I know you think I am joking with that headline, but it is for real. The US Senate and the House have passed a bill that permanently removes any possibility for Internet Access Taxes. Now, this does not remove state sales taxes on products you buy from on-line retailers. I wish it did. But no provider of Internet access can ever charge a tax for selling you access to the Web or any other Internet service for that matter.
This tax-free access has been going on for years, but only with temporary bills that needed to be renewed every so often. Now it is a permanent ban. Hooray for that!
In other news, our first story is about some serious black hat hackers who have shut down a hospital for over a week now, demanding $3.6 million ransom to restore computer services. This is life-threatening hacking. If someone dies as a result of this, the hackers, if caught, could be charged with Murder One. And California still has the death penalty.
Well, not much else for me to say. So I will shut up and let you read on. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Hackers take hospital offline, demand $3.6m ransom
For more than a week, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center has been in a state of emergency after a malware attack shut down the network unless a ransom of $3.6 million was paid.
Senate passes permanent ban on Internet access taxes
Congress had extended the moratorium several times since 1998, but supporters weren't able to pass a permanent ban until now.
Google is finally shutting down Picasa
Picasa is a photo-sharing and storing website that’s been in Google’s lineup since 2004. Ultimately, Google stopped rolling out any notable updates to the service, so it was only a matter of time until the photo website was shut down
Russia Dials Up the Crazy, Wants to "Ban" Windows
Following in the august footsteps of China, Russia is the latest totalitarian state that is publicly seeking to “ban” Microsoft Windows and replace it with less U.S.-centric technologies
Microsoft continues its pivot to being all about cloud services |
It's not over for Windows and devices. But Microsoft's future is increasingly about the cloud and subscriptions, as its financials and corporate priorities show.
Computer Tips and Tricks
How to make Windows 10 faster: 5 ways to speed up your PC
Try these methods to make your machine zippier and less prone to performance problems.
How to Stop Windows 10 Apps From Running in the Background
Those new Windows 10 apps have permission to run in the background so they can update their live tiles, fetch new data, and receive notifications. They may drain some battery power. But you can control which apps are allowed to run in the background.
How to change the look of Windows 10's desktop with native settings or Aero Glass
When it comes to visual aesthetics, Windows 10 is reasonably configurable. You can adjust color schemes and backgrounds easily with these tools.
You Should Upgrade to 64-bit Chrome. It’s More Secure, Stable, and Speedy
Using Chrome on Windows? There’s a good chance you’re still using the 32-bit version. You should upgrade to the 64-bit version. It’s more secure–not to mention faster and more stable.
Move your Windows 10 libraries to a separate drive or partition
Physically separating programs and data protects them both and makes for easier backups. Its an idea worth considering.
Mobile Computing
Best new apps for iOS, Android and Windows: Serato Pyro, Fetch, and more
There's a whole fleet of great new apps that have dropped over the past seven days, many of which are more than capable of providing your ageing handset with a new lease of life.
The best news apps for Android
Android has a plethora of great apps to choose from thanks to the massive selection in the Google Play Store. But if you're looking to get your daily news fix, we recommend you check out this little lot.
Amazon Updates Its Kindle App With Interactive Magazines for iPad, Support for iPad Pro
Choose from a wide selection of books, newspapers, and magazines from Wall Street Journal, New York Times to Reader’s Digest.
Apple screen protector installation program now rolling out to Apple Stores
The program allows customers to get a Belkin screen protector carefully applied to their iPhone in store. At Apple Stores across America, customers can purchase a Belkin screen protector and have it applied in store by an Apple Store employee for free.
Every iPhone User Can Now Broadcast Live Video on Facebook
Facebook users can access the new feature by tapping the “Update Status” box at the top of their News Feed, which will reveal a new icon for live video.
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