My Appearance on WGST's "The Sully Show" 12/5/14 - Tech for the Home

Rick checks in this week with some possible holiday gifts for the home... He's with Sully at Avalon

Two segments this week as they also talk smartphones

listen to ‘The Sully Show December 5, 2014’ on audioBoom

listen to ‘The Sully Show December 5, 2014 Part 2’ on audioBoom

1.  Newertech NuGreen LED Desk Lamp

49.99 right now at Newertech.com

An energy-saving desk lamp that features light similar to natural daylight.

The only desk lamp that Rick Limpert uses.

A new high tech desk lamp.

The NuGreen LED Desk Lamp is an energy-efficient and eco-friendly, cool touch and flexible lamp. The light emitted really resembles natural daylight, using 50 LEDs for 45,000 hours of use.  

The NuGreen Lamo turns on with a simple finger touch and more good news in that the mercury-free bulbs can be recycled.  This lamp will save you money in the long run.

All at a price that won't give you "sticker shock"- $49.99.

 2. D-Link AC1900 Wi-Fi Router

www.dlink.com

An extremely powerful router for your home.

Give the gift of faster internet this holiday season.

At around $200, this is a high-end routers, and it very well could be the best D-Link has in affordable router for your home of small business.

It shouldn't with the D-Link AC1900. This router is ready to work right out of the box. Just screw in the three antennae and you are ready to go.
Per D-Link here are the specs on the D-Link AC1900 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-880L):

    11AC Wi-Fi Dual Band Connectivity – Speeds of up to 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band for maximum throughput with less Wi-Fi interference
    Gigabit Ethernet Ports – Four 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet ports provide high-speed wired connectivity
    Brand New GUI – New intuitive user interface for simple management of a wireless network; optimized for mobile devices with touch enabled controls and designed to give users quick access to status and management of their router and connected devices.
    Traffic Prioritization – Advanced QoS engine distributes traffic optimally across both wireless bands to guarantee the best performance
    Wi-Fi Protected Setup – Push button for easy connection to a wireless network
    Backward Compatible – Works with existing Wi-Fi devices (802.11n/g/b)
    Secure Wireless Encryption – Uses WPA™ or WPA2™ security
 
 3. Saffron Light Bulbs

Website: www.seesaffron.com

Diff types of bulbs at diff price points
 

Saffron: LED Light Bulbs  - $9.95 each
Energy efficient LED bulbs that look and feel like traditional incandescent bulbs
* Minimalistic LED bulb resembles traditional incandescent bulb
* Cost-efficient at 1/8 the average cost to power
* Eco-friendly bulbs containing zero mercury
* 360° light diffusion for complete shadow-free illumination
* Cool touch bulbs ensure the user is never in danger of fire or burns
* Available in 3000K warm and warm white colors
* Each bulb features a 30,000 hour lifespan

Saffron: Sense Light Bulb
* Price: $24.95 (single); $76.95 (4-pack); $184.95 (10-pack)
Outdoor lighting system with sun-aware sensors that self-adjusts with sunrise and sunset
* Utilizing sun-aware sensors, bulbs automatically turn on at dusk and off at sunrise
* Features a plastic diffusing cap to protect against drops and bumps
* Cost-efficient with automatic on/off feature and 1/8 the average cost to power
* Cool touch feature allows Sense Light to run cooler than incandescent bulbs
* Anodized aluminum heat sink dissipates heat to maximize bulb's lifetime
* Utilizes a 2700K warm color temperature that will not attract bugs
* Provides added security by keeping outdoor lights on a normal schedule when user is away
* Equipped with a standard Edison socket to work with any standard light bulb base
* Each bulb features a 30,000+ hour lifespan
* Eco-friendly bulbs containing zero mercury

