Piracy-beating VPN clamp down by Netflix is pointless
Netflix is one of the many websites that can only be accessed in certain parts of the world or has region specific versions. Of course, where there's a will there's a way, and there are numerous tools that can be used to bypass any restrictions that may have been put in place.
Whether using a VPN or a proxy, it's relatively simple to access Netflix from anywhere in the world. Netflix -- or rather the studios whose shows are being "pirated" (if that's the right way of looking at it) -- has had enough. It is fighting back, blocking access to some people who use circumvention measures.
Ignore Qualcomm's excitement, the Internet of Things hasn’t arrived in homes
The future is here! We are actually living in the future. The futuristic sci-fi imaginings of the 1960's are not only a reality, they have been bettered, exceeded and trumped. At least that's what we're led to believe. The reality is rather different.
A lot of excitement has been pinned on the Internet of Things -- little more than connected, communicating devices -- but Qualcomm is taking things even further. In a video released ahead of CES 2015, the chipmaker waxes lyrical about not the Internet of Things we're supposed to know and love, but the Internet of Everything. And it's here. Apparently.
THIS is what it takes to protect your iPhone from breaking
Do you remember the old Nokia bricks—even the Finnish manufacturer's early smartphones? They were tanks. They were the Arnold Schwarzeneggers of mobiles—handsome and rugged. Then along came iPhone, and beauty bested brawn. Eight years after Apple cofounder Steve Jobs showed off the first prototype during January Macworld, design ethics applied to the original curse millions of iPhone owners today. The mobile is too destructible.
In July 2014, I wrote about my 20 year-old daughter's breakage streak: Three shattered iPhone 5s screens in about three months. The photo you see, taken on Christmas Day, is what her newest replacement looks like today. What's wrong with this picture? Need I even ask? The mobile's delicate design features are lost in protective gear that shouldn't be necessary. iPhone is flawed by design.
Alcatel Pixi 3 comes with a choice of three OSes -- and Android will still win
When it comes time to buy your next smartphone, will you be swayed by hardware or operating system? Forget iOS for a moment; put Apple's mobile OS out of your mind for right now. Hardware to a large extent determines price, and an upcoming range of budget phones from Alcatel offers an interesting choice.
The Pixi 3 -- that rainbow-colored delight you see above assaulting your eyeballs -- comes with a choice of four screen sizes, and three OS choices. The smallest measures just 3.5 inches, but 4, 4.5 and 5 inch models are also available. But the interesting thing is that each is available with a choice of Android, Windows Phone or, erm, Firefox OS installed.
Acer announces Aspire V 17 Nitro notebook with Intel RealSense 3D camera
Acer, with its Aspire line of laptops, has become one of the top hardware makers. Now, as CES 2015 fast approaches, the company is descending on Las Vegas with a stellar lineup of new products, some of them quite intriguing. That's the case with its new notebook announcement.
The latest model, an Aspire V 17 Nitro notebook, packs in a 3D camera -- the Intel RealSense, which senses motion. This allows it to understand and respond to movements. Acer claims this will enable more interaction with games, applications and even web pages. All of this without the need to touch the keyboard.
Acer's H7550ST Projector brings Google's Chromecast to the enterprise and classroom
When Google released the $35 Chromecast, it became wildly popular. While it was initially a very limited device, the low price made it attractive anyway. Many early adopters saw the potential of the dongle; if developers embraced it, it could be an insane value. Well, that is exactly what happened, as it now has a plethora of uses in the home.
While home-use is all well and good, why can't the technology also work in the enterprise? If you have ever worked in a corporate setting, connecting a projector to a computer or device is a challenging affair for many. People get confused by the cables, which port to use and ultimately, how to make Windows transmit to the projector. Acer has announced the H7550ST Projector, with the worlds-first internal Chromecast compatibility!
Acer announces world's-first 15.6 inch Chromebook, adds touch to 13 inch model
Chromebooks are limited machines, but they have their place. Quite frankly, I use one almost daily for writing in my car. They are lightweight, and for the most part, inexpensive, so I do not worry too much if it gets dinged up or lost. My biggest complaint about these computers, however, is that many manufacturers seem to think Chromebooks are only about being low cost, and that is simply not the case. You see, some people like laptops with Chrome OS not for their price, but for their simplicity and ease of use. Those people may want a mid-range Chromebook and not some chintzy turd.
Acer has been a big proponent of the Chromebook movement and their offerings have been a good mix of quality and value. Today, the manufacturer announces the worlds-first 15.6 inch Chromebook. While that is exciting on its own, there is even more news -- it can have an optional Broadwell processor!
Acer Revo One RL85 -- An impossibly small PC with an Apple-esque design
Late last year, my desktop PC died. It was tragic for me, as I loved it very much. I was pretty much its father, as I built it piece by piece. Somehow most of the components fried, including the motherboard, graphics card, etc., so I salvaged some working parts and trashed the rest. Luckily, my Surface Pro 3 saved the day. What was my mobile PC, became a great desktop when connected to the official docking station. It is a great solution.
