Go Pixelbook

I was too busy being busy to watch yesterday’s Google announcement, but here’s my short list of what I saw announced: Pixelbook Go Chromebook, Pixel 4/4XL smartphones (with gesture controls and “Face Unlock,” Nest Mini, Nest WiFi, and Pixel Buds. And a Pixel 4 Recorder app that can record and transcribe audio simultaneously (that one actually sounds handy).

The Pixelbook Go is probably the most alluring of the shiny new GOOG objects, and the $649 makes it Google’s most affordable Chromebook yet – although this version won’t flip into tablet mode (only major downside I read about).

I bought a Pixelbook and a year and a half later am still most pleased with the product. While it runs no Mac or Wintel programs, I’ve spent far less time updating or maintaining the Chromebook than any other computer I’ve owned, pretty. And while it doesn’t necessarily do everything I want it to, it does pretty much everything I need it to. 

Meanwhile, LinkedIn has thrown down the gauntlet against WeWork and its “Meetup” group. The company has launched a new “Events” feature, a free tool to plan, announce, and invite people to meetups. This just WeWork/Meetup has faced a backlash for announcing a $2/per-RSVP service charge.

Yeah, Meetup not WeWorking.

25th Anniversary ThinkPad

If you’re looking for a special gift for that special someone who has laptop-itis, or just general technology on the brain, you might be well advised to check out the special 25th anniversary edition of the IBM ThinkPad 700C.

The new 25th Anniversary Edition of the ThinkPad 700C

According to CNBC, the ThinkPad Anniversary Edition 25 features a backlit 7-row keyboard, a throwback multicolor logo, the original pink mouse nub and a blue return button. However, it will be a lot thinner then the original 700C, and will feature a 14-inch full HD display. The new old ThinkPad will be priced at $1,899. (I remember working on one of the originals, and thought at times it would make an excellent boat anchor).

On the other hand, if you’re looking for something a little more modern, The Verge provides a detailed first look at the just announced Google Pixelbook. Their verdict? “It’s an incredibly well-built, thin, and beautiful laptop that you can convert into a tablet by flipping the screen over,” but “is it really worth spending over a thousand bucks on a Chromebook device?” The answer to that question seems to depend on how much of an Android you are.

A Pixel at a Time

You know that whole Yahoo! data breach thing, the one where the company late last year revealed that a 2013 hack exposed the private information of over 1 billion users…yeah, well, Verizon (which bought Yahoo!, has revised the impact of the breach, suggesting that it impacted all 3 billion of its users.

While you get your head around that, a friendly reminder that former Equifax CEO Richard Smith testified on Capitol Hill yesterday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

On September 7, Equifax announced it had suffered a massive cyber breach in which the Social Security numbers, names, birthdates, and addresses of 145.5 million Americans were stolen.

How did Smith explain the hack? Equifax had learned of a weak spot in the Apache Struts software in a key computer system back in March, but never patched it. Smith then laid blame on a faulty scanner and a single Equifax staffer responsible for mishandling patches.

In a company of 9,900 employes, a single individual person was in charge of its patching process.

According to a C|NET report of the testimony, several House committee members suggested federal laws to regulate credit monitoring companies like Equifax.

Don’t hold your breath.

But if you do, let it go starting around 12 EST today, especially if you’re an Android, because Google is hosting an announcement event with news on the Android, smartphone, Chromebook, and related fronts.

Gizomodo’s sneak peak suggests that new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones will be on offer. Also rumoured, a new Google Home Mini (think Google’s version of the Echo Dot) as well as a pricey Google “Pixelbook” that is expected to have a $99 optional Pixelbook Pen and a 360-degree hinge that allows the device to morph instantly into a tablet.

There’s also talk of a new Daydream VR headset, and possibly even more support for the increasingly popular Google Assistant.

The clock is ticking…you can follow the action starting at 9 AM PDT on The Verge.