Dec 3, 2016 | Computer technology, Software
Remember when Windows 10 said this was the last Windows edition? You didn’t think Windows 10 would stop changing, do you? So they know the IT industry is changing. And Windows 10 needs to change with them. So pay attention: Introducing Microsoft Home Hub.
Microsoft Home Hub is software feature. It’s somewhat like Google Home and Amazon Echo. But here is where Microsoft got smart. Home Hub has a screen; the others don’t. Hence, it is for Windows 10 PC. Although, Home Hub could work on any Windows 10 machine. But the reason Microsoft Home Hub focuses on PC’s is to enhance the PC sharing experience. This includes new sharing features and user interfaces.
Also, they want to make PC sharing easier. They believe Home Hub will do that. For example, a user can unlock Home Hub without a password. On the surface, that can be dangerous. However, with this feature, households can share apps and other data, without jumping through hoops. Everyone will have their own account, but will have access to the ‘family account’. Then there’s the Welcome Screen. It contains sticker notes, a calendar, and Cortana. Apple has Siri. Google has Alexa. Amazon uses Echo. So Windows, and Home Hub, has Cortana.
So what does this has to do with IT? Quite a bit. Home Hub is the first of it’s kind, especially for the PC world. And how many offices and household still depend on their PC? I know I depend on mine. And how many offices and homes share a PC? Lots of them. In addition to that, there’s competition. Home Hub offers competition to Google Home and Amazon Echo. Yes, Home Hub is available on Windows Phone. I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’ve heard, and experienced, many problems with this brand of phones. Is Home Hub good for smartphones? Could Microsoft Home Hub be good for you?
Dec 2, 2016 | Malware, Security, Smartphone
This is a consumer alert. Malware compromises Google/Android accounts! They call the malware ‘Gooligan’. But Gooligan breached around a million Google accounts. Also, the attacks started in August 2016.
As a result, the malware infects these systems. Then, they steal from systems. Systems include Google Docs, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Play, and a handful of others. This is especially relevant because so many people have Google accounts. Furthermore, so many have Android devices. I have one. And so many use these systems. The hackers make money by putting apps on infected phones. The malware takes over after a user unknowingly downloads a Gooligan infected app on a 3rd party app store. Then the malware app takes hold. It sends data to the malware’s server. Consequently, hackers get control of your device.
This mobile attack concerns many cyber security experts. Many say hackers are targeting mobile devices now. Hence, the fact that hackers hit one million Droids concern them. It should concern us too. But for American Android users, there is some good news. Of all the Google systems infected, over half of them come from Asia, about 57%. Another 15% come from Africa, and another 9% come from Europe. The remaining 19% of infected systems come from the Americas. They didn’t specify any nation; they just broke it down by continents.
So I guess we could say statistically, American Droid users might have dodged a bullet. They hacked a million phones. So according to these stats, about 190,000 hacked systems were in North or South America. What I’m trying to say is: this malware attack could have been much worse. I know; I covered?them. But let’s learn a lesson here. Get anti-virus and anti-malware protection for your smartphone! Get it now! It’s just as important as anti-virus on your desktop. Come to think of it, with all we do on our cellphones today, maybe even more so. Don’t think are protection these hackers are going to stop with a million phones. They’ll go on and on. What are you doing to keep your smartphone safe?
Dec 1, 2016 | Entertainment
Do you have a Netflix account? Okay, do you have a smartphone? Since many Americans have both, Netflix wants to revolutionize your travel.
In addition to that, Netflix wants to fix your boredom. That’s why they’re adding offline playback. But what is offline playback? This means Netflix users can watch their favorite shows on their smartphone without Wi-Fi connection. Because Netflix customers asked for this for years. Now, it’s here. So they announced it yesterday and it’s effective as I speak. Netflix issued a tweet saying, “Airplane mode. Road trip mode. Stuck (in traffic) mode. Your favorite shows are now available for download anytime.”
Also, it’s fairly easy to get. Netflix has a download button for certain programs. But they’re not including every show on Netflix. Furthermore, they’re adding new shows on a constant basis. As expected, they’re starting with their most popular original shows. Therefore, expect Narcos, The Crown, and Orange is the New Black to be on the offline playback list. Also, expect old favorites to be on the list. For example, one can never go wrong with Twilight Zone. Since it’s the Holiday season, how about putting on Bing Crosby’s White Christmas? The opportunities should be endless.
