas tree and start doling out my annual Christmas gifts of high quality free software and terrific Web sites. I will admit that I haven’t tried all these freebies yet, but all have been rated as pretty terrific by other reviewers and users.  So, enjoy the gifts that come your way and hopefully they are more useful than the tie, curling iron, or slippers that are waiting for you under your Christmas tree. – JRC 

Glary Utilities - Free Utilities to Clean Registry, Fix PC Errors, Clean Privacy

This has become my favorite all-around Windows utility...from cleaning up registry problems to optimizing memory, managing startup programs, to analyzing disk space usage (this helped me clean up a lot of stuff before I installed Win 7), duplicate files finder, and removing junk data from your disk. Trust me, when you start to learn its power, you will wonder how you got along without it.

T3Desk Brings 3D Eye-Candy to Your Windows Desktop

Windows only: If you want a little extra eye-candy in your Windows management, T3Desk is an alt-tab alternative that gives you 3D windows arrangement and more.

SoftMaker Office 2008 for Free

This is a pretty impressive office suite comprising a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation program and scripting utility. To the eye it looks very like Office XP and it works very well indeed. In fact Infoworld rated it as superior to Open Office 3.1. A pretty impressive freebie.

The secret to a perfect desktop? Fences

Fences 1.0 (for XP, Vista, and Windows 7) is a freeware gem that simply creates silos on your desktop, like the box tool in a drawing program, in which you group together icons. You pick the theme--like Downloads, Programs, and Documents--and the shortcuts that go in them. It's even faster if you choose from a number of suggested layouts when you install Fences for the first time, and let the app sort it out. Any placement you don't like, you can change later on.

10 Best Free Game Sites

Some of the best GAMES ever programmed are available on the Internet for FREE, even classic trend setters like Doom and Grand Theft Auto. If you’re willing to put up with pop-up ads, “nag-to-buy” screens and in some cases, registration, there are a host of free games awaiting your introduction. We can’t tell you what games you should play … So … Instead of categorizing and rating our favorite games we’ll show you where you can go to find, select and download your own soon-to-be favorite games.

Free McDonald’s Wi-Fi

You Want Wi-Fi with That? McDonald's To Make Wi-Fi Free

McDonald's will make Wi-Fi free at 11,000 of its U.S. restaurants in January, with or without a purchase, in partnership with AT&T. Currently, McDonald's charges $2.95 for two hours of wireless Internet for non-AT&T customers. The McDonald's move is part of a trend toward offering free Wi-Fi to attract customers and promote goodwill.

Obscure Win7 tools can save you time and trouble

Somehow, the new tools in Windows 7 have been lost in all the Windows 7 hype. That's a shame, because they can increase your productivity tremendously. Unfortunately, finding them is often like hunting for snipes. Here's a quick review of my favorite, little-known Win7 features.

Windows 7 Tips

Microsoft TechNet offers a daily tip on using Windows 7. Here is a collection of past tips that is updated daily. You can also subscribe to a daily RSS feed to have them delivered to you.

Web sites that do mobile right

Apps are great, but they tie you to a specific device. These sites work well for any modern smartphone

Take This Test To See If You Are Addicted To The Internet

Over at the web site netaddiction.com they offer a self-test to determine your addiction to the Internet. I took the test and I scored 35. Not bad, since the score seems to indicate that I am an average user.

Anti-Trust in the News Again

FTC Charges Intel with Stifling Processor Competition

The Federal Trade Commission has charged Intel with stifling processor competition for more than a decade. Intel, the FTC said, used coercion and threats to deprive consumers of potentially superior chips at lower prices. The FTC also said Intel's compiler reduced rivals' performance, and it said the tactics have been used recently against Nvidia.

EU resolves Microsoft IE antitrust case

European Commissioner for Competition Policy Neelie Kroes on Wednesday formally announced a resolution to the Internet Explorer antitrust case against Microsoft. As part of the settlement, Windows PCs sold in the European Economic Area will now present users with a Choice Screen, allowing them to install alternative browsers beyond Internet Explorer.

How to Buy an E-Book Reader - Reviews by PC Magazine

Kindle? Nook? Sony Reader? E-book readers are hot this holiday season, and we'll help you figure out which one is the best read.

