The Tech That Didn’t Make The Cut For 2017

I don’t have anything to rant or rave about for this edition…only to wish you the happiest times for this holiday season. As I will be on the road for the rest of this year, this is the last edition until January…although I might be able to to do one edition next week, but no promises.

So until next time, take care of yourselves and enjoy life to its fullest.

Tech News and Opinions

In Memoriam: The Tech That Died in 2016

It isn't only celebrities who won't be joining us in 2017—we lost a lot of famous consumer technologies as well.

 

2016: The year Microsoft regained its mojo

2016 marked a turnaround for software stalwart Microsoft. Once again, it's a company worth following by IT leaders.

 

Are your family and friends safe?

Google's new personal safety app lets you know if close friends and family member are safe

 

FCC Republicans vow to gut net neutrality rules “as soon as possible”

The commissioners also they will tackle the entire net neutrality order shortly after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20.

 

Hacked Yahoo Data Is for Sale on Dark Web

Yahoo still does not know who broke into its systems in 2013, how they got in or what they did with the data, the company said.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

How to delete or protect your Yahoo account

It's time to seriously consider deleting your Yahoo account. Can't? OK, here's what you can do to protect it.

Windows 10 Tip: How to edit holiday photos with the Microsoft Photos app

Today, we’re going to show you all the ways you can use the app to edit your holiday photos!

 

How to Use Sticky Notes as Reminders in Windows 10

In Windows 10, you can create and edit onscreen sticky notes that act as reminders. Here's how.

 

How to Upgrade to a Larger Hard Drive Without Reinstalling Windows

If you find that your old hard drive is bursting at the seams and you want to upgrade to a larger one, it’s really easy to do so without losing any of your data.

 

4 Windows Command Prompt tricks everyone should know

Fix your internet, examine your system's energy use, and more.

 

Mobile Computing

Apple Most Popular Apps of 2016

To mark the end of the year, Apple has released a list of 2016′s most popular downloads, ranking the top 10 apps in both the free and paid-for categories.

 

The 11 iPhone apps I can't live without

The author is pretty conservative when it comes to the apps on his phone: If he doesn’t use an app at least once a week, it gets axed. Here is his list of the handful of must-have apps.

 

Apple AirPods review: wireless that wows, earbuds that don't

If wireless is the future, AirPods will only get some of us there.

 

Google's search-savvy keyboard comes to Android

The company has released Gboard for its own phone platform, replacing the previous (and relatively plain) Google Keyboard app.

 

The 12 best Android apps released in 2016

From photo retouching to hopelessly addictive games and new ways to call and message friends, here are all the Android apps we couldn't live without in 2016

 

19 new and notable Android apps from the last 2 weeks

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications and live wallpapers that went live in the Google Play Store or were spotted. Some exciting apps here!

Another Huge Yahoo Hack Revealed

This latest hack revelation happened three years ago, but we are just learning about it. The first revealed Yahoo hack was done two years ago and affected 500 million users. This one affected 1 billion users! This is a disgrace…not only the hack, but Yahoo hiding it  from the public for so long. They knew about both hacks not long after the breaches. 

Yahoo was recently purchased by Verizon, who is just learning of this latest breach in security. They will either demand a lower price or cancel the deal completely. Yahoo prices, of course, are tumbling on the stock market.

So what should you do about it? First cancel any Yahoo accounts you may have. Then carefully read our first two stories and follow their tips. Merry Christmas from Yahoo!

Besides the bad news, there is also some good news and some good tips for all your devices. So read on and enjoy. -JRC 

Tech News and Opinions

Yahoo reveals new hack: ‘Unauthorized third party’ stole data from more than 1B accounts

The company states that the information stolen may include names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords, and — “in some cases” — encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers.

 

Yahoo hack: Here's what you should do

The embattled tech company said it's notifying users who may have been affected by the breach and making them change their passwords. The problem is it happened all the way back in August 2013.

 

Artificial intelligence has a big year ahead

In 2017, AI won't just be for the nerdy companies. Machine learning can help with mortgage applications and bridge safety, too.

 

Trump tells tech leaders to call him directly if they need anything

President-elect Donald Trump hosted some of the technology industry’s top leaders at Trump Tower in New York and told them to contact him directly if he could help them with their problems.

Google Docs has a spam problem like iCloud Calendar, so why aren't we freaking out about it?

Opinion: Google simply isn't held to the same standard as Apple, and that's bad for all of us.

