NBJ Online | Gadget of the Month
September 2017
Bitcoin, Ether, Cryptocurrency & Such
by Bill Ramsey & Phillip Hampton
Yes, we know—Cryptocurrency is not a “gadget.” We do love our gadgets, but we love money, too, because it can buy us more gadgets. So, writing about Bitcoin, Ether, and other cryptocurrency seems a natural fit for our monthly gadget. And, since this topic is so nerdy, it really appeals to us.
Some say cryptocurrency is the future of “money.” Some say all cryptocurrencies are Ponzi Schemes. Everyone agrees it is a very trendy topic. Banks, accounting firms, governments, and securities firms are all researching the topic, and many do not understand the basic concepts behind it.
We believe that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, are a logical step in the evolution of “money.” In cave man days, we traded goods. Then, as we evolved and became more “civilized” we used precious goods, such as salt, silver or gold, or even whiskey as “money.” Next, we created coins out of precious metals, and later backed paper money with the equivalent amount of precious metal, such as gold or silver. Remember “Silver Certificates” or when Nixon took us off the gold standard for our currency in the 1970s? Since that time, our money is purely “fiat money”—or currency without any intrinsic value established as money by government regulation or law. And now, we rarely use cash or coins—we use credit cards, PayPal or Venmo, or Apple Pay—as most spending transactions are now digital. When we pony up for one of our gadgets, we just plop down our credit cards. We pay with “digital cash.”
With credit cards, Venmo, PayPal, etc., you need a payment network with accounts, balances, and transactions. And to make them work, you need to have a trusted record keeper to keep track of the transactions to prevent double-spending and to verify balances, etc. An inventor who used the fake name, Satoshi Nakamoto, figured it out.
The solution is the use of “Blockchain” technology that you may have heard about. With Blockchain, there is no centralized ledger. Instead, Blockchain technology uses a network of peers. Every peer has a record of the complete history of all transactions and thus of the balance of every account. Theoretically, the peers do not trust one another, so there can be no cheating. The transaction is known almost immediately by the whole network. But the transaction needs to be confirmed.
If a transaction is unconfirmed, it is pending and can be forged. When a transaction is confirmed, it is set in stone and is no longer forgeable—it can’t be reversed. Transactions such as credit card transactions use a single record keeper, and those transactions can be reversed. Not so with Blockchain or Bitcoin transactions. Once confirmed, they are set in stone.
So, you ask, how do transactions get confirmed? The only way they can be confirmed are by so-called “miners.” This is their job in a cryptocurrency-network. They take transactions, stamp them as legit, and spread them in the network. After a transaction is confirmed by a miner, every node must add it to its database. It has become part of the blockchain. For this job, the miners get rewarded with a token of the cryptocurrency, for example, with Bitcoins.
How do miners “mine?” They compete to solve a cryptologic puzzle for the transaction. After they solve the puzzle, they add it to the Blockchain and it is set in stone. After finding a solution, a miner can build a block and add it to the blockchain. Mining requires a specific amount of computing power. Once “mined” and there is a consensus in the network, no one on the network can break or change the transaction. These cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, are not identified with any individual (pseudonymous), and are secure. The transactions are very fast and no one has to give permission for them (other than verification by miners).
The blockchain technology that ensures the veracity and security of cryptocurrency transactions is also getting the notice of the legal technology world. Many envision blockchain being utilized by lawyers for smart contracts as well as other law firm administrative processes. In fact, we believe that in the near future, we will see blockchain being implemented in a number of industries across the global economy. Is this technology the magic bullet for all the cybersecurity ills that plague us today? Probably not, but we do believe it potentially is a big step forward in ensuring secure and legal transactions.
There are several different “species” of cryptocurrencies… Bitcoin, Ethereum (Ethers), Ripple (not the wine), Litecoin, Monero, Dash, Augur, and more. There are markets that trade in all of them and they all have value on the open market. Cryptocurrencies are not legal everywhere, but they are legal in the United States. On March 25, 2014, the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruled that Bitcoin will be treated as property for tax purposes as opposed to currency. In fact, for tax purposes, they are treated much like precious metals, such as gold. This ruling had the side benefit of confirming the legality of cryptocurrency in the United States.
Well, that was your primer on cryptocurrency. Now, we must fire up our computers and “mine” some Bitcoin so we can buy more gadgets.
