Thinking about buying a Chromebook?

Chromebooks are cool, they're light weight...and they're fast....much faster than their Windows counterparts.

Chromebooks boot up in 10 seconds or less. 

This is in comparison of a Windows 10 machine. A clean Windows 10 with minimum startup processes, have an average boot time between 45 seconds to 1:30. Of course this boot time for Windows depends on the type of processor and amount of RAM involved.

You're probably saying "Wow!...a 10 second boot up time! I'm replacing my laptop with a Chromebook!"

WHOAA partner....not so fast. 

The speed of a Chromebook comes with a price....and I'm not talking money (they're actually very inexpensive). Chromebooks are a different breed altogether.

Traditional operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX require a large portion of the computers hard drive in order to run. The Chrome OS is built on the Linux kernel*, however everything is done on the Chrome browser. It's a web app driven OS.

Remember when I said Chromebooks are lightweight? 
Because everything is done online (in the "cloud"), Chromebooks don't have a ton of storage.
Most have 16GB of SSD Hard Drive space with 2-4GB of RAM to play with.

That's not much compared to full fledged Windows laptops that usually boast 900GB hard drives and 4-8GB of ram. However storage on a Chromebook can always be expanded when adding an external Hard Drive or USB drive.
Concerning processors most Chromebooks have Celeron chips, which is Intels' budget

Anything you can do online, you can do with a Chromebook.
Checking your email....your bank
account....Facebook....Twitter....Youtube.....Yahoo.....checking up on the news or your stock portfolio. Working online and offline with word documents, spreadsheets and presentations are done with Google docs as well.

Chromebooks are optimized for Googles Web Store where there are plenty of browser extensions, web apps, and games.

Web Store for Chrome OS

You'll be able to play classic games like "Cut The Rope" and "Bejeweled", but because of the light graphics processor, you won't be playing any major game hits that are on Window PCs. Google is currently updating the Chrome OS so Android games on the Play Store will be accessible on Chromebooks.

The battery lifetime is where Chromebooks are king. Chromebooks average 10hrs of use on a fully charged system compared to a Windows PC which average 6-7hrs.

So if you're deciding on buying a Chromebook, the big question should be "What will you be using it for". Chromebooks are incredibly affordable and fast, and they come in a variety of sizes and spec, but they are limited in graphics processing power and onboard storage space. If you're looking at a second laptop just to get onlne, and you like Googles services, a Chromebook will work great for you.

*In fact, back in 2009, Canonical, Ubuntus parent company, worked very closly with Google in creating Chrome OS.

Tech News: Windows 10 Technical Preview is here!

Windows 10 has arrived! Well at least in the form of a beta test called "Windows Technical Preview"

So alot of people are wondering what happened to Windows 9?
Initially there was a theory that Microsft avoiding the "9" title due to possible issues with the programming language relating to previous Windows  95 or 98. Again...that was just a theory.

The official word from the Redmond software giant is that "Windows 10 is not going to be an incremental step from Window 8.1," he explained. "Windows 10 is going to be a material step. We're trying to create one platform, one eco-system that unites as many of the devices from the small embedded Internet of Things, through tablets, through phones, through PCs and, ultimately, into the Xbox." according to Tony Prophet, Microsoft's corporate vice president.
So MS is trying to distance itself from the unpopular Windows 8.

Downloading Windows Technical Preview
You can download the preview here, However a word of caution. Once you install the operating system, you cannot go back to Windows 8 without re installing.
That being said it's highly recommended to install this on a secondary computer which you don't have any valuable files you don't want to lose.

But the most obvious bit of advice here, of course, is: Back up first, and create a recovery disk. In Windows 7, you will use Windows Backup for both. In Windows 8.x, you may need a third party utility, though that Windows 7 backup is there too. (Search for File History and then click "System Image Backup" in the lower-left corner of the File History control panel.) Search for "recovery drive" to create a recovery drive.

Getting Started
To install the Windows Technical Preview, you need to join the Windows Insider Program. So head on over to the Windows Insider Program web site and click the Get Started button.

You will find you have two choices of ISO files - a 32bit or a 64bit version.

If you're not sure which one to get, you can see which version you're currently using by right clicking 'My Computer' and clicking Properties. this will display your version of Windows. It will say "64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor" for 64-bit and "32-bit Operating System" otherwise. You will need the same type of OS version, especially if you're upgrading.

