Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Netflix Class Action Lawsuit

     Did you recently receive an email from Netflix about a class action lawsuit that could potentially affect you??? The claim basically states that Netflix keeps a record of your Personally Identifiable Information as it pertains to your credit card information and viewing habits with Netflix from streaming to DVD or Blu ray rentals in an effort to provide suggestions for other movies or TV shows based on what videos you watch and rank and so on.....but, most tech savvy people already knew this.   The Personally Identifiable Information according to the plaintiffs could potentially be sold to 3rd parties and you probably don't want that to happen without your expressed permission.

      So.... now what do I do?  Well, http://www.videoprivacyclass.com has all the information you need to make an informed decision about this class action lawsuit so give it a check...., but if you just want to click your heels and get the quick answer to the question that is probably on your mind right now,...just ask Uncle Willy what you get.





     The resolution of this settlement boils down to the agreement that Netflix will "decouple" or separate your Personally Identifiable Information from your viewing habits and history 365 days after you cancel your service with them. But!!! ....if you go back as a subscriber, the 365 day counter will start over and not go back into effect until you cancel and wait another 365 days before they "decouple" your information.

     However, if you enjoy Netflix like I do though,....you should keep doing business with them. I haven't had any problems with Netflix aside from losing those paper return envelopes...but that's a minor issue of my own.

What do you love about Netflix??? Tell me about it below in the comments, share this on Google+, Tweet it!, or Like this on Facebook!!

If you don't subscribe,...please refer back to my Uncle Willy above. Also check out 1 Gigabyte.
 Thanks for visiting!!!
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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Google Fiber!!

     What's up internet land?!! So,...do you think your internet connection is fast??? Well, think again. The fastest  internet service I have personally had ever has been 20 MBps (Megabytes per second) download and 1 MBps upload and so far its been great! It does just about everything I currently need to do as I browse the internet. To put Google's new service into perspective.....1,000 MBps download and 1,000 MBps upload or more appropriately 1 GBps (Gigabytes per second)  is what Google Fiber will bring to the internet dinner table. Google has just recently introduced Google Fiber and plans to roll this service out to a neighborhood near you! If you don't know your current download and upload speeds,....go ahead and check out the Speed Tester (right click and open link in new window) and then post your speeds below in the comments section!

   

     This is awesome, because I get to be a witness again of the evolution of the internet! I had my first internet experience back in 1998 when "dial-up" was the most common way to get online. Back then, you had to make sure no one was using the phone or had plans to use the phone or hoped and prayed that no one was going to call you while you were online because you would lose your connection to the internet. America Online (AOL) was my service provider at that time and you had to install the service to your computer using a cd rom and even that was slow compared to today's standards. Streaming was unheard of and watching video's Youtube style style......fuhgettaboutit!!! My connection was capable of 56 KBps which converted to MBps would be 0.056 MBps..... not very fast at all! I think you get the idea.

   

    Google Fiber provides all you can eat, Ultra high speed internet, High Definition TV service, and a Nexus 7 Tablet as your new remote control!!...Cool!!! If you want more information on how you can get Google Fiber,....gather a bunch of your friends, family, and neighbors so that you can turn your neighborhood into a "Fiberhood". Don't forget to post your current speeds below!! Do you already have Google Fiber?....tell me about it below!

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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Digital Barbeque!!!

Here in the United States,.... we are fast approaching the Fourth of July 2012. During this time of the year kids are on break from school for the summer and families are spending more time together. Barbecue's and cook-outs( both the same in my book lol!!) are  being planned as well as Family reunions. Unfortunately with that planning comes one of the more important aspects of making all these joyous occasions come together....and that's Money....


      There are many costs involved with planning a barbecue or family reunion and they usually end up being one or a combination of the 3 "F"'s.... Food, Fuel, and Fun. Feeding all of your guests can definitely hit you in the pockets if you don't plan properly and many times these costs don't come into view until after everyone has headed home with a full belly and a smile. Fuel costs are a biggie when it comes to planning to visit friends and family at a distance especially considering the unpredictability of gas prices. Finally,... the cost of fun is relative to your situation, so be creative!!! Dust off that Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, or Playstation 3 and show all your guests that dance game that everyone is talking about!!



If you really want to get creative using technology. You can have a "Digital barbecue"....(you heard it here first!!) What's a digital barbecue???,... I thought you'd never ask. Using Google Hangouts you can set up your computer and a HDTV provided it has the appropriate connections and invite your long distance friends and family to do the same on their end. Set it up so that who ever is a guest at your barbecue can view or interact with others via Google Hangouts on the other end. Think video conference! Now you have 2 parties in one!!!




      I'd love to see some of your Digital Barbecue's in action!!! Send me a video or link to your event or feel free to share your experience in the comments!! Until then Happy 4th of July!

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