Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Back Home Safe and Sound…Did I Miss Something?

iPhone 6 4.7-inch display - iPhone 6 Plus 5.5-inch display

After three days of grueling driving through 6 states, I am back in Tucson. The trip was much longer than it should have been as roads were closed because of flash floods and washed-out highways…so had to do a lot of backtracking and detours. And I wasn’t alone: cars, RV’s, and thousands of trucks were forced to drive on two-lane roads through Nevada, so the going was very slow. But, I finally made it home. Now, I understand we are going to be hammered again with rain and winds, remnants of tropical storm Odile. Heavy rains and flash floods…the fun never ends.

While I was somewhere in Southern Idaho, Apple decided to hold their big event to announce the new, larger iPhones, as well as the new Apple Watch, and Apple Pay. In addition, they announced the release date for iOS 8, the operating system used by iPads and iPhones…and that just happens to be tomorrow! Am really looking forward to that.

As for the iPhone, I think I am going to go for the big one…but, no rush as my contract isn’t up till late December. As for the Apple watch…it won’t be out till next year and I could care less. And we shall see how Apple Pay unfolds in the future. There are stories here covering all these new toys.

And we will get our first look at the new Windows 9 on Sept. 30. It is only a preview and they are aiming this preview at the Enterprise customers as that is the source of the majority of their income. They are really trying to woo these guys back into the Windows fold as 99% of the Enterprise businesses wanted nothing to do with Windows 8. Regardless, much of what we see on that date will apply to us home and small business users, so pay attention. Look for Windows 9 to show up in April.

There are a lot of good articles in this edition so let’s get to it! - JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft invites media to meet the next version of Windows

Microsoft will show off some of the enterprise-focused Windows Threshold features at an invitation-only event in San Francisco on September 30.

Windows Threshold screenshot leaks: What's there, what's not

A leaked build of what Microsoft might distribute as its soon-to-be-released Windows Threshold Enterprise Tech Preview (aka Windows 9) provides a snapshot of the next version of Windows.

Apple's new iPhones, Watches, and apps

Apple announced a bushel of new products: not one but two iPhone 6s, three Apple Watches, iOS 8, Apple Pay, and assorted other apps. Here's what you need to know about the goods.

Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus preorders top 4M in first 24 hours

Apple says it hit a record in the first day of sales. However, it confirms demand outstripped initial preorder supplies, so some customers will receive their new iPhones as late as October.

Apple Pay – How it Will Change the Way We Buy

Apple Pay is an entirely new system which has the potential to revolutionize the world of mobile payments. There is going to be a transition period while the iPhone 6 is adopted because it is the only generation of iPhone that will work with Apple Pay.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

Google Revives My Maps So You Can Create and Share Custom Maps

Google unleashed a new, overhauled version of its well-loved (and little known) custom maps tool, called My Maps. It's pretty powerful and cool. With it, you can create a trip itinerary, note hotspots in any location, and otherwise personalize Google Maps.

Personalize the Windows 7 Start menu

You can do a lot with the Windows 7 Start menu. You can put your favorite programs front and center. You can replace big, easy-to-hit icons with smaller ones that take less real estate, and you can control the behavior of clicking on Documents or Music.

6 Ways to Actually Use 1 TB of Cloud Storage

The cloud storage wars are heating up. Microsoft now offers 1 TB of cloud storage along with Office 365, and both Dropbox and Google are offering 1 TB at just $10 per month. But the real reason companies are offering so much storage is because they know most users will never actually use anything near 1 TB of storage. Here’s how you actually could.

Here's what Apple's iCloud Drive will cost you, compared with its competition

With a new cloud storage service coming soon from Apple, it's time to see how all the top services compare on price and storage.

12 Hidden Firefox Functions for Browsing Like a Boss

You may be familiar with the many third-party extensions and add-ons that can amplify Firefox's functionality, however there are a lot of little tricks already baked in to the software that you may not be using.

 

Mobile Computing

The 18 Most Important Features in iOS 8

What's in iOS 8 that will change the mobile life of your everyday iPhone and iPad user? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Here are the most important changes coming in iOS 8, based on what Apple revealed at WWDC and reports about the beta software.

PadGadget’s iPad Tips: How to Update to iOS 8

On Wednesday, Apple will make iOS 8 available to the public for download. Thanks to a few technology tweaks a few years ago, Apple has made it possible for users to simply tap “Download” in order to update their devices to iOS 8. However, nothing ever goes as smoothly as that.

15 Essential Apps for Every Photographer's Smartphone

"Photographers, however, should not get caught up just using their phone as a camera; there are apps that can help you plan shoots, get model releases signed, add GPS data to your photos and much more. "

How to Switch Among Open Apps on Your Android Device

When you run an app on your Android device, you can minimize it and return to the home screen easily by touching or pressing the Home button. However, what if you want to quickly get to an open app from within a another open app?

How to improve battery life on any mobile device

Poor battery life is a problem that affects all mobile users. This guide could help you better understand what is draining your battery.

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