The ISO files are large, 3-4GBs. There's a few ways to install this on your system. Either by DVD, a USB drive or via a 'Virtual Machine' such as sandbox.

If you decide on the DVD or USB route copy it onto a USB or DVD.
When you're ready to install Windows Tech Preview, insert the USB drive or DVD with the ISO file on it and then run Setup.exe from the root folder on the drive.

The Installation

Win Tech Preview Licencing Agreement

The install typically takes 45minutes to 1 hour. Follow thru with the steps and accept the licencing agreement as well.

Win Tech Preview Ready screen

After Setup examines your system, you have one big choice to make. This screen assumes you wish to perform an in-place upgrade in which your current OS is upgraded to Windows Technical Preview, retaining all of your desktop applications and apps, and their settings, your OS settings and customization's, and your data.

Win Tech Preview Choices screen

If that is not what you want, click "Change what to keep." Then, in this screen, you will see the following options:

Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps. The default, and what is called an in-place upgrade.

Keep personal files only. A migration, in which Setup backs up your documents and other data, clean installs Windows, and then returns your documents and other data to their original locations.

Nothing. A clean install, in which Setup erases your existing Windows install along with all of your settings, applications and data, and then installs a factory-fresh version of the Windows Technical Preview.

Your system will restart a few times and you will be prompted to choose between Express or Customer settings. I would recommend Express settings as they are configured for the basic Windows configuration. The next screen you will need to log into using your Microsoft/MSN/Hotmail account. Afterwards the screen will flash a few colors and the desktop will appear with the Start Menu and all it's glory

The Start Menu is obviously larger, and it’s more personal, more organized, and more fun than before. The Start Screen which was introduced with Windows 8, remains as well, and it's easy to switch between them. Your choice.

To get to the Start menu, click the Start button Windows Start button (or press the Start key on your keyboard). Then arrange it however you’d like. Pin folders, contacts, and go-to apps. Move and resize tiles or even resize the Start menu itself.

How to: Whats the best software to remove adware, spyware and malware?

So you're surfing the internet, but you constantly are getting these annoying pop-ups to buy the latest free antivirus. You simply close the pop-up and continue on.
Or your computer seems t be running slow even after you cleaned out the trash folder and the hard drive appears to be very busy accessing files.

Or you're on Youtube and you get a pop-up which informs you that your Java needs to be updated. You try to close the pop-up but are unable to. You actually have close and restart your browser!

Three different scenarios typically caused by three separate malicious programs. To remove the unwanted programs, lets go over what each program actually does.

Adware is any software that, once installed on your computer, tracks your internet browsing habits and sends you popups containing advertisements related to the sites and topics you've visited. While this type of software may sound innocent, and even helpful, it consumes and slows down your computer's processor and internet connection speed. 

Spyware - Once installed on a system they run in background and keep on collecting user’s personal data. These data can include your credit card numbers, passwords, important files and many other personal stuff. CoolWebSearch is an example of spyware and is noted by Webroot as the most dangerous programs involving spyware.

Malware is short for malicious software. Malware is a pretty broad term that encompasses computer viruses, worms, 'Trojan horses', and others. Malware is designed to interfere with normal computer operation, usually giving hackers a chance to gain access to your computer. The Mydoom virus of 2004 was noted as the fastest attack of malware ever seen creating havoc across over 1 million computers around the world..

Windows Defender used to be a recommended program for removing adware and spyware. If you're running a Windows machine running Vista or later it comes pre installed. However it's lost out to other third party vendors as it does not offer the strong protection and is not as thorough as it used to be. So which security suite is recommended?

Top brands for antivirus / antispyware are Trend Mico, AVG, Symantec Norton, Panda or Mcafee.

Others not so well known are Bitdefender, Avira, Kapersky Lab and F-Secure.

Definition File
Any antivirus/antispyware depend on whats called a 'definition' file. This file essentially contains a list of virus signatures which have been caught on the internet. 

This list is then used by the software. Its important that the definition file is updated on daily basis. Most antivirus / antispyware software have this done automatically.

Whats the best one?
Two major independent firms test antivirus / antispyware to see where they stand against attacks and threats and how well they protect your system. AV Comparatives is one of the companies which puts each program through a battery of tests.

