The News is Boring Today…How About Info You Can Use

This edition is mostly about tips, tricks, new devices and programs that might come in handy.

I am very impressed with the new Nexus 7 Tablet, and if I didn’t already own an iPad, I would definitely consider this one. The new Nexus 7 replaces the old Nexus 7…why they didn’t change the name I will never understand.

Also the hottest new item on the market today is the Google’s Chromecast, a $35 device for your TV that brings streaming media from your phone and tablet directly to your TV. If I didn’t already have a Roku box, I might be seriously interested.

Another impressive update is Microsoft’s SkyDrive. It soon may become the photographer’s cloud storage application of choice. I will be playing with it myself and will let you know. Also, if you are a photographer, be it at any level, be sure and check out the story on demystifying SD cards. 

OK, enough of me, for now. Let’s move forward. -JRC

Twelve Things You Need to Know About Internet Privacy

Keep these basic privacy concepts and practices in mind and you will be better able to guard your privacy and reduce intrusions into your life.

Hands On: Google's New Nexus 7 Tablet With Android 4.3

For me, the big deal with the new Nexus 7 is the display. As I tooled around on the take-home unit Google gave us, surfing the Net and playing some YouTube videos, I found the screen resolution much crisper than the first-generation.

Google Chromecast Review: $35 Puts Internet Video on Your TV

Google says the Chromecast is the "easiest way to enjoy online video and music on your TV" by making mobile devices work with your TV in a simple way. Its goal is also to make it the cheapest way of doing that.

Microsoft readies IE 11 for Windows 7, too

Internet Explorer 11 ships by default in Windows 8.1, and a developer preview of the browser for Windows 7 confirms that the older OS won't be left behind -- for now.

Microsoft stuffs the SkyDrive website with new, photo-friendly features

Microsoft is giving photographers a few more reasons to store their images on SkyDrive, with a heaping helping of new options for viewing and managing photos on the Web.

Why I'm keeping my Windows XP machine

Sorry, Microsoft, but millions of users will keep their Windows XP systems, even after the OS is 'retired' next year

The Latest Version Of The Best-Known Free Office Suite

It's version 4.0 and it's a perfectly capable, powerful, full-featured office software suite that lets you create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more, without needing to buy a copy of Microsoft Office. It's open source, and completely free.

Five bookmarks every computer user should have

I've prepared this list of handy destinations you'll want to keep bookmarked in your browser. Because when the time comes, you'll be glad to have them at your fingertips.

Demystifying SD Cards

This article, looks at the different types of SD cards, along their speed class designation, and why these are important for you and your camera.

The Best Free Firewalls

Windows itself has an effective firewall built in, but for full-scale two-way firewall protection you'll want a free, third-party firewall. We'll tell you which is best.

Stress Tracker, Senti App Review

The two mobile apps here are free, and don't require an extra piece of hardware for your smartphone. They also don't measure your heart rate to calculate stress levels. Rather, the apps require you to tell them how you're feeling.

Stop Using Download.com Now!!!

