![\"AmazonFiveYears\"](\"https:\/\/www.technologyinvestor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/AmazonFiveYears.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n+ Facebook just got upgraded to a “strong buy” at Raymond James. What analysts “think” doesn’t matter — unless lots of them say the same positive thing. Which is what’s happening with Facebook. Moreover, Zuck is now figuring how to monetize Instagram, which I love.<\/p>\n
Netflix just got oodles of awards for its original work. My friends binge watch Netflix. One day soon, someone will buy it. Some day I’ll get the time to binge watch.<\/p>\n Square’s products are ultra-popular among retail stores. Check out anything white next time you’re at your local coffee shop or country store. SQ’s sales are growing fast. They’re still losing money but I’m positive.<\/p>\n Flex makes things for others. They’re expanding the range of things they make. They have a real “can do” attitude that’s endearing.<\/p>\n Tech stocks are, by nature, volatile. You have to hold them through the volatility and buy more on “the big drop.” The good ones do keep on trucking. Look at Google over the past ten years:<\/p>\n This is the “BIG” recent bounce in gold that everyone’s talking about. <\/strong><\/span>This is a one-year chart.<\/p>\n I used to own SGOL — my preferred Gold ETF — but dumped most of what I owned around $126 to $128 — above where it is now.<\/p>\n Should I get back in because it’s “coming back?” Frankly, I haven’t the foggiest idea.<\/p>\n I can’t find any sane reasons why gold is rising, or if it’s going to keep rising.<\/p>\n Which brings me to: When in doubt, stay out.<\/strong><\/p>\n Your personal computer:<\/strong><\/span> My last discussion.<\/p>\n Apple Mac or Microsoft Windows machine? Your choice mostly, unless your company has ideas. My son and his wife have Macs. their company gave them a Mac. My daughter and her husband have Windows machines. Ditto from their companies.<\/p>\n All machines are cluttered with corporate software — some to allow them into corporate databases; others to protect them from nasties.<\/p>\n Because I don’t report to a rigid IT department, I have a choice. I choose Windows because:<\/p>\n + I much prefer the ThinkPad keyboard. It’s easier to type on. I can type fast. And it’s easier to move around because of its red pointing stick.<\/p>\n + Windows and Windows software and hardware is easier to “mess” with it — make it the way I like. There are many makers of Windows laptops. You can get the size, shape and weight you want. I prefer Lenovo’s ThinkPad X series. But it makes far more models, styles and arrangements than Apple ever dreamed about.<\/p>\n + I don’t believe Apple Macs or Windows machines are any less or more reliable. I have evidence.<\/p>\n + How sensitive each is to a virus or malware depends on your protection software. Most of the bad stuff is aimed at Windows machines because there are more of them and they’re “business” machines. But Macs are hit with nasties and hackers also. Macs also get hit with irrational “stops” — coming to a grinding halt. I find Macs are harder to fix.<\/p>\n + In general, Apple makes you do things its way. That was Steve Jobs’ root philosophy. Windows says “Do it your way.” That’s my preference.<\/p>\n + Windows laptops are cheaper than Macs of the same speed. You can find spare ones cheaply on eBay.<\/p>\n Every day I back my working files up to these two.<\/p>\n They’re totally reliable — more reliable than the “cloud.” The SanDisk one costs $60. The PNY Turbo costs $62. Backup takes me two minutes. I use software called FreeFileSync, which is also totally reliable.<\/p>\n Every time I install new software (which is very rare these days), I clone my hard drive. It takes two seconds to remove it from my laptop and put it into Aluratek’s $52 hard drive duplicator, which takes 20 minutes to duplicate a drive.<\/p>\n I then have a identical clone of the drive I’m working on — which I can swap out when nasties befall. I exclusively use Samsung solid state drives (SSD). All this stuff is available from — guess who? — Amazon.<\/p>\n My readers have their opinions.<\/p>\n From Robert:<\/p>\n Harry,<\/p>\n I am also surprised about all your cloning, purchasing of backup devices, constantly shopping for anti-virus software and more computer equipment in order to give the appearance that you are fully redundant. I have an iPhone, MacBook Pro and a Dell laptop. I use Google Docs and O365 for my productivity apps. All my photos are on iCloud, email is Google Gmail and all my data (a few hundred gigs, is stored on Google Drive). I have folder shortcuts on my MacBook Pro and Dell desktop that live on Google Drive and sync up real-time with Google. I never store anything on my local PC or Mac. I pay $9.99\/mo for 1TB of storage with Google + $9.99\/mo for 1TB of iCoud storage. If either of my laptops were hacked, I would just format the drive and log into my Google and O365 account and be back up an running. If you are skeptical about the cloud, you really need to get over it. The Google Cloud Platform has a 99.95% SLA and redundant data centers around the world. No amount of cloning of drives can compete with that.<\/p>\n I work in the IT industry, specifically with email servers and hear your argument all the time. At some point we have to all assume that our devices and laptops will be hacked, lost or whatever. By putting everything in the hands of Google and Apple, I sleep like a baby at night and never worry about my data.<\/p>\n Tom from CA replied to Robert<\/p>\n Robert- all good points, but you neglect to mention a few very important ones (IMHO):<\/p>\n 1. No Internet = no access to data. Slow internet = slow access to data.<\/p>\n 2. Sure Amazon\/Google\/Apple have redundancy, but you don’t really know what they are doing and just how redundant your actual data is. And nothing will protect your data from human error or hacking on their side. Ignorance is bliss I guess.<\/p>\n 3. You’re ok with having your data mined? I’m not.<\/p>\n And most important:<\/p>\n 4. All the cloud providers have to submit to government issued subpoenas. If it’s between them giving up your data vs. govt shutting them down, guess who gets screwed?<\/p>\n Favorite family present ever. <\/strong>This is the only gadget that everyone in our family\u00a0 insists on me giving them — the world’s best folding scissor:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Don’t even blink at the price — $57.50. But don’t try to carry it on an airplane. They’ll take it away. Then you will blink. GarrettWade sells it. Click here.<\/strong><\/p>\n 10 Best Tech gadgets<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n From Business Insider. The 10 Best tech gadgets on writer used in 2016. Interesting choices. Chick here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n 52 Places to Go in 2017.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>From the New York Times. Places include:<\/p>\n Botswana. Susan and I have been twice. It’s wonderful.<\/p>\n Sun Valley, Ketchum, Idaho. Truly magical.<\/p>\n Stockholm. Michael and I loved Sweden. We were there on a Backroads biking tour last summer.<\/p>\n Hamburg, Germany. The place is spruced up. I haven’t been, yet.<\/p>\n For the full New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2017<\/em>, click here.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n To Disneyland<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A six year old goes to the hospital with her grandmother to visit her Grandpa.<\/p>\n When they get to the hospital, she runs ahead of her Grandma and bursts into her Grandpa’s room …<\/p>\n “Grandpa, Grandpa,” she says excitedly, “As soon as Grandma comes into the room, make a noise like a frog!”<\/p>\n “What?” said her Grandpa.<\/p>\n “Make a noise like a frog – because Grandma said that as soon as you croak, we\u2019re all going to Disney Land !\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>