Techs for the Memories: What Did We Do Before

This article will really make you stop and think.  I actually laughed out loud several times while reading it.  Seriously, without ATM's and debit cards where would the world be.  I don't even own checks!  I told my Mom to read this article and she said I should have been around when their were 8-Tracks, forget cassette tapes and IPods.  That was so funny, what is an 8-Track?  Technology has come so far in so little time.  Most of it is for the good.  I do think that if you have young kids you do need to make them get outside and play.  Make sure they use their creative minds and muscles at the same time by creative outside play.  That's not an easy thing to get them to do today.  It's much easier to let them use their technical gadgets and stay out of our way.  I can't remember when I haven't been able to pick up the phone and call any member of my family and talk to them immediately when I want to.  Technology has certainly changed the way we live.  Now if we can just get Walmart to get better reception inside the buildings. 

Geek Chic: Google Launches Boutiques.Com

Now this is my type of website.  Just in time for the holidays I can browse and set up my own boutique to get just the type of items I am looking for and I don't have to find the mall and people.  From the safety of my computer I can shop and shop.  Not only does it show me pictures of the items to look at but makes outfit suggestions, etc.  I will definitely be getting on Boutiques.com to see if they are as amazing as they sound.  Right now they only have it available for women and only in the U.S., but I can see potential in this website.  This is not the normal avenue for Google, but I think they are definitely thinking outside the box. 

Christie's Hopes to Snare $242K for 34-Year-Old Apple Computer

Can you believe that Christie's auction house will be auctioning off a 34 year old computer?  This will have everyone cleaning out closets for antique computers.  The Apple-1 originally sold for $666.66.  The invoice included on this specific Apple-1 is $741.66 becaude it also had the optional cassette interface.  It will be interesting to watch and see if Christie's can bring in the estimated $161,600 to $242,400 for this Apple-1 computer.  This could change the way people view their electronics and whether they get rid of them or save them as antiques.  Although, it would be cool to say you owned one of the Apple-1's designed and hand-built by Apple co-founder Steve Wosniak, I'm not sure it would be worth that much money to me.  It really makes me wish I had one in the closet. 

Early-Bird Black Friday Predictions

Black Friday predictions have already started.  Can you believe how this year has flown by?  Before we know it we will be celebrating the new year.  I was very disappointed with this article being the technical person that I am.  I was hoping for some great deals this year on new technology.  It sounds as though there won't be to many new technical toys out there.  For everyone who is looking for a big screen it looks like the bigger the better price wise.  Realistically, I think prices are about as low on TV's as they will get.  Just walking through any big store TV prices have fallen considerably in the past few years.  I believe that is due to the market being so tight and everyone watching their money so closely.  This has caused stores to make prices as rock bottom as they can to get business especially on big ticket items like electronics.  I will still be holding my breath and hoping they come out with some great deal on a totally nerdy technical gadget for Christmas. 

No White Christmas for IPhone 4 Fans

Who would have thought after all this time that Apple would still not have a white IPhone 4 available.  The black IPhone 4 came out in June of this year and has had it's share of glitches.  However, for the avid IPhone user I believe they think it is all worthwhile.  In my family we have two IPhones already.  My mother, however, is still a non Internet phone user.  She is actually ready to upgrade at Christmas this year, but it looks like she will be one of many that don't get a White Christmas.  You would think with all the problems they have been able to fix with the IPhone that they could manage to come out with a white color.  How difficult could this be?  Maybe they are just waiting so everyone who wants a white IPhone 4 can just order the IPhone 5 in white.  I think they are missing a lot of available market out there.  I wonder if we can get my Mother to settle for black?

Facebook Files Lawsuits Against Alleged Spammers

With all of the recent problems Facebook has had with privacy issues, this was an interesting article to me.  I am glad to see Facebook is trying to stop some of the spamming on it's website.  They have become such a popular place for users.  My mother and grandmother are avid Facebook users and love to play Farmville.  I think there should be more avenues of being able to stop these people from fraudulently offering free credits and free gasoline to get people to give them their private information.  There are so many people who use Facebook who have no understanding of how much personal information they put on Facebook and how it could be used against them.  I'm sure my grandmother and grandfather (who spend hours playing Farmville) have no clue that someone is trying to steal their personal information. 

The unfortunate thing is that even with these large settlements being handed out against these fraudulent people, it may not be enough.  These individuals generally not have the money to pay these settlements, but there should be a way to enforce some punishments.  It is wrong to use people and direct them to the wrong sites, and there needs to be guidelines in place to stop this madness.  Good for Facebook  for at least trying to stop these people from abusing their customers.

Online IP Protection Bill Sparks Outrage

This article is by far one of the most controversial I have ever read.  This new bill, Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA), is such a double sided issue.  On one side, I understand the need for such a bill.  So many of our artists and actors are being ripped off by their products being stolen on the Internet.  Not only that, but normal people like us, who buy products which are a total fraud.  At this point there does not seem to be a lot of protection for any of these people.  In the past, numerous law suits were filed when one of the large dish satellite companies sued thousands of people for illegal using their signals for free TV.  However, this was a complicated procedure and it was a hit and miss program.

This COICA bill would give the DOJ the ability to close down domains and web sites they feel are dedicated to infringement.  However, I feel it gives them to much power.  This is America where we are not usually dictated to.  There must be a balance of power in this bill which from my understanding is sadly lacking.  One of the good things it does give is protection to service providers that do block access to possible infringement web sites from legal action.  Will such a bill actually force the Internet itself to eventually be unable to be worth anything due to the blocked sites of everyone trying to protect themselves.  Individuals who are vandalized this way are already able to file civil suits against you as the satellite dish people did in the past.  So why does the government feel it must dictate to us further.  I am not in favor of those people who do wrong by stealing someone else's work for free or who try and cheat hard working people out of their money for false products, however, I feel that this bill goes to far and is an infringement on the rights of all Americans.