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June 20, 2017
Tech for Luddites Blogathon 2017
- Review: Amazfit Arc Wearable Activity Tracker
- https://techforluddites.com/pokemon-go-pokestops/
- Sharing: Microsoft Surface Laptop Review
- Reader Poll: Fidget Spinners, Yea or Nay?
- Three Tip Thursday: 06/15/17
- Tech Headlines: Week Ending June 16, 2017
- Windows 10: Change the Default Programs for Opening Files
- I Got Instahacked
- Poké-Monday: Exploring the Pokémon GO App
- Streaming Media Players: A Comparison Chart
T4L Contests
- Intex Inflatable Pool Giveaway at Amazon (U.S. account required)
- Blogathon Contest: Enter for a Chance to Win an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Fire Tablet, or Echo Dot
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June 6, 2017
Tech for Luddites Blogathon 2017
- Welcome to Blogathon 2017!
- Three Tip Thursday: 06/01/17
- Tech Headlines: Week Ending June 2, 2017
- Review: PopSockets Expandable Phone Grip
- Poké-Monday: The Basics of Pokémon GO
- Record Your Android Device Screen with AZ Screen Recorder App
Apple News (And Lack Thereof)
- The Apple TV News From WWDC Is Embarrassing On Multiple Levels (Forbes, 06/05/17)
- Apple’s HomePod Puts Siri in a Speaker (Wired, 06/05/17)
- The 8 biggest announcements from Apple WWDC 2017 (The Verge, 06/05/17)
Deal Alert
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May 23, 2017
WannaCrypt Ransomware
- Everything you need to know about the ‘WannaCrypt’ ransomware attack (PBS NewsHour, 05/16/17)
- Global Ransomware Attack ‘Accidentally’ Halted But It’s Probably Not Over (Gizmodo, 05/13/17)
- Customer Guidance for WannaCrypt attacks (Microsoft)
Amazon Products
- Echo Show (Amazon)
- Echo Look (Amazon)
- All-New Fire, Fire HD 8, and Kids Editions (Amazon)
- Amazon Fire Tablets: May 2017 Updates (T4L Post)
- Amazon Fire Tablets: Pros and Cons (T4L Post)
- Amazon Fire Tablets: Which One Is Right for You? (T4L Post)
- Amazon Fire Tablets: 4 Ways to Install Google Play Store Apps (T4L Post)
- Element Television, Fire TV Edition (Amazon)
Streaming Media
- Streaming without borders: EU rules to allow using online subscriptions abroad (European Parliament News, 05/017/17)
- Use ExpressVPN to Access TV Shows and Movies Not Available in Your Location (T4L Post)
- PBS made the cutest TV streaming stick probably ever (The Verge, 05/10/17)
T4L Blog Posts
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May 9, 2017
Microsoft
- Windows S operating system (Microsoft)
- New Surface laptop (Microsoft)
- Surface Laptop owners can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free this year (The Verge, 05/02/17)
- The Invoke Smart Speaker Brings Microsoft’s Cortana AI to Your Living Room (Wired, 05/08/17)
Amazon
- Echo Look (Amazon)
- Echo Show (Amazon)
- Great Deals on Amazon Devices for Mother’s Day (T4L Post)
Cutting the Cable Cord
- Hulu debuts $40-per-month live TV streaming service with over 50 channels (Ars Technica, 05/03/17)
- YouTube’s live TV streaming service goes live in five US cities for $35 per month (TechCrunch, 04/05/17)
Streaming Media
- It looks like Amazon’s Video app is finally coming to Apple TV this summer (Recode, 05/05/17)
- HBO shows will disappear from Amazon Prime next year (SlashGear, 05/04/17)
T4L Blog Posts
- The Facebook News Feed: How to (Sort of) Control What You See
- Automatically Move Gmail Messages from Promotions to Primary Tab
- What To Do If Your Wi-Fi Suddenly Stops Working
- Save Your Sanity—And Your Ear Drums—with a Different Type of Smoke Detector
- Kindle eBook Programs: Which One Is Best for You?
- How to Connect a Nintendo Wii to a Computer Monitor
- CBS All Access Streaming Service
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All Things Rando
Luddite Lounge Hiatus
No link, just a heads-up that there will be no new episodes of the show in February.
