After looking at nothing but rendered images for the past few years,? seeing real footage of Apple’s new spaceship of a headquarters is a little bit surreal. Computer Geeks got a peek at the building’s footprint last summer, but a new clip shot with a drone in 4K really shows the building taking shape. And WOW is this thing massive!
The video comes from a YouTube user flying a Tarot 680Pro Hex with a GoPro Hero 4 Black over Cupertino. You can not only make out the massive spaceship shape of the building but also see the floors being laid. The scale of the whole project makes the giant, heavy-lifting cranes feel like my son’s toys. The scale is further demonstrated by the very little homes surrounding the new Apple HQ.
Of course, it will still take some time before we see the finished Norman Foster design completed in all of its green-friendly glory. Progress on the construction of the complex makes the impossibly futuristic project feel real in the meantime. Real big. The only question that I have, is how can I get a job there? This structure and environment is rumored to be like working for Google, except with way better toys! I can’t wait to see this structure finished and head out to California to check it out first hand, stay tuned for updates as they come out!
All of us Geeks in the tech community HATE Internet Explorer with a passion. Hell, I’ll download Safari on my PC before I’ll use it. I’ll switch back to dial-up and use a Net-Zero browser before you see IE on a computer that I own. Apparently Microsoft has made it’s own New Year’s Resolution, to rid the world of IE! In comes Spartan,? an entirely new, light-weight browser that should be able to compete better with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Sticking with their obsession with the Xbox phenomenon “Halo” to theme all of it’s new products (“Cortana” is their version of “Siri”), more than likely to appeal to the younger audience.
Spartan will make it’s grand entrance in 2015 coupled with Microsoft Windows 10, and although they aren’t “replacing” IE, lets be honest, Internet Explorer 11, should be the last iteration of that browser. Internet Explorer has been losing market share among computer browsers for years (it?s at about 58 percent today, according to NetMarketshare.com, compared to more than 90 percent 10 years ago), and browsers from Apple and Google dominate the mobile market.
Spartan should support extensions, and will more than likely be using an updated version of the Trident rendering engine, which means it should be able to go blow for blow with Chrome and Firefox. On January 21st, Microsoft plans to show some of the new features of Windows 10 and in all likelihood, we should get a peak at Spartan. Unless the software isn’t ready yet, in which case they don’t need Spartan’s first appearance to be riddled with a bug, or a crash, which would be fatal to the project.
Windows 10 is designed to run on many different devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones. Microsoft?s goal is for the user to be able to have a familiar experience no matter what type of devices they?re using, and to that end, if ?Spartan? is indeed under development, we?re likely to see both desktop and mobile versions in the end. Internet Explorer 11 is already available for Windows computers, tablets, and phones, so the two browsers will probably coexist for the foreseeable future.
Internet Explorer made its debut in 1995 as part of the Windows 95 operating system. Microsoft hasn?t built an entirely new browser since then ? all its focus in that area has been on keeping Internet Explorer up to date ? so a made-from-scratch ?Spartan? would be a big deal for the company and for customers.
And maybe Microsoft wont have to deal with these memes anymore..
Yesterday I talked about the cancelling of New York’s premier of the movie The Interview. Then Carmike theaters pulled the plug. In the 20 some hours since I wrote that blog, the situation has gotten a lot worse. The final score: tyranny 1, freedom 0.
As most of you probably know by now,the Sony movie house and all the major theater chains have pulled The Interview. That means on Christmas Day, you will not be able to see this movie anywhere in the US. You can thank Guardians of Peace for this. They made threats of a 9/11 level event ?and everyone got so cautions that they all pulled the plug, despite Department of Homeland Security’s insistence these threats aren’t even credible. Though some intelligence agents believe North Korea is involved behind the hacking, there is no hard evidence to prove this. But Sony went further: they removed The Interview from their website. ?Some suggest Sony should put it on DVDs and on streaming sites like Netflix. But Sony says they have,”No further release plans”. Nonetheless, The Interview is expected to be released in international markets starting in late January 2015.
What more is there to say? This is the first time, well, at least in my lifetime, that a movie has been cut because of international political concerns. If someone knows of a recent incident like this, let us know about it. So we’re looking at world history here, and it’s not good. Remember the early 2000s, when everyone said phrases like: “We won’t negotiate with terrorist”, “We won’t surrender to terrorist”, and “We won’t cave in to terrorist.” With this move that Sony did, and the movie theaters did, they negotiated, surrendered, and caved in. It made our whole nation looks weak. And there’s no hard evidence North Korea is behind this. For all we know, these could be teenagers in some basement in rural Mississippi. How foolish would these mega conglomerates look if they surrendered to a bunch of teenage hackers? ?And when you open the door for censorship like this, where do you stop?
