Fire-Wired Blog

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com More than anything else, the tech industry desperately wants into your wallet. Sure Amazon, Walmart.com and other online retailers are major online stops for purchasing gifts and other goods, but that’s only the first piece of the pie. Amazon is the unquestioned e-commerce king, and whoever takes them down is likely to come completely out of left field. The next slice of online transaction dessert is mobile payment systems. None of them have truly taken off, but when one does, it might replace credit cards.tech app-icon Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal are popular mobile payment services, but they’re not much more than masks for credit card services. Nothing in the mobile payment universe has gripped America like Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Why use an app when your wallet is just as fast to reach as your phone and doesn’t require a data connection? What’s the incentive to putting a fourth party service ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com In case you haven’t heard, the last couple of weeks have been pretty big concerning the future of the Internet. Net Neutrality, a term that means everything and nothing, depending on your web literacy, was for all intents and purposes cemented in the Federal Communications Commission’s book of regulations. The simple explanation on what this means to you is that the Internet will continue to be the fast-moving, cat meme-filled, pornography-laden super highway it has always been — i.e., no changes. The complicated explanation takes much concentration, so grab a cup of coffee and maybe a protractor because, seriously, this is important. At this point there’s no way around it — we all take the Internet for granted. It is the most important and intricate communication tool ever invented, and every time you turn on a web-enabled device you expect it to be there. Well, truthfully there is no “there” to it. The Internet isn’t a place,...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Life is full of add-ons. You make a purchase, and if it’s big enough, some retailers toss in extras. Everything from a side of fries to a new set of tires could be considered an add-on. This same principle exists with tech purchases, but those extras are anything but delicious or useful like fries and tires. No, tech add-ons are generally horrible and come with an equally awful name: bloatware. It seems bizarre for this to be case, but one of the celebrated bits of news in the Android smartphone world is that the new Samsung Galaxy S6 line will come with only two bloatware applications. I love Android devices and their customization, the widgets and the ease of designing your own custom applications and modifications. However, the major downside is they generally come loaded with unwanted software. If you pick up Samsung’s Galaxy s5 this weekend, there will be scads of applications you don’t care about and can’t remove. Sam...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Horror films are commonly built around characters that do things that seem destined to fail disastrously. Whether it’s the 1958 horror classic “The Fly” about a scientist whose teleporter crosses his DNA with a fly, or next week’s “The Lazarus Effect” about researchers who concoct a method to reanimate recently deceased living beings, common sense rarely exists in the horror genre. With that said, if these fictional characters could protest, I’m sure they’d all say their experiments started with mankind’s best intentions in mind. In the real world, several innovations follow this same storyline (think napalm and DDT), and if I were to pick one modern invention that may slowly be turning from societal gift to oppressive burden, it might be Wi-Fi. The ability to network electronic devices and gadgets via wireless connections has been an absolute godsend to modern living. Phones, televisions, computers, remotes, cars, watches, ca...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com If social media is good for one thing, it’s recommendations. If you were to pull out your phone right now and ask your Facebook friends what to watch on Netflix tonight, you will get a slew of ideas. The problem with this method of soliciting guidance is that it’s a firehose. The inundation of possibilities you’ll receive will likely overwhelm you, and it’s just as likely that none will fit your taste. Thankfully for films there is a massive, longstanding Internet system (and in Cityview!) in place of critics and websites that give qualified suggestions tailored to your taste. But films are easy to consume, and even the terrible ones only cost you a couple hours. Books, on the other hand, take a great deal of dedication to see all the way through. Pick up a book that’s terrible and you’ll throw it out. A boring book? You’ll probably drop it in a few hours. The world is full of mediocre books that everyone seems to recommend. ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com The Super Bowl is hands down the biggest television event in the country. For six years straight, the National Football League’s season-capping game has broken the record for largest television viewing audience. While the Super Bowl is the ratings champion, it seems sitcoms, award shows, live broadcasts and other sporting events are forever trapped in the race for second place. The obvious tech equivalent to the Super Bowl is Facebook. In the world of social networking, Facebook rules. Try as they might, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, LinkedIn and startup Ello are locked in an eternal struggle for second place. Google Plus technically has more users, Pinterest refers more traffic to online businesses, and Ello has that new car smell, but Facebook is king. Facebook has 1.35 billion active monthly users, 4.5 billion user “likes” daily, 300 million daily photo uploads, the largest population of 25-34 users anywhere online (the ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com If there is one industry that embraces technology blindly, it is the food world. From kitchen gadgets, appliances and accessories that seem to do practically anything and the Internet seemingly half-filled with food blogs and recipes, tech is everywhere. Even some restaurants are so connected that you can order and pay for your meal via your phone. Still, like every other industry, there will eventually come a time when technology crosses the line. That time may have just passed with Resy, an app gives users the ability to pay for a reservation.tech As long as there’s been the hospitality industry, there’s been the concept of the “greased palm” — i.e. paying someone to get expedited or preferential treatment. In the restaurant world, that means slipping the matradee $20 to move up the wait list. While not generally a situation Iowa diners experience, waitlists and impossible reservations are commonplace. In major cities, Resy ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Tech generally comes in two flavors: useful and exciting. Microsoft Word? Useful. Microsoft’s XBox One? Exciting. But of course, just like a soft-serve machine mixes chocolate and vanilla to create delicious twist ice cream, some tech mixes the common flavors. Streaming media, social networking and text messaging are easy examples of the tech flavor twist, but others are not as easy to identify. Case in point: Google Translate.tech As any foreign language student can testify, Google Translate is a godsend. With Translate converting text across 90 different languages, virtually anyone needing a quick translation can make use of the service. More than just text, users can actually speak into the website or app and it will transcribe the audio into the foreign language of choice. Most important of all, Google Translate is excellent at properly converting syntax (something many other translation services have failed at miserably)....

