The first program in January is when I tell you about changes that have been made to the site. This year, you'll be in for a big surprise.
There aren't any. At least not many. There's a new directory for 2017. The copyright dates have been updated. You'll see 2017 referenced in the menu. Otherwise -- not much.
A little more than 2 years ago, I bought a Chromebook. I haven't used it as much as I expected, but it's still a handy little computer. It won't replace a desktop, notebook, or even a tablet but it's just right in some circumstances.
For one thing, they're incredibly inexpensive -- which is not to say cheap. Chromebooks seem to be built fairly well; they just don't cost a lot. Granted, a computer that sells for $150 shouldn't be expected to have a lot of power, but you won't be running Microsoft's Office Suite or Adobe's Creative Cloud applications on the computer.
For $60 per year, users can add G-Suite, Google's business productivity suite that includes Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar, Google+, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, Sites, the Admin console, Vault, and 30GB of on-line storage. At $10 per month, the plan includes video and voice conferencing, 1TB of on-line storage per user (or unlimited storage if you enroll 6 or more users), and a variety of enterprise functions that can be used from desktop systems, notebook computers, and Chromebooks.
Just about everything that runs on a Chromebook runs inside the browser, security is generally considered to be robust, and there no need to back up individual machines because all files are stored on-line. They also update themselves automatically, or nearly so. The user does need to give the operating system permission to update itself.
So for a small initial cost and a low monthly access fee, a business can put a basic work computer in the hands of every employee or a school district would be able to provide every student with a functional machine that offers internet access and all of the applications needed for homework.
Several manufacturers even make tiny desktop devices that run Chrome. (left) Just plug in a monitor and a keyboard.
Or take a look at the Chromebit. (right) Plug it into a monitor or smart television using the HDMI port and then pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It's being promoted as a cost-effective way to travel with a computer.
The most expensive Chromebook used to be the 3-pound Pixel, but it has been discontinued because it was overkill and overpriced. However, for about $400 you can buy a 3-pound Chromebook with a screen that's just slightly less than 13 inches and has 2560x1700 pixel resolution, an I5 processor with 4GB of RAM, and a 64GB solid-state drive.
If that solid-state drive sounds small, it is by PC standards. But you won't store files on it and the applications aren't the behemoths that are found on PCs and Macs.
I keep coming back to "it's not for everybody". If you must use Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access, a Chromebook is not for you. If you must use Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Audition, or Premiere, a Chromebook is not for you. But if you need internet access, a web browser, an email client, a word processor, a spreadsheet, a presentation program -- a Chromebook might be exactly what you're looking for. And that's particularly true if you're working with a limited budget.
You may have heard that Google has eliminated Chrome apps for Windows machines and Macs. That's true, but they continue to be offered for Chromebooks. Google has its own line of Chromebooks, but they're also available from HP, Acer, Samsung, Dell, and others. Mine is a Samsung device. The Chrome operating system is a Linux variant and Android apps are supported on some Chromebooks. Mine is not one of them. If this is an important feature for you, be sure that the model you plan to buy offers Android app support. Check the list: Chromebooks that can run Android apps.
Chromebooks have been around for nearly 6 years, but didn't sell particularly well until schools realized that they were viable alternatives to very expensive Ipads and Macbooks. In 2016, computer analyst IDC reported that Chromebooks outsold Apple's range of Macs for the first time in the United States. The vast majority of those sales were to schools.
Battery life is also excellent, no doubt mainly because of the modest hardware required to run the Chrome operating system.
There's a great deal of variety in the Chromebook marketplace, so it's important to understand what all is available before you buy one. Fortunately, Google has a page for that. Keep in mind that the prices shown are those recommended by the manufacturer and you'll probably be able to find most models at slightly lower prices.
Many articles have been written in praise of Evernote, an information organizer that looks like a plain-text version of Microsoft's OneNote. I've used OneNote for a long time and have tried to make Evernote my friend several times. Something that I bought in April or May gave me the pro version free for a year, so I committed to using it instead of OneNote. That experiment ended abruptly just before Christmas.
I have moved all of my notes from Evernote to OneNote, deleted the application from all computers and mobile devices, and closed my account even though nearly half a year remains on the free trial of the pro version.
With that like of lead-in, you might be wondering why.
Starting in January, Evernote employees will be able to read any of the notes created by users. Let that sink in for a moment.
Sensitive information should never be stored in Evernote even though it's encrypted. So this would be a bad place to store user names and passwords, but even innocuous information that you store in Evernote might be information that you'd prefer to maintain privately.
