A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

Tis the season! This time of year is when tech news gets a little slow. Not much going on as many of the tech companies are pretty much shut down. So putting a tech blog together gets a little difficult. But not to worry…the Computer Electronic Show kicks in right after the new year so we will start off January with a big bang.

With that in mind, I will take Christmas week off, then come back in January with more tech news and tips. I still was able to put together one last 2017 blog here with some interesting news and more tips and tricks for your computing pleasure.

I just want to thank you all for taking the time to read all my rants and raves and hope you found some good information here that make it all worth it. So until January, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Amazon is planning to end it's Music Storage Service

You can no longer upload tracks as of this week. If you have a subscription plan and music in the cloud locker, you won’t be able to stream or download your MP3s after January 2019.

Massive Windows Insider build finally adds Timeline and Sets, revamps My People and more

This looks like the first massive feature update of Redstone 4, the next update for Microsoft's Windows 10, coming in the Spring.

Why Net Neutrality Will Be a Campaign Issue in 2018

If you're sick of hearing about net neutrality, we've got bad news: The issue's only going to get bigger.

Report: Apple plans to unify iOS, Mac apps next year

This is still a strong rumor at this time, but the source is usually impeccable. The announcement could come over the summer, with a release later in 2018.

Massive leak exposes data on 123 million US households

An unsecured database contained a wide range of personal details about virtually every American household, researchers say.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

This $35 Program For Aspiring Novelists Is Now Free

Many professional writers use a dedicated program to help them manage their chapters as well as their research notes.

Make 2018 Happen with Evernote’s 2018 Planner Templates

The 2018 Evernote planner templates are here! This year, thanks to the new tables feature, the planners are more versatile, easier to work with, and more fun than ever before.

How to set up your new computer

If you get a new computer for Christmas, here is how to set up antivirus, clear out bloatware, and perform other tasks to keep your PC humming well into the future.

How to Fix Windows Explorer Showing Drives Twice in the Sidebar

When you plug in an external drive to a Windows 10 machine, it appears as a separate entry in the navigation pane in Windows Explorer. But it also appears as an entry in the nested item under “This PC.

Net Neutrality is Over. It's time to get a VPN.

After the rollback, ISPs can now sell user information directly to companies that mine personal data without the consent of consumers. Where internet privacy is concerned VPNs are a place for individuals to start.

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

10 best Android phones 2017: which should you buy?

The big names are all here; Samsung, Sony, LG and Huawei are at the fore. The many variations in screen size, processor power, software features and design makes finding the best Android phone for you extremely tough.

10 new Android apps worth checking out

Here are new apps for this week with fewer than 100,000 installs that show promise.

50 Free Apps To Make You An Incredibly Productive Person

Communicate with ease, tame your schedule, and get things done with these great tools. For iOS and Android.

Apple admits it slows older iPhones

The company says the practice targets problems -- like unexpected shutdowns -- caused by aging batteries or cold conditions.

How to Use the iOS 11 Files App

Here's your quick guide to the iOS 11 Files app, which lets you connect services, add, manage, and share files, and much more

Social Planning Apps for iPhone

With these apps, you can not only look through the places you want to go and find out how to get there, but read reviews and book tables and tickets.

Ajit Pai Destroys Net Neutrality…Then Insults Our Intelligence with Condescending Video

You will not believe this video! The chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai goes all out to bring down Net Neutality and hand over control of the Internet to giant corporations to do with what they will. Then, he has the audacity to make a stupid video that mocks our intelligence to tell us all is well! I still wonder who paid for this video. But, if you would like to see it, just click on this link. You won’t believe your eyes!

In spite of this, we are not done fighting for Net Neutrality…not by a long shot. Our first two stories outline what is being done to stop this corporate giveaway. So, keep the faith and hope that common sense will eventually prevail. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

The real battle for net neutrality begins: The people v. FCC

The FCC will not be getting the last word on the fate of net neutrality.