—Bill & Phil
July 2017
Surface Laptop
by Bill Ramsey & Phillip Hampton
Way back in 2012, when Microsoft introduced its first hardware laptop/tablet hybrid, dubbed "Surface", we were first in line to purchase. Like many of our colleagues, we grew to prefer this hybrid concept over Apple's iPad. The Surface combined so many of the cool usability features of the iPad, yet retained the functionality of a business-oriented laptop.
Bill, of course, still values his iPad and other Apple devices and remains an accomplished ambidextrous Apple/Microsoft consumer. Phil, however, experienced a full-fledged Microsoft conversion when the Surface first appeared and has maintained a cult-like loyalty to the Surface brand. So, it is no surprise that our purchases of Surface products have corresponded very closely with the release dates of each successive Surface release: Surface Pro 2 in 2013, Surface Pro 3 in 2014, and Surface Pro 4 in 2015. We waited breathlessly in 2016 for Microsoft's next iteration of the Surface Pro, but it did not happen.
When Microsoft finally did release the next Surface Pro in June of 2017, we marched feverishly to our local retailer with pent-up anticipation to see what new features this fifth generation hybrid device would offer. To our surprise, Microsoft had dropped the generation number from the name. The new device was simply called Surface Pro (not Surface Pro 5). Also to our surprise, the new Surface Pro did not look all that different from the Surface Pro 4 that we had bought a year and a half ago. We gripped our credit cards a little tighter in our sweaty hands as we read the specs on the new Surface Pro and realized there was no dramatic newness. With disappointment mounting, we turned away thinking that the Surface fever had finally broken.
And then...we saw it.
Right next to the lackluster Surface Pro sat another first for Microsoft—a full-fledged laptop, simply named Surface Laptop. Now this was interesting. No detachable keyboard, no kickstand in the back…this was a real laptop. Our grip on the credit card begin to loosen and our heart rate accelerated as we realized that this was now the “must-have” device of the season. We played with the demo model for about five minutes before the sales lady got an easy commission as we plopped down our card and went home unexpectedly with the new Surface Laptop.
Since that impulse buy, our view of the Surface Laptop has grown even more favorable. This laptop is not too small, not too big. It seems just right for both travel and in office use. The 13.5-inch screen is noticeably larger than the Surface Pro screen—and is a welcome enhancement. The keyboard is deeper and sports a fabric cover, which seemed odd at first but is actually pretty cool. Even though the laptop is larger than the Surface Pro, it feels thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro when its keyboard is attached. This laptop is more akin to the MacBook Air in aesthetics. We opted for the version with the i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid state hard drive—this configuration is plenty powerful and very responsive. (Moreover, the Surface Laptop is lighter and more portable than Bill’s Surface Book, yet it seems just as powerful.) We especially like the security feature that unlocks the laptop via facial recognition, which has worked well. We were also pleased to see that Cortana was on point, as we accomplished much of the initial setup via voice commands.
Microsoft touts a 14.5-hour battery life on the Surface Laptop and—while we know we probably won't see that duration in actual use—we have noticed a great improvement in the battery life over our previous Surface Pro. No need to purchase a new Surface Pen, as the pen on our Surface Pro 4 works just fine. The only caveat is that because this device has a traditional laptop form factor, you can't lay the screen flat to write with the pen or sign a document. This limitation doesn't really matter to us as our penmanship is pretty terrible regardless of the angle.
One of the biggest surprises of the Surface Laptop—and perhaps its biggest negative (for us)—is what comes installed on it out of the box. Microsoft is introducing its new stripped-down version of its operating system—Windows 10 S—on the Surface Laptop. On the surface (no pun intended), there is no noticeable difference between Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 S. The difference is with Windows 10 S, Microsoft will only allow you to install apps from the Microsoft Store. This restriction, of course, is meant to enhance security by enforcing a sort of closed playground while working on the device (something that Apple has been doing for years).
The problem is that there is a paucity of available apps in the Microsoft store. For example, you can't install Chrome or Firefox browsers on Windows 10 S, because those apps don't exist in the Microsoft Store. Certainly, many of the legal applications we still use on our laptop would not be installable on Windows 10 S. So, while the idea is noble (a computing environment with enhanced security), and maybe even desirable in certain institutions, such as schools—in actuality, we find the Windows 10 S restrictions very confining. However, we were very relieved to find out that on this Surface Laptop we can upgrade to full Windows 10 Pro for free through the end of the year. That decision is a no-brainer.
