Section: Communications, Web  AT&T really isn’t letting up on the FCC’s proposed Net Neutrality rules. The company has expressed its displeasure with the proposed rules and have even gone after Google Voice in what seemed like a blatant distraction. Now, some advocacy groups are saying the telecom is going too far, as it has started asking “normal” people to write to the FCC and their elected members of congress opposing the proposed rules.
AT&T isn’t just asking those people, however. The company sent out emails to employees asking them, their family and their friends to write in opposing the FCC. The goal would be to convince the FCC that people outside of executives of ISPs oppose Net Neutrality. The email, however, didn’t mention Net Neutrality outright, choosing to word it as the FCC regulating the Internet. It can be said that the groups calling out AT&T for this practice also ask people to write to their congressional representatives, however those people are not employed by Free Press and Public Knowledge. Net Neutrality is something that many people (myself included) care a lot about, so it makes sense that a lot of letters will be sent supporting the FCC’s proposed rules. AT&T’s logic of trying to get more Americans writing in opposing the proposed rules is sound; this isn’t the way to do it, though. There doesn’t seem to be any way to get the word out otherwise, though. Running an ad campaign would just seem mean-spirited, or wouldn’t motivate anyone. Perhaps AT&T could try saying why it doesn’t want the rules to pass, and what it’ll do if they don’t pass. Read [CNet News] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Video, Content, Video Providers, Computers, Security Although so many people get movies streamed right to them a host of different ways, occasionally, some do still venture forth into that old brick and mortar building called a video store. So, there you are, it’s a Friday night and you go to your local Blockbuster, grab a movie, dreams of relaxing with some popcorn and the latest “must see” dancing in your head. Run home, pop it in your laptop to watch, and that’s when all hell breaks loose. “The Proposal” by Sony starts it all off Well, at least it did for me this past weekend after renting the new release “The Proposal”, distributed by Buena Vista, a division of Sony. When I first popped the DVD into my drive, it sounded like it was having a bit of a hard time reading the disk. I initially thought that the disk might have been dirty or scratched, but after removing and checking it, I could see it was fine. After several more attempts to play the DVD, I was about to give up when all of a sudden, I got a pop-up from one of my anti-virus programs (Kaspersky) telling me that the disk was attempting to play as a document file. What the heck? Then, the video did start playing, sort of. I could hear it, although the sound was going in slow motion, and there was no video playing. I once again ejected the DVD, and that’s when I saw we’ve got problems. The Rootkit begins to do its thing on my system First, my computer locked up. I did a hard boot, and when it logged back in, I didn’t hear that familiar little “Windows chime.” Uh-oh. I went to my desktop and immediately boxes were popping up like mad telling me all kinds of programs are failing to respond. Everything from Firefox to Yahoo Messenger to explorer.exe. It looked like some kind of “you’re really screwed” video game going off, where you had to figure out in seconds what to do with all the things flying at you before you see what happens next. The system mess continues What happened next wasn’t any prettier. I could not access my control panel, my start button, and any of my anti-virus programs on the desktop just wouldn’t launch. The only thing vaguely reassuring at that point, was that somehow, Kaspersky was still running, and I was able to click on it in my toolbar, and have it perform a scan. Although nothing came up in the system scan, when I had it check for vulnerabilities, it named everything and its brother that is on my system. Then, it showed me where it all began. Which drive, what time. Yep, the Buena Vista movie I attempted to play “The Proposal.” It showed as containing several keyloggers and a rootkit. Just great. Now what? Now, to add to the fun, my computer would not do anything in regular mode, so I went into safe mode to see what I could do. Pretty much the same nothing. I had never before come across any virus or malware that so thoroughly disabled and messed up my system. Right then, I was good and ticked at both Blockbuster and Sony. Heck, I was even mad at Sandra Bullock for starring in the stupid movie. Rootkit removal tools After downloading a number of rootkit removal tools, I tried to access the files on my laptop. Through a weird quirk, I was able to get into Microsoft Word and drag a copy of the removal tools to my desktop. From the desktop, I was able to run the programs. Even after running the rootkit removal tools, my system was still affected. After a system restore and malware scans, it looked like smooth sailing except for the lack of internet connection. After a while, I realized that somehow, the stupid thing simply managed to turn off the wireless connection on my laptop. This was probably the easiest fix I dealt with through the whole fiasco. I just had to hit the reset button on my laptop for wireless internet connection. Sidenote for Acer Aspire owners I just had to hit the reset button on my laptop for wireless internet connection. For anyone who runs into this problem and you don’t know where that is, it is usually a small button on the front of the laptop. In my case, using an Acer Aspire, the reset button for wireless connection is at the top of your keyboard, under the on/off button. You will see a row of keys. The internet connection key is the one on the far left. The Bottom Line Be very, very careful what movies you are putting into your computer. If it’s distributed