Some Good Tech Info Today

Lately it seems this blog has been full of blockbuster news. Not this time. Sorry. All is quiet on the tech front…at least for now. But stay tuned…there are rumors everywhere about some pretty neat things coming our way soon. For today, I have a cornucopia of really good information and a free program you just might find useful.

On a personal note, I installed a Roku box this weekend…you know, the little box that streams Netflix and 300 other channels to your TV. It took a painful two days of installation, but thanks to help from Netflix, I finally got it running…but only with a direct wired connection to the Internet. The wireless connection did not work properly…keep this in mind if you are thinking about getting a Roku box. Now, it works perfectly and the picture is terrific.

The day after I installed the Roku, my computer refused to turn on. I was pretty sure it was a power supply, but that seemed strange as the current one was only 90 days old. I took it back to SWS Computers here in Tucson, and they happily exchanged it for a new one. As soon as I installed it, the computer powered right up. All is well in my little world of technology.

Enough about me…now, on with the show…. - JRC

Missed out on the $99 TouchPad? You may get one last chance

HP will produce "one last run of TouchPads" to meet the outpouring of demand that came after various outlets began selling the device at a deep discount price of $99 for the 16GB version and $149 for the 32GB version. The company provides no guarantees that the run will be priced so aggressively, but promises the fadeout of webOS hardware will go on as scheduled.

Fox's 8-Day Content Delay Encourages Piracy

Fox recently decided to stop releasing free online streams of its TV shows on Hulu the day after they air--instead, Fox is delaying free streaming for eight days. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this choice by the network has resulted in an over-100-percent increase in piracy. It's pretty clear: denizens of the Internet don't take too kindly to being stripped of instant gratification.

Microsoft teases more Windows 8 details

Microsoft has posted a detailed explanation of the new, improved, ribbonized Windows Explorer in Windows 8. In a nutshell, Microsoft is grafting a ribbon onto the top of the Windows Explorer window -- no surprise -- that closely resembles the ribbons in Office and a handful of Windows 7 applets.

Google offers peek behind its search results

Recognizing that it's no longer the only search engine in town, Google recently shed some light on how it keeps tweaking its algorithms to improve its search results. (Includes a video)

Tame a new system’s hard-drive bloat

You just bought that new Windows 7 computer, and the next thing you know — you’re running out of space. Here are some tips and tricks to show where your hard drive space is going.

How to rid your HDTV of reflections

Most people don't like watching TV in the dark. The problem is, flat-panel TVs tend to reflect light in the room. Even if you have a matte-screen LCD, light bouncing off the screen is going to diminish picture quality in one way or another. This how-to guide has some obvious and some not-so-obvious tricks and tips to help you make sure that no matter what lighting you have in your room, you're still getting the best picture quality.

How to check if a Web site is safe

Have you been phished? Whether you use a Mac, Windows, or Linux, iOS or Android, there's a real strong chance that somebody has sent you an e-mail or text message in an attempt to get at your personal information. Data means money, and you're a big ol' dollar sign to the bad guys.

The Best Application Launcher for Windows

Windows has a bevy of great app launchers available, but when it comes to power, ease of use, and configurability, Executor is our pick for the best.

Steve Jobs Resigns as Apple CEO

Wow! Was this news a shocker. The last few days have been filled with surprise news stories…HP drops it’s tablet and phone business (and maybe its computer business), Google buys Motorola…and now Steve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO. That is too bad, especially since it is probably health-related. I hope whatever may be wrong with him is not life threatening.

He certainly has been the most innovative CEO I have ever seen. His computers are very good (albeit very expensive), but his real genius has been in devices…such as the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. He set the standard for all these devices and everyone else is just playing catch-up. The iPods are still the best devices available for music and the iPad leaves all other tablets in the dust. Can’t wait to see the iPad 3. Not only that, it is changing the way we compute. In short, he created and successfully marketed whole new lines of products and made them easy for people to use. 

Arguably, the smartphone market has caught up to the iPhone, specifically the Android-based phones, but there is a new iPhone coming out very soon so it will be interesting to see what new things it has to offer.

I think his latest innovation, the iCloud, is so simple but so smart. It keeps all your devices in sync instantaneously. It just shows how far ahead of everyone else. Microsoft has everything it needs to do the same thing, but they seem to lack the vision to make it work as easily as Apple. Microsoft’s implementation of cloud-based synchronization is so arcane and difficult to use that is makes me ask the question, “What were they thinking.”

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Apple without Steve Jobs. Even though I only use one Apple product, I always look forward to seeing their next new product. Good luck to you, Steve. You did good. - JRC

Steve Jobs steps down from Apple

Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs resigned today as chief executive officer from Apple. His place at the top of the company will be taken by Tim Cook, previously Apple's chief operating officer. 

Love Him or Hate Him, Steve Jobs Has Transformed Your Life

Steve Jobs is still Chairman of the Board at Apple, and he is still going to be involved in steering the iconic tech company, but he has officially handed the CEO duties over to Tim Cook. Whether you are an avid fan of Apple, or an ardent Apple-basher, Steve Jobs has had an undeniable effect on technology and the world around you.

HP single-handedly destroys non-iPad tablet market

After getting a taste for $99 tablets, will consumers continue to stomach $500 price tags?

Report: Military video shows China mounting cyber attacks

The Chinese government is under scrutiny after posting a military video that reportedly shows the country engaging in a cyber attack on an American target. The video could represent a smoking gun, demonstrating that China does engage in unsavory cyber warfare tactics, despite its protestations to the contrary.

Facebook moves privacy controls inline, simplifies sharing

Facebook today announced a bunch of privacy improvements for what shows up on your profile and what happens when you share something new. The company isn’t adding new features per se, but it is making it easier to share posts, photos, tags, and other content with only the people you want to do so. (Includes a video on how to use the new controls)

Gadgets and computer gear: How to clean them

We all love our gadgets and computer gear, but how often do we actually take the time to clean them? Probably not often enough.
The cleaning tips here will not only make them look good, but will make them more sanitary and run better. Complete with videos.

Cheap External Hard Drives

Our lives are going digital, and we need storage to hold all of that data. While your computers come with built in storage, it's a good idea to have a backup of your documents, photos, music, and anything else you wouldn't want to lose in a freak hard drive crash. In this economy, however, it might be hard to justify spending an arm and a leg on terabytes of data. Don't worry - we're here to help. We've come up with a list of cheap external hard drives to keep that precious data (and your bank account) safe.

Everything You Need to Know to Buy Your First DSLR

Tired of missing those action shots? Are blurry indoor photos getting you down? A DSLR might be just the cure for your point-and-shoot blues

The Best Free uTorrent Apps

uTorrent is a highly popular BitTorrent program, but of course you probably already know that. Recently uTorrent has introduced a new feature; apps. Although all these are free, I feel I should review them and try to reveal the best one

HP Blows It…Big Time!!

HP's Inability to Communicate Dooms webOS, Mortally Wounds PC Business

It was the biggest tech news of the year so far, but last week's revelations by HP about its PC and mobile OS businesses was so badly bungled by the computing giant that we all got the wrong message. The net effect, of course, is that HP has accomplished what it never intended: It has killed any future for its webOS mobile system. And it has possibly mortally wounded its thus-far dominant PC business as well.

