Goodbye Hotmail....Hello Outlook.com!

Big news: Microsoft is phasing out Hotmail and replacing the email service with the sleeker, Metro-looking Outlook.com. As of Tuesday, anyone can log into Outlook.com using an MSN based email account, such as yourname@hotmail.com, to check out the new Gmail competitor.

If it's been a while since you've checked out Hotmail, you're in for a nice surprise. Outlook.com is simpler, cleaner, and more lightweight than its predecessor, lining it up well against the likes of Google's popular Gmail service.

We were this close to getting all this?

If you remember about a year or two ago, Pittsburgh was a finalist with Kansas City to get Google Fiber.  Google Fiber is Google's version of FIOS, but quite simply, just better.  Yes, a Gigabit connection, upload and download, for prices that make you want to file robbery charges against Verizon and Comcast for what they charge you for their speeds.  Here's the breakdown:

Google Fiber+TV: This package includes symmetrical gigabit (the same broadband speeds on the upload and download side) speedsas well as the newly launched Google TV product, which includes local channels, integration with YouTube and Netflix as well as what Google calls “fiber channels.” It doesn’t sound like this package involves traditional pay TV channels such as ESPN or Disney.

The package includes a Nexus 7 tablet, which will be used a remote control for the TV, although residents will also get a traditional Bluetooth remote control as well. Google will also release an iOS app for controlling the Google Fiber TV product on iPhones or iPads. A variety of sleek, black boxes such as a Wi-Fi router and a 2-terabyte storage box will also come with this package as well as a free terabyte of storage in Google’s cloud locker, G Drive. The total cost for this package is $120 per month and if customers sign a two-year contract Google will waive te $300 connection fee.

Google Fiber: For those that don’t care for the TV package and just want a gigabit connection, there’s a package that includes the free terabyte at GDrive as well as a Wi-Fi router. This package costs $70 a month and for users who sign a 1-year contract Google will waive the $300 connection fee.

Free “average” Internet: In what may be the most disruptive announcement, and is also an indication of Google’s desire to connect as many people as fast as possible to the network, it will offer 5 Mbps download speeds and 1 Mbps upload speeds for free to any household in the fiber footprint. Those homes can’t waive the construction fee, but Google will let them pay $25 a month if the sign an annual contract.

With this kind of service, makes you want to forget about all that data Google has been collecting on us.  To think, we were so close to getting this in the Burgh.

Does your Firefox crash constantly now?

I thought it was just me or some extension that I had that was causing the problem, but check out this article, it confirms my suspicion, Firefox is beginning to....suck.  Since release 14, everyday, and I mean every day, Firefox crashes.  It's getting burdensome and for the first time in years, I am considering another browser.  It is really sad, I remember when it was great browser, now everyday I open it and pray that it will work.  What has happened?

iPad Survivor Case on the other hand....a winner

Along with my disappointment in the Nikon AW100 in it's failure to survive a minimum drop, I am happy to report that the Survivor series iPad cover/case allows me to bounce my iPad like a basketball with not even a scuff mark on it!  Not that I was dribbling it, just a drop that resulted in a dribble like bounce on the porch.  For $79.99, it's a great cover for your iPad.

The Nikon AW100...Utter Disappointment

If you read this site often, you may be aware that I bit the bullet and bought a "rugged" camera.  My job requires a camera and far too often I drop them, break them, buy a new one....repeat.  So I purchased the Nikon AW100 a month ago.  It was rated shockproof up to 5 feet.  Yesterday was the first drop...it failed.  It's broke!  Ironically, I was speaking to someone 5 minutes prior about the camera and it's features.  Disappointment does not accurately demonstrate my feelings right now.  My next review will be on Nikon's Warranty and Support Department.  It's still under their warranty and I did keep my receipt.  Review on that to follow..

How to rid yourself of Norton Security Scan

Ever now and then a customer calls me up with a weird problem that on the surface seems not possible.  I go my google thing and find out that the problem they are describing is accurate, albeit weird.  Today's version comes courtesy of Norton Security Scan.  It's an annoying piggyback download that accompanies many "free" programs (this is why you should not mindlessly click through all the "OK" prompts when installing anything).  Come to find out that when you uninstall Norton Security Scan, it will simply reinstall itself upon reboot.  You would think that Symantec, a leading antivirus vendor, would refrain from engaging in the tactics that a typical virus employs, but noooooo.  It acts like a virus and reinstalls itself.  Well, no more, click on this link from Symantec that will give you detailed instructions on how to remove Norton Security Scan, once and for all.