Saffron: Drift Light Bulb
* $34.95 (single); $129.00 (4-pack); $238.99 (10-pack)
Eco-friendly LED smart bulb gradually drifts from light to dark to help user rest easy
* Automatic dimming cycle of 37 minutes mimics a natural sunset
* Features a plastic diffusing cap to protect against drops and bumps
* Cool touch feature allows Drift Light to run cooler than incandescent bulbs
* Anodized aluminum heat sink dissipates heat to maximize bulb's lifetime
* Warm light color reduces amount of blue light emitted for increased melatonin and restful sleep
* High efficiency LED with 530 lumens give off a warm, relaxing light
* Patent-pending micro controller allows Drift Light to automatically dim
* Works directly with standard light switch
* Equipped with a standard Edison socket to replace 40W incandescent bulb
* Features Moonlight Mode for users or locations that need a small amount of light in the night; Midnight Mode that dims the light to off; and Daylight Mode that functions like a standard bulb
* Each bulb features a 30,000+ hour lifespan
* Cost-efficient at 1/8 the average cost to power
* Eco-friendly bulbs containing zero mercury

4.  Insteon Starter Kit  - Control your home with a phone or tablet for $100

www.insteon.com

For around $100, the kit includes the Insteon Hub and two Dimmer Modules, allowing users to connect to their home and control lights and appliances from any smartphone or tablet. The kit also allows consumers to expand and add more devices as needed. With Insteon, users can now take instant control of lights, alarms, thermostats – all their things – from wherever they are in the world.

 

5. Epson WorkForce WF-3640 Printer

A monster printer for $129.99

Network-Ready Wireless All-In-One Printer

Epson WorkForce WF-3640 All-In-One Printer: Complete a variety of projects using this all-in-one printer, which enables you to create 1- and 2-sided documents and photos, plus copy, scan and fax. Simply connect your computer or mobile device via built-in Wi-Fi to get started, or enjoy a wired connection with the built-in Ethernet LAN.

 

My Appearance on WGST's "The Sully Show" 11/26/14 - Innisbrook and Smartphone Deals

This week, Rick joins Sully on 640 WGST the day before Thanksgiving.

Smartphone deals for Black Friday and Rick is finishing up his year of travel at the Innisbrook Resort outside of Tampa and then on to Naples, FL where he and his wife Lindsay will be spending Thanksgiving with Lindsay's Mom

www.innisbrookgolfresort.com

Have a listen:

listen to ‘The Sully Show November 26, 2014’ on audioBoom

Smartphone deals for Black Friday.

1. Samsung Galaxy S5  - $200 off through Sprint

Samsung's flagship of the year is seeing deep discounts this holiday season. With the phone, users can get a quad-core processor, a 16-megapixel camera, and a built-in heart-rate monitor.

$99 with a two year contract at Walmart

 
2.  Apple iPhone 6

The nw Apple iPhone has been considered a little pricey, but you can save some dough by purchasing it on Black Friday. The iPhone 6 comes with NFC technology (which works in conjunction with Apple Pay), a fingerprint scanner, and an elegant unibody design. Walmart and Target will sell the 16GB model for $179 with a two-year contract for AT&T.

3. An Assortment of AT&T Deals

Just in time to get a head start on your New Years’ resolutions, Microsoft is giving you a free Fitbit Flex if you buy a Nokia Lumia 830 smartphone.

- Samsung Savings: The Samsung Galaxy Tab® 4 8.0 is $99.99 with the purchase of any Samsung Galaxy8 smartphone. If you purchase a Samsung Galaxy Alpha™ for $0 down on AT&T Next, you can get the  Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 for 99 cents! 9 Get 50 percent off a Samsung Galaxy Tab S keyboard when purchased with a Galaxy Tab S.

