Episode 12 – 2007: The Year In Review

This week we take a look back at the year 2007 and list a few events that both changed and shaped the present state of the IT industry.

Techpodcast Promo Tag :10
Intro 2:21

News and Comment segment 2:58
The United States Department of Transportation announced new rules to limit the transport of lithium batteries on commercial aircraft to take effect beginning January 1.

Try GotoMeeting free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomeeting.com/techpodcasts.

AOL announced last week that it will end development of Netscape Navigator.

Commercial Break 1:01
Sponsored by PC Doctor Service Center 6. 1-866-BUY PCDR. Mention The Force Field podcast for $49 discount. Offer good until January 31, 2008.

Intro to Review 1:41
Another year is at an end and what a year it was! Full of optimism and hope, pessimism and disappointment and everything in between. The tech world had peaks, plains and potholes all throughout the year and sometimes all at once.

This week we will take a look back at the year 2007 and list a few events that both changed and shaped the present state of the IT industry. You may laugh and you may cry or you may simply roll your eyes. But on one thing you will probably agree. It was a year that was all its own. Now, sit back, relax, and reflect as we take a final look back at 2007 – The Year In Review.

The Year In Review 15:06

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show. Visit us at http://www.theforcefield.net !

©2007 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.

Episode 11 – We Fix You

This week we talk with Shane Bell and learn how he created a new services directory called wefixyou.com overnight, how he plans to profit from it and how you can profit from it too by using it to market your business by using the new dot com called We Fix You.

Techpodcast Promo Tag :10
Intro 2:03

News and Comment segment 3:58
Geek News Central hosted the first 24 hour podcast marathon in December to raise money for the One Laptop Per Child program. The Force Field was invited to participate and I signed on as a guest for half an hour from 10:30 PM to 11 PM Eastern. You can download the segments at www.24hrpodcast.com. The Force Field is discussed in segment 16.

Try GotoMeeting free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomeeting.com/techpodcasts.

Microsoft issued a warning last week advising users of a bug in Microsoft Windows Home Server that corrupts files used by certain applications. For more information reference Microsoft KB article 946676.

Commercial Break 1:01
Sponsored by PC Doctor Service Center 6. 1-866-BUY PCDR. Mention The Force Field podcast for $49 discount. Offer good until January 31, 2008.

Intro to Interview 2:05

This week we are going to talk to Shane Bell and learn how he created a new services directory called wefixyou.com overnight, how he plans to profit from it and how you can profit from it too by using it to market your business by using the new dot com called We Fix You.

Shane Bell Interview 21:13

Wrap up and Close :46

©2007 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.

AOL Ends Netscape

(TheForceField.net ) December 28, 2007 — AOL, LLC announced today that it will end development of Netscape Navigator. According to the company's blog Tom Drapeau, Director of Netscape's browser development, stated that development on the broswer would end as of February 1, 2008.

AOL purchased Netscape in 1999 during the height of the browser wars, when the two biggest browsers with the most market share were Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Microsoft quickly took market share away from Netscape and within a short time AOL's browser took a back seat to IE.

In 2003 AOL created the Mozilla foundation to continue support for Navigator and was its largest contributor.

This year AOL announced a major change in its business model, moving away from a subscription based platform to an advertising based company. According to Drapeau, dropping support for Netscape is a result of the transition.

"AOL's focus on transitioning to an ad-supported web business leaves little room for the size of investment needed to get the Netscape browser to a point many of its fans expect it to be.", Drapeau wrote in the blog. "Given AOL's current business focus and the success the Mozilla Foundation has had in developing critically-acclaimed products, we feel it's the right time to end development of Netscape branded browsers, hand the reigns fully to Mozilla and encourage Netscape users to adopt Firefox.", he said.

Drapeau said Netscape would continue to release security patches for the browser until February 1. After that date support for Navigator will end. He added that although Navigator will no longer be supported, the web site www.netscape.com "will still continue to serve as a general use Internet portal".

