Archive for 2015

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Newegg Canada To Celebrate Boxing Day with Full Week of Deep Discounts & Promotional Offers

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 24, 2015 by itnerd

Newegg Canada has unveiled its plans to celebrate Boxing Week in Canada with deep discounts across Newegg Canada’s entire portfolio of products, welcome news for technology enthusiasts looking to take advantage of great year-end deals. To sweeten the savings even further, Newegg Canada is teaming with Visa Checkout to present the “Spend More, Save More” promotion. From Dec. 24 until Dec. 31 (or until promotion funds are depleted), customers using Visa Checkout can use promo code VCOBX16 to save $10 on purchases from $100 to $199.99, and $25 off orders totaling more than $200 (total before tax and shipping, additional terms apply).

Shoppers can get in early on the Boxing Week deals with Newegg Canada’s pre-Boxing Day sale. Beginning at midnight Pacific on Dec. 24, people shopping Newegg.ca will have access to deep discounts of up to 75% off hundreds of technology products. This 48-hour sale kicks off what will be a full week of big savings for Newegg Canada’s customers.

Boxing Week will be in full swing by Dec. 26, when hundreds of fresh deals will be unlocked on Boxing Day and additional deals posted regularly Dec. 27 through Dec. 31. A sampling of Newegg Canada’s Boxing Day deals includes:

  • •49” Changhong TV @ $449.99 with $650 savings (89-624-009)
  • Acer 19.5″ All-in-One PC with Intel Celeron 4GB DDR3, 500GB SATA 5400RPM, Windows 8.1 @ $269.99 with $130 instant savings (1VK-0017-00078)
  • Logitech G710 Plus Mechanical USB Gaming Keyboard @ $89.99 with $60 instant savings (23-126-299)

Some of Newegg Canada’s best Boxing Week deals will be featured in a 14-page e-flyer published on Red Flag Deals and Save.ca. Sample deals from the e-flyer include:

  • • Component/VGA/ZOTAC @ $139.49 with $30.50 savings (14-500-349)
  • Lenovo IdeaPad 100s Chromebook @ $199.99 with  $30.00 savings (34-321-076)
  • Avera Digital 40″ 1080p 120Hz LED-LCD HDTV 40STC20 @ $284.99 with $215.00 savings (89-651-001)

Throughout Boxing Week, Newegg Canada will offer a series of 12-hour Flash Sales, unveiling new, limited-time offers representing some of the lowest prices of the year. Following is a preview of deals to be featured in the upcoming Flash Sales:

  • Dec 24th  VGA Card @ $414.99 with $55 savings (14-131-672)
  • Dec 25th   Label Maker @ $94.99 with $65 savings (28-111-082)
  • Dec 26th  Changhong TV @ $449.99 with $650 savings (89-624-009)
  • Dec 28th   Curved Monitor @ $999.99 with $500 savings (24-260-239)
  • Dec 29th  G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 8GB Desktop Memory @ $79.99 with $40 savings (20-231-314)
  • Dec 30th  64GB USB Flash Drive (Black/Yellow) @ $19.99 with $20 savings (20-211-765)

Customers can choose from several different ground and express shipping methods. Customers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have the option of picking up their purchases at the Toronto Pick Up Centre. GTA customers can also opt to have their purchases shipped to one of the 200 secure InPost lockers in the Toronto area. The automated lockers are available 24/7 and can be accessed in less than 10 seconds.

For more information and to stay on top of the latest Boxing Week Deals from Newegg Canada, visit http://www.newegg.ca/HolidayDeals.

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Error Code 451 To Highlight Censorship On The Web

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 23, 2015 by itnerd

For those of you who have been around the web for a very long time, you’re likely familiar with various error codes that a web browser could generate. One example is 404 which is what you get when you follow a broken or dead link.

You can now add error code 451 to that list which is meant to highlight web pages that have been blocked for legal reasons. In other words pages that are censored. The number comes from the Ray Bradbury novel Fahrenheit 451 where a dystopian society burns books which effectively silences the population. But the code itself was the brainchild of Tim Bray, co-author of the XML specification. It was approved this week by the Internet Engineering Steering Group. However it is optional, so the impact may be limited for now. But it is a good first step towards transparency on the Web.

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BeeWi To Display Its Connected Water Control Product At CES

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 23, 2015 by itnerd

BeeWi and Solem have announced that they will be showing off their connected water control product at CES 2016. This connected water control is made in France and allows the user to control the watering of their garden easily, intuitively and efficiently.

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Far simpler than the already existing products, it is controlled with an iOS or Android smartphone via Bluetooth Low Energy thanks to the free WaterPad app.

By adapting your consumption to the needs of your garden, the product offers a responsible and sustainable watering, saving water and caring for the environment.

The control unit can be easily and quickly screwed on any plain garden tap or a garden hose. After you download the WaterPad app on your smartphone/tablet, the only thing left to do is to switch Bluetooth on.

