As title alludes to, we are doing things different. Deemable Tech is rebooting, and starting version 2.0.

Starting now, if you have a question about your computer, smart phone, tablet or the Internet, well you won’t hear us answer it here. We will still answer your tech questions, but we are not going to answer them on the podcast. At least, not on this podcast. We are now doing a separate podcast called Ask Deemable Tech. If that’s what you love, go subscribe to that podcast. Search iTunes for “Ask Deemable Tech”

From here on out, on this show, Deemable Tech, we are only going to talk about tech news and do gadget and app reviews. If that’s not your thing, and you don’t enjoy talking about techy nerdy things, get out of here!

Seriously though, we are trying to make a show that is more targeted at what people want. Before we were doing things that appealed to people who were into tech, and we were also trying to do a show for people that didn’t like tech stuff. We think it just ended up appealing to nobody. But, we hope you like this show or our new show Ask Deemable Tech. And, if you like either show, we hope you share it with your friends who will also like it!

If you want to help us decide what stories we talk about on the show, go to our subreddit page and submit a story, and vote other stories up or down. reddit.com/r/Deemable

Show Notes

FCC proposes classifying internet as public utility Yay! Net Neutrality!

• http://www.wired.com/2015/02/fcc-chairman-wheeler-net-neutrality/
• http://gizmodo.com/fcc-chief-yes-lets-reclassify-the-internet-and-save-n-1683726815
• http://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-chairman-wheeler-to-use-utility-style-rules-to-enforce-net-neutrality/

Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission published an op-ed this week on Wired.com saying that the Internet should be regulated as a public utility, and the Internet subsequently exploded.

Wheeler said, ?Broadband network operators have an understandable motivation to manage their network to maximize their business interests. But their actions may not always be optimal for network users.?

Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht found guilty

• http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/04/silk-road-creator-found-guilty-on-all-counts/

Silk Road was the black market website where narcotics like hallucinogenic mushrooms were sold. Silk road is probably best known for using, and giving a bad rep to, bitcoin. Silk Road used bitcoin because of its perceived untraceability.

Arrested during a surprise sting operation, Ulbrich was taken with his laptop open and logged into the Silk Road website under the username ?Dread Pirate Roberts?. This pseudonym is a nod to the film The Princess Bride in which the Dread Pirate Roberts is actually a title passed on by a series of masked individuals. At trial, Ulbricht claimed as his defense that he had in fact created the Silk Road but then passed ownership to another Dread Pirate Roberts who had then framed him. However, with a mountain of private messages, emails, bitcoin transactions and other evidence against him, the jury didn?t buy it. Ulbricht was found guilty and will face sentencing for money laundering, narcotics trafficking and computer hacking, among others.

Ulbricht could be facing life in prison for his crimes.

RadioShack about to file bankruptcy

• http://www.wired.com/2015/02/dear-radioshack-adored-love-wired/
• http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hopes-radioshack-revival-fade-stock-delisted-28703886
• http://gizmodo.com/farewell-radio-shack-and-farewell-to-the-twentieth-ce-1683513865

A lot of analysts are predicting that RadioShack is about to file bankruptcy. Just this week, the New York Stock Exchange delisted RadioShack, and shares of its stock are suspended from trading.

RadioShack stopped being a place for nerds to buy computer components a long time ago, and tried to become a mobile device boutique store. People were turned off by high pressure sales tactics, and staff that wasn’t quite tech savvy.

They recently trying to get back to their nerdy way by selling Arduino kits and even hiring ?Weird Al? as a spokesperson. But ultimately, nerds know that the cheapest and easiest way to get the gadgets they want is to go online.

The rumor is that Sprint or Amazon is considering buying out the retail stores.

Insecurity of banks

• http://gizmodo.com/heres-why-your-bank-account-is-less-secure-than-your-gm-1683777281

Gizmodo did a story pointing out that Gmail is more secure than most major banks, or more to the point, most banks are less secure than Gmail. In other words, the place where you keep your spam, is more secure than the place where you keep your money.

If you use a bank, your bank is probably on this list. U.S Bank, American Express, HSBC, PNC Bank, Capital One, Suntrust, TD Bank, Simple, and Wells Fargo do not offer any sort of two-factor authentication. Only Bank of America and Chase offer SMS notifications for each login.

Instagram videos now loop… just like Vine videos

• http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/03/a-leaf-from-the-vine/

It looks like Instagram is taking another page out of Vine?s playbook. Vine, of course, is the app where you can upload and view really, really short (as in 6 seconds-long) looping videos that people post.

Instagram is the app that Facebook bought for the, then ridiculous amount of one billion dollars, where people post stupid pictures of their food with filters that make the pictures look like they were taken with a crappy, antique out of focus Polaroid camera.

Instagram added the ability to upload videos in June of 2013, and the only differentiating factor was that you could upload up to 15 seconds of video, and the videos didn’t loop.

The video feature on Instagram hasn’t really taken off, and apparently someone at Instagram believes that is because the video do not loop. So they fixed that. We’ll report later if anyone cares.