Firefox 3.5.6 patches critical security holes

Mozilla has updated its Firefox browser to patch three critical security holes. Firefox 3.5.6 and 3.0.16 both suffered from memory corruption issues. "We presume that with enough effort at least some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code," the security advisory said. Make sure you update.

Little Firefox add-on makes simple macros

Meet DejaClick, a free Firefox extension that records your movements and replays them at your whim. It essentially creates macros that you can name and launch after installing DejaClick.

Stolen and Missing E-Mails Making Headlines

Climate Science Not Faked, But Not Pretty

E-mails stolen from climate scientists show they stonewalled skeptics and discussed hiding data Relevant Products/Services -- but the messages don't support Relevant Products/Services claims that the science of global warming was faked, according to an exhaustive review by The Associated Press.

22 million missing Bush White House e-mails found

Computer technicians have found 22 million missing White House e-mails from the administration of President George W. Bush and the Obama administration is searching for dozens more days' worth of potentially lost e-mail from the Bush years, according to two groups that filed suit over the failure by the Bush White House to install an electronic record keeping system.

Support for Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 ends next July

Microsoft has issued a reminder this week that it will stop providing support for Windows 2000 and Windows XP Service Pack 2 on July 13, 2010. After this date, public support for these products ends and Microsoft will no longer provide any assisted support or security updates. To get updates, you will need to install SP3.

HubbleSite - Holiday Cards

This year, say it in stars! Send your friends and relatives best wishes for the season with printable holiday cards. Messages of joy and peace are illuminated by the natural splendor of the universe. The cards are designed to be printed out at photo stores or online photo labs, though you can also use a home printer.

Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2009

We've featured hundreds of free Windows applications over the course for 2009 that we hoped might bolster your productivity, workflow, or your PC usefulness in one form or another. Here's a look back at the most popular Windows downloads of the year.

Mozilla Releases Final Version of Thunderbird 3

Mozilla lets Thunderbird 3 fly

Mozilla Messaging pushed the stable release of Thunderbird 3 out of the nest on Tuesday, and there's a lot to like in case you haven't been following the beta development of this Outlook alternative. The long-overdue Thunderbird 3 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it introduces several hefty new features and some long-needed improvements, including an overhauled search and message indexing, tab support, and a revamped setup wizard that's designed to make new account setup quick and painless.

Best of the Decade - Reviews by PC Magazine

We salute the most important, revolutionary products, services, and technologies of the last 10 years, as well as the most influential people of the decade.

I like Win 7, but I've already drawn up a Win 8 wishlist

As I’ve said before, I like Windows 7. In fact, I like the OS a lot. It reminds me a lot of the good ol’ NT4 days. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’ve fallen in love with Windows again because times are different and I enjoy a polyamorous existence where I use several different OSes. But Windows 7 has reminded me of the fact that when Windows is done right, it can be a cracking OS.

What Matters Now: Download the Free E-Book

Author Seth Godin has compiled a free 80-page e-book entitled What Matters Now, a collection of thought-provoking nuggets from authors and technologists across the web.

SoftCAT 4.10 (Windows) - Free Software

SoftCAT is the ultimate software organizer database. The AutoCatalog feature will automatically add all programs installed on your computer. SoftCAT will help you know what you have and where it is, but it will also help you keep track of important information like serial number, and other registration information.

Tomorrow is Patch Tuesday

Patch Tuesday heads-up: MS to fix 'critical' IE, Office security holes

Just two weeks after the release of exploit code for a critical (remotely exploitable) security hole in its Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft says a fix will be included in this month’s batch of Patch Tuesday updates.

9 ways to increase the security of your laptop while on the road

Using your laptop to get work done away from your office or on the road is becoming widely accepted. But this rapid growth in laptop computing has made portable systems the target for theft around the world. If your laptop computer is stolen, company information can be exposed, as well as your personal and financial information. Use these 9 tips to learn how you can keep your laptop more secure when you're on the road.

