You may remember our announcement in January rejoicing with the rest of America that Verizon now carries the iPhone! Well it turns out that the nation’s largest carrier might have nailed their own foot to the floor. In 2008, Verizon accepted the contingencies that were attached to the wireless spectrum offered by the FCC in which they spent $4.7BIL. Their plan was to continue building out their 4G network, but here’s where the nail comes into play. This spectrum must be used with “open access.” This mean that the carrier is required to allow the use of any hardware or software on the mobile device. Our dear friends at Google requested that the 700Mhz spectrum remain open access as to not hamper business. Google was in the bidding war with Verizon. Their plan was to create an open network that would allow a consumer to buy any phone that met open standards with no interference by a carrier. Verizon fought this but did not win. While Verizon did win the bidding war, Google’s open access request was also honored. This decision eliminates the use of the iPhone which is clearly locked down by Apple’s design and which runs applications only approved by Apple.

In the meantime, Verizon continues to offer its LTE network (a form of 4G) that currently only supports Android phones. While AT&T had their exclusive contract with Apple, this network move allowed Verizon to buddy up with Google. So while the two giants have differing opinions on what “open access” means, Verizon users will have to get their iPhones without 4G for the foreseeable future. Apple is known for maintaining control over their products. So don’t expect them to change their hardware just for Verizon until they can figure out their 4G network issues.

[Photo source]

But wouldn’t you know it, tracking cookie companies – as a gesture of good faith – allow you to opt out of their tracking services. Tracking cookies are used by online advertisers to track your online activity between different websites so they can better sell you to their clients. While this won’t prevent you from receiving web ads, the network from which you opted out will no longer deliver ads tailored to your Web preferences and usage patterns, nor will they be tracking your online activity. Just head on over to this link and opt out of the companies you don’t want to track you.

*Photo source.

Photo Credit*

Spring is upon us and, if you’re like me, the bug to begin cleaning has you itching to rejuvenate your office. After cleaning off your desk, organizing files and general office pick up, you may be left with a dusty, smudged computer monitor and keyboard from the long winter months. It’s recommended that the average user should clean their equipment twice a year, but where to start?

Some general cleaning tips to be aware of are:

1. Never spray or squirt any liquid onto a computer component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use that cloth to rub down the component.
2. You can use a vacuum to suck up dirt, dust, or hair around or outside your computer . However, do not use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it generates a lot of static electricity that can damage the internal components of your computer.
3. Always turn off the component of your computer you intend to clean.

To clean your computer monitor:

Most laptops and desktops now feature LCD screens. Extra caution is necessary to clean these flat screens without damaging your equipment.

1. Use a microfiber or soft lint-free cotton cloth. Dust off the screen gently with the dry cloth.
   
2. To remove smudges, apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the cloth (again, NOT the screen itself) and wipe the screen pressing very gently.

For keyboards:

1. Shut down your computer and unplug your keyboard. Hold the board upside down, gently tapping the keys to loosen any debris.
2. Use a can of compressed air to blow any lodged debris from between the keys. Make sure to use short, quick pulses of air. You can easily find these cans at OfficeMax and any electronic store.
3. Put a drop or two of rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and swap the sides of the keys to remove any build up.
4. Use a lint free cloth with a dab of alcohol to swipe the surface of your keyboard.
5. Use a duster or a dry cloth to give the keyboard the final touches.
   

*Photo credit here.

Traditional, bulky cell tower

Alcatel-Lucent has developed a new technology to hopefully get rid of those unsightly cell towers scattered across the country-side and in the middle of cities.  They’re using a technology which significantly reduces the size of current cell towers.

They are set to introduce their “lightRadio cube” at the Mobile World Congress, which started Monday, February 14^th of this year.  The new device is about the size and shape of a Rubik’s cube, and can be put in any location there’s a power and network source.  This could mean we would see them on the side of buildings, in buildings, and even in your house once the technology is proven.  This could definitely change the way coverage is applied today, in addition to adding speed to wireless networks as a whole.

There are a few hurdles still left to overcome, with price being the greatest one.  But, if more companies and more carriers start to use this new technology, it’s only a matter of time before cost is no longer an issue.  Other companies have already started to develop similar ideas which use the existing broadband Internet infrastructure to connect homes to cellular companies’ networks, by way of an additional wireless router or even USB connections.

This technology could provide rural communities or buildings typically notorious for less than optimal coverage, with the high-quality coverage you would expect in an urban setting.  Another benefit is the power consumption of the cell phone itself.  When there are multiple cell phones trying to communicate with a tower, or the distance between the phone and tower is too great, the cell phone must extend its power consumption to compensate and be “heard.”

*Photo credit

While you can instantly enjoy the benefits of blocking any site you choose, when you do so, the URL of the site in question is sent to Google for analysis. Time will tell whether or not this information will be incorporated into their search algorithms in the future to produce higher quality results but it is a step in the right direction.

Photo compliments of nasaimages.org

While today’s blog article isn’t exactly tech-related, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share something mind-blowing that I read lately. A recent discovery by the famed Hubble Space Telescope has led researchers to believe that they have found the most distant gallery to date! How far you ask? Try somewhere in the neighborhood of 13.2BIL light-years away! That’s right, b-i-l-l-i-o-n!

What was puzzling to me at first was that the Hubble Space Telescope is capable of detecting light from as far away as 480MIL years. So how did it see a galaxy over a billion years away? Astonishingly, the Hubble is capable of seeing back into time (Unfortunately, they are still unable to bring back your favorite mix tape from the 80’s). In actuality, we are not actually seeing these objects in real time; rather we are just seeing the light given off by them. This concept can be made clearer by visiting NASA’s website or one of their many Flickr pages.

For much more detailed information about seeing through time, also referred to as measuring a galaxy’s “redshift,” go to Wikipedia and geek out to your heart’s desire!

Even though Google had the largest Q4 profits of their 12-year history this past quarter, they have decided to bring one of the founders back into the CEO role. Eric Schmidt will still continue to play a key role at Google as the Executive Chairman, but Larry Page, 37, will be returning to his throne.

This change in structuring won’t take effect until April of 2011, with Larry Page wanting to return to the startup-business mentality. I’m sure he will hit the ground running, and we as bystanders can only dream about what new, great, and useful things will come out of the walls of Google, Inc., with Larry Page at the helm.