Some weeks ago, I discovered something that I am about to tell you. I wanted to write about it then, but felt I might be categorized as a nut case or someone who screwed up his own computer and blamed it on someone else. And I did not have all the facts to back me up.
But the media has come to my rescue, including blogs and news stories as well as the experiences of one of the most prestigious writers at ZDNet, Ed Bott. Here is the basic story in a nutshell: Download.com, a division of CNet, is now sending your requested files wrapped inside an installer that eventually puts a boatload of crapware on your computer.
CNet and Download have been around for years. You’ve read some of the technology stories from CNet here on this blog. I’ve been using and recommending Download.com for years as a source of quality virus-free software. Well, those days are definitely over. They have betrayed our trust for the almighty dollar.
As you will read in our lead story, Download.com now wraps the file you want in what they term an installer, supposedly to make the download go smoother. In fact, the purpose of the installer is to put unwanted software of dubious origin designed to serve you ads, toolbars and other unwanted “goodies” on your computer…and they are incredibly difficult to remove. Trust me, I found out the hard way.
I have used Download.com for many years, and I thought nothing about downloading from their site. Recently, partway through the install, I realized what was going on and stopped the download. But it was too late. Some of the crapware got on my computer. Thank God, not all of it.
During the install, you have the right to opt-out of the downloads, but they make it sound so attractive. But if you read the legal notice, you will discover that the software is going to send you more unwanted software every few days that will take over part of your computing experience giving you ads and other goodies you definitely don’t want. It will, in effect, rewrite many of the web pages you request.
I kept deleting the software that got on my system, but it kept coming back. In fact it came back again only a couple of days ago when I used IE10 for a special purpose. I quickly disabled it.
At one point early on before I realized what was happening, I kept getting a notice that some unknown program wanted to install more stuff on my computer. I denied it of course, then eventually researched it and found it to be something that no one would want on their computer. I managed to get the program off my computer.
Download.com and CNet are making a ton of money doing this and they have no remorse about it. Users download almost 100,000 software items a week from their system. Imagine the money coming into their coffers.
So, the bottom line is don’t download anything from Download.com. In fact, when you download anything from anywhere, read everything carefully before installing or you may wind up with a ton of crapware that infects your computer. I deplore what CNet has done, using their here-to-for stellar reputation to infect people’s computers with nasty and unwanted garbage. Betraying a trust is the worst kind of villainy.
Please read story #1 to get all the facts. You will be glad you did!!!
Lots of other news here including Google’s new $35 device that streams movies and TV shows from your phones or tablets right to your TV. Interesting. Enjoy. -JRC

CNET Joins the Dark Side, its Download.com Attempts to Fill Your Computer With Crapware

This crapware is put into the installer by companies paying CNET to put it there. CNET is literally getting paid to sneakily attempt to install garbage on your computer. This article tells you how they did it and how to get rid of it if you got some.

Security Essentials Once Again Fails Antivirus Test

In a three-part test that looked at accuracy, protection and false positive rates, Microsoft's free antivirus program finished at the bottom.

What else can Congress bungle? Their passwords, for starters

Data leak proves yet again that DC politicos are even less tech savvy than your grandma (no offense to grandmas)

Windows 8.1 preview final verdict: Did Microsoft fix Windows 8?

Windows 8.1, slotted for release less than a year after Windows 8 launched, could be proof that Microsoft truly understands its problems and seeks to reinvigorate itself. Or, it could be a Band-Aid applied to a wound the company doesn't fully comprehend.

Google's Chromecast Is A Brilliant Inversion Of The Streaming TV Market

Instead of giving your TV a smartphone app interface, Google’s $35 gadget turns your smartphone, tablet, or computer into a remote control.

How to Manage Email and Stop It From Overwhelming You

There are steps you can take to tame the electronic avalanche and regain control of your computing life. Step 1: Shut down your Inbox. Step 2: Unsubscribe -- again and again. Turning it all into a game can't hurt, either.

10 Most Common Printer Problems Solved

Printers can present a bewildering range of problems. Fortunately, many of them can be resolved by consumers armed with a bit of knowledge. Here are solutions to some of the most common issues.

Three Surprising Things About Hard Drive Defragging

Although computer files still get split into fragments and scattered across your hard drive's platters, the computers and drives themselves are so much faster now that fragmentation isn't the same performance-wrecking problem it once was.

How to Borrow Ebooks

If you're an avid reader, you don't need to buy ebooks or even have an ereader to enjoy the benefits of a large, free selection of reading material.

Lifehacker Pack for Firefox 2013: Our List of the Best Extensions

Firefox may not be as popular as Google Chrome these days, but it's still got one of the best extension libraries around. Here are the essential Firefox extensions you need to bend the web to your will.

Touch Me, Please…Says Microsoft. No Thanks, Say Us All

At some time in the recent past, Microsoft decided all of us really want to touch our screen rather than use a mouse. They looked at the success of the iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets and decided touch is the way to go for everything. Well, I am here to tell you it isn’t.

