Tech news reports I saw this weekend drop this bombshell on Hollywood as well as PC consumers: the next-generation Windows 8 operating system won’t automatically play DVDs and Blu-ray – even if your laptop has a DVD or Blu-ray drive. instead Windows 8 will require you to fork over cash. Expect from greedy Microsoft an extra-cost option to install a Windows Media Center software upgrade to allow DVD and Blu-ray playback. Let’s hope a 3rd party freebie bitchslaps this abomination.

Pay To Play DVD/Blu-Ray? Windows 8 Sucks

By LONNIE BROWNTHE LEDGER Published: Friday, May 4, 2012 at 11:29 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, May 4, 2012 at 11:29 p.m.

George Engel, president of the Lakeland Macintosh Users Group, is scheduled to conduct the seminar beginning at 10 a.m.

If you can’t make today’s meeting, the computer club’s monthly meeting will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Lake Hollingsworth Drive in Lakeland.

There has been Apple a-plenty in April’s news. the company’s iPad had secured 54.7 percent of the tablet-computer market in the fourth quarter of last year — and managed to increase that to 68 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to IDC, a company that tracks the global electronic marketplace.

Total tablet sales for the first quarter of this year were 17.4 million — a 120 percent increase over the same period in 2011. the tablets are making significant inroads into notebook computer sales.

Richard Shim, an analyst for DisplaySearch, a company that tracks the display-supply chain and display-related industries, noted that the “folks in Cupertino [California, home of Apple headquarters] keep talking about how tablets will exceed notebook shipments. “Well, we’re starting to see that as well.”

In mid April, about 650,000 Apple Macintosh computers worldwide were infected with a virus that got to the machines through a Java security flaw.

The infection, said David Emm, the senior security researcher for software-security company Kaspersky Lab, should be a wake-up call to Apple that it needs to be more aggressive in protecting its operating system.

Eugene Kaspersky, the company’s founder, told Computer Business Review that Apple was about 10 years behind Microsoft in terms of security, and that the “virus proof” reputation the computers have developed resulted not from a uniqueness, but from the fact that there were more Windows-based computers for hackers and malware code writers to target.

“Cyber criminals have now recognized that Mac is an interesting area. now we have more [of those computers] … welcome to Microsoft’s world, Mac. It’s full of malware,” said Kaspersky. he added that he had been pointing out for many years that “from a security point of view there is no big difference between Mac and Windows.”

And finally, there is the news-making Apple iPhone 4S: the new cell phone, which came on the market in mid-October, accounted for 37 percent of all activations during the first three months of this year.

It was a record high for any three-month period — and four times the amount for any other device.

While Apple was the world’s biggest seller of computers for the last quarter of 2011, it was knocked from that spot this week by Hewlett-Packard, although by a slim margin. the research form Canalys reported that HP sold 40,000 more units that Apple’s 15.8 million during the first quarter of this year. the number for Apple included sales of the iPad, which accounted for 11.8 million of those sales.

MAC USERS

The Lakeland Macintosh Users Group lost a past president last month with the April 25 death of James Dunleavy. he joined the club in 2007 and served for four years as president. Dunleavy was also the club’s program director for the past two years.

He is also author of a how-to book on Apple’s Leopard operating system (OS X 10.5), “Leaping with Leopard in an Apple Jungle” (Lulu Enterprises, 2009; $43).

[ Lonnie Brown can be reached at ledgerdatabase@aol.com. ]

Learn About Apple Computers Today

By CHARLES ODUMAP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) – Roy Halladay offered regret for his teammates, especially Carlos Ruiz, instead of excuses for himself after his worst outing in five years.

Halladay gave up eight runs to blow a six-run lead and Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning as the Atlanta Braves overcame Ruiz's seven RBIs to outlast the Philadelphia Phillies 15-13 on Wednesday night.

Ruiz had three hits, including a three-run homer in the seventh and a three-run double in the eighth. He was the first Phillies hitter to drive in seven runs since Ryan Howard against the Yankees on June 20, 2006.

“He's been awesome for us,” said Halladay of Ruiz. “I think that's what hurts most. When you have games like this, your teammates are out there grinding and getting it done and I didn't. And that was the difference, really.

