mobile
Comcast Turning Homes Into Public WiFi Hotspots
Comcast customers can already connect to free WiFi on their laptops and phones in hundreds of thousands of locations across the country. Now Comcast is expanding its free WiFi network by turning home routers into public hotspots.
It’s a rare case of a large company doing something good for its customers that it’s not required to do – no immediately obvious evil motive, nothing that justifies cynicism. […] continued
Read moreSpotify Is The Best Way To Listen To Music
Technology is causing another shift in the way we listen to music. There’s no right or wrong answer but Spotify has some advantages over many of the other choices.
BackgroundA quick recap of how we’ve listened to music over the years.
• Baby boomers started with vinyl LPs. Cassettes were the mobile alternative in the 70s. […] continued
Read moreThe Tablet Takeover
The world is changing. Here’s an anecdote to help you understand just how fast it’s happening.
My wife was at a conference last week attended by a hundred medical and legal professionals. Each person had a device for viewing the speaker slides and taking notes.
Three of them, including my wife, had laptop computers. […] continued
Read moreOur Changing Tech World
Think you’re keeping up with the tech industry? Here are two recent reports that took me by surprise.
Android is crushing everything in its path. In the first quarter of 2013, Android smartphones had a 75% market share. Apple’s iOS came in at a distant second place, with 17% market share. […] continued
Read moreUnderstanding Skydrive, Part 2: The Basics
Previously:
The Difference Between A Microsoft Account And An Office 365 Account
Understanding Skydrive, Part 1: Skydrive vs. Skydrive Pro
Skydrive lets you store files online and access them from anywhere, including PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. There are some good reasons to begin using it as the primary location for saving all of your files and pictures. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Now: Android’s Ambitious App Pulls You Into The Google Ecosystem
If you have a new Android phone running the latest version of Android (“Jelly Bean,” Android versions 4.1 or 4.2), you can turn on Google Now, one of the most interesting and forward-looking smartphone apps available on any platform.
I don’t have a Jelly Bean phone, so I’m relying on news reports, blogs, and comments by knowledgeable tech journalists. […] continued
Read moreVerizon Brings 4G LTE Coverage To Santa Rosa
An email arrived tonight from Verizon announcing that 4G LTE service has officially arrived in Santa Rosa and nearby areas in Sonoma County. Verizon actually turned on LTE up here about a month ago; I noticed the LTE indicator lighting up on my Verizon devices and loyal correspondents left comments about it on my earlier article about 4G. […] continued
Read moreWindows 8: The View From 36,000 Feet
Windows 8 is a term that will be used to refer to several different things. It is the next operating system for Windows computers, but you’ll also see the name used loosely to describe a tablet operating system, a phone operating system, the environment for apps that run on those different platforms, and the design aesthetic that Microsoft is using for the operating systems, for apps, and for its online services. […] continued
Read moreWindows 8: The Shift To Mobile Devices
In order to understand why Microsoft has created Windows 8, you have to look at the long-term, fundamental change in the way the world uses technology.
We are in the middle of a massive structural shift from computers to phones and tablets. Mobile devices, not desktop computers, are the future of general-purpose computing. […] continued
Read moreBatteries Are Improving (Really!)
Good news! Batteries are improving rapidly. It might be hard to believe on the days when the low battery alert flashes too soon but the improvements are quite real and there is reason to hope that things will keep getting better.
Our lives are ruled by batteries. The collection of rechargers in the suitcase is more important than anything else you pack for a trip. […] continued
Read moreSixty Days Of Technology
Get some popcorn, keep a grip on your wallet, and settle down. The action is about to begin.
There are big changes coming up in the world of mobile devices, and the thrilling conclusion will affect your computers as well when Microsoft officially releases Windows 8.
Here’s a look at what lies ahead. […] continued
Read moreShare Plans And Mobile Broadband Devices
Verizon and AT&T are both offering new share plans that allow all of the family devices to share unlimited calls, unlimited texting, and a pool of data that can be used by up to 10 devices – smartphones, tablets, and PCs. If you already have a number of devices with individual data plans, one of the share plans might save you some money, and it makes it tempting to get more broadband devices in the future. […] continued
Read moreGetting Through A Transitional Year
Let’s gather up all the things that are on the verge of changes large and small. It covers just about every category.
The common thread is that not one of them is ready now.
Everything is in play. Anything that you buy now will seem like a poor decision in hindsight within a short time. […] continued
Read moreSyncing Contacts And Appointments With Smartphones
Syncing your data among your computers and mobile devices is going to be the source of much frustration and gnashing of teeth over the next couple of years. You’re going to want to set things up very carefully to avoid nasty side effects.
Your digital life is getting more complicated. iPhones and iPads and Android phones want to be helpful by syncing everything in all directions. […] continued
Read moreThe Latest Toys
New toys are coming on the market, just as promised. As you look at them, keep in mind that this is only the beginning. This is a transition year that will be filled with new products, each one looking better/cheaper/shinier than the one before it.
ULTRABOOKS
By summer the shelves will be full of 13” ultra-thin, ultra-lightweight notebook computers. […] continued
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