Google Glass Goes Onsale To Everyone April 15th

Google Glass is all the rage with many tech geeks clamoring to be added to the wait list to get their hands on the hottest thing in tech. Unfortunately until now the device has only had limited been availability to the general public. So far, the face-mounted computers have been sold only to Google "Explorers," the company's name for early adopters. At first only developers could buy Glass, but Google slowly expanded the program to include regular people.

If like most you've been dying to try out Google Glass then Tuesday will be your lucky day. Google is opening sales of Glass for one day only to any adult in the United States who wants one of the devices. In true sale fashion, Google is throwing in free frames or sunglasses for those first-time customers and the supply is limited. Sales start at 9 a.m. ET on April 15, but people can sign up now with Google to receive a reminder.

Here’s the details direct from Google:

Next Tuesday, April 15th at 6am PDT, we’re opening up some spots in the Glass Explorer Program. Any adult in the U* can become an Explorer by visiting our site and purchasing Glass for $1500 + tax – and it now comes with your favorite shade or frame, thanks to feedback from our current Explorers. The number of spots available is limited, so mark your calendar if you want to get in. You can find us on Tuesday at: http://google.com/glass/start/how-to-get-one

If you have the extra $1500 laying around or if you are expecting that big tax refund, this might be the ultimate tax day relief. Personally I've been holding out in hopes that the prices would come down, or we'd see someone else enter the market.

So Long Windows XP You'll Be Missed: Microsoft Officially Terminates Support for Windows XP

A mere twelve and a half years after its launch, Microsoft has finally pulled the plug on Windows XP officially ending any further support for the long lived and much beloved operating system. The OS lived far longer than Microsoft had ever hoped. Reaching new heights with the failed launch of Windows Vista and still holding a strong market share even after Windows 7 and Windows 8 were launched.

Mainstream support for Windows XP ended five years ago, in April 2009, and since then, the company has been providing ‘extended support’ for the OS. Today, April 8, 2014, marks the official end of the extended support phase for Windows XP (and also for Office 2003) – from today, Microsoft will no longer offer free security patches, updates or fixes of any kind to users of Windows XP across the globe, including consumers and businesses alike.

Although Microsoft officially ends its support for Windows XP today, there is no for mass panic to spread out across the web. Your computer will not immediately shut itself down, or spontaneously self-destruct. In fact, most of you probably won’t notice any real difference at all. The main risk here is that, according to most security researchers hackers are waiting at the gates with exploits that could soon be launched to target the masses of Windows XP computers that are still accessing the web worldwide.

For those of you, like myself, that still have at least one Windows XP based machine on their network there are still a few options for securing your machines and keeping them safe. However, those options are slowly fading away, with many companies slowing ending support for aging OS.

I still have Windows XP what are my options now?

Windows XP will no longer be a viable long term option. At some point every company out there that hasn't already ended support will. For the short term you'll want to at the very least find a good security suite and malware detector. Microsoft will continue to provide basic security protection for Windows XP through its Security Essentials suite and the anti-malware Malicious Software Removal Tool; both of these will continue to be updated through to July 14, 2015. However, a third party option may still be in order. You'll also want to make sure all of your current applications, plugins ect are fully patched and updated.

Short of all that you'll want to start looking for a long term solution. This would require either upgrading to a newer Windows based OS, perhaps buying a new computer or taking the plunge and checking out something entirely different altogether. There are several great Linux distributions out there that are extremely user friendly. There is also the option of Google’s streamlined Chrome OS, which is available on notebooks and desktops that might feel more familiar to XP users.

Either way you go you would be much better off taking the leap sooner rather than later!

Did You Catch The Premiere of Mike Judge’s ‘Silicon Valley’?

While I'm sure most of my fellow geeks were glued to the TV watching the season four premiere of Game of Thrones, there was a second equally geeky show that premiered immediately following. Mike Judge’s new half-hour show that takes on the tech scene, Silicon Valley debuted right after Game of Thrones on HBO.


