Microsoft Says: Apple iPad Playing Catch-up to Surface

The Redmond attack dogs are out in force. After Tuesday’s Apple announcements, Microsoft hit back hard saying the press got it all wrong…the Surface Tablets are far superior to Apple’s iPads and Apple is just trying to play catch-up. After all, MS Office is free for Surface users, Apple’s iWork apps are a joke, and the iPad is more expensive than the Surface (their words, not mine).

The truth is the original Surface RT is cheaper…now that Microsoft cut the prices because people weren’t buying it. Remember, MS had write off over $900 million dollars in the earning reports because they were stuck with clunkers that didn’t sell.

Sorry Redmond…the iPad and iOS 7 are so far superior to Windows 8 that Microsoft is not even in the same league in portable devices. I use them both so I know. If Microsoft cut the Surface price down to $50, I still would not buy one.  My opinion, of course.

Speaking of BS, the contractors for the new Healthcare Website are giving out their excuses in front of a Congressional hearing. See our first story. OK, enough BS for now…let’s get rolling. -JRC

NEWS

Contractors describe scant pre-launch testing of U.S. healthcare site

The Obama administration launched its troubled healthcare insurance website after only a minimum of crucial system-wide testing, despite contractors warning officials repeatedly about performance risks.

CryptoLocker: A particularly pernicious virus

Online attackers are using encryption to lock up our files and demand a ransom — and AV software probably won’t protect you. Here are ways to defend yourself from CryptoLocker. PS: This virus is very, very bad.

Starbucks Links Coffee Makers to Web Fueling $27B Market

Over the next year, Starbucks said it plans to double the number of its Clover coffee-brewing machines, which connect to the cloud and track customer preferences, allow recipes to be digitally updated and help staffers remotely monitor a coffee maker’s performance.

Across desktop and mobile, Chrome is used more than Firefox, IE, and Opera combined

Social analytics firm Shareaholic today released browser share data for the year 2013 so far. There are quite a lot of figures to go over, but the biggest trend that immediately jumps out is Chrome’s utter dominance.

 

TIPS AND APPS

Free MP3 Merger Software to Help You Merge MP3 Easily

Free Merge MP3 is a very efficient program that allows you to merge multiple audio files together into a big file. You will also be able to join your MP3 files while maintaining original audio quality.

NeroKwik (free) Photo App

NeroKwik is a cross-platform app that gathers all your photos from different sources into one single gallery.

Beyond Dropbox: Shopping the cloud

Is it time to drop Dropbox? My subscription is nearly up, so I'm re-evaluating four major alternatives - Copy.com, Google Drive, Microsoft Skydrive, and SugarSync - for price and features. Which is the best, and which is the best for me?

How To Use Facebook's 'Turn Off Platform' Setting

There's a setting that acts as a "kill switch" to keep Facebook apps and other websites from sharing or accessing your information. It's a useful trick that many people don't know about, especially if you want as much privacy as possible while maintaining your account.

Are you being served?

See how to build the best home media library setup. Choose the right hardware and the right file formats, and sit back and enjoy your media collection with ease!

 

MOBILE

4 Reasons Why You Should Pick Apple iOS over Android

There’s a reason why the Apple iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the country right now. And it’s not just good marketing and hype.

Best Android tablets

Unlike Apple's closed system of hardware and software, the open-source nature of Google's Android OS makes it inviting for many hardware manufacturers to try their hand at making an Android-based device.

Hands On With the Apple iPad Air

The Air's weight is its killer app. You can't see this. You have to feel it.

iOS 7 tips and tricks you need to learn

Here's how to get the most out of Apple's new mobile operating system

10 Useful and Free Android Apps for Photographers

This article is about Android apps that help a photographer in using the smartphone as a tool to aid him in photography in various different ways. All the apps listed here are free but most of them have paid versions with additional features.

Apple Wows Us…Sort Of

Today was Apple’s big day in the spotlight…the second one in as many months. Today, as expected it was about iPads, Mavericks, MacBook Pros, and the new Mac Pro (you know, the one that looks like a black garbage can).

The star of the show was the new iPad, version 5…except the name has changed. It is now called the iPad Air. Good name! Screen-wise, it is about the same size as the previous versions…but it is much, much thinner and about 33% lighter.  And, if their claims are correct, about 10 hours of battery life. The price? Same as the last generation of iPads, starting at $499.

