And Another Christmas is in the Books

I sure hope you had as wonderful a Christmas as I did. My son Eric came over from Yuma. Besides eating and exchanging gifts, we went and saw the new Star Wars movie in 3D. A really good movie, so well done in 3D. One of the best 3D movies I have seen in a long, long time. Nothing jumps off the screen at you, but almost every scene had amazing depth, including the titles.

We both enjoyed our gifts, especially since we had already told each other what we wanted. But both of us threw in some gifts that the other wasn’t expecting. I did not expect to get a Chromecast from him. I am still playing around with it.

The big surprise was a device called the BluMoo. It’s a device designed to operate all your entertainment devices via a phone app or iPad app. I have five devices to control in the living room and I hate all those remotes. Now all of them are under the control of my iPad or iPhone. Hey, it works well after I programmed the app. I am still experimenting with it, adding more buttons and commands, but I like it.

As for tech news, there isn’t much as you might expect during the Christmas holiday season…and this is the time of year you get stories about the good and bad things of this tech year. For sure there are a couple of those here.

But I did find some interesting articles for the Computer Tips and Mobile Computing sections. I really the enjoyed the article, 10 Ways to Get Your Digital Life Together in the New Year. It has some great suggestions and I am already implementing some of them. And if you received a new iPhone or Android phone and use Windows on your computers, there are 2 great articles below on how to ‘Windowize” your phone.

As you might guest, this is the last Rants and Raves blog for the year. But I will be back next week with an all new blog for an all new year. Take care. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

 

Massive trove of US voter data discovered on Web

If you voted in a US election recently, there's a good chance your personal information is included in a trove of voter data found on a publicly available Web server.

 

Apple made up nearly half of all Santa’s mobile presents

It looks like Kris Kringle spent quite a bit of time delivering iPhones and iPads this year. Apple still remains very much in the dominant position for the tech logo people find most under their Christmas trees.

 

Tech That Will (Probably) Die in 2016

This article could be a platform to mourn and remember all the technologies that are gently rapping on oblivion's door.

 

Yikes: The 12 Biggest Tech Fails of 2015

This year, like every year, the tech world faced fails big and small. Let's take a trip down memory lane (and be thankful it didn't happen to us).

 

Google and Ford rumored to announce partnership at CES

A trio of anonymous internal sources are claiming Google and Ford have a partnership to announce in Las Vegas, next month. This is said to be a joint venture to work on self-driving cars, and it will come in the form of an independent company.

Computer Tips and Tricks

 

Google still trying to kill passwords: This new idea sounds interesting

Google is testing an interesting new authentication idea. In a bid to get rid of the password, la GOOG will instead pop up a prompt on your phone, to ask you if it’s really you who wants to log in.

 

10 Ways to Get Your Digital Life Together in the New Year

Extra time off around the holidays presents an opportunity to get digitally organized. Start 2016 off right by tackling these 10 projects

 

How to Put Your To-Do List Into Google Calendar

With this new feature in Google Calendar, you can get organized and better manage your time.

 

These 4 Chrome extensions make Gmail better right now

These add-ons will track your messages, schedule your meetings, and more.

 

Here's how to sync Google Earth placemarks on multiple computers

Save Google Earth Places on one PC and you won't find them on another one, unless you know the trick.

Mobile Computing

 

Android for the Windows Guy: Getting Started

This article will focus on what I feel are the top things you can do to convert your Google-centric smart phone into a more comfortable Microsoft-based user experience. I’ll expand on these tips in future articles in this series.

 

iPhone for the Windows Guy: Getting Started

Adopting iPhone as your smart phone platform doesn’t mean you need to leave Microsoft behind. So this new series will step through the process of getting up and running with your Microsoft-based data and apps on iPhone.

 

The Best and Worst of Mobile in 2015

This year brought new devices, OSes, and ideas to the world of phones and tablets. Here's my strictly biased ranking.

 

The 100 Best iPhone Apps of 2016

Say goodbye to 2015 and ring in the New Year with the best iPhone apps out there

 

How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Plan

Does shopping around for mobile phone service have your head spinning? We've got you covered with this handy interactive calculator and tips for choosing the right carrier and plan.