“That's the toughest one, letting those guys down who really got it done today.”

Laynce Nix also hit a three-run double for the Phillies.

Halladay gave up 12 hits – one below his career high – and eight runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Halladay was tagged by Brian McCann's fifth career slam in the fifth. the former Cy Young winner had not allowed as many earned runs since may 5, 2007, when he gave up nine runs in 5 1-3 innings at Texas.

“Honestly, I felt good,” Halladay said after seeing his ERA climb from 1.95 to 3.40. “There were some that I didn't execute. It wasn't anything else.”

The seesaw game saw the Braves rally from a 6-0 deficit against Halladay, then come back from four runs down in the eighth.

“It was just a weird game all the way around,” said McCann, who hit a grand slam off Halladay. “Stuff you've never seen happen.”

It was the highest-scoring extra-inning game in the majors since Cleveland beat Kansas City 15-13 in 10 innings in 2006, STATS LLC said.

Dan Uggla led off the Atlanta 11th with a single. Jones just missed a homer on a ball that landed barely foul to right, then connected against Brian Sanches (0-1).

“It can be deflating, but I look at the other side, too: We scored 13 runs,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

“The bottom line is, we couldn't hold a four-run lead. our bullpen hasn't been tested. this was a good test for them.”

Jones' homer ended the Braves' eight-game losing streak to the Phillies. Chad Durbin (1-0) pitched a scoreless 11th.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel couldn't hold a 13-12 lead in the ninth. Shane Victorino's two-out infield hit drove in Juan Pierre, who walked and stole second and took third on a grounder.

Martin Prado had three hits and drove in three runs, including a two-run single in the Atlanta eighth.

Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty blew an 8-6 lead before recording an out in the seventh. Ty Wigginton walked, pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. singled and Ruiz followed with his fourth homer to left for a 9-8 edge.

Atlanta's Tommy Hanson gave up eight hits and four runs in 3 2-3 innings. It was his shortest start since he pitched 3 1-3 innings against the Mets on Aug. 6, 2011, in his last outing before he was placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season with right shoulder tendinitis.

NOTES: Phillies LHP Cliff Lee, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle, threw in the bullpen before the game. If he has no discomfort, he plans another bullpen session on Saturday. If all goes well on Saturday, Lee is expected to come off the disabled list. … Atlanta's Jason Heyward missed his third straight start with soreness around his right oblique muscle before entering the game as a pinch-hitter and remaining in right field. … the Phillies placed 1B Jim Thome on the 15-day disabled list with tightness in his lower back and recalled C Erik Kratz from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. the move was made retroactive to Sunday. … the three-game series ends on Thursday when Braves RHP Randall Delgado (2-2) starts against RHP Joe Blanton (2-3).

Copyright 2012 the associated Press. All rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hometownstations.com-WLIO- Lima, OH News Weather SportsRuiz, Phillies fall to Braves, 15-13 in 11th

Doris Day fans will get a rare treat Sunday morning, when the Carmel resident is expected to call in to local radio personality Ed Dickinson’s annual birthday-tribute radio show.

Dickinson’s show airs at 8a.m. Sunday on station KYAA 1200 AM and online at www.KYAAMusic.com. Beginning at 9a.m., Dickinson will play a three-hour block of Day’s music, in honor of her 88th birthday on Tuesday.

Day will be calling in to Dickinson’s show sometime between 9a.m.-noon.

Dickinson will be taking a limited number of calls during the show at 899-2900.

Peace march honors 6-year-old gang victim

Teen Salinas Speaks will host its second annual Memorial March + Peace Festival at noon Saturday in Salinas.

the event is held in honor of Azahel Cruz, a 6-year-old Salinas boy who was murdered in a gang shooting in 2010.

Marchers will met at noon at East Laurel Pocket Park at 10 E. Laurel Drive in Salinas. the route proceeds to Alisal High School for the peace festival.

Spoken-word performances, music, food and more will be available.

For information, email vicki.barone@salinasuhsd.org.

