Anyone who’s ever owned an iPod knows that stainless steel scratches.

This week, Google launched a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). The new phone service uses Sprint, T0Mobile and Wi-Fi, but it only has one phone, the Nexus 6. There’s a few Apple Watch ‘scandals’ ramping up: tattoo-gate, scratch-gate and tap-gate. Microsoft has a new “edge”ier web browser, a man shoots up his Dell and the robots are coming to steal your car.

If you haven?t subscribed to Deemable Tech yet, get on it! Subscribe to Deemable Tech in iTunes, on Stitcheror subscribe to the show in another podcast reader. Make sure to leave a review on iTunes and Stitcher. The more reviews posted, the higher Deemable Tech will be listed, and the more listeners will see the show.

And make sure to share Deemable Tech on the forums, Facebook, Twitter and all over the interwebs.

Thank you to our Redditors who have been helping 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. Deemable.com/reddit will take you there.

The Deemable Tech Podcast is brought to you by A Small Orange, Homegrown Hosting. A refreshingly different approach to web hosting. On the web at asmallorange.com.

THIS WEEK’S RUN DOWN

You can now embed playable MS-DOS games inside tweets

Earlier this year, the Internet Archive added roughly 2,400 MS-DOS games to their digital archive that are playable through your web browser on their site, Archive.org. But if you?re too scared to leave Twitter to check this out, never fear. The folks at Wired discovered this week that you can embed the games inside of tweets and play them right from those tweets.

So, you can now get your Oregon Trail, Sim City or Wolfenstein 3D fix from Twitter. Or, you can try out other classic games like the adaptation of the 1991 Hulk Hogan cinematic masterpiece Suburban Commando (just kidding, you should never do that).

Google announces cellular data network, which is actually two networks.

Google has officially announced its long-rumored cellular data network: its name is ProjectFi. As anticipated it is an MVNO network, which means that Google is ?renting? time on someone else?s network like many other small cellular companies. The differences is that Google is renting not from one other network, but two: Sprint & T-mobile, as well as WiFi. When you are on a ProjectFi connection your phone will seamlessly switch to whichever one of those networks is strongest. ProjectFi?s offers a very straightforward billing structure which will be appealing to some. It also will let you ?bank? unused minutes each month. And it offers promises of more innovations to come. The catch? Right now it is only offered for a single phone: the Nexus 6, and there is no LTE high speed service.

Robot car movers

The robots are coming to steal your car, or just move it out of the way. Gizmodo shared a story that researchers in Europe have created AVERT, the Autonomous Vehicle Emergency Recovery Tool. It is a system of robots that look like something out of Battle Bots. They are flat pieces of steel with rotors on the ends of them. Eight of them work together to pick up your cars tires and wheel it away. They only lift the car about an inch off the ground, but that’s all they need to move it out of the way. The idea is that the robots can easily move a car parked in a tight spot if there is a bomb in a nearby car. They could also be used to move an illegally parked car or a car that is blocking emergency services. Or, when the robots become sentient, they will likely start a car robbing career.

Man puts 8 bullets in his Dell desktop, tells police it was worth the ticket.

Police say that at 7 PM on a Monday, Lucas Hinch, the owner of a homeopathic herb store in Colorado Springs, Colorado, took his Dell XPS 410 out into an alley behind the store and unloaded eight bullets into it with a 9mm pistol. Hinch was ticketed for discharging a gun within city limits.

Lynch told the Los Angeles Times, which interviewed him, that the machine kept giving him the blue screen of death and that he had ?had enough.? He said that the shooting was ?definitely premeditated? and that he had no regrets. He reportedly told officers he did not know he was breaking the law in discharging his weapon.

Microsoft unveils Edge browser

During the opening keynote of their Microsoft Build developers conference this week, Microsoft unveiled the successor to their Internet Explorer browser (which they recently announced was ending).

The new browser, now called Edge (formerly Project Spartan), is said to be faster and more modern and will be a universal app across all Windows devices. Features will include, among others, extensions like you find for Chrome and Firefox, integration of Microsoft?s Cortana virtual assistant to help you search for things, reading mode (which removes everything from a page except for the text), and an annotation tool (which lets you draw on a webpage, take a picture of it and share that picture).

The new browser will not be in the initial release of Windows 10 this year, but will be included in a later update. Windows 10 will be shipped with Internet Explorer 11 for legacy compatibility, so you will have one last chance to use everyone?s favorite browser before it goes softly into that good night.

Tired of remember your passwords? Try swallowing them instead?

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Paypal?s global head of developer advocacy, Jonathan Leblanc, said that passwords might soon be available as ?embeddable, injectable and ingestible devices.? Mr. Leblanc said that in the near future thin silicon chips might be embedded under our skin or capsules might detect glucose levels to verify that someone is who they say they are.