Here is Why I Shop On-Line and Not in Stores

I had a swift kick in the rear last Friday night that reminded me why I buy 95% of my non-grocery items on-line rather than in stores. Here is what happened…I went over to the very, very big Tucson Mall around 8:00 PM and the joint was jumping! It was obviously one of the busiest nights of the year.

Anyway, I went looking for one special item at a kiosk in the mall. I had to wait a while why the one guy manning the kiosk helped other customers. That was weird as I had been there a few days earlier when the mall was almost nearly dead and there were two guys in the booth. Strange, I thought that there would be only one guy on this super busy night. Turns out he didn’t have what I wanted, but it was kind of a long shot anyway.

I then moved over to Sears to look for an on-sale shirt. As I walked by the jewelry counter, I saw the very Seiko watch I was thinking of buying after the holidays…and it was 25% off! Wow, a sale! I waited for someone to help me but no one ever came over. So I walk around this rather large department and saw one woman waiting on a customer. I also saw four other people waiting for this rather incompetent woman to help them.

I say incompetent as she could not figure out something on her cash register. Then the customer she was working with started piling other items from around the store onto the counter and wanting the woman to ring them up. Again no one came to help her or all the other customers waiting. So, I just left…after muttering a few inappropriate remarks to myself.

I don’t blame the woman…I blame Sears for not providing her with more help. How stupid is that? Jewelry has one of the highest profit margins in the whole store and on one of the busiest shopping nights of the year, they had only one woman manning this very large department. That is just pure stupidity on their part!

Knowing me, I would have bought the watch on the spot and walked out with it on my wrist. But now, I will buy it from Amazon.  In fact, I bought all my Christmas gifts on line this year. I don’t need to suffer this kind of incompetence and frustrations from brick and mortar stores.

OK, I got that off my chest. That is why this blog is called Rants and Raves. If you had any doubts, that was a rant. Next time, I will do a rave. 

I am taking some additional time off for the Holidays and will write just one blog this week and one blog next week. After the first, I will get back on the two-a-week schedule. So, I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and thanks for making me a part of your life. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

 

10 things we learned from Apple's 60 Minutes episode

Featuring interviews with Tim Cook, Jony Ive, Phil Schiller, Angela Ahrendts and others, the show explored everything from the iPhone’s inner workings and Apple’s manufacturing in China to Cook dancing around the question of whether Apple is building a car.

 

Toshiba predicts $4.5bn loss, plans to fire 7,000 employees

The accounting scandal has left an indelible mark on the firm, leading to drastic restructuring efforts.

 

How Mobile Carriers Skirt Net Neutrality Rules

“There’s something stomach-twisting about a company offering free video streaming but charging for the data used when filling out an online job application.”

 

The death of Adobe's Flash is lingering, not sudden

Widely used technologies take a long time to fade. Adobe's move this week to rename Flash Professional is only one nail in its coffin.

 

The 10 biggest security stories of 2015

What a year in security 2015 was. We saw major cyberespionage groups uncovered, the most embarrassing data breach in history, an unbelievable Android flaw, and incredibly stupid decisions from two major PC makers.

Computer Tips and Tricks

 

If you have Verizon, you have desktop SMS (you just may not know it)

For those who prefer to send text messages using a real keyboard and have Verizon as a carrier, there's a little-known but useful program that can help you out.

 

Outlook.com, Outlook on the Web to Gain New Features in Early 2016

Microsoft announced this week that the web-based versions of Outlook will be updated starting in January with smart suggestions in new messages and automatic flight details in your calendar based on email confirmations.

 

How to create an image backup in Windows 10 and restore it, if need be

An image backup copies everything on your drive—operating system, boot sector, programs, and data files—into one compressed but still very large file. If disaster renders your Windows installation useless, an image backup will allow you to get it up and running again quickly.

The Best Cloud Storage Services for 2015

Keeping your documents, photos, music, and other electronic files in the cloud lets you get to them anytime and anywhere you have an Internet connection. These are the top online storage solutions we've tested.

