The relentless heat continues in southern Arizona and the relentless incompetence of the US Government grows worse by the day. The latest revelation finds that the personal data of anyone who applied for a govt. job is now in the hands of the Chinese govt. I did a big rant in the last edition against the idiots running America who let this happen, so I won’t subject you to another one. The first three stories here will get your blood boiling without any help from me.
In other news, Microsoft continues to stick its foot in its mouth. I did not include those stories here, so I will just explain it. Last week, Microsoft announced basically that anyone who wanted Windows 10 could have it for free. This week, they took that back and said that users had to be running the Windows 10 Insiders Preview to get Windows 10.
But then it gets worse. Last week, Microsoft said that anyone running the Windows 10 Insiders Preview would get the final version of Windows 10. But wait…that is not quite true. This week, Microsoft said that people running the Insider’s Preview don’t get a free version Windows 10. You only get a limited edition version of 10 that expires when the next Windows upgrade comes. In other words, you must continue to be a tester for updates to use Windows 10. But all updates have an expiration date. Remember, Windows 10, even the final version coming in July, is not finished. More features will continually be added.
So, bottom line, if you don’t continue to test updates for Microsoft, you will lose Windows 10. So we are back to Square One…only people running Windows 7 or 8.1 get the free upgrade to Windows 10. The folks in Redmond are even better than Bill Clinton at changing their stories. Sigh!
I will let you take over from here. With all the bad news, I should let you know that there is some good information here to help you with your computing lives. So take heart and forward on. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
It gets worse: Federal OPM hack affected up to 18 million
In addition to current and former employees, it appears the records of people who had applied for government jobs were also revealed
Attack Gave Chinese Hackers Privileged Access to U.S. Systems
"This was classic espionage, just on a scale we’ve never seen before from a traditional adversary,” one senior administration official said. “And it’s not a satisfactory answer to say, ‘We found it and stopped it,’ when we should have seen it coming years ago.”
Why the next World War will be a cyberwar first, and a shooting war second
Opinion: The US already has lost the first battles, and may not have the national will to defend itself in the inevitable global conflict to come. David Gewirtz looks at the geopolitical implications of cyberwarfare.
EU Demands Sweeping Changes to Google Search
Put simply, Google has been found to be violating EU antitrust laws by abusing its monopoly power in Internet search to hobble competitors and harm consumers, many of whom use Google as their gateway to the Internet. Google has over 90 percent usage share in most of the EU.
Apple now says it will pay artists during Apple Music free trial
After being publicly smacked down by music's biggest star, Apple is changing its tune. Late Sunday night, Apple responded to the open letter that Taylor Swift posted earlier in the day, revealing that Apple now plans to pay artists, labels, and publishers for streams during Apple Music's three-month free trial.
Computer Tips and Tricks
Six Quick and Simple Tricks for Fixing Windows Problems
Sometimes a problem with Windows that seems baffling has a really simple fix. Simple, that is, when you know the trick. Here are some common problems that can have quick solutions. These tricks may not always work but they are so easy to apply that they are worth knowing.
When Windows refuses to eject mass storage: 5 ways to safely remove a USB drive
Resist the urge to yank out the drive, unless you enjoy corrupted files. Try one of these solutions instead.
How to Hide Cells, Rows, and Columns in Excel
There may be times when you want to hide information in certain cells or hide entire rows or columns in an Excel worksheet. Maybe you have some extra data you reference in other cells that does not need to be visible
When are expensive cables worth it?
It's almost always a waste of money to spend more on HDMI, USB, optical digital and speaker cables, not to mention DisplayPort, DVI, Ethernet and VGA. But are there any exceptions to the rule? Maybe.
Use your TV as a computer monitor: Everything you need to know
Just because HDTVs look a heck of a lot like computer monitors doesn’t necessarily mean they can replace computer monitors. Or does it? Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about sticking an HDTV on your desk.
Mobile Computing
Microsoft Demotes Lumia Smartphones As iOS Takes Priority
Nadella has quietly re-invented Microsoft with a new strategy suitable for the current connected world
Best Free iPhone Apps: 9 paid iOS apps on sale for free
These nine apps would normally cost you a combined $43 to buy. For a limited time, however, they’re all completely free.
Apple Essentials: 5 ways to backup your iOS device
There’s probably some irreplaceable data on your iOS device right now. But don’t worry. There are some different ways to back up your device in case of a catastrophe, or even just to make it easier when upgrading.
Dropbox's revamped Android app adds faster photo storage, quicker search and more
Dropbox will offer Android users a revamped app this week, with a new look and many new features.
Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out
Every day there are thousands of additions to the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We’ve shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and propel them to new heights.
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