The Wall Street Journal notes, “Mr. Leblanc admits that there’s still a ways to go before cultural norms catch up with ingestible and injectable ID devices.”

Google files patent for laptop with no spacebar.

Google already kicked the CAPS-LOCK key to the curb with its Chromebooks and now it appears it may be preparing to do the same thing to the spacebar. In a patent filed this week the company outlines a design where the spacebar is replaced by an extended trackpad. Sensors would determine whether the user wants the top of the trackpad to be treated as a spacebar or a mouse. Google told Quartz, who broke the story, that some patents get turned into products and some don?t, so only time will tell whether we will see a spacebar-free Chromebook.

Apple Watch – Tattoo-gate

Reports are coming in on Twitter and Reddit that people with tattoos on their wrists may have difficulty using their new Apple watches. iMore.com looked into it and confirmed the reports. The heart sensor detects pulse by flashing an LED light on your skin and senses the reflection. The problem is when you have a tattoo the reflection is distorted by the ink. Your mileage may vary, but for some folks it is really annoying. The Apple Watch uses the heart sensor to detect if you are wearing the watch, so when it doesn’t sense your heart rate, it forces you to re-enter your pin number.

Apple Watch – Scratch-gate

If you don’t like scratches, you probably shouldn’t get the stainless steel Apple watch. A lot of folks are reporting on social media that their steel Apple watches are already scratched up. 9to5Mac.com has an easy fix. Just buff it, like every other stainless steel watch in existence. Or, get the aluminum model, which is actually harder than the steel version.

Apple Watch – Tap-gate

Now for the first, actual, real problem with the Apple watch. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has found a major defect in the taptic engine in the watches. The taptic engine is the feature that causes the watch to vibrate or tap the wearer. It was a pretty groundbreaking feature because it models sounds so a tweet “feels” like a tweet, and a tap feels like a tap. Two companies built the taptic engines, but one of the suppliers has produced faulty engines. The Verge says that Daring Fireball’s John Gruber received an Apple Watch that had a taptic engine that didn’t work.

OUTRO

If you have a suggestion, or just have a comment for the show. Give us a call and leave us a voicemail, 1-888-972-9868 or you can send us an email to feedback@deemable.com.

And, don’t forget to help us to 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. deemable.com/reddit will take you there

I’m Ray Hollister, I’m Tom Braun, I’m Sean Birch and this is Deemable Tech. Thanks for listening.

This week the guys are elated about the death of Internet Explorer, the low, low price of free to upgrade to Windows 10, (even if you never paid for Windows 7 or 8) and Mario, Zelda and the gang are finally coming to mobile phones, but not the way you want them to.

If you haven’t subscribed to Deemable Tech yet, get on it! Subscribe to Deemable Tech in iTunes, on Stitcher or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader. Make sure to leave us a review in iTunes and Stitcher. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed, and the more listeners will see our show.

And make sure to share us on the forums, Facebook, Twitter and all over the interwebs.

Thank you to our Redditors who have been helping 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. Deemable.com/reddit will take you there.

This Week’s Run Down

Windows 10 is free for everybody!

So, you may have heard of the latest version of Windows that Microsoft is working on releasing later this summer. If you haven’t, it’s called Windows 10. If you’re wondering why it’s called Windows 10 instead of… you know… Windows 9, it’s because of a little coding shortcut where programmers referred to Windows 95 and Windows 98 as – you guessed it – “Windows 9.”

Well, it turns out that Windows 10 is going to be FREE for everyone, well almost everyone.

Terry Myerson, Microsoft’s Windows chief to Reuters “We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10”

So that means, as long as you have a computer running Windows 7 or Window 8 or 8.1 you can install 10 on your computer, at no charge, even if you stole the version that’s on your computer right now.

The Death of Internet Explorer

Microsoft confirmed this week that Internet Explorer will not be the primary web browser in Windows 10. Yes, the venerable Internet Explorer, which has been a part of Windows since Windows 95, is being put out to pasture. It will still ship with the next version of Microsoft’s operating system for backwards compatibility reasons, but a new browser with the codename Project Spartan will be Microsoft’s flagship browser. Project Spartan’s real name has not been released yet but Microsoft says that it will not use the Internet Explorer branding.

Nintendo to develop mobile games

After years of speculation, Nintendo is moving into the mobile game market. They announced this week that they have partnered with Japanese mobile game giant DeNA to “develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo’s intellectual property, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices.”

They were quick to point out that their primary focus will still be their game consoles like the Wii U and 3DS, and that these new mobile apps are intended to complement, not replace, those systems. In the same announcement, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that a new console codenamed NX is development.