You can now ask Cortana to search Netflix on Windows 10

The app currently works with PCs and tablets, and will soon support phones. It offers a revamped Browse experience that supports gestures, so you can quickly scroll or swipe vertically through categories and horizontally through items in a category.


Mobile Computing

 

Wi-Fi in the sky still cloudy, sometimes costly as airlines try to catch up with technology

Logging on to most airline Wi-Fi networks feels like stepping into a time machine — and we don't mean that in a good way. On many domestic flights, the bandwidth is barely ample enough for checking email, never mind streaming videos.

 

Traveling abroad with your smartphone: You can take it with you

Most of the headaches surrounding which smartphones can be used where have disappeared, especially for folks who own popular devices like the Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy devices.

 

Will Apps Help Convince Shoppers to Revisit the Mall?

Painful parking lots and aging amenities have only helped accelerate the shift toward online shopping. What are malls doing to combat this loss of business?

 

The best smartphone you can buy

There’s no denying that smartphones are the most important gadgets in our lives. They are our portable portals for communication, information, entertainment, navigation, gaming, photography, and so much more. So, get the best one you can.

 

How to Put Free Ebooks on Your Amazon Kindle

Your Kindle isn't just restricted to reading books from Amazon. Here's how to convert various other ebooks formats for the Kindle, and where to get free ebooks.

Would You Like Windows 10 Now or Later Tonight?

Sadly, I have no deep insights into the world of computers this day. So I will just let you read from here on. Actually, there are some interesting stories in this edition, so make sure you peruse the whole thing. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you have a great weekend.

PS: My previous edition was #1,300. I didn’t realize it until after I published. I can’t believe I’ve written that many. Wow. And that doesn’t even count the newsletters I used to send out via e-mail! Wow. I am either very dedicated or just like to see myself in print.

OK now I am really finished. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

 

Target back on naughty list with another security vulnerability

Did you make a wish list on Target's mobile app? Well Ho ho ho, your phone number and address are publicly accessible thanks to a newly discovered flaw.

 Microsoft’s new Windows 10 upgrade options: ‘Upgrade now’ or ‘Upgrade tonight’

Upgrade notifications were relatively innocuous at first, but as months have passed, Microsoft has become increasingly obnoxious. The notifications were all but unavoidable, and now things have truly come to a head.

Congress snuck a surveillance bill into the federal budget last night

After more than a year of stalemate, Congress has used an unconventional procedural measure to bring a controversial cybersurveillance bill to the floor.

 Rdio marches to death playing the high notes

The streaming music service as we know it will cease to exist on December 22 at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Rdio sent around an email to its users to let them know the specifics of the shutdown.

 Microsoft apologizes for offending OneDrive fans, but won't restore unlimited storage

Customers of Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage service got an unwelcome surprise last month, with the company dropping its promised 'unlimited storage' option and drastically reducing free tiers. Today, the company apologized for its poor communication and announced a new offer to restore the old free limits for some OneDrive users.


Computer Tips and Tricks

16 Hidden Facebook Features Only Power Users Know

Facebook rivals many standalone software apps with the sheer amount of personalization, tweaks, and tinkering available to visitors. In fact, there are so many things you can do on Facebook.com that you probably don't know about them all.

21 Google Maps Tricks You Need to Try

Regardless of how you feel about it, 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

75 best free PC software downloads from Microsoft

Everyone knows Microsoft for its Windows OS and Office productivity suite. But the software giant makes plenty of other apps, many of which are entirely free to download and use. In fact, there's a ton of them.

The Best Free Antivirus Utilities for 2015

Protecting your PC with an antivirus isn't just for your own benefit. It helps everyone around you, too. If you haven't done it yet, install a free antivirus now.

 9 easy ways to speed up your Wi-Fi

There are a few steps you can take to ensure better, stronger Wi-Fi throughout your house, many of which won't cost you a dime.




