Today is Halloween. Time for candy, ghosts, goblins, candy, trick-or-treating, pumpkins, witches, zombies, more candy, and ... did I mention candy?
We tell the kids to be safe out there. There are all the checklists of what to bring with you, what houses to avoid, what to/not to do, etc. Well, now's a good time for the grown-ups to think about safety a little, too!
As this humorous video shows, there are viruses, and programs to protect you from them. Companies like Symantec (makers of Norton), McAfee, AVG, and Avast base their business around identifying and responding to the latest and greatest viruses and threats.
Several Internet Service Providers (ISP's) recognize that some people can't - or won't buy an antivirus or security program for some reason. Maybe they believe that they're safe, or that they don't do anything risky, or they don't have kids, etc. Unfortunately, these days sometimes all it takes is to surf past a web link with some malicious code that will take advantage of a weakness in Internet Explorer and turn your computer into a gold mine for identity theft - or a zombie to be used to send spam or DDoS attacks. In response, companies offer "free" versions of their security software to aid users who may not have the inclination to spend money on it.
Isn't free protection good enough? Symantec says "no" in this sales pitch for their current Norton 2012 suite. What's important to remember here is that these are for-profit businesses. Free and demo versions of their software offer a taste, but necessarily do not provide the full protection that a paid version will. Remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Important to take from the Norton pitch is not their advertised superiority, but rather that free, demo, or light versions are just that - light, and lacking in the ability to protect against the same spectrum of threats that exist.
Windows based computers take the lion's share of the market. Microsoft's software also has many exploitable weaknesses (that they routinely patch as discovered). **NOTE TO WINDOWS USERS: Keep your Windows Security Updates up to date to protect against the latest known exploitations!** However, Apple products are not immune to viruses, as some may believe. Even Linux computers have (very few) viruses that may affect them.
Viruses come in may forms. There are ones spread through contaminated email attachments, downloaded from file-sharing sites, tracked-through malicious internet code, and more. Today, I'm only examining actual viruses - not hacks of accounts from gaming or social media sites - those will be addressed at another time.
It really only takes a moment of carelessness to allow your machine to become infected. Take this from personal experience, as even I, once opened a harmful attachment that came in at the same time I was expecting a file.
Protect yourself, your identity, your family, your work, and your equipment. Make sure that you have a good antivirus program - and make sure you keep it updated!
***Note: My use of the Norton Internet Security 2011 and 2012 links is intended for informational use, not as an absolute product endorsement.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tech Support Scam
I pointed out before that there are a lot of scams on the internet. Today, I want to focus on one that seems to be having a resurgence in occurrence - at least as far as I've noticed.
The way this one starts off seems simple enough. A telephone call comes in, and a gentleman with an Indian accent is on the line. He claims to be with some outfit, which he may never specifically mention, but says he is a "Microsoft Certified Technician". For some reason, that I have yet to figure out, my number has not been listed as fitting somewhere between "waste of time and money" and "very bad idea", so I've gotten to field quite a few of these calls since the summer. Sometimes the names of the "company" sounds plausible, other times not ("Joe" called from "Microsoft Geek Squad" once...) Invariably the reason you received this telephone call was because either your computer stopped communicating with Microsoft, or is infected with something bad, or has been hacked (or something).
Let's start with a critical piece of information: Microsoft does not contact licensees of Windows software. There is no master computer that somehow is monitoring every PC with Windows loaded on it, receiving red lights when one is "infected". Also, in general, Microsoft does not have a database of users telephone numbers. Similarly, Best Buy (home of Geek Squad) does not know when your PC (especially one not purchased or warranted there) is off kilter. These callers are not PC technicians. They are criminals!
To be clear, this particular scam tends to come from India, but it should not be used as an indictment against legitimate call centers or technicians in or from there.
Here is how this scam plays out:
Caller - I am [lies] from [more lies] and your computer. is not communicating with Microsoft (or something)
You - Oh? (or some response)
The caller will guide the victim to turn on their computer, and use the Windows-R shortcut to open a "run" box, typing in "eventvwr"for the Event Viewer. He'll guide you through a couple of the menus, showing you errors and warnings and telling you that they mean you have an infection, or may be hacked. The reality is that these are very benign "errors" and you're about as "hacked" as a celebrity that regrets what they typed on Twitter.
Next our caller will offer to help you fix these problems. This will start with them telling you to open a web link, and download/install a piece of software. The two most popular ones, presently, are Team Viewer and AMMYY. Technically, both programs are fairly innocent, and offer for legitimate options in remote assistance or login. Not in this case.
If one follows the instructions and installs/runs the program suggested by the scammer, they will ask for info on your screen , pin number and such from the program, which will allow them to slide in over your connection, and control your desktop. They may even tell you to take your hand off the mouseand (from what I've heard) they get mad if you try to control while they're doing their thing. What they may do may actually start as benign, cleaning something out or just looking around. However the likelihood next is that they'll either try to pitch a subscription service in which they'll charge you for 1,2 or 3 year deal, or they'll start deleting things and try to charge you to fix them. Even more malevolent, they may install a key logger that will snatch your passwords (especially banking) so they may help themselves to your money, and other accounts.
