A bad week for security at Apple.

Apple computers are considered top of the line in security.  Most Apple users do not use Anti-Virus software because there is typically no need.  With such a stellar reputation in security of their products, you would think that would follow in the day to day operations of their company, apparently not.  Apple has, yet again, lost another prototype Iphone in San Francisco ( in a bar, just like last year).   You would think there would be a policy of not taking prototype Iphones into San Franciso bars from this point forward.  Not to be outdone, In Stamford Connecticut, a customer had her computer repaired at the Genius Bar and instead of giving her the backup hard drive that they made for her, they accidentally gave her a hard drive that was a backup of the internal file server.  What did this hard drive have on it?  According to the customer it had "confidential docs, internal manuals, Apple's sales [techniques], an Apple store work checklist, products layout, time schedules, pictures and videos of Apple corporate activities that only Apple employees can see, videos of store meetings, business structure and much much much more."

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20100509-248/apple-customer-accidentally-given-store-hard-drive/#ixzz1WoQTt39w

CORRECTION: I still do not trust that store..

A couple of days ago I posted a complaint about a certain National Electronics chain that advertised a 2TB hard drive, but amazingly did not have any anywhere in this area code when I tried to purchase one.  Well, I was wrong, they do have some.  It appears that they are engaging in another practice of putting out 1 or 2 a day and claiming that that is all they have.  It is another old game to keep people coming into the store.  I purchased one on Tuesday at a certain store, was told that was the last one.  On Thursday, I stopped by again and surprise, there is another one on the shelf.  Again, I was told this was the last one.  Amazing....

Does anyone actually use their cell phone to talk anymore?

Apparently not, according to a new report from J.D. Powers.  In comparison to our use in 2009, we talk 77 minutes fewer than we did back then.  The average user sends and recieves over 500 text messages a month.  We only talk 477 minutes on average now.  No wonder unlimited talk plans are the rage, nobody is talking anymore to take advantage of them.  Check out the report at JDPower.com.

Finally, a place to buy an overpriced HDMI cable

I get asked often where to get a HDMI cable.  They are overpriced everywhere.  The cable is not much different from any other cable you would buy for any other device, but for some reason everyone charges too much for them.  The cheapest that I found was Wal-Mart for around $35.  This will not do as they are about $2 on Monoprice.com.  For those who do not like to shop online, I found a happier medium for you.  Try Five Below, the new "dollar store" in the area, they have them for....$5.  It seems fitting that I discover this 2 days after I order one online for $3.  Well at least I have an extra set now.

Should have known better to trust that store

Well, actually I did not, but for those who know me, know that I have a particular disdain for a certain national electronics chain with the initials BB.  They allegedly had a sale this week for a 2TB Internal hard drive for the nice price of $69.99.  At least that was what the weekly circular said.  So off I go on the first day of the sale to buy one (possibly two).  They are sold out, not just at the store I am at, but also at every other store seemingly in this time zone.  I found it particularly strange considering the sales rep that I spoke with seemingly was not aware of the sale.  You would think if the sale had existed and every hard drive in stock sold out in less than 3 hours, you would have some recollection of this when asked by one of the unlucky fools who showed up too late to get one.  There was no shelf space amongst the hard drives indicating that the hard drive in particular was on sale and no rain check was offered.  So I ask myself, "is this another bait and switch?  Advertise a great price on a product, but never actually have it in stock.  Get you in the store to sell you other overpriced junk?"  Geez, I hate that store.  They deserve the same fate as Blockbuster.  Maybe I should take a walk through HH Gregg, but I can't, looks too much like Circuit City, a store I hated only slightly less than BB.

Pin a folder to your Windows 7 taskbar

Wouldn't it be nice to pin your favorite folders to your Windows 7 taskbar for easy access?  For some reason, Microsoft did not make it an easy task to do.  Actually, they still haven't, so along comes the users of the world to solve the problem.  Taskbar Items Pinner is a free utility that lets you add files, folders, Web sites, menus, and other goodies to the Windows 7 Taskbar.  Happy taskbarring! (Is that a new word?, lol)