Thanks to its simple and intuitive interface, the user can quickly choose between watering or spray and set a schedule.

Watering mode:

  • Up to 8 start times a day
  • Adjustable watering time from 1 minute to 12 hours
  • Cycles: week days, even/odd/odd 31, recurring from 1 to 31 days
  • Rain Delay up to 15 days or permanent
  • Manual start/stop

Spray mode:

  • Spray time from 5 seconds to 24 hours
  • Interval between starts: from 30 seconds to 31 days
  • Up to 4 sequences a day
  • Cycles: week days

This device uses a 9v battery which gives you a minimum of 6 months battery life. BeeWi Water Control will be available early 2016 at the price of €69.

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DrinClock’s Kickstarter Campaign In Progress

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 23, 2015 by itnerd

A crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for DrinClock is currently in progress, it was announced today by the DrinClock team Awakening Creative Co.Ltd. Theteamcompany is running this campaign in attempts to bring to market its alarm clock device with a built in thermal module that conveniently and instantly warms up a mug of water.

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DrinClock’s thermal mug is filled with water, the lid is closed and the temperature and alarm are set before the user goes to sleep. Before the alarm is activated, DrinClock begins warming up the water inside. When the user is woken by the alarm, the mug of warm water can immediately be consumed and enjoyed.

Dozens of reports state that consuming a warm cup of water with lemon after waking up in the morning can be the best way to start the day. DrinClock can help users begin the day in a health conscious way and reap the benefits of kick starting weight loss, decrease inflammation, detoxify the liver, aid digestion, clear the skin and much more.

“With DrinClock within arm’s reach, people will no longer have to worry about getting out of bed or off the couch to warm up a mug of water with a traditional kettle in the kitchen each morning,” said Rick Yen, DrinClock’s project management lead. “We are delighted to watch the strides that this crowdfunding campaign is making and are hopeful to see DrinClock achieve its goal and make it to market.”

The new device was created with users in mind. It is a spill and tilt proof, and the designers vow that the device will never misalign while in use. DrinClock has a secure safety lock on it so users will never have to worry about mishaps while operating the device or while sleeping next to it.

“It’s rare to find a true and efficient time saving device, but DrinClock can help make a difference in starting the day off in a healthy and desirable fashion,” Yen added.

To review the progress of the current crowdfunding campaign for DrinClock on Kickstarter or to score a special discount for supporting the campaign, check out http://www.drinclock.com. Notable company updates can also be found on Facebook by liking DrinClock DrinClockUS  on Facebook or by following @drinclock on Twitter.

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NewerTech Power2U Receives A 2015 IoT Evolution Connected Home and Building Award from IoT Evolution

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 23, 2015 by itnerd

NewerTech www.newertech.com, has announced that NewerTech Power2U has received a 2015 IoT Evolution Connected Home and Building Award from IoT Evolution magazine, the leading publication covering IoT (Internet of Things) technologies. NewerTech was honored for its Power2U hardware solution that enables the advancement of the smart home and building industry.
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Power2U is an electrical wall outlet with two USB ports that enables convenient charging of up to four mobile devices at a single electrical outlet. Power2U was the first product of its type on the market and makes wall outlets “today ready” for charging the increasing numbers of mobile devices. Power2U is fully listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and features tamper-resistant AC sockets that are compliant with the National Electrical Code (NEC). Power2U is designed to meet current building codes and is safe for use in homes and offices. Users can install Power2U in minutes thanks to the compact design and free how-to installation video.

A great solution for multi-device homes, Power2U allows for up to four devices to be charged at a single outlet.  Whether in an office, living room, or beside a bed, Power2U delivers convenience and blends seamlessly anywhere wall outlets can be installed.

The new Power2U outlet is available now from Other World Computing at http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/accessories/power_adapters/USB/in_wall_outlets, priced at $24.79, available in four colors – White, Black, Light Almond and Ivory.

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Citrix Canada Head Shares His 2016 Employee-Driven Predictions For The Enterprise

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 23, 2015 by itnerd

With 2016 fast approaching, Michael Murphy, Vice President and Country Manager and Citrix Canada shares predictions and emerging trends expected to make waves in the new year.

The year cubicle walls will be torn down

Do you remember how creative you were when you were in kindergarten? Building block forts and gaining inspiration from others? Then you grew up and were placed into pre-constructed forts, a.k.a. cubicles. In 2016, companies will embrace the environments we were educated in with workspaces designed like universities, where cross-pollination reigns supreme. Collaborative spaces for groups (think a centralized cafeteria), collaborative pods (labs) and individual focus areas (libraries) will be the new norm, allowing employees to work in an environment that suits their creative needs. (Ed Catmull’s Creative Inc. provides great insights into the benefits of collaborative spaces.) In this new environment, IT departments will leverage existing networks that will require investments invirtualization and end user computing to provide dependable wireless connectivity, as well as follow-me data and apps with enterprise security.