- Motorola Madness: Save $50 on the Moto 360, Moto Hint or Moto Sliver II when you purchase the Moto X (2nd generation)

-  Charger Special: If you’re planning to travel this holiday season make sure you stock up on the SuperCharge power bundle for $75.11 It includes a portable back-up battery and your choice of any charging cable, and any car or wall charger.  Save $10 on a car or wall charger when you purchase a new device.12

4.  Samsung Galaxy Note 4  - Check around for the best deal

Be careful when it comes to T-Mobile's deal.  They say it's free, but really you do pay for it through a payment plan in your normal monthly payment

But a lot of places are offering a fine phone in the Galaxy Note 3 for free
 

5.   Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

Decked out with a large 6-inch "triluminos" display, a 13-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080p video, and a signature Sony design that's attractive and chic, the unlocked Xperia T2 Ultra will be marked down at $199.99 for Best Buy customers.
 

My Appearance on WGST's "The Sully Show" 11/14/14 - Royal Isabela and Tech News of the Week

News topics:  Rick just off a plane from Puerto Rico.

He was at the unreal, Royal Isabela resort and golf club in Isabela, Puerto Rico.

A oceanside golf course, a great restaurant, you don't stay in a hotel room, you stay in one of the 20 casitas on the property. Breathtaking views, outdoor activities and a lot more.

Check out www.royalisabela.com.

Have a listen:

listen to ‘The Sully Show November 14, 2014 Part 1’ on audioBoom

listen to ‘The Sully Show November 14, 2014 Part 2’ on audioBoom

One of the top-5 luxury resorts in the Caribbean and Rick was doing tough duty there for 4 days.

 
That and the tech topics of the week...

1. Rick featured in www.bestpitchievergot.com

Want to know more about Rick and what he does..

He was interviewed here: http://www.bestpitchievergot.com/rick-limpert-2/
 

2.  Microsoft Fixes Bug That Dates Back to Windows 95

From the better late than never department...

Microsoft fixed a vulnerabilitry dating back to Windows 95. Hidden among this week's Patch Tuesday fixes is a fix for a vulnerability that dates back to Windows 95 and is present in every version of Windows made since.

Yes. Microsoft just fixed a 19-year-old Windows bug, one that security researchers say has been remotely exploitable for 18 of those years. And while one might see some humor in that, the bad news is that it's actually a pretty serious problem as well.

"This complex vulnerability is a rare, 'unicorn-like' bug found in code that Internet Explorer relies on but doesn't necessarily belong to," IBM X-Force Research manager Robert Freeman writes in the official description of the episode. "The bug can be used by an attacker for drive-by attacks to reliably run code remotely and take over the user's machine, even sidestepping the Enhanced Protected Mode (EPM) sandbox in IE 11 as well as the highly regarded Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) anti-exploitation tool Microsoft offers for free."
 

3.  Study says that an incompetent, tech challenged boss makes workers unhappy

A new study shows strong support for what many have always suspected: your boss's technical competence is the single strongest predictor of workers' well-being, way ahead of other factors such as education, earnings, job tenure and public vs. private sector. On top of other studies which have already demonstrated that happy workers are more productive workers (e.g. this 2012 paper.), it does make you wonder how long organizations can afford to continue promoting incompetent bosses in today's very dynamic and competitive business world.

Workers want the latest technology at their disposal.

4.  HuffPost and @WhoSay have teamed up for #CelebsUnfiltered.

Get the latest tweets, photos, videos and more with #CelebsUnfiltered, powered by WhoSay
As if we need more celebrity news...
 

 Thanksgiving and Black Friday gadgets coming inthe next couple weeks.

A $99 laptop from Staples and a $99 Stream tablet from HP.com

UP MOVE by Jawbone

·       UP MOVE is a fun, entry-level activity tracker from Jawbone that helps you move more and get fit. Available for just $49.99, it’s the simplest way to get credit for your steps, exercise and calories burned while also enabling you to track hours slept and quality of sleep.

·       Retail Price: $49.99

·       Press Release: Jawbone Introduces UP MOVE

My Appearance on WGST's "The Sully Show" 11/7/14 - Tech News of the Week

News topics:  Rick and Sully look at some of the top tech stories of the week...