Mobile Computing

 

Google Maps for iPhone Just Got Way Better

Google just updated its Maps app on the iPhone and iPad with a host of powerful new features including finding cheap gas

 Opinion: Five reasons Apple fanboys are right (and wrong) about Android

From my perspective, it’s perfectly reasonable for iOS users to want some of Android’s features — especially if they don’t want to switch to Android devices. Yes, Apple’s a great company, and yes, iOS is a great platform, but they’re not perfect

 11 apps you should use every day

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of apps — there are more than a million apps in Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. So I broke out the most useful apps I use every day. You should probably use them too

The best tablet you can buy

Tablets put amazing technology into something that’s simple and genuinely fun to use — and they do it without costing too much money. That’s where our top choice excels.

 Why buying anything on your smartphone stinks

You use your phone to listen to music, browse the Web and play games. But when was the last time you used the device to make a purchase online?

Two Articles that Might Help Your Computing Life

Under the Computer Tips and Tricks section of this blog are two articles I found to be very useful and recommend you take a gander at them both.

The first is titled “100 Windows 10 Tips and Tricks.” I started going through them and immediately discovered things about Windows 10 I did not know. If you have made the switch, I strongly suggest you start making your way through the list and see if you can find some tips and tricks that will help you. And, by the way, if you have not taken advantage of the free upgrade, you might want to read our first story here about Microsoft’s big push to get you and the rest of the world to upgrade. That will start right after the holidays. Don’t fight it, it is a good move for you.

The second article, “10 Ways to Get Your Digital Life Together in the New Year” has some real value to it…at least it did for me. I am pretty good at organization and thought I was doing a pretty good job, but after reading the article, I found a couple of areas that need work…one of which really needs a lot of work. So am already getting started on it. I suggest you peruse this article and see if it rings any bells.

Well I best get started on this new project, so I will let you read on from here without my commentary. Enjoy. -JRC  

Tech News and Opinions

 

Microsoft prepares for massive Windows 10 upgrade strategy

Uses updates to enable -- and re-enable -- Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs for next move: auto-downloads of Windows 10 upgrade bits.

 

Microsoft in 2015: The Good, the Meh, and the WTF

Microsoft had an incredible year, with some epic moments. So without further ado, here’s my look at Microsoft’s 2015, the good, the meh, and the WTF.

 

How Walmart's launch of Walmart Pay could change the mobile payments game

Instead of waiting eons for the launch of the retail consortium-backed CurrentC, Walmart took a page from Starbucks and went out on its own.

 

Who's still using Internet Explorer? And why won't they upgrade?

On January 12, 2016, Microsoft is officially dropping support for all but the latest version of Internet Explorer. For a surprisingly high number of laggards, it's time to upgrade or face a world of hurt. So what's holding them back?

 

Your broadband service is about to be tax-free forever

Congress is expected to pass a permanent ban that will prevent local governments from taxing Internet access, a big win for consumers that ensures your broadband bill won't ever look like your wireless bill.

Computer Tips and Tricks

Meet Excel 2016: 9 of its best new features, from databases to handwriting tools

The new database features alone justify upgrading, but that's just the beginning.

Organize & Manage Your Firefox Tabs Like a Pro with the Tab Groups Add-on

Tab Groups, formerly known as Panorama, is a great solution for productivity inside of your browser. Tab Groups provides the ability to place your tabs inside of separate groups to organize, declutter, and optimize your browser workflow so you can stay focused on a task.

 

5 hacks for getting more out of Gmail

Easily unsubscribe to bulk emails, manage an inactive account and more with these tips.

 

100 Windows 10 tips and tricks

In this guide we'll take you through Windows' nooks and crannies and help you tweak your Windows installation in a variety of ways to suit your style of working.

 

10 Ways to Get Your Digital Life Together in the New Year

Extra time off around the holidays presents an opportunity to get digitally organized. Start 2016 off right by tackling these 10 projects.

Mobile Computing

Inbox by Gmail update makes sharing travel plans and memories a breeze

Now users can easily share Trip Bundle summaries in a single tap of the screen. The share button can be tapped to quickly send a summary of a trip you might be planning to family members, friends, or whoever else you might want to send that info to.

 

What are widgets and how do I add them to my Android smartphone or tablet?

