What do you give up for convenience?

The latest "feature" in Google+ allows you to ask Google when your bills are due. It sounds awesome, just ask your phone when the bill is done through Google and get an answer for when and how much you owe.

Is nothing private anymore?

You don't have to remember when the bill is due and you can just ask your phone. All of this also means that Google is scanning your e-mail for bills. We already knew Google could read what they want out of your e-mail, but when they are advertising it as a feature, it seems we've crossed the convenience/security/safety line somewhere.

Previewing Windows 10 may cost you some privacy!

Microsoft is offering a preview of the Windows 10 operating system. It is still not ready for prime time, but they will let you look it over. There just happens to be a little catch! When you agree to the software license, you agree to send them what your doing in real time. This just happens to include a keylogger (recording your keystrokes). I'm sure they won't call it that, but they are collecting text you type, and that sounds like a keylogger program to me.

Windows 10 Preview

So keep that in mind as you are checking out the new Windows 10 preview. I'm sure something like that would never make it to the real release of Windows 10, but if you don't like the idea of every keystroke you make being recorded, you might want to just let someone else preview Windows 10 for you. You can read more about it at winbeta.org.

E-mail Privacy - Your E-mail is not really private!

E-mail Privacy



The old saying that nothing is for free definitely applies to e-mail. Whether you have your e-mail from one of the software or web giants, or if you have e-mail from your provider or employer, many people can legally read your e-mail. The Electronic Communications and Privacy Act states that the government can read your e-mail without a warrant and this includes your cell phones.

Your Internet Service Provider (your home Internet access company) can read your e-mails and so can your employer. I'm not trying to make you paranoid, but at least you know what can or cannot be read and who legally can read it.




You can encrypt your e-mail and there are many software choices if you want to go that route, but when your e-mail is on a server somewhere, whoever has access to the files on that server can technically read your e-mail whether or not you are using encryption on your end.

The only private communication is the one you have with yourself. I know that doesn't help you if you are wanting to express yourself to someone, but at least it won't ever get you fired or sent before a judge!

The importance of Password Security

eBay recently had a security breach that possibly allowed every eBay's user's password to be compromised. They recommend that everyone not only change their password, but that every should also change the password for all their other accounts that use the same password! That implies to me that the breach lost not only passwords but usernames and e-mail addresses as well.

 



The best policy to have is to keep separate passwords for all of your different accounts. I know this isn't easy, but have the best security never is. People should also change their passwords from time to time and just not by incrementing values or numbers like 'password1' and 'password2'. These are too easy to guess and automated password crackers use those type of algorithms.

 

There are password utilities that can store you passwords for you and these utilities use the latest encryption, but if you forget that one password, you are in trouble.

 

Now there is news that a hacker in Australia is breaking into and locking iPhones and iPads using the 'Where is my iPad' feature. When you feel your passwords or accounts have been breached, it is the best policy to change ALL of your passwords. You can never be too safe when it comes to online security.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Holiday Buying Guide

The last Tech Class at work was a Holiday buying guide. I covered tablets, mp3 players, TV Streaming devices and gaming consoles. In this post I'm going to leave out the gaming consoles because they have been covered elsewhere far better than I am going to spend the time doing here.

I want to put up the charts and let them speak for themselves. The TV streaming devices are pretty cool and I recommend anyone who is tired of paying a $100 dollars a month for satellite service give a long look at these devices.

TV Streaming devices

TV Streamers

They range in prices from $35 dollars to $100 dollars. Given this is a one time purchase cost and not a monthly fee, that makes it all the better. There are more devices on the market, but these are just some of the ones I reviewed for the holiday buying guide. I hear great things about the Roku from everyone who owns one.

Also, if you have seen advertisements for the 'rabbit' on TV, stay away. Don't take my word for it, just read the reviews.

Mp3 players are not the hot devices they once were. Phones now do most of the things that the old mp3 players would. Given that, there is still a market for mp3 players and I put today a chart of the most popular sellers according to Amazon.

mp3 players

Apple still dominates this market but there are also some choices from Sandisk, Samsung, and even Sony. Remember the Sony Walkman? Yeah, it has evolved and still exists.

The prices range from $50 dollars to $250 dollars. I don't think there is a need to spend that much, but some of these devices have the ability to work with nike+ as well as play videos. They are lightweight and have solid state drives or flash memory so you don't have to worry about the drives taking damage like the older drives.

Large Tablets

Amazon has the new Kindle Fire HDX and Apple has the iPad Air. These are great devices and no one should be disappointed in them. Not to be outdone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2014 has all the bells and whistles too, like the iPad Air, it is expensive. The Kindle Fire HDX is a bargain compared to the other two, but has a smaller screen.

I like the Apple products for their ease of use and 'it' factor, but I can't help but think they are expensive and you can have just as much if not more for less money.

Smaller Tablets

The Mini Tablets

If you want to save some money, or just don't want to lug around a large device, then you can always go with one of the smaller tablets. For the most part, they do everything the larger tablets do, but with a smaller screen size and lighter weight. Usually they come with less memory and storage, but they are usually larger than the latest phones. 

You should be able to find whatever you need between the two catagories.

This just might help you find what you're looking for this Christmas.

Internet Tracking and Privacy

It has been my intention to create a Tech Tuesday's class about Internet Privacy ever since I read the article in Popular Mechanics about it and posted on it earlier in the past year. That will probably be my next class after the Holiday buyers guide.

Until then, there is a new product/addon from Mozilla call lightbeam that will actually track all the sites that are tracking you when you browse the Internet if you use Firefox. You can see what it looks like in the picture below.

I installed the add-on and was amazed at the number of ad tracking sites some of my favorite news sites had attached to them. Check it out for yourself; if it doesn't want you to start private browsing or at least turn off cookies while browsing, nothing will.

lightbeam from Mozilla

Holiday Buying Guide 2013

The Holidays will soon be here!

I will be posting a holiday buyers guide for 2013 for some interesting tech products. Information about tablets both small and large, MP3 players, TV streaming devices and console gaming systems. I will list current prices and tech specs to help you decide what you might want to get that special loved one for Christmas.

If there are any things you would like me to cover or review, please let me know!