Windows XP Days are Numbered

If you are still using Windows XP, and millions of people are, then there is a very important date you need to put in your calendar - April 2014.  This is the date that Microsoft will stop supporting and issuing security updates for Windows XP.  Microsoft's policy is to support a product for one decade after the last Service Pack update and for Windows XP that took place in April 2004.
It's not that XP will stop working, but it does mean that any security holes that are discovered will not longer be patched by Microsoft.  This will leave your computer open to every hacker and new virus that comes out.  Unless your computer is not connected to the Internet then you should not be using XP as of April 2014.

Nexus 7 Shipping Dates for Canada

While I am eagerly awaiting my Nexus 7 shipping directly from Google, there is still no 100% confirmed shipping date from them (1-2 weeks).  There are three retailers in Canada that are also selling the Nexus 7 and their shipping/arrival dates are all online.

Staples - July 23rd
Future Shop - August 10th
Best Buy - August 10th

All three of these Canadian retailers offer free shipping plus most locations should have some stock available in the stores.  It should be noted that all three locations are only offering the 16GB model for $259.  While this is the same price that Google is selling it for on their website, you do not have the option to purchase the 8GB model ($209) and you also don't get the  "$25 of credit to spend in the Play store, as well as some great free content ...".  Then again Google is charging $20 for shipping, so all you're really saving is $5. I just wanted the 8GB model so Google was the only option for me anyways.

Windows 8 Pro Upgrade - $40!!


Microsoft announced today on their Windows Blog that Windows 8 Pro Upgrade will be sold for a Microsoft all time low price of $40.  Microsoft has usually charged $120+ for a Windows Upgrade and the Pro version usually went for an additional $40-$60 so this price is by far the lowest they've ever charged.  Unfortunately the deal is only for a limited time - from the time Windows 8 is released (October sometime?) until January 31, 2012.
It's nice to see Microsoft finally getting aggressive with it's products.  It's been a busy couple weeks of announcements from Microsoft. First their Windows 8 Tablet/PC, the Surface; second their announcement of Windows's Phone 8; and now this great pricing of the Upcoming Windows.  October is going to be a busy and expensive month for me!

New Google Tablet - Nexus 7


The rumours were true!  Google did indeed release their own tablet today - the Nexus 7.  The first thing people will want to compare it to is the iPad, but what is should be compared to (and what Google is aiming for) is the Kindle Fire - something which is not available in Canada.  But, the Nexus 7 is available in Canada (at the Google Play online store only) for an incredibly reasonable price of $199 ($209 for Canadians, plus $30 shipping and applicable taxes) so I pre-ordered one right away. Plus those who do order early get a $25 credit in the Google Play store to buy/rent movies, magazines, books, apps, etc.  I should be seeing it "mid-July" according to Google.

The specs on it show that it is incredibly powerful, and those who got to touch one today also report that it's fast.  The size is 7", which is more like the BlackBerry Playbook and Kindle Fire.  A size which I rather like for a tablet - the best thing the Playbook had going for it was the size.  It's Wi-Fi only so you'll need to be at home or near a hot-spot to get on the Internet.  It also comes with the newest Android operating system - Jelly Bean.  If you're all about the specs, then go here to see the numbers on Google's site.

The question many people might be asking is, "Big deal, there are 100's of Android tablets.  What's so special about this one."  First of all, the price is amazing.  Secondly, it's made by Google. The biggest problem with Android devices (phones and tablets) is that the software is free and customize-able by the manufacturer.  There are no standards in place for a Google device.  This should lead to some great devices being made, but it hasn't happened.  The Android tablets are a hodgepodge of devices, none of which have really stood out as winners.  The phone manufacturers have done a better job as is shown by their 43% market share of smart phone sales.  The biggest problem with all the devices is the operating system.  Because it is customize-able and there are no standards for the hardware sometimes they don't always work well and are rarely updated.  There is only one line of phones out there that do get updated on a regular basis - the Nexus line.  These are made by Google and therefore use the Android operating system the way it was meant to be, and there are always updates.  Recently the Nexus S phone was upgraded to use the new Ice Cream Sandwich OS.  Amazingly it made the phone even more functional and faster (unlike the horrible experience I, and hundreds/thousands of others, had when Apple updated the 3G to iOS 4 - the phone became useless). This is the reason the Nexus 7 tablet is a big deal - it is taking full advantage of the OS and it will be updated regularly.  This is Google's way of saying to all the manufacturers "This is how you do it!"  This is also similar to Microsoft announcing it's Surface Tablet/PC last week - they too are telling manufacturers how it should be done.

