These are the times that try men’s souls…or at least mine. Seems like everything goes wrong these day and my anger level rises another notch.
Of course, it all starts with my laptop and Windows 8. Back when they first introduced it, I hated it. Now that I own a new laptop with it (no choice these days), I hate it more and more. For me, it is a total piece of #$%#$ that should have never been put on the market. One of these days, I will tell you about all my attempts to experiment with it and make it useful. It is anything but. Most of their so-called Metro apps are terrible and nearly useless.
For now, I will just mention my recent attempt to make a backup image copy before I deleted it forever and installed Windows 7. First, the image backup software in Windows 8.1 that works so well in Windows 7 does not work. It said I didn’t have enough room on my 500GB USB hard drive to back up 72GB from my laptop. What? That is nuts. Turns out the Microsoft knows it does not work but released it anyway…and they have not fixed it yet. Unbelievable!
I used another piece of software to back it up so I could erase the damn thing and install Windows 7. But, then I found out it is nearly impossible to get rid of it. Microsoft has done some extra little things including inside the BIOS so that only a bona fide computer nerd can get rid of it. I read the instructions and it is way over my head.
Even trying to do a dual boot is a nearly impossible task. I might be able to accomplish that one, but am a little scared to try. One wrong step and I have a completely worthless laptop. We shall see. PS: Upgrading to Windows 8.1 wiped out some of my useful desktop apps.
Just remember all this when you go shopping for a Windows 8 desktop computer or laptop.
I am also angry about the so-called upgrade on my Nexus 7 tablet to Android 4.4. Its been a week now since Google announced it was being delivered to users. Not here yet and from what I read on the Net, no one has received it (see story below). Then why did they bother to announce it?
And I won’t even go into the terrible football season…at least for me. All my teams are losing and the officiating has become so bad it is hard to watch. Frustrating.
So that is my story and it is definitely not a pretty one. But there are some other less anger provoking stories stories included here, so why don’t you get started. – JRC
News and Opinions
Steve Ballmer: Here's The Real Reason I'm Leaving Microsoft
Steve Ballmer has given his exit interview to The Wall Street Journal. In it, he gives his fullest explanation for why he's stepping down as CEO of Microsoft.
TPP Leak Confirms the Worst: US Negotiators Still Trying to Trade Away Internet Freedoms
For those of us who care about free speech and a balanced intellectual property system that encourages innovation, creativity, and access to knowledge, it’s not a pretty picture.
Microsoft unveils state-of-the-art Cybercrime Center
The Cybercrime Center in Redmond, WA combines Microsoft’s legal and technical expertise as well as cutting-edge tools and technology with cross-industry expertise, marking a new era in effectively fighting crime on the Internet.
Gmail is boiling the frog - and we are the frog
As we continue to enjoy Gmail's benefits - and compare them, usually favorably, with the alternatives, we must face the unavoidable reality that we have sold our souls for free email.... Not only can we no longer live without it - but we are beginning to struggle imagining why we would even want to.
Amazon Plans to Offer Desktops in the Cloud
In theory, a user could access Windows-based applications from many kinds of devices, including Apple Macs or iPads, Android or Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, Google Chromebooks or conventional laptops.
Tips and Tricks
Laptop buying guide
The most important things to know when shopping for a new laptop, hybrid, or Windows tablet
A Free App to Make Your New PC Cleaner and Faster
Your new computer will probably come with a ton of junkware. Decrap will help you get rid of all this junk.
Navigate Files Like a Pro with These Windows Explorer Tips and Tricks
Thinking about Windows Explorer may make you yawn, but you spend a lot of time in it every day. It's your hub for everything on your system, and it has a lot of cool stuff built-in you probably haven't noticed. Here are a few tips and tricks for getting more out of it.
PCs fail. Be ready with the best boot-drive programs
When your PC stops booting, a boot drive is the electronic version of a defibrillator. If you can boot your PC, you can detect bad memory, chase bad sectors, change passwords, and recover data ... all the things you need to get the machine back to normal. I'll show you how to make the boot drives you need.
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?
Portable Computing
Google Mum on Delayed Android 4.4 KitKat Software Update for Nexus Tablets
Google isn’t talking about why the Android 4.4 software update it announced last week for Nexus tablet owners still isn’t available, but whatever the reason, the situation spotlights a clear difference between Apple’s iOS and Android.
Tablet Choices for Photographers
Download, edit and shape your images on the go with one of these popular mobile devices
13 highly productive Android apps that play nice with your PC
Getting things done on disparate devices doesn't mean you have to abandon a cohesive workflow. These 13 Android apps sync, link, connect, or just plain play nice with your computer in ways that make it easier to stay productive no matter where you are.
Four privacy settings you should enable in iOS 7 immediately
If you downloaded and installed iOS 7, there are a few privacy settings that are turned off by default that you should enable right away.
iPhone Sells For Double The Price Than Your Average Android Smartphone
For devices sold in the third quarter of 2013 and purchased without a contract, iPhones cost on average $635 whereas during the same period of time Android phones sold for $268 on average.
Gmail for iPad Updated & Looks Great
The Gmail iPad app was updated last week, to Version 2.7182. As you can clearly tell from the version number it’s quite a nice update for Gmail on the iPad. It brings a ‘visual update’ for iOS 7 and a handful of cool new features.
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