California, Washington, NY take steps after net neutrality vote

After the FCC voted down the Obama-era rules, lawmakers and attorneys general in three states say they're ready to fight.

The Biggest Whoppers From the FCC's Net Neutrality Meeting

Over the objections of the commission's two Democrats, the three Republican members, including Chair Ajit Pai, voted to overturn protections put in place in 2015—but not before fudging a few facts.

Apple TV, Google Chromecast return to Amazon

The e-commerce powerhouse adds five Apple TV and Chromecast devices to its online store, offering an olive branch to both Google and Apple.

Chrome will start blocking ads on February 15

Google this year joined the Coalition for Better Ads, a group that offers specific standards for how the industry should improve ads for consumers.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Windows 10 tip: How to disable unwanted startup programs

It seems like every third-party software developer insists on automatically running its own programs every time you start your PC. Windows 10 offers a powerful tool to help you determine how much of an impact those programs have on performance and shut down those you don't want.

Best laptop deals: 7 excellent discounts for last-minute shoppers

There's still time to get some online shopping done.

How to automatically mute a website within Google Chrome, forever

Annoying autoplaying videos might still appear, but Chrome 64 ensures that you won't have to listen to them

Microsoft adds more AI smarts to Office 365

In addition to new AI-focused upgrades to Cortana and Bing, the company also announced several new tools for Word, Excel and Outlook to help you make the most of your data, organizational content and more.

10 killer PC upgrades that are shockingly cheap

Looking to put more pep in your PC's step? These surprisingly cheap PC upgrades and accessories do the trick without breaking the bank.

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

Incredible Wireless Plan from Mint. Save Big!

If you buy three months of coverage up-front, right now, you get three more months for free. That means that you will pay about $7.50 (before taxes) per month for the next six months of service. Or a total of $45 (before taxes).

The Best Things Google Assistant Can Do on Your Android Phone

the more you use it, the more you’ll learn about it. Here are some ideas to get you started.

You Can Play This HQ Trivia Knockoff On Your Android Phone Right Now

HQ Trivia has gone from a cool new app to a full-fledged phenomenon, pulling in hundreds of thousands of players multiple times per day for the chance to win some cash by answering live trivia questions.

11 iPhone email tips you'll wish you'd known all along

I can't quit the stock iOS Mail app. I've had brief dalliances with other email apps, but I keep coming back to the Mail app. As a result, this long-time Mail app Gmailer has picked up a few tricks along the way.

Elevate Your Photography With the 20 Best Camera Apps for the iPhone

Whether you’re looking for a new way to shoot, edit, or organize your photos, these are the best camera apps for the iPhone that’ll turn any boring shot into a masterpiece.

The 25 Best New Apps Of 2017

From all-new upstarts to dramatically improved old favorites, these apps for phones, tablets, PCs, and the web offer something for everyone.

It’s Over…For Now. The Bad Guys Won

Tech News and Opinions

The FCC just killed net neutrality

“​This is not good,” Commissioner Rosenworcel says. “Not good for consumers. Not good for businesses. Not good for anyone who connects and creates online.” It puts the FCC “on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American public.”

Hypocrisy at the FCC and the illusion of transparency

It has been clear for months, however, that Pai does not intend to do the right thing where the internet — our internet — is concerned.

Chromebooks and Office 365 together will challenge Windows laptops

With Microsoft porting Office 365 to Chromebooks, a big reason to stick with Windows has gone out the door.

Tech's leaps, limps and likes: The 7 trends that defined 2017

ZDNet's top editors from across the globe postulate on a year that the technology industry lost some luster, but kept rolling out new disruptions anyway.

Why 2017 Was a Year to Remember for Microsoft Corporation

Earnings beats and cloud computing growth were just two top highlights.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Top Windows 10 questions: How to install, secure, upgrade, get it for free

n 2017, Ed Bott answered hundreds of questions about Windows 10. Here are the topics that readers found most interesting.