 

This Printable 2017 All-Inclusive Binder Gets You Organized for the New Year

This all-inclusive binder has everything you’ll need to organize your life for the new year, and it’s free to download and print.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

The best OneNote 2016 tips: 10 ways anyone can get organized

Make the most of this versatile tool by setting up pages, notebooks, and sections.

 

The Best Password Managers of 2017

A password like "123456" or "monkey" is easy to remember, but it's also easy to crack. With the help of a password manager, you can have a unique and strong password for every secure website. We've evaluated two dozen to help you choose.

 

How to Undo Send in Outlook

Gmail makes it easy to stop an email from being delivered even after you hit Send. Outlook has similar options, but they're confusing. Here's how to set up this lifesaver in Microsoft's email client.

4 Windows Command Prompt tricks everyone should know

Fix your internet, examine your system's energy use, and more

 

4 Gmail Labs features you should be using

If you’re new to Gmail Labs, it’s the testing ground for Gmail’s more experimental features. The successful ones go on to become standard Gmail capabilities

 

Mobile Computing

9 travel hacks you'll wish you knew all along

Already taking a trip or just planning your next one? These tips will help you save time, money and sanity.

 

Photography tips for the holiday season!

Nowadays, there are dozens of opportunities available to snap some truly breathtaking and unique holiday snapshots; you just need to get creative with it!

 

The 5 best new iPhone features in iOS 10.2

There’s plenty more to iOS 10.2 than just new emoji, and in this post we’ll cover all of the best new features that just arrived on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch courtesy of iOS 10.2.

 

Apple launches Apple Support troubleshooting app for iPhone and iPad

Apple Support, Apple's latest app, collects help support documents, troubleshooting tips, and direct access to repair shops like Apple Stores in one place.

 

How to switch from iPhone to Android

We can help move your photos, contacts, calendars, mail, music, and messages over to their new home.

 

5 tricks to free up space on your Android phone

Is your microSD card not enough? Here are some quick ways to reclaim storage space.

AR and VR Will Be Big For Microsoft Next Year

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft has big plans for VR and AR in 2017

It's going to be an interesting year for Windows Holographic and HoloLens.

 

Microsoft has reclaimed its birthright: Windows 10 to overtake Windows 7 within a year

With devices more compelling than Apple's, a new partnership with Linux, and a very strong cloud strategy, Microsoft is back, and better than ever.

 

2016: The year Apple stumbled

And 2017 seems set to be an even tougher year for the Cupertino giant.

 

Google is searching for hardware love

The search giant is making a big push with consumer gadgets. Now comes the hard part: getting people to buy them.

 

Exploring the Most Popular Websites of the Last 20 Years

These sites can really give you some insight on the rises and falls of some of the biggest businesses in the Internet age.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

The cheapskate's guide to buying a new PC or Mac

If you're patient and willing to do some research, you can save hundreds of dollars and get a more powerful configuration than you ever dreamed possible. Here's how.

 

Three tips for dealing with an unruly desktop

For anyone who just can't stop cluttering up their desktop, these tips are for you.

 

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Review & Rating

When it comes to online office suites, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides has the best balance of speed and power, and the best collaboration features, too.

 

How to Find Cover Art for Your iTunes Albums

Sometimes iTunes comes up empty when trying to track down cover art for one of your albums. But don't despair.

 

Does Brand Really Matter When Buying a Hard Drive?

When it comes to hard drives, everyone seems to have a horror story about one brand or another that failed them. But are some brands really more reliable than others?

 

Mobil Computing

Apple releases iOS 10.2 w/ new Features

Apple has released iOS 10.2 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.2 includes several new features like Unicode 9.0 emoji, three new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus wallpapers, a new TV app, additional camera features, new Messages screen effects, and more.

 

Apple AirPods Are Now Available

AirPods are finally shipping. You can order from Apple.com or check out Apple Stores, resellers, or select carriers starting next week!

 

Microsoft's Cortana gets a simpler look on iOS and Android

The apps are faster than before, and a new Quick Actions section puts your most common requests front and center, such as reminders, meetings and weather summaries.

 

11 Secret Tricks, Hidden Gestures in Your Favorite iOS Apps

These platforms allow users to literally reach out and poke, pull, and prod the digital world.

 

Picky Chooses Your Best iPhone Photos and Auto-Enhances Them Too

Using artificial intelligence, Picky not only selects your best iPhone photos, but it’ll automatically touch them up for you too.

 

19 new and notable Android apps from the last 2 weeks

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications and live wallpapers that went live in the Google Play Store or were spotted. Some exciting apps here!