What follows is my experiences with touch-based tablets, phones and computers. It is my opinion only, but based upon Microsoft’s recent earning statement, I think I am not alone in my feelings. I hope my experiences will be of help in the future.

As mentioned here before, I own a an iPhone, an iPad, a laptop computer running Windows 8 (not touch), and a desktop running Windows 7. I will admit that the idea of having a touch screen laptop at one point sounded interesting. But now, having used one, let me tell you I don’t like it at all!

Let me explain…one of the first purchases I made after buying my iPad was a keyboard so I could do some work while not in front of my desktop. So, in effect, I turned my iPad into a working laptop.

It works, and I use it occasionally, but early on I discovered that reaching over the keyboard to touch my iPad is a pain. Even though the iPad sits elevated only a few inches away from me, it is still a nuisance.  Remember, you can’t use a mouse on an iPad.

Now, image yourself on a laptop or even a desktop having to reach across to touch things on the screen…like to do a copy and paste or delete text or some other such chore. The mouse is a much better way to go in these situations.

Now, when I use my iPhone or iPad without a keyboard, which is most of the time, a touch screen is wonderful…but only when holding the iPad in my lap or my iPhone in my hand. It works incredibly well and is a joy to use.

But when I use a keyboard to do serious work, a touch screen is a pain-in-the-bottom. I guess Microsoft never figured that out. They wanted all the devices in the future to be touch driven, hence Windows 8 and Windows RT. Sorry guys, it is not what we want. Oh yea, and one last thing…touch screens cost much more than regular screens.  

There are more good stories awaiting you here. Apple reported good earnings today. And be sure and read the article #4 on Microsoft’s RT plan and how it resembles the South Park Underpants Gnomes. It is quite funny, and all too sad for Microsoft. But wait, there is more…read on! -JRC

Touch: Where Microsoft Went Wrong

Outside of its business and enterprise offerings (which delivered relatively good results), Microsoft just doesn’t have any products right now that consumers want to buy.

Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out

Shares suffer biggest one-day percentage sell-off since 2000 as investors fret over weak demand for Microsoft's latest Windows operating system and Surface tablet.

Apple earnings beat with $35.3 billion in sales, 31.2M iPhones

Company's third quarter results come in slightly stronger than expected, fueled by the iPhone. iPad and iPod sales are far below what Wall Street expected.

Surface RT: A plan worthy of the South Park Underpants Gnomes

The plan for Surface RT was written by the Underpants Gnomes. Phase one: Apple is successful because it has a tablet, we build Windows tablets. Phase Two: ? Phase three: Profit.

Microsoft delivers Office 2010 Service Pack 2

Microsoft officials said that SP2 consists of updates that improve security and compatibility. Specifically, SP2 provides improved compatibility with IE 10, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 and Office 2013.

OpenOffice 4.0 arrives

OpenOffice 4.0 comes with a new, more modern user interface, improvements to Microsoft Office interoperability, enhanced graphics support and many other enhancements.

Google starts placing ads directly in Gmail inboxes

Trying a new method of making money off its free e-mail service, the Internet giant has begun putting ads in Gmail's "promotions" category.

The Internet’s greatest disruptive innovation: Inequality

The logical consequences of Silicon Valley capitalism: Social stratification and class antagonism

How to Find Out If You Are Secretly Connected to the Internet

Want to know which programs on your PC are connecting to the Internet? Ever have the disconcerting experience of your PC suddenly engaging in mysterious Internet activity? Find out what is going on with a free utility from NirSoft called CurrPorts.

How To Pick A Camera: The Basics You Need To Know

Nowadays most of us make pictures with cell phone cameras. Still, every now and then a person sees a picture that couldn’t have been made with a cell phone, or they see a good camera and wonder what it is they’re missing.

Get Organized: More Powerful Email Forwarding

It's a life hack of sorts to repurpose email forwarding from being a way to redirect message when you want to abandon an account to using it to manage email more effectively. Here's how to do it.