Firefox Quantum: 170 million installs so far, as more Chrome users jump ship

Firefox sees a bump in installs from Chrome users after the big Quantum overhaul.

How to use Word to create holiday cards and other projects

Use fonts, text boxes, and custom paper settings to design your creations.

How to fix your Wi-Fi network

Here is a look at a number of common scenarios that cause Wi-Fi problems and how to solve them, whether you’re running your own network or trying to connect to someone else’s using any platform.

What Is a “Blockchain”?

If you’ve been watching the news lately, you might have heard about something called a blockchain. It’s a concept that makes data ultra-secure for specific uses.

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

T-Mobile gets into paid TV market

It's acquiring a TV tech startup that will help it get into the TV market, with service starting in 2018.

How to Save Photos from the iPhone Notes app to Your Photo Library

If you’re a heavy user of Apple’s Notes app on your iPhone, you’ve probably noticed a slightly weird behavior: unlike almost every other app, if you take a photo in Notes, it isn’t saved to the Photos app.

Tips for shooting portraits on your Apple iPhone X (or any phone)

We've put together our best tips for shooting incredible portraits on your phone.

10 texting tips to gain control of iMessage

These are the not-so-obvious tips iPhone pros use.

Google releases three photography ‘appsperiments’

These are small apps that perform a basic function using experimental technology, much like Motion Stills. The latest three releases are all photography apps.

Grammarly releases Android keyboard to make your grammar more better

The new Grammarly Keyboard will pedantically pick apart everything you write in search of grammatical errors.

Vote to Let Corporations Control the Internet is on Thursday

The end of Net Neutrality is upon us. The FCC, led by its corporate puppet Ajit Pai, will vote on Thursday to end Net Neutrality and allow all the giant telecommunications companies take over control of the Net with no restrictions. This is just criminal! I think it is a violation of the First Amendment. It will now be up to Congress and the Courts to stop this nonsense.

Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit and Airbnb were among 200 firms that signed a letter warning FCC Chairman Ajit Pai not to roll back net neutrality, saying it would be a disaster. Millions of ordinary citizens have written the FCC begging them not to do this. Congress has asked that PAI postpone the vote and turn over a million possible fake letters supporting the end of Net Neutrality. All have been ignored. It is the job of the FCC to protect us. Pai and his cronies are protecting the giant telecommunications firms and will let them write the rules.

Because of the importance of this issue and its closeness to the final vote, I have broken my own rule of including a variety of stories in the Tech News section. For this edition, our first section is all about the end of Net Neutrality and what it means to you. I hope you find it informative. -JRC  

Tech News and Opinions

Net neutrality protesters take to the streets

Protesters want Congress to step in and stop the FCC's vote this week to end net neutrality regulation.

Net neutrality FCC vote blasted by internet and tech pioneers

"You don’t understand how the internet works," tech trailblazers write in an open letter opposing an FCC proposal up for vote this week.

Fight the FCC

This is something that, whether you like it or not, affects you personally. But how important is this? VERY!!

Here's How the End of Net Neutrality Will Change the Internet

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS like Comcast and Verizon may soon be free to block content, slow video-streaming services from rivals, and offer “fast lanes” to preferred partners.

Trump's FCC gets ready to take a chainsaw to net neutrality

In short, the FCC is giving your local ISP permission to do whatever it wants to you. And, since 50 million Americans have access to only a single broadband ISP, many of you will have no choice but to take it.

Senators want fake net neutrality comments to be investigated

Twenty-eight lawmakers ask FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to put off voting on net neutrality until it investigates claims that many public comments on the issue were made by bots. He has refused.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

How to reduce the size of Windows 10's footprint on your PC

You can compress the Windows 10 installation size to use less space, and in this guide, we show you how.

Easy fixes for six common laptop problems

Many problems can be inexpensively and easily fixed with common tools, spare parts, and a little effort.