by Sony/Buena Vista, I would strongly urge you to think twice before doing so. Unless you consider hours of trying to bring your computer back to life more fun than the relaxing with a movie you were initially looking forward to that is. Image Source: sevensheavens Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Security, Features, Originals, Columns Last week we started talking about online predators and how to protect yourself from them. This week, I want to discuss the issue of cyberbullying a little more. When most people hear the word bully they immediately think of schoolyards and big kids picking on smaller ones and stealing their lunch money. While it's true that cyberbullying is a big issue among kids, tweens and teens, it's also something that happens to adults. OvercomingBullying.org has an outstanding article about the subject from the point of view of a cyberbully that changed her ways then became the victim of cyberbullying herself. It's chilling and heartbreaking. What exactly is cyberbullying? Here's an excellent definition: “Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging (IM), defamatory personal Web sites, and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.” – Bill Belsey, Cyberbullying Expert
I've experienced cyberbullying myself. Years ago, when the web was young, 1997 or so, I fell victim to a group of them. It all started when I made the acquaintance of an actor that had starred in a 70's TV show we were all fans of. I can only assume it was jealousy that caused this group of people I’d grown to consider close friends to become so vicious. Day after day hateful things were posted about me on message boards and via email. The one incident I remember the most is when one of them sent me an email saying I was a waste of oxygen and they were going to find me and shoot me in the head. An hour later the police showed up at my house saying they had received a 911 call stating a woman with gunshot wounds was inside. It was a horrifying experience. Cyberbullies do what they do for various reasons. Some are just sick people. Others, like the reformed bullying in the article mentioned above, were experiencing a personal tragedy and taking it out on others online. One of the cyberbullies that tormented me all those years ago was in a dysfunctional marriage and living with a controlling mother in law. She had stated to me before the bullying began that she felt that her life was out of control. Apparently becoming a cyberbully was her way of gaining something in her life she could control. Some people just thrive on drama. Cliques exist online too, although their members may be hundreds or thousands of miles apart, and often they are eager to turn on one of their own they feel no longer belongs. If you ever find yourself the target of cyberbullying, you have my sympathies. Please know that you didn't do anything wrong. Even if you did offend someone, such a response is never justified. Here are some tips to cope: Stay quiet.
Never respond to a cyberbully. Although our natural instincts are to defend ourselves when we feel wronged, doing so in this instance will almost always make things worse. It's like adding lighter fluid to a fire, so resist that urge. Save correspondence.
Save any email, blog posts, IMs or other correspondence sent by the bully. This will help you in the event the bullying crosses over the line and becomes a problem in "real life." Keep the faith.
As devastatingly traumatic and painful cyberbullying can be, there is hope. Your real friends will still be there for you and the rest does not matter. Know that time does heal. No one deserves to be cyberbullied, lied about or have their friends turned against them. Don't be afraid to seek counseling to deal with the pain if you feel you need help. If the situation becomes severe check with your local law enforcement agency as many states now have cyberbullying laws on the books. Image Source: Cybershack.org Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile Google is a self-proclaimed advertising company. They sell ads. It is their bread and butter. Now it seems, they might be using give-a-ways like phones and phone service as a way to create a new place to serve ads. Android was all about this plan though, we’re still not sure how it helps Google other than, perhaps, a guinea pig testing ground until it perfects the Android OS. Back years ago, Google honcho proclaimed, “phones should be free” and it rings in my head every time a new rumor spouts about a true Google phone. Today, TheStreet.com writer Scott Moritz says: Google is working with a smartphone manufacturer to have a Google-branded phone available this year through retailers and not through telcos, according to Northeast Securities analyst Ashok Kumar, who has talked to Google’s design partners about the plan.
Not through telecos This will not be through telecos. It will not be a Verizon phone, nor AT&T or any other. This will be a freed phone, if you will. Now, take with a grain, make that a whole bag, of salt as analysts tend to spout rubbish from time to time, but the idea is right. The senario being painted is this: Google leases services (think MNVO) and provides users with a special Android OS phone that is unleashed. Google foots the bill for service (perhaps within reason) while serving up ads. The big question becomes what phone and how intrusive are the ads? Would a rotating wallpaper serving ads be too far? Would hijacking the browser upon opening to an advertisers page be too much? Of course, that’s assuming this analyst actually knows what he claims to. A big “if.” Read [TheStreet] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks  As confirmed by the earlier WSJ article, the Barnes & Noble ebook reader has been officially unveiled. The reader has been dubbed the Nook and is selling for $259. As of now the Nook is available as a pre-order, however it is not expected to begin shipping until the end of November.