Unfortunately for those of us hoping this means we’ll be able to play classic Mario or Zelda games on our devices, Iwata also said that Nintendo’s plans do not include direct ports of console games. He cited differences between dedicated controllers and touchscreens as the reason.

—-

If you have a comment, contact us at feedback at deemable.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-888-972-9868.

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

Photo Credit: Internet Explorer, a web developers menace by Jorgen Kesseler is used under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Q: I heard you talking about Windows XP expiring. I don’t want to go to Windows 8, and I can’t find any new Windows 7 computers to buy. What do I do?

A: We’ve been talking about this a lot lately because Microsoft officially stopped supporting Windows XP on April 8, 2014. This means that, while you can continue using XP on your computer, Microsoft will no longer be doing anything to keep it up to date. There won’t be any new security updates or patches to keep hackers from finding new ways to break into the operating system. If you decide to stick with Windows XP, Microsoft is basically saying that you are now on your own. They recommend upgrading to Windows 8 instead.

The Start Screen in Windows 8 received a lukewarm response from some users.
Image credit: Microsoft

You didn’t say why you’re not interested in Windows 8, James, but we’re going to guess that it may have something to do with its user interface. Microsoft decided to completely get rid of the classic Start Menu with Windows 8, and replaced it with a Start Screen that was unlike anything else on the market. This made a lot of people unhappy because it was not what they were used to. It even made some people literally sick to their stomachs from motion sickness because the Start Screen slides from left to right while you’re using it.

We’re happy to report that Windows 8.1, the latest version, is much better in this respect. They’ve brought back the Start Button, and you can reduce the motion features associated with the Start Screen. According to rumors, Microsoft may just return to the classic Start Menu in the next version of Windows.

Unfortunately, James, you really can?t afford to wait for that to happen. And you’re not likely to find a new computer with Windows 7 on it because Microsoft no longer sells the rights to manufacturers to install it on new computers.

If you really want to go to Windows 7, you can still purchase copies of it from third party vendors like Amazon.com, NewEgg or TigerDirect, and install it yourself. This isn’t very difficult if you are just upgrading your old Windows XP machine. Just stick the disc in the drive and follow the instructions. Microsoft has gone to considerable lengths in the last few years to make Windows upgrades easy.

However, things get a little tricky if you’re looking to install Windows 7 on a new computer with Windows 8 already on it. To do this, you’ll have to completely remove Windows 8 from your computer first, which means formatting your hard drive and starting from scratch. This can be intimidating, so we recommend paying your friendly neighborhood computer guy to do it for you. He can probably get Windows 7 safely installed in an hour or two, and you’ll have some peace of mind knowing that it’s been done right.

It’s estimated that nearly 500 million people around the world use the Windows XP operating system on their computers. If you’re one of those people, you need to be aware of an important change from Microsoft.

So long, it’s been good to know you.
Image credit: Microsoft

On April 8, 2014, the software giant ended their support for Windows XP.  Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that your computer suddenly stopped working on April 9. It will, however, start to be a lot riskier to keep using.

Windows XP was released in 2001, and because of its worldwide popularity Microsoft has continued to support it with updates, bug fixes and security patches for the past 13 years. As the company begins to focus on newer versions of the Windows operating system, they’ve decided to stop releasing these updated security patches for XP. This means that there will be nothing to guard you from hackers finding new ways to break into computers running XP and stealing personal information from victims.

Now, the chances are that your copy of Windows XP will still be relatively secure on April 9, but that will change as it gets older and older. To protect yourself, we recommend that you upgrade your operating system. Microsoft, of course, is happy to help, and have created a page with all of the information you’ll need to know. There, you can download a program that will check your PC to see if it is compatible with Windows 8.1, the latest version of Windows.

You may have heard about Windows 8 getting a bad rap due to a new interface and the fact that initial versions didn’t include the classic Start Menu so many of us know and love. But the truth is that you can still run the classic Windows desktop in Windows 8, which looks and feels a lot like what you’re used to.

We should note that upgrading to a new operating system will cost money, and that an upgrade to Windows 8.1 costs $199. That’s a lot, and that’s the reason most people buy a new computer with Windows already installed on it. In fact, you can get a new Windows 8 computer for as low as $249.

If those options sound too pricey or if you’re just not ready for Windows 8, we recommend checking out Windows 7. Microsoft has stopped selling it officially, but you can still buy copies of the home version from many third party vendors like Best Buy and Amazon.com for around $100. It is a great operating system, and we would go as far as to say it’s the “new” Windows XP in terms of it being easy to pick up and use.

