Netflix and other news

Kind of a hodgepodge today.. Some interesting topics.

Big news in the tech world. Implications unknown. Some court has found that smart phone maker HTC has infringed on Apple patents, and now not only is the company (and other smart phone makers) in um, er, “a muddle” (without a paddle?) but the future of android is suddenly unclear .. perhaps doomed.

I love the idea of letting clueless (frequently “seasoned citizen”) judges decide the future of tech. I understand a few of them have heard of the “Internet thingy”, so maybe not all their decision will be hopelessly uninformed and short-sighted. Just 99.9% of them to date have been..

Here’s something to read, if you’re interested: Apple deals massive patent blow to HTC, Android in serious trouble

“Late yesterday an ITC judge ruled that smartphone maker HTC has infringed two Apple patents, and it seems likely that every single Android device out there infringes the same patents.” Read more..

~

And I suppose I should say something about Netflix, and their recent price hike. Seems many of you are quite upset. Many think it is pure and simple gouging, and are particularly incensed as they feel Netflix have us by the short and curlies: many are canceling their subscriptions.
Okay. I understand that. (And they certainly could have gone about it better!)

If enough people cancel – it is reasonable to speculate they will rethink.

But I suspect there is more going on here, and it is my hope that this increase in revenue will be reinvested. See.. Netflix needs bigger pipes (more ‘infrastructure’) to keep up with demand. Not only that, but how we view our entertainment is changing. Advertisement-based “network TV” is going the way of the Dodo bird. Netflix is trying to buy the rights to “content” — current shows and movies. The game is changing, and Netflix is trying to come out a winner as a “content provider”.. as NBC and CBS, et al, struggle to stay alive in this age of IPTV, and “streaming media”.
It takes serious money to compete with networks, media ‘moguls’, and Disney.

The Internet is changing the world, don’t you know? The issue is .. complicated. I am not canceling nor squawking — heck, I am so happy to be able to watch ‘on demand’ and commercial free, I might pay triple!
Man, do I hate ads.

~

I do not know how many times in my life, some yahoo has called me “Mr. Spock”. (So many, I have come to embrace, and adopt it.. and frequently use it myself when trying to describe myself to others.) I do not really look like Leonard Nimoy’s character. I get called that because I am seen as “logical” (and not “emotional”). Fortunately, I have discovered why — it turns out I am a “left-brain thinker”. That explains it! It hasn’t been easy…

• 10 curses of the analytical thinker

“Being a left-brain thinker can be an asset in the IT field. But as Alan Norton observes, it’s not without its shortcomings.” Read more..

There’s more news in the “world of tech”, but, it’ll have to wait for another day. Because it is sunny and nice and warm here again, (after a “cool” spell) all the way up to 82°, and I do have a small gap in my obligations. I am going to try to get outside and play. Maybe… throw a Frisbee. Haven’t done that in.. oh, 25 years?

Yawl take care now, ‘ya hear?

Today’s quotable: “Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.”  ~ Janet Lane

I got an “invite”: (testing now) Spotify hits U.S. shores, plus browser and uTorrent news

Big news hit U.S. shores this past week in the form of Spotify, the European on-demand music-streaming service. CNET Senior Editor Donal Bell calls it “the best free music option since stealing,” but unfortunately, you may not get to try it for quite some time since as of now, Spotify is invite only.

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

Additional Android Adventures…

I have been using my HTC “android” smart phone for a while now, and I can report to you, Dear Reader, that I have not experienced “buyer’s remorse”, nor a case of “the honeymoon’s over” – but, in fact, can say my little ‘droid has “grown on me”. I appreciate it a little more each day. (For those interested, I wrote a 3-part series; which starts here: My First Look At Android, part 1)

I have also a better sense, now, of what I do not like so much (though that has remained fairly consistent). Those things are:
1) bigger screen, please.
2) better battery life (yes, I understand phone maker’s are not responsible for battery technology. And I understand those two requests are counter — a bigger screen drains the battery faster.).
3) Made in America. (Yes. I would pay more.)