The new show follows the lives of 6 would be Silicon Valley programmers, played by as they try to make it big in the tech world. In case you missed it, HBO is offering the first episode free on YouTube. Just click below to check it out!

Did you checkout the ‘Silicon Valley’ premiere? Share your thoughts about the new show with us in a comment below.

Apple Announces WWDC Dates For June 2-6, Adds New Ticket Lottery System

Apple today announced that it will hold its wildly popular Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) June 2 through June 6 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. The event which features conferences and developers forums  will allow lucky tickets holders an inside glimpse into the future of iOS and OS X

The 2014 WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions, over 1,000 Apple engineers, hands-on labs to help developers integrate new technologies and fine tune their apps, as well as the Apple Design Awards which showcase the best apps from the past year.

WWDC 2014 activities include:

• More than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers on a wide range of topics for developing, deploying and integrating the latest iOS and OS X technologies;
• more than 1,000 Apple engineers supporting over 100 hands-on labs and events to provide developers with code-level assistance, insight into optimal development techniques and guidance on how they can make the most of iOS and OS X technologies in their apps;
• the latest innovations, features and capabilities of iOS and OS X, and how to enhance an app’s functionality, performance, quality and design;
• the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iOS and OS X developers from around the world—last year more than 60 countries were represented;
• a new series of get togethers for attendees focused on particular topics with special guest speakers and activities; 
• engaging and inspirational lunchtime sessions with leading minds and influencers from the worlds of technology, science and entertainment; and
• Apple Design Awards which recognize iPhone, iPad and Mac apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.

Unlike in years past, tickets for WWDC 2014 will not be sold in a first-come-first-served fashion, a move that  seeks to eliminate the mad rush of the past, when tickets sold out so quickly many developers only heard about their availability after the supply had been exhausted.

Developers can apply for tickets via the WWDC website (developer.apple.com/wwdc) now through Monday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. PDT, and tickets will be issued to attendees through random selection. Developers will know their status by Monday, April 7 at 5:00 p.m. PDT. There will also be 200 Student Scholarships available, giving students around the world the chance to earn a free ticket (developer.apple.com/wwdc/students). This year the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and its alliance partners will help promote scholarships to female engineers and coders.

Microsoft Releases Office for iPad Today For Free

Microsoft has finally made a move to bring the company's widely used Office Suite to the Apple iPad. The new app was announced today in San Francisco and is available today for iPad owners via Apple App store.

The apps have the same familiar look and feel that is found in the desktop versions of Office, while offering a fantastic touch experience built from the ground up for iPad. With the free versions of the apps, you can read your Word documents, view your Excel data and present with PowerPoint. Your documents will look no different than they do on your PC and Mac.

For those users wanting to do more than just basic tasks, they'll have to pay for an Office 365 subscription. This will allow for more advanced tasks, such as editing documents or accessing OneDrive for Business.

Your Office 365 subscription not only gets you the Office for iPad apps installed on up to 5 tablets, but also 5 copies across Office for your PCs and Macs.  With one subscription all of your devices are covered, so you can work the way you want.

The Office suite is available as three separate apps: Microsoft Word for iPad, Microsoft Excel for iPad, and Microsoft PowerPoint for iPad.

Not wanting to leave out iPhone and Android users Microsoft has also released Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go directly from your smartphones.  Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play.

For more details on the new apps checkout the official announcement via the Microsoft Office Blog.

New Twitter Update Allows Others to Tag You In Photos

Twitter has added a few new 'social' features to the site, and they are all about sharing pictures. With today's update you can tag up to 10 people in your images as well as attach up to four images to a single post all without wasting any of you 140 characters.

Tag up to 10 people in a photo

Tagging people in a picture is a quick easy conversations starter or any easy way to get someone's attention. With the new feature you can tag up to 10 people in a photo and still have all 140 characters at your disposal, making it easier to connect with your friends or others on Twitter. If you’re the one being tagged, you’ll get a notification allowing you to checkout the photo or join the conversation.