Whatever you decide to do, you need to start taking steps to update that old copy of Windows XP right now. Having an outdated, unsecured operating system might cost you more than any new one ever could.

On today’s episode of Deemable Tech, Ray and Tom answered questions about how to find out what your teenager is texting, if you need to post a message on your Facebook wall so that your friends will set your posts to private, why is it that you can’t share some posts but you can others, and what happened to the &^%$ Start menu in Windows 8?

All that and more, on this episode of Deemable Tech!

Make sure to subscribe to the show in iTunes by clicking here, or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader by clicking here. Also, make sure to leave us a review in iTunes. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed in iTunes and the more listeners will see our show!

Need tech help? Got a problem or tech question about your computer, phone or tablet? Give us a call and leave us a voice mail at 1-888-972-9868, or send us an email to questions at deemable dot com. We’ll take the best questions and answer them on the show.

Links mentioned on today’s podcast:

• PicsChecker
• Mobile Spy
• My Mobile Watchdog
• 5 Facebook privacy settings you need to check now – Kim Kommando
• Lifehacker – The Always Up-to-Date Guide to Managing Your Facebook Privacy
• Monocube’s Power Schedule
• How to bring back the Start menu in Windows 8

Kickable

• CST-01: The Worlds Thinnest Watch
• Cynaps: Bluetooth, Bone Conduction Headset – in a Hat!
  
• GCW-Zero: Open Source Gaming Handheld
• StickNFind- Bluetooth Powered ultra small Location Stickers
  
• MeterPlug.Lower your ElectricBill.Measure real Electric cost
  
• http://www.indiegogo.com/Pub

 Episode 27 – How to keep track of what your cat is text messaging

Windows 8 Pro, which has been available as an upgrade for Windows XP, Vista and 7 users for only $39.99, will be jumping in price up to $199.99 after January 31st. The standard Windows 8 will be available for $119.99. However, if you purchased a Windows 7 PC after June 2nd of last year but before January 31st of this year, you have until February 28th to register for the Windows Upgrade Offer to receive the upgrade for $14.99. After that date, you’ll have to pay full price too if you decide to upgrade to Windows 8.

Why the 500% increase? The $39.99 was never intended to be permanent; it was a special offer to encourage early adoption. Depending on how you look at it, that may or may not have been successful. According to a report by web metrics firm Net Applications Windows 8 market share in December grew by 57% over November’s totals.

However that still leaves Windows 8 in 7th place in market share at a dismal 1.72%. This leaves Windows 8 trailing far behind Windows 7 at approximately 45%, Windows XP at 39% and even Windows Vista at 5% and Mac OS X 10.8, 10.7 and 10.6 at about 2% each. Compared to one month after Windows 7’s launch, Windows 8’s activation rate has been significantly lower, and Windows 7 did not have a drastic introductory price to drive sales. Time will tell of this is too soon to bring the price of Windows 8 up, or if consumers just decide that new operating system isn’t worth the higher price.

If you’ve been on the fence about upgrading to Windows 8, the time to make up your mind is now. If you wait until February 1st, you’ll have to pay an $80 or $160 procrastination fee. However, if you feel the same way the guy in this video feels, maybe it’s worth the wait. Caution, some language NSFW.

Source: Windows Team Blog via The Verge

Do you think that Windows 8 will continue to grow in market share and over take Windows 7 and XP, or do you think that Windows 8 is going to be left out in the cold, especially after the price jump? Will Windows 8 be the new Windows Vista? Let us know in the comments down below.

Today, Tom and Ray were supposed to do another short mini episode, but they got way off the rails, and ended up recording a 49 minute episode!  They had tons of fun, and answered four of your tech help questions.

Make sure to subscribe to the show in iTunes by clicking here, or subscribe to the show in another podcast reader by clicking here. Also, make sure to leave us a review in iTunes. The more reviews we have the higher we’ll be listed in iTunes and the more listeners will see our show!

Need tech help? Got a problem or tech question about your computer, phone or tablet? Give us a call and leave us a voice mail at 904-372-DEEM (3336), or send us an email to questions at deemable dot com. We’ll take the best questions and answer them on the show.

Episode 24: Holiday Minisode 2: The not so “mini” episode

Today’s Questions:

• Can I manage multiple email accounts from one web app like I can do on my iPhone?
• What are the differences between Windows and Android tablets, and which would be best for me as a writer?
• Why does Flash keep crashing on Chrome?
• How can I search my clouds?

Links we mentioned on today’s show:

• Top 10 Handy iOS Tweaks That Don’t Require Jailbreaking
• See the Actual Signal Strength on Your iPhone or Android
• http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-ways-simultaneously-manage-multiple-gmail-accounts/
• Searching the cloud with Cloudmagic