TechByter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) with Bill Blinn

Improvements in Excel 2013, a part of the Microsoft Office Suite. Will your applications work with Windows 8? When things go wrong. In Short Circuits: The end of Newsweek and the beginning. Microsoft reports Windows 8 sales figures (Surprise!). Iran blamed for ongoing attacks on US banks. Google's Eric Schmidt calls for open Internet access in North Korea.

How you can have a SaaSsy new year, if you want one. A look at the upcoming version of Microsoft Word. It's a new year but TechByter looks about the same on the surface. In Short Circuits: If you think antivirus software makes you safe, you have another think coming. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt heads for North Korea. And when Amazon catches a cold, Netflix sneezes.

Raspberry Pi soundls like a good idea for 2013. So really ... what's to like about Windows 8? In Short Circuits: Big trouble for Marvell Technologies. Does Instagram employ either an attorney or a public relations professional? One highlight of 2012: George Takei.

If you're planning to buy a new computer, it may come with crapware but you can remove it. Pixels, long the stuff of which digital photos are made, may be on the way out. The FCC moves to modernize the RF spectrum. Another week, another bunch of changes from Adobe. And in Short Circuits: Why do some tech journalists think we're too stupid to use Windows 8? Redbox plans to challenge Netflix. And li...

Everything but the Facebook photo-sync. Computers may kill jobs but they also create jobs. Some things never change (like Linux usage). And in Short Circuits: A bit of a security leak in Switzerland, something you use has just turned 20, and the man who invented the clean room has died.

Are you wondering how to get to Windows 8 from where you are? The tale of an upgrade - making Windows 8 my own. Batting Outlook out of the park. In Short Circuits: Would the latest Facebook fraud fool you? "Petraeus" has become a descriptive noun. Microsoft is excited about tablets and phones but won't talk about sales figures. And some members of the United Nations would like to censor the Intern...

Creating a well edited video isn't as hard as you may think. Some IT managers and business owners say they'll take a pass on Windows 8. I'm betting they'll be forced to change their minds. This was a fun week for frauds that arrived as spams and you'll be surprised by the ploys that some people fall for. In Short Circuits ... Windows head Steven Sinofsky is out at Microsoft. A free online course m...

Passwords are all that stand between you and thieves. Let's figure out how to create strong passwords. How to be your own domain. This is information you need when you tire of having an AOL or Gmail address. Have you turned 64 yet? No, I mean like 64-bit computing. In Short Circuits: There's not much to say about electronics during the recent election but things could be better. Disk drive prices...

Microsoft Office 2013 will offer lots of new features, your thumb drive could turn out to be trouble if you're not careful, a repeat of the Y2K problem is coming, and in Short Circuits: A quick look at electronic voting machines, Microsoft tries to spin windows 8 sales, and holiday buyers who use PayPal will receive price protection.

How much do you have to pay to keep your computers free of malware? The surprise story of the week: Windows 8 arrives. In Short Circuits ... Is a Surface on your shopping list yet? Where's my train? The Metropolitan Transit Authority has an app for that.

It's almost Halloween and maybe you're thinking about buying a new computer before the end of the year. If you've ever tried to figure out how to use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop or Photoshop Elements together, I have good news. A surprising number of websites are unsafe but a Swiss agency says there's a solution. And in Short Circuits ... Are you ready for Office 2013? The digitizing of America...

This week, it's all about security. Well, for the most part anyway. "lol is this your new profile pic?" Have you see that message? Smart phones are now a new malware vector. If you download free software, you may may get more than you wanted. And in Short Circuits: PC sales drop in 2012 but not by much, HP falls out of first place, and who are all these people and why are they endorsing me?

The number of security threats on the Internet continues to grow and the fradsters are getting better. Newspapers are changing rapidly. New technology gives us more ways to receive news but will we pay for it? In Short Circuits, the White House security system has defeated a cyber attack. Microsoft settles a fraud case against a Chinese buisinessman, and Adobe continues to release updates at a rap...