How to remove the keylogger from your HP laptop

Some 460 models have been found to contain a potential security threat. Find out if yours is one of them -- and if it is, fix the problem.

Excel databases: Creating relational tables

Excel possesses formidable database powers. Creating a relational database starts with a Master table that links it to subordinates, called (awkwardly) Slave, Child, or Detail tables.

You can grocery shop from Amazon when you use Allrecipes.com

You'll be able to buy the ingredients you see on Allrecipes.com directly from AmazonFresh, the online retailer's grocery delivery service.

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

Best cheap smartphones: $300 (or much less) buys a great holiday gift

In the past, low cost smartphones offered terrible performance, were never updated, and it was tough to recommend them to readers. As flagship prices skyrocket, the low end is being lifted up and there are some excellent options. All but one of these is available for under $300.

Microsoft Edge on Android: Windows 10 browser spinoff clocks up million users

The Microsoft Edge apps for iOS and Android aim to make Edge more appealing to use on Windows 10 by making it more convenient to sync the browsing experience across devices

Top 5 most popular Android apps from last week

These apps are ones that are most likely new and haven't appeared in the top five list more than three times.

How to Scan Documents into Notes with iOS 11 on iPhone

iOS 11 makes scanning documents in the Notes app pretty darn easy. The new feature is very helpful for storing paper items electronically, allowing you to access printed information from anywhere.

All carriers will support NFL streaming in 2018

Verizon's stranglehold on the NFL ends with the 2018 playoffs in January...you'll be able to stream NFL games on your smartphone no matter which carrier you rely on.

How You Can Save a Few Hundred Dollars With a Screen Protector

The thin piece of plastic or glass could save your fancy-pants iPhone X (or any phone, for that matter) from a fall that would leave it shattered into countless pieces. Even better, it could boost your device’s resale value a few hundred bucks.

The First Windows on ARM Laptops Have Arrived

Watch out Intel! The new PC revolution has begun and you are not included. Well, that is perhaps an overstatement, but this new class of laptop is here with more coming.

A year ago, Microsoft announced it would partner with ARM chip manufacturer Qualcomm to begin making computers equipped with ARM processors. If you are not familiar with ARM chips, you already own at least one as they pretty much are in all smartphones. Apple’s iPhones use their own brand of ARM chips whereas most Android phones use ARM chips manufactured by Qualcomm.

The latest flagship Android smartphones all use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip…a variation of it is powering these new Windows-based laptops. The advantage of these chips over Intel is they are smaller, run cooler and don’t need a cooling fan, and have incredibly long battery life. These first laptops offer an incredible 22 hours of battery life!

Reporters at the unveiling of the new computers say they are just average in speed and performance. As a “Version 1” products, this is not a surprise. But, at their unveiling, Qualcomm also announced a new Snapdragon 845 chip, due out in the next few months, will offer a 30% improvement in performance with no change in battery life.  If these laptops are of interest to you, I would definitely wait for the arrival of the 845 processor.

Intel should definitely be worried. They have tried and failed to make a similar chip for both mobile and PC’s…which is why Microsoft began moving towards ARM-based processors. Intel is still king for all PC’s and laptops, but that could change as more and more of these ARM-based computers become available. Apple might also make the move to ARM computers in their laptops. Intel could easily find their market share falling in the future.

We shall do our best to keep you informed of this latest trend in mobile computing, so stay tuned. -JRC

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft launches ARM-powered Windows 10 PCs with ‘all-day’ battery life

As expected, HP, Lenovo, and Asus are the manufacturers creating these new laptops that include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. A challenge to Intel's dominance.

These are the first Windows 10 ARM laptops

It promises to provide better power efficiencies, reliable performance, and always-on connectivity compared to the x86 Intel-based computers that have existed so far.

