Why Facebook Messenger Privacy IS An Issue And Why You Should Be Concerned

Over the past week you've likely read several reports raising concerns over Facebook's new messenger app and the alarming number of permissions the app requests access to. While many sites, including Facebook themselves, have tried to detract from the original reports, stating that those articles are from alarmists that don't really understand the app permissions. That doesn't mean that you should trust buy into those reports any further than you should the original flag raisers.

Why is everyone so concerned about the Facebook App?

First let me start by explaining why so many people have raised flags over the new app and why they are voicing concerns. When installed the Facebook Messenger App requests what many see as a rather large number of permissions. Those include the ability to take pictures and videos; record audio; send/receive and edit text messages; and read your calls logs and contacts - all things Facebook says you need in order to contact and interact with your Facebook friends within the app.

The concern here, and in my opinion rightfully so, is that there are no specific details as to how these permission will be used.  In their response, Facebook said "that Android controls the way the permissions are named, and the way they're named doesn't necessarily reflect the way the Messenger app and other apps use them." This doesn't exactly detail what these permissions are doing however. For instance, why does Facebook need to see me phone's contact information given my friends list on FB should already be accessible to the app? Or why does it need direct call or SMS/MMS access if I'm only using the app to send messages?

Sure the Facebook Messenger app does need some of these permission for authentic reasoning, but it hardly needs all of them. So why add them? My guess it is future thinking on Facebook's part. They want the app to become your go to service for all your messaging and calling needs. So they add those permissions now just in case they launch more services down the road.

What about my privacy? Why should I still be concerned?

Let me say first and foremost this boils down to one thing and one thing only! Do you really trust Facebook (or any other site for that matter) with access to your entire device, your location and all these permissions? You are trusting that they won't do anything bad, negligent ect with all that information they are collecting on you. So the question here is should you really trust them, or trust that they won't sale that information?

What they did with that so called 'emotional experiment' should show just how much influence your devices and social media websites can have over your daily life. If they are willing to cross that line the where does it stop? Facebook is already utilizing location information and background noise to start control the ads you see and the info you see in your news feed. Controlling what information a person has access to can be a very powerful tool and a very harmful one if used wrongly.

This is where most of my main concern comes from. The overall scope of data they are accessing and the overall lack of transparency shown when it comes to how they are using that data and these new permissions.

Unified services mean an end-all to privacy!

It wasn't too long ago that we used several services to satisfy all of our communications and web needs. You had separate services providers for search, email, chat and social media. The a few years ago many of those services started to blend into what we have now. Unified service providers with unified log-ins. These days you likely use your Facebook log-in for more than just Facebook and of course your Google log-in now works across all Google services and likely many of your favorite sites.

While this makes things easier for the end user it also makes it easier for these sites and services to closer track their users which in turn quickly erode away at your privacy. When Google unified its privacy policy it quickly came under fire with a lawsuit filed via EPIC. In that case the concern was that the aggregated data would allow for more accurate, targeted advertising.

The problem there lies not with the actual social media services, but Google's back end advertising service that is being tied to all the rest of its sites. This is similarly where we sit today with Facebook and some of the concern over the site's policies. Previously most of our social media sites where just that, websites not actual services. Today those sites looking to diversify want to become our all-in-on location for more services. Facebook, Apple, Google et al. don't just run single side services anymore. They run giant conglomerations all tied together that provide many different services under the guise of one entity.

These giant entities now have cross platform access to higher levels of user data than ever before! They can not only access emails, messages and on-site data. But they are accessing user location information, daily habits, and off site information and details (something Facebook is currently facing lawsuits over).

I for one think it is about time that someone starts to question the validity of these unified services and privacy policies. How about you? Do you think this is 'much ado about nothing'? Or are users concerns really valid?

New Flagship Phones From Samsung & Apple Expected To Be Announced In September [Update]

The two largest players in the smartphone market are reportedly planning major announcements early next month and if the speculation holds true we'll see at least two new flagship phones announced!

Update: In typical Samsung fashion the company all but confirmed earlier reports that they'll be annoucing the new Note 4 at the Sept. 3rd event. A teaser image was released today with 'Note the Date' and the Note 3 style pen window.

Earlier this week we saw several reports that Samsung had sent out invites to a Sept. 3rd press event (another Samsung Unpacked event). The timing for the event falls in line with previous speculation that the tech giant would be announcing their latest smartphone, the Galaxy Note 4, prior to the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin.

While the invite doesn't specifically mention the Galaxy Note 4, or any other devices for that matter, the timing would be inline with previous announcements. Rumors also suggest that we may see more than one device released from Samsung during the event, or during IFA conference. If those rumors hold true we may see more than one smartphone or perhaps a new Galaxy Smartwatch or other wearable.

Not one to be left behind Apple is also said to be planning a major announcement for early in September. Reportedly Apple will be revealing the iPhone 6 at a media event on September 9th. Recode reports that Apple will hold an event that Tuesday to announce the next line of iPhones, which if you have been following the rumors are expected to include not one but two, new models.

Of course this is all still speculative to say the least. However, the rumor mill surrounding both companies has been running overtime lately and that generally doesn't happen until right before major releases.

What can we expect from these new devices?

While there is nothing official yet known about the Galaxy Note 4  rumor has it the device will feature a 5.7-inch QHD display. It is also rumored to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 805 chipset with an Exynos variant for markets without LTE. It will also be accompanied by at least 3GB of RAM, at least a 16MP rear-facing camera, and will most likely run on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Other enhancements are said to possibly be a retina scanner, UV sensor and of course many of the updates seen in the Galaxy S5 like fingerprint scanning, heart rate monitor and the TouchWiz enhancements like Ultra Power Saving Mode, Download Booster and more.

Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 6 series is rumored to be the 'biggest' launch for iPhone yet (and yes they mean that, both literally in device size and scope of sales). It has been rumored for quite a while now that Apple's next iPhone would come in two sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. If that holds true the 5.5 inch model would be the biggest iPhone to date!

Other rumored improvements are said to be Sapphire crystal screens, higher resolution displays with more pixel density, aster and more efficient processors, NFC support and a few camera enhancements.

GameStop Now Requires Fingerprints To Trade Games At Some Stores

In an attempt to combat crime several state and counties have created ordinances requiring pawn shops or second-hand sellers to fingerprint customers looking to sale or trade goods. According to GameSpot popular gaming retailer GameStop has taken that requirement and applied it to some of the company's Philadelphia locations.

Originally reported from CBS Philadelphia, it appears as though GameStop stores in some Philadelphia are location have started requiring that customers who wish to trade in games provide a fingerprint scan for "certain transactions." When GameSpot buys used video games from customers, the chain says it is following a local law that allows the store to collect thumb prints, which go into a database to help law enforcement track down thieves who fence stolen goods.

However, the law isn't as cut and dried as GameStop seems to be making it out to be and in fact the company may simply be acting on their own. According to City Solicitor Shelley Smith, the city has not contacted GameStop to make such collections and the nature of the company's business is such that it does not specifically have to abide by the pawnbroker’s ordinance:

“What GameStop does doesn’t meet any of the elements of the definition in the code, so the pawnbreaker ordinance doesn’t apply to GameStop.”

GameStop has issued a statement on the matter, saying the initiative was implemented at the request of local authorities and has been in place since the beginning of July.

"It's a process that we've recently implemented (starting in early July) in Philadelphia area stores at the request of the Philadelphia police department," the GameStop representative said. "[It] is a practice we've also put into place in other parts of the U.S., depending on local or statewide second-hand dealer or pawn broker laws. However, at this time we are reviewing the process to determine if it's one which should be continued in Philadelphia."

