Author Archives: Glinda Harrison

Daily Links and Deals: Twitter is notifying affected users after millions of login details leaked

Posted on by

daily_links_1Today, Twitter is notifying users who may be affected by this latest password leak. (They are still saying it is not a hack.) Also, Google will stop updating older Chromebooks, why robocallers can still call you on your cell and a scary UK startup that reads private conversations to see if you are likely to pay your rent. In deals, a huge set of tools and a Bruaun shaver.

Daily Links for day, June 10, 2016:

Why robocallers can stalk you on your cell phone (PC World) Outdated laws make it easy for telemarketers and scammers to have their way.

Google Will Stop Updating Older Chromebooks From This Month (OMG Google) Important information to read if you have an older Chromebook.

Startup lets landlords scan tenants’ Facebook to check if they can pay rent (The Verge) Scanning social media is bad enough, but “private conversations” are included as well!

Twitter is notifying affected users after millions of login details leaked (PC World) I have This isn’t stopping anytime soon, so it’s time to buckle down and get secure.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs and speculative thriller Three Days in April by Edward Ashton.

In Today’s Deals, a Crescent CTK170CMP2 Mechanics Tool Set, 170-Piece. Also, the Braun Series 9 Electric Shaver. Also, the Fire HD 10 tablet is still $50 off. The 16GB version is only $179.99. The tablet is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models.

At Barnes and Noble Nook. today marks the start of B-Fest, a three-day event in Barnes & Noble stores celebrating the best books for teens. Today’s Daily Find offers up to 70% off teen and young adult novels. The Romance Daily Find is Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs for $3.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Lord of Scoundrels (Scoundrels Book 3) by Loretta Chase for $1.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Friday Echo: Is the Echo making children rude?

Posted on by

tapNews:

Raising kids with Alexa:  There is a very interesting article from Quartz that looks at the issue of parents being concerned that Alexa and the Echo are teaching their children to be rude. It is a fascinating read. Since natural language can be more difficult for an AI to understand, the piece points out, “When it comes to chatting with Alexa, it pays to be direct—curt even.”

Children are indeed drawn to the device and seem to pick up using it readily. I’ve heard stories from friends about how their children interact with the device: repeated questions, endless joke requests, etc. There are even skills directly designed with children in mind. So.As parents, part of our job is to make sure our offspring have the skills necessary to be functioning members of society and good manners is certainly the oil that greases the wheels as the saying goes. This may be another factor that may need to be considered if you are a family considering a purchase. And for the record, Alexa does respond when you say thank you (with a variety of responses).

Do you want an International version of the Amazon Echo?  Right now, you can only use the Amazon Echo and Tap in the United States. It requires a US account with a US zip code.This makes it difficult if you want to take your Echo out of the country with you. There is an interesting discussion on the topic on the Amazon forums. It turns out there are a few workarounds that may be able to help, depending on your country and your situation.  Things to try:

  • Some people have used a VPN and entered the closed corresponding US zip code.
  • To get weather for your international location, ask “What’s the weather in ______?” and enter your location.
  • If you are unable to download the Alexa app, try using http://alexa.amazon.com/. You can also try to search for an Alexa app APK.

The hacks seem to meet with varying degrees of success. Read the discussion thread for more info.

If you want to see a truly international version, let Amazon know. The folks on the forum suggest using the hashtag #internationalalexa on social media to try to get support for an international version of the device.

The Amazon Tap, WiFi and a call to Echo support:  A couple of weeks back, I talked about my WiFi problems when travelling with my Amazon Tap. Well, last week I had a bigger WiFi problem. The Tap couldn’t connect to WiFi at all on my home network. The Alexa App on my Fire Tablets was also saying it was offline.  I got a strange error message (code 7:3:4:0:1) when it couldn’t connect. I did a search and found a Reddit thread on the issue here. I tried everything that the thread suggested, including resetting the device and still could not get back online.