Google Maps Updates
- Google Maps Tells You How Crowded Restaurants Are in Real Time (Food & Wine)
- How To Find Parking With Google Maps, Because This Feature Will Save You A Headache (Bustle)
- Google Maps will now tell you how bad the parking is at your destination (TechCrunch)
Super Bowl Sunday
- How to watch Super Bowl LI, Patriots vs. Falcons: time, TV, streaming, odds (Fox Sports)
- How to watch all of the NFL playoff action and the Super Bowl without cable (TechHive)
- Fox Prepares for Record Super Bowl Live-Stream Audience (Sports Video Group)
- 2017 Super Bowl LI (Fox Sports)
- Kitten Bowl IV (Hallmark Channel)
- KittenCam (Hallmark Channel)
- 20 Super Bowl Party Must-Have Finger Food (The Million Dollar Mama)
- Gear Up for the Big Game (Amazon Alexa Deals)
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Two-Minute Warning
Microsoft Forcing Windows 10 Updates
- Why Microsoft forced Windows 10 upgrades last Friday (InfoWorld)
- Microsoft to retire original Windows 10 on March 26 (ComputerWorld)
- Microsoft sued for $10,000 after unwanted Windows 10 upgrade (Engadget)
- Dear Microsoft: Why You’ve Lost This Loyal Supporter (T4L Post)
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Five Five Tech
1. Google Maps + Uber
- New year, new look: ride services mode gets an update (Google blog)
2. Streaming Personal Videos
3. Prevent Browser Autofilling
- No link… Just type a space!
4. New Amazon Prime Benefits
5. Scam Alert!
- Md. Police Agencies Warn Of Paid Assassin Scam Text (CBS Baltimore)
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I Stream, You Stream
T4L Updates
How to set up an Amazon Fire TV streaming media player
How to set up a Roku streaming media player
Hulu’s Got Game
- Golden Girls deal (AdWeek)
- Disney deal (Streaming Observer)
- The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu website)
- Individual profiles (Engadget)
- Hulu Live TV Preview (Business Insider)
Music scene
- Streaming beats downloads (Reuters)
- Vinyl comeback (The Guardian)
- 2017 forecast (Fast Company)
Alexa rocks CES
- List of Alexa-enabled products (Fast Company)
The Recommendation
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Happy New Year, Luddites!
Topic Pages
Contest Alert!
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All Things Rando
Streaming Setup
Amazon Fire TV
Roku
Post-Holiday Posts
RIP Carrie Fisher
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Five Five Tech
1. Yahoo Hack
2. Twitter Live Streaming
Go live straight from Twitter. Watch this video to learn how. #GoLive pic.twitter.com/tk09VOdr4t
— Twitter Video (@video) December 15, 2016
3. Microsoft Cortana Tip
4. Updated T4L Posts
- Streaming Media Players and Content Around the World
- Record Streaming Videos with PlayOn
- Streaming Media: News, Views, and How-Tos
5. Stocking Stuffer Ideas
- Top Tech Stocking Stuffers (T4L Post)
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I Stream, You Stream
Chromecast + HBO NOW = WOW
Deal on Roku 1
Apple TV Tips and Tricks
- 17 hidden useful tricks and shortcuts for your new Apple TV (Business Insider)
Subscribe for Video Notifications
DirecTV Now
The Recommendation
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All Things Rando
Carving turkey like a boss
Twitter: Mute v Block
- Muting accounts on Twitter (Twitter Help Center)
- Blocking accounts on Twitter (Twitter Help Center)
Chromecast Identity Crisis
Netflix and Imbibe
- What to drink while streaming (VinePair)
The return of the Gilmore Girls!
=0
Shopping-Palooza
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Big Dealz
Tech for Luddites Online Shopping Guide
Find more deals and links to T4L posts with product reviews and money-saving tips. >>
Echo Dot Deals
- Save $20 when you buy 3 Dots with promo code: DOT3PACK
- Amazon Echo: What Is It and How Does It Work? (T4L Post)
- Why You Should Buy An Amazon Fire TV Stick or Echo Dot Before Black Friday (T4L Post)
Xbox One Bundle (Expires 11:59pm PST, November 20, 2016)
- Buy an Xbox One S 1TB Battlefield Console and get an Amazon-Exclusive Collector’s Edition ($129 value) included for free.
Offer expires 11:59pm PST, November 20, 2016. Select items only. While supplies last.