U.S. Best Buy to sell $100 HP TouchPad Sunday

Select Best Buy stores will sell the HP TouchPad tablet for $99.99 on Sunday. A store manager in suburban Los Angeles said the TouchPad will go on sale when Best Buy opens its doors Sunday at 10 a.m. The sale applies to all Best Buy stores that have stock, but not all stores do, he said

Fox's 8-Day Content Delay Encourages Piracy

Fox recently decided to stop releasing free online streams of its TV shows on Hulu the day after they air--instead, Fox is delaying free streaming for eight days. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this choice by the network has resulted in an over-100-percent increase in piracy. It's pretty clear: denizens of the Internet don't take too kindly to being stripped of instant gratification.

Which streaming media device is right for you?

Once a fringe activity for the geeky set, online video streaming is now officially mainstream, thanks in large part to the omnipresence of Netflix on nearly all Internet-connected entertainment devices. But with so many options now available, what's the best solution--be it for Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, Amazon, or any of the myriad other online video sources?

Windows 8 to bring USB 3.0 to the masses

Why is USB 3.0 a big deal? Because it offers greater speed compared to USB 2.0 (up to 5 Gbit/s, or 10 times faster than USB 2.0) and also because it is more energy efficient and promises greater battery life for portable devices.

6 Key Facts About Firefox 6

Continuing its trend for fast-track releases, Mozilla has officially launched Firefox 6, just two months after the launch of Firefox 5. While hardly a major overhaul, the new version includes a number of noteworthy feature updates and additions. Here are six of the most salient developments in Firefox 6.

Everything You Need to Know to Buy Your First DSLR

Tired of missing those action shots? Are blurry indoor photos getting you down? A DSLR might be just the cure for your point-and-shoot blues

Five freeware gems for Windows

The title of this article says it all. There is some very good, if not excellent software listed here...all of them free!!

It’s Moving Day!

Hello everyone. Today is moving day for me…am staying in the same apartment complex, but moving to a different apartment. Change is good, right? Hope so.  Anyway am doing a lot of heavy work and cleaning right now, so I have not had time to gather as many stories as I would have liked…but I have a few of interest.

The big news today comes from HP. They are discontinuing their cell phone line and tablets that run the webOS operating system that they acquired when they bought out Palm. This is bit of a shock as they just purchased Palm less than a year ago for $1.2 billion. Wow. Even more shocking, is they are strongly considering spinning off the PC manufacturing business. They sell a lot of HP computers these days. But, I guess not enough.

Well, I must get back to moving so here is the rest of the days news and info. – JRC

HP murders webOS tablets, phones

HP has announced that it will discontinue its webOS TouchPad and webOS phones, just weeks after the arrival of the TouchPad and a little more than a year after the company acquired the webOS mobile operating system from Palm in a $1.2bn purchase. In a press release floated before the company's quarterly earnings call, HP also confirmed that it is considering a spinoff of its PC business. In April, the company announced that it would bring webOS to PCs as well as new mobile devices.

Firefox 6 patches 10 dangerous security holes

Mozilla has shipped a critical Firefox update to fix at least 10 security vulnerabilities, some serious enough to expose web surfers to drive-by download attacks. According to an advisory from the open-source group, 8 of the 10 vulnerabilities are rated “critical,” meaning that they can be used to run attacker code and install software, requiring no user interaction beyond normal browsing.

When Facebook Gets Creepy - Slideshow from PCMag.com

Facebook, while informational and entertaining, can also be creepy. But aside from the sometimes borderline-disturbing behavior of Facebook users, the site itself has been accused of violating personal boundaries.

Netflix vs. Blockbuster: What's the best service for streaming and DVDs?

here are more choices than ever for your entertainment dollar, but Netflix and Blockbuster remain the only two that offer both online streaming and disc-by-mail options. Recent changes to both--a controversial Netflix price hike and a change of ownership for Blockbuster--make this a perfect time to re-examine how both of these vendors stack up against one another.

It's iPad or nothing, survey says

The study found that out of more than 1,100 potential tablet purchasers, an overwhelming 94.5 percent cited the iPad as a device of interest.

Who makes the best Windows security software? Surprise...

Does antivirus software work? Online criminals have beaten traditional security software that relies on signatures and scans. But there’s an alternative: smarter software that turns the bad guys’ own actions against them. I found some refreshing new ideas from one of the oldest brand names in personal computing.

Surprise! Google Snaps Up Motorola

Google shocked everyone by purchasing Motorola Mobility, the wildly popular cell phone manufacturer. But what does it mean? Will Android phones be limited to Motorola or can other phone makers still play in that sandbox? Android-equipped phones are most popular smartphones on the market, even more popular than Apple iPhones. So many questions…but not enough answers. By the way, S&P has downgraded Google stock to sell, saying that the purchase of Motorola puts Google at risk.

In other news, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system is under heavy fire for turning off the cell phone service in its station during a recent protest. They wanted to stop protest organizers from using phones to organize the protests, much like was done recently in London. Was it illegal? The FCC will let us know.

Lots and lots of news and info today so let’s get started…JRC

Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5B

Google said today it has agreed to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, giving the search giant valuable intellectual property and getting it directly into the handset business. Google will pay $40 a share in cash for Motorola, a 63 percent premium over the company's closing stock price on Friday. The acquisition will "mildly" add to earnings once the deal closes by year's end or early 2012, Google said.

FCC to Scrutinize BART's Cellphone Block

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, will reportedly come under the FCC's microscope following the block that the public transportation system put on mobile devices inside its stations. BART says it instituted the block to keep a public protest from growing out of hand. That decision spawned further protests and may have violated the law.

Gartner: 94 Percent of New PCs Will Ship with Windows 7 in 2011

We've all heard about how people are abandoning Windows in droves, moving to Macs or leaving for Linux. Well, maybe not so much. A recent report from research firm Gartner says by the end of this year, 42 percent of all PCs in the world will be running Windows 7 (and of course, there are still many, many individuals and businesses that are sticking with XP until official support ends in 2014). Even better, they expect 94 percent of new PCs shipped in 2011 will come with Windows 7 - close to 635 million of them.

No contest: Mac vs. Windows security

For nearly two decades now, security experts have debated whether Microsoft or Apple offers superior security. The battle heated up again in the wake of news out of Black Hat about a newfound weakness in the Mac platform. However, the question of whether Microsoft or Apple is more secure is no longer even relevant: Security threats of today and tomorrow aren't as tied to specific desktop platforms as they once were.

Microsoft making big speech bets with Windows 8

The Microsoft Tellme team is working with the Bing, Windows Phone, Kinect/Xbox, Azure and other Microsoft teams to add new speech-centric capabilities to Microsoft and third-party products in the coming year-plus.

Beat the Cell Phone Data Cap Game

We're cutting through the noise to tell you exactly what you need to know, how to avoid getting charged overages, and ways to bring down your data use before your wireless carrier cuts your speed.

Why do people fall for Trojans?

Out in the physical world, crime happens every day. People get robbed and have their pockets picked, and no one blames the victim. So why do the rules change when nontechnical PC users fall for a Trojan online?

Help CERN find the God particle

As a rule, I advocate turning off your electronics whenever they are not in use. It is good for the planet and good for your electric bill. However, if you are using that otherwise dormant silicon to do something spectacular, say, locating the Higgs boson (also known as the God particle), I am all for that.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange Hacked!