Readings mark National Poetry Celebration

The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts hosts a poetry reading with Kathryn Petruccelli and Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts at 7:30p.m. April 19 at the center, Fourth Avenue and Guadalupe Street in Carmel. $10 admission.

the event is part of the center’s National Poetry Celebration. For information, call 624-7491 or visit www.carlcherrycenter.org.

Learn to run your own low-power radio station

CSU Monterey Bay radio instructor Steven Levinson will share how to start low-power community radio stations in Salinas. One is at 5:30p.m. Thursday at National Steinbeck Center; the other happens 10:30a.m. April 7 at John Steinbeck Library Both presentations are free.

the Local Community Radio Act mandates the government to open up new broadcast frequencies specifically for community and educational groups.

For information, call 402-1906 or email slevinson@csumb.edu.

MOM exhibit details historic pop festival

The Museum of Monterey’s “Music love and Flowers: Youth and Culture in Monterey 1967 to Now” is currently on display to the public, two weeks before its official opening reception.

the exhibit’s is still being installed, but will be open for a “soft opening” Saturday. the opening reception is scheduled for April 13.

the exhibit honors the 45th anniversary of the Monterey International Pop Festival, telling the story of the musicians, fans and community members involved in the historic event.

the museum is open 10a.m. – 5p.m. Tue-Sat, noon-5p.m. Sunday. Call 372-2608 or visit www.museumofmonterey.org.

Follow Marc Cabrera on Twitter at Twitter.com/MarcACabrera. Marc Cabrera can be reached at 646-4345 or at mcabrera@montereyherald.com.

ArtBeat: Radio show devoted to Doris Day

Plus CNet on Android in the fridge, and AcerCloud announced at CES

A quick burst of 5 links for you to chew over, as picked by the Technology team

How many clouds is too many? AcerCloud announced in Las Vegas >> Gadget Writing

Tim Anderson: “One of the features, which failed in the CES demo, is that a PC which is in hibernation can be woken up through wi-fi to deliver your content on demand: “As long as the main PC is in sleep (standby/hibernation) mode, Acer always Connect technology can wake it up through Wi-Fi® so media can be retrieved via a mobile device. “This whole thing would work better if the cloud, rather than the home PC, were the central repository of data. A PC or notebook sitting at home is unreliable. it has a frail hard drive. it might be a laptop on battery power, and the battery might expire. The home broadband connection might fail – and most home connections are much slower uploading to the internet than downloading from it. “Another question: if you one of the professionals Acer refers to, will you want to put your faith in AcerCloud for showing documents at your business meeting?”

The next Big Thing: Android in the home, and in the fridge >> CNET Blogs

“The smartphone will become the portal to other devices and appliances in the home, which will all work together seamlessly and allow access to whatever type of information you want anywhere in the house. It’s already happening, with Wi-Fi being used now to control lights in houses. “Google’s strategy is to move the focus from mobile devices to a more encompassing utilitarian function that shares information and intelligence much like peer-to-peer devices do. ‘You want to be able to walk into your house and have all the appliances adjust, know it’s you,’ Schmidt said. ‘A text message goes to the TV because that’s your preference’ and it all syncs together.” so will we have to choose to live in Android or Apple or Microsoft houses too?

Apple CEO Tim Cook didn’t really make $378 million in 2011 >> Fortune Tech

Cook’s basic salary was an agreeable $900,000 last year. he was awarded $376m in restricted stock units which, according to Fortune, depend on Cook’s continued employment at Apple over the next 10 years.

Twitter orchestrates music partnerships with Gracenote and The Echo Nest >> guardian.co.uk

“This partnership means Verified Twitter Accounts can be distributed into a wide range of products and brands – from smart TVs and automotive infotainment systems to cloud music services and smartphones,” says Gracenote president Stephen White. Got that? Verified accounts only.

Google’s Results get more Personal with “Search plus your World” >> Search Engine Land

Google is going to have a painstaking time explaining this one.

You can follow Guardian Technology’s linkbucket on Pinboard

Josh HallidayCharles Arthurguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. all rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Boot up: Google shakes up search, Tim Cook wins big Apple package, and more