Do you remember the Orwell classic novel, “1984”? The part where Big Brother is watching and listening you? Well Samsung is selling such a device. Its called a Samsung Smart TV. It sits in people’s living room, records their conversations, then sells them to third parties.
That is totally evil and obviously a violation of privacy. How dare them to such a thing! At least they had the hutzpah to admit it when one reporter uncovered the story. For such an offense against decency and privacy, those TV’s should be recalled and a law should be passed to forbid such a thing. Of course, because there is money to be made, I look for other manufacturers to do the same thing.
And speaking of Samsung, I got mad last week at my Samsung laptop for running so poorly and completely wiped it clean. After a long and tiresome three-day procedure, I reinstalled Windows 8 and upgraded it to 8.1. It actually runs much better now after I made sure all the crapware that Samsung includes was wiped out.
I did try at first to install a clean 8.1 system downloaded from Microsoft, but it was so slow that I had to wipe it out and installed the original Samsung Windows 8 disk. This proved to me that Samsung deliberately makes their computers so they only run properly on Samsung’s version of Windows.
This is the last Samsung product of any type that I will ever buy. They join the list of corporations that can burn forever in Hades, like Comcast, Time-Warner, and Sony to name a couple.
PS: They are losing market share like crazy in the smartphone business and I hope people stop buying their TV’s.
Now that I gave you the vinegar, its time for some sweet honey. There are plenty of good stories and tips in this edition…so I hope you find something useful. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Samsung's TVs record your living room chatter
Samsung's small print says that its Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties.
Leaked Data From 30,000 Swiss Bank Accounts Reveals Mass Tax Avoidance
The leaked files, which you can explore online, reveal the use of Swiss bank accounts by actors, footballers,politicians, business owners and more to avoid paying tax to the relevant authorities.
Pandora vs Slacker – Comparison of Top 6 Radio Stations like Pandora
When it comes to streaming Audio, many people think Pandora is the best choice out there, but with so many other options appearing these days, is that still the case? Here we will have a look at all the options and see whether Pandora still comes out on top.
Microsoft's New App Strategy: Turning Google Into A Dumb Pipe
Microsoft doesn't just want its hands on every operating system. It also wants eyes in every cloud.
Get 2 GB of free Google Drive storage forever with a quick security check
As part of Safer Internet Day (Tuesday, February 10), Google is giving away 2 GB of free Drive storage for completing a security checkup by February 17. And unlike most cloud storage freebies, this one is permanent.
Computer Tips and Tricks
The Best Online Tools for Digital Tax Prep
With online tools and apps, you can digitize your tax prep and regulate your spending for the year ahead.
How to Create an Anonymous Email Account
What do you do if you want to set up an email address that is completely secret and nameless, with no obvious connection to you whatsoever, but you don't necessarily want the hassle of (or have the chops for) setting up your own servers?
How to Restore Previous Versions of a File on Any Operating System
Every operating system backs up previous versions of files and offers an easy way to go back in time. If you use a cloud storage service, it also keeps previous versions of your files. Here is how to get back a previous version.
Don't count on antivirus software alone to keep your data safe
One hacker pilfered data from under their corporate noses and cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. Even though many of these firms had antivirus software installed, they didn’t detect what he was doing. Why?
Tools to Protect Yourself from Data Brokers
Data brokerage is one of those things that affects everyone and yet 99% of us have no idea how deep this rabbit hole goes. You need to trust me on this one.. it goes deeper than you think! JRC: I’ve installed all these suggested apps on all my devices.
Mobile Computing
An Apple Watch app is coming for people with diabetes
Medical device maker Dexcom has been showing off iPhone and Apple Watch integration for its implantable diabetes glucose monitors. The app will display glucose readings on iOS devices and should be ready when Apple Watch is launched in April.
Apple’s iOS 9 Pegged As A Stability Update
The major update for Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch for 2015 is expected to take a step back from the rapid release of new features in favor of building on the existing framework to make sure everything already offered works more consistently.
Warning: Your Android Phone’s Web Browser Probably Isn’t Getting Security Updates
The web browser in Android 4.3 and earlier has many big security problems, and Google won’t be patching it anymore. If you use a device with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or earlier, you need to take action.
This is My Android: February 2015
See how one Android tech writer sets up his phone for the best results. You might find some good tips here.
Dropbox and Microsoft Office integration comes to Android tablets
While access on your phone is certainly convenient, if you are trying to do real work, a tablet is a much more capable device, and the Nexus 9 with the Keyboard Folio or any of the larger Samsung tablets can become a pretty credible workstation.
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