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Can anyone truly prepare for a crisis? One can purchase insurance, open a rainy day savings account or plan an escape route in case of a fire. But being prepared for a crisis, in a way, changes the very definition of the word. For instance, imagine reaching for your phone and not only being locked out from using it, but the screen is showing someone making huge purchases, controlling your device remotely. Being hacked is the most modern digital crisis imaginable. Sure, you have a passcode on your phone or virus protection software on your computer, but if either fails, you will likely find yourself helpless to whims of whatever has impinged on your digital liberties. The Urbandale hack Doug Stillwell, superintendent of the Urbandale School District, knows the feeling all too well. Doug Stillwell, superintendent of the Urbandale School District Around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2014 — approximately the time most...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com If there is one thing brick and mortar retail has over online shopping it is the hands-on, trial-run experience of being able to try something out before making a purchase. You can try on an outfit, listen to a whole album and rent a film or videogame before you purchase it. Online shopping has never really had an answer to the test run. For electronic media such as movies and music, it’s an easy transaction that delivers immediate enjoyment. But for tangible products, there is a lot of risk. You buy a shirt online, it gets delivered, but it is the wrong size, the color wasn’t what you were expecting, and now you are faced with the zero-fun task of returning an online purchase. While in-person shopping definitely still holds this advantage, it seems some online retailers have come up with a suitable workaround. What if instead of purchasing physical goods online, you could have a trial period? Such is the case with the rising ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com There is truly no better time of year to give or get a gift than right now. No matter if you’re Christian, Jewish, celebrate Kwanzaa or simply indulge in the spirit of the season, it seems most people embrace the giving spirit that comes with December. Chances are you already have all your gifts purchased, wrapped and ready to set under the tree. You’ve bought your kids some toys, your dog a squeaky toy, and you’re all excited for your spouse to rip open his or her gift of a shiny new tech gadget. Well, not to go all Grinch on you, but a huge swath of the hot tech gadgets on the market are pointless and simply bad gifts. Take a moment to look at your smart phone, the wondrous piece of technology most of us gift ourselves every two years (when our cellular service provider ends). Your smart phone is a camera, a computer, a health tracker, a gaming station, an entertainment gateway, a backup storage device, a universal remote, an...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com What makes America so great? Without hesitation, you should have answered, “the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.” The Declaration states that each and every American is afforded the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution institutes the right to bear arms, protection from illegal search and seizure, the right to a trial by jury, and among many other rights, the right to freedom of speech. With few exceptions, the First Amendment allows Americans to be as truthful and tactless as they wish, free from governmental or legal entanglement… that is, however, until you say something threatening on the Internet. Visit the comment section of nearly any article online and you will likely discover some of the most vile, hateful speech imaginable. Almost any site where a user can be anonymous — such as Twitter or YouTube — is littered with filth, threats and slander. Sites such as Facebook a...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com In 1963, when Andy Williams recorded “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” he must have immediately recognized it was an instant holiday classic. What he couldn’t have known is, starting the day after Thanksgiving, his voice would come to fill every elevator, mall and superstore until the end of time. While I have never personally partaken in the shopping free-for-all that is Black Friday, I’ve always gotten a chuckle from the thought of Williams’ voice joyously ringing from Target’s PA system as enraged mothers battle over Nintendo DSs and My Little Pony figurines. Thankfully, for those of us who have zero desire to camp out in front of Best Buy in late November, there is the Internet, and three days after Black Friday comes Cyber Monday. While Black Friday sales figures have started to decline over the last decade, Cyber Monday has grown by leaps and bounds. According to IBM, Cyber Monday 2014 sales grew by 8.5 percent ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com There are two things that launch upstart social networks from nothing to necessities: a feature that isn’t offered anywhere else, and being cool. While coming up with an original social network feature seems nearly impossible, being cool and maintaining can be much harder. Friendster, MySpace, and even America Online — the original social network — all brought something to the table the Web hadn’t seen before only to eventually lose their user appeal. For Friendster it was the lack of interaction, for Myspace it was an ugly interface and oversaturation of ads, and for America Online it was the ’90s software mentality that never translated to the browser-based Internet that took over around the turn of the century. Are Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube, Quora, LinkedIn, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat all cool? Yes; some definitely more than others. But each has its fervent audience. It seems that, with regard to the Internet...