Have a listen:

listen to ‘The Sully Show November 7, 2014’ on audioBoom

1. Larry Page Reorganizes Google

He is stepping back from day-to-day product roles to focus on longer-term projects. Sundar Pichai will take the day-to-day slot (he currently runs Android and Chrome, having risen very fast through the ranks). Fascinating to watch how the founders at Google, Facebook and Amazon try to redeploy themselves and restructure their companies to maintain the pace of innovation within vast organizations.

2.  An Update to the "MARTA: On the Go" app

Atlanta's official MARTA app gets and update.
What's new?
- Bug fixes
- Real time data now available
- Bus alerts

As always get all of your connecting route information, scheduling information and weekend rail service notices.

 
3.  The growth of free Wi-Fi is transforming life in Africa  

In Africa, the trend is towards providing citizens with free Wi-Fi in order to boost economic activity and education, in line with McKinsey’s projection that if internet penetration grows in the same way as that of mobile phones on the continent, it could contribute as much as 10 per cent – $300 billion – of the continent’s total GDP by 2025.

The provision of free Wi-Fi is becoming a continent-wide trend. In Kenya, the county of Nakuru is offering residents free access through a partnership between the State House Digital Team and the county government, at the reported cost of US$2 million.

Rwanda’s Smart Kigali initiative provides designated free Wi-Fi hotspots around the capital. The Murtala Muhammad Airport Two (MMA2) in Lagos provides free access for passengers through a public-private partnership, while Nigerian operator Visafone has launched a free service for its customers in stores across the country.

However, South Africa is way ahead of the rest of providing free access to citizens, with both the public and private sectors assisting in rollouts across the country. Free hotspots are so widespread that a website has been set up to display all the free hotspots in the country.

4.  Starwood Hotels Is Making Room Keys Obsolete

No more room keys at Starwood properties. Your smartphone can open your room.
Starwood is introducing a new app-powered, keyless entry program. In other words, your smartphone is now your key.

The process is wonderfully simple. After downloading the SPG app (it's for reward program members only, but that's free to join), guests can check-in up to 24 hours before their stay, and they're given a Bluetooth key to enable the keyless entry feature. Then, when they arrive, the guests bypass the check-in desk at participating hotels, go straight to their room, and use their smartphone to unlock the door.

Hotels included would be Sheraton, Westin, W, Aloft, etc

 

5.  Beats Music comes to Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines® (NYSE: LUV) is giving Customers a new reason to pack their headphones! Beginning today, Beats Music is providing a uniquely curated music experience onboard Southwest Airlines WiFi-enabled aircraft.

Customers accessing Beats Music onboard have an opportunity to listen to wide-ranging music programming in pop, rock, country, and other genres to hear fresh new artists and the hottest songs, which are handpicked by Beats Music expert curators.  Accessing the service inflight is on the house and includes a library of hundreds of playlists. Not sure what to listen to, but feel like Jet-Setting with your BFF to Pop? The Sentence offers a continuous playlist just for you, customized by your response to four questions about location, activity, surroundings, and musical preference.

"Southwest connects our Customers to what is important in their lives, and in this case, it's music," said Kevin Krone, Southwest Airlines Chief Marketing Officer.  "We continue to enhance our onboard offerings to remain current as our Customers' needs evolve, and with the addition of Beats Music on our entertainment portal, we're doing just that."
 

My Appearance on WGST's "The Sully Show" 10/31/14 - Tech News of the Week

News topics:  Rick and Sully look at some of the top tech stories of the week...

A Halloween edition of Rick on "The Sully Show"

Have a listen:

listen to ‘The Sully Show October 31, 2014’ on audioBoom

1.   It was "National Teen Driver Safety Week" and October is safe driving month

Rick attended the #SafeTeen event at Six Flags two weeks ago, where he go to see new technology from Straight Talk Wireless.

And he got to drive the test track with Indy Car Racer Scott Harrington and see a cool new product -

Safe Driver Car Connection, a new device from Straight Talk Wireless that monitors everything the car does as a new driver gets behind the wheel and disables incoming calls and texts when the car is in motion.  Parents can track the results right on their smartphone

Also "parents are the key" to teens driving safely.