Is it an iPad killer (a phrase I don't like)?  I don't think so, but at half the price of an iPad there is no reason not to get a Nexus 7 if you are thinking of a tablet.  I still view Tablet's as toys.  From how I've seen everyone use their iPad's it's usually is just to play on.  Work can be done on them, but that doesn't seem to be as common as using it to occupy your kids in the car.  There's nothing wrong with that, but $200 is a much more reasonable price for an electronic toy.

The Microsoft Surface has the best shot at being the "iPad killer" since it's a fully functional PC in a tablet form.  What I think we'll see is a lot more Nexus 7 tablets popping up and Apple's tablet domination in this segment start to erode.  It's great to finally see other viable alternatives come to market - this is what drives innovation!  I'd love to see a three way race in the tablet market, not to mention the smart phone market.

I'll be giving a full review of the Nexus 7 once it arrives, but if you are thinking of getting a tablet, I wouldn't hesitate to pre-order one now.

Update: July 3rd - for those who were lucky enough to get review copies of the Nexus 7 (Gizmodo, PCMag, engadget, etc.)  they are universally saying it's more than worth the money.  As I expected, for $200 this is a no-brainer - if you want a tablet this won't disappoint!

Update: July 7th - if you don't want to purchase a Nexus 7 online from Google you can purchase it online at Staples.ca or in-store at Staples Canada Canada on July 23rd.

Google's Own Tablet?

Following last week's announcement from Microsoft that they were releasing their own tablet (The Surface), Gizmodo Australia is reporting that Google is going to be announcing their own tablet, The Nexus 7, this Wednesday at their Google I/O conference.
While there are dozens of different Android based tablets out there they are customized by each manufacturer. The Nexus 7 will be the first one created by Google with their Android software in it's purest form (just like their line of Nexus Android phones).  These rumours have been swirling around for months so who know if it's true, but here are few of the rumoured specs
Cost: $199 (8GB), $249 (16GB)
Size: 7 inches
OS: Jelly Bean (Android ver. 4.1 or 5?)
CPU: Tegra 3, GeForce 12-core with 1GB of RAM
Battery Life: 9 hours
Release Date: July 2012

Microsoft's Own Tablet - The Surface

Microsoft just announced their own table call the Surface and you're going to be hearing a lot about it over the next few months (it's release date will coincide with Windows 8 and that's sometime in October).

Okay, so big deal. Another tablet like the iPad.  Well, that's not quite true since the Microsoft tablet isn't just a tablet it's a fully functional computer that's about the same size as an iPad.  This thing can do everything your desktop or laptop can do - it's not just a tablet, it's so much more. If you can do it on your regular computer you can do it on this.  Try that with your iPad, Android, or Playbook tablet.  And it will be priced about the same as other tablets.  As a bonus it also comes with Microsoft Office for free.

One of the coolest features is the cover.  The cover is similar to the iPad cover (it attaches with magnets) except for one very important difference.  The cover is also keyboard and trackpad.  By attaching this "cover" you are transforming the Surface into a laptop.  And with a USB port you could attach a mouse or a printer or whatever.  Just keep thinking, "this is tablet, but it's also a full computer."  One version of it is more powerful than any full size PC I currently own (an Intel processor i5 in a tablet!)

Like I said, you'll be seeing a lot about this in the coming months.  As for me I'm pretty pumped about it and I'll be getting one the day it comes out.