While we intended to purchase and test drive the new Surface Pro, we were distracted and taken by the Pro's new flashy cousin, the Surface Laptop. While the Pro has been a dependable workhorse through the years, it was getting a little boring. Surface Laptop was what we needed to spice things up, keep us up-to-date and feed our never-ending hunger for the latest and greatest devices.
—Bill & Phil
May 2017
Samsung Galaxy S8
by Bill Ramsey & Phillip Hampton
We are usually very eager to be first in line to get the latest and greatest gadgets when they hit retail shelves. However, when Samsung finally released its latest smartphone model, the Galaxy S8, we were a little hesitant to purchase. We had no qualms with the glowing previews we read about the S8, but we knew that acquiring the S8 meant we had to give up our Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones. (We both have the S7 Edge, along with several other phones.) Over the past year, the S7 Edge has been the best smartphone on the market in our view, edging out (no pun intended) the iPhone 7 and Google Pixel for smartphone supremacy. So why give up a good thing―no, a great thing―to try something new and unproven? We were told the S8 was every bit as good as the S7 and then some. We're an easy sell, so it only took a couple minutes of deliberation, and we were headed home with the new Galaxy S8. Would we love it? Would it catch on fire, like the Note 7?
We didn't want to say that the S8 has made us forget the S7, but that is exactly what happened. First of all, the S8 is slender, sleek, thinner, and taller than the S7. We tend to like "taller" and "thinner," even in phones. Phone makers are continuing to pack more screen space into more compact form factors. The S8 feels smaller in your hand (and more accessible, especially for one-handed use), but you don't feel like you are sacrificing screen real estate in the more compact form factor. Samsung uses what it calls an “Infinity Screen” to create a bezel-less, slightly curved 5.8-inch display. Even the physical Home button, at the bottom of the phone, has been removed and replaced with a soft Home button on the display. Aesthetically, the S8 hits all the right buttons. If you are clumsy, however, you may want to buy a case for the S8. It is so thin, you may lose your grip on the phone. Additionally, since the S8 all glass, it’s vulnerable when it is dropped from your hands.
One feature that we loved on our Google Pixel phone was the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. We found this placement made it much easier to unlock the phone with a fingerprint scan. Fortunately, Samsung copied this feature on the S8 and moved the fingerprint scanner to the back of the phone. Unfortunately, they placed the scanner slightly off-centered and right next to the camera lens, which makes it very easy to smudge your camera lens when trying to swipe your finger over the scanner. This is probably the only design feature on the S8 that we found to be deficient and irritating.
As far as functionality is concerned, the S8 is a home run. It runs on a powerful new processor that is noticeably quicker than almost any smartphone we have tried. We are told that the S8 is the first U.S. phone that is gigabit LTE compatible. This basically means that the phone can connect to the Internet at much higher speeds should the underlying provider network support those speeds in the future. The camera, which was already good on the S7, is exceptional. Taking great photos is a breeze, even for amateur photographers like us. We really like the selective focus feature that allows you to focus on a particular object in the picture while blurring everything else in the background. There is even a professional mode you can enable if you are an expert photographer. Selecting the various options in the camera app is much easier on the S8.
Included on the S8 is a new feature called Bixby, Samsung's entry to the growing digital assistant market. There is a dedicated button to bring up Bixby on the side of the phone, but the plan is for Bixby to ultimately respond to voice commands. Bixby is meant to learn the user's habits, preferences, schedule, and provide helpful information relevant to the user at a particular time. This feature is obviously not fully developed, as the voice recognition is not available on our S8 currently, but we understand that further updates will enhance the Bixby service.
Bixby is also integrated into the camera app so you can point the camera lens at an object and then click a Shopping button to shop for similar objects online. Samsung also touts a translation feature in Bixby that allows you to focus the camera on a document or sign and have the text instantly translated via the camera app. We had limited success in testing these features on our S8; we assume that the Bixby feature will get more robust as further updates are installed on the phone.
In another first, the S8 is the first phone to support the new Bluetooth 5 standard. Thus, you can connect to devices via Bluetooth over a longer distance (up to 120 feet), and you can also connect to two sets of headphones at once. Alas, no more sharing a single pair of headphones while watching a movie on your phone.
Thankfully, the S8 still has the old-fashioned 3.5mm headphone jack for those of us who still use the corded headphones. But Samsung did obsolete our old Galaxy power cords with the new USB-C charging port (although Samsung cordially provides a traditional USB adapter in the box).
