What's a QR code and why should you care?

QR codes, those barcode-like images that can be scanned by smartphones, are showing up in magazine ads, on product shelves and billboards. We even saw one the other day on a dog collar.

Taco Bell has used QR codes on fountain drink cups to direct consumers to MTV video content. Procter and Gamble and Kraft Foods have used them for online discounts. TV's HSN (Home Shopping Network) recently offered a four-day QR-a-thon, displaying the codes at the bottom of the TV screen for more web information about products.

To read more visit The Rest of the Story

Here is the Glenwood QR Code.Scan it with your smart phone

Hard Drive Prices Sky Rocket

Hard drive prices have already begun to rise as analysts warn of significant shortages following floods in Thailand which have disrupted a number of manufacturers.

Thailand is the world's second largest exporter of hard drives and both WD and Toshiba have stopped hard drive shipments due to their factories being affected.

To Read More Visit 

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/37250/Thai-floods-results-in-rising-hard-drive-prices

Netflix Splits into Two Companies

Article taken from New Edge. A publication of NTCA. 

Via a blog post issued Sunday evening, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced that the company has decided to split into two separate entities: Netflix for its subscription-based online streaming service and Qwikster for DVD rentals by mail.

This decision comes on the heels of a recent price hike that had Netflix subscribers taking to industry blogs to voice their frustrations with the changes. Some subscribers also canceled their subscriptions, which led to a decline in stock price.

In the same blog post, Hastings issued an apology for the company’s strategic communications errors. “I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation,” he wrote. “In hindsight, I slid into arrogance based upon past success. We have done very well for a long time by steadily improving our service, without doing much CEO communication….But now I see that given the huge changes we have been recently making, I should have personally given a full justification to our members of why we are separating DVD and streaming, and charging for both. It wouldn’t have changed the price increase, but it would have been the right thing to do.”

Moving forward, each business will have its own distinct website and subscribers will need to manage their library queues  and billing information via the separate portals.

In practical terms, Qwikster will be the same familiar Web interface and DVD service that existing customers are used to. However, DVD members will now be directed to visit www.qwikster.com. The company says the new website will be up and running in a few weeks. At launch, the company also plans to improve upon the site with a video games upgrade option, similar to its upgrade option for Blu-ray but directed at those customers who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Other improvements are said to be forthcoming.

Andy Rendich, who has been working with the DVD service for 12 years, will take the helm as the new CEO of Qwikster.

In explaining the strategic decision, Hastings said that the online company needs to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolve, without having to maintain compatibility with its DVD by mail service.

“For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn’t make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business. Eventually these companies realize their error of not focusing enough on the new thing, and then the company fights desperately and hopelessly to recover. Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slowly.”

Hastings hinted that the company will reveal substantial new streaming content in the next few months.

Warning From Google – “Your Computer Appears To Be Infected”

Since late July 2011, Google has been issuing warnings to search users whose Windows PCs might be infected with a particular strain of malicious software, also known as malware. The move came after Google noticed some unusual activity on its network while conducting routine data center maintenance. While Google is NOT able to scan users' hard drives, it does see irregular information that is sent to it when a user with an infected computer performs a search.

As a result, certain users might see a warning atop their search results like the one displayed here.



Google says it has already been able to warn hundreds of thousands of computer users that their devices may be infected with the malware, which can result in deleted data, stolen personal information, and a slower connection to websites. The warning includes a "Learn how to fix this" link to a Google page to help users resolve the problem by taking appropriate steps. This link is safe to click on and includes information on:

• Installing or updating antivirus software
• Performing a system scan

As a reminder, it's important to carefully research antivirus software before downloading to make sure it's legitimate and not actually a malicious program. For example, Google warns NOT to install "My Security Shield," "Security Master AV," and "CleanUp Antivirus." You can also check with your Internet Service Provider for recommendations on antivirus software.

A First Look at Windows 8

For Windows to work on tablets and touchscreens, it needed to be designed with fingers, short battery life, and on-the-go tasks in mind.

Microsoft accomplished that with Windows 8 by redesigning everything, right through to the first screen you see before you log on. That "lock screen," which displays at boot-up and when the screen times out, shows quick-glance information about users' next calendar appointment, how many e-mails and messages they have, battery life and Wi-Fi signal strength. 

Users navigate out of this lock screen to begin using applications with an upwards swipe of the finger, or a swing of the mouse.

Click Here for Full Article

Amazon Could Sell Three To Five Million Tablets In Q4 2011

Watch out, Apple: The Amazon tablet, widely expected to be released this September or October and to be cheaper than the iPad, will be the “only credible iPad competitor in the market” and will “completely disrupt the status quo,” Forrester says today in a new report. Forrester analysts predict that Amazon will sell three to five million tablets in Q4 2011, if they are priced below $300. (Keep in mind, of course, that Amazon has not officially confirmed that it will release a tablet.)

Why is Forrester so bullish on Amazon? It’s the etailer’s “willingness to sell hardware at a loss combined with the strength of its brand, content, cloud infrastructure, and commerce assets,” Forrester analyst Sarah Rottman Epps writes.

Click Here To Read More

China Passes U.S. as World's Biggest Market

BEIJING—China for the first time has passed the U.S. to become the world's biggest personal-computer market, highlighting the growing importance of a country where big U.S. PC makers have struggled to compete against China's Lenovo Group Ltd.

