Brian Fagioli

I've been dubious of trusting Yahoo since its ill-advised decision to start recycling email addresses. While my criticism of that decision was theoretical, my colleague Wayne Williams experienced this ineptitude in practice.

Sadly, recycling emails is not the only blemish on the service. Today, Yahoo announces that the email accounts of some users have been compromised. In other words, the company has joined a special club that includes Target and Michaels, with users feeling anxious and violated.

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The Windows XP death clock is ticking away. While Microsoft has extended support for malware protection, do not be fooled -- XP will be officially unsupported on April 8. If Microsoft has its druthers, these XP users will upgrade to Windows 8 and maybe even buy a new computer.

However, there is a problem with this -- the Windows 8 UI is radically different from XP and people do not like change (especially people clinging to an operating system from 2001). Also, they may not need to buy a new computer, because their existing is probably fast enough... for Linux!

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When Google bought Motorola Mobility, I immediately questioned if it was ethical. You see, the search-giant maintains the Android operating system -- something many manufacturers license, including Motorola. Owning one of the manufacturers could be seen as a conflict of interest. In other words, Motorola could get preferential treatment such as quicker access to updates and trade secrets. This could cause animosity amongst Android handset makers.

Today however, balance was restored to the Android world as Google sells Motorola Mobility to Lenovo for $2.91 billion. This is shocking because the search-giant bought the company in 2011 for a staggering $12.5 billion. Wow, what a deal Google!

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Google is the undisputed search king, but it is not the only player in town. Microsoft's Bing is a distant second, but some people prefer it. While I prefer Google's offering for search, I like Bing for one thing -- rewards.

Yes, Bing Rewards is pretty darn cool, as it provides perks to users for simply using the service. This is a win-win relationship as users earn points for searching and Microsoft gains search activity. Users can then redeem points for things like raffles and gift cards. Sadly though, the experience was not available for mobile -- until today. Microsoft releases Bing Rewards for iOS and Android. Shockingly, Windows Phone is not yet supported.

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If you ever visit New York City, you must ride the subway. Even if you do not need it for transportation, it is an essential part of the overall experience. It is a magical experience too -- a mix of garbage, roaming rats and homeless people sleeping. While this sounds terrible, and maybe it is, it is strangely comforting for native New Yorkers. You see, it is expected and it is delivered without failure.

However, there is something about the subway that is undisputedly frustrating and unpleasant to natives and tourists alike -- lack of cellular service, including mobile data. Once you head into the deepest depths of the city, 3G and 4G LTE can disappear faster than one of the previously mentioned rats when a train approaches. Luckily for the Big Apple, Verizon has delivered LTE to the subway.

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When it comes to American Football, I am a big fan of the Jets. This is a great tragedy in my life, as this team has been consistently bad for many years. There is only one time a year that I will support a different team -- Superbowl Sunday.

Yes, I like to pick one of the two teams to root for during the big game. Typically, I pick it arbitrarily -- whoever has the prettier cheerleaders, cooler quarterback, etc. This year, I am rooting for the Denver Broncos, because I like Peyton Manning. As a Jets fan, I don't get many opportunities to root for a quality quarterback. However, according to Bing, I am in the minority, as the majority of my state, New York is rooting for the Seattle Seahawks.

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When the Prism and NSA scandal was unearthed and brought to light by Edward Snowden, the internet died a little. I still remember reading the news and being heartbroken that my own government was spying on me by forcing companies to secretly disclose information.

In June of 2013, Microsoft and Google filed lawsuits to gain the ability to disclose the details of these information requests. Today the internet scores a victory -- the shackles have been loosened, and the gags removed from these companies and others like them.

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When it comes to news, I no longer bother with the television. Nowadays, I just visit the web for my daily fix of news stories. However, while some of the cable news companies such as CNN and MSNBC may do poorly in the ratings, Fox News actually does rather well and is typically number one. In other words, people are watching.

When it comes to search engines, Microsoft's Bing is a distant second to Google, but second nonetheless. With that said, the second rated search engine is teaming up with the top rated cable news company for real-time State of the Union polling.