A widget is a simple application extension that is often part of a larger application already installed on the device. Widgets come in all shapes and sizes, are customizable, and reside on any available Home screen for quick access.

 

Apple's top iPhone apps of 2015

We've collected all of Apple's top picks in one tidy place for you to learn more about each one and download your favorites.

 

The best email app for Android

The best way  to deal with e-mail is still at the desktop, but mobile apps are catching up fast. So which ones can help you get the closest to inbox zero nirvana?

 

The best email app for the iPhone

More than anything, a good email app should be fast. Refreshing your inbox, loading messages — none of these things should take more than a second or two. It should also give you plenty of different ways to deal with the daily email deluge.

Is This the End of Yahoo As We Know It?

Looks like we might be looking at the end of the Yahoo Financial Crisis saga. The Yahoo Board of Directors has come up with a plan to “save” the company. This is a complex solution involving legalities, tax law, and other such niceties…so I won’t try and explain it all to you (see story #1 for more details).

Basically the company will keep its $32 billion investment in the Chinese company AliBaba, then spin off its core business in such a way to make it ready for sale. The foremost Wall Street expert on Yahoo says he expects the company to be sold within the next six months. We shall see.

Yahoo has been around almost from the beginning of the Internet. Before Google, it had the best search engine, the most popular e-mail service and more. I used many of their services over the years but like most people, I found better solutions and moved away from their products and services. I am still a very active user of Yahoo’s Flickr as a place to post my newest paintings and photos. But among avid photographers, even Flickr is starting to lose customers in favor of other similar services. It will be interesting to watch how all this unfolds.

Time for me to shut up now and let you read all the interesting stories and tips I found for this edition. Enjoy and have a great weekend. -JRC  

Tech News and Opinions

Yahoo may be about to become Internet history

After a long struggle to lure people back to Yahoo Mail and its search engine, the trailblazing online service plans to spin off its core business, putting it in a position to be scooped up.

Why Yahoo faded: The Internet changed, but it didn't

The arrival of search, social networks and mobile devices transformed the way we use the Internet too rapidly for the online pioneer to keep pace.

 America's Broadband Embarrassment: We Are 19th to 55th in the World in Wired & Wireless Broadband Speed Rankings

 

America was supposed to have a fabulous fiber optic future. But as this collection of research indicates, on average, America's broadband is still a digital dirt road.

Best Buy discounts Apple Watch: Simple sale or sign of weaker demand?

Best Buy discounts the Apple Watch by $100 in a move that either will bring in more traffic or reflect that interest in the wearable isn't converting to sales.

Microsoft close to releasing browser extensions for Edge

Thanks to an accidental preview site going early yesterday, it appears that Microsoft is very close to previewing browser extensions for its new Edge browser.


Computer Tips and Tricks

 

Google Photos keeps it simple with shared albums

With a shared link, other users can upload photos and add the album to their own collections.

Why you should turn off your PC, laptop, modem, router, and other tech routinely

Why leave stuff on? Why not? This has been debated since the birth of tech.

How to Change Passwords on Any Device (Windows, Mac, Smartphone)

It may seem like a simple thing, but changing your password is a fact of life, and knowing how to do it is something we here at How-To Geek generally take for granted, but the question is: do you know how to change your password?

 How to check what Windows 10 build you are on in two easy steps

Use this simple tip to find out if you have the latest version of Windows 10. PS: The most current version is -Version 1511 (OS Build 10586.29)

 Getting your PC to Start

Your PC won't boot. Is the issue loose cables, bumped switches, dead parts? Use this guide to find and fix the problem.


Mobile Computing

 

Six ways to make your iPhone more secure

Take steps to protect your iPhone so that your information stays safe should you and your iPhone become separated.

 4 smarter ways to search on your iPhone or iPad

If you're hunting for a specific mail message or looking for a name in a lengthy web page, skip Spotlight and try a specialized iOS search tool instead.

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Using Twitter

Twitter can be a very confusing place whether you've been using the social media site for some time or you're brand new to Twitter.

T-Mobile giving Verizon customers 12 months of free Hulu for the holidays

T-Mobile is on a never-ending quest to court customers away from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, and that’s incredibly apparent when you take a look at all the holiday promotions the Un-carrier has launched so far this season.