It’s Now Official–Windows Surface RT is a Complete Disaster

It’s been hinted here and everywhere that the Microsoft Windows RT tablet is a bust. Some pundits have come right out and said it is a disaster and is not selling. But the only entity that could confirm it has been silent…until today.

Microsoft today announced their 4th quarter earnings missed expectations…partly because they took a $900 million markdown on their remaining stock of RT tablets. They would have missed expectations anyway…but please be advised that the company did make a profit. So its not all gloom and doom.

The history of the RT tablet almost foretold its failure. The rollout of the Microsoft Surface was as badly-botched as any product could be. It was announced in August of 2012. After the announcement, the Internet was shouting "Shut up and take my money," but, astoundingly, the company did not announce a price or a release date or a pre-order website for the Surface four months after the event.

Then, it chose to sell its tablets exclusively in Microsoft stores, and online through their own site. But, at that time, they only had 20 stores in the whole wide world. This is not a good strategy to sell millions of consumer devices worldwide. Oh yes, and their advertising was abominable.

But the real bottom line is that there are almost no applications for it, it was terrible overpriced ($499 without a keyboard) and it was not well built. A few days ago, the price dropped to $375. Frankly, if they priced it at $100 I would not buy it, based on my experiences with Windows 8.

In other news, Google also missed their earnings expectations and their stock dropped below $900 a share. (Here you can shed a few tears for both these tech giants).

There are more stories on Microsoft here (none of it really positive)…plus some other important information, hints, tips and free software. So put a smile on your face and let’s get started. -JRC

Microsoft Finally Reveals That No One Wanted The Surface RT

Windows RT is a dog. We've been saying that from the beginning. We weren't alone. And now Microsoft, in its latest earnings report, finally revealed that we were right.

Beating The Dead Horse That Is Microsoft Windows (Part 1)

Few people enjoy beating a dead horse more than I do, but man, beating up on Microsoft Windows is simply no fun anymore…because everybody’s doing it.

Microsoft: Is this Steve Ballmer's last throw of the dice?

It might be a surprise that he has remained in position this far, but one thing seems clear: while this company reorganization is unlikely to be Microsoft’s last rodeo, it is Mr Ballmer’s last big roll of the dice.

New Windows 8 Computer? Hope you're not in a hurry to use it

Nothing throws water on the out of box experience (OOBE) of getting a new toy than having to sit and watch it update for hours to get to a working state. PS: I didn't write this article but I went through the exact same experience with my new laptop.

Verizon unveils Edge, its own pricey early upgrade plan

Edge is Verizon's answer to T-Mobile's Jump and AT&T's Next. But like the other plans, the privilege of upgrading early will cost you.

AT&T Next vs. T-Mobile Jump: Smoke and Mirrors?

It shouldn't surprise you that T-Mobile's new "Jump" plan and AT&T's new "Next," which promise to let you upgrade your phone more frequently, aren't the best choice for everyone.

AOL, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo agree on industry code to combat piracy, counterfeiting

The four major advertising giants have signed voluntary codes to help combat online nasties and to improve the integrity of online e-commerce.

A 360TB disc that holds data for more than 1 million years?

A major breakthrough in storage technology could dramatically change our perception of data preservation.

How to Stop Google from Keeping a Record of Every Search You Make

If you have a Google account, Google may know everything you ever looked for on the web. That is, unless you turn off Google’s collecting of all your searches and clean out the web history they’ve kept. Here’s how.

How To Get The Most Out Of Google+ Today

Google+ may never be a Facebook killer, but great features are making it an increasingly comfortable place to hangout.

Note Taking App War: Evernote vs OneNote

These apps aren’t only for taking notes, you can also make lists, manage projects, store and organize information, and share it with others.

Photo Caption Creator - Free

Photo Caption Creator makes it easy to add a photo caption to your digital images. The program adds an additional area to the bottom of your photo, in which you can type the text you want to show as caption.