Microsoft, HP, Asus launch the great Windows on ARM, Qualcomm experiment: Here are the key questions

The pricing of Windows 10 S devices running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor sets up a few interesting questions. Here's a quick tour of the unknowns:

Google is killing Chrome Apps for desktops, for good

Google is officially done with Chrome Apps for desktops: it’s now removed the Apps section from the Chrome Web Store, leaving only Extensions and Themes available for you to customize your browser with from here on out

People are ditching cable at record speed, so of course AT&T is hiking prices

2017 has been a standout year for cord-cutting. In July, August, and September, cord-cutters set a new record for ditching traditional pay-TV, with an estimated 1.2 million people ditching their cable or satellite subscription in those three months alone.

Verizon is launching 5G in five cities by the end of next year

The next buzz word you’re going to be hearing a lot from carriers is “5G.”  Verizon is planning to roll out their own 5G network. We don’t know all the details yet, but Verizon has named the first city to get it.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

10 Obscure Windows 10 Features Everyone Needs To Start Using

Here are 10 really useful tricks that Windows 10 is capable of that you might not know about, but should definitely know

Ghostery AI Online Privacy, Adblock Tool Stops Web Tracking

This sort of tracking, which is primarily done for advertising purposes, can feel invasive but many consumers feel this is the price of using the web, and that there is little they can do about it.

ExtremeTech Explains: What is USB-C?

This port will become the standard for data connections in the next few years, but it could also be the way you listen to audio and charge your devices.

Windows 10 tip: How to capture a screenshot

Windows 10 offers a wide range of built-in screen capture options. You can save the full screen, the active window, or a rectangular selection to a file or to the Clipboard for reuse in another app. Here are the keyboard shortcuts to memorize.

10 tips for better laptop battery life with Windows 10

Fall Creators Update makes it easier to switch between battery modes. Learn where to find the new battery slider and review traditional favorites to extend battery life.

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

How to set up and use Apple Pay Cash

While Apple Pay Cash started rolling out yesterday, the new feature has just gone live for many users today. Follow along for a look at how to set up Apple Pay Cash and the various ways to use it.

Best iOS Games - New iPhone Games 2017

Delete Words With Friends. Forget Flappy Bird. And for goodness' sake, get rid of Candy Crush. These are the mobile games you want on your phone

The best iPhone accessories

The iPhone accessory market is huge, and there is a gadget or gizmo for almost anything. Here are some of our favorite iPhone accessories, for the new iPhone X as well as for older iPhones.

10 texting tips to gain control of iMessage

These are the not-so-obvious tips iPhone pros use.

Best USB car chargers for your phone 2017

One attribute they all share, however, is two USB ports—ie, the days of the single-port car charger are long over.

The Best “Lite” Versions of Your Favorite Android Apps

These are generally less feature-rich than their full-powered counterparts, but they’re often a great middle ground between features and function.

Some Problems at Apple

Apple is a very profitable company…perhaps the most profitable of them all! They continue to make incredible profits and set the mark for future products. But they are far from perfect. The last couple of weeks have demonstrated that.

First came the incredible, but stupid, security flaw in their MAC OS. They recently released an updated version of the OS, but users found that anyone could log into a MAC computer simply by entering ROOT as the name with no password needed. That meant that anyone could log into any MAC computer without the consent or knowledge of the owner. Whoops! To their credit, Apple released a fix the day after it was discovered. But the fix blocked file sharing!

A few days later, Apple issued another upgrade to the operating system. The problem was this upgrade wiped out the fix for the ROOT issue. Oh dear! As far as I know, this problem has not been fixed yet.

It has also been found that Apple recently made changes to the overall security of iOS devices. They didn’t announce any changes, but the bottom line is your iPhone and iPad are a lot less secure.  Its sad as Apple has always been known as the paragon of security.

I have my own issues with Apple. You might call it “Love/Hate” relationship these days. I love my 27” Mac, my iPhone, iPad, and the now discontinued iPod Classic. I also love iTunes on the MAC, Notepad, and Safari.