As much as I like my little ‘droid, I have not had the time to really explore the universe of “customizations” available that separates the Android operating system apart from the competitors. But I am intrigued, and may even – one day – “root” my phone and take total control. But for now I am just perusing articles such as today’s reading reco: 4 methods to customize Android phones and tablets

“One of the strengths of the Android platform is the level of customization that owners can use to tailor the user experience in every way. Here are my top customizations for Android devices.“

Related: For those thinking of upgrading phones – now that 4G is here .. 4G Wireless Speed Tests: Which Is Really the Fastest?

“By now you’ve seen all the ads pitching wireless companies’ new 4G mobile broadband services and devices. But beyond all the buzzwords and hype, which companies can reliably provide next-generation speed? We decided to find out by testing each of the four major national carriers–AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon–in 260 locations spread among 13 U.S. cities.“

Related (sorta): I am still looking at tablets. But I have decided to hold off, and see how the current fierce competition shakes out (as well as let the prices drop), but I pretty much decided that a 7″ size is my ‘sweet spot’. And, that Android will be my OS.

The weekend’s here. Yay!

Today’s free download: For those of you who like to download Flash games, or YouTube videos, Orbit (a download manager) will simplify your tasks. From site: “It is a free all-in-one downloader which can download streaming media, social music or video from anywhere include youtube, myspace, imeem, pandora, etc. It is famous for its super light, great speed and rapidshare supported.” (Today’s link also includes the review [and video] on C/Net.)

News: WordPress hacked

Security Incident

“Tough note to communicate today: Automattic had a low-level (root) break-in to several of our servers, and potentially anything on those servers could have been revealed.

We have been diligently reviewing logs and records about the break-in to determine the extent of the information exposed, and re-securing avenues used to gain access. We presume our source code was exposed and copied. While much of our code is Open Source, there are sensitive bits of our and our partners’ code. Beyond that, however, it appears information disclosed was limited.

Based on what we’ve found, we don’t have any specific suggestions for our users beyond reiterating these security fundamentals…”

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

Monday’s List

Monday is not my favorite day. And that fact has been true for as long as I can remember. But what can you do? Grin and bear it. It will pass.

I have some reading reco’s for you today.

Welcome to the mobile malware mess, we hope you enjoy your stay

Over the last few weeks, there’s been a dramatic surge in activity in the mobile malware arena.

The anti-malware industry has been talking and warning about mobile malware for more than five years now. It seems the time has finally come.

Apple’s iPad 2: An incremental upgrade enough to kill the competition

Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad 2 on Wednesday and the festivities went about as expected. The iPad got two cameras, dropped some girth and introduced some snazzy new covers.

Missing from the equation was a USB port and a new display.

Motorola: to compete against iPad 2, you need a cheaper XOOM

This week’s launch of Apple’s iPad 2 was a real eye-opener for a lot of us. Nobody expected the company to be able to deliver a thinner, significantly faster tablet at a base price of $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model. Right now, Apple’s competitors are eating the iPad 2’s dust, and the device hasn’t even gone onsale yet.

Some manufacturers, like Samsung, are just plain dumbfounded and are finding themselves having to re-evaluate their tablet strategies altogether and reconsidering their product launches.

(A brief aside: yesterday I was in the Verizon store, looking at “mobile devices”, and young man [I would guesstimate was about 8 yrs] ran up to the tablets and said, “Cool! A Xoom!” and the first thing he did was start playing Angry Birds.)

HTC Inspire 4G review: High-powered Android at a low-ball price

The HTC Inspire 4G is a high-end Android smartphone that is priced like a discount phone. Learn why it’s such a bargain and the pros and cons of this highly-anticipated device.

I have been seriously looking at tablets. One big reason I don’t own a Galaxy Tab is that the carriers (cellular providers) insist on two stupid things, which though they might claim are due to technical reasons, I suspect are due simply to greed — one, voice not allowed; two, tiered data plans.