The new feature allows not only tagging of friends but almost anyone on Twitter, so for some this might be an annoyance or a violation of their privacy. For those that are concerned be sure to checkout the bottom of the post for options to select who can tag you.

Share up to 4 photos in a single Tweet

Hitting iOS devices first and coming soon to both Android and the Twitter website, will also be the option to upload multiple photos to a single tweet. Users will be able to share a series of up to four photos that automatically create a collage. Just tap on a preview to get the full image and slide through the group. The ability to upload multiple photos is starting to roll out today on iPhone, and is coming soon to Android so hit your respective app store now to get the appropriate update.

How Do I Turn Off Twitter Photo Tagging?

For those that aren't at all interested in being tagged in photos of others the settings are fairly easy to change. You can adjust notifications, as well as who can tag you, in your Security and Privacy Settings. Under Privacy you'll have three options - allow anyone to tag me, only allow people I follow and don't allow anyone. Simply select which option you prefer and save your changes and you are done, easy peasy! To learn more, read this Help Center article.

Nvidia Announces $3k Dual-GPU GeForce Titan Z

Looking to build the ultimate gaming powerhouse? If money is no object then Nvidia might have just announced the card for you!

Announced today at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), the new Dual-GPU GeForce Titan Z packs two GK110 chips which translates into a mind bending 5,760 CUDA cores and 12GB of memory for 8 TeraFLOPS of performance. Nvidia says unlike traditional dual-GPU cards, Titan Z’s twin GPUs are tuned to run at the same clock speed, and with dynamic power balancing. So neither GPU creates a performance bottleneck.

"If you’re in desperate need of a supercomputer that you need to fit under your desk, we have just the card for you," Jen-Hsun stated in a blog post.

Given the hefty price tag it is unlikely that the Titan Z is aimed gaming and is more geared towards high-end computing and most likely Bitcoin style farming. Those few gamers that can afford it however might want to throw it into a screaming desktop gaming machine and for those Huang showed a demo from Epic Games which was built with Unreal Engine 4.

Other than the monstrous $2,999 price tag and an April release date, few other GeForce Titan Z specifications or details are known at this time.

Google Celebrates Small Businesses With 'Get Your Business Online Week'

For a small business nothing can have a greater impact than having an online presence. It is possibly the fastest, easiest thing you can do to grow your business. Sadly however the majority of small businesses still don't have a virtual presence. That’s Google's inspiration behind Get Your Business Online Week, building opportunities with local partners to get businesses in our communities online and growing.

Starting today, Google will be broadcast free virtual workshops for business owners, available to anyone with an Internet connection. Here’s a glimpse of what you can look forward to:

• Conversations with businesses that have prospered online, like Barkbox, GoldieBlox and Dollar Shave Club
• Step-by-step demos on building a website and getting found on Search and Maps
• Interviews with small business experts like SmallBizLady Melinda Emerson
• Workshops on Google tools for businesses (Google Apps, Google Trends, Google Alerts), online advertising (AdWords), and measuring your success online (Analytics)
• Free help and advice from experts over Helpouts by Google

Google is also partnering with small business organizations across the country including local chambers of commerce, Small Business Development Centers and SCORE chapters to host live events with broadcasts of each of the virtual trainings and various other in person workshops. You can find a screening closest to you via the  GYBO website.

Motorola Jumps Into The Smartwatch Business With Sexy New Moto 360

Wearable tech is the hottest thing going today, with companies like Samsung, Pebble, Sony and even Apple (reportedly) jumping into the smartwatch business. It should be no surprise then that more manufactures are looking to cash in on the new crazy. Motorola has become the latest to do so as today the company unveiled the Moto 360, one of the first smartwatches powered by Google's new Android Wear platform.

While the video above gives us a brief overview of the design of the new device hardware and specification details are still a bit scarce on the Moto 360. As for the new Android Wear platform we do have a bit more information than to Google's developer preview. 