Within days there was so much push-back from users that Evernote updated its spin to state that it would request permission before allowing employees to look at your notes. Sorry. Not good enough. The fact that this was even considered tells me all I need to know about Evernote and privacy. And I wonder if the company will ask permission if it's investigating what it believes to be violations of its terms of service.
In fact, Evernote has now delayed its implementation of the new policy. Too little. Too late.
The problem is actually the result of good intentions gone bad. Evernote attempts to predict what the user needs and perform the task automatically. For example, you're making a list (and, if you're Santa Claus, checking it twice), Evernote could realize that and add bullet points or check boxes. Users would need to opt in to the "improved experience" program that allows Evernote to use the data.
The trouble is that "user experience" programs generally receive usage statistics from the program, not the data stored in the program's files. If you think you're providing anonymous usage data that Evernote can use to improve the program, you'd be more than a little surprised to find that the notes you've stored are being used for the program and even more surprised to find out that Evernote employees would have access to them.
Evernote CEO Chris O'Neill is trying to walk the change back: "We made it seem like we didn't care about the privacy of our customers or their notes," he said, adding that the company will change its policy.
But this error closely follows another error. Earlier this year, Evernote increased the cost of its premium service from $6 per month to $8 and pushed its basic service from $1 per month to $4. At the same time Evernote significantly degraded its free program to force more people to use the paid program. For example, the free version can sync notes only to 2 devices.
Two strikes, Evernote.
I like to use formatting to provide information about the content of my notes. Microsoft's OneNote is surprisingly weak in this category, but Evernote is abysmal. I would expect more from Microsoft because the company could call on components of Word to improve OneNote, but even so it offers far better formatting than Evernote.
So, three strikes and you're out.
Crooks who use technology continue to innovate and find better ways to steal identities and money from consumers and far too many consumers continue to be victimized when they repeat unsafe behavior.
Symantec's Norton Antivirus division has released this year's version of their Cyber Security Insights Report. One of this year's highlights: Consumers are allowing hackers into their homes through connected devices.
This year's report is based on surveys of nearly 21,000 adults in 21 countries to examine their on-line behaviors, attitudes, and security habits and then to determine how they fared when dealing with cybercrime.
The United States is the most susceptible developed country for cyberattacks, where 39% of Americans personally experienced cybercrime within the past year, compared to 31% of people globally. Netherlands had the lowest rate of cybercrime, just 14%, compared to Indonesia's 59%.
More than any other country, 64% of parents in the United States believe their kids are more likely to be bullied on-line than on a playground. In other countries, the concern is much lower -- just 31% in Germany.
Source: 2016 Norton Cyber Security Insights Report
The most common vector for malware continues to be email, yet 40% of internet users in the United States are incapable of identifying a fraudulent message. Mistakes need not be repeated -- a single lapse can have devastating consequences.
Source: 2016 Norton Cyber Security Insights Report
Open a malicious attachment or follow a link to a compromised website and it's likely that your computer will be compromised.
Being smarter about the threats we face doesn't require a lot of work. By adopting a few basic behaviors, we mitigate the risks. For example:
Protect your accounts with strong, unique passwords that use a combination of at least 10 upper and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.
Think twice before clicking on random links, or opening unsolicited messages and attachments, particularly from people you don’t know.
Don’t access any personal information or social media accounts on unprotected Wi-Fi networks.
Use security software on your devices to help protect you against the latest threats.
Want to know more?
How much access should police agencies be given to data on personal devices? This seems not to be a one-solution-fits-all situation, but both technology companies and police agencies seem to be trying to make it one.
The Constitution has a provision that prohibits search and seizure without due cause. Specifically, the Fourth Amendment says "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Now consider that police in Bentonville, Arkansas, who are investigating a homicide, would like to know if an Amazon Echo device in the home might have clues about the crime. Amazon has refused to provide any information.
Police found the Amazon Echo in the home where a man was found dead in a hot tub on the morning after a late night party. They are interested because the Echo constantly listens for the wake-up command ("Amazon" or "Alexa"). It then sends a bit of what you said before issuing the command as well as what follows the command to Amazon where it is analyzed and a response is sent back to the Echo.
Commands are stored at Amazon and users can review them and delete specific recordings. Unless the killer or the victim said "Amazon" or "Alexa" during the commission of the crime, the Echo would have recorded nothing.
So it's unlikely that the police would find any clues here, yet this seems to be the kind of case that might benefit from an interpretation of the Fourth Amendment that would allow them to look.
