News - Part 4

Maybe Don’t Buy An Amazon Echo Right Away

I’m about the last person you’d expect to discourage you from buying any Alexa device, but if you haven’t got one already, as this cross post from my Love My Echo site says: maybe don’t buy an Amazon Echo right away. Something’s Coming… I recently shared reports from reputable tech outlets about Amazon’s plans to release one or more new Alexa devices this year. The same reports say Amazon plans to roll out some significant new Alexa voice service functionality, like hands-free voice calling and inter-connectivity between Alexa devices that would allow them to work as an intercom system on a shared network. New Alexa device hardware will bring upgrades and differences as well. One rumored feature is an integrated touchscreen, another is upgraded speakers. It’s possible the new Alexa functions will be released to both new and existing Alexa devices via a software update, but it’s also possible the new features will be dependent on…

3/27/17 Movie Monday: New Releases

Welcome to DMM’s 3/27/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies and videos you may have missed. This week, I’m sharing my  take on two recent releases.   Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13) – currently only available for purchase, not rental. From Lucasfilm comes an epic adventure – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. In the first Star Wars movie ever released, A New Hope, Princess Leia hid the plans to the Death Star in R2D2, and the rebellion used them to destroy the Death Star. This movie tells the backstory of how the plans were stolen. It’s big and noisy, and all the critics who described it as first and foremost a war…

Windows Doesn’t Detect My Phone: Help!

Transferring files from your phone to your computer is supposed to be as easy as connecting it via USB. Windows wakes up, adds the phone to your Windows File Manager, and you’re off to the races. But as I myself had to ask twice this very month, “What if Windows doesn’t detect my phone?” Today I’ve got the solutions for this frustrating problem. There are two surefire fixes for this: if one doesn’t work, the other most definitely will—assuming there’s nothing wrong with your computer, USB cable or computer, of course. Let’s start with the simpler of the two.

3/20/17 Movie Monday: Demons and Angels

Welcome to DMM’s 3/20/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies and videos you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week, it’s all about movies that pit angels against demons. I’m a sucker for this genre, and it’s one that many filmmakers seem fascinated by, too. Many of the modern interpretations explore the notion of angels not as loving, watchful caretakers, but as the footsoldiers of God. Here are a few of the most well-reviewed examples of the form. Legion (R) At a remote desert truck stop, the fate of the world will be decided. Evil’s armies are amassing. Armed and united by the Archangel Michael, a group of strangers become unwitting soldiers on the frontlines of the Apocalypse. Their mission: protect a waitress and her sacred unborn child from the relentless, bloody siege of the demonic legion.

Malware Found Preloaded On New Android Phones

Ars Technica is reporting on malware found preloaded on new Android phones, which sounds pretty scary at first, but the problem is easily avoided so read on. From Ars Technica: A commercial malware scanner used by businesses has recently detected an outbreak of malware that came preinstalled on more than three dozen Android devices…The malicious apps weren’t part of the official ROM firmware supplied by the phone manufacturers but were added later somewhere along the supply chain. In other words, the malware wasn’t installed by anyone working at the manufacturer’s facility, it was installed at some point between the time the phones left the factor(ies) and the time they were sold.

3/6/17 Movie Monday: Smart Teen Comedies

Welcome to DMM’s 3/6/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies and videos you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week, I’m focusing on teen comedies that raise the bar. Note that I’m not saying these movies are necessarily recommended for anyone aged at least 13, since some of them have strong language and adult situations. But for older teens and adults looking to reminisce, these are all worth the watch. Easy A (PG-13) After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl (Emma Stone) sees her reputation tarnished until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. One of Emma Stone’s earliest starring roles, and definitely one of the first where she gets to show her comic timing chops. The excellent script hits all the usual…

2/20/17 Movie Monday: Tom Hanks Comedies

Welcome to DMM’s 2/20/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week’s focus is on lesser-known Tom Hanks comedies. Hanks has been known primarily for his dramatic roles for quite some time, but he got his start in comedies and all of these are winners.

2/13/17 Movie Monday: Anti-Valentine’s Day Movies

Welcome to DMM’s 2/13/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week’s theme is geared to those who aren’t feeling the hearts and flowers this Valentine’s Day. Funny, scary or thought-provoking: hopefully there’s something for everyone here.

2/6/17 Movie Monday: Three Takes On Snow White

Welcome to DMM’s 2/6/17 Movie Monday, where I’ll help you tackle movie night with brief reviews of movies you may have missed that are worth the rental or purchase. This week’s theme is three takes on that fairy tale classic, Snow White. Whether you’re looking for bright family fun, action and adventure or something a little darker, one of these is sure to suit the bill. Mirror Mirror (PG) One of the most beloved tales of all time comes to life in the spectacular Mirror Mirror, starring Lily Collins as Snow White and Julia Roberts as the evil Queen. A fresh and funny retelling of the classic fairy tale, the film also stars Armie Hammer Sean Bean, and Nathan Lane. This candy-colored version is directed by Tarsem Singh, the visionary auteur behind the painterly indie masterpiece The Fall, bold Immortals and spine-tingling The Cell. Like all of Singh’s films, this one is a beauty to…

How To Disable Autoplay Videos In The Browser

I don’t know whose bright idea it was to start this autoplay thing, but it’s BEYOND annoying. Don’t worry, as per usual Digital Media Mom’s got your back and I’m here to tell you how to disable autoplay videos in the browser. Note that these fixes only stop autoplay for video content served by the site itself, they may not stop full motion video ads from auto-playing. For that, you’ll need to find an ad blocker plugin. In Firefox: Type “about:config” (without quotation marks) into the browser URL bar and press Enter. Answer yes / confirm when the warning box comes up. When the Configuration page loads, scroll down to the “media.autoplay.enabled” line. By default, it’s set to true. Double-click on the line to change it to false.