The new software will provide the same type of card alerts as Google Now, letting you know when you have an appointment, what the score is in your favorite team's game or how long it will take you to get to work. The software will also feature a voice-activated search that fires up when you say the phrase “OK Google.” Just say ‘Ok Google’ to ask questions, like how many calories are in an a slice of bread, what is the weather or what time your flight leaves. You can also use basic commands by saying things like ‘Ok Google’ to get stuff done, like calling a taxi, sending a text, making a restaurant reservation or setting an alarm.

Moto 360 will be available in a variety of styles globally in Summer 2014, starting in the US. To learn more about Moto 360 and stay up to date on product news, click here. 

Intel Announces The 2014 Intel Level Up Game Demo Contest

Game developers are you looking for a little recognition and a chance at some great prizes? Then checkout the 2014 Intel Level Up Game Demo Contest with over $13,000 in cash prizes, the chance for inclusion in the game demo in the STEAM DEMOS page and even the opportunity to have your game developed by the Valve Corp.

For full details check out the Intel Level Up Contest Rules the Intel Level Up Contest FAQ and the Intel Level Up Contest Forum

Participants can win in multiple categories except for the grand prize and game genre categories. An individual game demo can win the prize package in only one (1) of the game genre categories, consistent with the genre of the demo they submit.

1. Grand Prize Category: Professional/ Independent and student game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by the contest judges will be eligible to win the “Game of the Year” grand prize category.
   1. “Game of the Year” grand prize winner will receive:
      • A USD 5.000,00 cash prize
      • Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam DEMOS page.
      • The opportunity to turn their game demo into a full playable game title and sign a Steam®** online gaming platform commercial distribution contract with Valve Corporation*. This will be offered to the winner but is subject to negotiation until both Valve Corporation* and the winner are in agreement.
2. Game Genre Prize Categories: All game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by contest judges as winners in one of the Game Genre Prize Categories are eligible for the following prize package:
   • A USD 3.000,00 cash prize
     • Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam DEMOS page.
3. Skills & Craft Categories: All game developers who submit playable game demos that meet submission requirements and are selected by contest judges as winners in one of the Skills & Craft Categories are eligible for the following prize package:
   • A USD 3.000,00 cash prize
     • Inclusion of their game demo in the Steam DEMOS page.

For complete contest rules, requirements, and prize details, see the Terms and Conditions.

Popcorn Time Resurrected As Promised

Torrent-based Streaming App Popcorn Time certainly has had a wild ride this week! Over the course of the past week the app went live, was killed off and removed and has now been resurrected.

As reported over the weekend,  the original creators of Popcorn Time bid a fond farewell to the app due to undo pressure from their overnight success and what was sure to be even more impending questions over the legality of the service. Following the announcement they'd be dropping any further development of the project it was reported that YTS (Yiffy Torrents) would be taking up the projects.

Today however, it appears as though that might not be the case. Following TorrentFreak's initial reports, YTS contradicted Jduncanator, writing on its homepage that "YTS is not taking over, and is in no way affiliated with Popcorn Time… Popcorn Time is a community driven project, not owned nor maintained by a single person or entity."

While it looks like YTS wants to distance itself from the project, likely due to legal concerns,  and insuring there isn’t a single entity here that Hollywood’s lawyers can attack, the development continues with a newly released installer and a new back-end. 

For those of you that tested out the earlier app, you'll need to uninstall any previous version and install the latest beta. For those that haven't tested it yet and would like to test out the new Popcorn Time, checkout the Github page for the project , but keep in mind, streaming pirated movies is still illegal and could eventually put you into some legal hot water. Stream at your own risk.

App Featuring Steve Jobs Quotes Rejected From Apple App Store

A new app featuring quotes from the late great Steve Jobs has appeared online. However, it looks as though the Apple isn't up to the high standards set by the Apple App store.

Quoth Steve as it is aptly named, provides daily quotes from former Apple CEO Steve Jobs which can be saved, shared via social networks, or synched to different devices. That app which has been relegated to Web app only status was rejected entry into the Apple App store because "Apple doesn't accept apps related to Jobs".

