Once Again Microsoft Makes Good News…And Bad

Last time, I published a strongly substantiated rumor that the new Windows 8.1 would not be released until mid October. That rumor has now been confirmed by Microsoft…October18 to be exact. I hope I can put up with Windows 8 on my laptop until then…since my laptop is all I will be using for the next month as I head north to the San Francisco Bay Area to housesit (and dog sit).

I will still be putting out this blog during that time, but probably on a more sporadic basis. Sorry, but it is a vacation of sorts. Will be going to a Giants game and the opening day game for the 49ers…among other things. So I will be a bit busy. But I won’t leave you totally in the lurch. 

Back to other news…on Patch Tuesday, two days ago, Microsoft released six bad patches. I am sure they will be fixing those soon. I also mentioned last time about an article I read regarding the end-of-life for Windows XP and how hackers will take advantage of this. I decided to include the whole article in this edition as it is important (story #4).

There is lots more here so I will let you read it for yourself while I get back to my packing. I will see you soon. -JRC

Windows 8.1 shipping, online and physically, on October 18th

Windows 8.1 will be available as a free update to all existing Windows 8 users, downloaded and installed through the Windows Store.

Microsoft confirms Skype will be bundled with Windows 8.1

Skype is joining the growing set of Microsoft-developed consumer apps that will ship 'in the box' with Windows 8.1.

Microsoft botches six Windows patches in latest Automatic Update

In an amazing tour de force, Microsoft's Automatic Update chute released at least six bad patches on Tuesday. Here's what's amazing: It's just 48 hours or so since the bomb bay doors opened, and Microsoft has acknowledged problems with all of these patches.

XP's retirement will be hacker heaven

Hackers will bank bugs until after Microsoft retires Windows XP in April 2014; expect attacks, say security experts

Google Search Gets More Personal, Now Lets You Find Your Flight Info, Reservations, Photos And More

Google today announced a number of search features that make it easier for you to find your own personal information through Google Search.

Word from the street: The next iPhone better wow us

The next iPhone is rumored to be announced in a few weeks and conversations with Apple's customers makes it clear it needs a big wow factor.

Battle of the Office Suites: Microsoft Office and LibreOffice Compared

For a long time, Microsoft Office has been the reigning champ of office suites, but that doesn't mean the free alternative, LibreOffice, isn't worth considering. Let's take a look at how the two compare, and if it's finally possible to ditch the paid option for the free one.

A ‘no-reformat reinstall’ for Windows 8

"Win8′s Refresh your PC without affecting your files feature lets you rebuild your operating system in minutes. A refresh returns Windows 8 to like-new condition while leaving users’ accounts, data, passwords, and personal files intact.

Best cloud storage apps for iPhone and iPad: Dropbox, Google Drive, SugarSync, and more!

Since it's Cloud week on Talk Mobile, and today's all about picking the best cloud for you, we're going to show you the best clouds available for iOS

Scan Any Suspicious File, Or Windows Process, With 40+ Products

VirusTotal is a web-based system that scans any uploaded file with more than 40 different antivirus products."

Windows 8.1 Update Delayed Again?

Microsoft again falls behind the 8-ball…this time for falling behind on the delivery of the Windows 8.1 update. They say they will finish the RTM (release to manufacturing) version late this month, but the word is consumers will not see it until October. I think it is not-ready-for-prime-time, according to those who have secretly gotten their hands on the latest build.

Microsoft is also being sued in a class-action suit for not telling the truth about the failure of Windows RT…at least in terms of financial disclosure. Will it never end?

But they did get one thing right…they keep issuing updates and patches to all their Windows Operating Systems, the newest one coming out today. Good job on that front, Redmond.

I also read an interesting article about the end-of-life for XP, which happens next year. Microsoft no longer will issue security patches, so hackers and bad guys will have a field day finding new vulnerabilities and attacking those computers still running XP. So if you are one of those folks, you might want to think long and hard about changing in the near future.

So with all that said, lets take a look at all the other news and information that might be of interest to you. -JRC

NSA 'secret backdoor' paved way to U.S. phone, e-mail snooping

The National Security Agency created a "secret backdoor" so its massive databases could be searched for the contents of U.S. citizens' confidential phone calls and e-mail messages without a warrant, according to the latest classified documents leaked by Edward Snowden. "

Microsoft's Windows 8.1: When will users get the final bits?

Even though Windows 8.1 is still looking like it will be released to manufacturing in August, users may have to wait a couple more months to get the final version.

Microsoft Patches 23 Vulnerabilities in Windows, IE, Exchange

Its Patch Tuesday and there are some important fixes coming your way. All versions of Windows and Internet Explorer are vulnerable to one or more critical flaws. There are non-security updates as well.

Class-action suit filed against Microsoft over Surface RT

The firm is claiming that Microsoft "issued materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s financial performance and its tablet computer, the Surface RT.

Giving kids iPads won't solve the education challenge

"Los Angeles's program to supply iPads to 640,000 students is the latest example of confusing technology with teaching

Why storing passwords in Chrome is a bad idea

Chrome does not provide any protection for the passwords it stores-there is no master password that locks access to managing the saved passwords. The passwords are stored in plain-text, and can be exposed by simply clicking the "show" button next to the password field.

Hey hotel operators: Free wi-fi is no longer an option

It's hard to believe that many hotels still don't offer free wi-fi. Some don't have wi-fi at all, or have wi-fi that barely works at exorbitant rates.

Why I'm using my smartphone less and less every day

When smartphones first appeared I happily did everything with mine. Surfing the web on the phone was a heady experience, along with lots of other activities. Then something changed, at least for me.

How to Pin Anything to the Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8 the Easy Way

Have you ever wanted to pin your favorite folder, document, or control panel item to the Windows taskbar, only to find that you can’t do that directly? Now there is a way.

Add-ons that help browsers block Web trackers

Browsers provide a fairly good first line of defense against Web tracking, but to protect against beacons, JavaScript trackers, and widgets, you need more. Third-party browser add-ons and applications can provide better defenses against websites that want to follow your online activities."

Review: Apache OpenOffice 4 vs. LibreOffice 4.1

Not so fast, LibreOffice -- OpenOffice has a shiny, new, and improved major release of its own

Another Special Edition About Tablets and Phones

We are loaded today with stories, tips, tricks, and recommendations about the world of portable computing. Since Android and iOS dominate this world, the stories here are pretty much about them.

As you probably know, my current portable world consists of an iPad, an iPod, an iPhone, and a Kindle e-book reader. So, with the exception of the Kindle, you might say my portable computing life is dominated by Apple. Well that is about to change

Today, I ordered the new Google Nexus 7…without much doubt, the finest 7” tablet on the market today. It was just released 9 days ago and the reviews have been nothing less than raves…and it is only $229…that is $100 less than the Apple iPad Mini. It is a remarkable tablet for the money in every aspect. Gorgeous screen, powerful hardware, long battery life and exceptionally lightweight. You can read about it in story #3.

While I will still use my Apple devices quite regularly, I have trip coming up where the smaller Nexus 7 (running Android 4.3) will be an advantage. I am looking forward to getting my hands on it.

Frankly, I think Android has moved ahead of Apple in innovation and product development. While still making very good products, Apple seems to be standing still. Apple has done very little this year, although the forthcoming iOS 7 looks good. So far, Apple hasn’t done much innovation since the death of Steve Jobs. But, we shall see how if they can move forward. But, the clock is ticking.

If you are looking for a tablet, no matter what size, check out the Website recommended in story #4. It really helped me finally decide to get the Nexus 7.

As I said, this edition is loaded with stories to help you in this burgeoning world of tablets and smartphones. There should be something in here for everyone. So let’s go! -JRC

Expect more Android security issues in 2013

Android devices are directly in the crosshairs of hackers as threats proliferate and the user-base expands with little thought given to security.

