Geekly Update - 07 November 2012

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Too many annoying "friends" on Facebook? Here's good news... the annual National Unfriend Day is rapidly approaching! Here are some tips on how to decide who gets the axe.

The American Red Cross is playing a major role in the aftermath of the Frankenstorm that was Sandy. Contact them if you know someone who needs a place to crash, want an app to update what is going on or simply to find out how you can help.

"Smart phone, dumb user..." Emmanuel Jerome decided to use his iPhone as a flashlight while robbing a house in the UK and accidentally recorded the burglary which helped to convict him.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is backing Aereo Network TV in the federal appeals court, saying that their use of mini-antennas to stream transmissions does not infringe on broadcaster rights. The major networks, on the other hand, claim that they should be treated like a cable system and have to pay fees.

This just in, from the "Odd Things People Do While Texting" file: A woman in Kodiak, Alaska had to be rescued after falling from a 60-foot cliff while texting and smoking.

Philips has launched Hue this week, a web-enabled smartbulb system. Hue supports up to 50 bulbs, which you can control with an app on your smartphone or tablet. For some odd reason it's exclusively sold at Apple stores, although it is compatible with both iOS and Android.

Speaking of Android, its Jelly Bean 4.2 update goes beyond its panoramic shooting as users can take pictures in every direction and viewers appear to be inside the shot. Even better, the results can be shared on Google+ or Maps.

Windows Phone 8 made its formal debut this week with Live Tiles that allow updates from friends on the home screen. Other features include an always on Skype app, People Hub (virtual chat rooms) and Data Sense that can help users stay within their monthly limits.

The Nike+ FuelBand is now being sold on the Apple Store in three different colors for $149.95. Its app for iPhone/iPod touch calculates time, calories and steps in addition to overall progress and comparisons with friends' progress.

"Forty-two, of course..." Watch out, Siri. Google's new search app for iPhone, iPad and iPod looks to be a useful tool for finding answers on an iPad or iPhone. The app taps into Google's Knowledge Graph and can be used by tapping on the microphone icon and asking for the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Your thoughts on these topics are welcome. Post your comment or question below...