What can you do?
First and foremost, the easiest thing may be to take advantage of Caller ID, and not answer numbers you're unfamiliar with. If you do have them on the phone, telling them to "begone" (as politely or rudely as you choose) can be effective. For me, I enjoy "playing dumb" with them, and keeping them busy for a good period of time. If I keep them on the horn for an hour, while I'm doing other stuff, that's an hour that they're not scamming someone who may not know better.
I've gotten to a point here where the family finds watching me scambait almost as fun as watching a good movie. It's not for everyone, especially if you're a "rookie". If you do decide to scam bait, make sure you pay attention to what you're doing, don't give them an edge, Most importantly, don't do anything that may surrender access to your PC or personal information. If you decide to play with them, have fun, keep them going for a long time, until make things difficult for them.
Be safe online! Watch out for scammers. If you believe you may have fallen victim, immediately see your bank/credit card company/credit union, and make sure that your PC is protected.
The way this one starts off seems simple enough. A telephone call comes in, and a gentleman with an Indian accent is on the line. He claims to be with some outfit, which he may never specifically mention, but says he is a "Microsoft Certified Technician". For some reason, that I have yet to figure out, my number has not been listed as fitting somewhere between "waste of time and money" and "very bad idea", so I've gotten to field quite a few of these calls since the summer. Sometimes the names of the "company" sounds plausible, other times not ("Joe" called from "Microsoft Geek Squad" once...) Invariably the reason you received this telephone call was because either your computer stopped communicating with Microsoft, or is infected with something bad, or has been hacked (or something).
Let's start with a critical piece of information: Microsoft does not contact licensees of Windows software. There is no master computer that somehow is monitoring every PC with Windows loaded on it, receiving red lights when one is "infected". Also, in general, Microsoft does not have a database of users telephone numbers. Similarly, Best Buy (home of Geek Squad) does not know when your PC (especially one not purchased or warranted there) is off kilter. These callers are not PC technicians. They are criminals!
To be clear, this particular scam tends to come from India, but it should not be used as an indictment against legitimate call centers or technicians in or from there.
Here is how this scam plays out:
Caller - I am [lies] from [more lies] and your computer. is not communicating with Microsoft (or something)
You - Oh? (or some response)
The caller will guide the victim to turn on their computer, and use the Windows-R shortcut to open a "run" box, typing in "eventvwr"for the Event Viewer. He'll guide you through a couple of the menus, showing you errors and warnings and telling you that they mean you have an infection, or may be hacked. The reality is that these are very benign "errors" and you're about as "hacked" as a celebrity that regrets what they typed on Twitter.
Next our caller will offer to help you fix these problems. This will start with them telling you to open a web link, and download/install a piece of software. The two most popular ones, presently, are Team Viewer and AMMYY. Technically, both programs are fairly innocent, and offer for legitimate options in remote assistance or login. Not in this case.
If one follows the instructions and installs/runs the program suggested by the scammer, they will ask for info on your screen , pin number and such from the program, which will allow them to slide in over your connection, and control your desktop. They may even tell you to take your hand off the mouseand (from what I've heard) they get mad if you try to control while they're doing their thing. What they may do may actually start as benign, cleaning something out or just looking around. However the likelihood next is that they'll either try to pitch a subscription service in which they'll charge you for 1,2 or 3 year deal, or they'll start deleting things and try to charge you to fix them. Even more malevolent, they may install a key logger that will snatch your passwords (especially banking) so they may help themselves to your money, and other accounts.
What can you do?
First and foremost, the easiest thing may be to take advantage of Caller ID, and not answer numbers you're unfamiliar with. If you do have them on the phone, telling them to "begone" (as politely or rudely as you choose) can be effective. For me, I enjoy "playing dumb" with them, and keeping them busy for a good period of time. If I keep them on the horn for an hour, while I'm doing other stuff, that's an hour that they're not scamming someone who may not know better.
I've gotten to a point here where the family finds watching me scambait almost as fun as watching a good movie. It's not for everyone, especially if you're a "rookie". If you do decide to scam bait, make sure you pay attention to what you're doing, don't give them an edge, Most importantly, don't do anything that may surrender access to your PC or personal information. If you decide to play with them, have fun, keep them going for a long time, until make things difficult for them.
Be safe online! Watch out for scammers. If you believe you may have fallen victim, immediately see your bank/credit card company/credit union, and make sure that your PC is protected.
Windows Surface - My Take
Microsoft, the other day, had their big press conference a couple days after competitor Apple announced their upcoming gizmos. Microsoft brought out first the introduction to the new Windows 8. Following this, Microsoft turned everyone on their ears with the introduction of the Windows Surface tablet. As seen in the commercial, Microsoft is joining Apple and Google in becoming an OEM for their own operating system.