Best Free Antivirus App for Android

No need to pay for security. There's a wide choice of free security apps that will cover all your needs including a group of complete security suites with Anti-Theft capabilities.

Best Android tablets (August 2013 edition)

Don't want to get locked into Apple's ecosystem by buying an iPad or iPad mini? No problem! Here are my top Android tablets for August 2013. And if you're looking for budget Android tablets, there are two here you might be interested in.

Tablet comparison 2013 - Over 100 tablets compared side by side

Thinking about a new tablet or your very first tablet? Here is a great place to compare the major tablets and see the reviews.

Google announces tool to track lost Android phones

Later this month, anyone with a Google account will be able to locate their devices on a map in real time, activate their ringer, and even wipe their contents.

Google Launches New Version Of Web Play Store, Is Absolutely Stunning, Lightning-Fast, And Full Of Cards

Google has officially launched the new web version of the Play Store, and it's a looker. The new interface is based around - you might have guessed - cards and sidebar navigation. I can't find a single page that hasn't been completely revamped.

Microsoft Office for Android is pathetically bad, too

Office Mobile for Windows Phone is bad, Office Mobile for iPhone is bad, and Office Mobile for Android makes it a trifecta

15 best Android games

"Having trouble finding the right games to download for your Android device? Here are 15 of my favorites.

30 best iPad games

Trying to figure out which iPad games to buy with your hard-earned dough? Here's a look at our current top 30 favorites.. PS Most are available for Android also.

Google posts six tips and tricks for Google Maps on iOS, Android

There's still more to learn after the recent Google Maps revamp for iOS and Android. Here are six tips straight from Google.

The 100 Best iPhone Apps

Scouting for some new, different, or tried-and-true iPhone apps? Here are 100 of the best we've found. From PC Magazine

15 feel-good features in iOS 7 to make you love your iPhone again

Here's a look at just a few of the best and most noticeable features of the forthcoming iOS 7 that will reignite your love for your Apple-branded smartphone again.

14 Things You Can Do With Your iPad

There are many features on the iPad that you can take advantage of if you know the right settings, gestures, or apps. (Slide Show)

How to request a refund for an iTunes or App Store purchase

Ever had a time where you needed a refund for either an iTunes or App Store purchase? Apple does give you the ability to request refunds for any kind of media as well as App Store purchases all in one place.

Less Talk…More News

Last week, one of my blogs had almost no news in it. Well, it is just the opposite today. We’ve got lots of new here, most of it relevant to what this blog tries to achieve.

Like most folks, I am a bit surprised that Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, bought the Washington Post. On the surface, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But, there must be good reasons. He may be single handedly trying to save the dying newspaper business. I hope so. I’ve included a story about the purchase details and another story as to the possible reasons.

I am also surprised that the President intervened on the ban that would have prevented Apple from importing older model iPads and iPhones into the US. I truly hope it is the first step in revising these ridiculous patent and copyright laws we are stuck with.

But Apple also had some bad news as the Department of Justice proposed punishments and remedies for Apple’s violations of anti-trust laws involving the sale of books. It is steep. It will be interesting to see if the judge in the case will approve them.

Well, as the headline implies, it’s time for me to shut up and get on with today’s feature stories. -JRC

Apple iPhone and iPad patent ban overturned in US

A ban on sales of older models of Apple's iPad and iPhone in the US has been overturned by the Obama administration.

Microsoft cuts Surface Pro price by $100 following Surface RT reductions

Microsoft is discounting its Surface Pro tablet this weekend, following heavy reductions to its Surface RT costs recently. The 10 percent price cut to Surface Pro reduces the cost of the 64GB and 128GB models by $100 each in the US.

Why Microsoft will stick with Windows RT

Is there any chance Microsoft is going to do a 180 and dump its Windows RT operating system? My bet is no, and here's why.

Jeff Bezos buys The Washington Post for $250 million

Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has announced a surprise plan to buy The Washington Post for $250 million in cash. Bezos is snapping up one of the country's most respected daily newspapers in a private deal that is separate from his role at Amazon.

Why Jeff Bezos Bought The Washington Post

Anyone rooting for the Washington Post to transform into a successful digital business should be thrilled that Jeff Bezos is buying it.

Amazon starts selling art

The site showcases more than 40,000 works from over 150 galleries and dealers that run the gamut as far as subject, genre and period are concerned.

Redbox Instant comes to Roku

The fledging joint venture from Redbox, the DVD-rental kiosk company, and Verizon adds another device to push its catalog of streaming movies straight to TVs.

DOJ proposes ways to halt Apple e-book price-fixing

Apple would need to pay for an external monitor, sever deals with publishers, and let Amazon and Barnes & Noble link their iOS e-book apps to their respective online stores, among other proposed measures.

An 83,000-Processor Supercomputer Only Matched One Percent of Your Brain

Taking advantage of the almost 83,000 processors of one of the world's most powerful supercomputers, the team was able to mimic just one percent of one second's worth of human brain activity—and even that took 40 minutes. Good to know we are not obsolete.

The blink tag is finally dead, killed off by Firefox 23

According to the release notes for the new browser, Firefox 23 completely drops support for the "blink" element, preventing browsers from rendering text that, well, blinks.

The 10 Best Scanners

Our favorite scanners include high-speed desktop scanners, film and photo-print scanners, portable models that will let you preview scans on a smart phone, and hybrid desktop models that you can undock and take with you on the road.

Youtube Downloader HD (Free)

Youtube Downloader HD saves videos to your computer for playing outside a browser or offline viewing. The videos can be downloaded in Flash video format (FLV) or, if available, higher quality H.264 (MP4) formats, playable by iPhone, iPod, etc.

Privacy is Dead…But We Should Have Guessed That

NSA snooping is back in the headlines…more revelations about the data it gathers. According to story #1, an NSA employee can, “…with just a few clicks, obtain everything from phone numbers to e-mail addresses. The agency also can see e-mail content, full Internet activity, browser history, and an IP address. According to the files and Snowden, the NSA can essentially see everything a person is doing on the Internet without the need for a warrant.”

Our second story focuses on phone snooping and how NSA analysts listen to intercepted phone calls of American citizens without a warrant. I find all this quite disturbing.

Our third story tells you how to protect your privacy from not only the government, but from corporations who want to know everything you do in order to make more money. It’s a lengthy article, but well worth the read.

Do you remember a few months ago how Microsoft found it had no right to use the name “Metro” in Windows 8?  Well its happened again…now Microsoft will have to change the name “SkyDrive” to something else. Seems a British company has taken the Redmond boys to court over the name…and won. Microsoft may need to fire some lawyers who are supposed to check out these things. Ridiculous!

And speaking of Windows 8, I am so close to dumping it off my laptop and installing Windows 7. This time my gripe is about backup. One of the great features of Windows 7 was the ability to make image backups of your whole system. I went to do that in Windows 8 and found that it was not there…or at least I thought it was not there.

Thanks to a little research on the Web, I found it, only hidden in a place you would never find and mislabeled. I would have discovered it without the help of the Web. I used it to backup my drive and it all went well. Why the good folks at Microsoft chose to hide and mislabel it, I will never understand. I will wait for the release of Windows 8.1 before I make my final decision on dumping it. But I sure dislike it even more than I thought I would.

Want to hear about another Microsoft misstep? The man in charge of creating the mess that is Windows 8, the megalomaniac Steven Sinofsky, was fired a few months ago. Now Microsoft is paying him $10 million not to work for Apple, Google, Amazon or other competitors. They should have saved their money and let him work for whomever he wants. Letting him loose in one of these other companies could potentially help Microsoft become relevant again.