For more pictures and future information go to http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en/us/default.aspx

Online or Cloud Backup - the #1 Backup Choice


I have previously written about doing online backups (Back it Up - Twice), but I wanted to go over it again and stress how important backups are and why I now think that doing your backup online (or cloud backup) is the #1 way to go.

In the past week I've had two experiences where files were lost and needed to be restored.  Luckily both people followed my advice and purchased Carbonite for their online backup solution.

Case #1: many pictures were taken, edited and then selected to print thumbnails of.  One of the pictures wasn't any good and was deleted.  Unfortunately, all the pictures were still selected and all were deleted.  None were in the recycle bin and several hours of picture taking and editing would have been lost.  Fortunately my client was using Carbonite and within a minute they were able to log into their account, search for the files just by using the first part of the file's name, select the files and click restore.  Viola!  Everything was back.
If this person was using a scheduled backup to an external hard drive it's unlikely that these would have been backed up since most people do backups once a week or once a day for the more conscientious.  The benefit of backing up online is that CrashPlan and Carbonite back up your files silently and continuously in the background.  You never know it's doing it.  This provides huge peace of mind.

Case #2: this was your worst case scenario - there was a power outage and the hard drive got totally fried and all data was lost.  There was no external drive backing up the data.  Again my client was using Carbonite and all that was required was to buy a new hard drive, reload Windows and a few programs, log into Carbonite and download the Carbonite software.  When the software was downloaded through their account it automatically knew to restore all the files that were backed up.  It worked perfectly and within a couple hours they went from a dead computer to back up and running.

Ideally the last case should have also have also been doing a local backup with an "image" of their hard drive.  This would have made restoration that much easier since it would have restored the entire drive without having to do all the re-installations of programs.  Image backups take a long time, but they only need to be done once a month or so and then the online backup program can take care of updating all the data that was continuously being backed up.

After dealing with these two cases I now firmly believe that if you only decide to back up your information one way that the way to do it is Online.  It's just so much easier and up to date than doing a backup to an external drive.  Offsite. Continuous. Automatic.  That's the way to go.

As an added bonus both CrashPlan and Carbonite allow you to access all your backed up data through any web browser, tablet or smartphone (CrashPlan is better for their device support).  This gives you the added benefit of online backup AND cloud storage, not to mention total peace of mind.

Intel Ultrabooks are Coming!

As I made mention of in my previous post about laptops, the touch and convertible laptops I speculated about have been confirmed.  Intel VP Kirk Skaugen was quoted by the Wall Street Journal that 30 new Ultrabooks will be released alongside Windows 8 that will be touch enabled and 10 of these will be the convertible type (laptop and tablet all in one!).

This is even better than I expected since Skaugen specifically mentions Ultrabooks - these laptops are super thin (see picture above) and light and take advantage of the new Ivy Bridge Intel processor and the new type of "hard drive" called SSD (basically a really large storage thumb-drive instead of hard drive).  Both of these use less power than today's traditional laptops which means smaller batteries as well.  All this leads to a really thin and light Ultrabook.

Great Time to Get a New Laptop?

For the next few months you will be seeing some great deals on laptops.  I've seen some pretty awesome deals out there and even I've been tempted to pick up a shiny new laptop, but I'm waiting and you might want to wait too.

As you may or may not know, Windows 8 is on the horizon.  Come this fall you will be seeing the revolutionary new look of Windows 8 (see my previous post) on some great new hardware.  While some people may not want/can't to wait or don't like the new look of Windows 8 there will be two great features that I'm sure will be coming.
1. Touch Screen.  Windows 8 is very touch screen orientated.  I can see that soon most laptops will be touchscreen to take advantage of all the Windows 8 touch features.
2. Convertible laptops.  Imagine your traditional laptop - keyboard and screen on a hinge.  Now imagine the ability to snap off the screen to use it solely as a tablet.  Or having the screen pivot around to hide the keyboard and then act as a tablet there are already examples of this with some Android tablets and Asus is rumored to already have one in the works.  These are what I'm holding out for!

