Category Archives: Tech

I’m quite frequently angry with Comcast Xfinity. I pay a small fortune for my measly 30 mbps Internet speeds and I’m lucky if I get that for longer than a second.

The idea of ubiquitous wifi appeals to me. I think it should be regulated, to a degree, by those who maintain it. But being able to always be online, eliminating ridiculous fees I pay each month to both Verizon and Comcast? Well, let’s just say I support the idea of free public wifi as a right (right to pursue happiness perhaps?).

Much to my surprise, the FCC agrees. The FCC wants a free, public WiFi net, nationwide. If approved, it would take a few years to put together and launch, but their plan is extensive and far-reaching.

“We want our policy to be more end-user-centric and not carrier-centric. That’s where there is a difference in opinion” with carriers and their partners, said a senior FCC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the proposal is still being considered by the five-member panel.”

Of course, the carriers – everyone from Verizon and AT&T  to Qualcomm – have issues. This would put their current business models at risk.

But according to this Washington Post article, this planned WiFi net would make it possible for heart monitors to communicate with hospitals over a mile a way, and would make things easier for emergency response teams in times of crisis. That’s a large and strong network they’ve got in mind.

The new plan has the backing of both Microsoft and Google, who see ubiquitous wifi as a way for everything from more tablets to robots and self-driving cars to access the Internet. These two companies see the FCC’s plan as viable and a step forward, paving the way for things to come. Ubiquitous wifi, clearing away the monetary broadband gap between upper and lower classes, could bring an explosion of new innovation.

Like anything coming out the government, this has to go through countless committees for approval. With the lobbying power of companies like AT&T, Verizon, Qualcomm, and Intel, this could be stopped dead in its tracks. For now, at least, I’m a bit comforted that the FCC is on the same page as me.

There’s been a lot of hullabaloo about Vine — Twitter’s new “Instagram” for video app – since it was released last week (as a matter of fact, Apple removed it from the Editor’s Choice area on the App Store this morning). Most of the chatter is revolving around Vine’s purported porn problem. However, there’s a bigger transformation potential with Vine: how-to videos or “performance support” types of videos for teaching, showing and demonstrating how to do something (clean, and not dirty, we hope). Simply browse the #howto hashtag to see a ton of demonstration vids. Just this morning, I’m browsing vids that show me how to “make steak tartare” or how to “solve the Rubik’s cube” in 6 seconds or less.

If Vine can overcome the typical human need to share ”what shouldn’t be shared” socially, it could be a powerful app for sharing knowledge (the non-porn type)…

You may be asking what is Vine?

Many of us accept friend requests from people we don’t know on social networks for different reasons. We may want to grow our network, connect to influencers, or simply find new people to share with. However, you may want to be a bit more careful who you accept those friend requests from. Especially if you owe money.

It seems like those pesky debt collectors have turned to friending people on social networks to publicly shame them into paying their bills. So if you get a friend request from a complete stranger that also happens to be a hottie in a bikini, be sure to second guess the request.

Federal regulators are weighing new restrictions on how debt collectors can use social networks as they work to impose federal oversight over the debt collection industry for the first time. Read more about this at Bloomberg.

Found this terrific post on the emerging “peer-to-peer” economy and its potential problems. A lot has been circulating recently about Uber‘s service and others like it. Tom Slee has taken the time to uncover some of the issues that unregulated services bring with them:

In Peer-to-Peer Hucksterism Slee contrasts what the founders of AirBnB and Uber are saying about “community” versus what they’re doing as a “business”. As P2P becomes more prevalent and becomes funded and backed by billionaire venture capitalists, it begs the question about how much regulation is needed. Especially in light of the tragic rape of the young Indian woman who was traveling on an unregulated bus.

It’s been a banner year for stuff. I admit, I like playing with stuff and testing, tweaking, fiddling, and generally exploring new devices and gadgets. Unfortunately, I don’t get free stuff to test out — when I “adopt” I am all in. Thank goodness I’m a Silver rewards member at Best Buy — I get the 45-day return option. For the most part, I end up stacking a lot of unused gadgets in the corner of my home office, however, there are a few things that bubble up and become indispensable. So as we close out 2012, I thought I’d itemize some of the stuff I got this year. Each one of these items, except one, landed a secure, comfy spot in my precious man-bag. Can you guess which item got tossed out?

iPhone 5

In September of this year, Apple released iPhone 5 — a complete overhaul of its flagship smartphone.

Pros: iPhone 5 was a big release (literally) — sporting a longer, larger screen and a new, zippy A6 processor. Add to that a top-to-bottom redesign resulting in the slimmest, lightest iPhone yet.

Cons: The new Lightning connector caused a kerfuffle with all the 32-pin accessories and cables I already had. And I won’t mention Maps…, yeah, no need to mention that.

iPad mini

The first new “product” released under Tim Cook without the approval of Steve Jobs, iPad mini is a lighter, smaller cousin to iPad.

Pros: Just the right size: fits comfortably in the palm, and can still maneuver the keyboard. Much better with the “lean-back” experience while reading, surfing and watching videos. All the almost 300,000 iPad apps work on mini.

Cons: No retina. Big mistake, Apple. Pricey. There are several tablet options with sharper screens at lower prices.

Microsoft Surface RT

Microsoft started out 2012 with a bang, moving aggressively into hardware. Their first flagship release is a complete overhaul of “the tablet experience” combining the best of a laptop with the best of a tablet in one form factor. If you are into productivity with a tablet, go Surface.

Pros: The new Metro interface is leaps ahead of anything Apple or Samsung have come up with. An easy-to-use UI that screams to be touched. The Surface I got was zippy, responsive, and easy to navigate. I used it to present at conferences, create and edit Office docs and watch Hulu and Netflix movies.

Cons: Not enough apps. The Windows Store is like a Soviet Grocery store. There are two keyboard options: dumb and dumber. And you need a keyboard and a flat surface (literally). Not a real “lean-back” consume content type of tablet.

Leica X2 Digital Camera

Leica moved aggressively into the prosumer digital market with the release of the X2 digital camera.

Pros: With a 16 megapixel resolution and a Zeiss lens, this camera takes digital to the next level. Although it comes with a fixed 24mm lens, the shots are spectacular (and no need to worry about zooming). A stunning, 2.7-inch LCD display helps you to capture just the right composition for your shots.

Cons: Pricey at ~$2000.00. However, if you’re considering this camera, you probably already have gotten over sticker shock. The fixed lens means you’re kinda “stuck” if you find yourself needing a closeup or wide angle shot.

HTC Windows Phone 8X

HTC has historically been an Android specific phone maker. With the 8X, HTC has landed with a big statement to the Lumia: I’m gonna be lighter, thinner, and more powerful than you! This phone is the rockingest smartphone release of 2012.

Pros: Fast processor, great LTE speeds, hardly any bloatware and a nice comfy grip make this phone (available in several colors) a very close competitor to iPhone. I loved how the HTC would read me my texts while in my car. Say goodbye to Siri!

Cons: The power button at the top is too flush, making it a bit hard to turn off/on quickly. Call quality is not as great as iPhone.

Take a guess at which one got tossed out in the comments below. As for 2013: I look forward to acquiring a lot more stuff, but in my opinion 2012 was a banner year for us gadget freaks! Happy New Year!