Amazon Prime Membership
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Five Five Tech
1. Google Maps Updates
- New features coming soon (Android Police)
- Google to Retire Map Maker, Migrate Features to Google Maps (Search Engine Journal)
- Google Maps Brings Back Split-Screen Street View (T4L Post)
2. The Luddite Lounge (and other podcasts…) on the Amazon Echo
- How to Listen to Podcasts on the Amazon Echo (T4L Post)
3. Tips Galore
4. High-Def NASA
- NASA’s gallery of Ultra HD videos
- TV tech terms (T4L Post)
(NASA website)
5. Yaaaaayyy!
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I Stream, You Stream
New streaming service for cinephiles
SHOWTIME shows Canada some love
- CraveTV to air SHOWTIME first-run programming (Bell Media press release)
Facebook video casting
- A new way to watch videos from Facebook on your TV (Facebook blog post)
Amazon Music Unlimited
- New streaming music service with discounted pricing for Prime members and Echo owners (Amazon website)
The Recommendation
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Five Five Tech
1. Contest Alert!
Until December 18, 2016, for every tech tip you submit through the online form, your name will be entered into a weekly drawing for a chance to win a $25 gift card from Amazon. Woo-hoo!
2. Chromecast Changes
- Google Cast Is Now Built Into Chrome (Chrome Blog)
- Chromecast Setup Changes: Today Google Cast Becomes Google Home (Chrome Unboxed)
- Google Chromecast: What Is It and How Does It Work? (T4L Blog)
3. Google Maps Updates
- Google Maps for iOS updated with food delivery service integration, plus codes, more (9 to 5 Mac)
- Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum Actually Appears on Google Maps (Nerdist)
4. Streaming SHOWTIME in the Great White North
- Showtime Streaming Service Comes to Canada (The Hollywood Reporter)
- SHOWTIME Website
- CraveTV Website
- SHOWTIME Add-On Subscription for Amazon Video
- SHOWTIME Add-On Subscription for Hulu
5. Unlimited Screaming with Amazon Prime Video
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All Things Rando
Recently Updated Posts on Tech for Luddites
- Twitter or Hootsuite: Which Is the Better Twitter Client?
- Stop the Email Threading Madness
- The Benefits of Amazon Prime
- Streaming Media Section
New Blog Posts
T4L Videos
Hulu Deal
- Save $2/month on the Limited Commercials subscription for 1 year
- Comparing Netflix, Amazon Video, and Hulu Streaming Video Providers (T4L post)
Amazon Fire TV Stick Deal
- Buy the new Fire TV Stick player and activate it by October 31 to get up to $65 in digital content bonuses.
- Learn more about the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
(T4L post)
Contest Alerts!
- Kids up to eight grade can win big in the Spellebrity Video Contest sponsored by the Scripps National Spelling Bee and Kindle.
- Heads up: New T4L contest coming soon! Subscribe to a T4L mailing to get alerted first.
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Five Five Tech
1. Windows 10 Upgrade Causes Battery Charging Problem
If you’re seeing an alert that your computer is plugged in but not charging, here are a couple of potential fixes.
2. Apple iOS Email Goes Haywire
If you upgraded to iOS 10 and now your email is impossible to follow, it’s probably because of some new Threading options. Go to Settings > Mail > Threading to change them to what you want.
- Learn more and see screenshots (T4L post)
3. Gmail Threading on Mobile Devices
You can’t unthread in the Gmail app, but you may be able to by adding your Gmail account to the default iOS or Android email app.
4. Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon’s new unlimited music streaming service gives discounts to Amazon Prime members and owners of Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Amazon Tap devices.
- Sign Up for a 30-Day Free Trial (Amazon website)
- Learn more about Amazon Music Unlimited (T4L Post)
- The benefits of Amazon Prime (T4L Post)
- Learn about the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Amazon Tap (T4L Post)
5. Galaxy Note Owners: Return It to Samsung to Get Credits Off Your Phone Bill
- Instructions and terms and conditions. (Samsung website)
- Samsung is offering Note 7 owners up to $100 credit to return their phones (The Verge)
- While I’ll never buy an ASUS computer again (T4L post)
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]]>
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I Stream, You Stream
T4L adding new streaming-focused newsletter
The TV players
- New models 2016: Fire TV Stick, 5 new Rokus, Chromecast Ultra (T4L)
- Apple bucks the new streamer trend and discontinues third-generation box (Ars Technica)
The audio players
- Amazon Echo Updates, September 2016: New Dot, New Colors, New Countries (T4L)
- Amazon Echo: What Is It and How Does It Work? (T4L)
- Video demo: Amazon Echo v Amazon Tap (T4L YouTube)
- Google enters the game with Google Home (Engadget)
The Recommendation
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Five Five Tech
1. The Blogathon Is (Almost) Done!
2. Contest Redux
My first Amazon Giveaway didn’t go as planned but there will be more to come. To be alerted to upcoming contests and other special announcements, enter your email address and click the button below:
3. Windows 10 Free Upgrade Deadline
The free offer expires July 29, 2016.