The Windows Surface tablet is set to roll out with a few advantages over both IOS and Android. To start, while the iPad rolls out in 16, 32 and 64GB models, the Surface will begin with a 32GB model at the same price-point of the 16GB iPad. Adding the keyboard case will bring the 32GB model to the comparable price of a 32GB iPad without accessories. The Surface ships with the Windows RT operating system, taking advantage of the Windows 8 operating system, optimized for tablet use. Furthermore, as something that neither major competitor can compete with, Surface comes with Microsoft Office already installed.
As I had indicated in my previous entry on Windows 8, one of the biggest holdouts in the shift to portability is the lack of productivity software. Personally, I've found that I end up bringing both the laptop and tablet on a trip, unless I just bring the laptop. Unfortunately, at this time, I'm finding the tablet more of a glorified media player. I can load books, movies and music, possibly play some games, but I'm still finding it lacking in a few areas - other than size.
The Microsoft Surface could very well change that. Microsoft still holds the lion's share of the market with Windows. In addition, they have the market on office software with Microsoft Office - even though there are alternatives from the paid (Corel, Lotus) to the free open-source (Open Office, Libre Office). If businesses begin to take advantage of the Surface for portability, they'll have some immediate savings. This may very well replace notebooks for many business needs, as it has about everything needed in one package.
What could possibly go wrong? We saw before that Microsoft got in trouble for bundling their products in a perceived unfair manner. Is this different? Is this more of a marketing edge than a competitive edge? Some would say so. The competitors have been out for some time, and have yet to have a practical alternative. Open sourced LibreOffice is working on a version that will be compatible with Android tablets. However that was July, and the Windows Surface will have Office integrated before that's complete. Assuming that Microsoft Office is not set to run on any competitors, it would seem to me to be a competitive advantage - of the moment.
Another very interesting thing to keep an eye on is the fact that Microsoft is not entering the OEM game. Previously, they have simply been the supplier, as opposed to companies like Acer and Toshiba that have run the software. Now with Google and Microsoft joining Apple the other manufacturers may find themselves put into tough economic positions. Some speculation is that it may become more favorable for some of the manufacturers to begin courting Linux - specifically Ubuntu - as an alternative.
Windows Surface is quite the device, alright, and it looks like it has a lot of power to not only shift the balance of the tablet market, but once more turn the computing world on its ear.
The Windows Surface tablet is set to roll out with a few advantages over both IOS and Android. To start, while the iPad rolls out in 16, 32 and 64GB models, the Surface will begin with a 32GB model at the same price-point of the 16GB iPad. Adding the keyboard case will bring the 32GB model to the comparable price of a 32GB iPad without accessories. The Surface ships with the Windows RT operating system, taking advantage of the Windows 8 operating system, optimized for tablet use. Furthermore, as something that neither major competitor can compete with, Surface comes with Microsoft Office already installed.
As I had indicated in my previous entry on Windows 8, one of the biggest holdouts in the shift to portability is the lack of productivity software. Personally, I've found that I end up bringing both the laptop and tablet on a trip, unless I just bring the laptop. Unfortunately, at this time, I'm finding the tablet more of a glorified media player. I can load books, movies and music, possibly play some games, but I'm still finding it lacking in a few areas - other than size.
The Microsoft Surface could very well change that. Microsoft still holds the lion's share of the market with Windows. In addition, they have the market on office software with Microsoft Office - even though there are alternatives from the paid (Corel, Lotus) to the free open-source (Open Office, Libre Office). If businesses begin to take advantage of the Surface for portability, they'll have some immediate savings. This may very well replace notebooks for many business needs, as it has about everything needed in one package.
What could possibly go wrong? We saw before that Microsoft got in trouble for bundling their products in a perceived unfair manner. Is this different? Is this more of a marketing edge than a competitive edge? Some would say so. The competitors have been out for some time, and have yet to have a practical alternative. Open sourced LibreOffice is working on a version that will be compatible with Android tablets. However that was July, and the Windows Surface will have Office integrated before that's complete. Assuming that Microsoft Office is not set to run on any competitors, it would seem to me to be a competitive advantage - of the moment.
Another very interesting thing to keep an eye on is the fact that Microsoft is not entering the OEM game. Previously, they have simply been the supplier, as opposed to companies like Acer and Toshiba that have run the software. Now with Google and Microsoft joining Apple the other manufacturers may find themselves put into tough economic positions. Some speculation is that it may become more favorable for some of the manufacturers to begin courting Linux - specifically Ubuntu - as an alternative.
Windows Surface is quite the device, alright, and it looks like it has a lot of power to not only shift the balance of the tablet market, but once more turn the computing world on its ear.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Giving a plug
One of my biggest methods of advertising has been word of mouth. If I'm doing something right, hopefully folks will pass that along, and give me the chance to show someone else. I try to pass that favor on when I can to other small businesses that have impressed me.
Today, I'm going to plug my friends in the band Crusader. I first heard these guys when I saw an Anvil concert at Reggies Rock Club. They were one of the opening acts, and during one of the intermissions before Anvil hit the stage, I met up with singer Hoagy at the merchandise table. I'd enjoyed their set, and picked up a copy of their self-produced EP Rise Of The Templars. I was barely home at 3am when I had the CD in the computer, ripped and transferred to my mp3 player.