 Cortana arrives on Android and OnePlus One

Cortana is Microsoft’s cross-platform assistant that became available on Windows 10 during its release, and now it has come to iOS, Android, and an optimized version for the Cyanogen OS-powered OnePlus One.

Internet Explorer Begins Its Death Dive

Attention all users of Internet Explorer…Very Important: Microsoft is cutting off support and updates to its longtime IE browser…except for the latest version (IE 11). Since IE is probably the most susceptible browser to viruses and other malware, I suggest you upgrade to Version 11 or change to another browser. This is serious stuff!

For years, month after month, Microsoft has been trying to protect you from the bad guys by providing updates to every version of Internet Explorer. That now ends, except for Version 11. Without this protection, I can guarantee your computer will soon come under attack. Internet Explorer is, in fact, dead meat. It does not come with Windows 10…you have to download it from the Microsoft Store if you really want it.

Of course, Microsoft wants you to use their new Edge Browser.It is indeed a better browser and is safer from the bad guys. The bad news is it is not completed yet. It is mostly functional but won’t be completed until this coming Spring. And, of course, it is only on Windows 10. If you don’t plan to upgrade to this new operating system, your only choice is to upgrade to IE 11, or change browsers. Do not use any older version of IE as you are only begging for trouble. I hope the seriousness of this issue is clear.

Now that I have perhaps scared the hell out of you, let’s get on with the real business of the day. -JRC

 Tech News and Opinions

The United States Postal Service will now email you your mail

The US Postal Service is testing a “notification” service that emails customers images of the envelopes of their letter-size mail.

 

Millions of Internet Explorer users must update, or lose patches

The software giant will no longer update older versions of Internet Explorer, leaving millions without patches or security updates

 

If you return a tech gift this Christmas, make sure you erase all your data first

You'd never just give your phone or tablet away to a stranger on the street, would you?

 

Dell, Toshiba, and Lenovo PCs at risk of bloatware security flaws

A proof-of-concept that was posted online (which we are not linking to) could allow an attacker to run malware at the system level, regardless of what kind of user is logged in.

 

Play Store will now let you split payments between Google Play credit and other payment methods

This new feature is rolling out slowly, but it will allow users to split a payment for an item by applying the Play Store balance to purchase, and paying for the difference through some other payment avenue, such as your credit card or PayPal.

Computer Tips and Tricks

To-Dos and Reminders Come to Google Calendar

To-dos aren’t just zero-minute events, however. Because they have associated reminders, to-dos will stick around until you completed them. So each day, unfinished to-dos will continue to appear at the top of your calendar.

 

The Best Free Add-ins for Microsoft Office

Here are some of the handiest add-ins you can install for Office 2013 and 2016 to get more out of your office suite.

 

Get the Classic, Ad-Free Windows 7 Games Back on Windows 10

Do you miss the classic games that came with Windows 7? The ones that didn’t require paying $10 a year to remove ads (unlike the Windows 10 modern versions)? Good news: You can install ad-free Windows 7 games like Solitaire and Minesweeper on Windows 8 and Windows 10.

 

How to uninstall an app or program in Windows 10

You can now uninstall both apps and desktop programs from the Start menu.

 

5 cool Google Drive features you probably aren't using—yet

Power up your productivity with drag-and-drop uploads, quick creation links, and more.

Mobile Computing

Verizon Launching Wi-Fi Calling Dec. 8

It's initially restricted to two Samsung smartphones, but will expand to other devices next year.

 

10 iOS tips and tricks for the iPhone power user

Taking advantage of any of these features will make your iOS experience even better.

 

Why does my battery suck?

Phones, tablets and watches continue to improve. Their batteries? Not so much.

 

Apple's new Smart Battery Case extends your iPhone's life up to 25 hours

Apple is now selling an external add-on battery for the iPhone 6 and 6s that doubles the phone thickness and boosts battery life by 80 percent

 

Best Free iPhone Apps: 9 paid iOS apps on sale for free

These are paid iPhone and iPad apps that have been made available for free for a limited time by their developers. There is no way to tell how long they will be free. There are some good ones here!