- The end is near: Say goodbye to the Windows 10 free upgrade (Tech Republic, 06/23/16)
- Learn more about Windows 10
- Windows 10 FAQ
4. Facebook Video Comments
- New: Videos in Comments! (Facebook Notes: Bob Baldwin, 06/09/16)
5. Save on Certified Pre-Owned Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5 Smartphones at Gazelle
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]]>
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I Stream, You Stream
ThePlayers
Amazon Fire TV
- Fathers Day promotion: $15 Off Fire TV Box, Fire TV Gaming Edition, Fire TV + HD Antenna Bundle
- Software update notes
- Share your favorite tech tip on Tech for Luddites and enter for a chance to win!
Roku
- Father’s Day promotion: $10 off Roku Streaming Stick
Apple TV
- Sling TV deal: Sign up for 3 months, get $60 off 32GB Apple TV
Google Chromecast
- Chromecast outsells Apple TV (Business Insider)
The Content
- Sling TV offers new bundle of channels
- YouTube Red limited-time deal: Get 3 months of ad-free videos for 99 cents
The Recommendation
- The Americans on FX
- FX Now app
- Display mirroring post on T4L
- Buy The Americans on Amazon
- Learn about Amazon Prime
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Five Five Tech
1. The Blogathon Is (Almost) Here!
Follow along here:
2. Share Your Favourite Tech Tip and Enter to Win a Super Cool Prize!
- Find the full contest rules at techforluddites.com/sharetips.
3. Amazon Fire Tablets
A 3-part T4L series.
- Amazon Fire Tablets: The Good, The Bad, and the “Why, Amazon… Why?”
- Amazon Fire Tablets: Making Sense of the Multiple Models
- Amazon Fire Tablets: 4 Ways to Install Non-Amazon Android Apps
4. Facebook Ads
Three experts to learn from.
Upcoming FREE webinars.
- Facebook Ads Made Simple (Kimra Luna)
- How I’m Using Facebook VIDEO to Lower Ad Spend & Increase My Conversions! (James Wedmore)
5. They’re 3D Printing What…?
I am just in awe of this technology!
]]>Listen to the Podcast
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Five Five Tech
1. Twitter Contacts
Find folks to follow.
- About the Connect tab (Twitter Support)
- Twitter’s new ‘Connect’ tab makes it easier to find accounts to follow (The Next Web)
Here are screenshots showing where to access the new “tab.” NOTE: After recording the episode, I discovered that the Android app could show an icon in the navigation bar OR have a text link in the dropdown menu.
iOS
Android: Nav Bar
Android: Dropdown Menu
2. New ways to post to Facebook as your FB Page
Thanks to T4L reader Kat for the infoshare!
NOTE: I’m linking to the SocialMediaToday site how-to to get the information out. I’ll update here when I’ve updated the T4L post.
3. “Cortana: Tell Microsoft to just stop it.”
No more using voice assistance with Chrome, Firefox, Google, or any other non-MS site.
- Microsoft upgraded users to Windows 10 without their OK (InfoWorld)
- This simple app will block Microsoft from downloading Windows 10 on your PC (Business Insider)
- Windows 10 forced update KB 3135173 changes browser and other defaults (InfoWorld)
- Microsoft Bans Google from Connecting to Key Windows 10 Feature (Softpedia)
- Windows 10: A T4L Special Section
4. Modern Tech meets Ancient Greece
Cool mapping features for the Rio Summer Games.
- Google Maps takes you inside Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic venues (Engadget)
- Apple Maps Gets Public Transit Directions For Rio de Janeiro Ahead Of Olympics (UberGizmo)
- Online Mapping: A T4L Special Section
5. Deals galore on Amazon devices
Because your Mom’s worth it.
- Find deals on Amazon e-readers, tablets, and streaming media players
- Need fast shipping? Check out Amazon Prime!
- Amazon Fire TV: What Is It and How Do You Use It (Tech for Luddites)
- Amazon Fire Tablets: The Good, The Bad, and the “Why, Amazon… Why?” (Tech for Luddites)
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Five Five Tech
1. Future of Firefox
Changing to Chrome style?! Booo… But yay for tips!