Apple also introduced a new iPad Mini, same 7.9” size, but this time with a Retina Display. But, the price also went up from $329 to $399. The version 1 model will still be available at a new low price of $299.

Apple also released it’s new version of its desktop operating system, OS10, this version being called “Mavericks.” The surprise news was they are giving this upgrade away for free to all Mac users, regardless of how old their current operating system is. Nice move.

The rest of the show was about the new MacBook Pro laptops at 13” and 15” and the release of a powerful Mac Pro desktop computer that starts at $3,000…that is almost bare-bones. Expect the prices to skyrocket when you add such things as a monitor and more memory.

All-in-all it was a good show by Apple. I watched it on my iPad as the broadcast was only available on Apple equipment and software…a clear demonstration to remind us all that Apple is a very closed system.  

But, the Apple event is only part of today’s news. The on-going saga of the healthcare.gov Website boondoggle continues to amaze most Americans. If they can’t set up a vastly overpriced Website, what makes you believe they can run a health care system? It’s government stupidity running amok!

So, stop, take a deep breath, and read on! -JRC

APPLE

Hands on with the New iPad Air

The iPad Air, just introduced by Apple, is a lighter, thinner 9.7-inch tablet, and it weighs just 1 pound

Apple announces iPad Mini with Retina Display; starts at $399

The new tablet will obviously feature a much-requested 2,048x1,536-pixel Retina Display, comes in space gray and silver, and houses Apple's A7 chip, last seen in the iPhone 5S.

New Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display

The MacBook Pro line has now gotten the entirely expected upgrade to current Haswell CPUs, which our Labs testing shows offers significant improvements to battery life in the PC and Mac systems we've previously tested.

Apple's biggest new announcement was the free OS X upgrade

Free OS X Mavericks upgrade, along with the new MacBooks and Mac Pro, hints that Apple isn't turning its back on PCs

iOS 7.0.3 update released for iPhone and iPad

This was not part of the event, but today Apple released iOS 7.0.3 for the iPhone and iPad, an update that brings with it numerous bug fixes and improvements to the recently-released iOS 7.

 

NEWS AND TIPS

Healthcare.gov, heal thyself -- but where to start?

Healthcare.gov is a screwup of massive proportions, even by Uncle Sam's standards. Get this patient some help, stat!

HHS brings in Verizon to help HealthCare.gov

The federal health care exchange was built using 10-year-old technology that may require constant fixes and updates for the next six months and the eventual overhaul of the entire system.

Akamai’s state of the internet: the world grows as the U.S. falls behind

Akamai’s State of the Internet report for the second quarter of 2013 has promising news for the world, but less so for the United States.

Amazon Bumps Free Shipping Threshold to $35, Now You Really Want Prime

Amazon Prime is a no-brainer for anyone who shops online. Today, a policy change for non-Prime customers makes a membership more valuable than ever.

How to Keep Google from Putting Your Name and Picture in Their Ads

If you are signed in with a Google account and you +1 some product, Google may now have the right to use your name and picture in certain ads for that product. Although there are limitations, I suspect many people (including me) will object to being used in any advertising. Here is how to change the setting.

 

WINDOWS

Nokia Introduces a Tablet to Rival Microsoft's Surface

Well, this is awkward. Just hours after Microsoft's Surface 2 became available for sale, Nokia unveiled its own take on a Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520, putting some pressure on its soon-to-be parent company.

Windows RT 8.1 Update Returns

Three days after it temporarily halted the availability of the Windows RT 8.1 update from Windows Store, Microsoft has restored the download.

An Important Disk Cleanup Job after Upgrading to Windows 8.1

If you are one of those who have upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, there is a way to free up a lot of disk space. It makes use of a special setting in the Windows Disk Cleanup system utility.

The Metro hater's guide to Windows 8.1

Are you a desktop diehard? If you've got no use for the Start screen and Metro-style apps, I have some good news for you. Windows 8.1 has a handful of interface tweaks you can make that will put the Windows desktop back in charge.

Start the Celebrations! Windows 8.1 is Here!!

Today is the day…the day you can upgrade your computer to Windows 8.1…that is if your computer is already running Windows 8. If not, your big day to upgrade starts tomorrow. To upgrade your Windows 8 computer, you can only do it through the Windows Store.

I did that earlier today and my laptop is now running 8.1…not that I see a whole lot of difference. But, I will give it a fair chance and let you know. If you are going to upgrade, the whole process takes about two hours. So get a cup of coffee, a good book, and get ‘er done!

