Thursday, May 01, 2014

What a Dull Day

How would you like to have only applesauce for breakfast and chicken soup for lunch? Well that has been my diet the last few days as I recover from food poisoning. God knows what I will have for dinner. But, frankly, I am full after eating these gourmet treats…and I have lost some weight. But this kind of diet is not recommended. Hopefully I will be back to normal soon.

What is my health got to do with technology? Nothing! I am just explaining why I will not have a long introduction to today’s tech blog. I just want to go take a nap. Some good news…Microsoft has issued an update to fix the gigantic security hole in all versions of Internet Explorer, including those on XP. That was not supposed to happen, but it did. So be sure and run your Windows Update and get the darned thing fixed.

OK, I am off for a nap, so its up to you from here on. -JRC

 

News and Opinions

Microsoft issues fix for IE zero day

An emergency out-of-band update will be released at 1PM Thursday for the bug in Internet Explorer being exploited in the wild. Windows XP will be patched in spite of being past its service life.

Target's move to chip and pin seeks to assure consumers

Target's rollout of chip and pin for its payment cards will begin next year. Visa and MasterCard have set a deadline for U.S. retailers to be able to accept chip-and-pin cards by October 2015. If the deadline isn't met, the liability for fraudulent purchases made with chip cards resides with retailers.

Google Chrome continues to outpace Firefox

Chrome is rising up the ranks in terms of desktop browser traffic, while Firefox keeps inching down, according to Web tracker Net Applications.

How to Choose the Best Over-the-Air Antenna for Free HDTV

If you're thinking about cutting the cable to save some money, you'll need a good over-the-air antenna to watch some of your favorite shows. Here's how to pick the best one for you (along with a few favorites).

Amazon Fire TV vs Roku 3

The latest Prizefight head-to-head is here, and this time we throw two of the biggest media streamers into the ring. Find out how Amazon Fire TV fares against the Roku 3.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

Get A Disposable, Secure Email Address On Demand. For Free.

Ever want to sign up for something but and you'd rather not give your e-mail address out to companies you don't know. But without a valid email address into which you can receive your registration code there's no way to sign up for the snazzy service. Now there is a way around it.

Clean up and organize your iTunes music library

Here are four ways to tidy up the music you have stored in iTunes, none of which requires complicated procedures or added software.

The Best Tricks and Extensions to Make Wikipedia Awesome

Wikipedia is a useful resource for all kinds of things, but it's pretty ugly and not all that customizable. With just a few extensions and tricks, you can make it a lot more usable.

How to Deal With Internet Bandwidth Caps

"Some Internet service providers have harsh restrictions on the amount of bandwidth you can use in a month, charging you extra if you go over your bandwidth cap. A few simple tips can help you make the most of that limited bandwidth if you can’t find a better ISP."

20 Tips Every Evernote User Must Know

Evernote is, quite simply, an online spot to store anything and everything you might find of interest later. The more you add, the more useful it becomes.

 

Mobile Computing

Google Now Shows You a List of Stores When You Go to a Mall

With this new feature, Google Now will provide you with a list of store names when you enter a mall. The best part, though, is that you can search the list for something in particular.

5 great Android app alternatives to Gmail

There are several good alternative email apps in the Google Play Store, which is practically a necessity given that Android’s stock Email app, which is meant to handle Exchange, IMAP, or POP3 accounts, is rather bland looking and light on features.

Best New Android Apps From April [2014]

From whisky-drinking to Family Guy fun-and-games, we covered a lot of ground with new Android apps in April. Here’s our pick of the bunch for the month.

Google Launches Productivity Suite  for iPad to Compete with Microsoft Office, Apple iWork

Apple has iWork, Microsoft has Office, and now Google has its own line of productivity apps that are available on the iPad. I guess Google was feeling a bit left out and wanted its own version of Word/Pages, Excel/Numbers, and PowerPoint/Keynote.

Cyber Criminals Prefer Android Because iOS is Just too Secure

Apparently, malware makers have just thrown in the towel when it comes to attempting to infect Apple’s iPad and iPhone devices.

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