Can I confess something? I think this is the greatest move Netflix ever made. First of all, who doesn’t get stuck in some kind of traffic? It could be long airport delays or bad traffic with bad kids in the back seat. How awesome would it be to download a Netflix video? It would give you and your family sanity. And another thing…don’t you hate it when you can’t get good WiFi, or WiFi at all? But this is especially true underground. This is where offline playback comes in. During a train ride, this would be better than gold! It seems like Netflix has a great list to launch this. What are some show you want to see join the offline playlist?
Nov 30, 2016 | Computer technology
The drone is one of the fastest rising gadgets in the tech world today. Drone and video production maker GoPro looked forward to capitalizing off the drone craze. But that’s probably not going to happen. GoPro cuts staff and entertainment plans.
As a result, GoPro announced they will cut 15% of it’s entire workforce. That means over 200 people will lose their employment, just in time for the Christmas season. But that’s not all. GoPro President Tony Bates is also stepping down. And he left high-level positions at Microsoft’s Skype Technologies to lead GoPro. Many thought this was going to be a golden age. Now, that’s hardly the case.
In addition to the layoffs, GoPro closes it’s entertainment division. GoPro depended on new products, camera Hero5, and new drone Karma, to boost sales. They released the new items in October 2016. But these new gadgets did nothing to help. Furthermore, they had to recall 2,500 drones. We don’t even know if they’ll ever distribute Karma again. Also, there the lawsuits. These lawsuits claim GoPro made false ‘too good to be true’ statements about Karma. Stocks fell off. In late September, stocks peaked at $17.15 a share. On November 29, they closed at $9.83 a share. Basically, in two months, GoPro stocks were nearly cut in half.
Maybe these layoffs can be a fresh start. The last time I check the ticker, stocks were back into the $10.00-$10.30 range. That’s a start. Personally, I think they should abandon the Karma project and start all over. Competition isn’t waiting. You see, Apple, Amazon, Snap Inc., and Chinese company DJI Technology Inc. all want to get in on the drone game. I’m sure more companies do too. So even after these changes, they don’t have long to mourn. They need to get back into the drone game, and fast. I’m sure Tony Bates is kicking himself for going to GoPro. But that’s just the way it goes sometimes. What is your future outlook for GoPro?
Nov 29, 2016 | Uncategorized
Some people heeded my call to avoid the Black Friday madness. In fact, a lot of people did. Cyber Monday breaks all online records.
So, according to many retail store numbers, Cyber Monday 2016 is the biggest day in online shopping history! They estimate consumers spent $3.39 billion yesterday. That’s $50 million more than they spent on Black Friday. Also, classic toy brands dominated sales. Lego, Nerf and Barbie all made a killing. While top selling electronics include Xbox, Playstation 4, and Apple iPads. It looks like Samsung’s trying to make a comeback. Because one top selling item is their 4K TV.
Mobile sales also went up. However, most of those sales were processed through laptop clicks. For the first time ever, mobile sales went up over a billion dollars. But this isn’t a one time trend. We should expect this in the years to come, according to some experts. “Cyber Monday is on track to be the biggest online shopping day ever, surpassing our forecast by almost $27m or 0.8 percent,” said one Adobe analysts. Deep discounts also had a lot to do with Cyber Monday’s success. Television and tablet prices went down over 20%. Toys and pet care prices decreased over 10%. Video game systems relatively stayed the same price.
So yes, the growing dissatisfaction of Black Friday has a lot to do with this trend. But let’s face it. Online shopping is just more peaceful and convenient. You take a trip to the store. Then you find out your product isn’t there. You wasted a trip. But online, the only thing you waste is a minute or two. There may be some downsides to online shopping. You better hope your gift gets there on time. You may be at the mercy of slow delivery service. And just hope you’re not at the mercy of disgruntle shippers. How will you do your holiday shopping: online shopping or the old fashioned way?