I've seen them quite a few times since. I really got into their music. I'm not quite alone, as a review from opening for Sabaton questioned why they were out first. After putting on a few shows during the summer, the guys took a bit of time off before preparing to head to the studio to record their full length album, due out around March, 2013.
I look at bands as "small businesses" too. They pour their all into their product, and in this case, the profit of that work is going into the funding of producing the upcoming album. Between performances, sales, and a fundraising campaign, they've got the money together to hit the studio and crank out something great.
Metal may not be everyone's cup of tea. The sound is somewhat reminiscent of NWOBHM, with some touches of punk. I could hear elements that reminded me of other groups I enjoy - Motorhead, Manowar, Iron Maiden, and Bolt Thrower for instance. At a couple shows, someone likened Hoagy to Glenn Danzig.
They're a good group of guys, who are putting out a good product. I'm glad to give a pitch for them, as I believe they've got what it takes to take it from the local scene to headlining.
Today, I'm going to plug my friends in the band Crusader. I first heard these guys when I saw an Anvil concert at Reggies Rock Club. They were one of the opening acts, and during one of the intermissions before Anvil hit the stage, I met up with singer Hoagy at the merchandise table. I'd enjoyed their set, and picked up a copy of their self-produced EP Rise Of The Templars. I was barely home at 3am when I had the CD in the computer, ripped and transferred to my mp3 player.
I've seen them quite a few times since. I really got into their music. I'm not quite alone, as a review from opening for Sabaton questioned why they were out first. After putting on a few shows during the summer, the guys took a bit of time off before preparing to head to the studio to record their full length album, due out around March, 2013.
I look at bands as "small businesses" too. They pour their all into their product, and in this case, the profit of that work is going into the funding of producing the upcoming album. Between performances, sales, and a fundraising campaign, they've got the money together to hit the studio and crank out something great.
Metal may not be everyone's cup of tea. The sound is somewhat reminiscent of NWOBHM, with some touches of punk. I could hear elements that reminded me of other groups I enjoy - Motorhead, Manowar, Iron Maiden, and Bolt Thrower for instance. At a couple shows, someone likened Hoagy to Glenn Danzig.
They're a good group of guys, who are putting out a good product. I'm glad to give a pitch for them, as I believe they've got what it takes to take it from the local scene to headlining.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Microsoft Changing The Game...Again
In 1995, Microsoft introduced Windows 95. 95 changed things up quite a bit. No longer did Windows users boot up into DOS, and type in the "win" command to enter Windows. From that point on, Windows may have gone through some changes, but none quite as huge as that one. We've seen an increase in driver databases, improved recognition, auto-installation, the "snap" feature, etc. While there have been some duds along the way, Microsoft has continued to deliver operating systems that have maintained the lion's share of the PC market.
Windows 8 is another game changer. New adopters may notice the changes. The "Start" button is no longer the corner of the desktop. "The entire screen is the start button" is one description of the change. However, users will soon get to experience life without the familiar task bar. Another thing that users will notice is that Windows 8 is even further tailored toward touch screen operation. Desktop users will find that it feels more like a tablet operating system.
To me, this change reminded me of the change Ubuntu Linux made in changing from GNOME to Unity in their Natty Narwhal release. With the increase in touchscreen monitors available, and new notebooks with touchscreens to take advantage of features available in Windows 7, users can take advantage of the features that are becoming intuitive, courtesy of tablets and smartphones.
Reviews from the gaming community have been mixed, so far. Some initial opinions of Windows 8 have likened it to either Windows Millennium, or Windows Vista, both of which were rather unpopular and had their share of perceived design flaws. Other gamers, though, have expressed that while the layout of the OS was different, their games did not suffer any performance loss.
Microsoft is banking on the shift toward portability here. This may be true for some users, though the desktop and notebook will still hold a strong presence between gamers, businesses, and hardware enthusiasts. Microsoft's new Windows Surface tablets soon to hit the streets, and will use the RT variant of Windows 8, along with being the only tablet preloaded with Microsoft Office.
Time will tell just how the market responds to this change.
Windows 8 is another game changer. New adopters may notice the changes. The "Start" button is no longer the corner of the desktop. "The entire screen is the start button" is one description of the change. However, users will soon get to experience life without the familiar task bar. Another thing that users will notice is that Windows 8 is even further tailored toward touch screen operation. Desktop users will find that it feels more like a tablet operating system.
To me, this change reminded me of the change Ubuntu Linux made in changing from GNOME to Unity in their Natty Narwhal release. With the increase in touchscreen monitors available, and new notebooks with touchscreens to take advantage of features available in Windows 7, users can take advantage of the features that are becoming intuitive, courtesy of tablets and smartphones.