Google Chrome now bundled with Avast

You wouldn't necessarily expect it, but Avast and Google Chrome might be the next peanut butter-and-jelly combo in the software world. Google's nascent browser has paired with one of the most popular free security programs in the world so that when users run the Avast installer on a computer that has neither Chrome nor Avast, they'll be offered a chance to install Chrome simultaneously. This is the first such bundling for Avast in its 21-year existence.

Barnes & Noble Nook E-Book reader reviews

The Nook, Barnes and Noble e-reader that has been in short supply, is now in stores for purchase. Is it any good and how does it compare with its main competitor, Amazon's Kindle? Here is a in-depth review.

Download dozens of free holiday MP3s

Places on the Net where you can get free MP3 Christmas music

Note: I will not be publishing for the next few days as I head out on a photographic expedition with a fellow professional photographer from the Northwest. JRC

Comcast Now Controls NBC Universal

Comcast snags NBC Universal to build $37 billion venture

It's official. Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, announced Thursday that it is buying a controlling stake in the TV network and movie studio NBC Universal. The total value of the blockbuster media industry deal, which had been rumored since September, is estimated at around $37 billion. The new joint venture will merge Comcast's cable channels, which are worth about $7.25 billion, with NBC Universal assets that have been valued at around $30 billion, the companies said Thursday.

Can Comcast-NBC play nice with Hulu?

Comcast managers said Thursday, following the company's announcement it had acquired a controlling stake in NBC Universal, that it will be business as usual at Hulu, the joint venture operated by NBC Universal, News Corp., and Disney. Ever since rumors of the acquisition began to swirl in September, questions were raised about whether Comcast would try to kill Hulu to discourage cable customers from dropping their subscriptions.

New ransomware attack blocks Internet access

Security researchers have stumbled upon a new piece of ransomware that blocks an infected computer from accessing the Internet until a fee is paid via SMS (text message).

Google wants to unclog Net's DNS plumbing

Google is setting up it's own DNS service and invites you to join in. The DNS is a crucial part of the Internet. It converts the text addresses people can remember into the numeric Internet Protocol addresses actually used to locate information on the Internet. For example, CNET.com's IP address is 216.239.122.102. Personally, I am going to stick with OpenDNS.com.

Tools for creating holiday-shopping lists

Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just a memory, the holiday season is in full swing. For those of us who like to be organized when we hit the stores, creating a shopping list is really the best way to go.

Windows Live – Part Two

In my previous blog on this subject, I mentioned Windows Live has some good functions and some that are not so good.  Here are three functions that exist in the cloud (fancy word for the Internet) that can theoretically help your computer use.

The first one is a good one…called “Windows Live Mesh.” Its function is to take certain files that you designate and continuously copy them up to the Net. Then, if you have a second computer (or many others) and it is also running Live Mesh, it will continuously sync the files with the first computer.

I’ve use this with a program I’ve mentioned before called OneNote. I continually use the program and create new files and add new entries into existing files. As I do that, the files are automatically synced into the cloud and stay there until I turn on my laptop. Then, the laptop contacts Live Mesh and the files are synced to it immediately. So, the files on my two computers are always in sync.

This program is very useful when I am on the road and I plan to add more files to it.  The only downside is that since Live Mesh is storing my files, I am limited to 2GB of file space. For now that is plenty.

Microsoft Live has a similar program that I also use called Windows Live Sync. It works almost exactly the same way, except that no files are stored in the cloud…files are only on the computers you designate. In my case, my Excel and Word files are in sync when both computers are on. This is also useful as there is no file size limit since nothing is stored in the cloud.

Microsoft has another Internet-based file storage facility that is not well implemented…in fact it is very badly limited…almost to the point of being unusable.  It is called Windows Live Skydrive.  In theory, it is a fabulous idea. Microsoft gives you, the user, 25Gb of free on-line storage to back up your most important data.

That is a great idea in that having an offsite backup protects you from data loss should you be the victim of fire or theft and your computer and all backup drives are destroyed or stolen. Everyone should have off-site backups of some type. There are several on-line storage companies that give you 2Gb for free, then charge you a monthly fee for more…or, like I do, I have a portable backup drive in a location away from my home.

