Netflix has lost over 800,000 users after announcing a 60%price hike, and the numbers keep growing. Never fear, though, because there are alternatives to Netflix that are even better! Most of them don't even require you to sign up to get a free trial, and they truly are good. if you still want a Netflix-like service without the actual Netflix part, think about trying the six sites in the article. A sucker punch to Netflix, this is.

Siri may have given Apple the boost they needed to remain on top and above Google. They may have given themselves at least a two-year advantage over Google in the on-going battle for the best smartphone platform. Siri crossed the threshold of being able to directly communicate with your device, and it is huge. Google has a program called Voice Actions, but Siri really understands what you mean. And it's personable. For example, it responds to "I love you, Siri," with "I love you too." Why shouldn't Apple be on top? They have cracked a code that Google has yet too, and the technology for this will haunt the people at Google's nightmares for the next long while.

Apparently, Facebook has released a statement saying that around 600,000 log-ins are compromised every day. And their solution? Find three to five "trusted friends." This way, if you're locked out of your account, Facebook will send codes to your friends to give to you, that will let you back on to them. They are also testing out some app passwords that the company will create on their own, and you won't need to remember them at all. Kind of pathetic after everything else they've done, but if it truly does work, why complain? 

The new locking handbag is one sure-fire way to protect yourself from thieves and pickpockets. Plus, it looks a little daunting. It requires a security combination to open, and once opened, the handle can be looped around shopping carts, public benches, and anywhere else a theft may take place. Made from Tonka-tough copolymer plastic, it is harder than leather and other fabrics to open, it also happens to be dirt and waterproof, making it practical and useful, for, say, the beach. Not the most beautiful thing, but very useful and helpful for people everywhere, especially the incredibly paranoid.

Cameras are so annoying. Like, you have to HOLD them to take a picture! Honestly. As you've no doubt thought at least once before in your life, while taking a picture, "can I just throw the camera?" Well, apparently the people from this company have, and so created a camera that you can throw that takes pictures, and have thus christened it, the "Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera." Suitable name. This camera can allegedly take 360-degree panoramic photos, simply by throwing it up into the air, which is probably where they got its name from. You throw the camera directly into the air, and when it reaches the apex, all 36 cameras automatically take a picture. Using a specific computer program, these pictures are digitally stitched together, and you are able to navigate your own way through the 360-degree picture. Watch the video, and you'll see that the results are very impressive. The drawbacks? The ball cannot spin when it is thrown up into the air, and don't even THINK about dropping it, because despite the foam padding, it will be ruined if it drops. Maybe you should bring a catcher's mitt on your trip. And it's HUGE. Like, soccer ball huge. Where on Earth are you going to put this thing, anyways? Certainly not in a purse or a pocket. Innovative, and a step forward from the old-fashioned cameras everyone still uses today, and yet very impractical.

It's a bird! No, it's a plane! No, it's the world's first "Spherical Flying Machine," brought to you by Japan, the place where all the cool stuff seems to come from. Remember in Star Wars: A New Hope, when Luke Skywalker was practicing Jedi Lightsaber skills on a small, flying sphere that could hover and move quickly in every direction? Well, Japan's Ministry of Defense seems to have brought Jedi training balls to the world. Mostly driven by remote controls, the sphere utilizes a combination of propellers and wings to hover, fly in all directions at up yo 60 kph and can even move along the ground and walls. They created this ball to solve a problem they were having with aircrafts (they can apparently stand up vertically after flying horizontally, but take-offs and landings were "difficult," as one could have imagined). It is not known whether they will market the flying ball or not, but this is certainly a huge leap forward in the field of robotics, as well as flying. 

Do you love Starbucks coffee and want to learn more about your cup-a-joe? Then you're in luck. Starbucks is launching a QR code program which will let consumers learn more about their coffee. These codes can also provide additional information, most likely in the form of a video, about coffee sold at the stores. Some may provide a sample of music that people listen to in the region where the coffee was picked and found, or a description of just how great the coffee is, done by coffee experts. Whoa. Starbucks is working with Scanbuy on this initiative, who have previously worked with The Home Depot and Taco Bell. So, you get a background check on your coffee. That's useful, right?

To any X Factor fans out there: Twitter is now allowing viewers to vote for performers by direct messages. Starting November 2, X Factor will be the first reality competition to do this. You must be following @TheXFactorUSA and DM your votes to them. Note that regular tweets with @TheXFactorUSA mentioned will not count - they must be DMs. A limit of 50 has been set for voting on Twitter, though, whereas the classic forms of calling, SMS, and SMS in-app are still unlimited. This stretches the boundaries of TV and social networking, and makes it easier for people to vote and connect with others.