Could Yahoo Be On Its Way to Oblivion?

It is hard to believe that a company of this size and stature in the history of the Internet is now failing and threatening to close its door. It was just a few years ago, that Microsoft offered $44 a share to buy the company and was rejected by the Yahoo CEO as being too low. At that time, the $44 mark was way above the market price and many people thought Microsoft was nuts. Yahoo should have taken the deal as their stock isn’t worth all  that much anymore. There are rumors today that Yahoo my be sold to Ali Baba. We shall see.

I will let you take over from here. Have a good weekend. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Yahoo Board to Consider Dismantling Company

The Yahoo board of directors will meet this week to determine the fate of the flailing company. And one of the options on the table is for Yahoo to sell off its core assets—online services like Yahoo.com and Yahoo Mail—and effectively end the 20-year-run of the one-time Internet powerhouse.

 

Steve Ballmer Has Some Harsh Words for the New Microsoft

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was always plain-spoken and honest, and that apparently hasn’t changed a bit since his departure from the company. This week, Microsoft’s biggest shareholder offered his opinion of the firm. And Ballmer offered some overt criticisms that Microsoft should take very seriously.

 

Mossberg: An encryption backdoor is a bad idea

Opinion: If the FBI gets access to your iPhone, so do lots of bad guys

 

The battle for Internet freedom isn't over yet

Net neutrality supporters scored a big victory in 2015 with the passage of controversial rules to protect the openness of the Internet, but there's more drama to come.

 

Microsoft shows Apple some love in new holiday ad

There are few business rivalries more iconic than Microsoft versus Apple, and definitely not in the world of tech. But that doesn’t mean the two companies aren’t willing to hug it out in the spirit of the holidays.

Computer Tips and Tricks

How to reclaim 20GB of hard drive space after the Windows 10 November update

Need some extra space on your PC's internal drive after installing the November update? Here's how to make room, but make sure your system is stable before you do.

 

How to Share Files and Folders from OneDrive in Windows 10

In this article, we’ll show you how to share files and folders from your OneDrive, and different permissions you might want to know about before sharing.

 

9 ways to keep your Windows computer safe

Evil people roam the Internet. Here's an overview of what you need to do to protect yourself.

 

How to Install Apps to an SD Card (or Another Drive) on Windows 10

Windows 10’s big November update added the ability to install apps from the Store onto an SD card, a USB drive, or another type of external or internal drive.

 

Future computing: The Internet of Things

Some thirty years ago, the personal computer revolution began — and no other technology has evolved more quickly. Now there a new revolution, often referred to as the Internet of Things. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Mobile Computing

How to keep Android smartphones and tablets secure

Here's the best way to keep Android devices secure, and what you do when they've come to the end of their lives.

 

Star Wars Google Cardboard headsets are adorable, but only for Verizon subscribers

Sadly, not everyone can get them. They're being handed out free in all Verizon retail stores... but only to paying Verizon customers.

 

Wunderlist for iPhone Improves Its Interface, Adds in Support for iPhone 6s Features

iPhone: Wunderlist has long been one of the best to-do managers and today the iPhone version gets a little better.

 

5 ways to block frenemies from your Android phone

Send calls from a specific contact directly to voicemail, block email addresses and text messages, mute annoying Gmail threads, and more.

 

AT&T urges unlimited data customers to give up plans, raises price by $5

AT&T is trying to nudge customers on grandfathered unlimited data plans to switch to ones with limited data. But the company's latest move isn't all that punitive: AT&T is raising the price, but for the first time in seven years, and by only $5 a month.

Surprise!! Windows 10 is Now on My Laptop

After 5 months of waiting, Samsung and Microsoft got their act together and I was able to upgrade my Samsung laptop to Windows 10. Was I shocked when the notification popped up! I have been checking the computer on and off for the entire 5 months, hoping to get the upgrade. I even called Samsung a while back and after getting inside my computer, they said I could not upgrade yet..and didn’t know when I could!

