How to lock in your free Windows 10 upgrade and still keep using your old Windows

Folks, doing this kinda makes it a ‘win-win’ (presuming you’re like me, and perfectly happy with Windows 7)

* How to lock in your free Windows 10 upgrade and keep using your old Windows version

“The year-long free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ends on July 29. But what if you’re not ready to upgrade yet? Here’s how to claim your upgrade so it’s available at no cost when the time comes.” Read more..

Related: Six Windows 10 annoyances: How to make them go away for good

“You’ve got complaints about Windows 10? Don’t worry, you’ve got plenty of company. From my mailbox, these are the top gripes about Microsoft’s new OS, with instructions to help you make those problems vanish.” Read more..

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Today”s quotable quote: “Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” ~ Wayne Dyer

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Opera Browser Now Offers Free VPN Service

I tip my geek hat to the folks over at Opera.

* Opera Browser Now Offers Free and Unlimited Built-in VPN Service

“Opera becomes the first web browser to offer a built-in Free, unlimited and 256-bit encrypted VPN service for everyone.

Opera’s Free VPN protects unencrypted browser session from leaking on public WiFi networks and will also let unblock firewalls to improve privacy and security.” Read more..

* Get the Opera browser here.

Today’s Pretty Picture:

Not a bad cellphone pic, eh? Click on image to see more by this artist

“Spring 2011” by SurFeRGiRL30, courtesy of Flickr Commons

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Today’s quote: “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” ~ Aldous Huxley

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

A few items…

A few items a few of you might like:

1) The Secret You Need to Know About Ebooks

“A select group of readers, however, had the inside scoop on all these deals and more. They were using BookBub, a daily email that alerts readers to free and deeply discounted ebooks that are available for a limited time.” Read more…

2) A song from days past I hope will still speak to you today..

and, 3) a song I like.. and is more uptempo..

Today’s quote: “If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

50 Best Free iPhone Apps + More

For those of you iGadget types..

* 50 Best Free iPhone Apps

“Plenty of iPhone apps are worth paying for, but there are plenty of great free ones, too. Here are 50 of the best.” Read more..

[ Note: most of those are available for Android devices as well. ]

Others may be more interested in..

* Analysts’ Favorites: 10 Best Bluetooth Speakers

“Laptops and phones are smaller and thinner than ever, and so are their speakers. We tested dozens of wireless speakers and can recommend these 10 as the absolute best.” Read more..

And of course there’s scary ‘news’..

* Windows 10 Upgrade Become More Creepy, No Option to Opt-Out

“If you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 and have no plans to switch to Windows 10, then Microsoft could force you to install Windows 10*, making it harder for you to cancel or opt-out of upgrading…” Read more..

* emphasis mine. It’s time to turn off Automatic Update, and switch to “Notify me”, and manually reading each Update to make sure this *crud* isn’t allowed to happen. Sad. Just sad. Shame on you Microsoft! (Other option, image your C: drive daily..) Because unless you’re a kid needing improved XBox streaming, I see no real advantage to Win X.

And, it’s the weekend, so..

Click on image to see more by this artist.

“Little lion” by Giordano Vasconcelos, courtesy of Flickr Commons

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Today’s quote: “Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance – the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

Let’s all have a safe and marvelous weekend, okay?

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

The Best Free Software

Folks, for the first time in several years, reputable tech source PC Magazine has updated their Best Free Software compilation — which is, IMHO, the best place to look when seeking software solutions (new programs).

* The Best Free Software for 2015

“Your phone is full of free apps. But don’t neglect the desktop. These free programs can make your life better.” Read more..

Today’s quote: “A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.” ~ Grantland Rice

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Best Free Antivirus, and Security Headlines

Here’s an assortment of Items of Interest for you.

* The Best Free Antivirus for 2015

“Relying on Windows’s built-in antivirus for protection is a big mistake. Luckily, you can get an upgrade without paying a cent.” Read more..

* CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield breached, more than one million individuals notified

“CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is notifying more than one million individuals that their personal information could have been accessed by attackers who gained limited, unauthorized access to a single CareFirst database in June 2014.” Read more..

Does this next indicate a change in the wind? I hope so.
* Federal prosecutors charge Chinese nationals with trade secret theft

“Over the weekend, federal agents arrested a Chinese professor who had just entered the United States via a flight to Los Angeles – one of six Chinese nationals charged with economic espionage and theft of trade secrets from U.S. tech firms.” Read more..

* Half Of Retail, Healthcare Sites ‘Always Vulnerable’

“Finding vulnerabilities in custom web applications isn’t the major problem; fixing them in a timely fashion is, a new report from WhiteHat Security finds.” Read more..

* Oil & Gas Firms Hit By Cyberattacks That Forgo Malware

“New spin on the ‘Nigerian scam’ scams crude oil buyers out of money with bait-and-switch.” Read more..

… I’ve noticed that the Apple Watch dropped out of the headlines quite quickly.. (listen Folks, it’s pretty simple: Never Buy The First Version of Anything) but if you are thinking it’s time for you to get a “smartwatch”, this article may interest (I’ll never own one, but, hey, here you go): The Best Smartwatches You Can Buy

“Think it’s time to upgrade your traditional watch by adding some apps and notifications to your wrist? Check out our top-rated smartwatches for the best place to start” Read more..

Today’s quote: “If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Five free utilities that help protect your online privacy

Folks, here are a few tools to help you fight the good fight.

* Five utilities that help protect your online privacy

“As awesome as the internet is, it might also be the biggest threat to personal privacy the world has ever known. But even though it’s tough to guarantee total privacy in a connected world, a number of tools can help you to maintain some degree of personal privacy. This article discusses five such utilities.” Read more..

..as I would like to believe there still is some privacy left in the world.. But truth is, Google (already) knows more about you than your spouse does. (I would rephrase that blurb a wee bit, myself. Ahem. Such as “tough to guarantee” — try “impossible”.)

Today’s Fun Video:

Today’s quotable quote: “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.