Anyway, let’s get on with our reading, my friends. -JRC

Newly leaked NSA program sees 'nearly everything' you do

The X-Keyscore program, which has been revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden, may be the "widest-reaching" intelligence system yet uncovered.

Feds declassify more details on NSA's phone snooping

Three documents declassified by the Director of National Intelligence confirm key facts about the NSA's PRISM program.

You’re being followed! How to block Web tracking

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you’re not being watched. When you’re on the Internet, there are good reasons to have that eerie sense of being followed.

And the new ISP for US Starbucks stores is ... Google?

Coffee mega-chain Starbucks has announced that Google will replace AT&T as the internet service provider for its company-owned stores in the US.

Nokia Grows Frustrated With Microsoft's Pace In Windows Phone

The cracks are beginning to show in the multibillion-dollar mobile-phone partnership between Nokia and Microsoft. As Windows Phone continues to register minimal growth, Nokia has grown frustrated with how slow Microsoft is to improve the operating system.

Microsoft to rename SkyDrive after losing trademark suit

Microsoft will be forced to rename its SkyDrive cloud storage service after failing to defend its trademark against U.K. broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting.

Apple and the fear of flopping

Apple has set itself up to flourish or flounder in a hit driven business. For the last decade, the company has flourished, but a flop could quickly erode the company's stellar reputation.

Get Organized: Email Contacts

Switching jobs? Migrating to a new email system? You'll want to bring your address book with you, no doubt. Here's how to do it, and some tips on keeping up your contact list in other ways, too.

Win the inbox war: Four utilities fight email onslaught

New tools and services can help you tame that ever-expanding beast, making it easier to weed out the junk, highlight the important, and organize the rest-all without the hassle of manually creating a complex system of filters and folders.

Seamlessly sync your data across devices

Today's unfettered mobility means its more critical than ever that you’re able to access important files across devices, platforms and apps. Follow these tips for keeping all your data in sync, so you can keep doing business wherever your business takes you. "

Take the world's best courses, online, for free

Coursera is the best online free education company that I know. It partners with the top universities and organizations in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. Their courses are taught by world-class professors which let you learn at your own pace.

The News is Boring Today…How About Info You Can Use

This edition is mostly about tips, tricks, new devices and programs that might come in handy.

I am very impressed with the new Nexus 7 Tablet, and if I didn’t already own an iPad, I would definitely consider this one. The new Nexus 7 replaces the old Nexus 7…why they didn’t change the name I will never understand.

Also the hottest new item on the market today is the Google’s Chromecast, a $35 device for your TV that brings streaming media from your phone and tablet directly to your TV. If I didn’t already have a Roku box, I might be seriously interested.

Another impressive update is Microsoft’s SkyDrive. It soon may become the photographer’s cloud storage application of choice. I will be playing with it myself and will let you know. Also, if you are a photographer, be it at any level, be sure and check out the story on demystifying SD cards. 

OK, enough of me, for now. Let’s move forward. -JRC

Twelve Things You Need to Know About Internet Privacy

Keep these basic privacy concepts and practices in mind and you will be better able to guard your privacy and reduce intrusions into your life.

Hands On: Google's New Nexus 7 Tablet With Android 4.3

For me, the big deal with the new Nexus 7 is the display. As I tooled around on the take-home unit Google gave us, surfing the Net and playing some YouTube videos, I found the screen resolution much crisper than the first-generation.

Google Chromecast Review: $35 Puts Internet Video on Your TV

Google says the Chromecast is the "easiest way to enjoy online video and music on your TV" by making mobile devices work with your TV in a simple way. Its goal is also to make it the cheapest way of doing that.

Microsoft readies IE 11 for Windows 7, too

Internet Explorer 11 ships by default in Windows 8.1, and a developer preview of the browser for Windows 7 confirms that the older OS won't be left behind -- for now.

Microsoft stuffs the SkyDrive website with new, photo-friendly features

Microsoft is giving photographers a few more reasons to store their images on SkyDrive, with a heaping helping of new options for viewing and managing photos on the Web.

Why I'm keeping my Windows XP machine

Sorry, Microsoft, but millions of users will keep their Windows XP systems, even after the OS is 'retired' next year

The Latest Version Of The Best-Known Free Office Suite

It's version 4.0 and it's a perfectly capable, powerful, full-featured office software suite that lets you create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more, without needing to buy a copy of Microsoft Office. It's open source, and completely free.

Five bookmarks every computer user should have

I've prepared this list of handy destinations you'll want to keep bookmarked in your browser. Because when the time comes, you'll be glad to have them at your fingertips.

Demystifying SD Cards

This article, looks at the different types of SD cards, along their speed class designation, and why these are important for you and your camera.

The Best Free Firewalls

Windows itself has an effective firewall built in, but for full-scale two-way firewall protection you'll want a free, third-party firewall. We'll tell you which is best.

Stress Tracker, Senti App Review

The two mobile apps here are free, and don't require an extra piece of hardware for your smartphone. They also don't measure your heart rate to calculate stress levels. Rather, the apps require you to tell them how you're feeling.

Stop Using Download.com Now!!!

Some weeks ago, I discovered something that I am about to tell you. I wanted to write about it then, but felt I might be categorized as a nut case or someone who screwed up his own computer and blamed it on someone else. And I did not have all the facts to back me up.
But the media has come to my rescue, including blogs and news stories as well as the experiences of one of the most prestigious writers at ZDNet, Ed Bott. Here is the basic story in a nutshell: Download.com, a division of CNet, is now sending your requested files wrapped inside an installer that eventually puts a boatload of crapware on your computer.
CNet and Download have been around for years. You’ve read some of the technology stories from CNet here on this blog. I’ve been using and recommending Download.com for years as a source of quality virus-free software. Well, those days are definitely over. They have betrayed our trust for the almighty dollar.
As you will read in our lead story, Download.com now wraps the file you want in what they term an installer, supposedly to make the download go smoother. In fact, the purpose of the installer is to put unwanted software of dubious origin designed to serve you ads, toolbars and other unwanted “goodies” on your computer…and they are incredibly difficult to remove. Trust me, I found out the hard way.
I have used Download.com for many years, and I thought nothing about downloading from their site. Recently, partway through the install, I realized what was going on and stopped the download. But it was too late. Some of the crapware got on my computer. Thank God, not all of it.
During the install, you have the right to opt-out of the downloads, but they make it sound so attractive. But if you read the legal notice, you will discover that the software is going to send you more unwanted software every few days that will take over part of your computing experience giving you ads and other goodies you definitely don’t want. It will, in effect, rewrite many of the web pages you request.
I kept deleting the software that got on my system, but it kept coming back. In fact it came back again only a couple of days ago when I used IE10 for a special purpose. I quickly disabled it.
At one point early on before I realized what was happening, I kept getting a notice that some unknown program wanted to install more stuff on my computer. I denied it of course, then eventually researched it and found it to be something that no one would want on their computer. I managed to get the program off my computer.
Download.com and CNet are making a ton of money doing this and they have no remorse about it. Users download almost 100,000 software items a week from their system. Imagine the money coming into their coffers.
So, the bottom line is don’t download anything from Download.com. In fact, when you download anything from anywhere, read everything carefully before installing or you may wind up with a ton of crapware that infects your computer. I deplore what CNet has done, using their here-to-for stellar reputation to infect people’s computers with nasty and unwanted garbage. Betraying a trust is the worst kind of villainy.
Please read story #1 to get all the facts. You will be glad you did!!!
Lots of other news here including Google’s new $35 device that streams movies and TV shows from your phones or tablets right to your TV. Interesting. Enjoy. -JRC

CNET Joins the Dark Side, its Download.com Attempts to Fill Your Computer With Crapware

This crapware is put into the installer by companies paying CNET to put it there. CNET is literally getting paid to sneakily attempt to install garbage on your computer. This article tells you how they did it and how to get rid of it if you got some.