It seems it’s a quiet day for tech news. I think we are all still reeling from all the news that indicates our deep recession is going to continue for a while. Not good. I am thankful I retired from the working world so I don’t have to be out pounding the streets for a job. But being on a relative fixed income, I am acutely aware that food, gas, and other prices are on the rise. And many times, the price increases are shockingly large.

Putting all that aside, I have found some interesting stories for this edition of Rants and Raves. I was amazed how the Hong Kong stock exchange was shut down because of hackers…and how Amazon has beaten Apple 30% fee demands through innovation…and how cable and satellite subscriptions are on a downward spiral. Lots of things to digest here.

So without further delays…read-on! - JRC

Hong Kong stock exchange halts trading after hack attack

Hackers broke into the Hong Kong stock exchange news Web site today, forcing the exchange to suspend trading of seven companies, according to The Wall Street Journal. The affected companies, which included HSBC, Cathay Pacific Airways and the Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, which runs the bourse, had all released price-sensitive information earlier in the day. The exchange's news site publishes corporate filings.

Wal-Mart Shuts Down MP3 Store

When I saw the news that Wal-Mart was shutting down its online music store, I had the same reaction that most of you probably did: Wait, Wal-Mart still has an online music store? The retailing giant started up its online music store in the wake of Apple's success with the iTunes Store, and like many of the MP3 sellers of that era--MSN Music, Yahoo! Music, and so on--it's now dead.

Kindle Cloud Reader Rains on Apple's In-App Fee Parade

Amazon has found a way to give iPad users easy access to their Kindle books -- and the Kindle Store -- without having to give Apple a 30 percent cut of its revenue. Other content providers, including Walmart and textbook company Kno, are following suit. The trick? HTML5 Web apps with caching features that allow offline access. The apps also work with PCs and Android tablets equipped with browsers that support HTML5.

Mozilla shrinks Firefox's memory appetite

Mozilla's Firefox 7, slated to ship in late September, will be significantly faster because of work done plugging the browser's memory leaks, a company developer says. Firefox has long been criticized for using large amounts of RAM and for not releasing memory when tabs are closed, practices that can degrade the browser's performance, or in extreme cases, cause it to crash or lock up.

Cable, satellite see quarterly loss of TV subscribers

That loud snipping sound is a greater number of Americans cutting the cord and ditching their cable and satellite TV subscriptions. That's the verdict today in an analysis done by the Associated Press of the pay TV companies' quarterly earnings reports.

Sorry, Hollywood: It’s time for a piracy comeback

The U.S. credit ratings downgrade, tumbling stocks and international instability have made not just financial analysts nervous this week. Consumers are also starting to wonder whether we’re about to enter another recession. Whenever that happens, people start to tighten their belts and cut unnecessary expenses — like paying for movies and TV shows.

Five (And Then Some) Tech Tips for Travel

I’ve been racking up about 70 round-trip flights a year, so I know this space pretty well. I’ve got the tech part of it down to a science. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way—tips for maximum flying efficiency and minimum misery.

Folder Axe Cuts Unwieldy Folders Down to Size

In a nutshell, it's a folder splitter. You know all those utilities that split large files? Folder Axe is the same thing, just for large folders. If you've ever struggled to manage a folder with 8,000 image files, you might see why this can be a useful thing. Actually, a folder with thousands of image files is an easy case: How about a folder full of thousands of random files, with no rhyme or reason at all, like a typical downloads folder?

Tuesday Potpourri of Tech News and Tips

In case you’ve forgotten, today is Patch Tuesday…Microsoft’s monthly day where they send you the latest fixes for your Windows Operating System. Just make sure you get it, or better yet, have your computer set to do it automatically. As I mentioned in the last edition, there are some important fixes coming our way.

Of course, the important news these days revolves around the economy and the lowering of the US credit rating. This affects us all, and the politicians of both parties are very much to blame for all of this. Both parties have had ample opportunities to fix this issues facing us now…both have let us down. I truly wish there was a third party filled with moderates who can work together and have our best interests at heart…not their own bank accounts and the wishes of their corporate masters. It is time to stop fixing the blame and fix the problem.

My 5th story covers the economy in terms of tech spending and how this ongoing, worsening recession will affect the tech industries. The rest are just stories that may help you with your own personal tech…which is what I usually offer, of course. So, away we go…JRC.

Experts: Mobile devices a growing target for criminals

Mobile security is still evolving, and smartphones are vulnerable to hackers and to social engineering schemes. The smartphones make an alluring target because they so often combine both personal and corporate information.

Bing ads lead to more malware; new Mac Trojan in the wild

Malware authors will do just about anything to fool you into installing their software. A popular target is search engine advertising, which one gang is using on Microsoft’s search results. In a separate attack, Mac users are being targeted by a Trojan that mimics a Flash installer.

200,000 BitTorrent Users Sued In The United States

The avalanche of mass-lawsuits in the United States that target BitTorrent users has reached a new milestone. Since last year, more than 200,000 people have been sued for allegedly sharing copyrighted material online, and this number continues to expand at a rapid pace. Added up, the potential profit from the so-called pay-up-or-else scheme runs into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Why Google+ is very much here to stay

The speculation of the month seems to be how long will Google+ last? Does the social network have what it takes to stick around for the long haul? Or is Google’s latest offering too little too late?

If IT spending plummets, blame your politicians

It didn’t have to be this way. If our politicians had put America first, put our economic recovery first, we wouldn’t have scared our creditors.

Most Popular Personal Finance Software

Personal finance applications usually aren't the topic of much debate, but when we asked you earlier this week which application or service you prefer, there was plenty of discussion to go around. You responded, and we highlighted the top five. Now we're back to reveal the winner.

How to organize all your files using tags

If you've ever had to look for that old letter of recommendation or sample design work from years past, you probably either wished you had an intern or prayed for a miracle. Media sorting has been far beyond other file management in terms of ease of use and quick searching thanks to the power of tags. Now you can use Elyse (for Windows and Mac) to tag your non-media files as well to make searching a snap.

Build Your Own iCloud

There must be ways to replicate the iCloud experience with existing services. It turns out there are-in spades. The challenge is in paring them down. Once you do that, you can get everything you get from iCloud-and more-for free if you're willing to mix together a cocktail of services. Here's your shopping list.

WinUtilities Free Edition 10.31

WinUtilities (Free Edition) is a multi-functional system performance and optimization suite for Microsoft Windows. This collection of tools lets you supercharge your PC's performance, enhance its security, tweak and optimize its settings, and customize and personalize your screens.

Special Edition–Social Networking

How many of you are on Facebook? How about Twitter…do you Tweet? And have you tried out the new Google+? In this edition of Rants and Raves, we focus on giving you good information on how to get the most out of these social networking sites.

Personally, I am involved with all three, although I am still feeling my way with Google+. So these articles have been very helpful for me. But, if you come here to read the latest tech news and computing tips, they are still here, although moved down a bit from their normal leadoff position. But, in finding these great recent articles on social networking, I could not resist giving them top priority for this edition.

I hope you find them as useful as I did. So, without further ado, onward and upward…and thanks for subscribing. - JRC

Social Networking 101: A Beginner's Guide to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, & LinkedIn

Whatever your experience or inexperience, we're here to advise you about what you should and shouldn't be doing on today's most-popular social networks.

How to Get More Twitter Followers--The Right Way

People who are new to Twitter sometimes ask me "How can I get more followers?" The quickest way: Follow enough people, and a good percentage of them will follow you back. But the "follow you, follow me" method is flawed.