Reaction from the Netscape community was one of resignation. "This is very sad!" one Netscape forum poster with the handle of "egnsln" said. Another known as "UncleDuck" said "I was somewhat brokenhearted when AOL did buy Netscape as I expected the demise of a great product.  NN9 changed my opinion on that.  Guess my mind-changing was a bit premature.  It's really sad that AOL won't promote a product that they actually own." Other posters agreed.

Drapeau encouraged users to contact Mozilla and move to Firefox in the future.

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In the IT Industry, the Enemy Wears Red…

I’ve always been fascinated about the world of IT Security.

On a daily basis I log into customers PC’s remotely to install updates, fix problems, help with email issues etc etc…

But for someone, a criminal, to be able to gain “root level” ( like that Unix term? I did it just for you geeks ) access to a PC is really a heinous act all to itself.

More and more our entire lives are going online, I for one base all my work email on Google’s GMail software. Google now has complete control over my life, and if its not working….. well its not a pretty site around the office let me tell you.

So ok, end the rant… Whos the #1, head honcho, the Goldfinger to the USA’s James Bond?

Ladies and Gentleman! I give you….. THE U S S R….. I mean China… yes China.

They are numero uno! Just do a quick search on Google ( I know they own my life ) for:

“China Internet Attacks”. Heres a great little article on it [SperoNews]

In 2007 almost 13,000 “direct assaults on federal agencies and more than 80,000 attempted attacks onDepartment of Defense computer network systems.”

WHOOAA…. Hello.

Now I know, I know, people don’t want to look at China as the next Cold War Competitor…. But trust me they are already looking at us. Now of course all of those 93,000 plus attacks can’t all be from China…. But lets say HALF of them are.

China is in a love/hate relationship with us. Most of the money in their economy comes from Western buyers ( half the equipment your reading this blog on comes from China!! )

But at the same time, we are the worlds number 1 super power and China knows that in the secret battle over the hearts and minds of countries around the world, its the USA vs. Red China.

Now China is coming on board more and more with Western ideals, but make no mistake that the communists will only let Western ideals of a Free Market go so far. And they are making sure that their Computer Hackers are razor sharp in case some kind of conflict does occur.

But hey, lets all remember…. hackers keep PC techs like me in business, so really we kinda don’t mind the occasional virus or trojan taking over peoples’ PCs, now do we?

Original Posting
The Electric Pulse IT Blog
http://gcsincblog.blogspot.com/

 

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HP and Service Live now Partners

Its a interesting world indeed now that Service Live ( A division of Sears Holdings ) is now going to Partner with HP in providing support for HP TV’s and PC’s.

Service Live is a new competitor to Onforce.com, a clearing house so to speak ( they call it a market place, but we vastly disagree on that point ) of IT Professionals across the country.

Now All HP Installations and Repairs will be going through Service Live’s platform, which should be going 100% live around the middle of January.

The main part thats intriguing is how exactly Service Live got this very very large account from Onforce.com. Im sure that Onforce had at least tried to bid on this work, but maybe something else is going on in the background…

Maybe HP is alittle scared about sales with the closing of Compusa, and maybe they are partnering with Sears to make sure they have a good retailer to push their PC’s out of.

With Dell now entering the retail market with Wal-Mart, i know HP wants to retain their position in the PC sales world.

Original Posting
The Electric Pulse IT Blog
http://gcsincblog.blogspot.com/

iTunes – Soon offering Fox Movies for rent?? wah?

Original Posting:  The Electric Pulse Blog

http://gcsincblog.blogspot.com

—–

The iTunes story really gets weirder and weirder.

It wasnt so long ago that Apple and NBC / Universal broke up their love fest [Info Week]

That now it seems Apple and Fox News ( aka the king of all media Mr. Murdock ), will be joining forces to offer very recent movies by Fox Studios for rent off of iTunes.

The “for rent” sign is really interesting… The file be some sort of DRM ( Jobs claims to hate such restrictions ) and play for a limited amount of time. But hey, its a big market that Netflix and Blockbuster are deep in for mail services to your home.