Speaking to Recode in an interview published Monday, app creator John Gill claims that he attempted to have his app approved by Apple, only to be told by the company that it won't accept any apps focused solely on its co-founder. Apple asked that he add quotes from other popular figures in addition to Jobs, but Gill told Recode that he didn't feel it was in the spirit of the app.

Apple’s suggestion went against the entire premise on which this app was built. So Gill decided not to take their suggestions to modify the app to be in compliance with App Store rules. Instead, Quoth Steve Jobs, now exists as a web app that only provides quotes from the Apple legend.

For those of you that are interested you can get the app and your daily fill of Quoth Steve quotes here.

Goodbye Popcorn Time We Hardly Knew You [Update]

 **[Update 3/17] As promised Popcorn Time has returned, click here for more info!**

For a fleeting moment Popcorn Time stole the limelight as a free open source project that allowed users to stream many of today's most popular movies. After a whirling four short days of beta testing that saw Popcorn Time become and overnight hit the service was shuttered do to pressure and 'talks' it didn't want to engage in with Hollywood.

“Popcorn Time is shutting down today. Not because we ran out of energy, commitment, focus or allies. But because we need to move on with our lives. Our experiment has put us at the doors of endless debates about piracy and copyright, legal threats and the shady machinery that makes us feel in danger for doing what we love. And that’s not a battle we want a place in.” reads the website.

There was no question that Popcorn Time was popular. The service was downloaded in almost every single country and made a major splash with social media and headlines from many major news sources. With all that success it was inevitable that the legality of the service was going to come into question and that the service and it's operators were going to run afoul of organizations like the MPAA and its counterparts in other countries.

Will Popcorn Time Rise Again?

While the back-end of the original service might be done for now, and the link to download the installer is gone, the overnight success the service and the open source nature of the project suggest that it may not be dead forever. We are already seeing talks of other developers taking up the project.

YTS (formerly YIFY-Torrents), which was used in conjunction with other services to supply the streamed movies has told TorrentFreak.com that they will be picking up where the Popcorn Time team has left off.

“The YTS team will now be picking up the Popcorn Time project and continuing on like previously. We are in a better position copyright wise as for us, because it’s build on our API, it’s as if we have built another interface to our website. We are no worse off managing the project than we would be just supplying the movies,” the dev explains.

“It’s our vision at YTS that we see through projects like these and that just because they create a little stir in the public, it doesn’t mean they are shut down. That stir is exactly what the public needs and it’s already evident that people are becoming more aware of copyright-related issues.”

The project files are now hosted on Github and are open to all former developers who will be given contributor access upon request. TorrentFreak has said the Popcorn Time installer will be made available shortly, however it is unclear if this will be a new program running a different back-end or if it will be the exact same installer and service as previously used**.

** It should be noted that the previous installers and App will not work, you will need to install the newest version of Popcorn Time!!**

Google Drops Google Drive Pricing 100GB Now Just $1.99 Per Month

Cloud storage has taken a few years to take hold. At first perceptions over security issues raised many concerns, the connections were slow and the prices high. However over the past few years things have changed considerably with sites and services like DropBox, iCloud and Google Drive gaining major popularity. Most of these services offer several free options with considerably lower price points for those needing more storage.

Earlier this week Google dropped prices to an unprecedented level. They have lowered the price of all of their major monthly storage plans. For just $1.99/mo you can get 100GB (previously $4.99). For those of you looking for much more storage just $9.99/mo will get you 1TB (previously $49.99), and if that doesn't seem to be enough for $99.99 you'll get a whopping 10TB.

 Like before, storage continues to work across Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. And, of course, the 15GB plan remains free.

You can sign up for one of these new Google Drive plans at www.google.com/settings/storage. If you already pay for storage, Google has said you’ll automatically move to a better plan at no additional cost. You can visit the storage purchase page to make a change or review your account, and see the Help Center for more information on these simpler storage options.