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com “On a long enough timeline the survival for everyone drops to zero.” That paragon of pessimism comes courtesy of Chuck Palahniuk’s “Fight Club,” and the disturbing wisdom of the phrase can be applied to pretty much everything. Your career, your life, our planet — all of it will one day cease to be. This same principle applies to businesses as well. Standard Oil, Kodak and Lehman Brothers are just few examples of corporate juggernauts who once dominated an industry before falling to father time. The tech industry is no different. However, as the Internet nears 25 years old, some falling giants refuse to give in to their mortality. Case in point? Yahoo. For all the billions of dollars the Internet has generated, none of it would be possible without the search engine. Of course Google is currently the king of searching the information superhighway, but it was far from the first. Webcrawler, AltaVista, Lycos and many more started ...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Americans have a fantastic talent for yielding to malfeasance. Political shenanigans, continually rising college tuition, highway traffic jams, movie spoilers — these things and many more eventually become a fact of life to which we all acquiesce. As far as tech grievances go, as products evolve many annoyances are cleared up. (Remember when you could only send text messages to people on the same carrier as you? That was the worst.) Still, as we lose tech issues to complain about, the worst one of them still remains: connection speeds. Something is horrendously wrong when the United States ranks 10th in the world in Internet speed. We invented, populated and basically run the Internet, yet somehow our Internet is slower than Latvia and the Czech Republic. Basic high-speed Internet packages in South Korea, which has the fastest connection speeds on the planet, outpace Des Moines’ basic connections 8 to 1. For a state that proudl...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com It appears within 10 years the Internet will be one giant television. Every major Web entity is creating video content. Connections are slowly climbing to speeds that will easily stream virtually anything. It seems the only obstacle without a clear path to get around is organization. How will users be able to aggregate all the disparate content they’ve subscribed to across the Internet? I see an answer in Plex, a Web content DVR. Last week, HBO finally announced it was getting into the Web streaming arena. The premium cable channel will continue broadcasting on television, however, non-cable subscribers can now access HBO content online through a Web-only subscription. With this announcement, the list of major media providers that offer gated streaming video is getting quite crowded. In addition to HBO, there is Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, Yahoo, Sony, AOL and more than 100 others. Searching content across all of these sit...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Everyone likes to feel like he or she is creative. Whether you’re a photographer, an accountant or a plumber, artistry can found in practically any vocation. Still, the common definition of creativity looks to visual and auditory mediums such as paintings and jazz for the truly talented, and if one tech company has that segment of imagination cornered, it’s Adobe. Twenty-six years ago, Photoshop was invented, and the world was forever changed. Prior to its arrival, coloring, editing and perfecting images was mainly a darkroom task. Photoshop changed that forever. Today, Photoshop dominates the digital imaging world with millions of photographers, designers and creators using the software. It is so popular, “photoshopped” has become a noun for an obviously-doctored image. As popular as Photoshop is, after Adobe purchased it in 1988, the applications it inspired and spawned changed the creative world. Beyond Photoshop, Adobe com...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com When marketing works, it really works. “Got Milk?” “Just Do It.” “Save Money. Live Better.” These slogans not only drilled their way into the brains of millions of Americans, they sold billions of products. In 2008, Apple — a company renowned for its design and branding — joined the pantheon of marketing taglines with its iPhone slogan, “There’s an App for that.” What made Apple’s catchphrase so powerful was the truth therein; iPhone users could find an application for everything from word processing to video gaming. Today the constellation of app possibilities continues to grow with Good2Go, a private messaging service designed to verbalize sexual consent. Last year, when Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was publicly investigated for alleged sexual assault, the nebulous world of collegiate definition of sexual consent became a hot news item. Does sexual consent need to be explicit with those about to get frisky agreein...

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com Apple’s iWatch looks beautiful. It is a stone cold fact that cannot be denied. The problem comes when you try to nail down its purpose. We’ve all heard the old chestnut “necessity is the mother of invention.” After you take a good long look at the iWatch, there is no denying it is completely unnecessary. Year in and year out, since the rise of the affordable personal computer in the mid 1980s, technology has been society’s problem-solving wizard. Laptops allowed us to work anywhere, iPods allowed us to carry our entire music library with us at all times, and smartphones kept us connected to each other, information and basically our entire lives. Other gadgets have come along to make these innovations more luxurious (iPads, set-top boxes, George Foreman grills…), but none of them are true necessities. Since Steve Jobs’ passing, everyone from impatient stockholders to your Facebook-addicted grandma has been waiting for Apple’s n...