Security Essentials Once Again Fails Antivirus Test

In a three-part test that looked at accuracy, protection and false positive rates, Microsoft's free antivirus program finished at the bottom.

What else can Congress bungle? Their passwords, for starters

Data leak proves yet again that DC politicos are even less tech savvy than your grandma (no offense to grandmas)

Windows 8.1 preview final verdict: Did Microsoft fix Windows 8?

Windows 8.1, slotted for release less than a year after Windows 8 launched, could be proof that Microsoft truly understands its problems and seeks to reinvigorate itself. Or, it could be a Band-Aid applied to a wound the company doesn't fully comprehend.

Google's Chromecast Is A Brilliant Inversion Of The Streaming TV Market

Instead of giving your TV a smartphone app interface, Google’s $35 gadget turns your smartphone, tablet, or computer into a remote control.

How to Manage Email and Stop It From Overwhelming You

There are steps you can take to tame the electronic avalanche and regain control of your computing life. Step 1: Shut down your Inbox. Step 2: Unsubscribe -- again and again. Turning it all into a game can't hurt, either.

10 Most Common Printer Problems Solved

Printers can present a bewildering range of problems. Fortunately, many of them can be resolved by consumers armed with a bit of knowledge. Here are solutions to some of the most common issues.

Three Surprising Things About Hard Drive Defragging

Although computer files still get split into fragments and scattered across your hard drive's platters, the computers and drives themselves are so much faster now that fragmentation isn't the same performance-wrecking problem it once was.

How to Borrow Ebooks

If you're an avid reader, you don't need to buy ebooks or even have an ereader to enjoy the benefits of a large, free selection of reading material.

Lifehacker Pack for Firefox 2013: Our List of the Best Extensions

Firefox may not be as popular as Google Chrome these days, but it's still got one of the best extension libraries around. Here are the essential Firefox extensions you need to bend the web to your will.

Touch Me, Please…Says Microsoft. No Thanks, Say Us All

At some time in the recent past, Microsoft decided all of us really want to touch our screen rather than use a mouse. They looked at the success of the iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets and decided touch is the way to go for everything. Well, I am here to tell you it isn’t.

What follows is my experiences with touch-based tablets, phones and computers. It is my opinion only, but based upon Microsoft’s recent earning statement, I think I am not alone in my feelings. I hope my experiences will be of help in the future.

As mentioned here before, I own a an iPhone, an iPad, a laptop computer running Windows 8 (not touch), and a desktop running Windows 7. I will admit that the idea of having a touch screen laptop at one point sounded interesting. But now, having used one, let me tell you I don’t like it at all!

Let me explain…one of the first purchases I made after buying my iPad was a keyboard so I could do some work while not in front of my desktop. So, in effect, I turned my iPad into a working laptop.

It works, and I use it occasionally, but early on I discovered that reaching over the keyboard to touch my iPad is a pain. Even though the iPad sits elevated only a few inches away from me, it is still a nuisance.  Remember, you can’t use a mouse on an iPad.

Now, image yourself on a laptop or even a desktop having to reach across to touch things on the screen…like to do a copy and paste or delete text or some other such chore. The mouse is a much better way to go in these situations.

Now, when I use my iPhone or iPad without a keyboard, which is most of the time, a touch screen is wonderful…but only when holding the iPad in my lap or my iPhone in my hand. It works incredibly well and is a joy to use.

But when I use a keyboard to do serious work, a touch screen is a pain-in-the-bottom. I guess Microsoft never figured that out. They wanted all the devices in the future to be touch driven, hence Windows 8 and Windows RT. Sorry guys, it is not what we want. Oh yea, and one last thing…touch screens cost much more than regular screens.  

There are more good stories awaiting you here. Apple reported good earnings today. And be sure and read the article #4 on Microsoft’s RT plan and how it resembles the South Park Underpants Gnomes. It is quite funny, and all too sad for Microsoft. But wait, there is more…read on! -JRC

Touch: Where Microsoft Went Wrong

Outside of its business and enterprise offerings (which delivered relatively good results), Microsoft just doesn’t have any products right now that consumers want to buy.

Funky Friday: More than $32 billion in Microsoft stock value wiped out

Shares suffer biggest one-day percentage sell-off since 2000 as investors fret over weak demand for Microsoft's latest Windows operating system and Surface tablet.

Apple earnings beat with $35.3 billion in sales, 31.2M iPhones

Company's third quarter results come in slightly stronger than expected, fueled by the iPhone. iPad and iPod sales are far below what Wall Street expected.

Surface RT: A plan worthy of the South Park Underpants Gnomes

The plan for Surface RT was written by the Underpants Gnomes. Phase one: Apple is successful because it has a tablet, we build Windows tablets. Phase Two: ? Phase three: Profit.

Microsoft delivers Office 2010 Service Pack 2

Microsoft officials said that SP2 consists of updates that improve security and compatibility. Specifically, SP2 provides improved compatibility with IE 10, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 and Office 2013.

OpenOffice 4.0 arrives

OpenOffice 4.0 comes with a new, more modern user interface, improvements to Microsoft Office interoperability, enhanced graphics support and many other enhancements.

Google starts placing ads directly in Gmail inboxes

Trying a new method of making money off its free e-mail service, the Internet giant has begun putting ads in Gmail's "promotions" category.

The Internet’s greatest disruptive innovation: Inequality

The logical consequences of Silicon Valley capitalism: Social stratification and class antagonism

How to Find Out If You Are Secretly Connected to the Internet

Want to know which programs on your PC are connecting to the Internet? Ever have the disconcerting experience of your PC suddenly engaging in mysterious Internet activity? Find out what is going on with a free utility from NirSoft called CurrPorts.

How To Pick A Camera: The Basics You Need To Know

Nowadays most of us make pictures with cell phone cameras. Still, every now and then a person sees a picture that couldn’t have been made with a cell phone, or they see a good camera and wonder what it is they’re missing.

Get Organized: More Powerful Email Forwarding

It's a life hack of sorts to repurpose email forwarding from being a way to redirect message when you want to abandon an account to using it to manage email more effectively. Here's how to do it.

It’s Now Official–Windows Surface RT is a Complete Disaster

It’s been hinted here and everywhere that the Microsoft Windows RT tablet is a bust. Some pundits have come right out and said it is a disaster and is not selling. But the only entity that could confirm it has been silent…until today.

Microsoft today announced their 4th quarter earnings missed expectations…partly because they took a $900 million markdown on their remaining stock of RT tablets. They would have missed expectations anyway…but please be advised that the company did make a profit. So its not all gloom and doom.

The history of the RT tablet almost foretold its failure. The rollout of the Microsoft Surface was as badly-botched as any product could be. It was announced in August of 2012. After the announcement, the Internet was shouting "Shut up and take my money," but, astoundingly, the company did not announce a price or a release date or a pre-order website for the Surface four months after the event.

Then, it chose to sell its tablets exclusively in Microsoft stores, and online through their own site. But, at that time, they only had 20 stores in the whole wide world. This is not a good strategy to sell millions of consumer devices worldwide. Oh yes, and their advertising was abominable.

But the real bottom line is that there are almost no applications for it, it was terrible overpriced ($499 without a keyboard) and it was not well built. A few days ago, the price dropped to $375. Frankly, if they priced it at $100 I would not buy it, based on my experiences with Windows 8.

In other news, Google also missed their earnings expectations and their stock dropped below $900 a share. (Here you can shed a few tears for both these tech giants).