Yes, we have forgotten that old Galaxy S7 model that is now sitting on top of the recycling heap. The S8 has captured our attention, and so far, we really like what we are seeing. It remains to be seen how the S8 will stack up against the upcoming new iPhone release; but it is clear that Samsung has once again moved the bar even higher. The ball is now in Apple's court.
—Bill & Phil
March 2017
by Bill Ramsey & Phillip Hampton
Cybersecurity is without a doubt the biggest burden of being an active user of gadgets and technology. Every email account, bank account, employee benefits portal, travel site, shopping profile, smartphone, smart home device, and, yes, even some of our cookware and cleaning tools require a login ID and password. The default (and very dangerous) reaction to this deluge of portals and devices that require authentication, is to simply use the same user name and password combination that we use for all our accounts. And since we tend to be very forgetful and don't wish to be inconvenienced, many of us use something immediately recallable for the golden key that unlocks the door to our personal data. Birthdates and spouses' names are favorite password themes; and they are easily discoverable to rogue snoopers with a cursory internet search. Even more reckless are those who choose the least resistant path to online security with such "stellar" passwords as "password", "12345", or the default manufacturer's password on consumer devices such as Wi-Fi routers, smart gadgets, etc.
You get the point. Cybersecurity is really important—but, it can be a pain to enforce and so, in many cases, our defenses are neglected and weak. We feel your pain and hate being inconvenienced with having to keep track of complex passwords for dozens of accounts that we access on a near daily basis. So, the solution is, of course, more technology. No, really, there are software password managers that do indeed take the hard part out of maintaining complex access codes. They have been around for a while. But maybe if you have tried one of these programs in the past and found it clunky, incomplete, or just too burdensome to use; perhaps it's time to take a fresh look. We did and were pleasantly surprised.
We resurrected LastPass which we had taken for a trial run several years ago. In the past, we used the free version, but this time we ponied up for the premium version, which set us back $12. Believe me, Bill spends more on coffee over the weekend than it cost to bolster our cybersecurity for an entire year.
The idea behind LastPass (and all password management programs) is to have one master login and password to the password manager and let the manager maintain all your individual account credentials. Therefore, it is imperative that the master password that you choose for this central vault be very strong. But, of course, as the software name suggests, this is the "last" password that you will need to remember. LastPass goes a step further than just requiring entry of this master password. It also uses two-factor authentication which means an imposter would need both your master password and your smartphone to gain access to your password vault. There are even more stringent measures that you can employ via LastPass such as one-time password generator on a USB stick, but we were just fine with the built-in two-factor authentication.
We found it was very easy to set up access to secure portals within our LastPass vault. Essentially as you are logging in to a secure site, you can click the LastPass icon in the credentials box and the application asks if you would like to save the site and login credentials to your vault. We also like the way you can organize your various sites in the vault into custom folders (travel, email, banking, cloud storage, etc.). So now when we want to login to our personal account on Southwest.com, for example, we simply go to LastPass and click the Southwest card in our vault and LastPass takes us to the site and logs in automatically. Yes, it is that easy. You can even specify folders where you share access to certain sites with other individuals (such as family members) but keep other sites private to yourself.
LastPass has a great feature called Security Challenge, which will go through all your accounts, analyze the passwords, and give you a security score. If you find out, like we did, that some of your passwords are duplicative or are not sufficiently complex, LastPass can auto-generate a new complex password that is highly unlikely to be guessed by a hacker. This security review is highly recommended as it would make no sense to deploy a password manager to manage very weak passwords. We chose to let LastPass generate 16-character passwords for all the sites we kept in our vault.
Once you begin using a password manager and take advantage of the system-generated complex passwords, it is important that you can utilize the manager on all devices and that your site credentials automatically sync across all devices. LastPass does indeed have apps on Windows, iOS, and Android that allow you to use it across all platforms.
After adding a couple dozen sites into the LastPass vault and then accessing those sites from both our PC, tablet, and smartphone, we knew this was an incredible step forward for both our personal cybersecurity defense as well as convenience. Some may chafe at having to set up the password vault in the beginning and committing to use the password manager on all devices; however, once the initial setup is done, LastPass is a very convenient way to access all our secure content. We can't believe we waited so long to commit.
We know it is a scary world out there with so much of our personal electronic data sitting behind numerous password-protected security gates. Rather than being lazy and putting out a welcome mat to cybercriminals, we choose to reinforce the defenses with a sound password strategy. LastPass helped us do that at a very low cost and just a little bit of commitment to begin using it. We sleep better knowing it's in the vault.
—Bill & Phil
