Disgruntled Enough with Apple to Move Back to the PC?

As our site focuses more on PC's using Windows or Linux, we haven't put much emphasis on Apple in the past. That will no doubt change at some point in the future though, but for now, we're content with simply talking about what's going on down there in Cupertino, whether it be a new product launch, or something else on the business side of things (good or bad).

I've made it no secret in the past that I'm not a big fan of Apple, and that really hasn't changed. I won't go through my personal reasons again here, but I will say that things have even rubbed me even worse lately, especially with regards to the entire App Store debacle of good applications being denied for no apparent reason. I'm not alone, and it seems like some actual pro-Apple fans are starting to become annoyed as well.

Jason Calacanis, the CEO of the human-powered search-engine, Mahalo, moved over to the Apple side six years ago, after being a devoted Microsoft fan for over 20 years. Since then, he's given over $20,000 to Apple, across his various computers and accessories. His loving relationship with Apple has apparently ended, due to how the company is handling things lately, and he's even looking back to Microsoft

This is a long blog post, but it's worth it if you want to see it from a rather unique perspective. Jason lists five specific reasons that pushed him over the edge, which include destroying MP3 player innovation through anti-competitive practices, monopolistic practices in telecommunications, and of course, the App Store policies.

Years and years after Microsoft’s antitrust headlines, Apple is now the anti-competitive monster that Jobs rallied us against in the infamous 1984 commercial. Steve Jobs is the oppressive man on the jumbotron and the Olympian carrying the hammer is the open-source movement. Steve Jobs is on the cusp of devolving from the visionary radical we all love to a sad, old hypocrite and control freak–a sellout of epic proportions.

Poor Passwords a Larger Threat than Malware?

What's your password? Of course, I don't want you to actually tell me, but just think about it. What's the password to your most data-sensitive web-services, like your e-mail account or bank account? If you were able to repeat your full password, or even picture it spelled out, instantly in your head, chances are it's a little too simple. And if it's simple, you aren't taking it too seriously, which is too bad, given it is serious.

A recently-posted article at Channel Insider takes a look at the password issue, and they say that weak passwords are so common, that their security risk eclipses that of a computer virus. That's a bold statement, but when you think about it, it's easy to understand why it could be true. Many people are adamant about running virus protection on their PC, along with ad-ware protection, but what about your passwords? All that protection will do you little good if your password is easily-crackable.

I know for a fact that this is indeed a problem, and it's rare to find anyone who actually cares about their password choice. In helping friends out with various things on their computers in the past, for which I've required a password, some of their choices simply appalled me. Some are so bad, that anyone with a brute-force cracker would be able to get into their account within seconds - assuming there were no additional security measures put into place.

You might be quick to say, "But it's just by e-mail... nothing is bad in there.", but that's not the point. The point is that your stuff should be private, and properly protected. Passwords like "hellokit88" are not at all secure. Passwords like "h3ll0k1t88!" are far more secure. To take things even further though, I'd personally recommend choosing a password between 12 - 16 characters long, which includes letters, numbers and special characters. I'll post a few more tips in the discussion thread below, to help you create one such password, so check it out and be secure!

During a security panel I conducted at Breakaway, one of my panelists said that one medical practice he serves recognized the need for strong password policies and required each user to have a strong, mixed alphanumeric password for different applications and resources. The only problem was that this led to “sunflowers,” or users—including the practice’s owner—adorning their monitors with Post-it notes with scribbled passwords.

AMD Releases Speed-Bumped Phenom II 965 BE

AMD has today launched their fastest-ever processor, the Phenom II 965 Black Edition, clocked at what's currently the highest stock-clocked frequency today: 3.40GHz. As you'd expect, the TDP would have to be high to reach this, and it is, at 140W TDP - bumped from the 125W of its predecessor, the 955, which we reviewed a couple of months ago.

As you could imagine, the latest chip is AMD's fastest, but it still doesn't manage to compete head-to-head with Intel's Core i7, but that's to be expected. Plus, in that comparison, there are noticeable price differences, so AMD is really trying to target the enthusiast who doesn't want to spend $500 on just a processor and motherboard, and they're doing a fair job of that.

Launching the processor at this time is no doubt a great idea, though, as Intel's Core i5 is released next month and threatens to steal whatever thunder AMD currently has right from underneath them. Like most newly-launched products though, especially processors, it's doubtful the pricing is going to be ideal from the get go, so AMD may enjoy longer success with the 965, because after all, pricing matters. Especially right now.

As you've probably noticed, our site hasn't been updated for a while, and it's due to a number of various factors I won't get into here. We have indeed received this processor from AMD, and hope to get an article up for it as soon as possible. Please bear with me... I have a lot to fix and straighten up around here.

Credit: The Tech Report

Although the X4 965's power requirements are on the extreme side, its pricing and performance are not. AMD tells us the 965 will list for $245, the same price rung that the 955 Black Edition occupied previously. That puts the 965 in more or less direct competition with the Core 2 Quad Q9550, which lists at $266 but is selling for as little as $220 at major online vendors like Newegg.

Tech Roundup - August 13, 2009

Motherboards & Processors
• AMD Phenom II 965 Black Edition - HotHardware
• AMD Phenom II 965 Black Edition - PC Perspective

Displays & Video Cards
• Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ LCD - Digital Trends
• Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW LCD - Tweaknews

Memory & Storage
• Corsair P64 Performance Series 64GB SSD - CCE Reviews
• G.Skill F3-12800CL8T-6GBHK 6GB- Overclockers Club

Peripherals & Gadgets
• Astone Media Gear AP-100 1080p Media Player - TweakTown
• Hiyatek HB 8700 USB Hub - Hi Tech Legion

Cooling
• Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler - Verdis Reviews
• NZXT Cryo S Laptop Cooler - Hi Tech Legion
• Thermaltake ISGC-400 CPU Cooler - Think Computers

Chassis & Power Supplies
• Azza Fantom 900 Mid-Tower Chassis - Pro-Clockers
• Ikonik Ra X10 SIM Aluminum Full Tower Chassis - Think Computers
• Patriot Corza Network Attached Storage - Benchmark Reviews
• Patriot Corza Network Attached Storage - ClubOC

Competitions, Complete Systems & Et cetera
• GlacialLight Factory Tour - How LED Lights are Made - PCSTATS