Poor Nintendo...

Oh Nintendo, I've stood by you for so long, and I may just choose to very soon.

You're 3DS is doing exactly what everyone predicted: failing.  Not good enough technology, horrible game titles and game play, and competing in a market where this just isn't what people are looking for.

I'm personally still a fan of this system, using it on a regular basis...

First, let's start with This Article. Nintendo is predicting profits that are 82% lower than last year.  Considering their new release of technology, this is pretty depressing.  Not to mention they just announced the Wii U at E3, which seems to have hurt them worse than helped them.  While this is sad news for Nintendo... it may be good news for potential customers that have been holding out.

It has been announced that starting in August (so in only a few days) the 3DS will be reduced in price to $170, a whopping $80 slashed off the price.  That price even makes me consider it.  Consider, but not actually get.

I'm a huge fan of the DS, and surprisingly, this system is still kicking.  The sales are still existent and games are still being produced for the system.  Maybe, Nintendo, you should just work with what you already have for a little while.  The Vita is going to kick your tokas out the door anyway.

This is the part that really gets me, though, right here. The iOS is beating the poop out of Nintendo in general, and this could be a very sad day for us Nintendo fans.  I can't stand Apple, as many of you already realize, but come on. Should this even be a legitimate comparison? An operating system against a game system?  You tell me.  I think it's just shameful.

Oh. One more thing.  Invest in Nintendo while they are down.  I'm considering it.  I have faith that the company will come back once again!

Friday, no More...

Breaking news...

REBECCA BLACK'S FRIDAY HAS BEEN PULLED FROM YOUTUBE.

After YouTube's little slip last week of attempting to charge people for watching Rebecca Black's "Friday," Ark Music, the producers of the infamous video, pulled the video and are taking actions against YouTube as they feel that they were being exploited.  Come on.

While this sort of seems like a blessing since her song was SO annoying, it also brings about the sadness that there is no longer an office joke for Fridays.  Rebecca Black, our favorite partying 13 year old with the creepy old man singing about switching lanes.

Don't believe me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0

Look for yourself.

Heard this report from Hypable... http://www.hypable.com/misc/2011/06/17/today-is-left-without-a-song-rebecca-blacks-friday-exits-youtube/

So, in honor of the memory of Rebecca Black...

Technology Recycling!!!

Through http://www.castleink.com I am entering for a scholarship, which has led to an important discussion: The process of recycling technology items, and the reasons why you should not just throw these items into a dumpster.

Many items, such as old CRT monitors and televisions, contain harmful, toxic materials that cannot go into the normal landfills.  However, most people do not understand the harm that this can do to the environment.  Cities and townships often have "e-cycling drives" that for approximately $1-$5 per item, while other times organizations such as Boys and Girls Club will collect the items for free as a fundraiser, working with recycling companies who will pay them for the items they collect.

So please, take care of your environment! E-Cycle!

E3 Review #1: The impending doom of the Wii U

The Wii U... has Nintendo done it again? And by done it again, I mean, have they created the next "Virtual Boy" level failure?  As you may have heard, the 3DS sales are minimal, and while there is much satisfaction by those who own one, many people don't feel like investing in it.

The Wii U isn't proving to be much better.

After it's announcement at E3, the Nintendo stocks fell significantly, confusing the creators and business men of Nintendo.  Why are people so wary of this system?  Perhaps it is because once again Nintendo is failing on computing power, with analysts seeing the Wii U as only 50% more powerful than the PS3.  Perhaps it is the fact that the controller is the size of a tablet PC and incorporates way too many things, EXCEPT a true analog stick.  Once again, Nintendo is trying to outdo everyone by including too much, and it's going to burn them this time around.

What is that? A handheld system?  NO, it's just the controller silly, the rest is going to be on your TV.

Is this something I'm planning on investing in?  Hell no, but I may invest in Nintendo while their stocks are down, because maybe I can actually get some value out of this piece of crap.  Read the linked article at the top to learn more about the failures of Nintendo this time around.

Now, to be fair, I must be nice to Nintendo.  I've loved them since the beginning.  I rebuild the original NES's as a side job.  Nintendo has done some pretty revolutionary things, and the 3DS and even the original DS were some of them.  The Wii is still top in motion technology, even against the Kinect or Move.  But sometimes Nintendo tries to outdo themselves and they begin to go to far.  The Wii U seems to be the "too far" moment.  But who knows?  Maybe I will own one sooner than I think...

Next time... the Playstation Vita!

Nintendo Wii U? Is it a fail??

Boy has it been a while since I posted in this blog! Well hopefully I can start keeping it up to date again.  Just a note for something to look forward to in the next few days (and posts) is an overview of the information released at this year's E3 convention... especially concerning Nintendo's Wii U and my personal opinions on it.

As for now, a little update... I've been away because my mother, my surrogate father, my mom's best friend, and my friend's dad all passed away during the last school year and I just had a lot of stress under my belt to keep up with both classes and work, much less my two blogs.  I will be starting back up on these things slowly, as well as starting a new blog, name TBA, but it will be about identity/gender struggles, religious debates, sexual identity, and pretty much topics of confusion for many individuals from a completely unique perspective---mine.

Facebook: What is Security, exactly?

So every time I log onto Facebook, they seem to have instated some sort of new "security policy." Meaning several times a day practically.  But how secure is your information?  What are some common mistakes people make on Facebook?  Can you ever truly make your information private?

Well, let's take a look.

For a while, other than the occasional glitch, you could keep your status updates away from the general public.  That of course was until Facebook started discussing "Dance Party."  Sounds like a new console game? Yes, but what is it actually?  Take a look here: http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/03/facebook-project-dance-party/ Pretty much, in summary, Dance Party is a whole new Facebook feature that will give a feel of Twitter... however not many will realize it works the way it does: You can see ANY status updates you want.