These new prices certainly make Google Drive a more appealing option for those looking for cloud based storage question remains however; will these new prices be low enough to attract more users to cloud storage in the first place? Our bet is that Google Drive’s free 15GB plan is more than enough for the average user and most of us Geeks our there are already using other alternatives.

What do you think? Sound off and share your comments below.

Got Milk? If You Are a Galaxy Device Owner Samsung Hopes You Soon Will!!

Samsung Milk, no its not something you'd find in your new Samsung refrigerator, it just happens to be the name of Samsung's new totally free (even ad-free for now) streaming radio service that was announced earlier today. 

“Milk Music introduces a fresh approach to music that reflects our innovation leadership and our focus on creating best-in-class consumer experiences,” said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America and Samsung Electronics North America Headquarters. “We’re offering consumers amazing, rich music experiences built around what matters most to them and their lifestyle.”

Samsung's Milk Music, works a lot like most other online streaming services such as Google Play Music’s All Access, Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio, which employ similar models. Milk Music lets you choose from 200 genre based stations and over 13million songs all ad-free. And here’s a critical caveat: Although Milk Music’s Google Play page says that it’s free without advertisements, this is apparently only for a limited time (notice the asterisk attached to the very first sentence in the Play store app description). We are assuming this might change once it gets a chance to catch on!

The app utilizes a “radio dial” interface that you can easily rotate with just your thumb to get to the genre you’re looking for. The dial displays up to nine genre-based stations, which you can customize to your liking. If you prefer to setup your own stations a quick tap of the menu button brings up several options including 'My Stations' allowing you to create your own personal station based on your favorite songs and albums. Here you can also customize the dial to your liking; sift through your list of favorite songs; and checkout your listening history.


Milk Music is available now exclusively for Galaxy consumers to download on Google Play on the Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy Note II across all carrier and retail channels as well as the Galaxy S 5 in April. For more information about Milk, visit www.samsungmilk.com.

Geeks Will Soon Have Fewer B&M Options As RadioShack & Staples Announce Closures

Weak sales and fierce competition continue to take a toll on brick and mortar locations, leaving tech geeks fewer and fewer in-store buying options. Earlier this week two more retailers announced they'll be shuttering several location across the U.S., leaving us with even fewer options.

Long time geek favorite RadioShack, has announced it is closing 1,100 stores across the U.S. These 1,100 stores represent about a fifth of its total, with about 4,000 stores remaining once the closings are complete. Following suite Staples announced that it would close hundreds of members of its own chain. According to CNN, Staples plans to close 225 stores in North America by mid-2015, which equates to about 12 percent of its North American stores total.

Both companies reported that lower than expected sales and earnings during their last quarter, a period that included the holiday shopping season, and increased competition from online retailers like Amazon, and Newegg, as well as fiercer competition from other brick-and-mortars, such as Office Depot are the two major contributing factors to the closures.

Samsung Shows Off The Galaxy S5, Gear 2, and Gear Fit In Official Introduction Videos

For you smartphone Geeks out there, Samsung has posted a little bit of Geek Pr0n today with two new videos featuring the company's recently announced flagship device and its two new wearables. The first video seen below shows off some of the newest features packed into the all new Galaxy S5, including a look at the device specs, new camera features which include auto focus and selective focus, as well as some of the other new features like the download booster and ultra battery saving mode.

In the second video we get an overview of the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. The video includes a look at the newly update design with an interchangeable strap, the addition of the hear rate monitor and a look at the new UI on the Gear 2. We also get our first detailed look at the all new Gear Fit, including the screen and some of the available applications.

Cellphone Unlocking May Soon Be Legal Again

Did you know that as of Jan 26, 2013, it was "illegal" to unlock your phone? Today however, the tides have changed and the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act by a vote of 295-114. The new bill would make it entirely legal for any consumer to 'unlock' any device (no longer on subsidies we suppose) and take said device to any carrier of their choosing.

