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Weekend Open Forum: Biggest tech failures of 2011
There are always valuable lessons to be learned from failures -- and boy has 2011 been a pedagogic year for some tech companies. Sony, for example, has no doubt learned about the importance of securing its network infrastructure, especially when it holds the information of millions of customers. And in the event that something goes wrong again they now know it's better to come clean sooner rather than later.
Netflix and HP probably learned a thing or two about about communicating with their customers as well. The first tried and failed to split its business in two, and announced a 60% price increase for streaming and DVD-by-mail customers, while HP alienated partners and shook customer confidence when it announced it was halting its webOS projects and possibly exiting the consumer PC market.
We could go on for a while listing Research In Motion's recent mishaps, or the back and forth patent battles in the mobile sector headed by Apple versus Samsung and Microsoft versus every Android manufacturer. Some were also dissapointed by the iPhone 5's no-show -- though the 4S is a huge sales success -- and in general 2011 was something of a failure for any tablet manufacturer that wasn’t Apple and maybe Amazon.
What about Google's Chromebooks? Was the decade long wait for Duke Nukem Forever worth it? Cast your vote in the poll below and let us know about the tech failures we missed in the comments.
Fail stamp image from Shutterstock
User Comments: 30
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I'm adding Norton to this list.I bought a Gateway/Acer Touchscreen,Windows 7 (Too much sharing,in my HO),installed Norton 360,& was hacked. Ha-all of these should be on the list!
So,after being told by Gateway-Level 2 that "The computer is shot", (reformatting wasn't even offered) I returned it to where I purchased it from.
I then bought an HP & tried using Norton again. On it's watch,my pc was infected by 5 different PUM Hijack trojans!!
After reformatting x2,I installed McAfee Total Protection...waiting to see if this will 'Protect".
I also installed Anvir Task Manager Pro,& Malwarebytes.To be continued...but comments/suggestions would be appreciated.
Microsoft's Security Essentials anti-virus comes highly recommended, and free. Pair that with Comodo's free firewall, and Malwarebytes and you will have a free solution, but also highly versatile and secure computer.
In my opinion there really is no need to be purchasing security software these days. The free versions despite missing a few extra features provide more than enough security.
I personally use Mawarebytes, MSE AV, and either MS firewall (Win7) or Comodo's Firewall for my Windows boxes.
It also goes without saying that even the best security solutions aren't going to do the best job of protecting you if you continually place them at risk with the way you use your computer. Maybe you need to reappraise the way in which you use your computer, and find out why you keep getting trojans and other nasties in the first place.
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Guest said:
I'm adding Norton to this list.I bought a Gateway/Acer Touchscreen,Windows 7 (Too much sharing,in my HO),installed Norton 360,& was hacked. Ha-all of these should be on the list!
So,after being told by Gateway-Level 2 that "The computer is shot", (reformatting wasn't even offered) I returned it to where I purchased it from.
I then bought an HP & tried using Norton again. On it's watch,my pc was infected by 5 different PUM Hijack trojans!!
After reformatting x2,I installed McAfee Total Protection...waiting to see if this will 'Protect".
I also installed Anvir Task Manager Pro,& Malwarebytes.To be continued...but comments/suggestions would be appreciated.
Yeah, I have a few questions.
1) how many porn sites do you visit a day to get infected to quickly and so badly?
2) why did you use Norton again after it failed you the first time?
3) Why do you keep using really badly rated anti-virus programs?
4) Just advise really, never buy an Acer, if you have the option between a HP or Acer definately go for the HP even if it is lower spec, It will more than likely last twice as long as the Acer.
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Burty117,
Point 4 is subjective at best. I've personally had incredibly bad experiences with HP laptops and wouldn't touch them with a barge pole if you paid me first. Then again I tend to stick to Dell, which have been consistently reliable over the ten or so laptops I've purchased from them over the years. I'm currently typing away on a several years old Dell D630, which despite one battery change (at 6 years old its understandable) has never, ever missed a beat.
I've also purchased 5-6 HP laptops of varying specs and every single one of them went back during warranty for multiple issues. Warranty service is a nightmare at best, and two laptops were damaged in transit as well. On the whole I'd point blank recommend people avoid them full stop.
But then I also realise most people don't like Dell. Whatever shoe fits really, they're hands down the best laptops I've ever used.
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Fair enough, I only used HP as the guest said he then bought a HP instead of an Acer, I agree that most people I know who have got Dells have been very reliable, Next time I'll just list every company other than Acer :P
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To be honest the one Acer I did purchase for my daughter is such a shed I wouldn't buy one of those again either.
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