Typically you can buy either 1 GB, or pricier 5 GB, per month data plans (for a data-only device) which kind of forces you to depend on Wi Fi.

If Wi Fi is available, I’ll use my laptop, thank you. Bigger screen. Keyboard. Optical disc drive…

PhoXo – FREE and POWERFUL Image Editing Software

I truly love software and get excited when I see a software developer put their heart and soul in an application, then turn around and offer it for FREE. I recently came across a FREE image editor that was a new one for me and it is good; really good! There are tons of image…

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

Xoom, Xoom

As I mentioned in my My First Look At Android, part 1, I recently purchased an HTC smartphone, and have been exploring its Android operating system. In that article, I referenced Apple’s iPad, and this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show). I talked about the “year of the tablet”.

The iPad was the first consumer ‘tablet’, and its popularity (read “sales”) ensured that other manufacturers would produce their own tablet PC’s, and try to grab a slice of that market share. Well, a year later they’re coming, (or here) and Motorola’s Xoom – with it’s Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” operating system – seems to be the lead contender for unseating the iPad as the tablet to own.

I have been watching the tablets, as I really am not satisfied with my smartphone. Why? The small, 3.8″ screen. I really would prefer a 6″, or 7″ screen. Large for a phone? I guess. But if their were a tablet/phone available here in the US, that’s what I’d get. I am considering selling my phone, getting a tablet, and using Skype.. or waiting until a 4G phone/tablet hits the market.

So I was watching for the Xoom reviews, and, lo, two arrived today.

Motorola Xoom review: Google Android reaches adolescence

“The Motorola Xoom is the first tablet computer to use Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Is it ready to rival Apple’s iPad?”

First impressions of the Motorola Xoom: Five quick insights

“The Motorola Xoom is more of a PC replacement than the iPad, but it still has some frayed edges that need to be evened out before most early adopters will want to jump on board.”

I have been a tech for too long, and am too ‘seasoned’ to be anyone’s guinea pig (aka “an ‘early adopter'”), so I will not be rushing out and buying a Xoom. (I urge people not to buy version 1.0 of anything.. as kewel and hip as be-the-first-on-your-block might be.) But I will be watching developments. These gizmos do indeed look like they are here to stay; and, yes, I want one.
But just not yet. I agree with these articles, and I’m giving myself a year for this new stuff to shake out. (And competition will lower the price by then, too.)

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

HTC Incredible, 10 Products, Contest Deadline, more…

A few interesting items for your consideration…

HTC Incredible, source Crazy World of G
“Two days ago, my HTC Incredible arrived (a day ahead of schedule) and I charged it up and set it up the next morning. I was amazed at how easy it was to set up and how fast and snappy the Android OS is! …”

The 10 Most Overrated Products, source PC World
“Hype springs eternal. Lots of technologies, products, and services don’t merit the praise heaped on them. Here are 10 tech items that don’t live up to their billing–and 10 that deserve respect that they don’t receive …”

Know What An Internet (Web) Bot Is?…A Botnet? source Paul’s Home Computing Blog
“Okay…now let’s cover the dirty side of these destructive, criminal, and obnoxious rascals …”

---

** A Chance To Win A Valuable Prize! **

---

The folks at Eset have generously donated ten licenses for NOD32 Antivirus 4, to award to my readers. You might not have heard of Eset or NOD32, but it has quietly been around, and winning awards, since the early 90′s (the days of DOS). To enter the drawing, please see: Software License Giveaway: NOD32 Antivirus 4. Enter my current giveaway and (possibly) win!

Entries must be received before midnight (Pacific) tonight (Thurs. May 27th) so act now!

[These licenses were provided by Kimbal Binder, Network Security Manager at Rain Networks. Those of you who are in IT may want to click here and visit the IT Security Resource Center, and learn more about Eset in the enterprise (trials available). Please direct questions to Kimbal at Kimbalb(at)rainnetworks(dot)com.]

Copyright 2007-2010 © Tech Paul. All Rights Reserved. post to jaanix.

---

>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

---

Share this post :