The details are kinda sketchy, but Apple is pushing hard to get the Video business on par with the Music business and teaming up with Fox to get up to date content is a good move.

If this deal lasts, that makes iTunes the number 1 place to go for video content, having already offered the ABC / Walt Disney line up.

The Times Online

From the “Whoops did I do that” Department – Windows Home Server

Original Posting:  The Electric Pulse Blog

http://gcsincblog.blogspot.com

 

Well well well, poor Microsoft.

There new Windows Home Server is a really nice piece of software from all the reviews I’ve read. It really blends the line between a super PC with crazy backup software and a full blown W2k3 Small Business server, by combining ease of use with great features.

Small problem

It happens to corrupt your data… Well aint that a sour batch of lemonade!

See Engadget for a good write up

http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/27/windows-home-server-bug-corr

Prepaid Broadband – A Big Deal for the Prepaid Recharge World

Prepaid Internet Broadband is about to explode throughout the world by means of upgrades to 3rd generation Mobile networks as well as the investment in wireless technologies such as WiMAX . These networks which will enable a prepaid, pay as you go billing mechanism will have a significant impact on the internet across the earth from Africa through to Asia. Prepaid Earth explains how prepaid will change the internet.

(PRWEB) December 25, 2007 — Until recently the ever growing prepaid payment mechanism has been synonymous with Mobile Phones, Long Distance Calling, and downloadable entertainment.However, a newcomer to the ever growing prepaid product assortment -Wireless Broadband prepaid Internet is creating a lot of excitement.

Considering the staggering global impact the internet has had on the world since it went mainstream in 1994 the excitement is justified says Stephen O' Sullivan a spokesperson for Prepaid Earth www.prepaidearth.com.

You may ask yourself why this is so significant, well to date broadband internet relied on a phone line for DSL services or Cable Television network, the issue with this reliance is that the typical prepaid user cannot provide the necessary basic credit or billing history to qualify for post-paid services which suite their budget. Generally speaking the typical prepaid user is either a student, an immigrant, a lower income earner or even a part time user of a particular service.

Mobile networks have naturally been offering wireless broadband services to their post-paid subscriber base and as the opportunity to promote the service to the main stream audience dries up, these providers will be launching prepaid wireless services.

In recent years mobile networks have seen an increase in technical capabilities which in turn allows the mobile network providers to offer high speed wireless broadband services using the very same network that carries traditional mobile voice calls. These networks have the ability to carry speed of up to 7 Mbps per second.

According to O' Sullivan "over the last five years we have observed that mobile voice services have experienced significant growth, the same will hold true for Internet broadband services by means of prepaid and mobile network infrastructure".

Statistics from GSM World Forum show that African and Asian countries are dominated by prepaid subscribers, therefore the introduction of accessing internet services into these growth markets is significant and very exciting indeed.

Prepaid wireless broadband is enabled through plug and play devices such as USB modems or routers which rely on a Mobile SIM card in a very similar manner to a mobile phone. O'Sullivan further believes that Internet portals will form the key storefronts for recharge since users will need to recharge wireless bandwidth online on an ongoing basis.

About Prepaid Earth
www.prepaidearth.com is a global organisation focused on the prepaid, pay as you go and pre-paid cell phone, mobile, internet, enteraintment and money card product industry. Prepaid Earth strives to deliver effective information to the prepaid consumer, as a means to empower consumers to make better more informed decisions when it comes to prepaid and pay as you go products.

 

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iYogi Relieves Post-Holiday PC Woes with Cost Effective, Personalized Support Services

Personal offshoring pioneer offers comprehensive computer support services for new PC and laptop owners.

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 21, 2007 — Computer support company iYogi is gearing up to offer support to new PC and laptop owners this holiday season. The personal offshoring pioneer offers comprehensive computer support for over 70 software programs, hardware, peripherals, and networking devices for an annual subscription of $99.99.

Support services also include software installation, setup of peripherals, email configuration, security installation, and troubleshooting for a variety of operating systems.