In several interviews conducted outside the local GameStop many customers voiced concerns with the new program. Customers told KYW Newsradio they were not thrilled with the company policy:

“I really don’t appreciate it. You fingerprinted me like I’m in a police district. No, I’m at a game store.”
“That is a little absurd, it’s just a video game.”
“I think it’s an overreach. It’s going too far.”
“I know that it only happens to people who go to jail, they get fingerprinted.”
“When I went, I got my finger scanned when he broke it out and said ‘I need your fingerprint,’ I said, ‘for what’?'”

The Philadelphia Police Department says the company is being proactive by storing fingerprints in a secure database – LeadsOnline – which is the nation’s largest online investigation system. This still begs the question however, if the city is not requesting the stores to meet the requirements then is this even lawful? Or should it be consider a violation of customer privacy?

We'd love to hear your feedback. Would you submit to fingerprinting in order to swap your games?

NIVIDIA Shield Now Available Checkout These Reviews

Following up on last week's announcement of the all new NVIDIA SHIELD gaming tablet comes the launch of the $300 8-inch gaming device. The only question that remains now is whether or not you the SHIELD is geek-worthy enough for you gaming geeks to plop down your hard earned cash.

We scoured the web and found some reviews from our favorite geeks sites that we hope will help you make your decision.

Maximum PC: NVIDIA Shield Tablet Review

Would we buy the Shield Tablet if we owned the original Shield (now renamed the Shield Portable)? Probably not. If we were looking for a new tablet and top notch gaming performance was on the check list, the Shield Tablet is easily the top contender today. We’d take it over the second-gen Nexus 7 in a heart beat. While we understand why Nvidia decided to separate the cover and controller to keep the prices down and avoid the Kinect factor, we think a bundled package with a small price break as an alternative would have been nice. All things considered though, consider us surprised. The Shield Tablet is pretty dang cool.

AndroidCentral: NVIDIA Shield Tablet Review

If you're looking for something a little different in a tablet, and think that you'd take advantage of the huge gaming potential available in the Shield Tablet, this may be one to take a look at. As long as you're willing to go all-in with the accessories and spend a little money on games as they come out, this is a better value proposition than picking up a gaming device and tablet separately. But if your tablet budget is $299 and not a penny more, you'll likely be better served by something that's cheaper and simpler — just be sure keep your gaming aspirations modest.

GameSpot: NVIDIA Shield Tablet and Controller Review

Given that Twitch streaming is one of the key selling points of the Shield Tablet, it's disappointing that it doesn't work consistently across the device. Its small line up of games doesn't help matters either, particularly as there are frame rate issues with the more graphically intensive titles. Certainly, you're not going to be swapping your Vita or 3DS for a Shield Tablet anytime soon.

However, I like to think of the Shield Tablet this way: if you buy one, you're getting a great looking, powerful Android tablet with a near stock version of the OS for an enticing price; its gaming features are simply a nice bonus. PC players with a large library of games will also get a lot out of the tablet's Gamestream functionality, which--despite its issues over slower connections--is a great way to access your games away from your main machine.

Despite Nvidia's claims, I wouldn't get a Shield Tablet for its gaming features alone. Indeed, if you're buying it solely for the gaming features, then you might be a little disappointed. But, if you're interested in what the future of gaming might look like, Shield Tablet is perhaps the best glimpse we've had of it so far. If Nvidia can push the power of its mobile chips every year as much as it does its desktop ones, and if broadband keeps up, within a few years, something like the Shield Tablet may very well be the best way to game.

AnandTech: The NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Review

After getting through all of these observations over the past five days, I’ve come to realize that even though it’s not the perfect tablet, all of the features that this device brings to the table right now would be enough for me to seriously consider buying one. If NVIDIA manages to get enough multiplayer titles with an active community on Shield Tablet, there wouldn’t be a need to stop and consider at all. As someone that has spent the past few years never considering a tablet purchase at all, the Shield Tablet is the first ARM tablet that I would seriously think about buying.

Gizmodo: Nvidia Shield Tablet Review: A Gaming Beast, But So Much More

Do you care about games? Like at all? Do you think you might in the future? Then yes. Yes! The Shield tab is not quite the best all-around tablet tablet out there (mainly because of battery life reasons, and also because it's a little hefty) but it's still damn good for $300, futureproof like whoa, and the most bang for your buck because of it. Unless your use-case is literally "I want to watch at least 9 hours of consecutive video with a single charge, on a particularly small and light tablet" (get a Kindle Fire HDX) the Shield tablet is a Solid Buy.....It's not bar-none the best choice for normals and gamers alike—that wonderful ideal of gaming hardware that's also just "the best"—but it's delightfully close for a first stab. The future is bright. Get excited.

Hexus.net: Review: NVIDIA Shield Tablet

Shield Tablet's gaming credentials are unmistakable, yet it would be remiss of us not to mention the device's strengths as an everyday tablet. Take away the controller and Gamestream, and you still have one of the quickest Android tablets on the market, complete with 2GB of memory, excellent stereo speakers, a very handy stylus, dual 5MP cameras, expandable storage and solid build quality throughout. A higher-res display would have been preferred, but from a hardware perspective Shield Tablet ticks a lot of boxes at the $299 price point.

Nvidia has built a tablet that's undoubtedly strong on various fronts, however there's one crucial piece of the puzzle that's still missing: high-quality Android games. As it stands, Shield Tablet is a device with promise, but it needs developers to harness the power of Tegra K1 to deliver a truly outstanding games-playing experience.

Bottom line: for PC gamers in the market for an Android portable, Shield Tablet makes a lot of sense. For everyone else, it may pay to wait for the software ecosystem to catch up.

Reading the full reviews you will see a few mixed messages in there. However, for the most part everyone agrees that the NVIDIA SHIELD was a strong performer and not likely to disappoint and gamers or geeks that buck up for the purchase. It most certainly caught or eye and earns many kudos to being a very strong fist production unit. If this is a sign of things to come from NVIDIA then gamers should hold on to their seats because we might be in for a wicked fun ride!

Amazon Launches New 3D Printing Store

We geeks are always thinking outside the box, which often times leads us to needing that special one-off item. While 3D printing has become cheaper and more prevalent, there are still a good deal of costs associated with getting started. Enter Amazon to the rescue!

Amazon has announced the launch of a new 3D Printed Products store (www.amazon.com/3dp), a marketplace that gives customers access to more than 200 unique print on-demand products, many that can be customized by material, size, styles and color variations, and personalized with text and image imprints.

“The introduction of our 3D Printed Products store suggests the beginnings of a shift in online retail – that manufacturing can be more nimble to provide an immersive customer experience. Sellers, in alignment with designers and manufacturers, can offer more dynamic inventory for customers to personalize and truly make their own,” said Petra Schindler-Carter, Director for Amazon Marketplace Sales.

To create custom pieces such as that cool new 3D phone case, slim wallet or personalized bobblehead you won't need any special skills. Amazon has created a new easy-to-use design template that will make it easier for you to add your individual style on an item. You'll also be able to see your new creations before ordering thanks to the 3D preview capability. With the 3D product preview function, you will be able to see your geekiest creations in a 360 degree view that rotates as a virtual model of a product so you can tailor the item from every angle.

Upon completion of your designs and the item is personalized to your liking simply finish the checkout process, the item is then 3D printed on-demand by a manufacturing provider and shipped directly to your door.

While it appears as though customizable items are limited to what is currently in the 3D Printed Products store template set the concept certainly has the ability to be expandable. Meaning Amazon may eventually add the options for customers to upload their own designs to include more custom items down the road. No matter how you look at it it is nice to see a viable 3D printing option that enables us the option to design our own geek gear at a reasonable price!

So what do you think, should we create a few custom Geek-News items for you geeks out there?

Beware: Magic Jelly Bean Key Finder Installs Search Protect By Conduit

For various reason it is often necessary to find and know the product keys of installed operating system and applications such as Windows 8 and Microsoft office. When such needs arise we often turn to some of our favorite freeware apps out there. Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder typically being one of them.