Rumored Asus Convertible Ultrabook with Windows 8


So if you are thinking of getting a new laptop you might want to wait a few months and see what your options are and then decide.  Me?  I'm counting the days until the slick new Windows 8 laptops hit the shelves!

Website Design & Hosting


Website Design & Hosting
Hosting plans start at $5* per month and Domain Registration for $15* per year!
If you need a domain name, website or even just an email account we can work with you to create a site that will best suit your needs.
For less than $500 GoFetchComputers.com can register, host and design a simple yet functional website for your business or organization.  A website such as this one is a perfect example of what we can do for less than $299.  Included are:
  • 1 Year Domain Registration
  • 1 Year hosting of your website
  • A website that includes the following pages: Home Page, About Us, Contact Us, Services/Product page
  • After your website is designed your yearly costs are only the hosting and domain registration (just over $60 a year!)
Each website will be customized to your requirements.  If your website involves more detailed graphics or special design components the costs may be higher, but we will work with you to create the website you want for a fair price.
Other advanced website features:
  • Online Store with shopping cart and online payment
  • Forms
  • Database Development (PHP/MySQL)
  • Forums and blogs
  • Photo galleries
  • and more
Don't have a domain name yet? Check for one here:
www.   

For more details on our web hosting plans please visit our sister company The Northern Hosting Company.

Partial List of Sites Designed & Hosted by GoFetchComputers.com
The Northern Bead Company
Elmvale Veterinary Hospital
Cedar Ridge Pops
Hearts for Gaby
Peggy Worthen ReMax
Doug Plumb Designs
Penetang Veterinary Hosptial
Cindy McQuirter-Fairley ReMax
Tiffin By The Bay
Dinghy Caddy
Merchandising Experts
Bay Trade Logistics
FSSF (Call of Duty Gaming site)

We also donate our time to update the Midland Humane Society website.

* hosting & domain prices are in US funds

Roku 2 XS Canadian Version Review



First off, what is a Roku 2 XS?  It's not, as a friend speculated,  "some type of Japanese sushi made with raw fish".  Here is the description from Roku's website:

"Roku is a small device that streams films, TV programs, music, and other entertainment to your TV via the Internet. Since Roku streams (rather than downloads) video, you get instant access to a huge library of entertainment without having to store any video files on your computer or hard drive. 


Once you set up Roku, you do not need a PC to use it. Roku connects directly to your TV and your high-speed Internet service home using your wireless home network. It then lets you access the streaming entertainment channels that you sign up for (like Netflix) right from your TV, using a handy remote."

There are two versions available in Canada - the XD ($89) and XS($109).  For the extra $20 the XS gets you an Ethernet port to plug in your in your network (both units have wireless built in), a USB port (to attach  a USB drive with music, pictures or movies), and an enhanced "motion control" remote for use with the included Angry Birds game.  Sounds good, but how well does it work and how does it stack up against the competition (Xbox, Boxee Box, Apple TV)?  To see what you get check my previous post with unboxing photos.

BTW, as I'm writing this I'm using Roku to watch Sandford & Son for free on the Crackle app.  I can't even begin to guess the last time I saw Sandford & Son!

Setting up an Account
First thing you need to do is set up an account at Roku.com with the usual email and password selection.  While Roku and many apps are free some of the apps are not, and for that reason you need to enter credit card information just in case you purchase something in the "channel store".  After this you need to enter in a PIN number for use on the Roku player.  This is the number you need to enter whenever you buy anything (or you can change it not ask or to ask whether the app is free or paid for).  A good thing to do just in case you have kids or want to make sure you don't accidentally buy something.  The final step is to enter an activation number - this will show up on your TV once you set up the Roku.