That aside, if you can stand the wait, it would appear as if the Nook will be able to offer some competition for both the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader lineups. Feature wise, the Nook has a 6-inch E Ink Vizplex electronic paper display along with a secondary 3.5-inch TFT color LCD. You can expect to find 2GB of internal storage (that will hold up to 1,500 books) and a microSD card slot that can add up to an additional 16GB of storage. Other features include; - AT&T 3G connectivity along with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
- Free Wi-Fi in all Barnes & Noble retail locations
- Measures in at 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
- Weighs in at 11.2 ounces
- Charging via USB to computer or wall power adapter
- Charge time of 3.5 hours via wall power outlet
- Battery life of up to 10 days with the wireless turned off
- 3.5mm headphone jack and built-in mono speaker
In terms of support the Barnes & Noble Nook can read EPUB and eReader formats as well as the ability to view PDF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP and play MP3 files. As for the software features, the Barnes & Noble Nook will connect to the Barnes & Noble ebook store, which is where that color LCD will come in handy. But that is not where it stops, users will also be able to sample books from anywhere, browse complete books while in a Barnes & Noble retail location, make notes and highlight passages and even lend books to friends with the “LendMe technology.” Finally, users will also be able to take advantage of the “Reading Now” feature that will allow you to read on multiple devices, which is similar to the Kindle and Whispernet. The “Reading Now” feature will work with the eReader app on the iPhone as well as select BlackBerry and Motorola smartphones. Read [Barnes & Noble nook eBook Reader] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Accessories, Reviews What is it? BodyGuardz is a producer of scratch resistant skins for electronic devices, including phones, Macbooks, iPods and gaming devices. You can choose the type of product that you own on the website and BodyGuardz will send you the particular skin for the device. I tested out the product using my LG Voyager. What's in the box? The full body option includes two sets of full body protectors, three screen guards, application solution, squeegee card and instructions. The Good BodyGuardz is ideal for someone looking to protect their device without having to use a bulky case. It is relatively inexpensive with a MSRP of $24.95 and the set includes everything you need to install. It is convenient having an extra set in case there is problem during application or the protectors peel away over time. The Bad The application process can be very time consuming. You need to have patience as you apply each of the small sections onto the body of your phone. The edges are particularly tricky and can be a pain to keep down as the application solution dries. The Crux
The screen protector is easy to apply and definitely protects your device from scratches. The full body protection could probably be skipped since it can be a pain to install and I could see it easily peeling off over time. BodyGuardz does offer a screen film only set with two protectors for $14.95. Site: [Bodyguardz] Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Video I have long had a love hate relationship with my Roku set-top box. I love the device and how simple it was to set up and how simple it is to use. But on the other hand, I have often complained about the lack of available content that it offered. Of course, it was not until I decided to sell my Roku that I truly missed having it. That said, in hind site it may not have been all that bad that I sold my current Roku because it looks like an updated version is in the works. According to a recent spy shot (pictured here) the updated set-top box has been dubbed the Roku XR (model number N1101) and is going to retain the same look as the original. Feature wise the Roku XR will see some improvements though, according to the rumors it will see the addition of a USB port as well as Wi-Fi 802.11n. Additionally, the power input was also upped from 1.5A to 2.5A. As of now there has not been anything mentioned in terms of a release date or price, but it would be nice to see this hit before Christmas, that way I could buy myself a present. Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation AT&T Navigator just updated to 1.3i for iPhone users and the update included more than just some bug fixes. TeleNav, the company behind AT&T Navigator, updated the software with some substantial new features that make GPS navigation on your phone a much better experience. The update addressed the looks, sounds and options on the device, all for the better. Looks Historically, AT&T Navigator allowed only navigation in portrait mode. At launch, I thought this was an odd feature not to have the option to switch to landscape. V1.3i ends the oddity and frankly, I hate it. Navigating in landscape is difficult as the screen real estate is much smaller and in portrait you can “see” further down the road. I’ll be keeping the phone in landscape, but now I’ll not think I am missing anything. Sound In version 1.3i, Gisselle, the name I’ve given the women’s voice of AT&T Navigator, sounds much crisper, especially when played over my car’s speakers. The voice guidance is now much better and is finally on par with a stand alone device spoken instructions. Nice job, TeleNav. iPod Control One quirk on the iPhone is previously if you wanted to listen to your iPod while navigating, you had to do the dance. That dance is open the iPod, get the music playing then open Navigator. From there a careful double click will bring up music controls. With version 1.3i, an iPod control is now nested in the window and can be utilized at anytime. It is actually pretty slick and well done. The icon is unobtrusive yet is easy to hit while driving. This is a very welcome feature for those of us wishing to hear tunes while driving. If only they could incorporate the Pandora app. TeleNav was kind enough to supply us with this video: Navigator is a free download on the Apple App Store but using it costs $9.99 per month. The program replaces your stand alone GPS device and has many of the same features. From voice turn-by-turn directions to 1000s of POIs, my favorite feature is it looks up maps for every trip, providing you with the latest info every trip. Company site: [TeleNav] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks I would imagine that most companies would like the privilege of announcing, or at the very least confirming their own product release. However that does not seem to be the case with Barnes & Noble and their once rumored ebook reader. According to a recent story in the WSJ, that ebook reader will be officially announced later today —it seems that the WSJ scooped Barnes & Noble and have pre-announced some details about their ebook reader. With that, what we can tell you so far is that the device will be called the Nook Reader and it will be selling for $259. Additionally, the Nook Reader will be available as of today, October 20 and feature a color touch-screen display. Of course, despite being scooped by the WSJ article there are still details that the WSJ left for Barnes & Noble to announce and that is the features. Aside from the name, release date and price, the only other interesting bit that was mentioned feature wise was something called “Lend eBooks to friends.” All in all the Nook Reader sounds like it will be an interesting device, I look forward to seeing what it will look like along with the full feature list later today, now lets just hope the information in the WSJ article was accurate. Read [WSJ] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
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