Nov 28, 2016 | Computer technology
You see a drone over your home. But according to the FAA, that’s a legal no-no. So you grab a bazooka and shoot it down. Oh what fun to see the explosion and the pieces. However, that’s not how this works. Here’s introducing the anti-drone gun: a semi-beast.
This anti-drone gun comes from Drone Shield. They’re a tech firm from Australia. While it looks like the Drone Gun can wreck something up. But it’s surprisingly gentle. While there is a trigger, no explosions will follow. No drones pieces will fly to your front yard. But this gun intercepts communication between the drone and drone pilot. Then, Drone Gun brings the drone back to the ground.
Also, the Drone Gun has a ‘return to home’ function. With this function, authorities can find track illegal drone activity. Furthermore, they can find where the drone flew and find out who owns the law breaking drone. The Drone Gun looks intimidating. But it isn’t. It weighs 13 pounds. It can take down drones 1 1/4 miles away. First of all, make sure Drone Gun is legal in your town or community. If not, Drone Shield won’t sell you one. Consequently, Drone CEO Peter James said his biggest customers were government agencies and military leaders. Others were CEOs trying to protect their business.
The Drone Shield is just coming out. So we don’t know what price is. But you better watch where you fly that drone. I’m convinced this device will get very popular, especially as more drones take to the sky. Then, add to that all the drones flying illegally. Ladies and gentlemen, there are FAA regulations about drone safety. They are there for a reason. While I applaud Peter James for making this Drone Gun, it shouldn’t take a drone gun to control your drone. Your common sense and decency should do that. What do you think of the anti-drone gun?
Nov 27, 2016 | internet
Friday, I talked about Black Friday deals and expectations. But in some ways, you guys proved me wrong. Black Friday online sales broke records. So did mobile sales.
According to Adobe report, Black Friday online sales made over $3 billion. It’s also a first time for mobile sales. They made over a billion dollars this Black Friday. This is a first. Online Black Friday sales grew 21.6% from last year. Also, mobile Black Friday sales grew 33% from last year. The retail winners were Amazon, eBay, Target and Walmart. For instance, Amazon sales of Thanksgiving Day 2016 did better than Cyber Monday 2015 sales. Walmart said over 70% of their sales came from mobile devices. Furthermore, Target said 60% of their sales came from mobile devices. This trend continued all weekend long.
In addition to that, here is something just as ironic. The majority of these mobile sales didn’t even come from smartphones. The majority of mobile sales came from laptop and tablets, while orders processed on desktop computers rose. Apple products processed slightly more sales than Android devices. So this year, orders from Apple averaged $144. While orders from Android devices came at $136 a pop. But the top selling electronics and tech gear included Apple iPads, LG TV’s, Microsoft Xbox’s, and anything VR technology.
Let me call the elephant in the room. I know the real reason online sales are breaking record. Furthermore, I don’t need an Adobe report to tell me either. People don’t want to deal with the turmoil and mayhem that’s called Black Friday. Year after year, the humanity unleashed at retail stores gets worse and worse. This year alone, several people were shot and two were killed during Black Friday altercations. Apparently, it’s spreading overseas. In South Africa, a riot broke out over toilet paper! That’s right; some toilet paper! No wonder why more people choose Small Business Saturday instead. No wonder more people are shopping online. What do you think Cyber Monday will be like?
Nov 26, 2016 | Security, Smartphone
So, you get on a plane. During taxi, takeoff and landing, they tell you to turn off your phone, or put them in airplane mode. That’s because they want nothing to block them from the electricity they need for a safe flight. So frankly, you don’t want to block their electricity, either. Now, tech companies and Feds fight distracted driving.
The US Federal Government urges smartphone companies to block apps while behind the wheel. This will keep the driver’s attention where it belongs: on the road! This proposal comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted driving is almost as bad as driving drunk or high driving. And with more apps and features to tempt us, distracted driving won’t go away anytime soon.
This concerns N.H.T.S.A. Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Too many people are dying and being injured on our roadways,” he said. He wants smartphone makers to build software that limits phone functions while the driver is driving. The proposal took place just earlier this week. So we don’t really know how tech companies will do this. We don’t even know if smartphone makers will even comply. But something needs to happen. For example, car accident deaths increased nearly 11% in 2016. This year saw the biggest number of traffic deaths in 50 years.