Setting up the Roku
Connect the Roku to your TV with the included AV cables, or do the sensible thing and attach it to your TV using an HDMI cable (sold separately), plug in the Roku and change your TV to the appropriate channel/input.
At this point I'd probably state the obvious and tell you to turn on the Roku.  But you can't.  Nor can you turn it off.  It is always on!  Roku claims that the device uses so little power there is no benefit to turning it off ("Less than a nightlight") and that having it always on gives it the ability to automatically download updates.  Word of warning - to make sure you aren't sucking up bandwidth make sure you go back to the Roku Home screen before switching off your TV and walking away.
Obviously you need access to the Internet to use the Roku.  The XS can use either a wired or wireless connection. The first thing you'll see on your TV is how you want to connect - Wired or Internet.  Wired is easy enough - just plug in a network cable to the port in the back.  Choose wireless and all you'll have to do is select the network and enter in the password for your wireless network.  For me the wireless connection worked perfectly and connected right away.  It was at this point it gave me the Activation code I needed to enter on the website during my account setup.  After I entered the code my computer I was then presented with a default list of apps to install (Netflix, Crackle, Wall Street Journal, etc.).  Don't worry about going through all the choices, you can add and delete apps on the Roku later.  Hit Continue and suddenly your TV screen will change.  For me it started to download an update for the Roku.  Once the update was done the chosen apps started downloading.  After this you can start using your Roku.

Roku Experience
Let me start by saying that I wasn't too sure how good the Roku would be compared to my Xbox (see review) and Boxee Box (see review). I struggled with the decision to even buy one to review. I have to say that so far I'm pretty impressed.  Everything has worked right away with no issues.  Even hardware settings set up correctly automatically (TV aspect ratio and resolution). It was easy to download new apps and easy to play the apps you want.  For me Netflix, Crackle, and TWiT were the ones I tested first and they all worked great.  Netflix needed my username and password first, but it worked right away after that.  In the USA there are a lot more apps than what are currently available up here in Canada, but there are still a lot of apps to choose from.  Some of the better ones are:
Netflix
Crackle
MSNBC
Weather App (which automatically figured out where I was based on my IP address)
MLB
Facebook
Picasa
Flickr
UFC
Flixster

BTW, now I'm watching Fantasy Island :)

All the video quality has been excellent.  In most cases it's even better than a standard definition TV signal from my cable provider.

There are a couple of disappointments.  The biggest one I have is that you can't connect to your local network.  This may not be an issue for most people, but I have all my music and pictures on my network and it's nice to access them using my Xbox or Boxee Box.  The second disappointment is the USB port and the ability to play your pictures, movies and music.  If you attach a large portable drive it takes a long time for the Roku to "scan the drive" and for videos it only only plays MP4 and MKV files.  Music and picture playback was not an issue except for the scan time.  If you put in a small USB stick then the scan time is greatly reduced.

Competition
Now how does it stack up against the competition?  For me I'm most familiar with Xbox, Boxee Box, and Apple TV.  Unfortunately there is no one device that does everything well.  Xbox and Boxee easily connect to your files on your own network, Apple TV needs iTunes running on a computer to access the files within iTunes, and Roku simply can't do it (it actually can but you need to install software on your computer - see the comments section for more info).  Boxee is the only device that has a built in web browser so you can access online videos from your browser.  For example, I recently watched a documentary that CBC had on their website - this could only have been done on the Boxee Box.  All the devices has different apps, but Boxee has the most and Roku has the least (for now) although it's pretty close to Apple TV.   If you like to rent or purchase movies then the Xbox and Apple TV are your two choices.

Conclusion
For the price the Roku player is the best of the bunch.  If you don't care about the Ethernet and USB port it's the least expensive of them all (Apple TV $109, Boxee Box $189, Xbox $199 (4GB unit)).  If you just want to something to watch Netflix on your TV (which is what a lot of my clients want) plus have some other capabilities then the Roku is great.  It's also the smallest of the bunch.  If you have the need, or want, to move it to different TV's or take it on vacation with you then it's a breeze to move.  I will definitely be recommending it to my clients.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them and I'll answer them the best I can.