But, getting back to Skydrive, here is where the implementation is bad…With Skydrive, you can only send up one file at  a time…not a folder, mind you, only one file at a time. That makes it almost impossible to use.  To be fair, you can install an add-on to Windows Explorer so you can add five files at a time. Whoopee!

You can also create one ZIP file containing many files and send them up to Skydrive, but I am hoping Microsoft will deliver a better solution in the near future.

Stay tuned for more on Microsoft Live…

AT&T Customers Not Happy Campers

Customers have spoken: AT&T = FAIL!

A survey of cell phone users of four of the major cell phone providers has ranked the ball-and-chain that the iPhone comes attached to, AT&T, last when it comes to customer satisfaction.

Gamer Sues World of Warcraft Maker for Ruining His Life

A California-based gamer is suing World of Warcraft maker Activision Blizzard for ruining his life. Erik Estavillo is accusing the publisher of maintaining a "harmful virtual environment" via "sneaky and deceitful practices."

Tips for safe online shopping

Shopping online does carry some risk, but so does shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. At least online shoppers don't need to worry about fender-benders in the parking lot, pick pockets at the mall, or getting the flu from all those fellow shoppers. But the nice thing about shopping online is that by following some basic guidelines you can be reasonably sure you'll have a safe experience.

7 Reasons Why eReaders Make Great Gifts This Year

Some people think eReaders like the Kindle are nothing but a blip in the technology timeline. I beg to differ.

Windows Starter Kit

Here is the list of the best freeware apps for 2010 from CNet's Windows Starter Kit. Their top picks include the browsers, image editors, utilities, and social networking apps that you should consider downloading before you fill up your computer with anything else.

Understanding Windows Live - Part 1

I thought I might take a few blogs here and there and delve into those Microsoft products branded under the “Windows Live” label. As you will no doubt see, Windows Live is not an easy concept to understand…but I will do my best. Trust Microsoft to make it as obscure as possible.  But, if you dig hard enough there are some good things available to make your computing better…but there are also a few turkeys.  We will be look at the good and the not-so-good.

Its hard to get your arms wrapped around what Windows Live truly is. Here is the best description I could find from Wikipedia:

“Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require installation on a user's PC. There are three ways in which Windows Live services are offered: Windows Live Essentials applications, web services, and mobile services.”

To put it more succinctly, some applications for Windows Live reside only on your computer, some reside only on the Internet, and some work in both places. Some are well advertised, others are sort of hidden away.

First, lets look at Windows Live Essentials, a downloadable collection of several software products.  If you are moving to Windows 7, some of these applications replace similar products that were part of XP and Vista. But, understand, Windows Live Essentials does not come with any version of Windows 7. It has to be downloaded from the Net…and I recommend everyone do it. Then, pick and choose the products you want to install.

There are currently 11 software products that come with Windows Live Essentials:

• Messenger
• Mail
• Writer
• Photo Gallery
• Movie Maker
• Family Safety
• Toolbar

Additional programs:

• Microsoft Office Outlook® Connector
• Office Live Add-in
• Microsoft Silverlight

I won’t cover them all, but just the ones I use or experimented with.  Windows Messenger is similar to Yahoo Messenger and other instant messaging programs. You can talk to friends and family, as long as everyone is using Windows Messenger. I have not used it yet, but may try it out sometime with a friend.

Window Live Writer is a fantastic program specifically made for writing blogs. It is what I am using to write this blog and have been doing so since it first came out. If you write a blog, you want this.

Windows Live Mail I will save for a future blog as it is quite involved. Photo Gallery and Movie Maker are excellent programs for storing and manipulating photos and videos, but I don’t personally use them, so I will not be reviewing them.  Same for Family Safety and Live Toolbar (no family and have enough toolbars).

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector (for connecting to Windows Live Hotmail)seemed like a very good idea and I tried using it, but it set up its own accounts inside my Outlook rather than blending with my current accounts.  A good idea, badly executed. But try it if you use Outlook for your email and calendaring. The last two I will skip for now.

So there is a quick look at Microsoft Live Essentials, but we have a long way to go yet.  Stay tuned.

PS – If you would like to see a complete list of all Windows Live products, be sure and check out the Wikipedia reference I quoted above.