My headline may sound facetious, but it is not. Today’s Big Three tech companies are adding some marvelous innovations to their major products that will insure better security and ease-of-use. And I applaud them for that.
First, Microsoft is adding several security enhancements to Windows 10 that will make identity theft and privacy intrusion a bit harder. Among them is two factor authentication for every device you own. This will help protect users against phishing attacks and database breaches. For more on this and other enhancements, read story #1.
Meanwhile, Apple this week introduced Apple Pay…a simple way to use your credit cards with using them. It is quite ingenious and very easy to use. It has caught on with both banks and retailers in a big way. You just point your iPhone 6 at a credit machine and push the button. That button recognizes your fingerprint so only you can do this. Android has a similar app but it took Apple to really get this technology adopted nationwide. I will be getting my iPhone 6+ in December and am excited about implementing Apple Pay in my life. See our first story in the Mobile Computing Section to learn more.
Google’s newest app, called “Inbox” is not about security…but rather about making e-mail easier and better to use. Just announced today, the app and web service is completely separate from Gmail, and it seeks to change how your emails are organized. Early reviews say it absolutely succeeds. At the present time, you have to apply for an invitation to try it out. Read more about it in story #2.
I hope you have a great weekend! - JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Microsoft Details Windows 10 Security Enhancements
Microsoft says it is actively addressing modern security threats in Windows 10. It will strengthen identity protection and access control, information protection, and threat resistance.
Using Google Inbox: this feels like the future of email
My favorite thing about Inbox, Google's radical new email app for Android, iOS, and the web, is that it's perfectly happy to have you use your email as a to-do list. This new app from Google may turn out to be a real winner.
Dish loses 7 channels in contract dispute with Turner Broadcasting
Dish's 14 million customers lose access to CNN, Turner Classic Movies and a handful of others as companies fail to negotiate new distribution deal.
Microsoft officially lays Nokia name to rest, embraces 'Lumia' for Windows Phones
Microsoft clearly feels the need to simplify its smartphone branding, and the Nokia brand is just one casualty. The company has also stopped using “Windows Phone” in its advertising, instead favoring just “Windows” even before merging the two operating systems in Windows 10.
Opinion: Amazon is doing the world a favor by crushing book publishers
Here's a little real talk about the book publishing industry — it adds almost no value, it is going to be wiped off the face of the earth soon, and writers and readers will be better off for it.
Computer Tips and Tricks
Avoid typos: Disable the Caps Lock key
Simply download disable-caps-lock-key.zip, open it, and drag the folder inside to another location on your hard drive. That folder will contain four .reg files, each of which will alter the Registry in a different way.
Stop typing and start dictating documents in Windows
All you need is a microphone for your PC and Microsoft Word to take the stress off your hands and start using your voice. Here's how.
Protecting yourself from POODLE attacks
No, this isn’t about Fluffy gone rogue. To keep our online browsing safe, we rely heavily security protocols — the “S” in HTTPS. But a new exploit — POODLE — shows that commonly used security protocols aren’t as secure as we thought; websites and browsers will both need an upgrade.
18 Google Maps Tricks You Need to Try
Google Maps (and its cousin Google Earth) remain powerful and versatile tools—and most of us are only scratching at the surface of what they have to offer.
Nine Shortcuts to Speed up Internet Browsing that You May Not Know
All the common browsers have a number of shortcuts but some are not as well-known as others. Here are nine helpful browser hot keys and shortcuts that you may not be aware of.
Mobile Computing
How to Use Apple Pay
Apple Pay turns your iPhone into a virtual credit card. We tried it out and have the details on how to get started.
Dark Sky is the best weather app for iOS 8
There are a lot of weather apps out there to choose from, and I’ve tried a lot of them. But in terms of features, design, and actual usefulness, none comes close to being as good as Dark Sky.
How to Try Out Apple's New Photo Storage Service Now
Assuming you've taken the plunge and upgraded your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iOS 8.1 then you'll see a new option appear on the Photos & Camera page of the Settings app. Tap the toggle switch next to iCloud Photo Library (Beta) and you're good to go.
Google Android 5.0 Preview
The release, which comes nearly one year after 4.4 KitKat, ushers in a brand-new design throughout the operating system, enhanced notifications, changes to multitasking and a handful of other features.
Android 5.0 will be made available to consumers on November 3
Wondering when you’ll be able to find out what a bugdroid-flavored lollipop tastes like? Thankfully, we now know that that date is just a couple of weeks away.
10 new Android apps worth checking out
New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of additions to the Google Play Store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. Here are some that do.
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