Unfortunately we recently discovered an alarming issue. The app now installs a second, third party app, called ‘Search Protect’ by Conduit LTD. This third party app sneaks in on the install page, which the makers of  Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder happen to minimize to a barely readable page. The serch app can be classified as nothing short of malware as it is barely noticed on the install information, is set to automatically install, even in custom mode and hijacks a users browser settings and changes them to use Conduit Search.

While the app appears to be easily removed by going into the control panel and uninstalling it. It still raises a few red flags!

First the fact that the creators of Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder and OpenCandy, the company that creates the installer package, feel the need to minimize the install page to slip this app in seems highly suspect. Second is the fact that it creates browser changes, completely unrelated to the Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder software with absolutely no confirmation at all

NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Makes Official Debut

Following lots of rumors and speculation, NVIDIA has finally taken the wraps off the company's much anticipated gaming tablet dubbed NVIDIA SHIELD. The new 8-inch gaming tablet will be powered by Android and feature plenty of power and performance thanks to a solid set of specs!

At the heart of the beast is NVIDIA’s new mobile SoC, the NVIDIA Tegra K1, which features the same Kepler graphics cores NVIDIA builds into their GeForce GTX graphics cards and Tesla supercomputer accelerators. The quad-core ARM chip features 192 CUDA cores with a 2.3GHz max clock speed. K1 supports a variety of APIs and features which include OpenGL ES 3.1, AEP, OpenlGL 4.4, DX12, Tessellation, CUDA 6.0. Nvidia claims that the K1 can do all of this while consuming less than two watts of power.

For exceptional video and sound the SHIELD will feature an 8 inch 1900x1200 IPS display and front facing speakers with NVIDIA PureAudio technology and dual-bass reflex ports into the tablet to deliver great sound.

"If you're a gamer and you use a tablet, the NVIDIA SHIELD tablet was created specifically for you," said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA's co-founder and chief executive officer. "It delivers exceptional tablet performance and unique gaming capabilities to keep even the most avid gamers deeply immersed, anywhere they play."

Since the shield offers a full Android experience users will have access to the thousands of Android games currently available on Google Play. However, the games don't stop there. NVIDIA says there are now more than 400 SHIELD-optimized games available through the SHIELD Hub, as well as 11 specially optimized games for Tegra K1.


Additional features of the SHIELD tablet include what NVIDIA says are a range of firsts for a tablet:

• PC Streaming: First to stream games from a PC desktop or notebook using NVIDIA GameStream technology, which streams from NVIDIA GeForce GTX- powered GPUs.
• NVIDIA GRID Cloud Streaming: First to stream PC games from NVIDIA GRID. Gamers can access the GRID cloud gaming beta, available exclusively to SHIELD owners in Northern California, to instantly stream a library of high-quality PC games, and then save them in the cloud.
• Twitch and NVIDIA ShadowPlay: First to feature ShadowPlay, an advanced game-capture tool that lets users save and stream their greatest gaming moments to Twitch, the leading video platform and community for gamers. Gamers can stream titles from the SHIELD tablet to friends and foes worldwide. SHIELD tablet also includes a 5MP front camera to enhance the image of the gamer overlaid on the Twitch gamecast.
• Console Mode: First to feature NVIDIA Console Mode, which takes tablet gameplay to big-screen TVs. Console Mode transforms the device into a full living-room gaming and entertainment experience. Gamers can connect their SHIELD wireless controller, sit back on the couch and play PC and Android games, browse the web, and watch their favorite movies -- all in native 1080p HD.

Pricing, Availability and AccessoriesThe SHIELD tablet comes with either Wi-Fi connectivity, or Wi-Fi and LTE. It's available in 16- and 32GB, with MicroSD support (up to 128GB), starting at $299. The SHIELD wireless controller retails for $59. The SHIELD tablet cover retails for $39.

The SHIELD tablet, wireless controller and tablet cover are now available for preorder in the United States, Canada and select European countries. Preorders in the United States are available at shield.nvidia.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Micro Center, Newegg and Tiger Direct, and in Canada at Canada Computers, Memory Express, NCIX and ThinkGeek. Preorders in Europe are available at many top e-tailers.
The full list of resellers and further information, including product specifications, are available at http://shield.nvidia.com/.

Source: NVIDIA

Dell Joins Growing List of Companies Accepting Bitcoins

Despite numerous highly publicized issues and a growing list of security concerns, Bitcoins are gaining more and more traction and are quickly becoming more widely accepted as forms of payment. In fact they are now so widely accepted and traded that states such as New York and California have enacted state level regulations for their use and trading.

It should then come as no surprise that major tech players and websites are amongst the first to join the Bitcoin craze.

Two of the country’s biggest names in e-commerce, Overstock.com and TigerDirect.com were at the fore front of the Bitcoin era, being amongst the first major online retailers to accept the digital currency as a purchase option. Earlier this week popular electronics e-retailer Newegg became one of the latest sites tech sites to join the fray.

Still we haven't seen many 'major' tech manufactures willing to take the leap, until now!

Dell on Friday announced consumer and small-business customers in the US can now use Bitcoin to make purchases on Dell.com. In addition to accepting Bitcoins, Dell has said they'll be running  a special Alienware promotion wherein customers can save 10 percent off a new Alienware system purchase (up to $150 limit) when checking out with bitcoin. Stay tuned to Dell.com/bitcoin for more information on this exciting offer.

Dell Bitcoin Checkout

Dell partnered with Coinbase, a trusted and secure third party payment processor, to make this possible. For users wanting to pay via Bitcoin the process was made fairly simple. When you’re ready to make a purchase, just add your items to your cart, fill out your shipping details and choose Bitcoin as your payment method. When you submit your order, you’ll be taken to Coinbase.com to complete your purchase.

Facebook Wants To Sell You Stuff With New 'Buy' Button

Facebook has just made it a bit easier for you to make those impulse buys with the launch of a new “Buy” call-to-action button that will be featured on ads and Page posts. The new feature will allow shoppers to purchase a product directly from businesses featured on the social media site without having to visit an outside page.

The new service, which Facebook described in a blog posting, is initially being tested with a "few small and medium-sized businesses" in the United States, and will soon be available on the mobile and desktop PC version of its website. Facebook users viewing sponsored ads from the select merchants will soon see the Buy Button as an option, allowing them to purchase whatever goods or services that are being offered.

For those concerned about privacy and/or security Facebook says they built the feature with privacy in mind, and have taken steps to help make the payment experience safe and secure. None of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction will be shared with other advertisers, and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases.

Facebook isn't the only social media company testing out this type of feature. Twitter has been quietly testing a new "Buy now" button that apparently lets you purchase items featured in tweets without leaving the site. The Twitter Commerce service will appear inside users’ Twitter stream, similar to promoted tweet advertisements, according to the documents seen by ReCode.

Intel 2-in1 Devices The Ultimate Summertime Companion

Featuring all the power of a laptop with the added portability of a tablet, an
Intel 2 in 1 can make for the perfect summertime traveling companion.

Whether sitting on the beach, enjoying a quiet afternoon by the pool or just traveling to some of your favorite lunch spots, for us tech geeks staying connected and keeping productive is always a must. Sure you can do almost anything from those amazing smartphones these days, but having a larger screen sometimes is a must. Tablet are always great, but we don't always want to sacrifice productivity. For those wanting the best of both worlds I'd suggest checking out some of the newest #Intel2in1 devices.

On our days out of the office this summer we've been working from our new Dell Venue 11 Pro equipped with the Dell Tablet Keyboard. Like many of the Intel 2in1 devices on the market today this combo allows us to maintain portability with the standalone tablet as well as the ability to switch to a more productive platform with the full keyboard and extra battery.