 

The Internet of Things moves from home to office

Currently making our out-of-office life simpler through connected homes and cars, 2016 will be the year that employees demand the flexibility and mobility the Internet of Things (IoT) provides. The Internet of Everything (IoE) could dramatically change the workplace as we know it. With enterprises responsible for thousands of devices spread over multiple locations, having the opportunity to connect all these systems, services, people and things into automated workflows is the logical resolution.

 

Webifying apps

There seems to be a trend to these trends – the employee. Employees are craving ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to company apps and data, and this will require a shift towards webifying – or digitizing – company apps. The transition to the cloud will give organizations the ability to migrate legacy apps and systems to sync with mobile strategies. The end result: secure and accessible apps. Any browser. Any device. Any network.

 

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Oracle Settles With FTC Over Failure To Remove Old Java Versions

Posted in Commentary with tags , on December 22, 2015 by itnerd

If you still run the Java plug in for whatever reason, you might have notice as of late that when you install or update Java, it will check and offer to remove older versions of Java on your system. That’s a great idea as it ensures that you’re protected from threats that the older versions might have.

The problem is, it didn’t really work. Here’s what the FTC says on that front:

In its complaint, the FTC alleges that Oracle promised consumers that by installing its updates to Java SE both the updates and the consumer’s system would be “safe and secure” with the “latest… security updates.” During the update process, however, Oracle failed to inform consumers that the Java SE update automatically removed only the most recent prior version of the software, and did not remove any other earlier versions of Java SE that might be installed on their computer, and did not uninstall any versions released prior to Java SE version 6 update 10. As a result, after updating Java SE, consumers could still have additional older, insecure versions of the software on their computers that were vulnerable to being hacked.

What’s really bad about this is that Oracle knew about this as early as 2011.

#Fail

To make this go away, Here’s what Oracle has been ordered to do:

Under the terms of the proposed consent order, Oracle will be required to notify consumers during the Java SE update process if they have outdated versions of the software on their computer, notify them of the risk of having the older software, and give them the option to uninstall it. In addition, the company will be required to provide broad notice to consumers via social media and their website about the settlement and how consumers can remove older versions of the software.

The consent order also will prohibit the company from making any further deceptive statements to consumers about the privacy or security of its software and the ability to uninstall older versions of any software Oracle provides.

The FTC has published a blog post for consumers with more information about Java SE’s update issues.

My advice for a very long time has been not to run Java at all. Now would be a really good time to get rid of it. If you want to go ahead and make yourself a whole lot safer, visit http://java.com/uninstall where there are instructions on how to uninstall older versions of Java SE. This webpage also provides a link to the Java SE uninstall tool, which you can use to uninstall older versions of Java SE.

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Microsoft Now Prompting Win7/8.x Users To Update With No PERCEIVED Option To Opt Out

Posted in Commentary on December 21, 2015 by itnerd

Microsoft, you’ve now hit a new low when it comes to your overly aggressive Windows 10 upgrade strategy. According to users on Reddit, users are now being prompted to “Upgrade Now” or “Upgrade Tonight.” Now simply closing the prompt will make it go away. But this prompt is likely to come back, and more importantly is the fact that less savvy users will feel that they have no choice but to upgrade.

#Fail…. No…. Given how low Microsoft has stooped to bump up the number of people who are running Windows 10, this is an #EpicFail.

Keep in mind that Microsoft first claimed that forcing Windows 10 onto users was a mistake, then it became a recommended update, then they started pushing it again onto users. This is the sort of nonsense that is guaranteed to send users running to the Apple store in droves. If that does happen, Microsoft deserves that outcome as their Windows 10 upgrade strategy doesn’t respect the rights of users at all.

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Hello Kitty Online Community Pwned….3.3 Million Users Details In The Wild….

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 21, 2015 by itnerd

Hello Kitty fans who use the SanrioTown.com online community have reason to be concerned as it has been apparently been hacked. The hack was discovered by researcher Chris Vickery who informed security blog Salted Hash. Now out in the wild are usersnames, birthdates, gender, nationality, email addresses, unsalted SHA-1 password hashes, and password hint questions among other things.

#Fail

What’s worse is that most of the users are likely kids. So this mirrors the VTech hack from a few weeks ago. Or the Hello Barbie hack for that matter. So, if I’m a parent, I have to wonder if I have to keep my kids off the grid seeing as nothing appears to be safe for kids to use.

 

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Facebook Dumps Adobe Flash For HTML5…. But Flash Isn’t Dead Yet…

Posted in Commentary with tags on December 21, 2015 by itnerd

It is becoming increasingly clear that Adobe Flash is doomed. The latest nail in their coffin is the fact that Facebook is dumping Flash for HTML5. Here’s why they’re doing that:

Moving to HTML5 best enables us to continue to innovate quickly and at scale, given Facebook’s large size and complex needs.

But wait! Doesn’t Facebook use Flash for all those games that people love? Fear not! Flash will still be used for those. At least for now until they figure out a way to move to something else as Flash has a very limited lifespan. Something that this announcement will contribute to.

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