- Firefox’s future is more Chrome-like than you’d imagine (Digital Trends)
- 7 Firefox shortcuts you should start using right away (CNET)
2. Upcoming Kindle Will Keep Going and Going and Going…
Amazon brings amazing battery capacity to upcoming e-reader release.
Update 04/13/16: The new Kindle Oasis has been announced and will begin shipping on April 27, 2016. Learn more at amazon.com.
Heads up readers – all-new, top of the line Kindle almost ready. 8th generation. Details next week.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 4, 2016
- Amazon’s new Kindle Oasis has leaked: cool battery case, but not waterproof (The Verge)
- Kindle Department at Amazon
3. Heads Up
Got questions about Kindle Fire tablets (or tablets in general)? Post them in the comments and I’ll try to answer them in upcoming T4L series.
4. Facebook Live Videos
Service adds new features.
5. HBO NOW Promo from Verizon Wireless
Get the streaming service for free for three months when you purchase or upgrade to a qualifying phone/plan.
- Enjoy 3-months of HBO NOW in exclusive offer from Verizon Wireless
- Get Cash Back for Shopping Online with Ebates
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]]>
In this episode of The Luddite Lounge, I’m very excited to chat with Leah Ingram from suddenlyfrugal.com about ways to save money over the holidays—and all year round!
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Meet Leah
Suddenly Frugal Books on Amazon
Note that the Suddenly Frugal audiobook was updated in 2014 with lots of new content. Don’t have Audible? Sign up for a 30-day free trial and then you can listen to the book right after this podcast! 
- Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier and Healthier for Less
- Suddenly Frugal Audio Book (updated in 2014 with new content)
- Toss, Keep, Sell!: The Suddenly Frugal Guide to Cleaning Out the Clutter and Cashing In
Follow Leah
Links Related to the Topics Discussed in the Show
- Black Friday Ads: A compilation of deals you’ll find this year.
- PriceZombie: A price tracker to help you find the best deals.
- Ebates: Get cash back when shopping at your favorite online stores.
- Raise: Great discounts on gift cards for popular retailers.
- Coupons.com and RedPlum.com: Two great sources for coupons for in-store and online shopping.
- Coinstar Kiosks: Convert your loose change into gift cards or charitable donations with no commission fee.
- Gazelle: Trade in your cellphone, tablet, or Mac computer for cash.
- Amazon Trade-in Program: Receive an Amazon Gift Card in exchange for hundreds of thousands of eligible items including phones, electronics, video games, books, DVDs, and CDs
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Five Five Tech
1. Streaming Media Player Updates on Tech for Luddites
A printable comparison chart and video demos!
2. Google Stuff
Maps brings back some Classic features, podcasts are coming to Google Play Music, and a revamped Google Plus. (Seriously, Google???)
- Podcasters, welcome to Google Play Music (Android Official Blog)
- Google Gives Social Another Shot With Revamped Google+ (PC Mag)
3. Facebook Tech Tip
How to share videos outside of Facebook.
- Baby Animals Learning to Walk (The Dodo’s Facebook Page… You’re welcome.)
4. Windows 10 Default Mail App
A recent software upgrade finally lets you unthread messages in the Inbox… Yay!
5. Lego Slippers
Fingers crossed they produce more than the original limited run.
- Lego’s anti-Lego slippers have extra foot padding for protection (CNET)
- Submit your wishlist to Lego France’s website for a chance to win the slippers
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I Stream, You Stream
1. Updated Streaming Media Posts on Tech for Luddites
The following posts have all been updated with information about the new and upgraded players from Amazon, Roku, Apple, and Google.
- Amazon Fire TV: What Is It and How Do You Use It?
- Roku: What Is It and How Do You Use It?
- Apple TV: What Is It and How Do You Use It?
- Google Chromecast: What Is It and How Do You Use It?
- Streaming Media Player Comparison Chart
- Which Streaming Media Player Is Right for You?
2. The Big Four Players Are Available to Buy or Pre-Order
The Chromecast and Roku 4 are in stores now. The Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV will be available soon.