So far we've managed to pack our Dell Venue 11 Pro with us on several day hikes and beach trips. The 10.8" full HD screen is super bright and offers a crisp viewing experience even when the sun is beating down. So far the 8MP camera has been great for snapping photos and since it is a Windows 8.1 device and offers a 'true Windows experience' we can use our favorite Adobe Suites for editing those photos.

When all that fun is over for the day and we are relaxing on the patio at our favorite brew spot, we snap on the Dell Tablet Keyboard, add on a wireless mouse and jump into work mode. This in our opinion is where the #2in1 platform really shines, you get the option of that true laptop-like experience. Since we have the ultrapowerful Intel Core i5 processor we can get multiple tasks done at the same time. Making it quicker and easier to get back to enjoying the fun in the sun.

How about you guys, how would you put your
Intel 2 in 1 to work this summertime? Share your ideas in a comment below!

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel This could include Intel providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Google Teams With Udacity To Offer Free Android Development Course

Ever thought about developing the next big Android App? Well thanks to Google you'll have a new free tool that may help you on your way. Earlier this week Google announced announced latest resource for learning to develop Android apps: Developing Android Apps: Android Fundamentals.

Operating through educational website Udacity, the free course offers step-by-step training to help you build your first Android app from scratch. This isn't your basic beginner course however. Google explains that the course will be advanced and technical enough for experienced developers who are new to Android — maybe even new to mobile — but not new to programming. So you should have the basics down before taking the course. It is free though so you really have little to lose!

“The full course materials – all the videos, quizzes, and forums – are available for free for all students by selecting ‘View Courseware’,” Meier explained in a post on the Android Developers Blog. “Personalized ongoing feedback and guidance from Coaches is also available to anyone who chooses to enroll in Udacity’s guided program.”

So what do you need to do to get started? That is simple, all you’ll need to head over to Udacity and click “Start free trial” to access the full course for free.And for those looking for addition resources, Google points out that would-be Android developers should also check out Google’s existing Android developer documentation, samples and videos. I'd also strongly suggest checking out the Android Developers Blog as it has tons of info and news to help you get started and stay up to date on what Google is working on.

Warning: Keyloggers Found In Hotel PCs Used For Stealing Guests' Log-in Information

In a non-public advisory distributed to companies in the hospitality industry on July 10, the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) warned that a task force in Texas recently arrested suspects who have compromised computers within several major hotel business centers in the Dallas/Fort Worth areas.

The advisory that was first discovered and reported on by KrebsOnSecurity reporter Brian Krebs  on Monday, explains that several PCs in the hotel's business centers had been infected with malware that steals passwords and other sensitive data from guests using those PCs.

Image via KrebsOnSecurity

“The keylogger malware captured the keys struck by other hotel guests that used the business center computers, subsequently sending the information via email to the malicious actors’ email accounts,” the warning stated. “The suspects were able to obtain large amounts of information including other guests personally identifiable information (PII), log in credentials to bank, retirement and personal webmail accounts, as well as other sensitive data flowing through the business center’s computers.”

“In some cases, the suspects used stolen credit cards to register as guests of the hotels; the actors would then access publicly available computers in the hotel business center, log into their Gmail accounts and execute malicious key logging software,” the advisory reads.

The report should serve as a serious reminder that while in some cases it may be necessary to use public PCs it's rarely a good idea to use them for anything more than casual browsing of websites. Even the most protected PCs can be hacked and/or infected given direct access and even when PCs are within eyesight of a business center employee, librarian, or other supervisor, it can still be easily infected and should be used with the most extreme caution! 

Analyst Believes Apple Fanboys Could Scoop Up 30 to 60 million iWatches In First Year

According to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, Apple merely needs to release an iWatch and then sit back and rely on the fact that Apple fans will buy whatever comes out of Cupertino in order for the company to sell as many as 60 million units in its first year.

Huberty believes Apple's ecosystem, combined with an unrelenting sense of brand loyalty generating a "halo effect" could mean big things for Apple once the company releases their rumored iWatch. If the wearable device's sales numbers follow the same trajectory as iPhone sales, Apple could conservatively see sales revenues boosted by $9 billion during the first year alone.

Huberty offered up three sales scenarios.

• Base case: iWatch sales follow the same trajectory as iPhone sales, and Apple sells some 30 million units, which if sold at $300 each would boost revenue by $9 billion.
• Bull case: iWatch sales follow the same trajectory as iPad sales, and Apple sells some 60 million units, and shares increase to $132 (equivalent to $924 at pre-split prices).

But what if things go wrong? There's where the bear case comes into play.

• Bear case: iPhone sales flatline, there's no interest in iWatches, and Apple's share price falls to $74.

Huberty is not alone in predicting big things for Apple and the iWatch. Not long ago UBS analyst Steven Milunovich said that he believed that the iWatch could match initial sales of the iPad, with the Cupertino giant shipping 21 million units during the 2015 financial year, and 36 million units during 2016. Following this trajectory, the iWatch would become Apple's fastest-selling iOS product to date.

Not all is wine and roses for Apple and the iWatch though. A recent survey from Piper Jaffray showed that only 1% of those polled would buy an iWatch if it costs between $300 and $350, and 35% of respondents wouldn't buy a wearable from Apple regardless of the price. While most consumers said they wouldn't purchase one regardless of the price, more than 30% said they would buy the iWatch if it fell in the $100-$200 price range. Only 10% said they would buy the watch if it was priced at $100 or less, as shown in the chart from Statista posted below.



The low willingness to pay for the rumored device could become a problem for Apple. After all, it seems hardly imaginable that the company known for its premium pricing will market the iWatch with all of its alleged capabilities for less than $200. What makes pricing for the iWatch so difficult is that, as opposed to the iPhone, it won’t be subsidized by wireless carriers. For it to become a mainstream success, it will have to be priced like an iPod rather than like an iPhone.

Do you think Apple's entry into the wearables market will have the major impact analysts believe it will? Despite being first to the market, and already on their second generation, Samsung is still stumbling to make a major impact. Now with other companies like LG and Motorola entering the market we are quickly see a lot of saturation in the wearables sector.

According To LG Bendable, Flexible TVs Could Be On The Market By 2017

Earlier this week LG Display showcased two new 18-inch displays, one that is a flexible OLED panel that is flexible and rollable like a newspaper as well as one that a transparent OLED panel. LG says the displays shows that the company has already acquired fundamental technologies that will lead to the availability of large-sized flexible and transparent display reaching the market, potentially as soon as 2017.

Image: LG Display

The flexible OLED panel has a high-definition class resolution of 1200 X 810 with almost 1 million mega-pixels. The panel’s curvature radius is 30R. The panel can be rolled up to a radius of 3cm without affecting the function of the display. This proves that LG Display can bring rollable TVs of more than 50 inches to the market in the future.

As for the transparent OLED panel, it boasts 30 percent transmittance, which was achieved by adopting the company’s transparent pixel design technology. LG Display has successfully lowered the haze of the panel which is generated by using circuit devices and film components to a level of 2 percent. With this breakthrough development, the company has been able to improve greatly the technology level of the transparent display. Considering that the transmittance of existing transparent LCD panels is around 10 percent, this new panel offers significantly improved transmittance.

“LG Display pioneered the OLED TV market and is now leading the next-generation applied OLED technology. We are confident that by 2017, we will successfully develop an Ultra HD flexible and transparent OLED panel of more than 60 inches, which will have transmittance of more than 40 percent and a curvature radius of 100R, thereby leading the future display market.” said In-Byung Kang, Senior Vice President and Head of the R&D Center at LG Display.

However, head of corporate PR, Jean Lee told me that more work needs to be done before the product can be commercialised: “We expect that it should take time to see the products in market because all related components should also be fully ready.”