Special Edition–Smartphones and Tablets

It’s time I gave the world of portable computing its own special edition…after all, I bet most of you have a smartphone or a tablet…or both. So let’s see if I can provide you with some useful information to help with your portable devices.

For the vast majority of us, our portable devices use iOS (Apple iPhone and iPad), Android (tons of phones and tablets), and Windows (Windows tablets and Windows Phone 8). These are the dominate systems in portable computing and what I will cover here (but I might sneak in some info on e-book readers here and there). I will do my best to cover them all equally, although its Apple and Android that dominate this market, so they will get special emphasis (hopefully equally). 

I will cover the hardware and the software and include buying guides to help you through this computing minefield. So hang on, and let’s go!!

Tablets buying guide

If you're in the market for a tablet, this buying guide will hopefully set you on the right path

Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy?

With ultraaffordable e-ink readers, midprice color tablets like the Nexus 7, iPad Mini, and Kindle Fire HD, and even the more expensive iPads all vying for your e-book dollar, what's the best choice for you? It depends.

Windows 8 tablets: A confusing world for buyers

Tablets of all kinds running Windows 8 are finally appearing and while choice is normally a good thing for consumers, in this case buyers may be overwhelmed.

Best Free iPhone Apps

The latest list of free apps specifically for the iPhone. Some also have corresponding iPad apps.

Best Free iPad Apps

This list of Best Free iPad Apps now includes 128 apps in 81 categories

Android Apps: New and Updated Reviews

This is a list of new or updated articles and reviews about Android mobile apps. Most of these apps are also available for both iPhone and iPad.

Best Free Antivirus App for Android

Android's increasing popularity has led to increased security threats, ranging from common malware to advanced Phishing and ID theft techniques. There's a wide choice of free security apps that will cover all your needs including a group of complete security suites with Anti-Theft capabilities.

The Best Android Tips and Tricks

Anyone starting out with Android will want to read this, and long time users will probably find a few tricks they didn't know.

The top 16 iPhone app battles

The iPhone has become a battleground for a number of popular mobile app categories

Get Organized: 4 Tips for Organizing iPhone Apps

"These four tips for arranging iPhone apps make your phone more organized and efficient to use, and the apps more accessible."

Beyond App Store search: how to find the iOS apps right for you

One of the most challenging things to do on any iOS device is find a good app. Not because there aren’t any out there. Quite the opposite: there are thousands of good apps, which can be a problem.

Nokia Lumia 1020 - Windows Phone w/ 41 Megapixel Camera

Teased and leaked to death up to the very last minute before the big reveal, the Lumia 1020's 41-megapixel shooter is what makes Nokia's next marquee Windows phone, and what gives hardware jockeys a reason to salivate."

Why I won't be buying a Surface RT, even for $349

With a paltry number of third-party apps and no keyboard included, Microsoft's tablet still isn't a good deal.

Apple Found Guilty of Price Fixing…Microsoft Reorganizes

I must say, without sounding like a braggart, I saw the anti-trust, price fixing possibilities years ago when Apple and 6 book publishers got together to raise prices and force Amazon to accept the so-called agency model…thereby ending the Amazon low prices on many of the best selling books. It was either accept or the book publishers would no longer sell to them.

It was so obviously illegal that a blind man could see it. I just wondered at the time if the Justice Department would have the courage to go after this group…and, by God, they did!

The violations of federal laws were so blatant that all 6 publishers settled out of court. Only Apple said they weren’t guilty and dared the US to take them to trial. They did and Apple lost. There will be a separate trial to determine cash damages. Apple will also appeal.

Apple’s arrogance was originally orchestrated by Steve Jobs. His e-mails and secret meetings of all the participants in restaurants and hotels were obvious violations of the law. Where the heck were their attorneys?  Can’t do that in America.

I like Apple…obviously as I own 3 of their products, but I am absolutely delighted with this verdict. Anyone who sets out to destroy competition and fix prices deserves to be found guilty.