Four out of Five Stars

Roku 2 XS Canadian Version–The Unboxing!

Well Roku is finally in Canada!  It has taken a few years for this media streaming pioneer from the US to make it north of the border, but it’s here now.  Mine just arrived so here are a few of the unboxing shots and my initial impressions.

How do we know it's the Canadian Verison?  It has French on the box and the quick set-up instruction sheet :)


What you get: AV Outuput cables (which I won't be using - I would recommend getting an HDMI cable), power adapter, 2 AA batteries for the remote, Roku XS, and controller.


They claim it is the smallest Internet Media Streaming device.  I'd also have to say it's the lightest - the thing weighs next to nothing.



In Canada we are offered two models - the XD and XS.  For the extra $20 you get a USB port and an Ethernet port (the XD is only wireless, while the XS can be both wired and wireless), plus the remote has "motion control" so you can play the other extra thing you get - Angry Birds.  While the Ethernet port and Wii-like remote are mostly unnecessary for most people I think the USB port will be important for hooking up external memory sources to play your own movies, music, and pictures.

The base of the main unit has a nice very "grippy" rubber that really sticks to the surface you put it on.

That's it for now.  Check back later for more after I get it all hooked up and seen what it can do.

New Microsoft Security Essentials Released

Today Microsoft has released version 4 of it's excellent anti-virus program, Security Essentials.  This is the anti-virus I use on all my personal computers and highly recommend it.  If you already use it, install the update.  If you don't already use it you might want to try it out.  I find it better than the one's you pay for (Norton, McAfee) and much better than other free offerings like AVG.

Download it here

Major SkyDrive Update & Google Drive

In a previous post I talked about using Microsoft's SkyDrive to store files online.  The one major problem with SkyDrive is that it wasn't as easy to use as something like DropBox where there was a folder on your computer that would seamlessly sync any files in it to the cloud.  To use SkyDrive you had to log into the system through a web browser and manually upload the files.  The 25GB of free space was great, but somewhat difficult to use.  Until now.

Microsoft has made major changes to SkyDrive in preparation to the tight integration it's going to have in the upcoming Windows 8.  There is good and bad.  Lets start with the bad - the bad is that the amount of free storage has gone down from 25GB to 7GB.  This is still better than the 5GB for Apple's iCloud and Dropbox's 2GB.  There are many more good:

  • Additional storage can be purchased (half the price of Apple's iCloud)
    • 20GB $10/year
    • 50GB $25/year
    • 100GB $50/year
    • As a bonus to those of us who have been using SkyDrive already, there is a free upgrade from the 7GB limit to 25GB.  Just sign in and you'll see the option for the free upgrade.
  • You can now use SkyDrive like Dropbox where there is a local folder on your computer (see Fig. 1) that automatically syncs to the cloud and to any other computer you have signed into using the new SkyDrive app (PC and Mac). 
  • SkyDrive can be accessed through Windows Phone and iPhones by loading the app from Microsoft.  There is no official support for Android, but there are 3rd party apps available.
Fig. 1

Another big feature that has been added is the ability to remotely access all the files your computer from any computer using a web browser (see Fig. 2).  When you first set this up you will have to authorize this feature - a text was my mobile with a security code I had to enter.
Fig. 2

For the most part this is a great upgrade to SkyDrive and will make it much more accessible to everyone.  Some people might be upset about the lowered storage limit, but if you've already been using SkyDrive then you get back to 25GB anyways and if you are a new user SkyDrive already has more free storage than it's competitors.  Google has yet to offer such a service (except for the 2GB storage you can get on Picasa), but that should be changing shortly with the rumored Google Drive and a 5GB limit.

UPDATE: Google did release Google Drive just hours after this post.  It appears to work the same way as Dropbox and SkyDrive (local folder syncing to the cloud), but it starts with 5GB free with additional storage costing slightly more than SkyDrive (eg, 100GB is $60) and there is no remote access to your computer.

