The holidays have traditionally been a slow time for technology news…but not this year. We are full to the brim with tech stories that folks like you and me (the non-nerds)will find interesting.
There is one item I found that is not in the news this week…probably because it is old news and I just missed it. Microsoft has stopped putting out “Gadgets” for the Windows 7 Desktop. There is still a one page listing of a few Gadgets, but the vast majority are not longer available. That is too bad as I have 4 gadgets on my desktop now that are most useful…time, date, weather, and a menu of my most used programs. Too bad, because if I get a new computer, I may be screwed.
For the rest of the today’s news in tech, read on from here. - JRC
Regulators Call for National Cell-Phone Ban While Driving
The National Transportation Safety Board voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend a first-ever nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 35 states have already banned text messaging by all drivers and nine states now prohibit all hand-held cell phone use while driving.
Federal authorities open Carrier IQ investigation into phone tracking
U.S. federal authorities, including the FTC and the FCC, are investigating Carrier IQ to see whether consumer rights or privacy was invaded.
Microsoft to begin automatic Internet Explorer upgrades in 2012
In a major policy change, Microsoft plans to deliver IE upgrades automatically to Windows users. That moves IE incrementally closer to its fast-paced competitors, although there are still enough exceptions to keep enterprise users happy.
Microsoft Shows Security Improvements with 2011 Patch Tuesdays
Microsoft Relevant Products/Services on Tuesday issued 13 security Relevant Products/Services bulletins. Only three were rated critical. That's a small reprieve since IT Relevant Products/Services admins expected 14 bulletins -- the fix for the so-called Beast attack did not make it into this release.
New Hotmail Version Now Fully Deployed
To say that Microsoft has been on a torrid release schedule when it comes to upgrading its cloud-based services is a bit of an understatement. Today, the company revealed that it has completed deploying the latest version of its Hotmail email service, so all customers are now on the new version. As a bonus, there is also a new Android App for Hotmail.
Amazon selling more than a million Kindles per week
It's going to be a Kindle kind of holiday for many folks around the globe. Amazon.com today said that it is selling Kindles at a rate of more than one million per week - marking the third consecutive week that it has topped that milestone.
From Netflix to iTunes: What to expect in 2012
The best stories in digital media are ending the year with some compelling cliffhangers.
Setting up a temporary ‘ad hoc’ network
When you need a quick way to share files between two Windows PCs that aren’t normally connected, an ad hoc wireless network is the way to go. Everything you need is already built into Windows 7, Vista, and XP. Here’s how to set up an ad hoc network on wireless PCs.
Top 100 Free Apps For Your Phone
No matter which smartphone you own or are choosing to buy, the apps that are available for it can have an enormous influence on whether you're ultimately happy with your phone.
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