Meanwhile in Redmond, Steve Ballmer finally announced the long-awaited corporate reorganization of Microsoft. Frankly, it is a very boring story, but I include it here for those who might be interested (story #2). And before you ask, Ballmer is still CEO.

But the rest of this edition has got some good tips and stories as well as some excellent free products.  So don’t just sit there…start reading! -JRC

Apple found guilty of conspiring to fix e-books prices

Apple orchestrated a conspiracy to cut out e-book competition and raise prices, the judge says in her ruling, handing the U.S. government a big win and handing Apple a guilty verdict it said could have chilling effect of media deals.

Microsoft Announces Sweeping Reorg

As expected, Microsoft on Thursday announced a sweeping reorganization of its business units, consolidating a fairly complex corporate structure into just three major business groups that mimic its new direction as a supplier of devices and services.

Google to Microsoft: Patch faster, you slowpokes

Google's researchers have become a major force in uncovering Microsoft's vulnerabilities -- not always to Microsoft's liking

Chrome 28 released, new rich notifications for web apps and extensions

Google has released the latest version of its Chrome browser, adding support for richer notifications for apps and extensions for Windows and the new Blink rendering engine.

The New Firefox Is Awesome—But That Won't Make It Relevant Again

After years of lackluster performance, the Firefox browser is back. Its latest incarnation—version 22, for those counting at home—is a speedy desktop browser featuring some fancy future-forward tech. PS: I disagree.

Got that New Phone Itch? Jump, Says T-Mobile

The self-proclaimed "uncarrier" announced a new program at a New York event Wednesday that lets people upgrade their phones as often as twice a year.

A Better Google Maps App for Apple and Android Devices

This new, improved Maps app works identically on both major flavors of phone and tablet. You know what? I don’t care how much you distrust Google and its motives. This is crazy good software, some of the best work Google has ever done.

Windows 7: The Top 10 Hidden Features

Even though Windows 7 has been out for quite a while, we're betting that there are some great features you don't know about. Here are 10 of our favorites.

Get Organized: How to Set Up a Family Computer

Make sure everyone in your family is getting what they need from the household computer by managing user accounts, enabling parental controls, and setting up remote access.

Free Utility Check Apps That Need Updating.

Patch My PC is a utility that scans your computer for dozens of well-known programs, both free and commercial, and alerts you if they need updating. It'll even apply the updates for you, if you wish.

Dashlane is a robust password manager with a gorgeous interface

With its simple interface and myriad of features, Dashlane is a powerful password manager anyone should consider. Also works on Android and iOS.

Best Free Online Books For Kindle

As of June 30, 2013, there are 70 sites listed that monitor Amazon for limited time free ebook offerings as well as 65 sites that offer Kindle compatible ebooks of their own. There are also several links and tips on finding the many free ebook offerings from Amazon.

A Little Bit of This and That

I just installed the latest version of Lightroom…Version 5, if you are keeping score. It is quite amazing. It can automatically straighten crooked images, make bent lines straight, and remove unwanted objects from photographs. I look forward to working with it more. Many photographers today just use Lightroom without Photoshop. I am not quite there yet, but it is awfully good.

I was reminded today why I hate Windows 8. I saw an interesting Metro app while perusing the Net. I went to my Windows 8 laptop and hit the link to the Metro menu. Then, I clicked on the Windows Store icon, which is where new Metro apps are found. Nothing. I waited and waited and waited, then it crashed and took me back to the Metro Menu.

I clicked it again, and after a fairly long wait, it connected to the store. I knew the name of the app I was search for…but guess what I found…or didn’t find…no search box. I had to scroll and scroll and scroll to find a series of icons with what I hoped was the right category. I then clicked on it, and got a second screen with a ton of small icons. I then had to slowly scroll back and forth until I was lucky enough to find it.

Turned out it was a not very good app. A few more minutes of my life wasted. Ridiculous! I know that Microsoft is coming up with an upgraded version of the store in Windows 8.1. But something this bad should have never been put on the market in the first place.