Have you also noticed that occasionally, if your friends write something on someone's wall, and that person is not your friend, it will still appear in your news feed?  This is partially part of the Dance Party feature, but also their new concept to "help you find friends."  Thanks Facebook, but I have enough.

The new fad out in social media today is FourSquare.  It's so fun to check into places and get points, but there's also something else that it can get you: stalkers, robbers, and unnecessary attention.  Even though only your friends can see where you are checking in, many times crimes are committed against someone by people that they know, even if it's just a little.  Even just stating that you will be out of the house for the evening, or bragging about an upcoming vacation can make you a target.  Check out this for some real scenarios: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/advice/tips/burglaries-because-of-facebook

Social media is a great thing, but only when used wisely and with one's own discretion is information actually protected from the public.  Posts, pictures, fan pages, etc. can show up even in an average Google search, and once on the internet, it will be there forever, even if you delete it.  So here are a few short tips to keep yourself protected.

1. Avoid writing status updates that declare when you will be away from home.

2. If there's something about you that you don't want even just one person knowing, don't post it!

3. You know that party you're at? There could be a camera anywhere.  Think before you act.

4. Use a password that includes at least 8 characters, and combines capital letters, lowercase letters, and numbers and/or symbols.

5. Don't add someone you don't know or can't verify their identity.

6.Do not give out permission to just any app on Facebook-verify it is legitimate and safe.

Along with these tips, just use common sense.  If you question something before posting it, you probably should hit the cancel button and just not do it.  Your best bet is to use social media as a communication tool, as it is meant to be, but don't reveal your entire life story.  Generally, only the creepers actually care.

As one more supplementary article, from TechCrunch comes: The Facebook Bill of Rights.  This is what they feel Facebook should follow to keep its users safe, and I ask you to like it or post it on Facebook to spread the word to them that the people want privacy. http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/07/facebook-bill-of-rights/

Laptop Security

One of the most under-addressed topics about computers is security.  You hear about computer security, both physical and virtual, again and again, but where should it really be addressed?  I figured I would discuss a little bit about general computer security, as well as good anti-virus software options.

Virtual Computer Security

This, in my opinion, is almost more important than the physical computer hardware itself.  It is no good having a virus-ridden computer running your information such as phone numbers, bank accounts, passwords, and other such private and important entities.
First of all, pay-for anti-virus vs. free anti-virus never seems to make a difference to me.  Why pay for something when you can find a free program that does the same thing?  The number one thing you should watch out for when choosing anti-virus is if it conflicts with anything else on your computer.  Having multiple anti-virus programs at one time can be very dangerous as well, as one may recognize the other as a virus and battle it out.  So, lets discuss some good options for free anti-virus, and also anti-spyware.  All the programs I discuss work very well simultaneously with each other on my computers and run cleanly, but remember to check your computer specs before installing anything to make sure that it is compatible with your computer.

Malwarebytes
http://www.malwarebytes.org

I swear by this.  Malwarebytes is the ultimate (and FREE) anti-spyware program on the market.  We use it at work, and I use it at home.  It is also a program that does NOT auto-scan, so you don't have to worry about a program running in the background or interfering with your current anti-virus.  I think every computer should have this, as it works wonders as a final combatant of viruses that sneak through.



Panda Cloud
http://www.cloudantivirus.com/en/
Panda's first free anti-virus progam, and it is also cloud software, so it is a very small file for your computer.  It is also very simplistic, so good for those "tech illiterates" out there.  Claims to cover spyware as well as viruses, but I run Spyware Doctor simultaneously with it just for added security, which leads us into our next topic.

The Panda Cloud status screen.  So basic, yet so productive! 

Spyware Doctor
http://pack.google.com/intl/en/pack_installer.html?hl=en

Completely free, if you know where to look.  The Google pack is where you need to go.  Feel free to download everything included in the pack, but we are examining Spyware Doctor.  I absolutely LOVE this program.  It finds everything, from hardcore spyware to minor tracking cookies on your computer.  As one who doesn't like anything outside on my computer, I love deleting tracking cookies without deleting my entire internet history.

Other anti-virus and anti-spyware programs I have used and have been happy with include AVG Free Anti-Virus, Avast!, Super Anti-Spyware, and SpyBot.  These can all be found on CNET.

Some quick tips for avoiding viruses, that are sometimes ignored by the general public (not your average "don't download it!" tips):

• Use alternative web browsers to IE.  I recommend Google Chrome, personally.
• If using P2P, shut down uploads.  Allow only downloading, and turn upload limits to 0.
• Regularly check your processes.  If you are unsure of something, Google it and find out if its malicious.
• Frequently update.  Yes. RUN YOUR WINDOWS UPDATES. For God's sake.

Physical Computer Security

This website, released by Microsoft, sums up physical computer security very well in 9 tips.
http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/security/laptopsecurity.aspx
In short, the article states:

1. Avoid using computer bags
2. Never leave access numbers or passwords in your carrying case
3. Carry your laptop with you
4. Encrypt your data
5. Keep your eye on your laptop
6. Avoid setting your computer on the floor
7. Buy a laptop security device
8. Use a screen guard
9. Try not to leave your laptop in your hotel room or with the front desk

And remember: just because your computer uses a Windows password does not mean your data is safe.  For someone that knows just a little about how Windows operates, it takes under a minute to crack a password.


Hopefully you have learned something new or found some helpful reminders in this post! Check back soon for new tips and tricks about computers, and reviews on the latest technology!