Friday, November 06, 2015

Microsoft UnGifts Unlimited OneDrive Storage

The folks in Redmond have royally angered many of their users. A year or so ago, Microsoft promised unlimited cloud storage on OneDrive for Office 365 Subscribers. Now they have pulled the rug out on those promises and gone back to the original 1 Terabyte limit.  According to Microsoft, there were a handful of users who abused the system. But rather than punish the few, they chose to publish the many. Also the free service was cut from 15GB to 5GB.

Now, I will be honest here. I use OneDrive for most of my data backups including all my photos…and I am nowhere near one terabyte. So I am not upset.. I just think it was a bad public relations move by Microsoft. But it will blow over. I think what happened was the accountants looked at the numbers and the costs of the vast amount of equipment it takes for free storage and figured it wasn’t worth it. But, I do wonder why they cut the free service from 15 GB to 5 GB.

On another note, Apple released their new Apple TV into the wild. It is supposed to compete with the Roku box, Google TV and the Amazon Fire TV. I watched two video podcasts on Apple’s newest device this week and let me tell you it can be very difficult to set up. The host of one show said they had to stop the recording of the show to get things figured out. Apple TV is also missing some key pieces like Amazon Prime TV and Google TV. So, for me, the bottom line was the Roku box is still superior...and much cheaper.

On a personal note, I will not put out another blog next week as I will be in Southern Utah photographing the autumn colors in and around Zion National Park. But I should be back in Tucson the following week. So until then, have fun, but behave yourself. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

 

Microsoft Made Changes To Office 365, Removes Unlimited OneDrive Storage

For Office Home, Personal, and University users, you will no longer be offered unlimited storage. Instead, those subscriptions will include 1 TB of OneDrive storage. For users of the free service, the announcement is especially bad as your storage will be cut from 15 GB to 5GB, this is for new and current users."

 

Chromecast vs. Apple TV vs. Roku vs. Amazon Fire TV

Fed up with your dumb "smart TV?" Tired of waiting for your console to boot up just so you can watch Netflix? Looking for a cheap tech gift? There are plenty of reasons to get a new dedicated video streamer. We'll help you choose one.

 

Apple TV review: A diamond in the rough - very rough Review

Let's get a few things out of the way first thing. This is not the be-all and end-all of set-top boxes. Not even close. In fact, right now the Roku 4 bests the 2015 Apple TV in a whole bunch of ways.

 

There are more Mac malware attacks in 2015 than last five years combined

Of course, Macs are hardly immune to cyber attacks, but hackers and attackers usually target the most popular operating systems, and before the rise of the Mac, that meant targeting the PC more than the Mac.

 

HP, a Silicon Valley icon, is ready for its break-up

HP Inc. will sell personal computers and printers; Hewlett Packard Enterprise will sell commercial computer systems, software and tech services. Starting Monday, each will trade separately on the New York Stock Exchange

Computer Tips and Tricks

Get your USB devices out of low gear

USB 3.0 data transfers should be up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 — and 2.0 should be almost 10 times faster than USB 1.0. But manyfactors can cause your USB connections to limp along at a fraction of their expected speeds.Here’s how to check your USB system’s performance to verify that it’s running at its full speed — and what to do if it’s not.

 

7 Router Features You Should Be Using for Better Wi-Fi

Sure, they bring Internet to your devices, but today's routers do so much more. Take advantage of these advanced capabilities to get the best Wi-Fi coverage.

 

Google's Inbox update will take the hassle out of emails by predicting your replies

Google’s is launching a new feature called Smart Reply for Inbox that generates responses based on your emails so you can just choose the one that’s most appropriate and hit send.

 

10 Tips to Speed Up Windows 10

Windows 10 is noticeably faster than previous versions of Microsoft's OS, but you can still speed up your PC with these tricks.

 

Firefox 41 Review & Rating

Microsoft is making noise with its innovative and fast new Edge browser, but for now, Firefox remains our first choice for day-to-day browsing. It's fast, can display any site, it's supremely customizable, and protects your privacy. For all that, Firefox remains our Editors' Choice for Web browsers.

Mobile Computing

Google brings audible traffic alerts to iPhone Google Maps users

Even though Apple Maps keeps getting better all the time, it's tough to give up on Google Maps. Google just rolled out an update that will help daily commuters too.

 

The 10 Best Windows Tablets of 2015

With the latest Intel hardware and Windows support, the tablet is finally a viable PC for work. We give you the lowdown on the factors you need to consider when choosing a Windows tablet, as well as our top picks.

 

T-Mobile wants to boost your indoor cell signal

Its new CellSpot device, part of the carrier's larger push to improve network coverage, acts as a mini cell phone tower in your home or office.

 

14 Cool Smartphone Camera Tricks You Should Know

Thanks to our mobile gadgets, we all have the power to capture, share, and access images and video from around the world instantaneously. It has changed the way we express ourselves

 

Microsoft Created an Android App That Intelligently Organizes Your Phone

Microsoft's Arrow for Android arranges apps based on how frequently they're used.

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