UPUDATE 2: As usual with Google services, there are concerns about how private your files are.  Google is saying what is yours will stay yours, but there is also a clause stating that they, and their partners, can scan your files.  This would probably be meant for helping them to target advertising.  Microsoft and Dropbox are much clearer that your files are more private than on the Google service.

Rogers Getting out of DVD & Game Rental

Rogers has just announced that it is finally getting out of the DVD and Video Game rental business.  With Blockbuster closing last year Canada is now without a major DVD rental company.  Some may find this sad, but it's really just a sign of the times.
I've been wondering how long this would take with almost everything now available online or through current cable/satellite OnDemand services.  I've also been predicting that Rogers would be coming out with their own version of Netflix to replace their current, and weak, RogersAnyPlaceTV.  Hopefully now Rogers will concentrate on a online presence to rival Netflix and make it available to everyone, not just Rogers customers.

Roku Is Coming To Canada

roku2xdxs
Back to one of my favourite topics – bringing Internet media into the living room.  Previously I’ve discussed the ability to play online services like Netflix on your TV with devices like Xbox and Boxee Box (and to some degree Apple TV).  Starting later this month there will be another popular device called Roku.  Roku has been available in the USA for years and has been hugely popular.  Before Boxee Box came up here, this was the device I coveted.  In the USA there are over 400 “channels” to watch internet programming on, the most popular being Netflix, Disney, HBO, and Hulu.  In Canada we’ll be basically left with just Netflix, MLB, and NHL (you will still need to subscribe to these services) and a few other minor players, but they are promising “over 100” channels.  There will be two models released here, both with a 1080p resolution.  The XD will be priced at $90 and the XS will come in at $110 (available through London Drugs, Amazon.ca, and WalMart).  The more expensive version has an ethernet port as well as remote control (which also works like a Wii remote) and Angry Birds.
I don’t have one yet, but it looks like to me it really lacks compared to the Xbox or Boxee Box due to what can be done with it (you can’t easily access files on your own network being the biggest problem), but if you just want to be able to play Netflix on your TV this would be one of the least expensive ways to achieve that.  If you are a big user of iTunes then you may want to look at the AppleTV to access your movies and rentals. It will be interesting to see what the other “over 100” channels will be.

Update, April 17th: now available for preorder (April 30th release date) on the Amazon.ca website

Dept. of Justice Going Hard after Apple, et al.

My March 8th post was about the forthcoming class action by the US Dept. of Justice (DoJ) against Apple and 5 publishers for being anticompetitive.  Today at 11:30 the DoJ's lead counsel Steve Berman issued a statement after the lawsuit went public:

"While Attorney General Holder's actions, if successful, will put an end to the anticompetitive actions, our class-action is designed to pry the ill-gotten profits from Apple and the publishers and return them to consumers.”

My favourite part is the “return to consumers” part.  It’s my hope that those of us who bought ebooks at the inflated prices will be refunded by Apple and the publishers.  Sic ‘em DoJ!!

Mac Trojan Flashback Virus

I hate having to keep telling people this but, “YES!  Mac’s can get a Virus!”  It is one of the more popular myths that Mac’s are somehow invulnerable to viruses.  Yes, there are many less viruses written for Macs, but they are still out there.  The big one right now is the Flashback Virus.  The description is:

Trojan-Downloader:OSX/Flashback.I connects to a remote site to download its payload; on successful infection, the malware modifies targeted webpages displayed in the web browser.


If you have a Mac you better make sure you have all the most recent security patches since the Flashback Trojan virus has been spreading fast this week.  A Russian security firm, Dr. Web, has estimated that there are now over 600,000 infected Macs.  Over 250 of these infected computers have been traced back to Cupertino, CA (location of Apple’s head office!).  A high number of the infected Mac’s (20%) are in in Canada – so if you have a Mac and are reading this get the fix!  To find out if you have it go to F-Secure for instructions.  What I find really disturbing is that Oracle issued a fix in February, but Apple didn’t start releasing it until this week when news of the infection started to hit the media.  Very disappointing.

