TechByter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) with Bill Blinn

Smart phones and tablets have changed the way we read. Most libraries now offer electronic books in addition to physical books and the electronic versions have quite a few advantages, along with some drawbacks. This week we'll take a look at some ebook readers. In Short Circuits: Password managers have been important for several years, but now a new threat makes the need for secure password management critical. I'll explain why. Wi-Fi routers look like they have 12 channels, but really they have just 3. In Spare Parts (only on the website): This month's updates by Adobe further expand the cloud-based Lightroom CC and add features to Lightroom Classic and Adobe XD. • Dealing with false positive security alerts is causing legitimate alerts to be missed. • If you spend too much time trying to find an on-line video sequence that you enjoyed and want to see again or share, a new utility might be able to help.

As an image organizer, ThumbsPlus has a long history and it's an excellent choice for those who need to make identical modifications to multiple images. In Short Circuits: Nearly every motorist uses Global Positioning System devices to get where they're going. Now similar technology is being used within large and complex buildings. In the early days of Windows, themes were an extra-cost add on. They've been a basic part of Windows for a long time. If there's something you don't like about the interface, you can change it. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Blockchain, the technology that makes bitcoin possible, is being expanded to other payment systems and some of the world's largest banks and payment processors are investigating how to incorporate it. • What's the largest security threat to most businesses? The answer may surprise you because -- if you're an employee -- it's you!

Google continues to improve its on-line suite of office applications and perhaps you've wondered if the free apps could replace Microsoft's suite, or Wordperfect's, or one of the open-source suites. Let's take a look. In Short Circuits: Microsoft makes another emergency patch available, but it's not being pushed out to everyone and you may not need it. Sometimes the Windows volume control stops working, but there's a quick and easy way to restore proper operation. Your computer sends data to Microsoft for diagnostic purposes. A new Windows app will provide insight into what is sent and you'll have more control. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Artificial intelligence continues to expand. The current hot spot is customer relations, but internal management functions are next. • GoDaddy is acquiring a company that will provide branding assistance for the company's 17 million users. • The internet now has 4 billion users worldwide and about 80% use some type of social media.

There's a lot of confusion about the two primary formats that digital cameras use to store images -- JPEG and raw data. It's a large and complex topic, so this week we have a large and complex section on the topic as we look behind the digital curtain. In Short Circuits: Users of Adobe Photoshop will find that this month's update includes a blockbuster feature called Select Subject, so we'll see how well it works. For the first time in more than 5 years, PC sales (Windows and Mac computers) are up ever so slightly. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Burger King has weighed in on Net Neutrality with a demonstration that includes fast burgers and slow burgers. • There's a growing need for what's called out-of-band authentication. • Cryptocurrencies are hot and now even Kodak is getting into the game.

Telephone based spam and scams continue to escalate. Those with land lines have limited options for fighting back but mobile phone users and those who use some voice-over-IP systems have an increasing number of weapons. In Short Circuits: Even if your computer has already been updated to deal with the Spectre and Meltdown threats, you might receive a message that tells you to download another patch. Don't do it! Some people needlessly fear cookies that many websites write to their computers. Most are safe, but some caution is reasonable. In Spare Parts (only on the website): The Banking and Securities Department in Pennsylvania has released an electronic booklet that has some useful tips to avoid being scammed on-line and it's available no matter where you live. • New docking stations that have been designed and built by companies that don't make computers have a worthwhile feature that computer manufacturers don't include in their docks: They work with both Windows and MacOS computers.

There's one more chance to halt the Federal Communications Commission's destruction of Net Neutrality, but only if we all understand that this is not a battle between right and left, liberal and conservative -- but between internet service providers and we, the users of the internet. In Short Circuits: Microsoft, Apple, and Linux developers are working to eliminate dangers that affect nearly all computers and mobile devices and to contain the problems that the updates themselves create. This month's Windows update has removed a feature that's been in Word for the past 17 years. It's not widely used, but those who need it will have to buy a $100 add on. If you're planning to buy a new router this year, you might want to wait a few months because a new specification is about to be released. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Toyota showed off its Mobility Ecosystem that's designed to make vehicles for specific uses at this week's Consumer Electronics show. • Electric cars can be dangerous if batteries aren't monitored and controlled precisely. One company says that it has an inexpensive part that can make batteries safer.

Cybereason chief security officer Sam Curry, while acknowledging the many security disasters of 2017 is hopeful that 2018 might be the year when defense gets the upper hand. We'll talk with him about how to make that happen. In Short Circuits: This week we learned that every Intel CPU manufactured in the past 10 years has a serious security flaw and that fixing it will require operating system changes that will make your computer run slower. Light bulbs seem decidedly low-tech, but recent advances are producing bulbs that can save money by using far less electricity than old technology bulbs. In Spare Parts (only on the website): The music streaming service Spotify plans to go public in the first half of 2018 and will use an unusual method for its IPO. • If you have a teenager, how many social media accounts does he or she have? There's a good chance you don't know about all of them. • We'll reveal the second half of Dashlane's top 10 worst password offenders for 2017 and explore the 3 things we can do to avoid being password bunglers.