I finally called the Amazon Echo support line for help. The rep was extremely nice and helpful and she walked me through setting up the device again. What was most helpful about the experience was the the support rep could see what really was going on with the Tap when my app would hang (which evidently happens a lot). At one point, the Tap was actually back online even though I was still seeing a “trying to connect” message. Amazon had me back up and running in less than ten minutes and its been smooth sailing ever since..

If you have a problem you can’t solve, you can reach Echo Support at 1-877-375-9365. They are available from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific time, seven days a week. You get this number via email from Amazon if you report a problem via the Amazon app.

Voice-first is going mainstream: A recent survey looked at the Amazon Echo, Google Now and Siri to see how customers are using these voice first services and to find out what consumers think of them. The results are interesting and clearly show that people want to talk to their devices. As someone who grew up reading science fiction and seeing the TV and movie examples of talking computers like HAL and those from Star Trek, it really is an natural next step from where we are now. Did you know that 50% of people keep their Echo in the kitchen? How does your use of the Echo compare to other peoples uses? I tend to check the weather a lot with the Echo – her forecasts are generally dead-on accurate!

The study looked at early adopters of the Amazon Echo. For the Google and Siri portion, mainstream users were surveyed.This left me wondering if  anyone has done a study yet of all the various AI systems. I have noticed that since I got the Echo, I am actually also doing more with Google Now and Siri than I was before I bought the Tap and the Echo.

Working on my official Amazon Echo and Tap reviews. Hopefully, I will have them ready to post by next week’s post. 🙂

Need more help with Alexa on your Echo or your Tap? Here’s the help page.

Daily Links and Deals: Which cruise ship library is right for you?

Posted on by

daily_links_1Today. a look at the library situation on cruise ships. Is the size of the library a factor for you when choosing a cruise line? Also, a look at whether your DSLR is obsolete, a online troll gets his comeuppance, and a geeky copyright notice. In deals,

Daily Links for Thursday, June 9, 2016:

Is My DSLR an Obsolete Dinosaur or an Irreplaceable Friend? (Gear Diary) Is it time to call it quits on the common camera?

Digitized Images by Wim Swaan Available as Open Content (The Iris) Wim Swaan is a photographer and architect,who contributed amazing content books on the art and architecture of cultures around the world.  Here’s 860 of them, for free for any use.

PayPal won’t refund a Twitch troll’s $50,000 in donations (Engadget) This story resonates on so many digital levels. As we spend more and more of our lives online digitally, behavior and consequences matter.

This book’s copyright notice has a nerdy surprise for readers who pay attention (Quartz) Always read the fine print…. Who knew there were Easter eggs.

Which cruise ship library is right for you? (Washington Post) Want to leave the e-reader at home?  Choose your cruise line by their library size.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Murder Code by Steve Mosby for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, an Easy VHS to DVD 3 Plus adapter. Also, SanDisk MicroSD cards. And, the Fire HD 10 tablet is still $50 off. The 16GB version is only $179.99. The tablet is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is  The Devil’s Library by Tom Pugh for 99 cents.The Romance Daily Find is Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell for $1.99. The Extra Daily Deal is The Last Season, The Story of a Marriage by Marian D. Schwartz for $1.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 by Tina Seelig for $1.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: Digital forensics: from the crime lab to the library

Posted on by

daily_links_1Today, a look at what archivists have to do to work with materials in no longer used formats. Also, a look at what HTML5 and cloud-based apps mean for computing, the popularity of crime fiction in the UK and survey results on how Canadians spend their leisure time. In deals, savings on Kingston and HyperX computer products. Also, the INSANITY workout DVD set and other Beachbody DVDs.

Daily Links for Tuesday, June 8, 2016:

Ericsson survey finds one-fourth of wearable users are dissatisfied with their device (PC World) That is a large percentage of users, isn’t it?

Is HTML5 the new Windows? (Techcrunch) This is an interesting perspective on not only the parallels with the beginning of windows, but an acknowledgement of how important cloud accessibility is to our digital lives.