Your complete guide to Google+

Not everyone has access to the new social network, so if you're waiting patiently for your invite, we've got a few tips on how to take a peek inside, gain access, and bring your Facebook friends along for the ride. Once you've settled into Google+, browse our handy collection of tips including the essentials, profile tweaks, and a few guides for moving your photos from other social networks (like Instagram and Facebook) swiftly into Google+.

Privacy smackdown: Facebook versus Google+

With Google+ rocketing to millions of users in record time, many people wonder whether the claims are true: is Google+ really that much better at defending your privacy than Facebook? Facebook’s rocky history with fluctuating privacy settings and a memorable, scummy, mud-slinging attempt to smear Google make it easy to jump to conclusions, warranted or not. Here’s what you need to know.

Has the United States already suffered its cyberwar Pearl Harbor?

Cyber-warfare sounds like something from a science fiction novel. It’s not. It’s reality. Cyber-security firm McAfee claims to have uncovered a cyber-espionage campaign that’s been going on for five years against more than 70 public and private organizations in 14 countries. The campaign, called “Operation Shady RAT” (remote access tool), are major assaults against both countries and corporations.

Patch Tuesday heads-up: Critical IE update among 13 bulletins

Microsoft is planning a bumper Patch Tuesday for August — 13 bulletins with patches for 22 potentially dangerous security vulnerabilities. Two of the 13 bulletins are rated “critical,” Microsoft’s highest severity rating.

Are you overpaying for smartphone data?

Most smartphone subscribers only use about 20 percent of the data in their monthly plan. But heavy data subscribers are flocking to Sprint Nextel, while light users looking for a good deal are going to T-Mobile.

How To Customize Toolbars and Buttons in Firefox

One of the things I love about Firefox is its extensibility, not only with add-ons but toolbars and buttons. Customizing toolbars and buttons is a quick and easy way to add functions and features without installing any add-ons.

FCC Tightens Rules for Cable TV Providers

FCC Imposes Standstill Rule on Cable Providers

Cable-TV operators cannot suddenly remove videos from independent program vendors under a new Federal Communications Commission rule. The FCC will consider a temporary freeze of existing terms during contract disputes. With cable providers now creating content, Commissioner Michael Copps said they may favor their own shows.

Wave goodbye to free Internet TV

Fox Network, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., announced the network would begin limiting Web access of its TV shows to viewers who subscribed to participating cable and satellite TV providers (Dish Network is the only one so far to have signed on) or subscribers to Hulu Plus, the portal's paid-subscription service. If you don't pay for any one of those three then you'll have to wait eight days to watch the latest episodes of such Fox shows as "Bones" and "Glee."

Car hacks loom as autos go wireless

Tomorrow's vehicles will communicate wirelessly to reduce accidents, and experts are working to ensure hackers can't abuse the technology

SSDs are fast, but do they last?

If you use a PC for professional purposes, you need a solid-state drive. Period. The difference in performance is profound, as just about any SSD owner will attest. The difference isn't just faster startup and shutdown times, either.
But SSDs are expensive, and they have a reputation for being finicky and failure prone. My survey, plus some new data published today, suggests that could be a bum rap.

Cloud Operations are becoming common, easy to use, and inexpensive

As Cloud services begin to catch on, more companies are offering some services for commercial or personal use. Here are some Cloud Operations that offer those services.

Browser Wars: Chrome vs. IE9 vs. Firefox

You're spoiled for choice these days when it comes to choosing a Web browser—all of the big names are viable choices, and, if you don't like the big three there's always Safari and Opera, too. Which one is right for you?

Just how stupid are Internet Explorer users?

It's a question I've often asked myself: Why would anyone in their right mind continue to use Internet Explorer when so many better and free options are available? Now we have an answer, of sorts.

Thinking About Email Consolidation Strategies

Like many of you, I have multiple email accounts. Like some of you, I have far too many email accounts. And in keeping with my desire to simplify wherever possible, I've been thinking a lot about the best way to consolidate these accounts into more manageable groups. And there are a couple of general approaches that may make sense.

Best Free Antivirus Software

Antivirus software provides an essential layer of protection from a multitude of virus, trojan, worm, spyware, adware, dialer, keylogger and rootkit infections. Traditionally antivirus programs just detected viruses and spyware removers just detected spyware but nowadays the boundary between antivirus and spyware removers is unclear. Most current antiviruses have at least reasonably good detection rates of all forms of malware.

Little Tech News Today…But Loads of Good Info and Tips.

Reports: Tea Party leader arrested on piracy charges

A leader of a South Carolina Tea Party group has been arrested for allegedly selling pirated software, according to reports. Anthony Trinca, 61, is accused of selling versions of Microsoft Office, Windows, Adobe Photoshop, and Rosetta Stone language programs that were counterfeit

Wal-Mart adds streaming video to its website

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has added streaming movies to its website as the world's largest retailer attempts to grab a bigger share of the online movie market from rival service Netflix Inc. The decision to offer movie sales and rentals through Walmart.com comes just two weeks after Netflix raised prices for the majority of its customers. The price hike provoked howls of protest from consumers and disappointing subscriber growth projections, leading to a significant drop in Netflix's stock price.

What works for you: Hotmail versus Gmail

The newest version of Hotmail might not have Gmail’s cool factor, but it does have some new features worth a second look. Find out how Windows Live Hotmail stands up to Gmail in terms of spam filtering, security features, and social-networking integration.

What are Netflix and Hulu users watching, and how?

What are all those Netflix and Hulu viewers watching, and how are they accessing that content? A new study out yesterday from Nielsen offers some answers. Among Netflix subscribers, 53 percent watch movies, 11 percent tune into TV shows, and 36 percent catch a mixture of both. But among Hulu viewers, only 9 percent are streaming movies, 73 percent are watching TV episodes, and 18 percent grab both equally.

Cleaning Up Windows 7

In general, I’ve never really had to do any maintenance work on Windows 7. I’ve never had to go through my hard drive and see what’s taking up space and slowing things down. I’ve never manually had to perform a disk defragment, or even used the disk clean up tool. Windows 7 just seems to take care of itself. It pretty much does all these things automatically without you ever knowing. But inevitably, your desktop will start to become cluttered, things get messy. You’ve new folders everywhere, shortcuts going nowhere and a bunch of old useless programs wasting unnecessary space.

The advanced system-recover toolkit

If you want to build an advanced system-cleaning and -recovery toolkit, here are my recommendations. Some of these tools have been around for a while, and some are in beta. Test them out and see what you find — you might be surprised.

Mac vs. PC via McDonald's Wi-Fi guide

A picture paints a thousand words--especially if that picture shows Vista and XP dialog boxes sprinkled with references to "DNS servers" and Internet protocols.

Free Image Converter

It should perhaps more accurately be called Free Image Resizer, because that--and not file conversion--is what it actually does. Still, as long as you're looking to resize images and not actually change their formats, it works fine.

Netflix Losing, Chrome Gaining

I mentioned last time that I still had not received an invitation to join Google+, the social media rage that has taken the tech world by storm…well sort of.  With 20 million users now, it isn’t close to Facebook yet, but most users seem to like it. Thanks to my favorite Kindle blogger, Andrys Basten, who sent me an invitation to join, I now have a Google+account.

Sadly my schedule has not allowed me to play with it very much, but I will be doing so and will let you know soon what I think. Am looking forward to giving it a spin.