With the industry suggesting that over $22 billion will be spent on laptops and other computer-related gifts this season, and worldwide PC shipments projected to increase by 16.7% in the fourth quarter alone, PC companies may have a hard time fielding the influx of support calls.

"This time of year we see a lot of consumers who have general installation or compatibility issues as they try to merge old and new technologies," says Vishal Dhar, president of iYogi. "Our personal outsourcing team will save new computer owners lots of time. Technicians connect in under a minute and help customers set up their new systems, establish device compatibility, and generally troubleshoot their PC frustrations – and at significantly lower cost than most services."

Whether a first-time owner or upgrading to a new machine, installing software, configuring peripherals, setting up email, deleting pre-packaged junkware, and transferring files from the old computer can be overwhelming. Adding to this challenge is Microsoft's new Vista operating system, which could leave some users struggling with compatibility and usability issues.

iYogi's next-generation computer support provides personalized support services via phone and remote access in the comfort of the home, 24/7, 365 days a year – long after the holiday excitement has worn off.

About iYogi
Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, NY, iYogi provides personalized computer support for small business and home office users. iYogi offers 24/7 phone and online assistance for technologies we use every day and supports products from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing proprietary technology, iMantra, and superior team talent, iYogi delivers higher resolution benchmarks and service levels than competing support services. For more information and a detailed list of supported technologies, visit: www.iyogi.net.

 

Universal Photo Geotagging Device allows for Digital Photo Geotagging

ATP, a leading manufacturer of DRAM and flash memory solutions, today introduced the new GPS Photo Finder — a portable photo accessory that allows for convenient 'geotagging' of digital photos taken by any digital camera. Geotagging is a new cutting edge feature in digital photography which allows users to associate images with the locations where their pictures were taken.

Sunnyvale, CA (PRWEB) December 21, 2007 — ATP, a leading manufacturer of DRAM and flash memory solutions, today introduced the new GPS Photo Finder — a portable photo accessory that allows for convenient 'geotagging' of digital photos taken by any digital camera. Geotagging is a new cutting edge feature in digital photography which allows users to associate images with the locations where their pictures were taken.

"The ATP GPS Photo Finder allows users to seamlessly tag their photos with GPS coordinates and find the locations at which the pictures were taken," said Michael Plaksin, ATP Vice President of Sales. "Imagine tracking your trip across Europe or your cruise around the Caribbean, and to be able to visually and geographically organize your photos afterwards. With new applications such as photo-enabled GPS navigation around the corner, this technology will see significant growth in the next few years. We are pleased to be able to offer this advanced technology to our customers today."

The ATP Photo Finder, unlike other new solutions on the market, is universally compatible with any digital camera using jpeg image files, allowing users the convenience of a single device to geotag pictures from multiple camera brands and models.

The Photo Finder can also be used on the go without the need for a computer. Simply plug in your camera's memory card into the Photo Finder's built-in card reader or USB port, and it automatically finds and tags your images without any additional software or hardware. Pictures can currently be viewed using software such as Picasa and Google Earth which support geotagging.

The ATP GPS Photo Finder is scheduled for mass production in Q1/08. For more information on the Photo Finder and other ATP products, please visit www.atpinc.com or email flash@atpinc.com.

ATP and the ATP logo are registered trademarks of ATP Electronics, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

About ATP
Founded in 1991, ATP is a leading manufacturer of high performance and durable flash memory solutions as well as DRAM memory module products. With strictly regulated ISO 9001 certified facilities and advanced technologies in memory packaging, testing and qualification, ATP offers a broad range of the highest quality DRAM memory products for mission critical applications such as server blade, workstation, network communication and embedded systems. ATP flash media products offer protection from water/moisture, dust, static discharge and extreme temperatures. For more information on ATP memory products, visit http://www.atpinc.com or e-mail flash@atpinc.com.

Press Contact:
Miranda Wijaya
Tel: 408-732-5878
Fax: 408-732-5055
E-mail: mirandaw@us.atpinc.com