All posts by Alan

Your Plex account may have been compromised

August 24, 2022Media, Media Center, TVMedia, PlexAlan

If you are using your computer or other connected devices for your media and entertainment experiences. Plex is a media server platform and also a player, that has been in development that has been in development since 2008 and can work with Windows, MacOS, Linux and Free BSD, as well as on platforms such as Apple TV and Roku.

If you’ve been using it, then be alert to the fact that Plex made an announcement today that it has uncovered unauthorized activity in the system that may have compromised user data. The service sent out an email to all users that begins by stating, “We want you to be aware of an incident involving your Plex account information yesterday.”

While it’s a chilling start, Plex goes on to try and downplay the extent of just how much damage is involved.

“We immediately began an investigation and it does appear that a third party was able to access a limited subset of data that includes emails, usernames, and encrypted passwords. Even though all account passwords that could have been accessed were hashed and secured in accordance with best practices, out of an abundance of caution we are requiring all Plex accounts to have their password reset.”

The company stresses that credit card data was not stored with the databases that were compromised

It’s up to each user where to go from here. By all means, change your password, but if you wish to play it on the cautious side, there are a number of popular open-source Plex alternatives available.

Better late than never: Budweiser pulls out of Russia

March 31, 2022Informationrussia, UkraineAlan

Within twenty-four hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while governments were still contemplating what actions to take, companies began announcing their exits from Vladimir Putin’s country. None of the government hand-wringing slowed down corporations and Anonymous from taking a stand on the situation.

Now, Budweiser is jumping on board the wagon, more than a month since the invasion first occurred. Before faulting the company, it’s best to step back and take a larger view of the situation. The brewer didn’t have its own choice, the one to blame is more likely the parent company.

Budweiser is currently owned by Ab Inbev a company that formed from the merger of a brewing company based in Belgium and one based in Brazil that occurred in 2004. In 2008 that company then purchased Anheuser Busch.

So, the conglomerate has finally reached the decision that it will cease business ties with Vladimir Putin’s nation. Yes, it was slow, but let’s still be thankful that the move was made because every little bit helps. And believe it or not, some companies are still continuing the practice. We won’t name them in this story, but there are several places online that keep a compiled list of them, so you can easily find out the names and make your own purchase decisions, if you so choose.

Joe Rogan’s podcast disappears from Spotify for unknown reasons

February 18, 2022SpotifyJoe Rogan, Podcast, SpotifyAlan

Joe Rogan has been in the news a lot lately, mostly not for good reasons. It began mostly with his stance against the Covid-19 vaccination and the accusations of the hype he gave to alternative medicine, along with providing a platform for people with questionable beliefs.

It reached a peak when a video was compiled and released of about twenty of the countless times, he has used a particular racist slur during the course of his shows, some of which have since been removed from the Spotify database. He then garnered more attention just a few days ago with his history of homophobic slurs coming to light.

People began calling for the removal of his show from the Spotify airwaves, but, despite the protest departures of high-profile musicians like Neil Young, did not happen. Spotify, having reportedly invested $200 million in the contract, declined to take him off.

However, today the show disappeared from the music company’s library without any explanation. It isn’t just missing a new episode, all past ones are also gone.

Without any comment thus far from the broadcaster, it’s impossible to speculate on why the show is gone. Did Spotify intentionally remove it or is it simply a system problem on their end? We would expect an announcement soon.

Raycon introduces new Power Speaker and Boombox at CES

January 17, 2022cesces, Music, RayconAlan

Music is important to most of us, although our tastes vary, sometimes greatly. From pop, rock and country to classical, Celtic and reggae, we’re all over the map, but all want good sound and sometimes we want it loud. Raycon has unveiled at CES 2022 its new sources for listening to all of your tunes.

First up is the Power Speaker Ultra, which lets you bring the club wherever you go, with awe-inspiring lighting effects, customizable EQ and multi-link mode for connecting additional speakers.

Old school looks meet new school sound quality in the Power Boombox, with four audio modes, eight hours of sound and LED party lights wrapped in a spill-resistant case.

Release dates for these two products have not been announced yet, however, pricing has been, with the speaker carrying a tag of $399.99 and the boombox weighing in at $99.99. You can keep an eye out for both Raycon.

Apeman debuts new line of cycling cameras

January 12, 2022cescesAlan

Do you bike? I don’t mean Something with Harley Davidson or Indian written on the tank, although those fun also. Yes, I mean a bicycle, perhaps a mountain bike; they’re a lot of fun and seeing your ride in hindsight is enjoyable also. Maybe you’ll see where you went wrong, what caused that crash. Although, to be honest, this is more geared for those who do most of their riding on roads as opposed to trails.

The new line of portable cameras from Apeman is called Seeker. It features a dual screen removable action camera with built-in safety features.

What does that entail? Well according to the company’s product announcement at this year’s CES, “The SEEKER R1 aims to address the vulnerability of every cyclist by providing the rider with a clear view of any incoming vehicles from the back. SEEKER R1 is easy to install and can be mounted onto your bicycle in 3 simple steps. The R1 features the new SEEKER Smart Tail Light which combines an intelligent brake light system, an automated taillight and an anti-collision laser bike lane. The SEEKER F1, which features a mountable front facing camera, will debut alongside SEEKER R1. It sports a powerful headlight with adjustable light settings, to further enhance your visibility even in the dark.”

No price or release date have yet been announced yet.

Amazon continues to keep Fire TV on sale

December 11, 2021Informationamazon, entertainment, FIre TV, MediaAlan

Amazon released Fire TV back in 2014, and it took off fairly quickly, becoming second behind only the Roku box. Since then, the television market has caught up to it, it’s no longer just Netflix and Hulu anymore. And now TV has mostly moved to the internet, with services like Sling, YouTube TV, Hulu TV and others.

Prior to Black Friday, Amazon put its Fire TV Sticks on sale, but Thanksgiving week is well over with now. Amazon is keeping the devices at the sale price, slightly more than it was over Thanksgiving, but still a considerable discount.

The base model, the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, regularly $39.99 is currently $24.99; the Fire TV 4K with Alexa Voice Remote, which retails for $49.99, is currently $29.99 and the high-end Fire TV 4K Max, Wi-Fi 6, regularly $54.99, now $34.99.

There is now word on how long the deal will last, so the sooner you grab it, the better off you are. After all, it can disappear any day now.