Flexible displays certainly aren't new. Samsung and LG both originally revealed a flexible smartphone style screen at CES 2013. Since the both companies have been working on curved displays for not just their phones but TVs as well. Apple has even been rumored to be looking into adding a rolled or curved display to the latest iPhone. This however, is one of the first times we've seen any flexible displays of any real decent size or quality.

It should be interesting to see where the tech leads us and how far it will evolve over the next few years. Flexible transparent tablets would be ideal. A smartphone you could roll-up and stuff in a pocket would also be cool! 

Unplugged: Have You Ditched Your Landline or Cable Company?

More American homes are cutting the cord, are you? The dependence on landlines and cable companies is quickly becoming a thing of the past. According to recent studies more and more American families continue to ditch their traditional phone services for wireless-only households. While still more are ditching their cable companies for online streaming services.

Are the numbers high? No, not when compared to the subscriber base. However, they are statistically significant and.

According to a study released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two in every five American households, or 41 percent of the 21,512 surveyed households, used only wireless telephone service. That’s up from the CDC’s 2012 mobile substitution study, which reported 35.8 percent of surveyed households said they did not having landlines. 

So who are the top cord cutters? About two-third of millennials live in a wireless-only house. Among adults aged 25 to 29, 66 percent live in a house without a landline. Among the 30 to 34 age group, 60 percent live in a house without a landline, according to the survey.

Landlines aren't the only cords being cut!

While the numbers of American households dumping phone services are impressive they aren't the only cords we are cutting. Cable companies are being ditched. Though not nearly at the same breakneck rates.

6.5 percent of American households terminated their cable subscriptions in 2013. In all, that totals about 5 million people that ended their cable and broadband subscriptions between the beginning of 2010 and the end of 2013.

These numbers may seem significant in some ways but that doesn't represent the vast numbers of people that actually said they'd be willing to cut the cord.

For the past several years, the folks at Morgan Stanley have surveyed Americans about their desire to cancel their cable or satellite TV subscription once and for all. In 2013, 8% said “definitely” while 9% said “probably” on the survey. With 94 million pay-TV households in the country and 17% expressing such firm intent then, you’d expect that millions would have gone through with it, right?

Fortunately for the cable providers that number doesn't seem to have held true. Yes numbers indicate some companies have lost a significant number of subscribers, but the overall drop wasn't nearly as great as you'd expect.

In the meantime, more of you than ever are promising to dump cable or satellite this year. The “definitely” group is up to 10%, while the “probably” camp has reached 11%. That’s very close to 20 million overall.

Have you joined the cord cutting revolution? If so what services have you opted to cut and what alternatives have you found? 

Warning: Sony Recalls VAIO Flip PC Laptops Due to Fire Danger

Due to the potential fire danger and risk of harm to consumers, Sony and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, have issued a serious warning to consumers who have purchased Sony's VAIO Flip PC laptops with model number SVF11N13CXS. Owners of this laptop should immediately stop using the device, shut it down, unplug it and contact Sony for instructions on how to return the product for a free repair or a full refund.

According to the alert Sony is aware of at least four incidents, which occurred in Asia, of computers overheating, resulting in units smoking, catching on fire and melting. No injuries have been reported.

Affected laptops were sold via Sony retail stores nationwide and online at www.store.sony.com from February 2014 to April 2014 for about $800.

The computers were sold in three colors silver, black and pink. They have a Panasonic-manufactured lithium-ion battery and a folding touch screen that measures about 11.6 inches diagonally and a backlit keyboard. The VAIO logo is etched on the outer top of the computer, near the hinge. The model and serial numbers are printed on a black label with white lettering on the underside of the screen. To locate the label, consumers should open the computer, move the switch from the lock to the release position and flip the display.

Consumers who believe they own one of these units can contact Sony toll-free at (866)702-7669 anytime or online at www.sony.com and click on the Support tab, then on Electronics and then on Product Support. Once on the Product Support site, click on the Computers & Tablets tab, then on VAIO Laptops & Desktops and scroll down to Product Alerts for more information.

Get Free Software Diagnostic and Malware Removal at Microsoft Stores

Is your computer running a bit sluggish? Perhaps you've been hit with a bad malware infection? For those of you that might need a little assistance figuring out what the issue is or removing that pesky malware bug Microsoft is offering to lend a hand. That is of course if you live in an area with a Microsoft store.

Microsoft’s in store Answer Desks, is offering customers five free services, regardless of where you bought your computer. It doesn't matter whether you got your PC from Microsoft, or somewhere else. Simply bring your PC into a store near you and they’ll provide you with “extended diagnostics on any device.” They also offer free software repair or support, remove viruses and/or malware, and they’ll also offer to give your PC a tune up in order to boost its performance.

Microsoft’s Answer Desk page also says that you can get an appraisal on store credit for your gear through the company’s Recycle for Rewards program.

Microsoft doesn't make it totally clear as to what each service entails or how thorough the check-ups will be. Each service is listed at $99.0o through the Answer Desk page. Meaning you could save yourself a few hundred dollars and get your PC fixed up and finally tuned in the mean time.

All You Need to Know About Google I/O 2014 Day 1

 Developing news will be updated as more details emerge! 

During today's 7th annual Google I/O developer conference Google took the wraps off several new projects, devices and services the company has plans to release this year. Some we already knew about like Android Wear, while yet others were the objects of pure speculation.

Here is a break down of a few of the major new updates from Google:

Android L:

Due to be released this fall Android L is the newest version of the Android operating system which features numerous new OS improvements. The Android L release will be what Google is calling "the biggest release ever for Android" which includes hundreds of enhancements and new features. Google will – as rumored – enable ART as the default runtime replacing the aging Dalvik. Thanks to ART, which supports features like Ahead of Time compiling, Just in Time compiling, and interpreted code, Google can offer a performance jump of 2x compared to Dalvik.

Other improvements include 64-bit chip support, though not just ARM-based processors that are found in a lot of  mobile device today -- it also supports 64-bit x86-64 parts from Intel and AMD, along with the MIPS64 architecture from MIPS. In terms of graphics performance, L will support features like tessellation, geometry shaders and computer shaders, as part of the so called Android Extension Pack. Finally, battery life will be improved as well in the L release, thanks to features like a new battery saving mode, scheduling of maintenance tasks, and coalescing of CPU tasks.

Android TV:

Building on the success of the Chromecast, Android TV will bring all that you love about the Android experience like your favorite apps and games right to your living room. In short Android TV builds in Google’s search services directly into your TV-watching experience, through a set-top box or as part of your TV. You can use voice search to find a live TV show, a good flick from Google Play, or a music video on YouTube. Plus, because it’s Android, you’ll be able to play your favorite Android games, reimagined for TV and with a gamepad.

Android TV has access to the popular streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and Spotify, and many more. There’s a specific Android TV store set to arrive with the launch of Android L, which contains apps, steaming services and games that are specifically optimized for Google’s TV service. Android TV will be coming to a variety of form factors, including TVs, set-top boxes, and streaming boxes. Sony, Sharp, TPVision, Asus and Rasr are all currently developing products with more manufactures reportedly doing the same.

Android Auto:

Delivering a Google Now type experience for the car, Android Auto will make it easier and safer to use Google's connected services while driving down the road. When Android Auto connects to your car's display, it will automatically show information relevant to your driving habits based on the information that Google and Google Now already knows about you.

You'll have access to Google Voice search for things like Maps and Navigation, music and phone commands such as replying to incoming text and email messages using Google's voice input and text-to-speech systems. The familiar commands should be recognizable from Google Now on the phone. Google stated that it has 40 automakers and suppliers partnered up as part of the Open Automotive Alliance and standing behind Android Auto.

Android Wear:

We first learned about Android Wear back in March when Google officially the new OS platform that is the company’s vision for the future platform for smartwatches and other wearable devices. Android Wear extends on the mobile Android OS platlform, and its ecosystem of apps, bringing those features to the “wearable market”.