I see this with my own eyes. One time, while walking the streets of Boston, I had to pull a friend back. This was while the walk sign was in our favor. But the driver had no way of knowing that; he was texting while driving. Just a couple of weeks ago, another driver narrowly avoided an accident. That’s because the other driver was texting directions while driving. I hope automated voice services like Suri help turn this disturbing trend around. But it all starts with you. Don’t text and drive! Keep your eyes on the road! Is that text, or that Pokemon Go game worth your life and your health?
Nov 25, 2016 | Computer technology
Black Friday is here. It’s the one day customers trample, fight, and almost kill each other over deep discounts. Every year seems to get more insane and violent. But I know that won’t stop some of you. So here are some tech Black Friday deals…if you insist.
First of all, let’s say you’re getting a smart device for Christmas. You’re going to need headphones. As a result, Power Beats 2 by Dr. Dre phones are over half off, from $200 to $90. While the Bose Sound Sport In Ear phones cut prices from $100 to $40. But maybe it’s a speaker you need. The Harmen Kardon Onyx Mini Wireless Speaker has you covered. They cut their prices from $200 to $100. But there’s a catch…these deals are only at Best Buy.
But you’d rather have tech trends under the tree. Well, Google Home is a fast seller. Consequently, Best Buy’s selling Google Home for $99 (the actual retail price is $129). This AI device helps you control your home and tell you the temperature, among other cool things. I have a feeling this one will be high in demand. Furthermore, at Target, the Apple Watch series one is selling for $198 only. Of course, you must report to a physical Target for that one. Stay safe out there. All Apple TV models are from $70-200. Do you have a fitness lover on your list? They can get the Garmin Vivo Smart tracker for half off. Finally, you can even get a home coffee maker for half off.
But these deals are only at Best Buy and Target. Let me be clear: This IS NOT a promotion or endorsement of Best Buy or Target. However, my research just points to these two chains as offering the best deals. But let’s face it, Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. More people are shopping online than ever before. Can you blame them? I’m sure one can get a great deal online without the chaos. And don’t forget Small Business Saturday. I’m sure you’ll find great tech deals at your local store, and you’ll be pumping money back to local, American businesses. I know some will insist of this Black Friday tradition. That’s the only reason I put these prices out there. But don’t take part if you don’t have to. What are some ways you’re avoiding the Black Friday madness?
Nov 23, 2016 | internet, Software
Have you ever compromised freedoms in the name of business? Ever compromise principals in the name of business? I ask because even in the computer repair business, that can be a dilemma. But Facebook faces that dilemma today. Facebook caters to China…no matter what.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants China. He wants it bad. As a result, he visits China frequently. He has a great relationship with Chinese President Xi Jingping. Also, he’s cool with Chinese tech leaders. He’s even learning Mandarin Chinese. But these aren’t compromises. Here is compromise: they’re building software to block certain info from reaching Facebook pages. This is from anonymous Facebook employees. This software prevents certain content from going on Facebook feeds. Consequently, this breeds censorship. Let me be clear. Facebook itself isn’t blocking content in China. But they’re enabling it, assuming this becomes reality.
In addition, this comes from a company whose motto is, “To make the world open and connected”. But look at China’s relationship with social media. For years, China clashed with Google and Twitter over censorship. They forced LinkedIn to cave into their censorship demands. Furthermore, they made Uber pay extra just to serve in China. And they still censored Uber. Under Xi Jingping, online censorship tightened.
I can’t blame Zuckerberg for catering to China. Look at their power. Also, look at their potential. China has 1.4 billion people, and growing. Also, how many of these people have online access? Let me answer that: lots. Let’s say Facebook gets 20% of that pie. That equals 280 million people. That’s alone is 90% the entire US population. So from a business move, I understand it. But as a human being and freedom advocate, I don’t like it. I can’t condone any software that supports censorship. And why? Because Chinese President XI Jingping doesn’t like it? Don’t let one man, or a group of men, have this much power. If I were the Facebook CEO, I’d live up to my motto, no matter what. But I’m not the the Facebook CEO. If you were the Facebook CEO, what would you do?
