BRUCEB NEWS
“Optimize Enjoyment”: Remembering Jim Rowson
“Celebrate while you still can Cause any second it may end . . .” – Oingo Boingo, No One Lives ForeverJim Rowson passed away peacefully on December 26, 2024 at age 70 from fucking cancer. (That was his term for it, and the fucking cancer deserved the abuse, the sneaky...
Google, Microsoft, And Unethical Behavior
Two weeks ago, Google changed its web search results to fool you into clicking on paid ads by mistake. Last week Microsoft announced that an upcoming update for Office will force...
Rules For Computer And Online Safety 2020
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2020. You can download a copy here. Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are...
Google Real-Time Transcription Is The Coolest Technology Of 2019
You can record speech on a Pixel phone with Google's new Recorder app, and it will transcribe the words into text in real time. You can save the text and search for words later....
R.I.P. Windows 7
Windows 7 has passed on. It is no more. It has ceased to be. Windows 7 has expired and gone to meet its maker. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. It's off the twig....
Why You Should Be Skeptical About 5G In 2020
Previously: 5G Will Be Important, But Not In 2020 The carriers' 5G upgrade will change our world over the next ten to fifteen years. That's not the message you'll get from the...
5G Will Be Important, But Not In 2020 (Despite What The Ads Say)
We are about to be assaulted. An overwhelming advertising blitz will begin in earnest in 2020, trying to convince you that you should upgrade your phone and your mobile service...
The 2019 Bruceb News Year In Review
(This will be the last Bruceb News article until I recover from an upcoming business conference trip to Hawaii. Happy holidays!) I think I accomplished two goals in 2019: writing...
Data Brokers: The Companies Hiding In The Shadows That Know Everything About You
Your personal information is being bought and sold by companies that lurk in the shadows. You've never heard of them. That's the way they like it. This is the most important...
Spotify Unwrapped 2019: My Top Ten List Is 260% Better Than Last Year
Spotify has launched its annual Spotify Wrapped website, where you can look back on your year of music listening, including your top artists and top songs. You’ll find...
Should You Pay For Dark Web Monitoring?
Your personal information is for sale on the dark web. Don't worry, I've got in mind that you don't know what the "dark web" is, other than a scary name. I'll tell you more down...
Pixel 4 And Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Google has two new phones, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. They're quite nice. If you had one, you'd like it. They might not tempt iPhone users to leave the Apple world, but anyone...
Headcrabs And The Future Of Virtual Reality
The future of virtual reality may depend on headcrab zombies. Last week, game developer Valve Corporation made a bombshell announcement: it will release a new VR game, Half-Life:...
Install Google Lens, Then Remember To Use It
I'm going to give you a difficult assignment. I want you to install Google Lens on your phone. That's the easy part. Then I want you to remember to use it until it becomes second...
Say Goodbye To Outlook Clutter
On January 31, 2020, there won't be any more clutter in Outlook. Oh, you'll still get just as many unimportant messages as before, but they won't be sorted into a Clutter folder....
Amazon, Apple, And Ambience
Part 1: Ambient Computing - Buzzwords That Are Changing Your World Part 2: Google Wants To Surround You With Invisible Assistants Google, Amazon, and Apple are the only companies...