Reviews from the gaming community have been mixed, so far. Some initial opinions of Windows 8 have likened it to either Windows Millennium, or Windows Vista, both of which were rather unpopular and had their share of perceived design flaws. Other gamers, though, have expressed that while the layout of the OS was different, their games did not suffer any performance loss.
Microsoft is banking on the shift toward portability here. This may be true for some users, though the desktop and notebook will still hold a strong presence between gamers, businesses, and hardware enthusiasts. Microsoft's new Windows Surface tablets soon to hit the streets, and will use the RT variant of Windows 8, along with being the only tablet preloaded with Microsoft Office.
Time will tell just how the market responds to this change.
Friday, October 26, 2012
An Apple A Day...
Earlier this week, Apple unveiled some of their new products. There has been a lot of news from them in the past month, as they have just released their iPhone 5 last month. This week,
they have announced several new products. There are some updates to the Macbook, and the iPad 4 will be released. The most highly
anticipated item was the iPad Mini.
While the late Steve Jobs had essentially said "Over my dead body", Apple has decided to enter a market that has been dominated by other products over the years - the mini tablet. The iPad Mini enters a market primarily dominated by the Android operating system. From the Samsung Galaxy or the Dell Streak, to the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook HD, to the economy line Velocity Cruz, Pandigital, etc, some form of the Android operating system is being used. It's only logical for Apple to enter this market, and it really doesn't take much extra for the fabrication.
In the tech world, you have "fanboys" and "haters" with little wiggle room, when discussing any given product. In some cases, your opinion on the same product can brand you as both, depending on your audience at a given time. Personally, I am a Linux user, not an Apple user. I give credit to Apple for taking existing devices (mp3 players, smart phones, tablets) and making them into slick, attractive, highly sought after items. On the flip side, I find them overpriced and a bit overrated. There is a limited amount of flexibility in upgrading many of the devices, and Apple takes great pains to keep people out. I share this opinion on Dell products, as well, for the limited flexibility.
I'm going to glance over the iPad 4 with a couple of musings. In the past [about] two years, Apple has launched the iPad, and is poised to drop the 4th generation thereof. While each version has improved upon the previous, they tend to start from the same base price tier. I like the improvements, but find the cost a bit prohibitive to continue paying (at least) $500 every time a new one drops. While the new one will have a faster processor, it also will have a new connector, translating to the need to invest in more [proprietary] accessories. For a multitude of reasons, I can see people wanting it. For many other reasons, I can see people looking at alternatives.
The iPad Mini, on the other hand is poised to jump into a market that it's been neglecting for some time. In the media event on 10/23/2012, this highly anticipated gizmo was unveiled. It's set to be 1/3 smaller than its full-size counterpart, with a 7.9" screen, and weigh in at less than a pound. The November release date hopes to cash in on the holiday shopping season. Apple has set the base price of $329 for the 16GB version, with the standard $100 increments for the wifi-only versions, with more expensive cellular capable mated devices set to release in mid-November. The pricing comes in much higher than the slated competition - such as Kindle Fire, Nook HD, Google Nexus, etc, which have models starting at $199. Apple seems to be banking their name recognition with other devices, along with the account connectivity through their icloud to counterbalance the significant price difference. Having the reputation of Apple behind them, as well as the streamlined exterior that iProducts have become famous forgoes a long way to help their initial sales. As of the time of this writing, (10/26/2012) presales have sold out. This is little surprise, as Apple's new releases tend to sell out quickly on presale days.
Overall, I see little reason to jump to either of the these devices, if you have a similar, though mildly older, comparable item. I know that early adopters will love to be in on these as they hit, but following the trends, it is very likely that the iPad 5 may very well be a reality in time for "Back To School 2013". As Apple is not very flexible with pricing, it is unlikely to see big sales on the devices, either. However, if you are looking to get your first iPad, then, money permitting, the iPad 4 may be the thing to check out. If money is an issue, and that brand name is important, then the iPad Mini is a very nice alternative in the family. It's worth keeping the others in mind, though, as they may be far more affordable, and able to meet your specific needs and budget.
While the late Steve Jobs had essentially said "Over my dead body", Apple has decided to enter a market that has been dominated by other products over the years - the mini tablet. The iPad Mini enters a market primarily dominated by the Android operating system. From the Samsung Galaxy or the Dell Streak, to the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook HD, to the economy line Velocity Cruz, Pandigital, etc, some form of the Android operating system is being used. It's only logical for Apple to enter this market, and it really doesn't take much extra for the fabrication.
In the tech world, you have "fanboys" and "haters" with little wiggle room, when discussing any given product. In some cases, your opinion on the same product can brand you as both, depending on your audience at a given time. Personally, I am a Linux user, not an Apple user. I give credit to Apple for taking existing devices (mp3 players, smart phones, tablets) and making them into slick, attractive, highly sought after items. On the flip side, I find them overpriced and a bit overrated. There is a limited amount of flexibility in upgrading many of the devices, and Apple takes great pains to keep people out. I share this opinion on Dell products, as well, for the limited flexibility.