- Buy the Chromecast at the Google Store (all colors), Best Buy, and Target (black only)
- Buy the Roku 4 at Roku or Amazon
- Pre-order the Apple TV at Apple or MacMall (64GB, 32GB)
- Pre-order the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick with Voice Remote at Amazon
Related stories:
- First Apple TV apps and games unveiled as developers prepare for tvOS App Store launch (9to5 Mac)
- Software update 5.0.3 for Fire TV 2 squashes more bugs but not all (AFTVnews)
3. Streaming Video Recommendation
- Now available to stream from Amazon Video, Netflix, and Vudu
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Related Info
State of the Podcast (00:48)
The Luddite Lounge has gotten off to a slow start, but I’m optimistic it will keep going—and growing. And you can help!
- Rate and review The Luddite Lounge on iTunes.
- Share The Luddite Lounge on Facebook and Twitter.
Tech for Luddites Updates (05:04)
I’m in the process of updating streaming media player information to include new models that have been announced this fall.
Once all those posts have been updated, I want to put together some more Windows 10 how-to videos. In the meantime, check out the existing videos on T4L.
Someone Needs to Explain to Me: Why Does Anyone Use Gmail? (06:00)
A new segment I’m trying out. If you like it, let me know in the comments below. And also feel free to Explain It To Me!
- Stop the Email Threading Madness (T4L Post)
Featured Topic: 7 Tips for Being a Better Tech Support Customer (10:05)
What you do when you call tech support can make a difference to what kind of help you get.
Tech Tip: Do You Need a Streaming Media Player If You Have a Smart TV? (15:26)
A question that’s come up a few times recently on the blog. Find the answers to more questions in the T4L special section.
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Tech for Luddites Listen to the Podcast
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Five Five Tech
1. Roku 4 Completes the Big Four Announcements
Finally, Roku announces its latest model, with 4K support, faster speeds, a remote finder and more!
2. Twitter Moments
A new Twitter feature brings curated tweets to users. Available in the U.S. to start.
New! Find the best of Twitter in an instant with Moments: https://t.co/QAKGUSVBbT pic.twitter.com/KAjfkysVKC
— Twitter (@twitter) October 6, 2015
3. Podcast Recommendation
I’m really enjoying The Vergecast weekly show, available as a video or audio podcast.
4. Tech Tip for Your Browser
Zoom in: Ctrl + + Sign
Zoom out: Ctrl + – Sign
Default zoom: Ctrl + 0
5. Introducing The Luddite Lounge’s Tipline!
Submit an audio tech tip and if I use it in a show, your name will go into that month’s drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card!
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]]>
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Five Five Tech
1. Roku Rumored, Chromecast Confirmed
In episode 4 of The Lounge, I interviewed Ryan Downey from The Streaming Advisor. During the interview, we discussed the lack of any “real” information to support the rumors of a possible upcoming Roku release. Mere hours after we finished the interview, the evidence suddenly appeared. So while it still hasn’t officially been announced, we have good reason to think a Roku 4 is on the near horizon.
Fortunately, this time I got lucky with the new Google Chromecast, which actually was announced just a few hours ago. So with the recent announcements about the Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, we’re now looking at all of The Big Four streaming media players having new models before the holidays. Woo-hoo!
- Roku 4 Just Days Away (Zatz Not Funny)
- First Image of Unreleased Roku 4 (AFTV News)
- Google’s new Chromecast has a new look, catches up to modern Wi-Fi standards (The Verge)
- The Streaming Advisor website
2. Secure Your TVs
A new report from the University of Toronto says that from 2008 to 2010 more than 19,000 children suffered from serious head and neck injuries from TVs falling on them.
and 3. If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be a Facebook Hoax
No, Facebook isn’t charging users to keep posts private and no, pasting a privacy notice as a status update won’t do a thing for you.
While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today. Facebook is free and it…
Posted by Facebook on Monday, September 28, 2015
4. Apple Does Good
In both senses of the word: They had a phenomenal first weekend of iPhone 6S sales AND they’re making their privacy policies clearer. Wait, what…?
- Apple Announces Record iPhone 6s & iPhone 6s Plus Sales (Apple Press Release)
- Apple Blows Up The Concept Of A Privacy Policy (TechCrunch)
- Apple Privacy page
5. There’s Water. On Mars.
How cool is that?!!!
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Well, it didn’t take long for me to change my mind about limiting my longer episodes to 30 minutes :), but this one’s totally worth it. I’m so excited to have Ryan Downey, aka The Streaming Advisor, as my first guest on the Lounge. Ryan writes extensively about all things streaming and today he’s sharing his insights on recent and potentially upcoming announcements on updates to the Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast and Roku streaming media players.