Remember the hacking group called Guardians of Peace? They’re the ones who started the Sony hacking scandal a few weeks ago. Now, they’re making terror threats so severe that New York and Carmike theaters are cancelling upcoming movie The Interview.
The Interview premiere in New York City was canceled thanks to a 9/11 level threat issued by hack group Guardians of Peace. Carmike Cinemas, one of the largest theater chains in the US, are pulling The Interview from all 278 of their theaters. Los Angeles and other major cities still plan on showing the film. The message sent by Guardians of Peace says anyone living near a theater showing The Interview should leave their home and also said, “The world will be full of fear.” It’s believed that the North Korean government is behind the hacks and messages, but they vehemently deny it. The Dept. of Homeland Security says there is no credible threat posing for any theater. ?The Interview stars James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalist called on to interview, then assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
This is a sad day for American freedom itself. American philosopher Benjamin Franklin used to say, “Those who give up liberty for security deserve neither liberty nor security“. Even Homeland Security said there’s no credible threat. They could have stepped up security and if there was a hard, credible threat to a certain theater, then cancel it for that local theater. Don’t cancel it for everybody! This was a bad move on the part of Carmike Cinemas and everyone else who approved this decision. They just gave Guardians of Peace (interesting they call themselves that when they’re making these kinds of threats) exactly what they wanted. ?They caved into their wants. Who is this group anyway? Are they really from North Korea? Are they from another nation that doesn’t particularly like us? Or are these high school or college kids in some dorm or basement? Don’t you think it’s time to find out who these Guardians of Peace are?
The question that we go through every holiday season, “what do I get the tech guy for Christmas?” It’s not always clear what the hottest new gadgets are, and it’s nice to have a little help every now and then. So we here at Computer Geeks have decided to use our Geeky expertise and give you some suggestions. Because we are always here to help when you need us!
Top 10 tech gifts
10. UE Boom
The UE Boom is a great outdoor speaker to get as a tech gift. It’s Acoustic Skin with Plasma coating, makes it both stain and water resistant. Which means you can actually wash it when the outdoors has an unfortunate accident on it. the UE Boom is compact, and durable, with Bluetooth and 15 hours of battery life! It also has speakerphone capabilities and if you buy a second speaker you can make a wireless pair of true stereo speakers by using the UE Boom App for both Android and iOS devices!
Price: $229.39
9. GoPro Hero 4 Silver
For its latest Silver edition, GoPro seems to have taken the specs of 2013’s Hero3+ Black edition, added new features like HiLight Tagging so you can quickly find that cool thing that happened, improved low-light performance and, perhaps most importantly, a touchscreen on back! This is a great on the go camera for the price, making it much more affordable than the Black edition, without a huge drop off in performance.
Price: $399.99
?8. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Another great tech gift is the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. And Before you Apple users blow me up with hate comments, read the whole blog first. The first smartphone to carry Qualcomm’s fastest 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and quick-charging technology, the Galaxy Note 4 is also the only one of its kind to give you a stylus for writing and multitasking. Like many phones these days, it’s crammed with a 1,440p quad-HD screen and a high-performing camera that uses optical image stabilization. With its faux-leather backing, this is one device that really comes together. For Android users this is THE PHONE you want, Large screen, sleek design and super fast!
7. Xbox One
Talk about a tech gift that your geek will love, here it is. THE XBOX ONE. The Ultimate gamer experience, when you want the best in graphics and online gameplay, you have to go with Xbox One. The PS4 may be better for solo gaming, but in today’s gaming world, we don’t just want to kill AI over and over. We want to destroy someone on the other end of the headset and then dance on his lifeless body. And now Microsoft has dropped the price and promised us more games in 2015 which will be a treat. Also the Xbox One allows you to integrate it fully with your home entertainment center and control everything by voice, which comes in handy when your remote decides to walk away and hide under the couch
Price: $349.00
6. Vizio E0i-B Series
The models of the Vizio E series equipped with local dimming deliver superb picture quality for a very affordable price. The image evinces deep black levels with little to no blooming and great bright-room performance, and it provides for plenty of adjustments. The Smart TV component combines ample content with a simple design. With picture quality that outdoes that of numerous more-expensive TVs, Vizio’s E series likely represents the best value of 2014.