Today’s tech blog covers a wide range of topics…most of it helpful, I hope. So, while I go back to playing with the new Lightroom, you can start reading. -JRC

Note to all Internet users: Trust no one

Whistleblower Edward Snowden says U.S. telecom companies all collaborate with NSA, accuses Britain of storing every bit of Internet data it can

Microsoft Plans Critical Windows Security Patches

Patch Tuesday (today) will feature seven security bulletins, including six with the highest severity rating of "critical."

WebTV Comes To An End At Last

The once-pioneering Internet service was innovative and yet oh so mockable. You probably didn't know it was still around.

Google reportedly paid Adblock Plus not to block its ads

Google has reportedly paid the makers of Adblock Plus, the single most popular browser extension on Chrome and Firefox, to look the other way when it comes to its web advertisements.

Popular Ad Blocker Also Helps the Ad Industry

Ghostery is a solid privacy tool, but a new a reports says you should stay away from its opt-in "GhostRank" feature, which sells data on the ads you block to the ad companies themselves.

Gmail Calling Is Back, Now Part of Google Hangouts

Google just brought back its much-beloved VOIP calling feature and added it to Hangouts, allowing users to call phones for free right from their computer.

A look at the black underbelly of Windows 8.1 'Blue'

Pieces of Windows 8 inexplicably didn't survive jump to Windows 8.1, and new feature allows Microsoft to track your local searches

10 Music Services You May Not Know About-But Should

These off-the-beaten-track music services offer innovative features you're not going to find on Spotify, iTunes or Pandora.

The Ultimate Desktop Customization Tool

Rainmeter describes itself as a desktop customization tool. These guys are not wrong! The program is basically a way to plaster any number of widgets and gadgets on your Windows desktop that can provide a constant feed of everything you might want to know...and its free!

ReminderFox – Free

ReminderFox is a to-do and reminder manager that integrates with your Firefox browser and enables you to add or receive reminders from within your browser, without having to run a separate application.

95 Amazing Photography Links

This comprehensive list contains some terrific tutorials, reviews, collections, special features, great photography and interesting blogs, enough to keep the avid enthusiast busy for quite some time!

Happy 4th of July to All Security Agencies Reading This Blog

And a Happy 4th of July to all of my faithful readers. Tucson’s big fireworks show is tonight and is held on a hill just behind my home. So all I have to do is step outside to watch it. Pretty cool!

Our story #5 is about free alternatives to another cancelled Google web app called iGoogle. Maybe you never heard of it…it is (or was) a start page for your web browsing. I experimented with it sometime back and didn’t care for it all that much. But a lot of people did use it.

Anyway, one the replacements on their list is a Web site starting page called Symbaloo. A strange name, no doubt…but after peeking at all the other suggestions in the article, I became fascinated by Symbaloo’s possibilities. I like its look and feel. In a way, it’s similar to Microsoft’s Metro pages, but without all the wasted space.

So I started experimenting with it, adding my own favorite links and icons… testing its capabilities. The bottom line is it works the way I do and I like it very much. Currently I am using it as a home page in one of my browsers. I will keep playing but I have a feeling I will keep it. Give it a look-see for yourself.

With that said, let’s get started.  -JRC

Hundreds join New York City march to 'Restore the Fourth'

Hundreds marched through New York City on Independence Day to protest the National Security Agency's mass surveillance program.

The NSA and the End of Privacy

The fact that two major entities—government and multinational corporations—are interested in data comes as no surprise. What has been a jolt is just how much data is shared between them.

Egypt's Morsi had Twitter, the generals had the tanks

As the Egyptian leader was ousted by the military, he and his allies live-tweeted their side of the events. Now the world can read these tweets, because of Twitter's new translation tool.

Android flaw leaves "99% of devices vulnerable"

Almost all Android handsets feature a flaw that could allow hackers to seize control of a device to make calls, send texts, or build a mobile botnet, according to security firm Bluebox.

