While I was visiting over New Year’s my sister recently picked out a Google Pixel 2 to replace her three-year-old Samsung phone with a cracked screen. I have an iPhone 6s and had no plans to get a new phone until next fall, but I was curious to do some more research on the Pixel 2 when I got home. I … [Read more...]
Software Review: Smart Launcher for Android
An Android phone or tablet, whether it runs stock Android or more likely a customized skin from the manufacturer, has a default launcher that determines how the home screen looks and works. For instance, Samsung’s Android skin is called TouchWiz, and HTC’s is Sense. The launcher gives you a way to … [Read more...]
Book Review: Election Attitude, How Internet Voting Leads to a Stronger Democracy
Election Attitude, How Internet Voting Leads to a Stronger Democracy By John R. Patrick ©2016 Attitude, LLC As we near another climax in the seemingly endless cycle of political campaigns, we will soon have the opportunity to actually vote. Recently a significant amount of news coverage has … [Read more...]
The Problem with MS Publisher
Microsoft Office The Microsoft Office suite (MSO) has some standout applications, e.g. Excel, which remains the best-in-class spreadsheet application. Yes, there are online free offerings that do spreadsheets. These online versions do not have the depth of features or stability of a locally … [Read more...]
Book Review: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson ©2011 Simon & Schuster Most of the books about Steve Jobs and Apple Computer, indeed most biographies, tend to be sequential, moving linearly through time telling the story, one anecdote after another. While this book more or less flows through time, Isaacson … [Read more...]
Books About Steve Jobs and Apple Computer
As the new movie, Steve Jobs, rolls out in theaters everywhere, my interest in the Apple story has resumed. This new movie, with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin (remember The West Wing on TV, same writer) promises to be excellent but does not attempt to tell the whole story. If you walk out of the … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld
The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld by Jamie Bartlett 2015 Melville House Cyberspace, if I may use that term, is often divided into distinct parts. The news media does this every day, providing convenient compartments into which they stuff everything from politicians to television … [Read more...]
Living with Windows 10
Part 1 – Windows Insider Preview Back in the March, 2015, issue of DACS.doc, I wrote about two ways to install the technical (aka Windows Insider) preview of Windows 10. So from February until a few weeks ago I lived with Windows 10 as it morphed from the early public beta to the, shall we say, … [Read more...]
NoMoRobo – At last: A way to block telemarketers and robo calls that really works!
Do any of these ring a bell? “Hello, I’m Rachel from Card Holder Services…” (Note 1) “Hello, I’m Kevin. … May my crew power wash your home? … How about sweeping your chimney? … God Bless!” (Note 2) Caller ID shows your name and phone number as the source of the incoming call. (Note 3) The … [Read more...]
APCUG 2015 Photo Contest
By Richard Teasdale APCUG is pleased to announce its 2015 Photo Contest. It will again showcase the talents of its member group photographers! Somewhere inside each of us is a creative genius just waiting for the chance to grab the spotlight and APCUG wants to give DACS members that … [Read more...]