Notes from the Field

Not a lot going on in the tech world, unless you count all the bargains on laptops and other devices going on right now. My inbox is flooded with them every day! I did take advantage of one deal back on Black Friday and bought myself a new laptop at a great price. I got the the new HP Spectre X360 laptop with an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD drive. It was one of those special Black Friday deals…$1,000…$400 off the regular price …just could not resist. Its one of those very thin and lightweight laptops with a touch screen that can also turn into a tablet. Boy is it fast! It should be with those specs. Am still playing with it so will give you a review in the future.

Have been wanting to get a new one for awhile as I am not happy with my MacBook Pro. I like the computer but  hate the keyboard…just could not get used to it. I am going to sell it for $900 which almost pays for the new one. Paid $1,450 for it last year. It’s like new and works perfectly as I did not use it all that much…and it comes with 2 years left on the Apple Care warranty. If you know anyone who might want it, let me know.

Am still working with DirecTV these days. It works perfectly on my computer, but have some occasional problems with it on the Chromecast. I look forward to it being available on the Roku. I think I will also try PlayStation Vue and Sling TV, as they offer a 7 and 14 day trials. They both work on my Roku. Will let you know what I find when I do it.

Well, that is it for me. You can take over from here and see what today’s blog has to offer. Have a great weekend!

 

Tech News and Opinions

Windows 10's latest Insider Preview release introduces major improvements

The latest test build of Windows 10, build 14986, is a huge update for Windows 10. The build highly focuses on new features for Cortana. These new features will be part of the Windows Creator Update coming in March.

 

Amazon launches Amazon Go, a mind-blowing brick-and-mortar grocery store with no checkouts

To use the service, install the Amazon Go app, log in with your account credentials, and then simply put goods from the shelves in your bag and walk out.

 

Samsung scores unanimous Supreme Court win over Apple

The ruling reshapes the value of tech designs and could have ripple effects across the industry.

 

Apple official letter sounds like a self-driving Apple Car may be on the way

Just months after reports indicated that there was no Apple Car on the way, a new document is sure to stoke the fires of Apple fans' hopes that an Apple logo will grace an automobile in coming years.

 

The Top 100 Tech Products of 2016

This is the good stuff. From clever convertible laptops to the best printers and storage gear, these 100 products are the best of what to buy now—and in 2017.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Affinity Photo image editing app is now out for Windows

If you're looking for a much affordable alternative to Photoshop for Windows, you may want to check out this indie-made image editor.

 

Google Wifi review: Blanket your entire home with Wi-Fi

If you want to extend fast internet to every corner of your home, the Google Wifi is the best device to do it.

 

Excel Date & Time functions tutorial: EDATE, YEARFRAC, EOMONTH, NETWORKDAYS.INTL

Go back and forth in time with retirement dates, expiration dates and more.

 

How to adjust your AutoPlay settings in Windows 10

Control how AutoPlay responds to various removable media.

 

Google Photos tips and tricks

Google Photos has some powerful tools for tweaking and editing images...not all of them obvious

 

Mobile Computing

Making Technology Work For You, A Guide To The iPhone

Written for new users of the iPhone, read through this article to learn about how iPhones have helped develop this world into an unthinkable technologically advanced place.

 

Don't let free Wi-Fi wreck the holidays

Malls should just name their public Wi-Fi networks "Danger" and be done with it.

 

This Tool Can Help You Disappear from the Internet

"If you’re interested in downsizing your online footprint, a tool called Deseat.me could be a huge help – though it’s not quite a one-shot “unplug me” app."

 

Go to bed with the boring teacher from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'

On Friday, an app will release the ultimate sleep-inducing story: a reading of the first chapter of Adam Smith's 1776 economics book The Wealth of Nations in a droning voice by everyone's favorite economics teacher, Ben Stein.

 

Make Your Smartphone Less Distracting by Switching Your Screen to Grayscale

If you find yourself overly-dependent on your smartphone, and can’t help but check it every few minutes for no reason, this simple tweak might make it easier to cut back.

DirecTV on my Big Screen TV…without a dish

As you might imagine, tech news is a little hard to come by during the holiday season. So, I will continue my mini review of the new DirecTV now application. When we last talked, I had it up and running on my iMac using the Safari Browser. It is still working well and with only a few very minor glitches, I have it running just the way I want. I found out you can select your favorite channels and only show them in the channel guide. Saves a lot of time when browsing as there are only a few channels out of the 100 that I care about.

My big project for the weekend was to get DirecTV on to my 50” TV using my Chromecast device. For those who don’t know, Chromecast is a device much like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon’s Fire TV. But the biggest difference between Chromecast and the others is your controls. The others all use remote controls…Chromecast uses your smartphone or a tablet.