There are more stories on Microsoft here (none of it really positive)…plus some other important information, hints, tips and free software. So put a smile on your face and let’s get started. -JRC

Microsoft Finally Reveals That No One Wanted The Surface RT

Windows RT is a dog. We've been saying that from the beginning. We weren't alone. And now Microsoft, in its latest earnings report, finally revealed that we were right.

Beating The Dead Horse That Is Microsoft Windows (Part 1)

Few people enjoy beating a dead horse more than I do, but man, beating up on Microsoft Windows is simply no fun anymore…because everybody’s doing it.

Microsoft: Is this Steve Ballmer's last throw of the dice?

It might be a surprise that he has remained in position this far, but one thing seems clear: while this company reorganization is unlikely to be Microsoft’s last rodeo, it is Mr Ballmer’s last big roll of the dice.

New Windows 8 Computer? Hope you're not in a hurry to use it

Nothing throws water on the out of box experience (OOBE) of getting a new toy than having to sit and watch it update for hours to get to a working state. PS: I didn't write this article but I went through the exact same experience with my new laptop.

Verizon unveils Edge, its own pricey early upgrade plan

Edge is Verizon's answer to T-Mobile's Jump and AT&T's Next. But like the other plans, the privilege of upgrading early will cost you.

AT&T Next vs. T-Mobile Jump: Smoke and Mirrors?

It shouldn't surprise you that T-Mobile's new "Jump" plan and AT&T's new "Next," which promise to let you upgrade your phone more frequently, aren't the best choice for everyone.

AOL, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo agree on industry code to combat piracy, counterfeiting

The four major advertising giants have signed voluntary codes to help combat online nasties and to improve the integrity of online e-commerce.

A 360TB disc that holds data for more than 1 million years?

A major breakthrough in storage technology could dramatically change our perception of data preservation.

How to Stop Google from Keeping a Record of Every Search You Make

If you have a Google account, Google may know everything you ever looked for on the web. That is, unless you turn off Google’s collecting of all your searches and clean out the web history they’ve kept. Here’s how.

How To Get The Most Out Of Google+ Today

Google+ may never be a Facebook killer, but great features are making it an increasingly comfortable place to hangout.

Note Taking App War: Evernote vs OneNote

These apps aren’t only for taking notes, you can also make lists, manage projects, store and organize information, and share it with others.

Photo Caption Creator - Free

Photo Caption Creator makes it easy to add a photo caption to your digital images. The program adds an additional area to the bottom of your photo, in which you can type the text you want to show as caption.

Special Edition–Smartphones and Tablets

It’s time I gave the world of portable computing its own special edition…after all, I bet most of you have a smartphone or a tablet…or both. So let’s see if I can provide you with some useful information to help with your portable devices.

For the vast majority of us, our portable devices use iOS (Apple iPhone and iPad), Android (tons of phones and tablets), and Windows (Windows tablets and Windows Phone 8). These are the dominate systems in portable computing and what I will cover here (but I might sneak in some info on e-book readers here and there). I will do my best to cover them all equally, although its Apple and Android that dominate this market, so they will get special emphasis (hopefully equally). 

I will cover the hardware and the software and include buying guides to help you through this computing minefield. So hang on, and let’s go!!

Tablets buying guide

If you're in the market for a tablet, this buying guide will hopefully set you on the right path

Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy?

With ultraaffordable e-ink readers, midprice color tablets like the Nexus 7, iPad Mini, and Kindle Fire HD, and even the more expensive iPads all vying for your e-book dollar, what's the best choice for you? It depends.

Windows 8 tablets: A confusing world for buyers

Tablets of all kinds running Windows 8 are finally appearing and while choice is normally a good thing for consumers, in this case buyers may be overwhelmed.

Best Free iPhone Apps

The latest list of free apps specifically for the iPhone. Some also have corresponding iPad apps.

Best Free iPad Apps

This list of Best Free iPad Apps now includes 128 apps in 81 categories

Android Apps: New and Updated Reviews

This is a list of new or updated articles and reviews about Android mobile apps. Most of these apps are also available for both iPhone and iPad.

Best Free Antivirus App for Android

Android's increasing popularity has led to increased security threats, ranging from common malware to advanced Phishing and ID theft techniques. There's a wide choice of free security apps that will cover all your needs including a group of complete security suites with Anti-Theft capabilities.

The Best Android Tips and Tricks

Anyone starting out with Android will want to read this, and long time users will probably find a few tricks they didn't know.

The top 16 iPhone app battles

The iPhone has become a battleground for a number of popular mobile app categories

Get Organized: 4 Tips for Organizing iPhone Apps

"These four tips for arranging iPhone apps make your phone more organized and efficient to use, and the apps more accessible."

Beyond App Store search: how to find the iOS apps right for you

One of the most challenging things to do on any iOS device is find a good app. Not because there aren’t any out there. Quite the opposite: there are thousands of good apps, which can be a problem.

Nokia Lumia 1020 - Windows Phone w/ 41 Megapixel Camera

Teased and leaked to death up to the very last minute before the big reveal, the Lumia 1020's 41-megapixel shooter is what makes Nokia's next marquee Windows phone, and what gives hardware jockeys a reason to salivate."

Why I won't be buying a Surface RT, even for $349

With a paltry number of third-party apps and no keyboard included, Microsoft's tablet still isn't a good deal.

Apple Found Guilty of Price Fixing…Microsoft Reorganizes

I must say, without sounding like a braggart, I saw the anti-trust, price fixing possibilities years ago when Apple and 6 book publishers got together to raise prices and force Amazon to accept the so-called agency model…thereby ending the Amazon low prices on many of the best selling books. It was either accept or the book publishers would no longer sell to them.

It was so obviously illegal that a blind man could see it. I just wondered at the time if the Justice Department would have the courage to go after this group…and, by God, they did!

The violations of federal laws were so blatant that all 6 publishers settled out of court. Only Apple said they weren’t guilty and dared the US to take them to trial. They did and Apple lost. There will be a separate trial to determine cash damages. Apple will also appeal.

Apple’s arrogance was originally orchestrated by Steve Jobs. His e-mails and secret meetings of all the participants in restaurants and hotels were obvious violations of the law. Where the heck were their attorneys?  Can’t do that in America.

I like Apple…obviously as I own 3 of their products, but I am absolutely delighted with this verdict. Anyone who sets out to destroy competition and fix prices deserves to be found guilty.

Meanwhile in Redmond, Steve Ballmer finally announced the long-awaited corporate reorganization of Microsoft. Frankly, it is a very boring story, but I include it here for those who might be interested (story #2). And before you ask, Ballmer is still CEO.

But the rest of this edition has got some good tips and stories as well as some excellent free products.  So don’t just sit there…start reading! -JRC

Apple found guilty of conspiring to fix e-books prices

Apple orchestrated a conspiracy to cut out e-book competition and raise prices, the judge says in her ruling, handing the U.S. government a big win and handing Apple a guilty verdict it said could have chilling effect of media deals.

Microsoft Announces Sweeping Reorg

As expected, Microsoft on Thursday announced a sweeping reorganization of its business units, consolidating a fairly complex corporate structure into just three major business groups that mimic its new direction as a supplier of devices and services.

Google to Microsoft: Patch faster, you slowpokes

Google's researchers have become a major force in uncovering Microsoft's vulnerabilities -- not always to Microsoft's liking

Chrome 28 released, new rich notifications for web apps and extensions

Google has released the latest version of its Chrome browser, adding support for richer notifications for apps and extensions for Windows and the new Blink rendering engine.

The New Firefox Is Awesome—But That Won't Make It Relevant Again

After years of lackluster performance, the Firefox browser is back. Its latest incarnation—version 22, for those counting at home—is a speedy desktop browser featuring some fancy future-forward tech. PS: I disagree.

