Techbyter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) With Bill Blinn

All of the "mainstream media" seem to have discovered "cyber war" about 10 years too late. There's a new version of Eudora, the classic e-mail program, but it looks a lot like Thunderebird. Now that I own a Kindle, I've started thinking (again) about the lunacy of digital rights management (DRM). In Short Circuits, AOL buys TechCrunch and Microsoft's Patch Tuesday hits another all-time high.

Adobe Lightroom will please everyone except the phony purists; I want to love the Kindle, but can't; in Short Circuits, it's clear the electronic readers are catching on and I'd like to share a parody of "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock".

Wi-Fi hotspots are useful but dangerous. There's a way to eliminate the danger. I'll share with you some amusing sites I've recently found. Be careful when your firewall issues a warning. In Short Circuits, PARC is 40 and a British teen plans a big party.

If you're meeting someone at the airport, you want to know when they'll be arriving and the Internet can help. This week we have part 2 of the InDesign interview with Her Geekiness Ann-Marie Conception. In Short Circuits, Google makes searches faster and Symantec makes outrageous claims.

Adobe InDesign CS5 blows my mind and I call on Ann-Marie Concepcion to rescue me. Why you should replace your Internet service provider's DNS service. In Short Circuits, the FCC needs help, HP pays a fine without admitting guilt, and Google: Good or bad?

Online suites continue to improve. Have you looked at Zoho lately? Before you sell a used computer, donate it, or give it away, you should scrub the disk drive of your personal information. According to the spams this week, many well known people died. Because USB devices are so handy, they are increasingly used as vectors for malware.

If you have multiple G-mail accounts, now you can monitor all of them in a single browser session. Does your computer need a new fan? Instead of meantime between failures, manufacturers are now talking about AFRs. In Short Circuits, Intel goes for anti-virus, Google retreats in Germany, Network Solutions serves problems, and a new Nikon SLR does video.

I like text editors and prefer them to word processors for some types of writing. This week I'll show you several free text editors. I've also been rethinking my backup strategy and believe that I've come up with a better system. In Short Circuits, Neflix expands streaming video and Google is accused of turing evil.

Because my office computer took too much time to start all of the applications I need, I made it start more slowly so that I can start using it sooner! I'd like to tell you about some free software and where you can get it. Intel says it will stop doing the things the company has denied it's been doing. In Short Circuits, a Kindle spurned and AOL continues to shrink.

Alien Skin's Exposure 3 takes the digital out of digital photography and gives you the look of film. University of the People confers knowledge but no diplomas. Chrome surprises me with add-ons. In Short Circuits, the creator of a nasty botnet is in jail and I'm beginning to think seriously about the Kindle.

If the desktop on your computer is cluttered, you can solve the problem with extra monitors. But if you don't have room for more monitors, try multiple virtual desktops from Desk Space. Nearly half of all Windows 7 owners have moved to 64-bit machines. When it's time for you to upgrade, you should think about it. Electronic books now outsell hardcover books at Amazon. Newspapers are moving away from paper. Is print dead? In Short Circuits, it's the end of the road for Windows XP with service pack 2.

Xara Designer 6 offers surprising features for not a lot of money. You'll find more video options on TechByter Worldwide. Even better than a big screen is 2 screens. In Short Circuits, Broadband, Apple's Non Recall, and An End to the Old Domains.

In CS5, Adobe has improved Bridge by extending it as the MiniBridge for many of the applications. I issue a plea to Microsoft: Stop changing the update settings on my computer. The Netflix "watch instantly" feature is poised to improve. I Short Circuits, ICANN admits that sex exists, Google and China battle to a stalemate that leaves China in control, and TechByter is 200.

In addition to wishing you a happy Independence Day, I have a series of short topics that are perfect for a holiday weekend.

The CS5 version of Photoshop adds features that are little short of magic. Alien Skin makes it possible to repolicate film effects. Google Voice is now availble to everyone. In Short Circuits, Warner Brothers is accused of theft and adults are accused of stupidity.

The latest version of SnagIt is a winner and I'll explain why despite some significant flaws. Moving keys around on a keyboard can result in the arrangement you want. In Short Circuits, Net neutrality, Iphones, and Oracle in the Justice Department's cross-hairs.

Microsoft One Note continues to improve; it's now an essential part of my daily routine. Adobe empowers Lightroom 3 with high-end features. In Short Circuits, a church whose website has been hacked ignores my warning and Microsoft replaces the worst keyboard ever.

Xara Web Designer 6 is the fastest, easiest Web design tool you'll find. Two of the three PC Magazine utilities I downloaded this week were inadequate, but the third is a gem. In Short Circuits: AT&T changes its data plans; Facebook changes its privacy model; Campaigns will be in the Cloud; Kindle comes to Target; and fake cards are problably coming to you.

Word 2010 adds several security features, but working in a mixed environment could be more challenging. I'll tell you why you should throw away the software that came with your scanner and also take a look at the latest in fake messages. In Short Circuits, why you need a real e-mail address, vacationing with a co-worker, some support for your Ipad, and why Apple is making me eat my words.

Turning your computer into a dumb terminal is easy with SecureCRT; we revisit last week's Photoshop session; in Short Circuits, I'll tell you about a keyboard to avoid, Symantec's latest acquisition, and I wonder if your next disk drive will be free.