With that said, I still like having a more traditional PC on hand for tinkering purposes, such as adding SATA hard drives and such. I've had my eye on the Intel NUC PCs for a while, but they are in desperate need for a refresh (I expect that to happen soon, though). Today however, Acer announces a computer that makes my heart aflutter -- the Revo One. Not only is it compact like a NUC, but the design is futuristic and cute as hell. The second I saw it, I knew I had to have one, and I bet you will feel the same. Sadly, you and I probably can't have it. Sigh...
E FUN offers up three super cheap Surface Pro wannabes ahead of CES 2015
It had a bit of a rocky start, but Microsoft's Surface devices have ended up more popular than more people would have imagined. But if there's one complaint that crops up time and time again, it's that the tablet cum laptop is a little on the expensive side -- a Surface Pro 3 could set you back up to $1,949.00 (512GB / Intel Core i7 model).
If you feel priced out of the market, E FUN (nope, us neither) has a trio of cheap alternatives that might suit your pocket. Ranging from $229 to $279, the Nextbook devices include a removable magnetic keyboard and boast touchscreens, and details have been announced ahead of CES 2015.
US sanctions North Korea for its role in Sony hack
Barack Obama today signed an Executive Order imposing sanctions against North Korea following the well-publicized hack of Sony Pictures. The move comes after the "recent cyber-attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment and the threats against movie theaters and moviegoers" which the US has pinned on North Korea following FBI investigations.
Although not directly named, the announcement of the sanctions makes clear reference to the movie The Interview which was pulled from theaters following a series of threats. The Executive Order is described as a reaction to attempt to "undermine U.S. cyber-security and intimidate U.S. businesses and artists exercising their right of freedom of speech".
Windows 8.1 vulnerability discovered by Google security researcher
When you are the top anything in this world it not only brings fame or notoriety, but it also provides a target. In the case of Microsoft's Windows, it has become the bullseye that bad guys aim for. Sometimes it's the bad guys who get there first, sometimes it's the security researchers who report the issues. In the latest case, it was thankfully the good guys.
The problem with this flaw is that it would allow a bad guy to bypass authentication on a system by using a generated token. Worse, while the flaw isn't part of User Account Control, the proof of concept released does use this part of Windows.
Meet the VERSABALL Beer Pong Robot -- are human players now obsolete?
I don't drink alcohol now, but I did many years ago in high school and college. For whatever reason, both young and older adults like to enhance their drinking with games. Quite frankly, drinking can be dangerous, and lead to foolish decisions, so making it into a competitive sport is probably not a great idea, regardless of how fun it is.
Beer pong is probably the most popular drinking-based game, and I can understand the allure. Your goal is to throw ping pong balls into cups of beer, in an attempt to get drunk. Believe it or not, there are even professional players that earn real money at tournaments. Today, the entire beer pong community has been rocked; this year at CES a robot called VERSABALL will be challenging humans in the game. Are human competitors in danger?
That iPhone 6 storage lawsuit is so bogus I just laugh
Oh the irony! I got up yesterday morning planning to write a version of the post you read now, choosing instead to look back at readers' life-changing tech. The trigger: Motorola starting the New Year with a 64GB Moto X model and my previous day's personal tech devices wrap-up, which got me to thinking abut smartphone differentiation. Processing power, graphics chips, and the like are passé. Who really cares but a minority of gadget geeks? But storage matters to everyone, and Apple gets it—as iPhone 6 and 6 Plus capacities demonstrate.
My feeds are full of reports this morning about a lawsuit filed against Apple alleging that iOS 8 consumes too much storage and, as such, the company misrepresents the amount available. I would have looked so smart writing yesterday about how much Apple gives that competitors don't. That's okay, now my analysis has a news hook. The point, for people reading no more than two paragraphs of any story: iPhone 6 capacities outclass competitors, and the problem of operating systems consuming much of available storage isn't new or exclusive to the fruit-logo company. Just look to Google and Microsoft, for example.
Cloud computing in 2015
It’s been a fascinating 2014 for the cloud. Some very niche technologies are hitting the mainstream, while the debate over data protection and governance clearly isn’t going away any time soon.
So, we predict the cloud will rise high in 2015 -- but how (and where) it is tethered to the ground will matter more than ever:
Sony offers compensation for PlayStation Network DDoS attacks
You don’t have to be a gamer to be aware that Microsoft and Sony's gaming networks were hit by DDoS attacks over Christmas. Hacking group Lizard Squad found itself on the receiving end of threats from Anonymous after disrupting gamers' holiday fun, and PlayStation owners found themselves unable to enjoy online games.
To thank its users for putting up with the outage, Sony is offering compensation to PlayStation Network users. As well as extending PlayStation Plus memberships by five days to make up for holiday disruption, the company is also offering all PlayStation Network users a discount code for the PlayStation Store.
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