Clicky keyboards are coming back
Although, they don’t look like this anymore. What you see there is the original IBM PC keyboard, which lacked arrow keys, a Ctrl key on the right, and other important features that were added later. What…
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FUN FRIDAY: Crazy Rubik’s Cube
Is it me or are Rubik’s cubes back in a big way? I’ve seen kids playing with them at least half a dozen times in the last couple of weeks. Is this some sort of retro…
BUH-BYE: Java finally fades away
Well, at least it will. Java, once the darling of programmers all over the world, is finally planning to leave the browser. Three years ago, I spat on Java, calling it a “must-miss.” I took some flak for…
FAIR IS FAIR: Time Warner Cable did pretty well last quarter
So, look, I pick on them a lot. But why shouldn’t I? Time Warner has some of the lowest customer satisfaction on the planet, their products are often out of date, and let’s not forget that…
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The outlet center of your dreams
Think of it as a 21st-century update. This Tech Choice 3 Outlet Power Surge Protector Wall Tap gives you everything you could possibly want in an outlet. Plug in three power bricks using the widely spaced outlets, then…
AT&T reports subscriber increases
Late yesterday, AT&T reported its fourth quarter earnings and things are looking rosy. Earnings per share were up and income, while not quite meeting expectations, was also quite good. If you’re interested, the entire presentation, including…
The FCC wants new rules for cable boxes
This could be a mess for so many reasons. Several sources including Engadget and The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) are reporting that the FCC plans on taking another swipe at the growing problem of expensive cable box rentals. I…
FUN FRIDAY: Best way to defrost
Yep, winter’s here. And that means fogged up windshields for most of us, although if you’re in the southeast you probably deal with fogged up windshields all year round and if you’re in the desert southwest,…
Is ESPN about to crumble?
So in the past I haven’t been so kind to ESPN. I’ve wondered before if pay-TV’s most expensive “basic” network would destroy the whole industry, and yeah I’ll admit that I love to bring up the fact…
DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket Pricing announced for next fall
Well, you knew there would be a price increase. DIRECTV has rolled out its new Sunday Ticket pricing for this coming fall and it’s actually pretty good. We’re looking at price increases of 1.5-2.5% and that’s…
Al Jazeera America gives up, goes home, shrugs shoulders
No big surprise, but Al Jazeera’s US operations are shutting down sometime in the next few months. The New York Times broke the story today, saying operations will cease before the end of April. To say that it…
Most versions of Internet Explorer now both naggy and obsolete
Microsoft is tired of you using Windows XP and Vista. They’re also tired of you using older versions of Internet Explorer when you don’t have to. I think they actually hate Internet Explorer altogether, considering they…
Will you change smartphone OS’s in 2016?
2015 was a great year for Apple. Although the final numbers aren’t in yet, it’s pretty clear that they picked up quite a bit of market share from Samsung and other Android-using cell phone manufacturers. 2015…
AT&T brings back unlimited data plans – if you are a TV subscriber
Really more of a symbolic victory, but if you’re a U-Verse or DIRECTV customer with an AT&T cell plan, you can get back to the world of unlimited data for only $100 per month. Unlimited data…
CES2016: Final thoughts
We came, we saw, we drooled… and finally the 2016 CES is one for the history books. Here were my big takeaways: The big manufacturers aren’t the real story. This is more true than ever. Samsung, Intel,…