Good-bye DVD & Blu-Ray

Are DVD’s and Blu-Rays going the way of floppy disks?  The decline has been coming for years, but new numbers are showing that 2012 could be the year that people refer back to as the year the DVD & Blu-Ray stopped being the norm.
Firstly, the research firm IHS is projecting that paid online viewing of movies and TV shows will, for the first time, exceed that of DVD’s and Blu-Ray combined (USA) in 2012.  Please note the word “paid” – this is content that people are paying to view (ie. Netflix, etc), not the free offerings like YouTube or all the illegal downloads.  I know that my own DVD purchasing has decreased significantly due to Netflix and what I can watch On-Demand from my cable company, and I never bought into the Blu-Ray ecosystem.  Canada may not achieve these same numbers at the same speed, but as we get more online viewing services we won’t be far behind.
Secondly, Microsoft released numbers yesterday that more time is being spent on the Xbox watching online video or playing online music than people playing online games.  What’s really interesting about this is that the number of hours of people playing online games has increased over last year, thus showing how much online viewing has grown in one year.
Thirdly, more and more laptops are becoming Ultra-books.  These are laptops that are incredibly thin and light – as popularized by Apple’s MacBook Air.  To achieve these thin and light Ultrabooks the main component that is removed is the DVD drive.  It is increasingly common for people to not only download all their music and movies online, but more software makers are offering all their product online.  Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 is implementing their own Marketplace to purchase software online – similar to the app stores currently available on all smartphones and Mac OS Mountain Lion.
Lastly, there are rumours that the new Xbox (2013?) will not have a DVD drive.  Instead consumers could get their new games either online or by loading their Xbox USB stick with a game by going to their local retail outlet which would have an Xbox kiosk where a game could be purchased and loaded onto their USB stick.
Good-bye DVD.  So long Blu-Ray.

US Dept. of Justice to Sue Apple–Finally!!

For years I’ve been complaining about how Apple and five book publishers got together  (ie. colluded) to unfairly set the price of e-books.  Before Apple launched it’s iBook store it was common to buy e-books on Amazon for $9.99.  Many e-book readers rightfully felt that e-books should be substantially less then their print counter part (a.k.a. dead tree edition) due to the greatly reduced cost in the product. No longer were monies being used for the processing of paper, ink, binding, transportation cost, and warehousing (just think of the carbon footprint on a single book!). I’m all for people making money and I’m more than willing to pay for books, but I’m also always looking for a way to save money. If this gave the authors the same cut they got before and the consumer got to save money by purchasing an item that was no longer physical it all seemed good.

When Apple decided to get into the e-book business they convinced five willing publishers (Simon & Shuster, Harper Collins, Penguin, MacMillan, and Hachette) that e-book prices should be raised to take into account the 30% cut Apple wanted, plus it then had them agree to not allow any other retailer (eg. Amazon, B&N, etc.) to sell books for less than what Apple was willing to sell them for.   Suddenly the price of e-books shot up 30% or more.  In some cases e-books were (and still are) priced higher than print books.  Why were the publishers so willing? To me this is an industry trying to protect and old way of doing business and prop up all of their suppliers (paper, transportation, bricks-and mortar stores).  This happened with the music industry and the film industry will be the next to be hit with the new digital trend.  It should also be taken into account that Apple wanted 30% just to facilitate the transfer of data from their servers to your iBook device while the authors were getting their usual 5-15% of sales.  To me, it is grossly unfair that the person who created the book is getting a fraction of what Apple was demanding from the publishers.

I had always felt that this was an anti-trust matter.  The EU courts decided it was as well and this past summer they named Apple and the publishers mentioned that they were going to take them to court.  That’s was great, but in North America it’s the US Dept. of Justice that can really put the pressure on US companies.  Today the Wall Street Journal wrote that the DOJ had given notice to Apple and their cohorts that they were going to be sued for price fixing.  FINALLY!!!!!  You go DOJ!!