cloud computing Archives

How NASA plans to back up data on lunar soil

Let me ask you a question: Do you think the cloud is a safe place to back up your data, the world’s treasures and government secrets? In a world of increasing breaches, hackers and threats, even cloud storage might not be enough.

Welcome to the next frontier: Lunar backups. NASA is teaming up with Lonestar, a Florida-based startup, and the Isle of Man, that self-governing British Crown Dependency you might’ve never heard of, to store data on the moon. Think of it like the ultra-secure Fort Knox but for digital information.

🚀 Blockchain goes intergalactic

How do you keep data safe on the moon? By using a blockchain — the same tech behind crypto. It ensures data is secure, genuine and tamper-proof. This isn’t your mom’s filing cabinet; it’s out of this world.

The first data cube, “Freedom,” landed on the moon in February 2024, proving the concept works. Lonestar’s first commercial mission takes off in 2026. Oh, and the Isle of Man’s post office got in on the fun, too, sending digital stamps to the moon. Now that’s first-class mail.

🌝 Why the moon?

The moon isn’t becoming a storage locker for your embarrassing selfies. The mission is first to preserve humanity’s crown jewels — our most vital data. Think of it as Earth’s external hard drive or a modern Library of Alexandria (hopefully, with a less tragic end).

What’s on the moon-bound list? Obvious candidates include:

Scientific research: DNA sequencing data, climate models and pandemic studies.
Cultural archives: Literary classics, historical texts and digitized art collections.
Financial records: Stock market data, transaction histories and economic models.
Health care information: Genome mapping and medical research.
National security data: Sensitive classified information.
Tech blueprints: Designs for critical infrastructure, from power plants to the internet backbone.
“The Kim Komando Show”: Audio files of all my shows, because they’re that important to all mankind. (OK, I made that up!)

🌎 Earth vs. the moon

Not everyone’s on board with storing data on the moon. It’s not like you can send a tech to fix things. And retrieving something? Think “break glass in case of emergency,” not your daily backup.

Accessing lunar data would take spacecraft, encryption and dealing with space itself. Long-term storage? Sure. Easy? Not at all.

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Reader question: 'What can I use instead of QuickBooks?'

If you’re a business owner, you don’t need us to tell you that running a business is tough. Don’t let QuickBooks and spreadsheets slow you down, making things more complicated than necessary. It’s time to upgrade to our sponsor NetSuite.

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Weird-but-cool buys for under $10

Yeehaw, hydration! Little cowboy hats to cap your Stanley tumbler (or any other travel mug), now four for $7.
Thin Mints superfans, sprinkle Girl Scout cookie-inspired seasoning (under $5) over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, popcorn …
Fungi-tional! Cable ties that look like little mushrooms, on sale for $8.
When bumps and bruises need a sense of humor, emoji bandages will do the trick.
This magnetic cloud can help you keep track of your keys in small spaces for under $8.
Love the everything but not always the bagel? Sprinkle everything-bagel-inspired seasoning on wraps, cottage cheese, salads, toast — the sky’s the limit!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

If you don’t innovate, you’ll evaporate: You need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Find out how AI can streamline your operations. Take a free test drive of Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.

Big tech's big lies: Part II

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I’ll break down how streaming, ride-shares, and cloud services have failed to deliver on their promises, costing you more than you bargained for.

Free AI test drive: You need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.

$50,000 spent on AI

By the Secret Service. They won’t say why (national security and all that), but we do know the money went to Microsoft Azure and OpenAI cloud services (paywall link).

How to deal with a cyberstalker

Let me tell you, more and more victims of cyberstalking are reaching out to me for advice using my Ask Kim page. Here’s one note I received recently from P.W. in Oklahoma:

“I’ve been cyberstalked for three years. I recently discovered it was my roommate. I moved out and he launched another attack. He’s on my and my fiance’s phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth — everything. He has stolen financial data, pictures, erased accounts, taken over emails and harassed me through VOIP. … He admitted to sitting outside our house all night. I thought he was spying on me. Now I know he was also gaining access to my Wi-Fi. I can’t do this anymore and need expert advice/help terribly.”

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Free AI test drive: You need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.

Are you cirrus? Turns out the government’s technology for controlling the weather doesn’t work. “Cloud seeding,” where silver iodide crystals are added to clouds to increase rain, only boosts precipitation by a measly 0% to 20%. Oh, and it’s not cheap, either; we’re spending tens of millions on this every year.

50% off: Using AI in your business is expensive. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim to see if they can cut your bill in half. Hurry, this offer ends on Dec. 31, 2024.

🦄 Two’s company, but three’s a cloud: Duplicate photos eat up so much storage on our phones. They might be exact duplicates or pics so similar, they might as well be. There are built-in ways to clear them out on your iPhone and Android.

Breathe new life into an old laptop or PC: Install ChromeOS Flex, a free, cloud-based operating system. With processing done on Google’s servers and a bare-bones interface, you’ll get surprisingly good performance. Your PC will need to meet these minimum specs: x64 CPU, 4GB RAM, 16GB storage and a USB port for installation.

I wonder why: Microsoft brought back its official guide for Windows 10 and 11 users wanting to switch from a cloud account to a local one. They pulled the steps from their site in June, probably to push folks toward the more ad-focused version. Want to go back? Here are the steps (at the bottom).

🪄 You need a magic wand: The FCC says Adobe has predatory subscription billing practices. When you try to cancel Creative Cloud, Adobe charges you half of your leftover subscription, and they make it nearly impossible to cancel without calling. Caught in their web? The FCC put out a guide to help you dispute your charges.

Free AI test drive: Nothing has changed our lives quite like AI has — and will. That’s why you need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim. No one does data better than Oracle.

👊 Close the Windows: There are pros to having your Microsoft and Windows 11 accounts tied together, but if you want to stop Microsoft from sharing your data with advertisers, disconnect from the cloud. Move to a local account with these steps: Open Settings, then Account > Your Info > Sign In. Log into a local account, then confirm your changes.

Start saving up now: Laptop tech has been stagnant for years, but the times, they are a-changin’. Computer makers are using chips that allow laptops to run large-scale AI models directly on the device. You’ll get better performance, tighter security and less reliance on the cloud (paywall link) — but expect laptop prices to skyrocket.

Google’s Bard chatbot is now Gemini: If you want a smarter AI, go for Gemini Advanced. It’s $19.99 a month and you get 2TB of cloud storage and Gmail integration. FYI, most people are fine with the free version. Try it for a few weeks before you hand over your credit card.