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In my travels, I have discovered an unfortunate trend -- many businesses don't utilize video conferencing for remote communication. In other words, many are still relying on a voice-only approach. While this is functional, it is not optimal. After all, body language speaks volumes and you cannot see boredom or excitement through a phone.

According to Logitech, an alarming 95 percent of conference rooms lack video-conferencing. It is the year 2014, surely video conferences should be the norm by now, right? Logitech is looking to remedy this trend with the ConferenceCam CC3000e. Is the device up to the task?

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Michaels is a pretty cool store, if you are into crafts. If you have a need for things like yarn, pipe-cleaners or fabric, it is a fabulous place. Heck, tech nerds can have fun there too -- they can build a Raspberry Pi case out of popsicle sticks.

However, there is one thing consumers don't expect to get at the craft store -- their credit cards compromised. Yes, Michaels joins Target as the latest victim of hackers...maybe. You see, sadly, it seems Michaels is not sure what exactly may have been breached (if anything).

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Since Android is based on Linux, many users consider it rather safe and secure. However, this is not at all true -- most malware that targets mobile devices, targets Android. For the most part though, it is easy to stay safe by only installing reputable apps from the Play Store.

What if, however, your desktop operating system was infecting your Android device without you knowing? Sadly, this can happen, as some Windows users are finding out. Symantec announces it has found such a case, and it is really nasty.

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Using a Linux distribution as your desktop operating system can be hit or miss. Depending on your needs, it may work brilliantly or horribly. You see, most mainstream apps are not available, so you must depend on alternative software. For instance, for some users, GIMP is a passable replacement for photoshop and Libreoffice for Microsoft Office.

When it comes to photo management, there is really only one great Linux app -- Shotwell, by a company called Yorba. If you do amateur or professional photography and you want to organize your photos, there really isn't a better piece of software on Linux. Sure, there are alternatives such as F-Spot, but Shotwell is the definitive app. Sadly, it hasn't been getting the attention it needs lately, which was worrying to some users (myself included). As a result, Yorba has handed over development and the recipient is rather surprising -- the Elemenatary OS team.

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While the Terminator films were make-believe, there was definitely some real knowledge mixed in with Arnold's "Hasta La Vista" one-liners. The greatest take-away is machinery replacing humans. While I don't think my toaster will ever become self aware and kill me, the possibility of humans losing jobs to machines is very real and already happening.

I was recently invited to Detroit by Ford Motor Company, where I had the opportunity to tour the factory where the F150 truck is made. While much of the work is done by humans, I was taken aback by some of the quality inspection being done by robotic arms. Surely, that had been a human's role at some point and it made me a bit sad. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, warns that IT will suffer a similar fate as the automotive industry. In other words, there is a war brewing between humans and machines.

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There are many social media networks nowadays. However, one of my favorites is Vine. If you aren't familiar, it is a video-sharing service with a twist -- the videos cannot be longer than six seconds. Not surprisingly, Vine is owned by Twitter -- another service that limits the duration of a user's communication. Both services teach us that limits breed creativity. In other words, forcing the user to make do with less creates unique solutions.

Vine takes this even further by introducing easy to use stop-motion. This allows the user to create things that appear magical, such as a person disappearing. While the video-service still feels fresh, surprisingly it is already a year old today!

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One of the most endearing things about Chrome OS is that it is very secure. Say what you want about it being nothing more than a browser. In reality, it is a Linux distribution where the user cannot install native software locally. The web-based nature of the OS makes it ideal for banking or accessing secure data. After all, without the possibility of installing software, the computer should be immune to malware.

I should watch my words because, the word "immune" simply makes the malware writers start salivating. After all, the belief that anything is 100-percent safe is the most dangerous thing of all. Not to mention, recently discovered rogue Chrome Extensions can be viewed as a form of malware. With that said, Google is challenging the world's best hackers to try and find holes in its Chromebooks. The carrot for which it dangles is a very healthy $2.71828 million!

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