Price: $528.99
5. Apple iPad Air 2
Apple’s formula for success includes a high regard for design. The Apple iPad Air 2 continues a legacy of high-end aesthetics that help propel the tablet’s popularity. From gaming to steaming movies and TV Shows this device does it all
If you’re already wrapped into the Apple ecosystem, the iPad is meant to easily sync with your digital content, and if a slimmer design isn’t enough to appease those looking to upgrade, Apple also designed a speedy new processor just for the iPad Air 2.
Price: $499.99
4. FitBit Charge
The Fitbit charge is for those runners and health nuts in your life, that also love technology to take their fitness to the next level. *spoiler alert* I actually bought one for my wife for Christmas this year. The FitBit Charge Tracks steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes and sleep. It even includes Includes Caller ID.
Price: $129.95
3. Apple iPhone 6 Plus
Here it is Apple lovers your beloved iPhone 6 Plus. I have done an extensive review of this which you can check out HERE. This phone has all the bells and whistles, from a beautiful display, to a superfast processor, and if you can find one in the stores it would make the perfect tech gift for the geek in your life.
Price Starting at: $199
2. Death Star Bluetooth Speaker
Meet the iHome Death Star Bluetooth Speaker. When you’re not using it, it’s a lovely c. 4 1/2″ diameter Death Star on an acrylic stand. When you are using it, it’s a wireless speaker with one-touch connectivity to your Bluetooth device. Oh, and did we mention it also lights up? Yup. It can also play music from devices with a standard 3.5mm audio out jack (if it has a standard headphone jack, you’re good). Unfortunately, the model we got does not include Concave Dish Composite Beam Superlaser, but you know, them’s the breaks.
Price: $69.99
Star Trek Phaser Remote Replica
Sometimes after a long week filled with landing parties and surprise Klingons, you just want to prop your boots up and watch a little mindless television. Or maybe you’re ready to catch the weekly adventures of those wacky kids on-board the U.S.S. Enterprise. What sort of mischief will Captain Kirk get into this week? Aim that phaser at the TV and…. pew pew pew!
This ST:TOS Phaser Remote lets you harmlessly blast your home entertainment system into submission. Recreated from 3D laser scans of the last known screen-used hero prop, it looks good, but it’s also a fully-functioning programmable infrared remote control. And when we say “phaser” we aren’t getting away with just giving you the Phaser I. Nope. It does include the Phaser I which functions as a standalone gesture-based universal remote control but also slots into its Phaser II pistol-grip base, which provides additional controls. You can store up to 36 programmable gestures: plenty to control all of your Earth-based entertainment equipment. The combined unit (Type I and Type II together) features a wide range of settings and beam strengths, including different Phaser firing sounds (including Phaser Overload sequence) and authentic Starship Enterprise sounds.
Just be sure you’re not wearing a red shirt while aiming this at your TV set. We’re pretty sure that voids the warranty.
There has been news stories of American online infrastructure being the target of hacks from Russia, China, even North Korea. We might need to add another nation to the list. Could Iran hack the US?
That’s the FBI’s concern. They’re telling Americans to be alert for sophisticated Iranian hack attacks targeting defense contracting, energy companies and education facilities. This has been revealed by a FBI ‘Flash’ report. The report gives great details about malware and other techniques they plan to use and ways businesses can counter these attacks. Cyber experts and the Feds are also alarmed at the scope and determination this hacking campaign can be. The potential attacks and chatter are traced to two IP addresses in Iran. There is no hard evidence the Iranian government had anything to do with this, but it is widely speculated they are involved.Of course, Tehran is denying the allegations. ?Anyone who has been hacked is urged to contact the FBI.
Remember when I said you can’t trust North Korea as far as you can throw them: You can’t trust the Iran government or leadership as far as you can shove them. We’re talking about Iran here: a nation ruled by sociopaths and psychopaths who call for the destruction of whole countries. Would you put it past people like that to shut down businesses? Plus, it’s been said that our power and technology infrastructure is well overdue for a makeover. Why isn’t anything being done about this or said about this? If we can spend taxpayer money to build colonies on Mars, surely we can protect our government and private businesses from threats like international hacking. The next time this administration tries to meet and patch things up with Iran, maybe they should talk to them about this hacking threat. What should and must be done?