Adobe adds more high-end features to its Elements packages. It's possible to learn just about anything online and sometimes for free. It Short Circuits ... IGoogle is going away but I think I've found a good replacement. California becomes the third state to approve driverless cars (with conditions). Windows 8 will be out in less than a month and manufacturers are beginning to show their wares.

The future is approaching and you're going to have more PC choices. Political wonks can enjoy a new Congressional search engine. If you're still using Internet Explorer, I have a question for you. In Short Circuits ... Adobe's Creative Cloud is more popular than expected, LG steps away from the Window(s Phone), and blowing Google off the map.

The latest version of PC Magazine's TaskPower is an improvement that still needs some work. I'll share with you some quick and easy ways to improve your Wi-Fi network. If you like free music, you'll want to check out MusOpen. And in Short Circuits: It wasn't Anonymous but a technical problem that took down GoDaddy, Amazon back-peddles and says you can pay to remove ads from the latest Kindles, And...

Some people have backups for their backups and that's a good plan if you don't want to lose important files. Adobe has just released some release candidate and update files for several applications. In Short Cicuits, Facebook stock takes an upward turn as the Instagram acquisition finalizes, Microsoft won't miss the cloud as it initially missed networking, Oracle owes Google $1 million, and Amazon...

The latest version of InDesign offers only a few new features but they're ones you'll want. Speeding your slow computer: This week, we use the big guns. A security problem in Oracle's Java puts just about every computer in the world at risk. In Short Circuits: Samsung beats Nokia in announcing a Windows Phone 8. The latest version of Firefox finally eliminates a big annoyance. And Monday was the d...

Last week I explained how I upgraded a Windows 7 notebook computer to Windows 8 so this week I'll explain why it didn't work out so well. Part 3 of the series on how to speed up a slow computer considers the addition of a solid-state drive and suggests checking power settings. In Short Circuits: Postini is going away (or, more accurately, being absorbed). Fifth graders in 1995 predicted how the In...

Why do scammers say they're from Nigeria? Wouldn't it be better to claim you're from New Jersey? How to speed up a slow computer (part 2). In Short Circuits: New software can idenfity the source of viruses and rumors. The release version of Windows 8 is now available for TechNet members. Flash says adios to Android. If you could crack Google's Chrome browser, you could take home as much as $60,000...

Microsft offers a webmail application that actually works. How to speed up a slow computer (part 1). IBM offers a THINK download for your tablet or Computer. And in Short Circuits: Google pays small fine to close privacy case. Does Microsoft have Surface II in the works? Curiosity: From Earth to Mars, one minute late.

Microsoft Office 2013 is only at the Consumer Preview stage but already some people say they hate it. Why? Editing video in Photoshop isn't new but the CS6 version makes it a real contender. In Short Circuits: Sony continues to limp. Facebook's valuation drops more. Crooks who run "poker" sites discover justice. And Windows 8 is released to manufacturing.

Some tips for dealing with smarter and more dangerous spear phishing. Apple's Mountain Lion beats Microsoft to the finish line. In Short Circuits, Number 2 (that would be Microsoft in this case) must try harder, Kansas City wins Google's big prize, and it was a dark and stormy night.

Microsoft Haters Score a Two-Fer; with upcoming releases of Windows and Office they can vent twice as much. After the latest disaster at Yahoo, I have to wonder why anyone still uses the e-mail produce. In Short Circuits, Yahoo has CEO #3 within a year. MSNBC becomes just NBC News and partners with Facebook for the Olympics. The European Union is once again on Microsoft's case. And Apple has been...

Adobe Audition CS6: I Think I'm in Love! Dwolla Isn't Exactly PayPal (or Your Bank) But That's OK. In Short Circuits: Room Service. Would You Like Some Malware with Your Room? Four Months and Counting. Ubuntu Linux Seemed Like Such a Good Idea. And ... A Personal Message from "God Allah"!