Note: Another first for this episode was me recording a Skype conversation. And even though I did some tests before the interview, the quality of the recording isn’t perfect. 
You can totally understand everything but I will be working on improving the quality next time.
Note 2: Mere hours after recording the interview, a whole bunch of stories came out with new evidence for a Roku 4 coming out soon. That’s life in the podcast lane, I guess…
Listen to the Podcast
Download full transcript (PDF).
Links Related to the Topics Discussed in the Show
Apple TV
The new Apple TV features a new touchscreen remote, Siri integration, and a dedicated app store, which will now let you play games through the device.
- Apple TV Website
- This is why the new Apple TV is bigger than the last generation (9to5 Mac)
- Apple TV: What Is It and How Do You Use It? (Tech for Luddites)
Amazon Fire TV
The Fire TV’s updates include support for 4K video, integration with Alexa (Amazon’s voice assistant), MayDay support services, and a voice remote option for the stick version of the player.
- Amazon Fire TV website
- The New Amazon Fire TV Does 4K and Voice Commands For Just $100 (Gizmodo)
- Amazon Fire TV: What Is It and How Do You Use It? (Tech for Luddites)
Google Chromecast
Google is having an event on Wednesday, September 30th and we’re expecting this is where they’ll announce the next version of the Chromecast. Not a lot is known yet about what improvements it will have over the current version, although I’ve got my fingers crossed for better Wi-Fi connections.
- Google Chromecast website
- New Google Chromecast may debut this month, report says (CNET)
- Google Chromecast: What Is It and How Do You Use It? (Tech for Luddites)
Roku
While there’s a lot of chatter about a new Roku coming out before the end of the year, we’re still lacking any specific news.
- Roku website
- Is a Roku 4 with 4K coming this way? (Engadget)
- Roku: What Is It and How Do You Use It? (Tech for Luddites)
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Tech for Luddites I originally said Five Five Tech episodes would have five news stories in five minutes. But I’m changing it to five items in minutes, so they won’t all be news stories.
Listen to the Podcast
Download full transcript (PDF).
Five Five Tech
1. (Amazon) Primed and Ready
After the Amazon Web Services outage last Sunday morning, Amazon bounced back by winning five Emmy awards that night. Congratulations to Amazon and thanks in advance, as they’re celebrating the win by having a one-day sale on new Amazon Prime memberships on Friday, September 25th!
- How Amazon Web Services Crashed and Rose Again (ZDNet)
- The High Cost of an Amazon Outage (BuzzFeed)
- Amazon Prime page
2. Washington Post on Facebook
The newspaper has announced that they will be publishing 100% of their articles on Facebook’s Instant Article service.
3. Facebook Changes Something Again
Don’t want all your friends to know every time you add a new friend on Facebook? Too bad, so sad.
- Facebook Makes Changes to Hiding Your Friending Activity (Tech for Luddites)
4. Google Maps Changes Something Again
It’s a small change that looks worse than it is.
- New Controls on Old Google Maps (Tech for Luddites)
- Online Mapping section (Tech for Luddites)
5. Preview of Next Lounge Episode
A lot is happening in the streaming media space so the next episode of The Luddite Lounge will include an interview with Ryan Downey from The Streaming Advisor. Woo-hoo!
- Google sets September 29 event, teasing ‘new treats’ (CNET)
- The Streaming Advisor website
- Google Chromecast: What Is It and How Do You Use It? (Tech for Luddites)
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In my first attempt at doing a Five Five Tech segment (five news stories in five minutes) as part of Episode 0, I had to do a fair bit of editing to get it down to 5 minutes. But this time, when you take out the intro and outro, I’m much closer to 4 minutes than 5! Better shorter than longer, but still… I’m sure I’ll get better at coming in close to 5:00 as I do more of these. And with that out of the way…
Listen to the Podcast
Download full transcript (PDF).
Five Five Tech
1. Amazon Announcements
Amazon has announced new versions of its Kindle Fire tablets and Kindle Fire TV streaming media player. The new products are available for pre-order and will begin shipping in October 2015. Something I didn’t catch before I did the recording is that the new Fire TV Stick
at no extra cost! UPDATE: You can still get a new Fire TV Stick with a standard remote for $39, but it’s $49 with the voice remote. That’s still less expensive than it was when you had to buy the Fire TV voice remote on its own for $29.99 though.