Anyway, with trembling hands and a shaky heart, I pushed the upgrade button and let the process begin. I waited and waited and waited…for more than two hours for the installation to complete. It definitely took longer than my desktop computer or my MAC (running Parallels). But when all was said and done, Windows 10 was up a running just fine. Surprise!

I think the laptop definitely runs Windows 10 faster than it ran Windows 8.  So glad that piece of junk is off my system, hopefully forever. I went through and tweaked the system and added more software. All went well there too. So I am finally a happy camper with my Samsung laptop. Of course it should have never taken that long to get the upgrade. The fault was entirely with Samsung. They did not work with Microsoft before the release of Windows 10 to update their drivers.

Since I mostly use my MacBook Pro laptop these days, I am not entirely sure what I am going to do with the Samsung. I can put Windows on my MacBook, but have not done it yet. There are a couple of very important programs I use that are only available in Windows…one being the software I use to write this blog. So I may find use for my Samsung now that it seems to work properly. More testing is needed.

On another subject, I hope you survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday. My inbox was overflowing with ads the last few days. Of course I always have to check those ads out as there are some pretty good deals to be had. But, I did not buy anything other than a gift for my son. I certainly did not go out to the stores. And apparently neither did a majority of shoppers (see story #2).

Of course, we are a long way from Christmas so our inboxes are sure to remain full of irresistible items. That being said, it is time for you to peruse this newsletter and look for stories that might be of interest. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Revealed: FBI can demand web history, phone location data without a warrant

The FBI can use national security letters (NSLs) to force companies to turn over sensitive user data without a warrant, according to filings.

 

Online shoppers outnumber in-store shoppers over Thanksgiving weekend

Consumers cite avoiding crowds, saving time and finding better or similar deals as top reasons for shopping on the Internet.

 

BlackBerry says no to Pakistani backdoor gambit

In response to a demand for backdoor access to its enterprise messaging products, BlackBerry is completely pulling out of the Pakistan market.

 

The Target breach, two years later

With the annual orgy of holiday shopping officially kicking off this week, has anything really changed since the breach that rocked retail?

 

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.

Computer Tips and Tricks

Get 30 New Fonts For Your PC, Completely Free

If you feel as if your documents need a new look, it's time to change your font. Although Windows comes with loads of fonts by default, it's easy to install new ones.

 

How to add any website to Windows 10's Start menu

This method is that links will only open in Edge. Fortunately, there's a way around that. If you want links to open in your default browser instead of Edge, you have to use a little bit of trickery, but nothing too complicated.

 

What is Encryption, and Why Are People Afraid of It?

With recent acts of terrorism in Paris and Lebanon, news media and government have been using the word “encryption” as if it’s somehow to blame. Nonsense. Encryption is easy to understand, and if you’re not using it, you should be.

 

Stay Focused With Personal Kanban

The work-management system popular among software developers is also useful for everything from tracking kids' chores to planning weddings. What is personal kanban, and how can it help you?

 

What’s the Difference Between a Modem and a Router?

Many Internet service providers offer combined modem/router units, but a modem isn’t the same thing as a router. Understanding exactly what a modem is is important so you can buy your own modem.

Mobile Computing

How to make your iPhone run better in 10 seconds

Usually, the solution is to power off and restart the device, but if you inexplicably only have 10 seconds to sort out your iPhone’s issues, here’s a handy trick to help you out.

 

Can a Tablet Replace Your Laptop? Asking the Right Questions

The advent of this new class of hybrid PC-tablet devices means that buying a computer can be pretty tricky these days.

 

Why your next cell phone should be unlocked

Purchasing a smartphone from your cellular-service provider typically comes with all sorts of compromises, restrictions, and limitations. But an unlocked Nexus phone can eliminate many, if not all, of these problems.

 

Sidefari for iPad makes it possible to view two Safari tabs at once on iOS 9

Apple added a lot of new features to the iPad in in iOS 9, but viewing two browser tabs at once wasn't one of them

 

Save data on Android with Opera Max

This Android app helps you save data by compressing photos, videos and, most recently, music when you watch and stream them. The compression idea isn't new, but it is effective.