For those unfamiliar, service providers like AT&T and Verizon typically lock their devices so they can only be used with their service. If unlocked, phones can be taken over to other carriers. This is hugely important for promoting healthy competition and empowering consumer choice, not to mention being very useful for travel.

A provision of the DMCA and federal copyright laws has always made it illegal to circumvent phone locking software and unlock phones to use on a different carrier without the original carriers permission. Until last year that provision was granted exemption by the Librarian of Congress who is allowed to grant exceptions, and did until his October 2012 decision to allow the DMCA to regulate cell phone locking.

Fast forward to Jan 26th, when the exceptions expired, and the software used to lock phones quickly lost its exemption and once again became covered under the same digital copyright laws as most other software. Meaning users could no longer bypass those locks or software, or create any software that could be used at unauthorized attempts at unlocking phones.

Under current law, those unlocking their phones without permission could face legal ramifications, including jail. The notion of undoing that law has had wide support from both Republicans and Democrats as well as many consumer groups since the bill's introduction in the House in 2013.

If passed within the Senate, and signed into law, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act would repeal the Library of Congress (LOC) rulemaking determination and reestablish the previous exemption to those provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) prohibiting such circumvention and permitting the use of computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, to unlock phones.

This would be great news for consumers looking for choice in their wireless plans. Major carriers, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc, Sprint Corp, T-Mobile US and U.S. Cellular, in December made a voluntary pledge to make it easier for consumers to unlock their cellphones. However, there have still been several hurdles to for consumer to clear and the process has been anything but painless.

Would You Buy A $25 Firefox OS Based Smartphone?

We've know for awhile now that Mozilla has been working on a Firefox OS based smartphone and now it looks like we have a bit more detail as to what those phones might look like and how much they might cost.

Mozilla, the company all geeks should know as the parent to the Firefox web browser, has teamed with mobile SoC maker Spreadtrum to come up with a prototype for a smartphone that costs just $25. The key to the prototype is an ultra-cheap processor from Spreadtrum, the SC6821 SoC. The chip’s predecessor, the SC8620, sells for about $1.40 in mass quantities. Meaning even if the new chip cost a bit more, a $25 device running Firefox OS would be well within reach.

For $25, Spreadtrum says you’ll be able to get a humble 3.5″ HVGA display, rear-facing camera, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and FM radio support. Full specs aren’t being discussed yet, and that’s because they’ll be left up to the individual OEMs that actually build handsets using Firefox OS and the Spreadtrum SC6821 chip. Spreadtrum is providing the necessary internals, and Mozilla’s worked with them to ensure full hardware support within Firefox OS.

While Mozilla and Spreadtrum have said the initial goal is to bring their low cost entry level Firefox OS phones to emerging markets in developing countries they have not ruled out the option of offering them to US based carriers. So they question begs, would you be interested in the low cost phones or would you hold out for something with a bit more substance?

Personally I prefer higher end devices, which we are also starting to see with various new operating systems. For instance, Mozilla has also announced several new Higher Performance Firefox OS devices which include the ZTE Open C and Open II, Alcatel ONETOUCH Fire C, Fire E, Fire S and Fire 7 tablet, all using Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm Technologies Inc. We've also seen reports that we should expect an influx of Ubuntu based smartphones in 2014.

InfoGraphic: The Internet of Things Explained

Every geek knows what "The Internet of Things" means right? Well if like some you aren't entirely sure then this new infographic will help make sense of the often confusing term. 

For those not into infographics here is our brief explanation: The term “the internet of things” is an all encompassing reference to the plethora of devices which can communicate and share data with each other. Devices like smart watches, health monitors, and even household items like internet connected refrigerators, blenders, smoke detectors and security systems. All with sensors and intelligence built into those physical objects. These devices will talk to and monitor each other, regardless of distance or power consumption.

According to Gartner there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things by 2020. According to ABI Research more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things (Internet of Everything) by 2020. Cisco created a dynamic "connections counter" to track the estimated number of connected things from July 2013 until July 2020 (methodology included).

Check out the infographic below for a visual explanation of the internet of things, and how it works.