To quote an article below, the best thing you can do with your new Windows 8 installation is the following:

“If you're smart, you'll immediately go in and make the changes necessary to defang the new version: use local accounts; turn off SmartSearch; turn off Automatic Update; rebuild your libraries if need be; set to boot to desktop; disable the Metro hot corners on the desktop; install apps that will keep you out of Metro Hell (VLC media player, one of the PDF viewers, IrfanView); and install a third-party Start menu replacement.”

All good advice. Remember, Windows 8 has a split personality…a regular desktop mode and the so called Metro Apps.  I personally only use the desktop portion of Windows 8. I did try and access two Metro apps today and I found them slow and not worth much. But, as I said, I will give it a fair shot. More later.

Most of this blog contains good info about Windows 8. If you don’t use it and don’t plan to upgrade, you can skip over this…OR, you can save this blog for future reference…because sooner or later, you will be running Windows 8. Your next computer will come equipped with it, like it or not, so save this blog to help you deal with it.

The most helpful add-on for Win 8 is Start8 from Stardock.com. This $5 program returns the Windows Start Menu to Windows 8 so it works like Windows 7. Another free program that does the same thing is Classic Shell. A review of that program is included below.

Not to deviate too far from my normal blog, I included a few other non-Windows stories at the end so don’t miss those. Well have fun, if your upgrading. -JRC

Windows 8.1 is here: Can it win over skeptical PC buyers?

Microsoft's ambitious Windows 8.1 release faces a daunting challenge: rehabilitating the tarnished image of its predecessor and convincing wary consumers and enterprise customers that new Windows-powered hardware is still a smart choice.

Microsoft Windows 8.1 is Here: Should you Upgrade?

Let’s get this out of the way up front: Windows 8.1 is not going to change how you feel about Microsoft's current PC operating system. If you were looking for radical overhaul of 2012’s Windows 8, or a retro throwback to Windows 7, this isn't it.

Windows 8.1 review

With Windows 8.1, a free update designed to address some of its users’ concerns and enable a faster pace of Windows releases, Microsoft tries to bridge the gap between old and new, between mouse and touchscreen.

The new features you need to know about in Windows 8.1

Microsoft's update to its Windows operating system delivers a handful of new features. These tips and tricks will help you get started.

Dozens of apps updated for Windows 8.1 rollout

Updates are available immediately in the Windows Store for those using the final version of Windows 8.1, and they appear to be largely performance-related changes.

The desktop lover's guide to supercharging Windows 8.1

Don't like the Metro interface? Here's the best way to banish it and boost your productivity.

Classic Shell 4.0 review: Free utility restores the full Start menu that Windows 8.1 didn't

This powerful free utility adds the features back to Windows 8 and 8.1 that Microsoft should never have taken out.

Beyond Windows 8.1

With Windows 8.1 now generally available, focus shifts to fixing the mess Steve Sinofsky left behind

Microsoft’s stock slumped under Steve Ballmer

When Ballmer became CEO, Microsoft had a market value of $604 billion. Now, Microsoft’s market value is $269 billion, less than half of its value when Ballmer came to power.

Google to support Windows XP a year longer than Microsoft

Microsoft has decided to abandon support for the archaic operating system on April 8, 2014. Google, on the other hand, has decided to keep supporting Microsoft’s leftovers with Chrome until at least April 2015.

Intel says get ready for $99 tablets, $299 Haswell notebooks, $349 2-in-1 hybrids

Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich says that he expects OEMs to push prices down over the coming weeks, and that this will result in $99 tablets, $299 Haswell laptops, and $349 2-in-1 hybrid tablets and notebooks.

5 Best Read-It-Later Apps

Read-it-later apps have enjoyed a huge jump in popularity as of late, and for good reason — they allow us to prioritize our time, and choose when and where we want to catch up on the latest news.

Get Organized: How to Download Your Facebook Photos

If you're like most people, many of you pictures live only on Facebook—maybe even most of them. Here's how to download and start organizing your Facebook photos.

Protect yourself from the next big data breach

Huge online attacks, such as the recent Adobe break-in, bring to mind a pressing question: What should we do if our credit-card data or sign-in credentials are stolen? Plus, what steps will help minimize future exposures when large corporate sites are cracked.