6 Great Alternatives to iGoogle

Just like Google Reader, the Start Page iGoogle is going away. Most start pages have links to news, popular email services, weather, videos, calendars, To Do lists, maps, sticky notes, TV listings and access to all your social media such as Facebook. Here are some other choices.

What awaits in Windows 8.1 — a Preview tour

Win8 fans will surely update to Version 8.1 when it’s released in the fall, but even old-school Windows users will find some surprisingly good enhancements.

Get Organized: Productivity on the iPad

Take an organized approach to setting up and managing your iPad so that you can get the most business use from it.

Cell phone buying guide

The most important things to know when shopping for a cell phone.

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

The products on this list are almost exclusively free with a few exceptions. These include useful products without a free alternative that offer lifetime licenses or commercial products of outstanding merit.

Photoshop Elements Techniques Learning Center

If you use Photoshop Elements (the very affordable version of Photoshop), here is a great place to learn more with videos and tutorials.

Best Free Genealogy or Family Tree Software

Genealogy software provides a method for recording the subjects of our research, e.g. their names, relationships, and events of their lives. They also print the reports and charts to show off the results of our labor. This article reviews stand alone programs which run on your PC. "

You Can Call It Modern, But It Will Always Be Metro To Me

I received a nice surprise yesterday. Microsoft finally got around to updating its OneNote app for the iPad and iPhone…and boy is it gorgeous! Finally it looks almost like the desktop version. And it does practically everything that the desktop version does. A small event, no doubt, in the grand scheme of things, but it made me happy as OneNote is probably my most used program.

The Southwest summer monsoon season kicked off with a bang. While I was on the other side of town, high winds came down not far from my home and blew over power lines, knocking out electricity for 13,000 homes here on the west side. The power outage lasted some 13 hours for me, but all has returned to normal. Thank God as I was dreading sitting around my home in 100+ degree weather today without A/C.

Just in case you forgot, Google Reader died yesterday. But, they are keeping your data safe, until July 15. So if you did forget to get a new RSS Reader, you have a little time to save your links.

We’ve got more information on PRISM in this edition, plus a host of other useful news, tips, and information. So let’s get started! -JRC

Latest NSA leak details PRISM's bigger picture

Another leaked batch of top secret slides relating to the U.S. National Security Agency's PRISM data collection program sheds further light on how non-U.S. data is collected from various tech firms, and how under law, U.S. data is filtered out — albeit not always.

Off with their heads: Yahoo issues list of nixed projects

A dozen projects -- including blast from the past Alta Vista -- are getting tossed aside as the company says it needs to make choices to create "beautiful products that are essential" to users.

Sorry, Microsoft, the Experts Have Spoken: Windows 8′s Interface Is Called Metro

Trademark dispute or no trademark dispute, the original name isn't going away.

Flying Southwest with your iPad? Watch Dish for free

The satellite pay-TV provider will bring live and on-demand TV to Southwest Wi-Fi enabled planes, and it pulls an Oprah, giving all passengers on one flight a free iPad 2 to promote the partnership.

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

Nothing gets the point across as effectively as seeing snooping in action. So I parked myself at my local coffee shop the other day to soak up the airwaves and see what I could see.

How (and why) to set up a VPN today

VPNs can be helpful tools for protecting online privacy, and you need not be an office drone to enjoy their benefits.

7 Adobe Photoshop CC Alternatives

Adobe's recent jump to a cloud/subscription model with Adobe Photoshop CC has made many users hopping, frothing, foaming mad. Fear not: Photoshop isn't the only game in town.

How To Make News Readers Work For You

News readers played a key role in making online media of all types accessible to a broader audience. And they're still useful today, at least for a certain type of dedicated online reader.

Best Android tablets (July 2013 edition)

Don't want to get locked into Apple's ecosystem by buying an iPad or iPad mini? No problem! Here are my top 7 Android tablets for July 2013. And if you're looking for budget Android tablets, there are two here you might be interested in.

The 100 Best Android Apps of 2013

With over 700,000 apps to choose from, finding which will work best for you can be a daunting task.