You get the information you need, quickly at a glance—just like you’re used to doing with your watch. Just say “Ok Google” to ask questions or to get stuff done. Get alerted when it's time to leave for dinner. Call a cab to take you there. See the traffic on the way. Text a friend once you're seated. It’s all right there, on your wrist, easy to see, right when you want it. Two new Android Wear devices are available today with the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live, going up for order on Google Play, and the Moto 360 from Motorola will be available in the coming months.

Google Fit:

Recently previewed, details around Google Fit are still a bit vague. Google didn't go into much detail about the new project however it did announce a new set of APIs which are meant to help Google users keep track of fitness goals with wearables, sensors, and data-logging apps by letting those apps and devices share information with each other. Google named a number of partners including LG, RunKeeper, RunTastic, Adidas, Basis, Nike, and Motorola. Google specifically mentioned wearables, but the only device named for integration during the presentation was Nike's Fuel system.

Android One:

Targeting the budget minded and developing markets, Android One is Google's attempt at pushing into markets where smartphone ownership isn't as prevalent as it is in more developed markets. This means budget smartphones with stock Android and great specs. The sample device shown at I/O was manufactured by Micromax and comes equipped with a 4.5-inch display, dual-SIM support, SD card support, and an FM radio. This device will run stock Android, will have automatic updates (just like the Nexus line), and will cost less than $100.

Since the company is targeting the developing world, Google is initially teaming up with Indian smartphone makers like Karbonn and Spice.


Source: Google Official Blog

Supreme Court Unanimously Says No to Warrantless Cellphone Searches

Tech users and digital privacy rights supporters won a major victory today as the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision upholding the rights of citizens against warantless searches. The ruling handed down today re-enforces the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure as it applies to new technologies.

Cellphones are not the same as other physical objects, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion. "One of the most notable distinguishing features of modern cell phones is their immense storage capacity," he wrote. "Before cell phones, a search of a person was limited by physical realities and tended as a general matter to constitute only a narrow intrusion on privacy. ... Most people cannot lug around every piece of mail they have received for the past several months, every picture they have taken, or every book or article they have read -- nor would they have any reason to attempt to do so."

At the heart of the decision is the difference between what material evidence a suspect might carry on their person compared to just how different 16 gigabytes of information on a phone as well as information stored via the cloud is from that material evidence.

But with a cellphone, "the sum of an individual's private life can be reconstructed through a thousand photographs labeled with dates, locations, and descriptions; the same cannot be said of a photograph or two of loved ones tucked into a wallet."

Because so much data can be found by searching even an inexpensive cellphone, police must in most cases obtain warrants to search them, the court ruled. "The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought. Our answer to the question of what police must do before searching a cell phone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple -- get a warrant."

Today ruling largely stemmed from two separate cases, one from California (Riley v. California) and one from Boston Massachusetts (United States v. Wurie). Both cases involved arrests whereas information obtained from police searching cellphones of the defendants led to them being charged and convicted.

In both cases, the issue raised before the Supreme Court was whether the warrantless searches and subsequent chargers were deemed reasonable

"These cases require us to decide how the search incident to arrest doctrine applies to modern cell phones, which are now such a pervasive and insistent part of daily life that the proverbial visitor from Mars might conclude they were an important feature of human anatomy," Chief Justice Roberts wrote. In both cases, the cellphones in question "are based on technology nearly inconceivable just a few decades ago," when precedent-setting cases were decided.

"Finally, there is an element of pervasiveness that characterizes cell phones but not physical records. Prior to the digital age, people did not carry a cache of sensitive personal information with them as they went about their day. Now it is the person who is not carrying a cell phone, with all that it contains, who is the exception," the ruling says. "A decade ago police officers searching an arrestee might have occasionally stumbled across a highly personal item such as a diary. But those discoveries were likely to be few and far between. Today, by contrast, it is no exaggeration to say that many of the more than 90% of American adults who own a cell phone keep on their person a digital record of nearly every aspect of their lives -- from the mundane to the intimate. Allowing the police to scrutinize such records on a routine basis is quite different from allowing them to search a personal item or two in the occasional case."

In their ruling the court acknowledged that the ruling will have an effect on the ability of police to combat crime, but reminded us that privacy must prevail!!

Intel 2-in-1s: Getting The Best of A Tablet And Laptop All-In-One Device

The argument over which is better the laptop or the tablet is a never ending one. Each has their own merits with neither necessarily being a "winner," only a preference based on your specific needs. However, when choosing out latest geek gadget we asked ourselves, why choose between either? Why not get the best of both and get something that will offer the extremely convenient and portable features of a tablet, with all the powerful features a laptop has to offer?

When looking for the latest addition to our gadget family we took many factors into consideration. First, and foremost we had to think about what tasks we would need the device to handle on a daily basis and what we thought would be imperative for the device to perform. For example, for us a keyboard or the ability to use a keyboard is essential. Try typing out several long blog posts on a touchscreen and you will soon see why! We also needed something that offered a great deal of portability. I like to travel light and carry as little as possible.

Filling all of our needs has always been a bit tricky. Being tech junkies, of course we also have impeccable taste, so whatever devices we decide to grace the office with have to meet the highest standards. Given this, we decide to add our second #Intel2in1 device.

Meet our new Dell Venue 11 Pro! She came to us fully loaded and ready to tackle any of the geekiest tasks we could toss her way. Under the hood is an Intel Core i5 4210Y processor (3MB Cache, 1.5 GHz Dual-Core) processor, Windows 8.1, 4GBs of RAM and 128GB internal storage. To keep productivity up we added on Dell Tablet Keyboard with a built-in rechargeable battery that Dell says will increases our Dell Venue 11 Pro tablet's battery life by 50 percent.

As a stand alone tablet the Venue 11 Pro offers a 10.8 inch IPS Display with FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution with 10-pt capacitive touch. Which paired with Windows 8.1 gives you a fairly good tablet experience. Multi-touch is really response, the screen is bright and clear and videos really pop. Coupled with the keyboard and wireless Logitech mouse however, is where we really see her shine. The Core i5 and 4GBs of RAM means she purrs like a kitten, especially when compared to our other tablets and even our Samsung ATIV 2-in-1 that features an Intel Atom CPU. Multi-tasking with even some of the most demanding tasks we needed to accomplish was flawless.

Battery life was one area we were really concerned. We have not had the best of luck with out laptops nor our tablets. We are heavy users that like to have a full bright screen while running multiple programs. Both of which eat through battery life quickly. Both tablets and 2-in-1s should have great battery life. Tablets are built around a comparatively lower-powered processor, which typically gives tablets better battery life versus a 2-in-1 and considerable better life compared to laptops.

Here we were extremely surprised. Under fairly heavy usage our Core i7 based Samsung laptop gets a few hours at most battery time. Our tablets usually fair pretty well, but they aren't used nearly as much. When using the Dell Tablet Keyboard the battery on our Dell Venue 11 Pro was still running strong after 3+ hours, with 60-65% battery life left. That means we could have easily made it through a full work day on a single charge. Something we just can't do with most of our other devices.

The ability to seamlessly switch from a powerful tablet to an equally powerful, fully productive, laptop that really made us decide on an #Intel2in1 device. When on the go we can unplug and slim down with just the tablet, yet still have full access to all our Windows apps and content. Then when we need to ramp-up the power usage we can plug in our accessories like a keyboard, mouse or even external HDD and have more than enough juice to keep up with all our need.

For more details on the Dell Venue 11 Pro be sure to check back for our full review, which should be available shortly. If you need more details on selecting the best device for you checkout these suggestions from Intel!