Exciting Days are Ahead

“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.” - Emo Philips

Things may be be quiet in the world of technology on this day, but in the next few days, lots of exciting new toys will be coming our way. As mentioned last time, another big event for Apple has been confirmed for next Tuesday. New iPads will definitely be on the agenda, but Apple promises much more.

Next, Windows 8.1 will be released to the public on Friday. I don’t see many people running Windows 7 rushing out to get it, but those of us who are stuck with Windows 8 on new machines will be anxious to get our hands on it. It’s got be better! Right? On Thursday we will have more stories on Windows 8.1…what it offers and how to use it (or get rid of it).

Finally, the next version of Android…Version 4.4, code-named Kit-Kat will be released sometime in the next few days. People with pure Google products, like the Nexus 7 will get it right away. The rest of the Android universe will have to wait until their phone manufacturer or carrier decide you can have it. Amazing how they can get away with that.

If you have a D-Link router, be sure to read story #4 to get a fix for a huge, gaping security hole in your router. If you have some other brand of router, just skip over the story. Also, be sure and look at our next-to-last story about a free, awesome digital darkroom program that mimics Adobe Lightroom. It looks very good.

We’ve got a good balance of news and helpful tips in this edition, so stop listening to me and get reading. -JRC

The US is losing control of the Internet

All of the major internet organizations have pledged, at a summit in Uruguay, to free themselves of the influence /f the US government.

Anger explodes at Yahoo Mail redesign disaster: Key functions removed or broken

Thousands upon thousands of furious Yahoo Mail users are telling the company its new redesign is a failure and want Yahoo to revert the changes — while new reports of serious technical issues mount.

Aereo: the cloud based content upstart that could upend the TV industry

America’s most powerful broadcasters are trying to shut down an emerging TV recording service. If their case is heard, the implications could be far reaching.

D-Link rushes to fix router backdoor

Router firm, D-Link, has issued emergency patches to address a firmware vulnerability that could give hackers unauthorized access to a router’s admin settings.

Google wants to sell more ads using your name and profile

An update to the company's Terms of Service allows it to expand its use of user endorsements in display ads. All those Google +1's you've pushed may come back to haunt you.

Google Glass: Yes, it's that bad

I craved a Google Glass until I wore one, when I found out it's an idea whose time hasn't come yet

Why Does Rebooting a Computer Fix So Many Problems?

Ask a geek how to fix a problem you’ve having with your Windows computer and they’ll likely ask “Have you tried rebooting it?” This seems like a flippant response, but rebooting a computer can actually solve many problems.

What you should know about flexible displays (FAQ)

What do Samsung and LG mean when they talk about flexible displays on their new phones, and how is that different from a bendable phone?

How to delete your Web accounts with JustDelete.me

Some Web sites make it difficult to figure out how to delete your accounts. JustDelete.me can save you time by providing direct links to the cancellation pages of numerous Internet sites.

LightZone Is a Free, Awesome Photo Editor and Alternative to Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom might be the professional photographer's photo management tool of choice (I know it's mine), but you can save $149 and download free and open source LightZone instead.

A Wonderfully Simple, Free, Powerful Clipboard Manager

Ditto is a clipboard manager which works. It's easy to use, flexible, not terribly complicated, and does something that's actually quite useful after all.

Slow News But Some Good Rumors

Yes, we are a little weak on hard tech news today, because there isn’t much. But the story on HP vs. Microsoft is worth a look. That could have all kinds of ramifications for the desktop/laptop world.

For unconfirmed rumors, the best one is that Apple will hold another event on October 22 to announce a new iPad and perhaps a new mini-iPad. Mark this one down as a very strong possibility…all but confirmed. Another Apple rumor is that their next iPhone will have a 5” screen. It would make sense.

Another rumor in the Apple world is that Apple has cut production in half for the new iPhone 5C. The phone is a major success, sales-wise. Its just that Apple might have overestimated it success. For $100 more, one can buy the 5S which offers much more.

I normally don’t like to deal in rumors, but today’s batch is more interesting than the real news…and while hard news might be in short supply today, tech tips are not. That makes this edition well worth reading. So, what are you waiting for? -JRC

Post-PC: HP Declares War on Microsoft

Make no mistake, this is outright war. War against Microsoft. Against Windows. And against the PC.

How The NSA Deploys Malware: An In-Depth Look at the New Revelations

The template for attacking people with malware used by the NSA is in widespread use by criminals and fraudsters, as well as foreign intelligence agencies, so it's important to understand and defend against this threat to avoid being a victim to the plethora of attackers out there.