You download an app to your phone/tablet, and it controls what is seen on the TV. It should have been easy, but it wasn’t. I could not get the iPhone or iPad to work with Chromecast and DirecTV, although they worked fine with other channels. Then I read article #1 below and found out that Chromecast with DirecTV only works with an Android device. Thanks for the heads-up, AT&T.

Thank goodness I have an inexpensive 8” Android tablet that I occasionally play around with. As soon as I downloaded the DirecTV app, everything worked almost perfectly. The picture quality is very good. I watched part of the Monday Night Football game on it without an issue. One of the best things about that game was very few commercials. I guess DirecTV has a license for the ESPN, but not their commercials. Fine with me!

Early in 2017, I will be able to use my Apple devices on Chromecast, but I will also be able to get DirecTV on my Roku device. I prefer the Roku to Chromecast so I look forward to that. For various reasons, I will probably keep DirecTV, at least for a while. One nice bonus for me is being able to see the Turner Movie Classics (TMC) channel again. A lot of great old movies shown without commercials. I have missed that channel.

The bottom line is DirecTV is a good deal for the money right now. But you should also check out Sling TV and PlayStation Vue to see if their services might fit your needs better. All three have their strengths and weaknesses…the most obvious being the DVR function only available on Vue…at least for now. Here is a link to a comparison chart that compares all three and what they offer.

Tech News and Opinions

DirecTV Now: everything you want to know

The author spent hours streaming AT&T’s new internet TV, and here’s what it’s like.

 

Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Android TV: All the apps and channels compared

The mainstream video streamers offer hundreds of entertainment apps, from DirecTV Now to Netflix to Nick Jr. to NBC News to NHL, and the list is growing all the time. Here's a big chart showing which of the top 75-odd apps are available on which device.

 

The new MacBook Pro may have some battery issues

Several owners of the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar have taken to Apple’s support forums and Twitter to complain that the battery inside the new machine doesn’t last nearly as long as advertised.

 

Report claims Galaxy Note 7 batteries exploded because they were too big

A new report says there wasn't sufficient clearance between the battery and its enclosure, and that 'aggressive design' led to the battery being squeezed.

 

The NFL will reportedly relax their social media rules so teams can post more GIFs and videos

In a memo from the NFL to all teams, the league outlined a new set of rules that should make it easier for teams to share content with fans on social media.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

How to Turn on Cortana by Voice in Windows 10

Through Microsoft's "Hey Cortana" feature, you can get the attention of the voice assistant just by saying "Hey Cortana," and segue into your converation seamlessly.

 

Why you should start using Google Keep right away

Opinion: Artificial intelligence is transforming Google's yellow sticky note app into an indispensable peripheral to your own mind

 

Microsoft hopes your Windows PC can replace an Amazon Echo

A leaked Home Hub feature would let a shared computer stand in for smart speakers.

 

Everything you need to know about Windows 10 recovery drives

How to make one, and what you can do with it.

 

A new Chrome feature automatically mutes multiple tabs

An experimental new Chrome feature lets you focus on one noisy tab at a time.

 

Mobile Computing

The Best iPad Apps of 2016

These 50 apps will transform your iPad into the ultimate slate computer for work and play.

 

The 10 Best Messaging Apps for Android and iOS

Messaging apps have grown to provide rich services and interaction with others, from free text messaging, to voice and video calling, and even photo and file sharing.

 

Opinion: Never Ever (Ever) Download Android Apps Outside of Google Play

A strain of malware hit at least 1.3 million Android phones, stealing user data as part of a scheme to boost ad revenue. Called “Gooligan,” it got into those devices from an app that people downloaded outside the comfortable confines of the Google Play Store.

 

Microsoft adds more cloud storage options to Office apps on Android

Starting now, you have new storage options and a few more on on the way.

 

5 new tricks for Instagram addicts

Instagram has been rolling out monthly updates that are changing the way you can use the photo-sharing app, including a new live video option that's already available to some users.

 

10 best Reddit apps for Android

Reddit fancies itself as the front page of the Internet. For better or for worse, that’s pretty much what it is. It’s a large site with tons of topics and then tons of threads in each topic. With the right app, you can surf through your favorite subreddits pretty easily.

First Look at DirecTV Now over the Net

Well, I did it. Could not resist. I signed up the first day for the new DirecTV Now. The first seven days are free and after that it is $35 for 100 channels (an introductory offer, normally $60). Will I keep it? Right now, after less than 24 hours, I am leaning towards no. But here are my first impressions…and please remember my views apply only to me.

