Do you remember what Microsoft did a few years ago? They shut down Windows XP support. Most took heed. But some didn’t, and suffered for it. So we tell you now: Vista support ends April 2017: Please take heed!
Microsoft will end support for Windows Vista on April 11, 2017. So that’s less than a month from now. However, let’s say you insists on using Vista after this date. Then you will open yourself up to many security threads, from malware to spyware to ID theft. Also, keep in they don’t support IE 9 either. A Microsoft spokesperson said most apps and devices don’t work with Vista. That’s one reason why it’s shutting down.
But it seems like most Microsoft users cut ties with Vista already. Microsoft charts say less than 1%, 0.78%, even use Vista anymore. However, that still adds up to thousands of Vista users. Microsoft released Vista in 2007. It’s had nothing but problems and complaints ever since. It had buggy features and became the laughing stock of the computer repair industry. If fact, more people clung to XP because of it. Windows 7 and 8 didn’t do much to help the case. In fact, Windows 10 was the software that eventually got people off Widows XP.
So let me say it again: Vista support ends April 2017. Look to your neighbor and say Vista support ends April 2017. I was here when Windows XP ended. And in our Boston computer service shop, quite a few customers got upset when their computers messed up. They told us they used XP. A tech would say, “Well, don’t you know Microsoft quit supporting XP.” To which the customer replied, “Nobody told me!” Every news media outlet, every computer store, every Microsoft outlet, and others, told them Widows XP was coming to an end. It sounds to me they were either living in caves or time machines. Or, they just didn’t want to listen. Don’t end up like them. Vista support ends April 2017: Please take heed, won’t you?
The IT service industry can be a funny thing. When Windows 10 came out in July 2015, they promised us no Windows 11, 12, 13, or any Windows number. Windows 10 was it. But they didn’t say anything about updates. This is Microsoft’s new update: Introducing Redstone 3.
Microsoft’s new update is the fourth update since July 2015. In November 2015, we had November Update. Then, in August 2016, Microsoft gave us Anniversary Update. In April 2017, they’re going to give us Creators Update. But let’s keep the focus on Redstone 3. Some say the release date will be later in 2017. But even then, nobody knows the exact date. Microsoft confirmed the release
The star of Redstone 3 will perhaps be My People. Here, you can have people on your phone lists without having them in your live account. For example, it’s great to have your Mom in your live account. But do you really want the landlord there? This is great for Windows smartphones. Then there is Neon. Neon should boost Hololens and Hologrophic programs. There’s also Microsoft Home Hub. Home Hub will be Microsoft’s answer to Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home. That’s about all we know of Redstone 3. There’s a lot of stuff that we don’t. So I guess we’ll find out.
Here in our Boston computer service shop, we sometimes debate about how good the Microsoft’s new update is and how good they all are. Anniversary Update gave us Windows Inc. Windows Hello helps us log in a lot faster than the old password format. And in this era of increased VR, Anniversary did a good job improving 3D support. Well, that’s the way I look at it. Some people don’t agree. Others say the upgrades have been mediocre at best. I gotta disagree with that. I think the updates have been good, so far. And they kept their word about not adding another Windows…so far. What do you think Redstone 3 will bring? And will it be any good?
Xbox One Dasboard is a software system for Microsoft’s video game console. But they’re not quite happy with the current results. XBox One Dashboard: Can Microsoft rebuild?
So they want to make Dashboard faster. An XBox leading engineer said basic tasks will be faster. They’re also adding a new button. This button will be part of the guide section. So it switches between apps and games. However, this new button does so without going back to Dashboard’s home. So that’s one less distraction as you’re going from one video game to another, or from one app to another.
This one move can speed up Xbox One dashboard. There are quite a few complaints of slowdowns, especially in this area. But with this new guide and new button, this quicker method could replace the old one altogether. That will be good news for many XBox One players. Some game experts say this will bring Xbox One a lot closer to it’s predecessor, XBox 360. But the leading engineer, Mike Ybarra, is only saying so much about this. But wait…there’s more. Microsoft is also redoing their game tracking, scoreboards, and coming up with a new Cortana system. ?They will test the XBox One dashboard for a little while. Microsofts wants to send it to your console in spring 2017.
This will make a lot of people in computer repair happy. Here in our Boston computer service shop, many techs and customers own an XBox One. They like having it, but there are complaints of slow service. Hopefully, this will hasten the Xbox One experience. Don’t get me wrong. They love their consoles, but they don’t want this slowdown problem either. Plus, Microsoft has competition. For example, Nintendo products are getting hot again. Do they really want to lose gamers to Nintendo? But what do you think? Will the new XBox One Dashboard improve the XBox One?
Christmas time brings the best in people. But?criminal activity is out there. In computer servicing and computer repair, we see it constantly. So I post out a consumer alert: Is your router safe?
I say this because I read a disturbing report from Netgear. They found a major weakness in certain routers. Such router weaknesses can open the door to hackers. Furthermore, these hackers can take over your router network. Then, they can expose and exploit sensitive data. Software security organization CERT confirmed this grim reality. Then they gave a list of Negear routers to watch out for. The router I call out might be yours.
Routers include R800, R700, and R6400 are definitely venerable. They’re not yet sure about models like R7000P, R7800, R8500, or R9000. This is all according to CERT. But CERT is a major leader and major player in software security. And it’s easy for a hacker to hit you. They get you to click on a malicious link. That bad link instructs your router. Then, the commands let these malicious instructions corrupt your router’s security. Furthermore, this gives hackers access to local networks and everything that comes through it.
In conclusion, I applaud CERT and Netflix for reporting this. Netgear also suggests you update your router. Update your router sooner rather than later. In fact, they say you should get beta software ASAP. Then update the product firmware whenever you can. Anyone in the IT support industry had dealt with routers. We here at Computer Geeks can lead you in the right direction when it comes to the best and secure routers. And we keep up with these dangers to help keep your system safe. Christmas is an awful time for hackers to?get to your router. So keep your?router safe. Do you think the bad guys care about holidays?
Ever hear of Google DeepMind? So, it’s Google Alphabet’s artificial intelligence, or AI, sector. But they don’t want to keep AI training to themselves. They want you and me to train also. Here are some interesting facts about DeepMind, AI training.
DeepMind had an AI training environment called Labyrinth, just like the 1980s movie. But keep in mind ‘had’. It’s now the DeepMind Lab. It’s on the IT hosting service GitHub. And effective today, anyone can access and train AI systems on DeepMind Lab. Furthermore, anybody can can first create games for DeepMind Lab. Then, they can upload them on GitHub. So if this is your thing, then go ahead and get creative.
It seems like the good people of Google embrace AI training being open to the public. DeepMind co-founder Shane Legg hopes researchers and scientist can come up through breakthroughs. Aleready, DeepMind defeated a human in the strategy game Go. This is a great start for research. But there is another reason Google lets AI training go public. That reason is competition. Consequently, there’s OpenAI. That’s an AI research center, the creation of tech ?billionaire ?Elon Musk. Also, OpenAI created an AI robot that allegedly uses a computer like humans. This robot is Universe. In addition to that, Universe wants gamers’ open permission to include them in game development.
Shane Legg insists competition isn’t the reason DeepMind Lab is now public. But come on. It’s so obvious a 3rd grader can see it. Competition has a lot to do with it. It’s probably not the only reason. But everybody know it’s part of it. But I think DeepMind makes a great move on Google’s part. Artificial intelligence technology is more popular than ever. More people want to learn about AI technology, and should. This is a great way to teach kids about AI. I do believe that part. But how much of this is built on competition?
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?