Facebook Just Killed A Privacy Setting, So It's A Good Time To Do Your Own Checkup

Facebook just eliminated your ability to block people from searching for you by name. Here's a guide for tweaking what's left.

Microsoft vs.Google: When tech firms fight, you lose either way

The history of the technology industry is littered with examples of one or more company making unilateral decisions to block others' features or applications from working with their own, often to the detriment of the very users they are claiming to serve.

Get Organized: How I Cleaned Up My Passwords in 5 Weeks

After learning I had 45 weak passwords, I set out to change them all. Here's how I got strong, unique passwords in just over a month.

How to Free Up More Space on Your Hard Drive with the Updated Windows 7 Disk Cleanup

It can now remove the old system update files that accumulate in the hidden system folder WinSXS. These files can take up a lot of space. For example, I just removed 4 GB worth.

Best Mobile Finance Apps

Keep an eye on your budget while shopping, get alerts for upcoming bills, and pay back your friends here and now with some of these great mobile finance apps.

Unroll.me now lets you block specific email addresses from sending unwanted mail

The free Web app will now create a short list of contacts that have emailed you recently or have been stored in your email address book; just hit the ‘Block’ button on the right-hand side and you’ll never receive an email from them again. Bliss.

Download Free Music from 150+ Classical Composers, Courtesy of Musopen.org

Music can be streamed online for free. But if you become a registered user for the site, you can download 5 tracks per day in standard audio quality.

8 Reasons You Should Be Using Google Voice

Google Voice has been out for years, but many people in the US still haven’t given it a try. Google Voice offers many features you can’t get elsewhere, and almost all of them are free.

Obamacare Fails First Test…The Web.

If they can’t make it work properly on their Website, what are the chances the system will work when it officially kicks in next year? We are a nation led by a pack of idiots from both parties. A plague on all their houses.

Ok, enough of me on the soapbox. Today, we get back to normal, sort of. We had special editions on Apple, Android, and desktop computing. Now it just the potpourri of computer life in general. And today we have stories from all the major players…Apple, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, and Amazon, to name a few.

I don’t have much to add this day, so let’s get started. -JRC

White House promises glitch fix for Obamacare website

The White House has said that it is fixing the software and capacity problems of the new HealthCare.gov website, which is supposed to be enrolling millions of Americans onto the new health plans promised by Obamacare. The site has been having problems since its launch at the beginning of the month.

Google's new desktop strategy: Invade and conquer

Google's new strategy to put the Chrome OS into everyone's OS is to build it straight into Windows by way of the Chrome browser.

How Apple has changed since Steve Jobs

CEO Tim Cook has been criticized as lacking vision for Apple and blamed for the company's fallen stock price.

Yahoo makes Mail beautiful to woo Gmail users

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer declared e-mail a pain point that needed to be fixed less than a year ago. On Tuesday, Yahoo unveiled her solution: a redesigned Yahoo Mail with a focus on mobile and a mission to dethrone Gmail.

Amazon Set-Top Box Coming By End Of Year

Amazon is planning to invade your TV set. The Wall Street Journal reports that the world's largest online retailer will release a set-top box that will stream online video to your TV.

Scribd Launches a Netflix-Like Subscription Service for Digital Books

The key details: It costs $8.99 per month, includes unlimited online access and an offline library of 20 books at a time, the only major publisher participating is HarperCollins, and the available books from HarperCollins will be those that are at least a year old.

Microsoft: Security Essentials is designed to be bottom of the antivirus rankings

Microsoft has admitted Windows users should install antivirus above and beyond its own Security Essentials, describing its protection as merely a "baseline" that will "always be on the bottom" of antivirus software ranking. What kind of stupid strategy is that?

A Keyboard and Mouse for a New Generation

The Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop is a simple split-key keyboard with integrated shortcut keys and a spherical mouse, designed to take undue weight off your wrists.

The Best Online Photo Editing Tool is Google+

What really sets Google+ apart from the other image editors is the Auto Enhance mode that fine-tunes your photos automatically. Advanced users can always make manual adjustments but for the rest of us, Auto Enhance is the magic wand that will fix all the common flaws in our photos without having to click anywhere.

The Best About:Config Tweaks That Make Firefox Better

Firefox doesn't get enough love these days, but it's still the most customizable browser around thanks the numerous options in about:config. Here are 10 under-the-hood Firefox tweaks you should try out.