Crime Pays in the UK: Could It Have to do With the Setting? (Publishing Perspectives) Roomance rules in the US, but in the UK, it’s murder.

Are Canadians spending their leisure time reading? (Booknet Canada) Interesting number crunching about what Canadian leisure time activities. What are they reading?

Digital forensics: from the crime lab to the library (Nature) As formats continue to change, archivists need to work with collections in obsolete formats. As more and more of our life goes in a file and online, this is an issue for the future.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Moonlight in Odessa: A Novel by Janet Skeslien Charles for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, there’s savings on select Kingston and HyperX computer products: gaming headsets, flash drives, memory, SSD drives, microSDs and more. Also, a sale (50% off) on the INSANITY Base Kit – DVD Workout set.

You can still get $50 off the Fire HD 10 tablet. The 16GB version is only $179.99. It is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models, all for $50 off.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is a choice of three books from Graham Masterton for $1.99 each. The Romance Daily Find is Witchful Thinking (Jolie Wilkins Series #3) by H. P. Mallory for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Have a Nice Guilt Trip by Lisa Scottoline, Francesca Serritella for $2.99. The Extra Daily Deal is Defiant Surrender by Tamara Gill for 99 cents.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson for $1.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: Just how digital are you?

Posted on by

daily_links_1Today.a look at a survey that looks at global digital use, not just in terms of how much tech a country has, but in terms of how they can use it to improve their digital lives. Also, A look at how iPhone users use Siri, the history of the icon software program Print Shop, and a new e-museum coming online from Washington, DC. In deals, an auto vacuum and $50 off the Fire HD 10.

Daily Links for Tuesday, June 7, 2016:

Study: Most iPhone owners are too embarrassed to use Siri in public (The Next Web) Ulike us Android folks, LOL. And my husband has gotten used to me holding up my finger as a pause sign while I ask Alexa and the Amazon Echo a question.

Inbox by Gmail adds rich text formatting on the web (9 to 5 Google) The apps have had this for a while but it is finally on the web version!

The Print Shop: Why the Dot-Matrix Printer Icon Faded From View (Motherboard)  Very cool history of the Print Shop, For its time, the program was really revolutionary.

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Launches New “eMuseum” (DC.gov) A lot of DC local artists and public art works are on display in this e-collection.

Just how digital are you? (The Next Web) Where does your country stand in offering you the opportunity to use technology to improve your life?

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Flowertown by S.G. Redling for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, the Black & Decker PAV1200W 12-Volt Cyclonic-Action Automotive Pivoting-Nose Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (I bought one of these).

Amazon is featuring some pre-owned Kindle e-readers and used Fire Tablets in its Today’s Deals section. Please check descriptions carefully and note that these are NOT refurbished, but simply used Kindles without a warranty. Buyer beware.

You can still get $50 off the Fire HD 10 tablet. The 16GB version is only $179.99. It is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models, all for $50 off.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is When Mockingbirds Sing by Billy Coffey for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is Hidden Heat: A Brothers of Mayhem Novel by Carla Swafford for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Miniaturist A Novel by Jessie Burton for $1.99. The Extra Daily Deal is Callaways Boxed Set – Books 1-3 by Barbara Freethy for $3.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman for $2.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: A Mobile Phone From 1922? Not Quite

Posted on by

daily_links_1Today, a look back at the “wireless telephone” of the 1920s. It’s not what you think. Also, a look at if phones and computers have replaced weather forecasters and how sophisticated those recent password hacks really are. In deals, vintage inspired Invicta watches and $50 off the Fire HD 10

Daily Links for Monday, June 6, 2016:

With iPhones and computer models, do we still need weather forecasters? (Ars Technica) This is an interesting question. Alexa and my Amazon Echo have actually usurped my phone as my source for the weather forecast.

Sophisticated hack attack? Don’t believe the hype. (Engadget) This article suggests another reason for all those hacks and it’s pretty scary.

