Jasonisms

I don't think GV is going anywhere but it's always nice to have alternatives to Google products, especially Alphabet abandoned it's policy not to be evil. https://z6mag.com/technology/google/3-effective-alternatives-to-google-voice-1632467.html There may be other options out there as well. To be honest, I haven't looked as I've been using Voice since it was available, but if the world of apps has taught us anything, there can never be only one. I do know there are a plethora of video messaging apps out there that have replaced simple voice communication for a lot of consumers and plenty more apps that carry voice across data plans as opposed to analog networks.

I've never written a #script in my life but I'm wondering if it's a skill set I should pick up. #GSuite https://www.popsci.com/scripts-macros-in-google-docs-sheets

This actually looks very interesting. Google has a tool to help your product find the right market anywhere in the world. #SmallBusiness #Business https://marketfinder.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en_ie/

The good news is, writers reporting on the demise of Google+ aren't attacking the service itself, but rather, are accurately placing the blame of G+'s failures on the management over in Mountain View. And once again we're seeing a lot of warnings when it comes to relying on any of Google's non-core services. If all you're using are Search and Gmail, you're probably fine, but if you're naive enough to use Google's other services and begin to rely on them, well, you're probably screwed. https://amp.fastcompany.com/90252543/goodbye-google-a-eulogy-for-the-last-great-social-network#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s

Chrome is getting PiP on both YouTube and the web. We heard about this based on a Google+ post. https://9to5google.com/2018/10/19/chrome-picture-in-picture-video/amp/

Could you shut down a robot you've recently collaborated with, especially if it begs to be left on? As human beings we tend to anthropomorphize things around us and therefore treat non-living things as cognizant emotional beings. Will we extend that same courtesy to robots? https://www.popsci.com/humans-killing-robots?con=TrueAnthem&dom=fb&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign&utm_content=5bb8f12904d3013e2275af76&utm_medium&utm_source

We’ve learned that Android phones were sending location data to Google even when location history was disabled. And we’ve found that Google was storing voice recordings without users’ knowledge. And most recently we’ve seen numerous reportsthat it’s working on a censorship and surveillance-friendly search engine for China—a project that it will only vaguely acknowledge while employees are protesting internally. It’s not a good idea to simply trust Google. It's been far too long now since we've been able to blindly trust Google Alphabet and without better options and more competition it'll only get worse. https://gizmodo.com/google-chrome-is-now-quietly-forcing-you-to-log-in-here-1829265681

How much space is being used on your hard drive? I'll admit, mine's running low - severely low. I've had to move countless photos to an external drive over the past few months, but have since downloaded gigs more of images from my camera. This next update may be a doozy. Full hard drives could cause an upcoming Windows update to fail, according to Microsoft, and the system will not check for adequate storage space before installing. https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/microsoft-upcoming-windows-update-might-fail-if-your-hard-drive-is-too-full/

I don't know about you, but this feature has been on my wish list for Google+ for a long time. It'll be much easier to share PDFs and other documents going forward.

I've been working with some storage issues recently, so this article is timely, and while much of the advice in here is good, do yourself a favor and download Google's own Files to Go app and let it go. Just make sure the data is backed up before erasing anything from your device. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.nbu.files https://www.pcworld.com/article/3080036/android/6-quick-ways-to-clear-space-on-an-overstuffed-android-device.html

I just love how there is a renewable energy evolution going on at the moment. Increasing output by 85%? When was the last time oil or natural gas had such a jump in output?

Microsoft is marketing their Edge Brower as the "safer, faster" alternative to Chrome or Firefox and all I can say is: not in my experience. In fact, I tried using Edge for about a year and found more scam, phishing and hostage-taking sites using Microsoft's browser than I ever did with Firefox or Chrome. I'll stick with those two for now and maybe abandon Windows when my computer needs an ungrade. https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/12/17850146/microsoft-windows-10-chrome-firefox-warning

About week ago I started noticing this. I'd sign out of Gmail and suddenly have a warning that my account would no longer sync. My thoughts were this was a tactic by Google to convince people to never log out of Chrome allowing the internet giant to gather even more information about us as it makes no other sense. But, for now, there is a fix: Open a new Chrome browser Window, then type or copy and paste the following address into the address bar: *chrome://flags/#account-consistency* This will open a new page containing an item list with drop-down menus next to each. The page should have automatically jumped you down about halfway to the desired item, “ Identity consistency between browser and cookie jar ,” and the menu box next to it should read, “ default .” https://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-off-the-auto-sign-out-link-in-gmail-and-chr-1828953840

I'm a fan of renewable energies, most of which come in the form of electricity generation. Which is a good thin since most of our energy needs are in the form of electricity. So, it comes as no surprise when I see articles like this, that electric batteries may soon be able to store 2-3x their current loads I become excited. Not only for my cellphone, which lasts 4 hours or so these days, but for electric cars, trains, and yes, whole-home systems. https://electrek.co/2018/09/11/solid-state-battery-startup-bmw-hyundai-samsung-breakthrough-electric-vehicles/

I have used a few of these: Pixlr, Paint.NET and GIMP. They are all good programs depending how much manipulation you want to try. For example, quick fixes may be done quicker in certain programs while more in-depth image manipulation might be done better in others. #PhotoEditing #ImageManipulation https://youtu.be/-X3r3QkvjI8

About a month ago my device's power button stopped working. At first it would occasionally work, but as time passed it began working less and less often to where it's now fairly useless. I've been very concerned with the device losing power (battery) as I haven't had a method to turn it on should it go deed. I've scoured Blackberry forums (yes, Blackberry) and countless other options such as apps that "move" the power button to another physical button. Today I found this (link) and hope, should it ever be needed, this method will work. Hold down the volume down key and connect your phone via USB cable to your PC. Keep the volume button held down until you see a boot menu. Select the ‘Start’ option using your volume keys, and your phone will power on. Of course, I'm terrified to test the method ... what if my device doesn't start? https://www.addictivetips.com/android/turn-on-an-android-phone-with-a-broken-power-button/

Is your state on the list of states suing the FCC over it's repeal of #NetNeutrality? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet/twenty-two-states-ask-u-s-appeals-court-to-reinstate-net-neutrality-rules-idUSKCN1L605W

I had a OnePlus OnePlus One andaside from it being too narrow for my large meaty hands, it was a wonderful device. I also have T-Mobile so I'm incredibly excited about this partnership. Just, please, please, please, keep the bloatware off. https://www.cnet.com/news/oneplus-6t-will-launch-in-october-with-t-mobile-as-us-carrier-partner/

This #LazyLoading doesn't address all the poorly coded advertising schemes out there ducking up bandwidth or holding up page downloads and gazillions of trackers and ads fill our Internet experience. https://bgr.com/2018/08/14/google-chrome-download-speed-increase-coming-canary/

Should Facebook be more open about their backend, how they collect, what they collect and how they use your data? In other words, Facebook doesn’t have an official way for people to keep track of their PYMK (People You May Know) recommendations and that means users aren’t allowed to do it. Facebook is happy to have users hand over lots of data about themselves, but doesn’t like it when the data flows in the other direction. https://gizmodo.com/facebook-wanted-us-to-kill-this-investigative-tool-1826620111