This Stunning Online Publishing System Is Currently Free To Use

If you've ever tried to produce a "designed" document such as an advert, flyer, invitation, brochure and so on, you probably looked at desktop publishing packages and then gave up. Which is why I'm hugely impressed by the launch of something called LucidPress, which is neither complex nor expensive. In fact it couldn't be simpler to use, and it's free.

25 Landscape Photography Tutorials

Here are some great tips from the Digital Photography School for taking landscape photos. Highly recommended for all photographers...amateur or pro...no matter what camera you use.

All About Android (and Google and Kindle)

As the headline suggests, this edition is about all those portable devices that run the Android Operating System (and variations thereof). I had an Android phone up until Christmas when my son gave me the iPhone 5. So I was out of the Android system until just before I went on vacation.

I bought the brand new Nexus 7 tablet running the latest version of Android 4.3. I wanted a lightweight 7” tablet and I wanted to try the Android system that runs the latest Google products…and it had to have a super high resolution screen like my iPad. Am I happy with my purchase? You betcha!

It took a little while to get used Android again as I was so into the iOS system on my iPhone and iPad. But many of the Google/Android apps are so far ahead of Apple’s similar apps that I was pleasantly surprised to see all they could do.

The biggest discovery was Google Now. Its an amazing app that can track your to-do’s and calendar items and advise you on specific topics related to those entries. You don’t have to do a thing except keep your calendar and task list up to date. For instance, I had tickets for a Giants/Red Sox game at AT&T park. Within 24 hours of the game, I started getting traffic advisories for the roads I would have to take to get to the park and how long it would take. And they were accurate (forgot to tell it I was taking BART and not driving).

When I flew home to Tucson via Las Vegas, I got weather updates for both cities and was advised which gates my planes were at. All I did was put my flights into my calendar. The rest happened automatically.

Another app that I love is a program called “Calengoo.” It combines my calendar and to-do’s all in one place to keep me on point. It has many other great apps (many of them available for iOS) too numerous to go into here. The Nexus 7 is a very nice tablet and I don’t hesitate to recommend it.

Do I still use my iPad? I sure do…on a daily basis. It’s a bigger screen and works very well. Choosing between the two would be difficult…thank God I don’t have to. I will say I actually prefer using the iOS operating system as it is much easier and simpler, but the Android system, even with a few quirks here and there, is also very good. It does have a few things, like widgets, that are not in the Apple world.

But enough of me…let’s get on with our review of the Android World. PS, the first story is wonderful as it explains how to use an Android device for newbies. Enjoy!

Svartling Network: Jumper- A Beginners Guide to Android

You’ve been handed a blank slate, half the battle is figuring out what you want to draw on it. That statement may not make sense to you now, but I hope it will when your finished reading this guide.

What To Do When Your Android Phone is Stolen

Android has a lot of great options for protecting and recovering a stolen phone, but you're better off preparing for the worst ahead of time.

Best Android tablets (September 2013 edition)

Tablets are everywhere, and while Apple's iPad – along with its little brother, the iPad mini – commands the most media attention, there's no shortage of excellent Android alternatives to choose from.

Get Organized: Should You Use Google's Inactive Account Manager?

If you die or become incapacitated, who will take over your online accounts? Google's Inactive Account Manager can help you designate executors, but is it right for you?

Google Now update gives card based results

Google recently updated Search to allow for a more unified approach to voice activations. When under the auspice of Google Now, users have become accustomed to saying “Google” before executing a voice search.

Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX: power, with a helping hand

Amazon tablets are on the precipice of becoming something much more powerful, and much more useful besides. Amazon's ready to compete on specs, on content, and on price — and it makes a compelling case in every respect.

How to Use Android and iOS Together

Android and iOS don't always work very happily together. No worries, though; we're here to tell you the best ways to make sure your Nexus 4 and your iPad play nice.

Top Android launcher applications [September 2013]

If you’re not a fan of the stock interface that came with your phone, like Samsung’s TouchWiz or any version of HTC’s Sense, these launchers do an excellent job of giving you a more customizable experience, including altering icons and widgets and applying some great looking themes.

7 great Android apps for notes and tasks

Organize your life with one of these incredibly useful Android applications for keeping track of notes, tasks, and to-do lists.