A WARNING TO ALL TWITTER USERS! A Twitter phishing scam is spreading via direct messages. The DM will say "There is a rumor/blog going around about you (LINK) might want to read it." Do NOT click on this link. If you do, every single one of your followers will be spammed with the same message, and your account WILL be compromised, and you WILL be hacked. If you click on this link, whether by accident or because you don't listen, change your password immediately and often. Delete messages you never sent, and look out for links like the one you were spammed with. Revoke access to any suspicious applications. Follow the step-by-step guide provided by Twitter on what to do if you click on it. DON'T CLICK ON THIS MESSAGE!

Even though Microsoft acquired Skype in May for a whopping $8.5 billion, an obscure application known as Tango will give power to video calls on several upcoming Windows Phone devices. Starting with coming preloaded on the Windows Phone 7.5, the Mango, sometime in the next few weeks. Are we seeing some competition for Skype? I think so, and it will be interesting to see the outcome of this battle.

Since Angry Birds has pretty much taken over the world, why not try to extend the reign of awesomeness to space? An Angry Birds plushie, along with two Apple iPads, will be sent to the International Space Station with two upcoming Russian space launches. The iPads will be used for entertainment purposes, obviously, but the plush toy will be the first Angry Bird in space. That's one small step for a plush toy, one giant leap for Angry Birds everywhere. 

Everyone wants their Facebook posts and statuses to be noticed by as many people as possible, and one way to do that is by timing them to when your last status update stops showing up in your fans' news feeds. This way, no one will get annoyed that you post too much, nor that you "never" post. Many should try this, especially if they are attention seekers who need to be noticed. Jokes.

We now see what Steve Jobs was truly like, what kind of a man he really was. The authorized biography of the genius's life by Walter Isaacson quickly rose to the top of the charts after being released on Monday, and many are finding it hard to resist. This biography unveils many a thing about Steve Jobs that the general populace might not have known before. For instance, and this is really weird, Jobs believed that deodorant was useless, and his vegan diet would make him smell nice enough. Huh. Well, geniuses usually have quirks. But, after all the contributions he made to the world of technology and advancements, has it any meaning that he didn't use any deodorant? Weird, but still. Once again, so long, and farewell, Steve Jobs. 

Facebook.....what did you do this time? The Timeline, which was supposed to be released "in a few weeks," but now it's two weeks late. Maybe, it's due to controversial feedback from early users. Many feel that Timeline is making them stay on Facebook for longer, and ultimately defeating the main reason they like it: to be able to quickly scan their news feed. However, Facebook has PROMISED to unveil the new Timeline, so all Facebook users will have it, whether they like it or not. Tough love. 

Maybe this has nothing to do with computers, but you really should take a look and think about this. Make your own costume for Halloween. It's more creative, original, and more fun, plus it'll save you money, and maybe you're saving up for the new iPhone . Nothing to do with technology, but it could help in the long run. I think. 

Live long and prosper, Windows XP. After 10 years, yes, 10 YEARS, Windows XP is still the world's most-used desktop OS. Hindered by the 9/11 attacks, the October 25, 2011 release date did not produce the results Windows was looking for. Once it got big, though, it surpassed all others for longevity, and continues on today. 

New to the world of phones and transactions alike: the Blackberry Bold 9900 and Curve 9360 are the first SIM-based smartphones to earn the "MasterCard PayPass Certification." This means that MasterCard thinks the phones are advanced and secure enough to handle MasterCard's NFC-based Paypass system. Now that this has been decided, any MasterCard Paypass-issuing bank can give a PayPass account to the SIM card in these phones. As a Vice President of RIM puts it, this is a "significant step forward in the way we use mobile devices for payments." Indeed, VP, indeed. This quite the large leap for Blackberry, and Blackberry users alike, as it will affect the way we do our business and transactions, and therefore out everyday lives. Jealous, Apple & Co.? 

As an eReader owner, I find this very interesting. On an eReader, you can highlight sections of a passage in an eBook and it will save it for future reference. Now, Findings, a social corporation, has turned into "an online destination where readers can collect, share, discuss, and discover such highlights from eBooks and web texts," which basically means that you can now share your highlights with the world on Findings. Not very impressive, I know, but for an eReader owner, it is useful. You can look up someone else's saved passages from a book you don't even own, so there's a way this technology can help you out in this world - save a couple dollars.

RIP Steve Jobs. Stay hungry, stay foolish. Anyways, Sony optioned the biography of Steve Jobs' by Walter Isaacson and are now looking for a writer. Their hopes lie within Aaron Sorkin, acclaimed producer and screenwriter. Apparently, Sorkin actually knew Jobs. That should make the movie THAT much better. Most recently, Sorkin penned the script for The Social Network, so he knows a little something about Silicon Valley. Long live Steve Jobs' legacy, and stay foolish people.

Any Twitter users out there? Twitter is reportedly testing some new design changes, which features your main timeline becoming expandable, so you can see media and related information smack dab in the timeline, as opposed to beside the timeline or on another page. This can speed up and shorten the time you spend on Twitter, and improve users' feelings and experiences. Trying to get more people online, Twitter? If this tests well, we will see a new Twitter, and maybe a lot more people tweeting.