TechByter Worldwide will return next week. This link will take you to last week's program.

The number of security threats and the methods that crooks use have both increased in the past year and show no sign of slowing. In Short Circuits: Google has released a new app that's designed to control which applications have access to an Android phone's data plan. While not a new concept, the app has some promising features. If you miss the old-style Control Panel in the latest Windows update, there's an easy way to create single-click access. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Lots of companies sell your information. Nothing new there, but what about companies that don't question requests from government agencies? The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a list. • Password Manager Dashlane has a list of the 10 worst password offenders for the year and Donald Trump is at the top of the list. Dashlane will explain why. • Is hibernation enabled on your computer? Should it be? Let's see how to turn it on if you want it or turn it off if you don't.

Rental software -- whether delivered as "software as a service" or on a subscription basis -- offers advantages for those who want their applications to be updated continuously, but not everyone likes the idea. There are alternatives. In Short Circuits: The Federal Communications Commission has voted to end Net Neutrality even though more than 75% of voters oppose the move. One final possibility exists to keep the policies in place. NATO is discussing the threat of cyber attacks and is planning its own cyber-warfare strategy. Adobe released numerous updates this week, including some powerful new or improved features for Lightroom and Camera Raw. In Spare Parts (only on the website): A Bluetooth device claims to work with all digital assistants except Cortana. • Central New Mexico Community College has started issuing digital diplomas. • A company that provides services to jails and prisons says that music and other streaming media might reduce violence among prisoners.

Photo Raw 2018 from OnOne brings several powerful new features to an application that can work with Photoshop or Lightroom as a filter or work independently of them as a file organizer and raw image converter. In Short Circuits: How to avoid nasty surprises from a disk drive by using Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology that's included on most modern disk drives. Improvements in an older battery technology might lead to safer, less expensive, and environmentally better batteries for portable devices. Android is the least secure computing platform, but Google is trying to fix that. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Money can't buy happiness, but the maker of an IOS app says it can bring Joy. • A Bluetooth gadget claims to make Alexa available in your car and to do so without being a distraction for the driver. • An "initial song offering" might mean that music fans can own a small percentage of certain songs, but only if they live outside the United States.

Whether it's Windows, MacOS, or Linux, your operating system probably bugs you about updates more than you'd like -- but ignoring update requests is a bad idea. After getting off to a strong start, Firefox faltered when Google introduced Chrome. The latest version of Firefox is out and it's worth looking at no matter which browser you use now. In Short Circuits: Uber tried to cover up a data breach that affected 57 million users and drivers. Having been caught, they say they're sorry. A request that appears to be from your email administrator isn't. It's just another fraud, but the creeps who create the frauds are getting better. In Spare Parts (only on the website): How about a Wi-Fi hotspot that looks like an umbrella? • Or maybe a device that looks like brass knuckles but lets you type on your tummy? • Waze teams up with Allstate Roadside Services. • A new app allows ophthalmologists to monitor patients at home.

TechByter Worldwide will return next week. This link will take you to last week's program.

Alien Skin has released a major update for its Exposure application, expanding its stand-alone capabilities by providing better photo management tools. We'll take a long look at what's new and why it's important. In Short Circuits: Do you have some old digital photos from the early days -- pictures you can't use because the quality is so low? Well, maybe an on-line service will be able to improve them. If you think that CompuServe forums no longer exist, you're wrong, but a month from now you'll be right. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Another iteration of Locky, the malware that encrypts files and holds them hostage, wants to come aboard your computer. • GoDaddy introduces a new feature for businesses that need to establish appointments with customers. • A survey says that artificial intelligence is the future. • Battling identity theft and wire fraud in the real estate industry.

When it's time to move your applications, settings, and files from an old computer to a new one, you can do it the hard way or spend a few tens of dollars and automate the process. Maybe you seen websites that offer to multiply your Bitcoins by 13 times in less than an hour. If you believe that, please contact me because I have some desert property beneath the Brooklyn Bridge that may also appeal to you. In Short Circuits: Every operating system has quirks and does things in ways that annoy users. Instead of putting up with the annoyances, maybe you'd be happier if you eliminated them. We veer slightly off the technology path with a look at the dangers of a detached retina, why it needs immediate attention, and how it can be fixed. In Spare Parts (only on the website): A hospital in California is using virtual reality as a distraction during medical procedures so that children don't need to be anesthetized. • On-line payments need to be made easier and more secure. Some companies are working on it. • Maybe you'd like a computer that will survive if you literally throw it out a window.