Some interesting stories below, so why don’t I just shut up and let you read… - JRC

Raising Prices Could Cost Netflix 2.5M Subscribers

Price hikes are unpopular, and Netflix's could cost 2.5 million of its more than 25 million subscribers, a survey by The Diffusion Group says. Netflix noted in its earnings report that video streaming has been popular with nearly 75 percent of new subscribers. However, the Netflix price hikes may be accepted because there are few other options.

Google Chrome continues its rapid rise, IE and Firefox fall

If you’re looking for a tech success story, look no further than Google’s Chrome browser. Introduced less than three years ago, it has soared in popularity among techies and civilians worldwide. And its gains are coming at the direct expense of Microsoft and Mozilla.

Windows Live Photo Gallery Gains Raw Format Support

Microsoft announced today that its free (and excellent) photo editing and management solution, Windows Live Photo Gallery, can be updated with a free codec pack to support many popular RAW file formats. These formats are used by high-end (and even consumer-grade) cameras to provide superior, uncompressed files when compared to the more widely used (but compressed) JPEG formatted files.

Why I switched from Dropbox to Windows Live Mesh

I cannot imagine personal computing without a reliable, robust, full-featured sync solution. Over the past year or so, I’ve been using both Dropbox and Windows Live Mesh to keep my work files, pictures, Office settings, bookmarks, and other files in sync across multiple devices. I’ve used each service extensively, on the web, on every PC I own, and on the Mac that shares my desktop with a Windows PC.

Google+: The right service at the right time

Many of the arguments against social networking that apply to Facebook don't carry over to Google+. It looks like Google has another home run on its hands

CNET's favorite Android apps (CNET 100)

Do you own an Android Phone? I do and I love it. If you also have one, here is a list of the top 100 applications for it, as compiled by several CNET editors. Definitely worth a look if you are into Android.

The Best Alternative File Browser for Windows

Windows Explorer is hardly the perfect tool for advanced file management, and Windows users have a ton of alternatives available. The decision is a difficult one, but if we had to recommend one file browser, we'd pick Xplorer2 for Windows.

Todays News, Views and Downright Good Info

Have kept myself quite busy during these hot and sultry Tucson summer days…most of it inside, of course. While I still have not received a Google+ invite, I did get one from the Spotify, the music sharing service that just became available in the US. So far, I like it.

I have the free account. There are paid accounts available for $5 and $10 a month. It is similar to Pandora…except that instead of choosing the genre, with Spotify, you choose the actual songs. It works well and I’ve had fun choosing songs, both jazz, ambient, and classical, to see how good their collection is. Supposedly there are 18 million songs to choses from and I have been able to find most everything I have searched.  Feel free to go to the Spotify Web Site and request an invite

So, don’t let me interrupt you anymore. Just take a look below and see what might be of interest. - JRC

Anonymous releases restricted NATO document

The hacking collective Anonymous released a document on Thursday marked "restricted" from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). They did it to show that they have hacked into the NATO computer system. They also said they will not publicly release most of the files they stole.

Google adds malware warning to search results

A new warning system alerts users to the possibility their system is infected with malware. Google announced today it is instituting a malware warning system on its search results page to alert users to the possibility that their computer is infected. The Internet giant said it took the action after discovering unusual patterns of activity on the Web that it identified as a strain of malware that causes infected computers to send traffic to Google through proxy servers.

Is the internet making journalism better or worse?

For the past several days, The Economist has been hosting a debate between journalism professor Jay Rosen and digital skeptic and author Nicholas Carr, as part of an ongoing series about the future of media. The proposition tabled by the magazine was that the internet is making journalism better rather than worse. It is a thought provoking debate, for sure.

Read All About You

How technology is writing your memoir—and what you can do to gain back some control.

How to download and save streaming videos

How many times have you wanted to download and store an online streaming video so you could play it back at a different time or on a different machine? While the basics of downloading YouTube and other videos have been around for a long time, there are tricks to getting the video you want into a format you can use.

How to Select Multiple Files in Windows Explorer with the Mouse

This is a quick and simple tip for Windows users who feel less comfortable memorizing keyboard shortcuts and prefer using the mouse as much as possible.

10 Google+ Tips for Beginners

You just got your hands on a Google+ invite -- but what next? Check out these 10 tips to get you started on Google's new social network. PS: I am still waiting for mine.

Best Free Portable Applications

Portable freeware is an amazing development and is forcing software vendors to adjust their wasteful ways. They reduce problems with uninstalling software (you just delete them and don't have to worry about failed installs or incomplete uninstalls), they allow for extra flexibility in copying or moving software to different locations on a portable device or on a PC, and they help improve your privacy and security by running from portable devices like flash drives.

Anonymous Hackers get Busted

Last week I told you I was going to try the Windows 7′s no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall. Well, I did it…and it worked just fine. I have a new installation of Windows 7 with all my programs and data in place. The downside was that it took about 9 hours from start to finish…most of it spent waiting for the computer to do its thing.

Starting at the beginning, I got rid of lots of temp files and other useless data on the computer using CCleaner. Then, I did an image backup of the entire system (just in case), using Windows 7 Backup. That took a couple of hours. Then, I uninstalled Service Pack 1, as instructed, which took perhaps 45 minutes. Then came the reinstall of Windows. I don’t recall how long that took…perhaps and hour. Then finally, updating the new install with all the fixes and security patches that have been issued since day 1. That also took quite a while.

There were only the tiniest of glitches, all of which were easily solved. So, if you think nine hours is a long time, the last time I installed a system and all my programs, it took four days. And I kept busy during this reinstall doing other things. So I am a happy camper. Everything is working just fine.

Lots of news today, so without further ado….JRC

FBI arrests more than a dozen in Anonymous hacking investigation

Authorities have arrested more than a dozen people today in the United States in connection with hacking attacks by the Anonymous group of online activists, sources said. The arrests follow raids earlier in the day on homes in New York, California, New Jersey, and Florida. Fourteen arrests were listed in one indictment, including arrests out of San Francisco, and two other separate arrests were made in New Jersey and Florida, following raids related to between 30 to 40 search warrants.

DoD: 24,000 files swiped in March from military contractor systems

Department of Defense Deputy Secretary William Lynn said that 24,000 files were taken in March from military contractor systems. That data leakage is increasingly common in the military complex. The good news? The DoD has a plan to fix its defenses.

Mac OS X Lion goes on sale Wednesday

Code-named "Lion," some of the most important features include: support for full-screen applications, more multitouch gestures, system resume, auto save for app data, AirDrop file transfer, and a feature called "Launchpad" that mimics the icon-based app launcher in iOS.

What was Hollywood's role in Netflix price hike?

Some of those searching for clues about why Netflix unexpectedly raised prices last week appear to be convinced that the trail leads to Hollywood, the home of the top six film studios. After Netflix announced Tuesday that prices would rise by 60 percent, a popular theory was that CEO Reed Hastings sought to build up his war chest. Acquisition costs for streaming content are soaring.

Hands on with Spotify

Using Spotify is pretty straightforward in many ways. Once you're signed up and have downloaded the desktop app, Spotify will pull music into itself from the rest of your computer, including from your iTunes folder. If you connect your account to Facebook, Spotify creates a public profile for you that also automatically publishes all of your playlists that it can find.

Windows 8 to spawn new breed of low-cost laptops

The pairing of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 with processors from companies like Qualcomm and Nvidia is expected to spawn a new kind of low-cost laptop, according to IHS-iSuppli, possibly threatening Intel's overwhelming dominance in laptops.