First thing I found out is it won’t work on a Firefox Browser. For now, it only works on Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Safari. I chose Safari as I have it on my MAC. So for now, I can only watch it on my computer. This weekend, I will hook it up on my seldom-used Chromecast so I can watch it on a regular TV.

Getting it up and running was not easy. There are no instructions on setup. Their website needs a great deal of work. One has to hunt around to find how to sign up. But I did find out early on, I had to first download Microsoft’s Silverlight software. Even then it would not work. Safari would not recognize Silverlight until I activated it…and I had to do some searching on the Net to find out how to do that as it is not obvious in the settings. That may or may not be true for other browsers.

But I did find out and finally got it up and running. Even then I could not watch any channels until I signed up and gave them my credit card info. And that was not easy to find either. But I finally did and I was finally active.

The quality is good on some channels, not so good on others. But until I see it on a regular TV, I will withhold judgement. I have only viewed a few channels so far and can see by looking at the list, I will never view most of them. So, like cable and satellite TV, I will pay for channels I will never view. But, still, $35 a month is a good deal.

They list a goodly portion of on-demand movies, mostly older films. But when I tried to view some of them, I discovered most are not commercial free. Some are even edited for time, so parts of the movie are missing. Not good. The same holds true for TV programs on demand.

For many years now, I have been watching movies and TV shows on my Roku…almost none of them have commercials. About the only thing I watch with commercials are sporting shows and events. I have thousands of choices of movies and TV shows on my Roku, none of which have commercials. I admit, I am spoiled. I will never watch a movie with commercials. 

Again, all my opinions were formed within 24 hours of signing up. I will watch more over the next few days (between football games) and set it up on my Chromecast. So will have more for you next week. I have included one negative review below as I have yet to find a good one. But its early days yet.

As usual, I have found some good tips and tricks for your electronic devices so I hope you find something of value. Have a good weekend. -JRC 

 

Tech News and Opinions

Sorry Cord Cutters, DirecTV Now Is a Trap

Opinion: AT&T's new DirecTV Now plan transplants everything bad about cable into the cord-cutter world.

 

Netflix finally lets you download shows and movies to watch offline

You can finally take Netflix with you onto a plane or the subway. The company announced that it’s launching offline playback for “many of your favorite streaming series and movies.”

 

The end of the Apple dynasty?

Apple is misplaying the hand Steve Jobs left them, making themselves vulnerable to competition for the first time since iPod. The company has always been at least one step ahead of the competition in hardware advancements and software experience. That has all changed.

 

How to Contact Customer Support and Actually Get a Human

But there are still humans working in most of those companies’ customer service departments–you just have to know how to get to them. Here are a few easier ways to get what you want.

 

Amazon Aims To Tackle Counterfeiters in 2017

The regulations will target third-party sellers on the site, entities that Amazon cannot easily guarantee the quality of under existing policies yet often partners with under the “Fulfillment by Amazon” (FAB) setup.

 

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

DIY: Extending WiFi throughout your house

You probably need (or at least want) Wi-Fi across your whole property, but making it happen can be daunting. Here's a rundown of the steps you need to take, along with some practical tips and alternative solutions.

 

Tips, tricks and shortcuts: Ed Bott makes Windows 10 work for you

Need help navigating Windows 10? Let Windows pro Ed Bott be your guide.

 

How to Make Windows Shut Down Faster

Windows PCs should shut down fairly quickly—unless there’s a problem causing a shutdown delay. Here’s how to make your computer shut down faster.

 

Photoshop Gets Updated for 2017

Adobe continues to improve the world's leading photo editing software; the 2017 update adds universal search, templates, and companion apps for several designing purposes.

 

How to Use All of Windows 10’s Backup and Recovery Tools

The latest version of Windows also includes way to back up and restore system images, wipe your computer to its default state, store files online, and make recovery drives you can use in case of emergency.

 

Mobil Computing

The Best File Managers for Android

When you need to side load an app or move a downloaded file, for example, you’re going to need a file manager. Here are our picks for the best that Android has to offer.

 

Find out if your Google account has been hacked

Check to see if your Android device has been hit by Gooligan and what to do if it has

 

Microsoft Clip Layer Brings Better Copy and Share Functionality to Android

A new Microsoft Garage project called Clip Layer promises to make it easier for Android users to “snip and share” almost anything that appears on their screen.

 

Protect Yourself With a Free VPN Service

Can't afford a premium VPN? That's no reason to leave your network traffic unprotected. Here's what you need to know about free VPN services.

 

Phones with the best battery life

If a long-life battery tops your list of phone needs, you can't do better than these. Did yours make the list?