What I don’t like, even despise, are all MAC laptops, the iPhone 10, Apple Music, the Apple Watch, and The Apple TV. I had a MacBook Pro laptop and got rid of it mainly because of its crappy keyboard. While the iPhone 10 may be the darling of the mobile world right now, it’s Face ID is far from perfect and I would rather stick to the fingerprint readers in other iPhones.

Apple Music is not for anyone over 35. The Apple Watch has made a lot of progress lately in usability, but I would never buy a watch whose cheapest watchband is $50. The Apple TV has the worst remote ever invented and is very overpriced compared to others like Roku and Amazon Fire. In fact, all the products on my “hate” list are all so overpriced as to be ridiculous. But people buy them and Apple makes a ton of money. My gripes are my own.

But, I am not alone in some of my complaints. The MacBook Pro can be deemed a failure because of the so-called touch bar that few people like. Many laptop users are giving up on Apple and moving over to Windows.

The bottom line of all this is the shine has come off Apple just a bit. But, they are still making a ton of money. On the positive side, if my MAC stopped working, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. Same with my iPad and iPhone. No way am I interested in moving to Android.

For more on Apple’s problems, be sure and read our first two stories. There are also some tips below, so read on! –JRC

Tech News and Opinions

OS 11 Horror Story: the Rise and Fall of iOS Security

Overall it was still the most secure mobile ecosystem on the market. Not anymore!

Something is rotten at Apple

Last week was a long, bad week for Apple engineers. And for users of its products.

Windows 7 users are officially dropping like flies

For the first time in a long time, Windows 7 is now being run by less than half of PC users. Only 43.12% still use the eight-year-old operating system.

NSA breach spills over 100GB of top secret data

The US spy agency is supposed to be all about secrecy, but once again its secrets have leaked out into public view.

FCC chairman calls Twitter the real threat to an open internet

Ajit Pai calls out Twitter for censorship, but also pokes fun at criticism from celebs about his plan to repeal net neutrality rules. He is definitely on the attack!

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Better online security starts now, ahead of 2018's hacks

No really, get ready. Do these security basics now, because online criminals are going to get even more aggressive next year

What’s the Difference Between Microsoft Office’s Desktop, Web, and Mobile Apps?

As you might imagine, the online and mobile app versions aren’t as robust as the desktop version, but you might still find them useful. And for some of you, they might be all you need.

Stop Complaining That Your Browser Uses Lots of RAM: It’s a Good Thing

It’s been a complaint about Chrome for years: “it hogs so much RAM!” And now that Firefox Quantum is here, the fire rages on—some users see less RAM usage than Chrome, while others see similar amounts.

Groupy is like Windows 10's Sets but with more features; coming December 12

Just a few days ago, Microsoft announced Sets, a new feature coming to Windows 10 that will allow users to group apps into sets of tabs. This news, however, came two weeks after Stardock announced an app that offers even more than Sets will.

Best Photo Calendar Services

There are so many photo services that create personalized calendars for you, but how do you choose the right one?

Mobile Computing Tips and Tricks

Best mobile games of 2017

Looking for a new game to play on your mobile device? Here are our picks of the best mobile games released in 2017 (so far).

How to securely wipe your phone before you sell

Here is how to wipe your personal data from a mobile device the right way before trading up to a new model.

Best Travel Gifts 2017 - Gift Ideas for Travelers and Jet-Setters

Here’s a checklist to the best gear you’ll want to bring on your next trip.

Apple's iOS 11.2 update adds Apple Pay Cash, faster wireless charging

Apple's new iOS 11.2 software update went live Saturday, adding Apple Pay Cash and faster wireless charging to supported

Best Android Apps - December 2017

Below you will find the best apps from the last month. Check it out and see what apps you missed!

Android security alert: Google's latest bulletin warns of 47 bugs, 10 critical

Google's Android security bulletin for December includes a number of flaws that vendors will need to patch.