The shift underlines rapid industry changes in the PC industry world-wide. Consumer demand for PCs has soared in emerging markets, while it has faltered in developed markets. Meanwhile, the rise of smartphones and tablet computers, most notably Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad, has raised concerns that purchases of such products could eat into demand for traditional desktop and laptop PCs. Reflecting those challenges, HP Co., which is the world's biggest PC maker but has lost popularity with Chinese consumers, last week said it is considering a sale or spinoff of its personal-computer business.

To Read More Visit http://online.wsj.com/article /SB10001424053111903461304576525852486131230.html?mod=dist_smartbrief 

Facebook Simplifies Privacy Features

USA Today Article from August 24th.

Tackling a complaint that has bedeviled it for years, Facebook on Tuesday announced simplified privacy settings.

The easier-to-use settings will be prominent whenever a user posts a comment, photo or shares their location on the popular social-networking service. Previously, those settings were buried on a back page that many users never saw or used.

Though not life-changing, the features are an important nod by Facebook toward nagging concerns among some of its users. The changes go into effect starting Thursday.

Facebook wants to "make it clearer and clearer" who its 750 million users share their photos, news feeds and location with, says company spokeswoman Meredith Chin. Starting Thursday, Facebook says it plans to phase out its Places check-in service.

"Our intent is for our users to never have to ask the question, 'Who can see my post or photo?'" says Chin. She said Facebook worked for months on the tweaks with several privacy groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy & Technology.

The simplification of Facebook's oft-criticized privacy settings is its strongest admission yet that privacy remains — and will continue to be — an issue for Facebook and others as their social networks grow and their millions of users freely exchange data with one another. Of late, Facebook and Twitter have been targets of hackers.

The company also faces pressure from the Federal Trade Commission over complaints from privacy advocates. "While a good move, more must be done by Facebook to provide control to its users over data collection used for advertising," says Jeffrey Chester, a vocal critic of Facebook's privacy policies.

"One of the biggest criticisms of Facebook after they revamped their sharing controls (in December 2009) is that their controls were confusing and constantly changing, and that Facebook was pushing people to share more than they wanted or understood," says Justin Brookman, director of Center for Democracy & Technology's consumer privacy project.

Speculation in advance of Tuesday's announcement had centered on Facebook launching a redesigned site, improved search and mobile functions, a music-streaming service — even an iPad app for Facebook.

The social-networking giant's new features break a prolonged silence on the product front. Save a deal with Internet calling service Skype and a new application for Facebook Messenger, Facebook has been conspicuously quiet since Google unfurled Google+, its own social network, in late June.

Save Rural Broadband

What do you think about this issue?

In February 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed new rules that place broadband network investments and operations of rural telecommunications companies at risk, to the detriment of rural consumers and small businesses.

Rural telecommunications companies serve approximately five million rural consumers throughout the United States. These companies work hand-in-hand with government and private investors to deploy broadband-capable networks throughout their service areas; often, these companies are the only source of broadband in their communities. 

Click Here to Read More: http://www.saveruralbroadband.org/

This Month's FAQ – Do Mac Users Need To Worry About Viruses?

This Month's FAQ – Do Mac Users Need To Worry About Viruses?

Let's start with the big picture. Worldwide, about 90 percent of the computer market is comprised of PC users with about 10 percent being Mac users. Cybercriminals are well aware of these statistics and tend to focus their virus efforts on the "bigger slice of the pie." So traditionally, Macs have been known to experience fewer viruses.

However, Mac security has been in the news again lately due to the MacDefender malware and its variants. MacDefender masquerades as antivirus software, showing a webpage that looks like a virus detection screen, and then prompting the user to complete the install process. If completed, the malware will ask for credit card information to eliminate nonexistent viruses.

Do Mac users need to worry about viruses? The short answer is yes. No computer is completely immune from threats and Apple recommends that Mac users keep antivirus software updated and take precautions when downloading files, opening email attachments, etc. If you're in the 90 percent with a PC, you should be practicing these security measures as well.

Malware Warning – Microsoft Reports On Fake Windows Support Calls

Beware! Computer scams don't just happen on computers. A recent study commissioned by Microsoft describes how scammers are now calling people on the phone and tricking them into installing computer software designed to steal money, identities, and passwords.

Here's how it works: The scammer calls and, after sharing their "credentials," tells the victim that his/her computer is at risk. The scammer directs the victim to view a harmless error report that the scammer claims shows how the victim's computer has been compromised. The scammer then asks for a credit card number for the victim to "purchase" software that will solve the "problem." Or they direct the victim to install software that places a virus on the victim's computer, enabling the scammer to gain access to critical information.

Microsoft recommends these do's and don'ts to help prevent becoming a victim:

DO

• Be suspicious of unsolicited calls related to a security problem, even if the caller claims to represent a respected company.
• Use up-to-date versions of operating system and application software.
• Make sure security updates are installed regularly.
• Use strong passwords and change them regularly.
• Make sure your firewall is turned on and that antivirus software is installed and up to date.

DON'T

• Provide personal information, such as credit card or bank details, to an unsolicited caller.
• Go to a website, type anything into a computer, install software, or follow any other instruction from someone who calls out of the blue.

If you think you may already have been a victim of a phone scam, do the following:

• Change the passwords for your computer, your main email account, and financial accounts.
• Contact your bank and credit card companies to alert them to the potential breach.
• Scan your computer with the Microsoft Safety Scanner (microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx) to find out if you have malware (virus) installed on your computer.

Remember, there is no security software that can protect against this kind of threat so your best defense is to be informed and be prepared.

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