AV-test.org stress-tested these suites between September 2013 and February 2014. Here’s the virus detection rate of all of the suites. Larger numbers are better

Out of the 9 Antivirus/Antispyware programs Bitdefender, Kaspersky and Trend Micro all ranked the highest in protecting your system. Most of these companies release free or trial versions of their antivirus / antispyware programs. 

It's no guarantee that any of the programs that have performed well n the past will continue to do so, but one thing is sure......that viruses and spyware will continue to infiltrate the internet and attack computers worldwide, so it's best to have your computer protected and secure.

Tech News: Google announces Android 5.0 Lollipop

Googles latest version of the Android OS called Lollipop (Gotta love the naming scheme!) is being released officially on November 3rd.

Google has sent a message to app developers to start making their apps compatible with Android 5.0. Of course devices won't immediately have access to the OS as the rollout will depend on the manufacture of your device and your carrier. It's reported that Nexus series of devices will be shipped to retailers with Lollipop.

New features of Lollipop include new lock screen that comes with notifications that won’t force you to open up an app to take action on them. 

So for instance, you will be able to delete email messages from your device’s lock screen or from your notifications center now without having to actually open up Gmail to trash them.

Lollipop also includes whats called 'Material Design' which involves improved graphics, a cleaner design with the use of 'cards', responsive animations and transitions, padding, and depth effects such as lighting and shadows.

TechCruch posted a preview of a Nexus 6 with Lollipop.

Also added to Lollipop is Android TV support, 64bit chip support, Multiple Users across devices (including a Guest User), increased security and longer battery lifetime.

For more information check out Googles Official Lollipop page.

How to: Windows Administrative Tools for Power Users

When I had first installed Windows 8, I found that one of the most frustrating things was the lack of easy access to anything that was power-user-administrative-like.
After installing Windows 8, I found myself clicking the mouse 4-6 times to access these tools.
Granted, you have the Search in the Charm Bar, but that still was not as fast or easy as it should be.
Then I discovered the Number 1 most powerful Windows 8 shortcut for the Power User.
It's Windows Key+X.

Here you can access easily System Information, Device Manager, Power Options and even the Task Manager!

WINDOWS KEY HOTKEYS ARE YOUR LIFE
Here are some helpful Hotkeys to make your day a little more smoother.
Using a few of these will save you seconds many times a day and that adds up.
Try to avoid clicking away at the mouse to get from one program to another. Use Alt-Tab instead.
Win+E - Explorer
Win+R - Run
Win+Break - System Info
Win+D - Desktop
Win+Plus or Win+Minus (no shift) - Magnifier/Zoom In and Out
Win+F - Find Files
Alt-Tab - Switch between Apps
Win-Tab - Switch between Full Screen Apps

More helpful Hotkeys
Win+W - Search Control Panel and Settings stuff
Win+F - Search Files
Win+C - Charms (right side menu) then arrows to move and enter to launch.
Win+K - Devices
Win+I - Settings in any app plus brightness, network and other useful system features
Win+Arrows - Snap desktop apps to the sides
Win+(period) - Alternate sides to "snap" Metro Apps. Add shift to reverse it..
Win+PageUp or Win+PageDn - Move full screen applications to secondary monitors.
The Start Screen can be moved as well.

The quick lowdown on Android TV boxes or "Whats an Android TV Box?"

So your sitting in front of your 47" LCD tv screen and got 500 channels available, yet nothing really to watch right? Well....lets just go browse the internet with your TV. Whats that? Your TV isn't internet ready? You have to go on your phone or laptop to browse Hulu or Netflix? Well....we can fix that with a small little device called an Android TV box.

Whats an Android TV box?
Simply put it's a box which makes your 19", 32" or even your 40" LCD TV into a huge android tablet, capable of accessing internet sites, playing movies off of Hulu or Netflix, or even playing your videos from Youtube. There's not real hard definition of what an Android box contains concerning the hardware components, however most boxes contain dual or quad core ARM processors and have 1-2GB of RAM and 6-8GB of storage memory and usually have 4.3 Jelly Bean or 4.4 Kit Kat as the operating system. Some don't even come in the form of a box but a USB stick with the minimum connections.

The connections:
Standard USB (some boxes have two), HDMI,
Ethernet, some boxes have expandable memory card slots.

Wifi, bluetooth, DLNA and Miracast (to play media from your android phone or tablet to the box) is available on most boxes.

