Net Neutrality & SESTA: The Big Will Grow Bigger
Previously: Tech Giants And World Domination
The repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules by the Federal Communications Commission will take effect on April 23.
This week the Senate approved SESTA – a new law that purports to crack down on sex trafficking – after the House approved it last month. […] continued
Read moreTech Giants And World Domination
Five companies – Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft – dominate everything that happens in technology. They arguably wield more power than many governments and they have an outsized influence on the global economy.
These dominant platforms have created barriers for competitors. We haven’t had a major new technology company emerge in more than ten years. […] continued
Read moreAround The World In 80 Taps: Google Pay, Apple Pay, And Contactless Payments
I never used a credit card in Australia. I bought coffee and sandwiches and souvenirs and dinners and clothing, but I never pulled out my wallet. I never used cash, either.
I tapped.
You should tap.
Australian merchants accept mobile payments with Google Pay or Apple Pay for almost every transaction. […] continued
Read moreVisiting The Land Down Under, Returning To The Upside Down World
We’re safely back from a trip to Australia – walking on the beach on the Bay of Fires in Tasmania, shopping at Salamanca Market in Hobart, exploring lanes and arcades and alleys in Melbourne, and getting lost after a wrong turn in a rental car, all the more disorienting because other drivers are rather insistent that cars belong on the left side of the road. […] continued
Read moreBruce Goes To Australia; Bruceb News On Hiatus; Angry Clients Demand Reforms
SEBASTOPOL – Bruce Berls announced plans today to travel to Australia from February 22 through March 11, 2018. The trip, previously a closely-held secret, will disrupt publication of Bruceb News and has caused an outcry from clients whose businesses depend on smooth delivery of IT services.
When contacted, Mr. Berls issued the following statement. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Blocks Ads In Chrome, Kind Of
Google has updated Chrome so it will block ads on some websites if the ads violate standards established by the Coalition For Better Ads. Google and Facebook are members of the Coalition. Google and Facebook are also the two companies that profit the most from web advertising, controlling almost 75% of all digital advertising in the United States. […] continued
Read moreLooking Forward: Google Home, Amazon Echo & Home Assistants
The battle between Amazon and Google in the market for home assistants will be the source of the most interesting technology advances in 2018.
You probably know the basics. Perhaps you have an Amazon Echo or Google Home in your kitchen already. You may not be aware, though, of how broad the vision is for these devices and how far Amazon and Google are prepared to take them. […] continued
Read moreStore Files Online, View Them On Your Computer With Dropbox Smart Sync
Dropbox Smart Sync is a new feature that allows you to store files online and browse through them with Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder. The files are not synced. They are only online, not on your local hard drive.
This is an important change in technology for small businesses and individuals with a large number of files. […] continued
Read moreRules For Computer And Online Safety 2018
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2018. You can download a copy here.
You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs, and before you fill in passwords. Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. […] continued
Read moreOffice 365 Tip: How To Turn Off Focused Inbox And Turn On Clutter
I don’t like Focused Inbox. I want my Clutter back.
Focused Inbox is Microsoft’s new method of filtering mail for Office 365 business accounts. Here’s more info about Focused Inbox.
The short version:
• Clutter and Focused Inbox are both ways to separate important messages from messages that are less likely to be important to you – newsletters, notifications, marketing and ads. […] continued
Read moreLogMeIn Hopes You Won’t Notice That Its Price Is Absurdly High
In 2013 LogMeIn was free for individuals.
In 2018 the exact same service from LogMeIn costs $349.99/year.
That is so outlandish, so absurd, that it seems like it must be a joke.
No joke.
LogMeIn is a publicly traded company that offers a number of services for collaboration, IT support, and remote access to computers. […] continued
Read moreConnecting The Always Connected PCs
Previously: Looking Forward: Always Connected Computers
If you were paying attention during the previous lecture, you know that Microsoft is working with Qualcomm on “Always Connected PCs.” HP, Lenovo, Asus and other manufacturers will soon be selling laptops that are always on and always connected and offer long battery life. […] continued
Read moreLooking Forward: Always Connected Computers
Stretch your imagination.
Imagine that you pull your laptop out and pop the lid open and start using it right away. There’s no delay, no swirling circle – it’s just on, bang, every time. You put your finger on the fingerprint reader and you’re logged in immediately.
Now imagine that the computer is always online with a working internet connection. […] continued
Read moreLooking Forward: Increasing Your Core Strength
Nothing will stand still in 2018. You’ll be bombarded with new technology and more jargon. As always, some of the changes will be useful advances that will make your life better, and some of them will . . . not.
We’re going to start the year with a look at some familiar technology that will be changing in unexpected ways in 2018. […] continued
Read moreMeltdown & Spectre: What You Need To Know About Intel’s Security Disaster
Nearly every modern processor has security flaws that potentially could allow hackers to steal data from any computer or server. The two related problems, code-named Meltdown and Spectre, have the technology industry in a tizzy and spilled over to the mainsteam press a few days ago. They are difficult to fix and alarming to read about. […] continued
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