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel This could include Intel providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Steam's Summer Sale Get Discounted Games Until June 30th

PC gamers hope you have your credit cards handy. The annual Steam Summer Sale has kicked off with major discounts to several of your favorite game titles. Whether you are a seasoned gamer, a novice or just someone looking to try out some new games, this sale offers a bit of everything for everyone!

For the next ten days, you take advantage of huge savings throughout the Steam store on thousands of games. Aside from the daily offerings there are also Eight-hour Flash Sales. You can even help select what goes on sale with the the Steam Community's Choice Flash Sales.

More than a hundred products will be featured as Daily Deals throughout the sale, with new deals popping up every 24 hours.

In addition to the sale Steam is offer the bonus Steam Summer Adventure. A chance for gamers to collect, trade, and craft 10 Summer Adventure cards that can only be earned during the sale. Players can earn in-game items, community rewards, and points for their team by crafting badges throughout the sale. At the end of each day, the team with the most points wins.

Need some suggestions to get the best deals during the sale? Here are a few that usually help us get the most bang for the buck!

• Add your must have games to your wish list! During the daily deals or flash sales it is easy to overlook some of your favorites. Having them in one handy place makes it easier to track when or of they do go on sale. Set reminders and track those Flash Sales first! The Flash Sales refresh every eight hours and have four games with deep cash saving discounts each time. Since the Flash Sales section get the deepest discounts and rotates frequently it is best to track them first to get your games for really cheap.
• Check each day for the new Daily Deals! The Daily Deals refresh every day at 1 p.m. Eastern and usually have between eight and ten games each time. The discounts are generally lower than the Flash Sales, but some are still extremely compelling. 
• Keep a close eye on those Community deals! Steam is letting the Steam community vote for one of three games to get a discount each day. These deals last about a day, and you can weigh in on which one you want. The result is up to the community, but it's usually the biggest title or the steepest discount that wins.

Review: D-Link DIR-818LW Wireless AC750 Dual Band Router

A few weeks ago we introduced readers to the new more colorful line-up of D-Link routers including the new DIR-818LW. This batch of consumer friendly home routers promises to not only bring you the latest in home networking connectivity with dual band Next Generation AC750 technology and Gigabit LAN but also promises to 'Bring Color To Your Life' and add some style to your home network with four different colors to choose from: Red, Teal, Black and White.

D-Link says the new routers are perfect for any house looking for a reliable and strong home network ideal for HD video streaming, online gaming and multiple user activities.

D-Link DIR-818LW Features and Specifications:

• Next Generation AC750 Technology for increased speed, range, and reliability to ensure coverage throughout your home.
  
  • IEEE 802.11ac wireless LAN
  • IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless LAN
• Dual Band Performance for faster speeds with less Wi-Fi interference and maximum throughput.
  
  • 2.4 GHz band: 2400 - 2483.5 MHz
  • 5 GHz band: 5150 - 5725 MHz
• Four 10/100/1000 Fast Gigabit ports give you high-speed wired connectivity.
• USB Port - Create your own personal cloud
• Backward Compatibility to work with existing and future Wi-Fi devices.
• mydlink Cloud Services to remotely monitor your network using your smartphone or tablet.
• Latest home networking security
  
  • 64/128 bits WEP
  • WPA & WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
  • WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)
  • Advanced Features: QoS (Quality of Service), DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), Firewall Network Address Translation (NAT), Guest zone and IPv6 ready

D-Link DIR-818LW Setup

Setting up most home routers these days is a snap. Gone are the days of needing to load extra software and fumble through several different screens, while trying to figure out several different default passwords. D-Link offers a quick easy guide to get you started and the router walks you through most of the snags you might hit. For us it was pretty much a matter of plug and play.

Start with powering down your network all the way up to the modem. Connect all your wired connections and start powering on your devices. Start with the modem first, allow it to make the hand shake with your ISP and make sure the connection is up and running. Then power on your D-Link DIR-818LW. Once you green lights across the board, indicating a good connection, power on your PC, laptop or whichever device you are going to use to finish the setup.

From there you can log into the http://dlinkrouter.local homepage or http://192.168.01 and you'll be guided through the rest of the setup. We found the basic setup to be fairly intuitive and easy enough that the average consumer shouldn't have any issues. You'll be prompted to setup the basics like wireless security, network passwords ect. For any entry level router such as this, targeting the general consumer, I'd like to have seen a more user friendly interface. However, the basics are easy enough to navigate, yet it still offers the most demanding geeks all the tools and toys they need for tweaking their networks to perfection!

D-Link DIR-818LW Performance, Speed and Range

Testing performance, speed and range can be a bit tricky. There are a wide range of factors that have negative impacts on wireless networking performance. Things like obstacles like walls and surround terrain, what channel your router uses, the placement of the wireless router, and even interference issues from other routers or everyday items like cordless phones, microwave ovens, ect. can all contribute to poor performance. In our testing we try to set each router up with the same basic settings in the same basic environment.

Given this is our first dual-band Wireless AC router we were a bit surprised in some areas and a bit disappointed in others. Speed and range wise we saw a slight boost over our Linksys E4200v2. Utilizing the 2.4Ghz band and at the furthest possible testing distant there seemed to be a very noticeable boost in speeds. General testing under normal ranges there wasn't any significant change, nor did we expect any given the equipment used.

Testing under the 5Ghz channel we saw a bit of disappointment as range was fairly limited. This wasn't surprising as generally the higher frequencies bands tend to have lest range than that of the lower frequency bands. While we did have coverage throughout the office, we would like to have seen a bit more performance. With the 2.4Ghz band we saw nearly twice the range 30-60ft was our max testing radius and the 5Ghz band saw significant drop off at 15-20ft.

Final Thoughts and Conclusions
For those looking to make an upgrade from an older Wireless N, or god forbid Wireless G router and and are finally looking to break into the AC router market, the DIR-818LW won't be a bad option. As an entry level device it offers solid performance and offered a lot of options for a nice price.

If you already have a top notch Wireless N router such as the Linksys E4200v2 or another router offering 900Mbps speeds, then the speed and range will be fairly similar, making it a bit less of an upgrade option. For those users you may want to spend the extra money and get something with a bit more bang and more speed like the D-Link DIR-850L or another router offering AC1200 or above speeds.

The one aspect we loved was the dual channel option. At any given time we have 10-15 connected devices ranging from tablets, to phones, to PCs and laptops, even a couple streaming devices like the Chromecast streaming content. It was great to have a dedicated channel to offload some of the connections to giving them their own dedicated network and bandwidth. With that we never once saw a slow down even when streaming across multiple devices.

The one major aspect we found flaw with oddly enough wasn't the router itself. It was with the mydlink website and remote interface. The site utilizes Java which we tend to not have installed on our devices due to a) not using it almost anywhere else on the web and b) security concerns over the past several vulnerabilities. Other than that, for the average home user, we found the D-Link DIR-818LW to be well worth the $79.99 price tag.

Apple Drops Price And Performance On Newest Entry Level iMac

Apple, a company probably best known for offering "premium" devices at a premium price, has made a surprising move announcing a new entry level iMac with a $200 price drop. With that discount however comes a bit of a cost, a major drop in performance.

The new Apple iMac features a 21.5-inch LED-backlit screen, a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of memory and a 500 GB hard drive. That's far less powerful than Apple's previous "low-end" iMac, which had a 2.7 GHz processor and a 1 TB (1,000 GB) hard drive. In fact that’s roughly half the processing speed of other quad-core iMacs and identical in almost every way to the MacBook Airs.

Apple generally isn't known for offering 'entry level' mainstream devices to consumers. Their niche has always been offering a 'high quality' device with a 'premium' look and feel. Recently however, the company has made moves to break that mold by offering lower cost 'budget' friendly options such as the new iPhone 5C. Still the company generally doesn't reduce prices on their devices until the model ages, or the company releases an updated version. Even then those models retain the same components, or even offer slight improvements with, for example, a boost to the processor.