#Blanking

• http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Blanking&defid=8087006

There is a new meme that is getting popular. It’s called Blanking. According to Urban Dictionary. It is when…

someone posts a photo of a blank stare on someone’s Facebook page and Twitter feed with no explanation except for the hashtag #blanking or #blanked

Examples:

I wish Frank would quit blanking me.

He blanked me on Facebook last night, and I’m still freaked out.

Blanking is so much worse than duckface.

Deemable Tech 2.0 #blanking

You: “I’d really like to learn Photoshop. Ugh! There aren’t any classes when I am not at work. Private tutoring is so expensive, I guess I’ll just have to get a book and learn it on my own.”

Later, at the store…

You: “Man, there are so many books on Photoshop! I had no idea! I guess I will just get the book labeled “FOR DUMMIES” because I want to start from the beginning.”

Does that scenario describe your own experience? If so, you are reading the right post. Many people choose to buy a book when they want to teach themselves something on the computer. This works wonders if you are technically minded, a self starter, and extremely disciplined. The worst offenders are the “For Dummies” books. Have you even read one of them, actually read one? They may work for some people, but for most, they are too wordy and more technical than us “dummies” need. Their counter parts are the “Missing Manuals“. There was a reason they were missing. They come across as the bible of whatever subject their title boasts. However, upon further examination, they fall into the same mindset that anyone reading a technical book must be technically minded.

But, you are reading this to find out which books are the good ones.

The “Teach Yourself Visually” series is one of the better ones. They give you lots and lots pictures. There are some step-by-step instructions, but mostly pictures. I recommend this to my clients who are visual learners and those who learn by doing. The “Simplified” series come in a close second. Another great series for someone new to a certain subject is the “Plain & Simple” series. It is a great short book to get your feet wet in any subject.

“Visual Quick Tips” series is always a great reference. “Sam’s Teach Yourself” is good if you are attending a class where someone can explain what Sam fails to explain. It is a great supplemental read.

Portable Genius is a great series of how to and quick reference guides for anyone with an iPhone or iPad only. (Your parents, grandparents, etc.) It is a great series for those who just want to learn the basics and not be bogged down with too much outside info. Que came out with a “My…” series that rivals the “Portable Genius”. The “My…” Series covers all types of tablets, computers, phones. They even have a book on the Chromebook.

“In Easy Steps” and “In Easy Steps For Seniors” are two amazing series out of England. They are some of the best step-by-step and easiest to understand for seniors. I recommend both of these series to all seniors. The books are light, uncluttered, and a larger print; perfect for the Greatest Generation.

As you excel in your studies, “Digital Classroom” and Adobe’s “Classroom in a Book” series takes you to the next level. “Step by Step” is another series that can bring your skills from a 3 to a 7 in a matter of hours. They can be wordy, but they are easy to understand.

The O’Reilly books are not to be topped when it comes to the best in the business. If you are at a higher level and need that extra push or want to learn something new, O’Reilly is for you. They are comprehensive and serve as great desk references as well as paperweights when needed. They are worth every penny, and now available in non-paperweight edition (eBook).

When purchasing a book, Rule #1 is to always make sure you are getting the book that is right for you. If you have Mac OSX Lion, but the book you have in your hand is Mountain Lion, put it back. You should be getting the exact book for your exact program. If you have MS Word 2013, an MS Word 2010 book will not be kind to you. Close enough only works in horseshoes and hand grenades. Now that we know to match our book to our program, what about when the book was written? Was the program updated since the book was written? Take Facebook for example. People buy a book about Facebook, get it home and realize that nothing looks the same. Facebook doesn’t have a new “edition” out, but the program has been updated.

Rule #2 is always check the copyright! If a book was not published in the current year (ie: 2013), it is not worth looking at. When it comes to technology, everything changes so fast. It can take up to one year to bring a book to press and distribute it to the stores. If you have a book in your hand that says it was copyrighted in 2011, the info could be up to 3 years old!

For those of you on a budget, the library is a great resource, but remember to check on Rule #2! Many public libraries also now offer eBooks that can be “checked out” on a tablet or computer with an Internet connection. It takes a bit of time to figure it out, but it is a great alternative to the $60+ some books can run.

Another alternative is used bookstores. Sometimes, if you are trying to learn a program that is 1-2 versions back, the regular stores do not carry books on that software anymore. (See Rule #1.) Another option is a nifty little website called ALLBookstores.com. They have a one stop shopping approach to book buying. The site compares all other bookstore sites to find you the best price on any given book. They compile a list of well-known sites like Amazon, eBay, and Half.com, as well as the little guys like WonderBooks, and Textbookx.

If you still can’t find the right book, try this tried and true test. Grab three books off the shelf on your subject. Open each one into the middle. If you can comprehend and understand what they are asking you to do, and it makes some sense, it is the book for you! Not all writers write books for everyone. Find one that has a writing style you can learn from, hence the test.

Happy Hunting!