Get ready to invest in a BT keyboard and mouse as many customers have issues navigating the on screen menus with the remotes which come with the devices.

As it is an Android device expect the standard apps and utilities that come with Android. Apps such as a browser, photo, email and Google Play come standard on most devices. XBMC which is a well organized media center may be installed as well.

The cost of these Android TV boxes can range anywhere from $50 for a low end dual core to $120 for a top of the line quad core with 8GB of RAM and XBMC pre installed.

XBMC Media organizer

My recommendation? Try a low end dual core Android box first which you can experiment with. If you have fun with it buy all means you can always upgrade and maybe sooner or later say goodbye to your cable TV bill!

Alot of events since the past year

My apologies for not up keeping this for a while. It seems life has been going on since the last few posts ;-)

Back when I temporarily discontinued this site back in October of 2013, Apple had surpassed Coca Cola as the most valuable brand.

Samsung had released a smart phone
http://reviews.cnet.com/samsung-galaxy-gear/

And Microsoft released the latest update of Windows, Windows 8.1

Now so much more has been going on in the technology sector.
This past month Apple not only released it's latest iOS of 8.0, but releases it's latest version of it's flagship device the iPhone 6 in two different versions.

In May of this year, Google toppled Apple as the most valuable brand according to Forbes Magazine. It's safe to say the innovation of Google Glass helped the company tremendously.

I'll be following up with more current events & helpful how-tos in the next coming week

Tech News: Apple releases iPhone 6 & 6 Plus

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were released on September 19, 2014. Both iPhone 6 versions serves as a successor to the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The iPhone 6 series includes a number of major changes which include a thinner design, faster processor, upgraded cameras and improved wireless connectivity. The iPhone 6 models was designed with a 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a larger 5.5-inch display.


The following specs relate to both iPhone 6 versions:

Phone Connectivity2G Network, 3G and 4G and LTE
SIM Card          Nano-SIM
Dimensions 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 in)
Weight 172 g (6.07 oz)
DISPLAY   LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size          1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.5 inches (~401 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
SOUND/Alert types Vibration, proprietary ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
MEMORY  No external card slot - Internal16/64/128 GB, 1 GB RAM
DATA GPRS Yes
Speed DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; EV-DO Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 150 Mbps DL, 50 Mbps UL
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth Yes v4.0
NFC          Yes (Apple Pay only)
USB          Yes v2.0
CAMERA Rear Facing - 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash, check quality
Video                 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, optical stabilization, check quality
Front Facing - 1.2 MP, 720p@30fps, face detection, HDR, FaceTime over                                     Wi-Fi or Cellular
OS iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 8.0.2
CPU Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based) Chipset - Apple A8
GPU PowerVR GX6450 (quad-core graphics)
Sensors   Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Messaging  iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email
Browser            HTML5 (Safari)

GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS

Apple reported the pre-orders of the iPhone 6 series exceeded 4 million within its first 24 hours of availability—an Apple record. More than 10 million iPhone 6 series devices were sold in the first three days another Apple record. However the device itself has not been without it's share of criticism especially concerning the issue of the iPhone 6 Plus case bending under pressure. The design flaw is now known in social media circles as "Bendgate". The issue was first noted by a Youtube author named "Unbox Therapy" The iPhone 6 does not seem to be affected with the issue. Apple has stated you may be able to get your iPhone 6 Plus replaced, but will need to be inspected by Apple to determine eligibility. 

Best Android Launcher

The Android user has an OS that's highly customizable, and it can be said that the app launcher is the defining app for the Android user experience.
If you’re still using your standard default screen you may feel the entire Android experience is lacking. Fortunately, there’s no lack of excellent launchers on the Market, including such crowd-pleasers as LauncherPro and Nova.Launcher and GO Launcher.
My personal favorite is Next Launcher 3D Shell which is developed by the GO Launcher Development Team.
Pictures of my phone with the launcher don't do the app justice so I linked a youtube video from the developers instead.

I've used SPB, Go Launcher HD Pad, and ADW on my Galaxy 10.1 and Blu Life View. Next Launcher offers a wider variety of screen transitions than the others. The screen grid, icon size, and transition speeds are all adjustable. The preference menu is simple to use but goes deep with options galore to choose from. Using NEXT Launcher 3D Shell will definitely boost the Android experience. Check it out at Google Play.