A Useful Key on the Windows Keyboard That You May Have Overlooked

It is typically found on the right side of the keyboard between the right Ctrl key and Windows key or between the right Ctrl and Alt keys. It goes by the name of “application key” or sometimes “menu key” but I suspect that many PC users have paid it little attention.

7 free Windows tune-up tools and tips

You don't need to spend money to keep a Windows computer running in top form. Here's how to fix, clean and maintain Windows using programs you can download now for free.

Netflix Raises Prices 60%–Customers Burn

The biggest story so far this week is Netflix’s notification to users that they are raising their fees…big time. The backlash on their Web site and on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook is a major P.R. disaster for the company. Basically, Netflix is putting together separate tiers of service…one for streaming and one for DVD rental. My own costs will be going from $9.95 to $15.95. That is a big jump. I plan to discontinue the DVD service and just use streaming for now (Price is $7.99). And from what I read, that is what Netflix really wants to happen. And according to other sources, Netflix is willing to take the heat and stick to its guns. We shall see.

If your computers use Windows 7, you most definitely want to read the 4th story here: Its all about how to do a clean reinstall Windows without wiping out your hard drive. Everything stays in place, except that you now have a fresh version of Windows. Pretty cool. I will be doing that myself this weekend and will let you know how it goes.

The other big story is that Spotify, the music on-line service that took Europe by storm is now here in the US. Will be giving that a try also when I get my invite. But, for this point on, you have to read these and the other stories without my help. Enjoy. - JRC

Netflix price hike creates social media firestorm

It seems that people are unhappy with Netflix and its decision to change the pricing plans and effectively raise the price of the DVD rental plan by 60%. Very, very, very unhappy.

Netflix's pricing backlash: Follow the money, churn rates

Netflix swapped out its pricing plans, angered customers and effectively separated its streaming movie and DVD rental businesses. Why? Netflix is betting that it has pricing power since it will have to pay higher content costs going forward.

Spotify Hits the U.S. Market: Is It Worth the Hype?

The much-hyped online music service Spotify has come to the U.S. after much success in Europe. Started as a way to create a "legal alternative to music piracy," Spotify is now the second-largest source of revenue from digital music for labels in Europe. But it's unlikely that Apple is shaking in its boots about the competition with iTunes. Spotify has a database of 15 million songs and a 3-tiered plan runs from free to $9.99.

Win7′s no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall

Microsoft won’t tell you this, but you can do a fast, nondestructive, in-place, total reinstall of Windows 7 without damaging your user accounts, data, installed programs, or system drivers. That means you may never have to do a full, from-scratch reinstall again, even when your system is misbehaving so badly that a full reformat-and-reinstall seems the only answer!

Google Chromebook Lacks Luster and Purpose

The Chromebook is lightweight and inexpensive, and it offers a full-featured Web browsing experience. But its low-end hardware, lack of versatility, and primitive support for commonplace computing tasks such as printing, file management, networking, and media playback make it a poor choice for everyday use, particularly in a business setting. Read on for the details.

Windows 8 will run on all Windows 7 PCs (and Vista PCs too)

Worried that you’ll have to buy a new PC in order to be able to run Windows 8? Don’t! Microsoft has said that the Windows 8 system requirements will be the same, or perhaps even lower, than those of Windows 7.

Microsoft offers keyboard with 128-bit encryption

Microsoft has unveiled the new Wireless Desktop 2000, a keyboard and mouse combo for $40. You can buy it now from Microsoft.com, though you should note that it requires either Windows XP (excluding Windows XP 64-bit), Windows Vista, or Windows 7. The Wireless Desktop 2000 includes Microsoft's first keyboard that features Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption - the same technology trusted by the US government to secure their wireless connections and which industry leaders consider to be one of the most secure encryption standards.

The Best Free Web Apps of 2011

Not only are they free, you can run these apps on any computer over the Web—no installation needed. Maybe it's time to do your work in the cloud.

Hey Everybody…It’s Patch Tuesday!!

It’s the 2nd Tuesday of the month (if you didn’t know that already). That means Microsoft will be patching your Windows computer sometime in the next 24-36 hours…assuming you have your computer set for automatic updates. I sure do…and so should you. I’ve seen worse patch Tuesdays that this one, so maybe Microsoft is close to getting it right. 

If you are a MAC user, you should be notified very shortly that an update to your computer’s OS is available (code-named “Lion”). I believe the update cost is $30.

Also wanted to let you know that I have stopped using Google’s Chrome browser. I’ve noticed it is a sieve for spyware. I stopped using it a while ago, but tried it again a couple of days ago just to test it one more time. I ran a spyware catcher program and it found 27 pieces of spyware on my system…25 of them came through Chrome. Conversely, I’ve also found that using the “Do Not Track” feature of Firefox has stopped almost all spyware that tries to come through. So I am sticking strictly to Firefox as my browser-of-choice.

Lots of good stories today including some new free games from Microsoft.  Hopefully you will find something useful. - JRC

Microsoft Patch Tuesday To Fix 22 Vulnerabilities

Software giant Microsoft is preparing to release four security updates today for patching 22 vulnerabilities affecting its Windows and Visio 2003 platforms. Out of the four security updates, only one is rated critical, the highest severity rating that Microsoft has to offer, while the other three have been marked as ‘important’. The critical rated update fixes flaws in Windows 7 and Windows Vista only.

Anonymous, LulzSec spawn 'one of worst' quarters

Cyberattacks from Anonymous and LulzSec and breaches against everyone from Sony to Lockheed Martin turned the second quarter into "one of the worst on record," according to a new report from Panda Security. Released this week, Panda's second-quarter report (PDF) examined the security landscape from April to June and highlighted a string of alarming incidents.

Stay safe online: 5 secrets every PC (and Mac) owner should know

Many people think that security begins and ends with antivirus software. I disagree. Should you run antivirus software? As I've said before, if you don't know the answer to that question, then the answer is yes.

4 Amazing Technology Waves That Will Change Your Life

Four coming waves of innovation mean technology will be used to truly digitize our social experience, make us part of the security solution and not just victims, allow us to create and share more widely and often, and have the power we need where we need it to make this all work. In 10 years, we'll look back at now and wonder how we got by.

Iriver and Google Partner on New E-reader

Not satisfied to compete with Facebook alone, Google has now set its sights on Amazon's digital empire. On July 17, Google and iriver will debut an e-book reader to compete with the Kindle, the Nook and other emerging devices. Dubbed the iriver Story HD e-reader, the new device Relevant Products/Services is the first integrated with the open Google eBooks platform.

Big Storage: 5 Great 1TB and Larger Hard Drives

If you have a lifetime of digital pics, videos, and documents, a spacious external hard drive is a must. With hard drive capacities growing and prices dropping, it's time for you to switch to a 1TB or larger hard drive.

The history of digital photography

Believe it or not, non-chemical cameras have only existed for 30 years — and true digital cameras that store files as JPEGs and MPEGs have been around for just 20 years.

Download 6 Free Windows 7 Games

Many games have the same theme, attack and destroy, fight aliens, save the universe or the human race. Well that’s a little long winded but they’re games after all. You can tell your wife, girl friend, or significant other that you are a hero for spending Saturday afternoon saving the world.