Got that New Phone Itch? Jump, Says T-Mobile

The self-proclaimed "uncarrier" announced a new program at a New York event Wednesday that lets people upgrade their phones as often as twice a year.

A Better Google Maps App for Apple and Android Devices

This new, improved Maps app works identically on both major flavors of phone and tablet. You know what? I don’t care how much you distrust Google and its motives. This is crazy good software, some of the best work Google has ever done.

Windows 7: The Top 10 Hidden Features

Even though Windows 7 has been out for quite a while, we're betting that there are some great features you don't know about. Here are 10 of our favorites.

Get Organized: How to Set Up a Family Computer

Make sure everyone in your family is getting what they need from the household computer by managing user accounts, enabling parental controls, and setting up remote access.

Free Utility Check Apps That Need Updating.

Patch My PC is a utility that scans your computer for dozens of well-known programs, both free and commercial, and alerts you if they need updating. It'll even apply the updates for you, if you wish.

Dashlane is a robust password manager with a gorgeous interface

With its simple interface and myriad of features, Dashlane is a powerful password manager anyone should consider. Also works on Android and iOS.

Best Free Online Books For Kindle

As of June 30, 2013, there are 70 sites listed that monitor Amazon for limited time free ebook offerings as well as 65 sites that offer Kindle compatible ebooks of their own. There are also several links and tips on finding the many free ebook offerings from Amazon.

A Little Bit of This and That

I just installed the latest version of Lightroom…Version 5, if you are keeping score. It is quite amazing. It can automatically straighten crooked images, make bent lines straight, and remove unwanted objects from photographs. I look forward to working with it more. Many photographers today just use Lightroom without Photoshop. I am not quite there yet, but it is awfully good.

I was reminded today why I hate Windows 8. I saw an interesting Metro app while perusing the Net. I went to my Windows 8 laptop and hit the link to the Metro menu. Then, I clicked on the Windows Store icon, which is where new Metro apps are found. Nothing. I waited and waited and waited, then it crashed and took me back to the Metro Menu.

I clicked it again, and after a fairly long wait, it connected to the store. I knew the name of the app I was search for…but guess what I found…or didn’t find…no search box. I had to scroll and scroll and scroll to find a series of icons with what I hoped was the right category. I then clicked on it, and got a second screen with a ton of small icons. I then had to slowly scroll back and forth until I was lucky enough to find it.

Turned out it was a not very good app. A few more minutes of my life wasted. Ridiculous! I know that Microsoft is coming up with an upgraded version of the store in Windows 8.1. But something this bad should have never been put on the market in the first place.

Today’s tech blog covers a wide range of topics…most of it helpful, I hope. So, while I go back to playing with the new Lightroom, you can start reading. -JRC

Note to all Internet users: Trust no one

Whistleblower Edward Snowden says U.S. telecom companies all collaborate with NSA, accuses Britain of storing every bit of Internet data it can

Microsoft Plans Critical Windows Security Patches

Patch Tuesday (today) will feature seven security bulletins, including six with the highest severity rating of "critical."

WebTV Comes To An End At Last

The once-pioneering Internet service was innovative and yet oh so mockable. You probably didn't know it was still around.

Google reportedly paid Adblock Plus not to block its ads

Google has reportedly paid the makers of Adblock Plus, the single most popular browser extension on Chrome and Firefox, to look the other way when it comes to its web advertisements.

Popular Ad Blocker Also Helps the Ad Industry

Ghostery is a solid privacy tool, but a new a reports says you should stay away from its opt-in "GhostRank" feature, which sells data on the ads you block to the ad companies themselves.

Gmail Calling Is Back, Now Part of Google Hangouts

Google just brought back its much-beloved VOIP calling feature and added it to Hangouts, allowing users to call phones for free right from their computer.

A look at the black underbelly of Windows 8.1 'Blue'

Pieces of Windows 8 inexplicably didn't survive jump to Windows 8.1, and new feature allows Microsoft to track your local searches

10 Music Services You May Not Know About-But Should

These off-the-beaten-track music services offer innovative features you're not going to find on Spotify, iTunes or Pandora.

The Ultimate Desktop Customization Tool

Rainmeter describes itself as a desktop customization tool. These guys are not wrong! The program is basically a way to plaster any number of widgets and gadgets on your Windows desktop that can provide a constant feed of everything you might want to know...and its free!

ReminderFox – Free

ReminderFox is a to-do and reminder manager that integrates with your Firefox browser and enables you to add or receive reminders from within your browser, without having to run a separate application.

95 Amazing Photography Links

This comprehensive list contains some terrific tutorials, reviews, collections, special features, great photography and interesting blogs, enough to keep the avid enthusiast busy for quite some time!

Happy 4th of July to All Security Agencies Reading This Blog

And a Happy 4th of July to all of my faithful readers. Tucson’s big fireworks show is tonight and is held on a hill just behind my home. So all I have to do is step outside to watch it. Pretty cool!

Our story #5 is about free alternatives to another cancelled Google web app called iGoogle. Maybe you never heard of it…it is (or was) a start page for your web browsing. I experimented with it sometime back and didn’t care for it all that much. But a lot of people did use it.

Anyway, one the replacements on their list is a Web site starting page called Symbaloo. A strange name, no doubt…but after peeking at all the other suggestions in the article, I became fascinated by Symbaloo’s possibilities. I like its look and feel. In a way, it’s similar to Microsoft’s Metro pages, but without all the wasted space.

So I started experimenting with it, adding my own favorite links and icons… testing its capabilities. The bottom line is it works the way I do and I like it very much. Currently I am using it as a home page in one of my browsers. I will keep playing but I have a feeling I will keep it. Give it a look-see for yourself.

With that said, let’s get started.  -JRC

Hundreds join New York City march to 'Restore the Fourth'

Hundreds marched through New York City on Independence Day to protest the National Security Agency's mass surveillance program.

The NSA and the End of Privacy

The fact that two major entities—government and multinational corporations—are interested in data comes as no surprise. What has been a jolt is just how much data is shared between them.

Egypt's Morsi had Twitter, the generals had the tanks

As the Egyptian leader was ousted by the military, he and his allies live-tweeted their side of the events. Now the world can read these tweets, because of Twitter's new translation tool.

Android flaw leaves "99% of devices vulnerable"

Almost all Android handsets feature a flaw that could allow hackers to seize control of a device to make calls, send texts, or build a mobile botnet, according to security firm Bluebox.

6 Great Alternatives to iGoogle

Just like Google Reader, the Start Page iGoogle is going away. Most start pages have links to news, popular email services, weather, videos, calendars, To Do lists, maps, sticky notes, TV listings and access to all your social media such as Facebook. Here are some other choices.

What awaits in Windows 8.1 — a Preview tour

Win8 fans will surely update to Version 8.1 when it’s released in the fall, but even old-school Windows users will find some surprisingly good enhancements.

Get Organized: Productivity on the iPad

Take an organized approach to setting up and managing your iPad so that you can get the most business use from it.

Cell phone buying guide

The most important things to know when shopping for a cell phone.

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

The products on this list are almost exclusively free with a few exceptions. These include useful products without a free alternative that offer lifetime licenses or commercial products of outstanding merit.

Photoshop Elements Techniques Learning Center

If you use Photoshop Elements (the very affordable version of Photoshop), here is a great place to learn more with videos and tutorials.

Best Free Genealogy or Family Tree Software

Genealogy software provides a method for recording the subjects of our research, e.g. their names, relationships, and events of their lives. They also print the reports and charts to show off the results of our labor. This article reviews stand alone programs which run on your PC. "

You Can Call It Modern, But It Will Always Be Metro To Me

I received a nice surprise yesterday. Microsoft finally got around to updating its OneNote app for the iPad and iPhone…and boy is it gorgeous! Finally it looks almost like the desktop version. And it does practically everything that the desktop version does. A small event, no doubt, in the grand scheme of things, but it made me happy as OneNote is probably my most used program.

