Archive for January, 2009
Internet Explorer 8
There is a broad consensus of opinion that Internet Explorer 7 is not as good an Internet browser as some other offerings. For example, I (and many others) prefer Firefox 3. But Microsoft has a new version of IE, Internet Explorer 8 (IE8). The new browser has just been released in almost finished form, [...]
What the Web knows about you
There may be a whole lot more information about you on the Web than you realize. At Computerworld, Robert Mitchell relates what he found when he undertook to see how much of his personal information could be obtained on the Web. The results are alarming. Mitchell begins his article:
She had me at hello … or [...]
The netbook- a good idea killed
When Asian PC manufacturers began selling small, inexpensive PCs that came to be called “netbooks”, the idea seemed to be to provide something akin to the Internet appliance that I have talked about so often. The very name “netbook” shows what the original purpose was. A basic device with Linux already installed and intended primarily [...]
Microsoft wants Obama to stop using his BlackBerry
In a fit of ridiculous jingoism, Microsoft has been urging US President Barack Obama to stop using his BlackBerry because it’s a Canadian product. The Wall Street Journal reports:
Microsoft, however, has questioned the wisdom of the president relying on a device whose maker is based in Canada. “You would be sending your data outside the [...]
Financial expert’s trouble with taxes
US Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner ran into trouble during his confirmation hearings because he had been negligent about paying certain taxes. One thing that came out was that he was using the tax preparation software TurboTax. CNET comments:
His mention of TurboTax as he tried to explain away back taxes during a confirmation hearing [...]
Advanced cell phone features baffle users
Bolstering my contention that a great many home PC users do not want complexity and piles of features in their PCs is a report on the consumer reaction to advanced cell phone features. Ars Technica reports:
It often seems as though phone calls are increasingly an afterthought when it comes to modern cell phones, and a [...]
Cellular computer within living cells
Here’s a different type of computer. Caltech scientists have created a kind of computer that exists within living cells. It can be called a “computer” because it can perform some simple logical operations involving certain specific molecules. The equivalents of AND, OR, NOR, NAND gates use snippets of engineered RNA assembled inside a yeast cell. [...]
Managing technological obsolescence
Nothing gets out of date so quickly as a piece of electronic hardware. I used to give talks on how to buy a computer and a standard line was that any PC you buy is underpowered and overpriced two weeks after you buy it. We all tend to end up with hardware that we no [...]
Used PCs sought for Windows XP license
Your old PC may have something that is becoming more valuable– a Windows XP license. According to PC World:
Some used PCs are being purchased not for the hardware but because people want to get their hands on a copy of Windows XP, according to industry analysts and hardware suppliers.
If you are thinking of just selling [...]
People-search
Need to find some long lost friend? Want somebody’s email address or phone number? There are many resources on the Internet for finding people and Lifehacker describes five chosen from a poll of its readers.
There are many alternatives and About.com has some suggestions.
What do you find is the best resource for people-search?
Problems with transition to all-digital TV signals
On February 17, all transmission of TV signals will have to be digital. Cable and satellite subscribers will not notice but those who rely on over-the-air signals will have to adjust. CNET has an article that says the transition may cause trouble:
Less than a month after the inauguration, millions of Americans who don’t subscribe to [...]