Video Chatting via Skype on Facebook

Last week, Facebook’s CEO  and founder Mark Zuckerberg, told us all to expect a huge announcement that would rock out world. Because of Facebook’s special relationship with Microsoft, many experts predicted video conferencing via Skype would come to Facebook….and they were right!

At nearly the same time, Microsoft it was revealed that Microsoft had applied in 2009, way before their acquisition of Skype, for a patent on technology that could be used to spy on Skype calls without the user’s knowledge. The patent is still pending. What an odd coincidence. 

There is lots of interesting information and tips here, so read on and be informed. –JRC-

Facebook unveils video chatting, thanks to Skype

Facebook and Skype have inked a deal that will bring video chatting to the world's largest social network. Video calling has been built into Facebook's chat platform. Users need only to click the video call button at the top of their chat window in order to start communicating over video--once the call recipient accepts the video request. According to Facebook, video chatting is just "two clicks away" on the service.

Microsoft Wants to Patent High-Tech Snoop Software

A recently surfaced Microsoft patent focuses on technology that could be used to spy on VoIP users' conversations without the detection of participants. Redmond originally applied for the patent in 2009, well before its move to buy up VoIP provider Skype. This technology may have been developed with an eye to selling it to government agencies.

Top ISPs agree to become copyright cops

Some of the top ISPs, including Comcast, Cablevision, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable, have officially agreed to step up efforts to protect the rights of copyright owners. This agreement hands the music and film sectors a big new stick with which to fight online illegal downloading of copyrighted works.

Don’t pay for software you don’t need — Part 3

In the first two installments of this series, I stepped you through a boatload of software that you don’t need if you have Windows 7. Many of you wrote to me in disbelief — some of you disagreed in very strong terms. But from what I’ve seen, most of the add-on software that people buy for Windows is just a waste of money. (Note: this article includes a summary of the first two articles).

What's New in the World of Digital Cameras?

New features have arrived, making today's digital cameras easier than ever thanks to innovative technologies that allow you to do more with your digital camera than you probably ever imagined. Now, even affordable digital cameras feature lenses that work well in low light and produce images that rival those taken by high-end digital SLRs.

Reduce, reuse, recycle -- just not your password

In the real world, choosing weak passwords is much less dangerous than reusing the same password at multiple sites. In a recent paper, researchers from Florida State University, Cisco, and security firm Redjack found that passwords not guessed by cracking dictionaries can survive brute-force attempts quite well.

Amazon offers unlimited Cloud music storage

Amazon today announced a number of enhancements to its Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Player, including an unlimited music storage option and a Cloud Player for iPad. For a limited time, Amazon customers who purchase a $20 annual Cloud Drive storage plan will receive unlimited storage space for their MP3 and AAC (.m4a) music files.

PDF to Word Converter Is Free For 2 Days Only

For the next couple of days only, AnyBizSoft is giving away copies of its Windows program to convert PDF files to Word documents. Just head to http://www.anypdftools.com/giveaway-pdf-to-word.html to download the software. Then enter your name and email address in the boxes at the top of the screen. You'll be sent a free licence code by return.

Google+…the New Social Media You Can’t Have…Yet

After a season of rumors, Google has finally come up with their answer to the extremely popular Facebook. Called “Google+,” it is supposedly a new vehicle for social interactions among friends, acquaintances, and relatives. I say supposedly because not many people have seen it. Unless you received a Google invite, you cannot play with it. It is in beta testing and Google is being cautious with the service to avoid a firestorm of negative opinion like they caused with the full release of “Buzz” a year ago.

Still, it is still important enough to bring to your attention for future reference when they release it to the general public. From what I have heard from those lucky few who have it, Google+ could be something special for a lot of folks. So read the stories I have gathered here and make up your own mind.

If social media is not your cup of tea, there are a few other stories here that might be of interest. So read on…JRC  

Google resets social agenda with Google+

Google+ is designed around "Circles" that allow users to group people within their social sphere into different categories. Google says that the people you tend to meet up with on Saturday nights, for example, can be grouped into their own category, while parents can be placed into another. You can then decide to share only certain information with different Circles.

6 Things Google+ Can Do That Facebook Can't

Google's new social network Google+ is going head-to-head with the biggest social network of them all, Facebook. But for Google's new platform to succeed in gaining social marketshare, it has to also entice users by letting them do new things, too, stuff they can't do in Facebook.

Google+ Doesn't Quite Add Up to a Social Powerhouse

With Google+, the search giant takes another stab at social networking, and the result is decidedly more Facebook-like than last year's Google Buzz. Google+ has a few standout features, such as Circles, Sparks and Hangouts. Aside from Circles, though, few of Google+'s unique attributes seem compelling enough to drive a mass migration of users toward yet another social networking site.

Gmail Goes Under the Knife, Other G Products Next in Line

Google's various online services are going through changes lately, including its Gmail system. Users can preview a new interface design, and changes are also in store for other personalized Google products like Calendar. Meanwhile, Google's search interface has already received a facelift, though not all agree it's for the better.

Cellphone, cancer link dismissed in new study

The evidence is "increasingly against" linking cellphones to cancer, the experts concluded after examining research from around the globe. Brain tumors have not increased in step with cellphone use, and animal experiments have come up empty. There may not even be a biological mechanism that creates cancer from radio frequency fields.

How to live with malware infections

Get used to it: Malware can't be completely blocked or eliminated. But you can manage your PCs, mobile devices, and networks to function despite being infected

Fox News reports Twitter hack to Secret Service

Fox News has alerted the U.S. Secret Service that the cable news show's Twitter feed was used today to publish false reports that President Obama had been killed.

6 Free Software Programs To Manage Your Files

Are you annoyed at the disordered files of your computer? Are you driven mad by searching files without any results? Do you feel like you are at your breaking point when your files are missing? Can you bear that your secret files may be seen by others?

Governor Moonbeams at it Again

You would think that Californians would have learned their lesson after having Jerry Brown as their governor in the 70’s and 80’s. Nope. They elected him again. And now, he is trying to do and end run around federal tax law by forcing sales tax on Amazon…even though Amazon has no physical presence in his state. All he has done is put several small California businesses on the verge of bankruptcy.

He claims that California businesses who advertise their wares on Amazon constitute a presence on the part of Amazon in his state…therefore taxable on everything sold in their state. As a result, Amazon was forced to terminate all their California affiliates. Real smart move, Jerry. You were an idiot in the 1970’s and you are still an idiot today. This was strictly a public relations move to make him look good…and many small business owners are made to suffer. It is not the first time Amazon has had to terminate affiliates because of state government squeeze plays…so Moonbeams knew this was going to happen.

But, I do have some good news and information to pass along, so read on…JRC

Amazon to shut down California affiliates over new sales tax law

California's new law, signed by Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday, requires online retailers to collect sales tax even if they have no physical presence in the state. How does that work when federal law states they have to have a brick-and-mortar store to qualify? Like the many other states before it, California counts Amazon affiliates who reside in California as a "physical presence."

Google+ Project: It’s Social, It’s Bold, It’s Fun — Now For The Hard Part

What is Google+? It’s the super top-secret social project that Google has been working on for the past year. You know, the one being led by General Patton (Vic Gundotra) and General MacArthur (Bradley Horowitz). Yes, the one Google has tried to downplay as much as humanly possible — even as we got leak after leak after leak of what they were working on. Yes, the one they weren’t going to make a big deal about with pomp and circumstance. It’s real. And it’s here.