Five great Android Wi-Fi calling apps

There are many reasons to enjoy Wi-Fi calling, from starting video chats with family far and wide, to giving your old phone a new lease on life as a Wi-Fi-only device in little Johnny's hands. However you want to use it, you still need to know which apps are best.

The Best News Reader Application for Android

Android has several great news readers, and while many of them have gone by the wayside now that Google Reader is no more, others have stepped up to take center stage

Best Free Android Apps

This has simply got to be the best list on the web of high quality free Android Apps. With the latest update we now have 216 apps in 118 categories so why not go grab yourself a big bunch of nifty apps without spending a cent.

Millions of Android users vulnerable to security threats, say feds

Amid ongoing U.S. government mass surveillance claims, the DHS and FBI are more aware than ever of its use of the Android platform, and the vulnerabilities that go with it.

I Go On Vacation and Microsoft Goes Nuts!

Not that the two are related, but it does make me wonder. Let me recap what’s happened: First, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announces he will step down when a suitable replacement is found…sometime within a one year time frame.

Next, Microsoft buys most, but not all of Finnish phone maker Nokia for over $7 billion. I guess they are serious about making Windows Phone 8 a bigger success. They currently own 3% of the smartphone market…way, way, way behind Apple and Android. The good news is that they have surpassed Blackberry in market share.

Then, the Redmond boys announce that the new Windows 8.1 will be out in mid-October…but developers cannot have a copy of it until then. What? For a company that has only a few good apps for Metro, this seems like an exceedingly dumb idea. Later they backtrack and put it up on TechNet. So it is now available to everyone, except consumers. Brilliant! The good news is that it can now be reviewed by tech journalists and we have included a review here.

They did a few other dumb things along the way, but I won’t waste anymore space on them. You can read about them below. As for Ballmer’s resignation, I think it is a good thing and hopefully the company can rethink and retool under new leadership. But I am not holding my breath.

Luckily I have included some other interesting articles besides those about Microsoft. I hope you will find them useful. Onward and upward! -JRC

Interview with Microsoft's Steve Ballmer

Mary Jo Foley had 15 minutes today to ask Microsoft's outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer a few questions. He talked about his biggest regrets, his thinking on what's next and more. Here's Part 1. (Part 2 link is included)

After Ballmer, Microsoft can at last reboot

Apple gadgets and Google online services have run rings around Redmond, but bringing in a new leader will make it easier for the bold changes Microsoft needs.

The Microsoft-Nokia Deal

On September 2, 2013, Microsoft announced that it was buying out Nokia’s devices business for $7.2 billion. Here are a collection of stories covering virtually every angle and from perspectives across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Touring through the final Windows 8.1

If you are using Windows 8 now, you will want to upgrade. If you’re still using Windows 7 and you’re on the fence about migrating to Windows 8, nothing in Win8.1 will sway your decision to upgrade.

Surface 2 branding, specs, and pricing: Wrong, wrong, and wrong

Microsoft could've hit several home runs; instead, Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 are largely marginal improvements to the originals.

Microsoft kicks off iPad buyback deal in latest effort to juice Surface sales

Microsoft wants customers to give up their iPads and switch to Surface; will offer minimum of $200 per tablet.

Your perilous future on Windows XP

You've been getting warned for ages about the impending end of support for XP. Things are even worse than you've heard (especially if you run Internet Explorer). Expect a flood of new vulnerabilities and no help for them.

Keeping Your Laptop Plugged in All the Time Will Kill Its Battery Faster

But if you’re like most people, you probably keep your laptop plugged in when you’re at work or home. Stop doing that.

It's time to give Bing the respect it deserves

Microsoft reveals new redesign, improved features to Bing search. We may finally have a worthy rival to Google

The Best Free Google Chrome Extensions 2013

Picking the best from so many great browser add-ons was hard, but we did it. These are some of the greatest extensions you can and should add to your Google browser.

New Chrome Apps take the Web out of the browser

Five years after it shook up the Web with its unexpected debut, Chrome gambles again as it takes the Web offline with its new "packaged apps.

FAA to lift mobile shut-down rule

The unpopular requirement that passengers shut electronics down during take-off and landing will soon be lifted, as long as communications capabilities are disabled.

5 free tools to organize your thoughts

You’re full of good ideas, but putting them in writing is easier said than done. Maybe you like to start from the end. Maybe you work from jumbled notes, gradually polishing them into a cohesive piece. No matter what your workflow, a good outliner can help.