Let's Talk Tech
Protect your data people!
Like their military grade offerings, this Kingston DataTraveler uses hardware encryption to lock down your data, or nuke the drive if it falls into the wrong hands. Unlike their military grade drives, this one wont break the bank…
Continue reading “Review: Kingston’s Encrypted USB3 Flash Drive – DataTraveler Locker+ G3”
This is a giant leap for EV’s!
Handily answering concerns about range and charge time, two Model S Tesla sedans have completed a cross country road trip starting in LA and arriving in New York a little more than three days later.
Tesla’s Supercharger stations quickly recharge or swap batteries on the Model S, making electric vehicles a more attractive solution for people who drive long distances. More Supercharger stations need to be built for the system to appeal across the country, but this is fantastic progress considering how non-existent the infrastructure for EV’s was even just a couple years ago.
Now hopefully I’ll NEVER have to field that inane question from people here in LA “B-b-b-but what if I suddenly and unexpectedly want to road trip to Vegas like I never do?”
Interview below.
Our political process is still struggling with technology’s rapid march, but a few Democrats are at least trying to repair the damage dealt to the Open Internet Oder by an Appeals court last month.
The saga so far: The FCC backs the OIO which would’ve put in place the authority to manage data networks almost like they do phone networks. It would’ve been a huge win for Net Neutrality advocates. Verizon sued them, claiming this would’ve infringed their First Amendment rights and that the FCC lacked the authority to handle broadband this way. The Appeals court sided with Verizon, stating that data networks are not “Common Carriers”, so the FCC can not regulate them. The court however left intact one element of the OIO in that if Verizon decides to unfairly degrade a competitor’s service or charge a competitor more for the same service, they at least have to disclose they are doing it.
Introduced by House Rep Henry Waxman, the Open Internet Preservation Act would restore the FCC’s ability to enforce regulation. Basically it’s a bill designed to puzzle piece back in the sections which the Appeals court cut out. It’s completely not surprising that Waxman is backing this bill, as he has a pretty solid record on consumer protection legislation. I used to live in his district here in California, and his staff is incredible at fielding concerns from his constituents.
While this bill is a very nice gesture, we’re just not seeing a lot of movement in the House at them moment, and it seems highly unlikely that enough Republicans will cross the aisle to support legislation granting more regulatory authority to a government commission. We also have to ask if we should start having conversations about declaring broadband networks common carriers to avoid future legal showdowns.
House Bill: The Open Internet Preservation Act
(Capitol Building pic Courtesy of Martin Falbisoner via Wiki)
I’m really liking this new crop of outdoor and ruggedized gear.
I enjoyed Outdoor Tech’s ADAPT bluetooth headphone adapter, and they were kind enough to send out a Turtle Shell 2.0 to run through our audio test.
I know I act like a little kid, but whenever something is water resistant in the slightest, it’s ten times more fun to review…
Continue reading “Review: Outdoor Tech Turtle Shell 2.0 – Water Resistant Bluetooth Speaker”
It’s official! The rumors and speculation can finally end. Satya Nadella has been named the third CEO of Microsoft as Ballmer exits.
46 year old Nadella was born in Hyderabad, India, and has been with Microsoft for 22 years. He comes from Microsoft’s Servers and Tools Business, where he pushed cloud initiatives, supporting many other divisions within Microsoft including XBox, Bing, Office, and more. He’s an interesting pick, as his background would suggest Microsoft is focusing on bringing more cloud integration to consumer products. I personally hope to see more unification between various products, and cloud data is going to be key in delivering on a “One OS Per Person” strategy.
A New Chairman of the Board…
Bill Gates is also stepping down from his position of Chairman, and will be moving to a new position on the board. He’ll be “Founder and Technology Advisor”, and will be working directly with Nadella in shaping future Microsoft strategies.
John W. Thompson of Virtual Instruments (former CEO of Symantec, and former General Manager of IBM Americas) will move into the Chairman position on Microsoft’s Board of Directors. This appointment further reinforces their focus on cloud computing.
Following news of the announcement, trading has been quietly positive. At the time of this post, MSFT was up almost two tenths on the NASDAQ.
Microsoft has put together a wonderful Welcome Page for Nadella’s announcement with interviews and video, and you can read the full press release below.
Continue reading “Microsoft names Satya Nadella CEO, Gates steps down as Chairman”
Chromecast is one of the most cost effective ways to start streaming to your TV, and its ingenious use of apps and services on your phone or tablet makes for a terrifically easy learning curve. If there’s been a complaint, it’s been in the selection of services compatible with Chromecast. Picks have been slim.
That should change very soon! Google has finally seen fit to release a proper SDK, so now app developers will be able to build Chromecast functionality into their offerings. The possibilities are endless. Video and audio players are a given, but what about cloud storage? Gaming? Chromecast might enable a whole new relationship between your phone and TV! And it’s cheap!
Hit the Chrome blog for more info, or grab the SDK now if you feel like tinkering.
Related:
Chromecast Supports 10 New Apps!
Chromecast Unboxing, Setup, Review, and Viewer Questions!
Buy Chromecast!
The keyboard on the Windows Phone 8 is pretty awesome and really easy to use especially if you know some of the tips and tricks that can make your keyboard much faster. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a newbie these tips and tricks are quite helpful. Let’s dig in!
1.      Word Flow
What is Word flow you might be asking yourself? Word Flow helps predict text as you are typing. If you have a word that you frequently use but it is not in your Windows Phone 8 Word Flow then here is a simple tip in order to add it. Type your word then click to select it. A plus sign will appear so go ahead and tap it to add it to Word Flow.
2.      Emoticons Continue reading “Tips and Tricks: Windows Phone 8 Keyboard”
I carry an original ChargeCard with me everywhere I go. Keep it in my wallet, and I always have a USB cable handy to charge my phone or sync data.
It’s come in handy for those times I’m out with friends at night, and someone’s phone is about to die. People don’t often want to bother with keeping cables in pockets or purses, and there are situations where even having a car charger wont help.
Nomad has refreshed the design of the ChargeCard, and they’re introducing a new, even smaller solution with ChargeKey. Let’s take a look!
My original review of ChargeCard 1.0.Â
More info:Â http://www.hellonomad.com/