I'm going to glance over the iPad 4 with a couple of musings. In the past [about] two years, Apple has launched the iPad, and is poised to drop the 4th generation thereof. While each version has improved upon the previous, they tend to start from the same base price tier. I like the improvements, but find the cost a bit prohibitive to continue paying (at least) $500 every time a new one drops. While the new one will have a faster processor, it also will have a new connector, translating to the need to invest in more [proprietary] accessories. For a multitude of reasons, I can see people wanting it. For many other reasons, I can see people looking at alternatives.
The iPad Mini, on the other hand is poised to jump into a market that it's been neglecting for some time. In the media event on 10/23/2012, this highly anticipated gizmo was unveiled. It's set to be 1/3 smaller than its full-size counterpart, with a 7.9" screen, and weigh in at less than a pound. The November release date hopes to cash in on the holiday shopping season. Apple has set the base price of $329 for the 16GB version, with the standard $100 increments for the wifi-only versions, with more expensive cellular capable mated devices set to release in mid-November. The pricing comes in much higher than the slated competition - such as Kindle Fire, Nook HD, Google Nexus, etc, which have models starting at $199. Apple seems to be banking their name recognition with other devices, along with the account connectivity through their icloud to counterbalance the significant price difference. Having the reputation of Apple behind them, as well as the streamlined exterior that iProducts have become famous forgoes a long way to help their initial sales. As of the time of this writing, (10/26/2012) presales have sold out. This is little surprise, as Apple's new releases tend to sell out quickly on presale days.
Overall, I see little reason to jump to either of the these devices, if you have a similar, though mildly older, comparable item. I know that early adopters will love to be in on these as they hit, but following the trends, it is very likely that the iPad 5 may very well be a reality in time for "Back To School 2013". As Apple is not very flexible with pricing, it is unlikely to see big sales on the devices, either. However, if you are looking to get your first iPad, then, money permitting, the iPad 4 may be the thing to check out. If money is an issue, and that brand name is important, then the iPad Mini is a very nice alternative in the family. It's worth keeping the others in mind, though, as they may be far more affordable, and able to meet your specific needs and budget.
A Busy Tech Week
I kept my eyes on the big happenings this week, and preferred to give an "end of week review' rather than taking each item as it.
**UPDATE**
I planned on just giving a summary here, but I saw that was going to be huge. The acronym TLDR came to mind. So, here I'll give a brief summary. I will expand on several key releases this week in other entries.
Apple kicked off the week with some big news. The Macbook is being revamped a bit, there is a new iPad 4 in the pipes, but the biggest clamoring was over the iPad Mini set to hit the streets on Nov 2. With this, Apple is poised to enter into the mid-size tablet market, with a step between their iPhone/iPod and the full iPad, to compete with assorted Android based tablets that have dominated this market for a few years.
Microsoft, not to be outdone, had their own press release regarding the launch of Windows 8 (today, 10/26/2012). I've briefly tinkered with a Beta of Windows 8 in a virtual machine. To say it's "different" is an understatement. My first thought was "This feels like a tablet OS." The shell-shock will take some getting used to. Concurrently, Microsoft introduced the Windows Surface, which brings Microsoft not only into the tablet OS market, but into the PC market, as well. A key "plus" to the Surface is that it ships with Microsoft Office pre-loaded - something that no other tablet does, or can run.
Without the big press release came the scheduled deployment of Ubuntu 12.10: Quantal Quetzal. At present I am installing Quantal, but have yet to fully explore this release. As a matter of personal preference, I have been using the Xfce desktop environment for some time. I have found it to be better structurally than the Unity DE that Ubuntu ships with standard. My review of Quantal will come about over the weekend.
**UPDATE**
I planned on just giving a summary here, but I saw that was going to be huge. The acronym TLDR came to mind. So, here I'll give a brief summary. I will expand on several key releases this week in other entries.
Apple kicked off the week with some big news. The Macbook is being revamped a bit, there is a new iPad 4 in the pipes, but the biggest clamoring was over the iPad Mini set to hit the streets on Nov 2. With this, Apple is poised to enter into the mid-size tablet market, with a step between their iPhone/iPod and the full iPad, to compete with assorted Android based tablets that have dominated this market for a few years.
Microsoft, not to be outdone, had their own press release regarding the launch of Windows 8 (today, 10/26/2012). I've briefly tinkered with a Beta of Windows 8 in a virtual machine. To say it's "different" is an understatement. My first thought was "This feels like a tablet OS." The shell-shock will take some getting used to. Concurrently, Microsoft introduced the Windows Surface, which brings Microsoft not only into the tablet OS market, but into the PC market, as well. A key "plus" to the Surface is that it ships with Microsoft Office pre-loaded - something that no other tablet does, or can run.
