In our last edition, I told you about a hospital in Hollywood, CA whose entire computer system was shut down and held hostage by some evil hackers. The soulless perpetrators demanded a ransom of $3.6 million to restore the system. The hospital used all their old fashioned analog systems like handwritten notes, paper patient files and all those things we did before computers to keep operating. They transferred some patients to other hospitals and did whatever they could to help their patients. They care about human life, unlike the hackers.
The shutdown was well into the second week when the hospital paid a ransom and got their system’s restored. Here is the interesting bit: The hackers did not get $3.6 million. Instead, they settled for about $17,000 in the form of 40 Bitcoins. There is no further information about why the hackers settled for so much less. My guess is this story drew such world-wide attention that they thought it best to take whatever they could get, then disappear as fast as they could. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies were all over this trying to track them down.
In other news, the Department of Defense has decided to migrate all 4 million of their computers over to Windows 10, all to happen within one year. Wow! That is a feather in the cap of Microsoft and a ringing endorsement of this new version of Windows. I believe the main reason is this new version is so secure as compared to previous versions. I am sure it was tested over and over before the order was placed. If you haven’t made the switch yet, this decision by the DOD should weigh heavily on your decision. You have six more months to get Windows 10 for free.
Well, that is enough out of me. I hope you find enough good information here to make this blog permanent reading. Thanks. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
U.S. DOD to Migrate 4 Million Seats to Windows 10 Within One Year
Windows 10 has received its most notable endorsement yet, with the U.S. Department of Defense committing to upgrade 4 million seats to Microsoft’s latest OS.
Apple's Tim Cook: We'll fight 'iPhone backdoor' demands from FBI
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will fight a court order that demands it make a custom version of iOS for the FBI.
American Airlines Is Suing Gogo Over Its Crappy Wi-Fi
The company wants to switch to the competing service used by JetBlue and Virgin America — but Gogo is digging in its heels.
Apple Surpassed 10% Share of Notebook Market in 2015 Amid Industry Decline
The latest data from research firm TrendForce shows that MacBook sales continue to gain momentum in an otherwise declining notebook market.
These Are the Companies That Send Out the Most Email Spam
It’s almost impossible to completely block out email spam. That said, if you know who the biggest culprits are, you know a good place to start.
Computer Tips and Tricks
You can now log into Gmail without a Google account
Google is now letting you use Gmail without a Gmail account. If you’re still hanging onto that Hotmail or Yahoo email address, Google is letting you use its service.
Microsoft’s Outlook.com now has an overhauled look and features
Microsoft is adding 13 new themes to its email service. While the look is familiar, it's now more closely aligned to the look and feel of the desktop and Windows 10 versions of the Outlook app. It also looks a lot more like the Outlook web versions of Microsoft's Office 365 service.
The most reliable hard drives in 2015, according to Backblaze
Here's a surprise: Seagate hard drives may now be more reliable than Western Digital models, according to Backblaze's Hard Drive Reliability Review for 2015.
How to Configure the Windows 10 Weather App
Windows Weather App is still a popular way for people to quickly check in with the weather from their desktop. Here’s how to configure your app’s settings, manage your favorite’s list, and set up the live tile.
How to stop Google Chrome from running in the background
Google's browser is handy, but it's also a drain on your battery life. In fact it is one of the biggest battery drainers for laptops
Mobile Computing
How to Create an 'Unread' Folder in the iOS Mail App
In iOS 7, Apple introduced the option to add an "Unread" mailbox to the iOS Mail app, giving users a place to aggregate all incoming email for quick access. The feature was never widely publicized, and as a result, many iOS users today are unaware that it exists
Apple officially acknowledges iPhone bricking ‘1970 date’ bug
AppleCare has been flooded with people bringing in their devices after trying out this bug. The company says it will release an upcoming software update to prevent this issue from affecting iOS devices in the future.
Secret Mail shortcuts: Twelve gestures to speed up your iPhone email!
Mail is both simple and accessible to first time iOS users and powerful enough for pros. If you play around with it for a while, you'll discover a bunch of gesture shortcuts that can really speed up and expand your workflow.
Everalbum launches an Android version of its photo app to take on Google
Nearly four months after its public launch, Everalbum has announced that the photo-sharing and storage service now has an Android version of its app.
6 tips for mastering navigation on an Android or iOS device
You'll have an easier time finding your way around Android and iOS once you're hip to the hamburger menu, the overflow button, the action button, and more.
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