The Southwest summer monsoon season kicked off with a bang. While I was on the other side of town, high winds came down not far from my home and blew over power lines, knocking out electricity for 13,000 homes here on the west side. The power outage lasted some 13 hours for me, but all has returned to normal. Thank God as I was dreading sitting around my home in 100+ degree weather today without A/C.

Just in case you forgot, Google Reader died yesterday. But, they are keeping your data safe, until July 15. So if you did forget to get a new RSS Reader, you have a little time to save your links.

We’ve got more information on PRISM in this edition, plus a host of other useful news, tips, and information. So let’s get started! -JRC

Latest NSA leak details PRISM's bigger picture

Another leaked batch of top secret slides relating to the U.S. National Security Agency's PRISM data collection program sheds further light on how non-U.S. data is collected from various tech firms, and how under law, U.S. data is filtered out — albeit not always.

Off with their heads: Yahoo issues list of nixed projects

A dozen projects -- including blast from the past Alta Vista -- are getting tossed aside as the company says it needs to make choices to create "beautiful products that are essential" to users.

Sorry, Microsoft, the Experts Have Spoken: Windows 8′s Interface Is Called Metro

Trademark dispute or no trademark dispute, the original name isn't going away.

Flying Southwest with your iPad? Watch Dish for free

The satellite pay-TV provider will bring live and on-demand TV to Southwest Wi-Fi enabled planes, and it pulls an Oprah, giving all passengers on one flight a free iPad 2 to promote the partnership.

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

Nothing gets the point across as effectively as seeing snooping in action. So I parked myself at my local coffee shop the other day to soak up the airwaves and see what I could see.

How (and why) to set up a VPN today

VPNs can be helpful tools for protecting online privacy, and you need not be an office drone to enjoy their benefits.

7 Adobe Photoshop CC Alternatives

Adobe's recent jump to a cloud/subscription model with Adobe Photoshop CC has made many users hopping, frothing, foaming mad. Fear not: Photoshop isn't the only game in town.

How To Make News Readers Work For You

News readers played a key role in making online media of all types accessible to a broader audience. And they're still useful today, at least for a certain type of dedicated online reader.

Best Android tablets (July 2013 edition)

Don't want to get locked into Apple's ecosystem by buying an iPad or iPad mini? No problem! Here are my top 7 Android tablets for July 2013. And if you're looking for budget Android tablets, there are two here you might be interested in.

The 100 Best Android Apps of 2013

With over 700,000 apps to choose from, finding which will work best for you can be a daunting task.

EverNote Thanks Me While Microsoft Bores Me

I got a nice e-mail from the folks at EverNote, celebrating their  5th Anniversary. They thanked me for being with them from almost the beginning. To prove it, the showed me my member number…46,668…sounds high but when they have over 65 million registered users, that means I am one of their very early users…actually in the top 99.9%. Wow, I didn’t realize I have been with them that long. I am still a very active user of their excellent service and use it almost every day. And while they thank me, I thank them for their great program.

On to Microsoft. Yesterday I watched their BUILD Conference keynote address. And while the first portion of the program was on Windows 8.1 and was interesting, the majority of the address was for developers and I found it somewhat boring. But that is OK, I realize it is developers conference so they really needed to appeal to the 6,000 developers who showed up to help build apps for the Windows 8 infrastructure.

I was looking forward to learning about some of the new innovations in Bing, but about the time of that presentation, the feed from Microsoft crapped out, telling me my video would begin shortly. What? I had been watching it for the last 1.5 hours! It took a while for the video to come back, but by then I had missed so much I gave up. Good job Microsoft!

Putting all that aside, my preliminary opinion of Windows 8.1 is good. They have made a lot of much-needed improvements. I was impressed that they kept emphasizing that the desktop is here to stay, which is a 180 degree turnaround from previous pronouncements. But I withhold final judgment till I see the final version sometime later this summer.

I am impressed with the improvements in the XBox music program…much more intuitive now. The camera app is better, but still not great; their deep SkyDrive innovation is wonderful, and their Bing search improvements look good (even though I had to read about it later). Our first three stories will help you understand some of the new innovations.

If you would like to get a good look at all the major innovations in Windows 8.1, jump over to Paul Thurrott’s excellent Web site. He has done several hands-on articles about all the major innovations. Well worth it.

I think Microsoft is on the right track, but they will just not let go of the Metro interface. Windows 8 was built under the auspices of an egomaniac who would not listen to any criticisms or advise. He is gone now and folks with common sense are taking over. So I think it will be better in the long run, but I still see little use for the Metro-style applications for the PC.

I spent $5 on Start8 app that makes my computer work exactly the way I want it. I am still of the opinion that if Microsoft would have left the Start Button and Start Menu in place, people would have accepted Windows 8 and their sales wouldn’t be so miserable. That’s what happens when you let an egomaniac run the show. I know Steve Jobs over at Apple was also an egomaniac in many ways, but he was smarter than the Microsoft guy and at least listened and often adopted good advice.

Will Windows 8 succeed in bringing people back to Microsoft and the desktop? Yes and no. History shows us that once a program gets a bad reputation right out of the gate, it never recovers. But Windows does have a unique position…they are nearly the only game in town for most people. So when you go to buy a new PC or laptop like I just did, you will get Windows 8…and you will learn how to get around the crap you don’t want and put together a system that works well.

As usual, there is more here than just Windows info. There is a new Firefox in town, and DuckDuckGo is really doing well, thanks to the NSA. And we have some wonderful free replacements for Google Reader. So let’s go! -JRC

Windows 8.1 fixes problems, adds new features, but touch screen is still the focus

It's important to note that if you were hoping for a return to a Windows 7 layout, you're going to be disappointed; Microsoft is sticking to its guns on the Modern UI, and you'll still be using it as your main launching point. With that said, Microsoft has added a few features that make it a bit more palatable to keyboard-and-mouse Windows desktop users."

What does Windows 8.1 offer to desktop die-hards?

Many parts of the Windows 8 user interface have been given some love in Windows 8.1. Some of these changes focus on the Metro side of the fence. But that doesn't mean that Microsoft forgot about desktop users-Windows 8.1 includes a number of small tweaks that should make them more comfortable.

With Windows 8.1, can Microsoft get its mojo back?

Microsoft has something to prove with Windows 8.1 and some very important questions to answer. Can the company turn around a slow PC market, convince consumers it's cool, and pry businesses away from Windows 7?

Suffer not: 10 Windows Start menus for Windows 8.1

Although Windows 8's Start menu is still MIA in Windows 'Blue,' a smorgasbord of replacements can fill the void. Some are free, some are paid, but all will get back to the environment you are used to.

Firefox 22 Launches With New Features

The big new feature in Firefox 22 is full support for the WebRTC, which allows browser-to-browser Web applications like videochat and VoIP. It also allows computer-to-computer file-sharing , which a new free service called Sharefest already utilizes to let users distributes files from one to many.

Why Tablets Keep Eating Away at PC Share

The touchscreen and the thinness overall of tablets provides enough power to do word processing and it gives a different approach to games and other applications. The tablet market is eating right into the $300 to $600 laptop market because you get more usability with a tablet.

NSA fears spark traffic surge on DuckDuckGo search engine

The site, which promises not to send users' searches to other sites or store any personal information, generated just under 3.1m direct queries on Monday (17 June), compared to its daily average of 1.8m direct queries in the month of May.