A Mobile Phone From 1922? Not Quite (Smithsonian) History often plays linguistic tricks on us, especially when it comes to rapidly changing technologies. This is fascinating!

Everything You Can Do Offline With a Chromebook (Gizmodo) When Chromebooks started out, they were pretty useless offline. Now, it’s a different story.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Occupied Earth: Stories of Aliens, Resistance and Survival at all Costs by Gary Phillips for $1.99. There is also a selection of Summer Reading Deals at up to 80% off.

In Today’s Deals, get vintage-inspired classic watches from Invicta and 50% off deals from Braun and Crest. Also, deals on Sandisk microSD cards.

Right now, you can get $50 off the Fire HD 10 tablet. The 16GB version is only $179.99. It is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models, all for $50 off. And, yes, that includes the silver aluminum configuration! This price is available for a limited -time.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Emergence: Dave vs. the Monsters by John Birmingham for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is Her Amish Man by Erin Bates for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The One: The Complete Emma Holden Suspense Mystery Trilogy by Paul Pilkington for $2.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis for $2.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Playing with themes…

Posted on by

I am playing with blog themes this week, so who knows what you are going to see when you visit, LOL. If you really like something, leave me a comment. I am going for something more modern and easier to read. I will be trying each theme for a day or two and including a screen shot each time I change it, so you know which theme I’m on.

Today’s theme is Adaptation. I like the boldness and readability. I haven’t tried a header image yet, because the lack of centering in the desktop version is driving me crazy. It is asymmetrical with everything to the left side instead of centered…. What do you think?

adaptation

Sunday Daily Deals: $50 off the Fire HD 10

Posted on by

fire_HD_10Today’s big find is $50 off the Fire HD 10 tablet. The 16GB version is only $179.99. It is also available in both 32GB and 64GB models, all for $50 off. And, yes, that includes the silver aluminum configuration! 🙂 This price is available for a limited -time.

In ebook deals, several e-tailers have books from Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York series on sale for $3.99.

Deals of the Day  for Sunday, June 5, 2016:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes two books by Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York and Humans of New York: Stories, each for $3.99.  Also, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel, Survival Colony 9 by Joshua David Bellin for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, you can save up to 30% on Swiss Army Knives and a SHARKK Cellphone Mount Holder Car Magnet Swivel Head Air Vent Magnet Cell Phone Holder.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton for $3.99. The Romance Daily Find is A Colleen Coble Starter Kit: Seven Romantic Suspense Novels by Colleen Coble for $4.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Deception Point by Dan Brown for $1.99. The Extra Daily Deal is The Man of My Dreams Series Books 1 & 2 (Regency Romance) by Miriam Minger for $1.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Eat More Desert: More Than 100 Simple-To-Make & Fun-To-Eat Baked Goods From the Baker to the Stars by Jenny Keller for $2.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Deals: The Revenant, Parrot Zik Headphones and more

Posted on by

revenantIn today’s Deals, you can get the Revenant by Michael Punk for just $2.99. It is the book that inspired the motion picture. Also, deals on Parrot Zik headphones and a Jawbone Bluetooth Speaker.

Deals of the Day for Saturday, June 1, 2016:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Revenant – A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke (the basis for the popular motion picture). Also, Specter of the Past: Star Wars Legends (The Hand of Thrawn) (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn Duology – Legends Book 1) by Timothy Zahn ($1.99) and  Serpentine by Cindy Pon for 99 cents.

In Today’s Deals, get Parrot Zik Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones with Touch Control for $99.99 and the Jawbone Mini Jambox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for $55.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Mademoiselle Chanel: A Novel by C. W. Gortner for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is All of Me: A Love Between the Bases Novel by Jennifer Bernard for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Revenant – A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke for $2.99. The Extra Daily Deal is AUSTRALIA: The Puppeteer – The Puppets Of Washington Series (Book 2) by Lavina Giamusso for $1.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins for $2.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.