Without the big press release came the scheduled deployment of Ubuntu 12.10: Quantal Quetzal. At present I am installing Quantal, but have yet to fully explore this release. As a matter of personal preference, I have been using the Xfce desktop environment for some time. I have found it to be better structurally than the Unity DE that Ubuntu ships with standard. My review of Quantal will come about over the weekend.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Product Review: Motorola Photon Q LTE (Sprint)
I've been a Sprint customer for many moons. I've gone through several different handsets during my years, and have had some good (the Sanyo Katana platform) as well as some bad (The Motorola RAZR V3M was made by the devil, himself , I believe). At present I have both a personal and business line on my account, and until recently had the Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Intercept, respectively. The Epic had been eligible for an upgrade for about 9 months, while the Intercept was approaching the due date. I had been holding out for some time, because I was unhappy with the crop of devices that were available. I prefer a physical keyboard. Samsung and HTC had moved away from this feature. The iPhone never had one, and I found overrated. Blackberry devices had the keyboard, but were not compatible with Linux. Enter the Motorola Photon Q LTE to the product line.
The Photon Q comes - out of the box - with the latest Android OS. It is set to run on the newly deploying 4G LTE system . Plus, it has a very nice, backlit QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the side. The keyboard does a good job of mimicking an actual keyboard. Compared to the two aforementioned Samsung phones, they keyboard is not "offset", but is more true to that familiar to touch typists.
I found this device so much to my liking, that when my business line came due for upgrade, I picked up a matching device, as well. Now I just have to remember which one is which!
Some of the pros of the Photon Q include:
Battery Life: So far the Photon Q is living up to the advertised battery life. I realize that "talk time" is dependent upon some other variables - running applications, time on standby before a call, texting, etc. The phone is able to get a good amount of daily life though, before needing to be charged. If unused, it can last into a second day with just a standby drain which is reasonable. This is especially good to someone who does not always have access to a place to charge a phone during the day.
Applications: Not that there's much really "special" here, but the default time and temperature home screen, combined with the customizable desktops are nice. The animations are a little more than I need, but they're pretty cool. Otherwise, it has access to the standard market for Android apps.
Accessorries: This is a relatively small plus, but it's still nice to be able to use most of the same accessories from previous devices.
Keyboard: My biggest drawing point to this device. I'm a touch typist. I don't really care for virtual keyboards or Swype. What I like about this one is that the keyboard even more closely resembles that of a standard QWERTY keyboard. Numbers and main symbols are identical. This is better than the Intrepid, which had an offset QWERTY keyboard; or the Epic, which had non-standard placement for the symbols. The responsiveness of the keyboard is very nice, as well. I found that either I typed faster than the Epic could process, or the keys could move. Here, I have very little problem of typos from typing too fast, or hitting double letters too quickly.
The screen size, resolution and responsiveness are nice, as well. I've had little problem with it.
There are a couple of things I'm not overly happy with. Some of which I may just need to mess around with a bit.
Text Responses: It seems to default to "Respond To All" if a group message comes in. I don't usually like doing that. If I sit down with it, I should be able to sort out that inconvenience.
Camera Placement: This one just takes a bit of getting used to. If using the camera in landscape format, the left fingers seem to "default" to blocking the camera. Looking at the screen, it's easy enough to see (by no picture) that something's blocking.
Battery: It's integrated. It's still fairly new, so I have had no problems of yet, I hope the batteries outlive the devices because I don't relish being unable to change them myself.
Memory: I was a bit surprised that this device doesn't come with a microSD card. Easy enough to replace. The Epic came with a 16GB removable, though, as a point of reference.
Personally, I'm very happy with this device. The $99.99 price after discounts at Best Buy made it more attractive - especially as a brand new phone. Plus with credits and gift cards, I walked out paying about $12 out of pocket for both phones together. This will be much better when LTE is fully deployed in my area. Personally, I would recommend this phone. Motorola put out a winner to lock horns against the Galaxy, Evo, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows phones.
The Photon Q comes - out of the box - with the latest Android OS. It is set to run on the newly deploying 4G LTE system . Plus, it has a very nice, backlit QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the side. The keyboard does a good job of mimicking an actual keyboard. Compared to the two aforementioned Samsung phones, they keyboard is not "offset", but is more true to that familiar to touch typists.
I found this device so much to my liking, that when my business line came due for upgrade, I picked up a matching device, as well. Now I just have to remember which one is which!
Some of the pros of the Photon Q include:
Battery Life: So far the Photon Q is living up to the advertised battery life. I realize that "talk time" is dependent upon some other variables - running applications, time on standby before a call, texting, etc. The phone is able to get a good amount of daily life though, before needing to be charged. If unused, it can last into a second day with just a standby drain which is reasonable. This is especially good to someone who does not always have access to a place to charge a phone during the day.
Applications: Not that there's much really "special" here, but the default time and temperature home screen, combined with the customizable desktops are nice. The animations are a little more than I need, but they're pretty cool. Otherwise, it has access to the standard market for Android apps.
Accessorries: This is a relatively small plus, but it's still nice to be able to use most of the same accessories from previous devices.