Android invades the desktop

Computer makers are suddenly obsessed with putting a smartphone operating system on PCs. Here’s why it may not be such a crazy idea.

Top Free Picks: RSS Readers

If you're looking for a replacement for Google Reader, you've come to the right collection of free desktop software.

The One Google Reader Feature Nobody’s Figured Out How To Replace

As the demise of Google Reader gets closer, users are finding that most of the new RSS feed readers lack a seemingly simple feature: search. Is it technically feasible for anyone to fill Google’s shoes?

DIY services for creating simple websites

There are many good reasons to build a website yourself, including avoiding the substantial costs of hiring designers and developers. Here are two services that make the process of creating a custom site relatively quick and easy; and if your needs are modest, they’re free."

Five Fun Photography Techniques

Tired of getting the same old images out of your camera? Give these different techniques a try and see if they invigorate your creativity.

It’s Time to Fish or Cut Bait–Google Style

In a few days, the very popular Goggle Reader will be history. Google warned us a couple of months ago they were pulling the plug. Of course, their announcement raised quite a ruckus of protests. Millions of people, including yours truly, used this RSS service to gather all the interesting news of the day and put it in one place. We were all very unhappy campers. Did Google listen? Nope.

So what are we Google Reader users to do? When this first happened I started looking immediately for a replacement and in a couple of blogs here, I mentioned some possible choices. But, now, the experimenting is over. We all must make a decision.

I experimented with a few possibilities, but fell happily in love with one of them…I refer of course to Feedly. This Web-based program took over from the Google Reader services with their own servers and kept on improving the interface. Feedly gives me multiple choices as to how I want to look at the incoming data. I stopped using Google Reader quite some time ago because I found Feedly met my needs better than Google Reader.

But, you don’t have to take my word for it. Article #8 talks about Feedly and eight other choices. So read what it has to say than you can make your own choice.

Microsoft and Windows 8 are back in the news. They are about to release a public preview of the new upgrade, Windows 8.1 tomorrow at the annual BUILD conference. We have a couple of stories here, but will have more after the keynote address, also tomorrow.

PS: If you use Windows 8 and want to try out the 8.1 preview, I strongly advise against it. When the final version comes out later this summer, you will have to reinstall every one of your apps…almost like starting all over. You have been warned. Wait till the final version.

This is a big news edition, but there is still some good info that might be of use to you. So let’s go! -JRC

Barnes & Noble bails out on Nook tablet biz

B&N will shift manufacturing of its Nook tablet lineup to third-party partners to design co-branded tablets

What you need to know about Windows 8.1 Preview

The Windows 8.1 Milestone Preview (MP), due to hit Wednesday on the first day of the Build conference, comes with a host of gotchas in tow

Microsoft hopes for second chance with Windows 8.1

As Microsoft's BUILD developer conference kicks off this Wednesday, the company faces a daunting task: To convince developers and tech enthusiasts that it remains on the cutting edge.

Microsoft hopes to win over students with cheap Surface RTs

Microsoft may be trying to dump its stash of ARM-based systems in anticipation of Intel's 'Haswell' chip

Amazon is staffing up for its $600 million cloud for spooks

You can now add "spymaster" to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's various titles. On Friday June 14, a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report elaborated on previous reports that Amazon had won a $600 million contract to build a "private cloud" for the CIA.

Facebook admits year-long data breach exposed 6 million users

Facebook blamed the data leaks, which began in 2012, on a technical glitch in its massive archive of contact information collected from its 1.1 billion users worldwide. As a result of the glitch, Facebook users who downloaded contact data for their list of friends obtained additional information that they were not supposed to have.

FAA looks to relax rules on using electronic devices during flights

"Draft recommendations call for the FAA to allow the use of some electronics during low altitudes, a news report says"

Life after Google Reader: GigaOM's guide to the best options

When Google Reader closes its doors for good on July 1, which news reader should you adopt? We broke down nine of the most interesting or useful apps to help you decide.

Telltale signs your ATM card has been hacked

ATM skimming schemes involve installing fraudulent equipment that criminals use to steal credit and debit card numbers and PINs. Here are a few things to look for the next time you need to hit the ATM.

Warner Bros: Pirates Show Us What Consumers Want

Movie studio Warner Bros. is among those who are starting to interpret piracy as a market signal. “We view piracy as a proxy of consumer demand.”

An Amazing App That Gives Your Browser A Photographic Memory

Are you the sort of person that likes to keep a permanent record of the most interesting web pages that you come across? If so, you'll be well aware that there's only a limited number of ways you can do so. One of the best is a Windows program called LWA, aka Local Web Archive.

Nothing Heavy Duty Here…But Still Quite Interesting

It’s been fairly quiet in the tech world the last couple of days…at least news-wise. Not much new in the NSA spying controversy…yet. But what can you add to the story that the NSA now knows everything you did on the Internet and with your phone.

I will be anxiously awaiting the judge’s decision in the Apple anti-trust e-book case. Since all of the other defendants in the case have settled out-of-court with the Justice Department, I expect that Apple may not fare too well here. Unlike a criminal court, the doctrine of reasonable doubt does not apply here.

If you are still using Java on your computer (not to be confused with JavaScript) I urge you to do an immediate update that was just released by Oracle to fix 40 huge security holes. Better yet, just get rid of Java all together. Most folks don’t need it.

There is more good stuff here, so why don’t I just get out of your way and let you have at it. -JRC

After closing arguments, Apple's fate in e-book antitrust case goes to judge

The DOJ brought the case against Apple and five of the largest book publishers in the U.S. for allegedly conspiring to limit price competition and raise prices in the e-book market in 2010 in an effort to stop Amazon from pricing their best-selling electronic books at US$9.99 each.

Stay Safe - Update Your Java Installation Now

Oracle released a patch for Java today which fixes no fewer than 40 serious security-related issues. If you still have Java on your computer, then it's important that you install the patch or that you're already running the most recent version (Java 7, Update 25).

And, action! Facebook brings video to Instagram

The social network plans to capture the next wave of sharing with a new video feature for posting bite-sized movies.

Is Microsoft's Metro UI the real problem?

Microsoft's phone and tablet market shares remain stuck in single digits, which suggests Windows 8's difficulties go beyond the mishmash of Metro and Desktop UI’s.

Fate of Microsoft's tablet OS in question -- again

Device makers based in Asia are not keen on Windows RT. That has become painfully clear.

Parvum Opus: Followers Flock To Pope's Latin Twitter Feed

Latin's economy of words makes it better suited for tweeting than many other languages. One can express thoughts as concisely and precisely as possible.

Tweet Becomes An 'Official Word' In Latest Oxford English Dictionary Update

It joins flash mob, fiscal cliff, and dad dancing in the English language dictionary, an academic piece of work that is always being updated and revised.

Forget Passwords, Use Passphrases for Extra Security

What we call a password doesn't have to be a word at all. A whole phrase or sentence, a passphrase, offers more security. A correctly chosen passphrase is easy for you to remember but difficult for anyone else to guess.

Use This Powerful Microsoft Tool to Provide Better Security for Windows Programs

It is called the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit or EMET. Microsoft has just released a new version EMET 4.0. EMET is a tool that hardens your system against various exploit techniques by making programs run in a restricted mode.

Fastest Mobile Networks 2013

For the fourth year running, we sent drivers out on the road to test our 4G nation and figure out which network is the fastest near you.

Get Organized: How to Start Becoming More Organized

This one tip for tackling any organizational project is crucial to success. Knowing how to do it can also help you achieve other life goals, too.

Evernote Web Clipper gets Gmail support to clip-save attachments and emails Software

Evernote Web Clipper for Chrome has expanded its functionality to include Gmail. This new feature will allow the user to save attachments as well as the chat conversation history from their Gmail accounts.