Stephen Baker, an analyst with the NPD Group and an expert on U.S. retail sales believes the recent reductions in price and new offerings of budget friendly devices is a move to take Apple to a more mainstream market.

"There's a lot more attention paid to volume at Apple," Baker said. "The earlier MacBook Air price changes, the amount of discounting that's going on with the iPad and iPhones as well, it feels like there's a lot more attention at Apple to getting to more mainstream pricing and more mainstream customers."

Even with the reduction in price Apple is still charging customers a 'premium' over current Windows based models with similar specifications. The average price of a Windows based touch-screen all-in-one with similar specifications and screen size is roughly $800. While the average for non-touch Windows all-in-ones can be found for well was under $500. So Apple's $1,100 is still pretty high.

Will that matter to consumers, no probably not. For those Apple fans looking to buy Apple just for the sake of having Apple, or because they want the new unified experience Mac OS X Yosemite offers the price drop will just be seen as a bonus.

The less expensive iMac is already available on Apple's website and will ship within 24 hours. But it won't yet come preloaded with OS X Yosemite, the operating system Apple unveiled at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month. Customers who buy the iMac now can download OS X Yosemite for free this fall.

Source: Apple

Easily Root Your Galaxy S5 and Other Android Devices Thanks to 'Towelroot'

Mobile device security it a priority Android developers and device manufactures. Google and OEMs like Samsung have been working to add as much protection as possible to their devices for years. While extra security is a good thing for all consumers, it has its downsides for us geeks that like to root and customize our devices to our liking.

Having root access to your Android device means you can make almost any changes you'd like, even system-level changes which include new custom ROMs (the OS that runs the phone). Back in the early days of Android it used to be trivial to root an Android device, but they’re much more locked down these days.

As a consequence of OEMs added a new level of security and more security features like Samsung's KNOX, it has become harder to gain root access to many of the new Android devices such as the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5. Until recently the AT&T and Verizon versions of the Samsung Galaxy S5 were unable to be rooted prompting XDA members to take up a collection for a bounty on a root method that topped over $18,000.

Enter famed developer and noted hacker George “Geohot” Hotz. Geohot has come forward with a working root method that not only roots the Galaxy S5, but it also roots almost every other Android phone currently on the market.

Dubbed Towelroot, the new tool comes in the form of a downloadable APK file that makes rooting your device as easy as allowing your device to install from 'unknown sources', sideloading an APK file and clicking “make it ra1n.” Because this method is easy it should be noted you should only download Towelroot from the official page. That’s also where Geohot is accepting donations for his work via PayPal and Bitcoin.

Since the tool differs from all the standard root methods in that it uses an exploit to root phones, it should work on almost all phones running Android 4.4.2 or earlier. That includes all of Samsung’s recent phones like the Note 3, Galaxy S5, and Galaxy S4. All of LG’s newer flagships (G2, G3, G2 Pro, etc.) are susceptible as well. And that’s just the start.

If you've ever wanted to try rooting your phone and using a custom ROM it certainly doesn't get any easier than this! Just be aware this tool will probably void your warranty, especially on Samsung devices where it will trip the Knox security flag.

Facebook Will Soon Offer More Controls Over Targeted Ads

Facebook users may have recently started to notice more and more ads on the social media site that seem to 'know' what they've been doing online, the pages they like, or the searches they make. These 'targeted ads' are nothing new to the site, but soon you'll see more of this is a type of interest-based advertising.

On Thursday, Facebook announced that is will take a few new steps to improve their targeted advertising system. Adding in ads that not only cover your Facebook activity, but also your web searching and browsing history. However, the company has said they are also giving users more control as to what is shared and what ads they'll see. In their announcement Facebook said users will soon be able to opt out of their targeted ad system completely through controls in their Web browser and iOS and Android phones. 

You can opt out of Facebook's ad targeting in your web browser using the industry-standard Digital Advertising Alliance opt out, and on your mobile devices using the controls that iOS and Android provide.

Here's the details of how to opt out:

• Go to the Digital Advertising Alliance at www.aboutads.info/choices/
• If you are using an ad blocker or anything else that blocks cookies, you will have to turn that off.
• On the first screen, select the "companies customizing ads for your browser" tab.
• Scroll down until you see Facebook.Click the check box next to Facebook. Then click "submit."
• You can also opt out on your phone.
• For iOS users, open settings and go to General>Restrictions>Advertising under "Privacy" section. Select "limit ad tracking."
• For Android users, go to Google Settings>Ads>Opt Out of Interest-Based Ads and you're done.

For those that don't mind a few ads or want control over the other ads within the Facebook system. Facebook is introducing ad preferences, a new tool accessible from every ad on Facebook that explains why you’re seeing a specific ad and lets you add and remove interests that you are shown. So for instance, if you’re not interested in electronics, you can remove electronics from your ad interests.

Comcast Turning Customer Connections Into Massive Public Wi-Fi Hotspot Network

Comcast Xfinity subscribers take note, Comcast is actively rolling out an update to your service you may not even be aware of. An update that turns on a little known feature enabling your Xfinity router to be turned into a public hotspot!

Comcast is making headlines this week and not in a good way! We've already seen a number of stories, most notably from The Houston Chronicle, detailing the on-going roll-out of the new Comcast Xfinity Wifi service. The service, when switched on, provides internet access to Xfinity subscribers through the use of other current Xfinity subscriber's internet connections.

At the heart of the story: Comcast is turning some of the Wi-Fi routers placed in the homes of current subscribers into a “massive public Wi-Fi hotspot network,” but it’s doing so without giving customers the opportunity to opt out before the service is rolled out.

The new Xfinity Wifi service roll-out is in fact not new and the spread has been in effect for some time. However, it is just now starting to garner the attention it deserves!

Comcast says the hotspot – which appears as “xfinitywifi” to those searching for a Wi-Fi connection – is completely separate from the home network. Someone accessing the Net through the hotspot can’t get to the computers, printers, mobile devices, streaming boxes and more sitting on the host network. Comcast officials also say that people using the Internet via the hotspot won’t slow down Internet access on the home network. Additional capacity is allotted to handle the bandwidth.

However, we feel a bit skeptical of those claims. Security is always a concern when you have any outside access. There may also be concerns over piracy and other malicious acts. Even though Comcast assures users that they shouldn't be liable for any actions taken on the Xfinity WiFi as it’s set on a different track from your own.

How To Disable Comcast Xfinity WiFi Hotspot

Several different models of Wi-Fi routers are affected by this change-over, and Comcast does allow the service to be shut off. If you’ve got an Arris Touchstone Telephony Wireless Gateway Modem from Comcast, it’s likely you have or will have "xfinitywifi" turned on at some point. To turn this service off, you have only to do the following:

• Log into your Comcast account page at customer.comcast.com.
• Click on Users & Preferences.
• Look for a heading on the page for “Service Address.” Below your address, click the link that reads “Manage Xfinity WiFi.”
• Click the button for “Disable Xfinity Wifi Home Hotspot.”
• Click Save

Users only have the opportunity to disable the service after it’s activated. Meaning if you do not see a "Manage Xfinity Wi-fi" link, you do not have a home hotspot active. If you do not have a home hotspot active, you will not be able to disable it - because it isn’t there. A Comcast FAQ section further details Xfinity Wi-Fi.

Conclusion
Personally I hate opt-out services! Even though Comcast reportedly sent out notices about the hotspot feature, and email notifications will supposedly go out after it’s turned on, the feature is being turned on without its subscribers’ prior consent and you have to take action to not participate. I feel that should be the other way around. Comcast should have to get user consent before switching on the service. After all how many of us out there really read all those notices coming from Comcast?

What are your thoughts? Should customer be concerned that their internet connections are being opened up for public use? Share your thoughts in a comment below!