Keyboard: My biggest drawing point to this device. I'm a touch typist. I don't really care for virtual keyboards or Swype. What I like about this one is that the keyboard even more closely resembles that of a standard QWERTY keyboard. Numbers and main symbols are identical. This is better than the Intrepid, which had an offset QWERTY keyboard; or the Epic, which had non-standard placement for the symbols. The responsiveness of the keyboard is very nice, as well. I found that either I typed faster than the Epic could process, or the keys could move. Here, I have very little problem of typos from typing too fast, or hitting double letters too quickly.
The screen size, resolution and responsiveness are nice, as well. I've had little problem with it.
There are a couple of things I'm not overly happy with. Some of which I may just need to mess around with a bit.
Text Responses: It seems to default to "Respond To All" if a group message comes in. I don't usually like doing that. If I sit down with it, I should be able to sort out that inconvenience.
Camera Placement: This one just takes a bit of getting used to. If using the camera in landscape format, the left fingers seem to "default" to blocking the camera. Looking at the screen, it's easy enough to see (by no picture) that something's blocking.
Battery: It's integrated. It's still fairly new, so I have had no problems of yet, I hope the batteries outlive the devices because I don't relish being unable to change them myself.
Memory: I was a bit surprised that this device doesn't come with a microSD card. Easy enough to replace. The Epic came with a 16GB removable, though, as a point of reference.
Personally, I'm very happy with this device. The $99.99 price after discounts at Best Buy made it more attractive - especially as a brand new phone. Plus with credits and gift cards, I walked out paying about $12 out of pocket for both phones together. This will be much better when LTE is fully deployed in my area. Personally, I would recommend this phone. Motorola put out a winner to lock horns against the Galaxy, Evo, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows phones.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
You're Getting Lots of Money!
The old adage "If it looks to good to be true, it probably is" should be kept in mind here.
There are several variations of this email that you may see:
Inheritance: Someone you don't know, from another country (usually in Africa) will write to you to tell you of the unfortunate death of a rather wealthy individual. This may be their relative, or they may be a "banker" referencing a deceased wealthy client. Any way it's worded, the important part is that they need your help to launder the loot before the government can claim it. For your help, you will be given a significant cut of the money. Generally this will involve either some up-front money to grease a local politician or they may hope you will provide a bank account number so that they may justtransfer the money to your account empty your bank account.
Prize Winnings: You just won a lottery in a foreign country you didn't enter. Similar to above the only thing you need to do to claim your "prize" is send a little money up front to grease someone.
Assassination: This one shows up periodically. The claim is that "someone" paid money to have you killed, but the killer knows you're a "good person". If you pay X amount of money, they will let you live... for a little more, they will tell you who put the hit on you.
Mystery Shopper: The gist here is that you're asked to cash a [counterfeit] check, buy merchandise, and send it to the "headquarters" to evaluate the shop in question.
Overpayment: Generally seen with online auction sites like eBay or Craigs List. This generally works as the "buyer" offers to buy the item for above a reasonable cost, generally via [counterfeit] check or money order, with some of the "extra" money being sent to a third party or the "buyer".
The scams are not limited to these methods, but the telltale signs are all similar. You're promised far more than reasonable for something shady. No matter how good the promises sound, though, they are always false. There is never a legitimate check, nor payment. It's generally best to ignore these scam attempts. There is a hobby/sport called "scam baiting", in which the criminals are put through humiliation and public ridicule, but many peop[e would be just as well served by either ignoring the message or telling them to shove off.
Remember, "If it looks too good to be true, it is". Be safe online, and avoid the scams!
There are several variations of this email that you may see:
Inheritance: Someone you don't know, from another country (usually in Africa) will write to you to tell you of the unfortunate death of a rather wealthy individual. This may be their relative, or they may be a "banker" referencing a deceased wealthy client. Any way it's worded, the important part is that they need your help to launder the loot before the government can claim it. For your help, you will be given a significant cut of the money. Generally this will involve either some up-front money to grease a local politician or they may hope you will provide a bank account number so that they may just
Prize Winnings: You just won a lottery in a foreign country you didn't enter. Similar to above the only thing you need to do to claim your "prize" is send a little money up front to grease someone.
Assassination: This one shows up periodically. The claim is that "someone" paid money to have you killed, but the killer knows you're a "good person". If you pay X amount of money, they will let you live... for a little more, they will tell you who put the hit on you.
Mystery Shopper: The gist here is that you're asked to cash a [counterfeit] check, buy merchandise, and send it to the "headquarters" to evaluate the shop in question.
Overpayment: Generally seen with online auction sites like eBay or Craigs List. This generally works as the "buyer" offers to buy the item for above a reasonable cost, generally via [counterfeit] check or money order, with some of the "extra" money being sent to a third party or the "buyer".
The scams are not limited to these methods, but the telltale signs are all similar. You're promised far more than reasonable for something shady. No matter how good the promises sound, though, they are always false. There is never a legitimate check, nor payment. It's generally best to ignore these scam attempts. There is a hobby/sport called "scam baiting", in which the criminals are put through humiliation and public ridicule, but many peop[e would be just as well served by either ignoring the message or telling them to shove off.
Remember, "If it looks too good to be true, it is". Be safe online, and avoid the scams!
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