Google Calendar Gets Prettier

I woke up this morning to catch up on email and get started on the day, and discovered that Google Calendar had gotten a nice-looking facelift with a flatter UI, a cleaner layout, and some other niceties. Google reports that the changes are just cosmetic, so the underlying Calendar functionality hasn't changed.

Reviewed: Office 365

Office 365 gives professionals and small businesses a subscription service that lets them work from anywhere using familiar-feeling Web-enabled applications. Combined with hosted versions of Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync, Office 365 is designed to enable users to share, collaborate, and communicate in the cloud. In our testing during the beta, we found that the tools worked well across the board (with some hiccups), and expect that many people who use Office on desktop Macs and PCs will appreciate the familiar look and feel, which should help them get up and running quickly.

How to Destroy Your Data

We've shown you how to hide your data, as well as ways to encrypt it. But what about data that you're done with —those files and folders that you don't want anyone to ever, ever see? You have to destroy them. And if you think that's as simple as dragging items to the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop, think again.

Don't blame users for dumb passwords

The Sony breach, among others, revealed the unsurprising fact that users choose weak passwords. So why do providers allow them?

Best Free Android Apps

Do you have an Android-based phone? Then, this may be of interest to you. Android apps (short for applications) are mobile software designed for running on the Android operating system, which is one of the most popular platforms used in cellphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

Free Nitro PDF Reader Speeds Up, Works in Browsers

It's leaner, it's meaner, it's Nitro PDF Reader. Available in 32-bit and 64-bit editions, new version 2 of the PDF viewer/creator/editor whose interface mimics Microsoft Office's to a great extent (2007 and now 2010--a good thing in my book), is now noticeably faster both opening and saving PDFs. This is no mean feat, as it was very fast before. Its new browser integration is nice as well.

Office 2010 Service Pack is Here

Office 2010 Service Pack 1 is Now Available

Microsoft today released the first service pack for Office 2010, Service Pack 1 (SP1), coincidentally alongside the launch of Office 365. In addition to aggregating previous fixes, this service pack includes a number of small changes and fixes.

Supreme Court nixes violent video game law

In a ringing endorsement of free speech and new technology, the U.S. Supreme Court this morning struck down a California law that restricts the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. The Supreme Court's ruling (7-2) unambiguously reaffirms that video games, which have become increasingly complex and in some cases more expensive to produce than movies, also qualify for full First Amendment protection.

Mozilla retires Firefox 4 from security support

Unnoticed in the Tuesday release of Firefox 5 was Mozilla's decision to retire Firefox 4, the browser it shipped just three months ago. As part of Tuesday's Firefox 5 release, Mozilla spelled out vulnerabilities it had patched in that edition and in 2010's Firefox 3.6, but it made no mention of any bugs fixed in Firefox 4. That's because Firefox 4 has reached what Mozilla calls EOL, for "end of life," for vulnerability patches. The bottom line for all of us...get Firefox 5!

10 must-have Firefox extensions

Make Firefox the browser you want it to be, with extensions that offer faster, safer, more efficient browsing

Firefox 5 review: Tab perfection

The Firefox developers have been busy working on a couple of new features that are real game-changers for power users. Read on as Jack Wallen explains why he is on the cusp of jumping ship from Chrome to Firefox.

How the Lytro No-Focus Light Field Camera Changes Photography

Fundamentally, a Lytro camera — a light field camera — does away with the single most important and limiting factor of conventional photography: the lens. Instead of focusing, distorting, and cajoling light onto a 2D digital or film plane, light field cameras capture everything that it sees. With conventional lenses, a specific focal point must be chosen — with Lytro, you simply capture every last grain of light data, and then use software to define a focal point.

10 Hidden Features in Facebook

Facebook is the category-killing social network, makes up a quarter of the earth's Web traffic, and can claim nearly three-quarters of a billion users. But many of them don't dig beneath the skin of what the social network can do. There's a ton of hidden Facebook functionality, most of which the average user will never find.

Need a Really Good Read? Byliner Has 30,000 Suggestions

Byliner wants to give you, the intelligent reader interested in magazine-quality articles, a few good reads. This startup is already a publisher of high quality, long-form journalism, and Tuesday, it is launching its community-focused website to find readers something good to peruse.

Hot News and Tips from the Hottest Place on the Planet

Please remind me why I moved to Tucson? It’s hot, hot, hot! Yesterday hit 110…maybe only 106 today.  And no end in site. Actually I love this city for 8 out of 12 months a year. Unfortunately we are in that 4 month period now. With the UofA shutdown till September, I don’t have much to do except look for interesting articles for my blog. I hope I have succeeded today. There are some really good things here. (Actually, I have lots to do this time of year, all inside of course).

If you do nothing else, check out the new How-To Tips now on C-Net Web site. Learn some neat tricks on how to make your software and hardware perform even better. And along the same venue, be sure and get a free copy of Ashampoo Win Optimizer (see last story).

Anyway, enjoy today’s news and tips. I am sure there is something here for everybody. Until next time…JRC

International Team Shuts Down PC Scareware Network

The computers and bank accounts of supposedly "safe" cybercriminals have been seized by an international law-enforcement team. The FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice, and law-enforcement partners in Europe said the cybercriminals were responsible for PC scareware attacks worldwide. Symantec said crooks are preying on social networks.

How To-Tips for your phone, tablet, computer, home theater and the Web

Introducing CNET How To. We just upped our game considerably. Launching with more than 700 hacks, tips, and tricks, CNET's new How To section is the Web's premier destination for learning how to tweak your tech to make life more fun. (Bookmark this site as it is extremely useful)

How to Use Some New Google Search Features

Google recently announced some intriguing new search features that it is rolling out. They are still in the process of being implemented and may not yet be available in your area but here is a description of two of the new technologies

Lytro's New Camera: Shoot First, Focus Later

Poor focus often ruins otherwise great snapshots, but a new kind of camera from a startup called Lytro could change that. Its light field camera is able to take photographs, save them as data, then allow the user to change the image's focus long after the photo was taken. The same technology also allows the production of sharp photos in low-light conditions without a flash, Lytro says.

Trojans, viruses, worms: How does malware get on PCs and Macs?

What’s the best way to deal with malicious software on PCs and Macs? You can’t answer that question—you can’t even start talking about it—until you know how malware gets installed in the first place. And there’s where the disconnect begins.

When WiFi doesn't work: a guide to home networking alternatives

If you live an old home or building, you already know the limits of WiFi. Despite the improved range of 802.11n coupled with improved throughput at greater distances‚ WiFi doesn't work magic. Buildings with brick or stucco-over-chicken-wire walls resist the charms of wireless networks, as do houses with thick wooden beams, cement elements, or with rooms spread out over many levels or floors. Here are some options.

RPV: Win7′s least-known data-protection system

You deleted a file yesterday; now you really need it back. Your Windows recycle bin is empty — what now? Your next-best option is the Restore Previous Versions tool — a truly great, automatic data-protection feature buried in Win7.

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2010 Advanced - Free

With the reliability of 11 years of experience, Ashampoo's WinOptimizer series makes Windows maintenance fast and easy - and it works for Windows XP, Vista (32/64bit) just as well as it does for the new Windows 7 (32/64bit). The One-click Optimizer does what it says and you can run it automatically so that you don't need to think about it at all. It keeps your Windows computer running as fast and smoothly as on the first day you bought it.