- Kindle Fire Tablets
- Amazon Fire TV streaming media players
- The 12 most unexpectedly interesting things about Amazon’s new tablets and Fire TV (Fast Company)
2. Google Does Good
Google is matching donations 1:1 (up to €5 million) to organizations working to assist refugees in Europe. As I’m writing this, they haven’t quite reached their goal yet, so you can still donate and see your contribution doubled. (Google is also covering all processing costs.)
3. The Ig Nobel Awards!
I love these so much.
- The 25th First Annual Ig® Nobel Prize Ceremony & Lectures (Improbable Research)
- Ig Nobel Prizes Mark a Quarter Century of Irreverent Science Humor (Scientific American)
- Ig Nobel Winner Confirms Five-Second Rule (The Tech, MIT, 2004)
4. Technology Meets History
Freedom petitions filed by African Americans in the late 18th/early 19th century are now available online.
- O Say Can You See Website
- Search results for “petitions”
- This website has indexed the freedom petitions of hundreds of DC slaves (Technical.ly DC)
5. Like.
Facebook is working on a (sort of) Dislike button.
- Here’s exactly what Mark Zuckerberg said about the ‘dislike’ button (Mashable)
- Four highlights from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Q&A (Forbes)
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Today’s episode includes some techy news, a story and thoughts about losing work, a tech tip about Gmail, and a movie recommendation. Enjoy!
Listen to the Podcast
Download full transcript (PDF).
Tech News
New Apple TV coming in October
I’ll be doing a separate show about streaming in the next week or so, so will delve into more details then. In the meantime, there’s a boatload of stories online about what the update includes—and what it doesn’t.
Microsoft downloads Windows 10 files to your PC whether you want them or not
So. Wrong.
- Microsoft pushes Windows 10 upgrade to PCs without user consent (Computerworld)
- How to Stop Windows 7 or 8 from Downloading Windows 10 Automatically (How-To Geek)
- How to delete Microsoft’s unwanted Windows 10 download files (ExtremeTech)
New options for blocking ads on mobile devices
Just remember: Ads are the way many blogs—like, say, Tech for Luddites—can afford to deliver great content. So wield your power wisely!
Corrections: In the podcast, I keep referring to the product name as Adblocker when, in fact, it’s called Adblock Plus. I also said that iOS 9 has a built-in ad blocker. It doesn’t. It just lets app developers create ad-blocking software for the mobile Safari browser.
- Apple’s Support of Ad Blocking May Upend How the Web Works (Wired)
- Adblock Plus announcement
- Get Adblock Plus for iOS
- Get Adblock Plus for Android
Preventing and Recovering from Losing Work
Highlights:
- It happens to everybody
- Try not to panic (easier said than done, I know!)
- There are back-up options that aren’t too arduous
Screenshot of Microsoft Word Autosave options:
- How to back up a Windows PC or laptop for free (PC Advisor)
If you’ve got ideas about preventing or or recovering from data loss, share it in an audio message and you may hear yourself in a future episode of The Luddite Lounge!
Tech Tip: Sorting Your Gmail Inbox
If your Gmail is sending new messages to the bottom of your Inbox, you can reverse the sort order by mousing over the text that displays how many messages are showing on the screen.
Movie Recommendation: The Imitation Game
- Alan Turing: The Enigma (Website maintained by Turing’s biographer)
- Joan Clarke, woman who cracked Enigma cyphers with Alan Turing (BBC)
- Get the Imitation Game at Amazon
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Since this is my first ever podcast, I’m keeping things pretty simple. Here’s what you’ll find in Episode 0, with related links along the way. Please add suggestions for what else you’d like to hear/see in the show and the notes in the comments below.
You can also leave me an audio message that I may include on a future episode!
Listen to the Podcast
Download full transcript (PDF).
Welcome to the Luddite Lounge!
Me explaining why I’m not exactly sure how this show is going to work.
Five Five Tech
Five topics in five minutes! A test run of a short segment I’ll be producing as standalone episodes in the future.
1. Watch Netflix with people in other places
2. Instagram adds new features
3. Baby monitors vulnerable to hackers
4. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer expecting twins!
5. Shakespeare Star Wars sonnet generator
Based on the William Shakespeare Star Wars series by Ian Doescher.
- Be a poet with William Shakespeare’s Star Wars Sonnet Generator (CNET)
- Create your own sonnet
And here’s mine own! (Click for for full-sized version.)
- Learn about the BB-8 Droid toy and the Millenium Falcon drone
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