 

2.  YouTube is going to offer a paid subscription service

YouTube is moving ahead with its plan to offered a paid subscription service that would allow viewers to skip the pre-roll ads, YouTube senior vice president Susan Wojcicki said last night.
The option is "near term," Wojcicki said during Monday's Code Mobile conference in California, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"There are going to be cases where people are going to say, 'I don't want to see ads,'" according to Wojcicki, who took over as YouTube's top exec in February.

3.  Hungary - the first country to tax internet traffic

Uh oh

The Hungarian government has announced a new tax on internet traffic: 150 HUF ($0.62 USD) per gigabyte. In Hungary, a monthly internet subscription costs around 4,000-10,000 HUF ($17-$41), so it could really put a constraint on different service providers, especially for streaming media. This kind of tax could set back the country's technological development by some 20 years — to the pre-internet age.

As a side note, the Hungarian government's budget is running at a serious deficit. The internet tax is officially expected to bring in about 20 billion HUF in income, though a quick look at the BIX (Budapest Internet Exchange) and a bit of math suggests a better estimate of the income would probably be an order of magnitude higher.

4.  Verizon Announces The Motorola Droid Turbo With Battery Super Powers

Motorola and Verizon are announcing the Droid Turbo, a new Droid-branded smartphone with a focus on super fast charging capabilities.

Verizon claims the phone can get eight hours of battery life in 15 just minutes by using a special turbo charger sold with the phone. And beyond that, a fully charged Droid Turbo promises 48 hours of battery life. Obviously, this is going to differ based on use.

The company says that they can accomplish this with a massive 3900mAh battery (for perspective, the Galaxy Note 4 packs a 3220mAh battery) and smarter software to use battery as efficiently as possible, as well as charging it as quickly as possible.

The Droid Turbo has a 5.2-inch “Quad HD” display, comes XLTE ready, and sports a 21-megapixel camera capable of capturing 4K video. Under the hood you’ll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM. And, considering the longstanding relationship between Droid and Android, the phone is running pure Android with just a few special Moto “experiences” that lay on top, including smart gestures.

The phone comes in 32GB and 64GB versions, with options for black Ballistic Nylon, Metallic Black or Metallic Red.

The 32GB model starts at $199 on contract or $25/month with Verizon Edge, and the 64GB model goes for $249 on contract or $27/month with Edge.

Verizon is also offering a handful of deals for this device, waiving all activation and upgrade fees and $100 for any working condition trade-in during purchase of a new Droid Turbo. All of it is available starting on October 30.
 

5.  US movie industry bans Google Glass, other wearable devices at all cinemas

Google Glass and other wearable devices are now officially off-limits in the cinema.

On Oct 29, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) announced an update to their joint policy to prevent film theft in theatres, prohibiting recording by users equipped with Google Glass or other wearables in theatres.
The update “was made to fully integrate wearable tech into the rules following a joint meeting of NATO and MPAA theatrical anti-piracy teams,” the lobbying organisation said. The announcement was made at ShowEast 2014, NATO’s annual industry confab in Hollywood, Florida.

The issue, while it hasn’t cropped up much, has prompted Hollywood to act. This January, a man who was wearing a Google Glass headset during a showing of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit at an AMC Theatres location in Columbus, Ohio, was questioned by agents from the Department of Homeland Security about whether he was illegally recording the film.

Here is the is full statement from the groups:
“The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) have a long history of welcoming technological advances and recognise the strong consumer interest in smart phones and wearable ‘intelligent’ devices. As part of our continued efforts to ensure movies are not recorded in theatres, however, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward using any recording device while movies are being shown. As has been our long-standing policy, all phones must be silenced and other recording devices, including wearable devices, must be turned off and put away at show time. Individuals who fail or refuse to put the recording devices away may be asked to leave. If theatre managers have indications that illegal recording activity is taking place, they will alert law enforcement authorities when appropriate, who will determine what further action should be taken.”