100 Years of IBM: Milestones

My employer for 30 years has turned 100. Happy Birthday IBM!

This article is from PCWorld.

"IBM is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding Thursday. Led by American capitalist icons Thomas J. Watson, Sr. and Thomas J. Watson, Jr. until the 1970s, the company grew from a pre-World War I conglomeration of companies making tabulating machines and time-keeping devices into a globe-spanning technology behemoth that pioneered the development of electronic computers and dominated the mainframe era.

The company holds a mind-boggling array of patents and pioneered advances in a wide range of technologies including punched cards, processors, transistors, storage, word-processing, databases and OSes. As one of the emblematic 20th-century corporations, IBM also went through turbulent times. The U.S. government brought several antitrust lawsuits against the company, and critics have attacked it for alleged cosiness with repressive regimes. After Tom Watson Jr. retired in the 1971, the company seemed to lose its way as mainframe computing began to face competition from smaller, more modular systems. Increasing bureaucracy contributed to missteps during the PC revolution, and IBM suffered a series of annual losses in the early 1990s. Under the reins of then-CEO Lou Gerstner, starting in the mid-90s, the company bounced back to profit by focusing on software, system integration and other services, which remain key to the company's growth today."

Read more.....

Compressed air

A few years back I bought a 4- or 6-pack of compressed air when it was on sale, knowing that this was a good tool for a PC Doctor to carry in his bag. I hardly ever used it to clean out a laptop, but it is a very valuable tool, as I found out his week.

I was getting a can out of my storage cabinet to use on a customer's laptop. It had some sticky keys and short of removing key tops or a keyboard, I thought his might be a good first step.

Was I surprised when I tested the can out on my own laptop. My laptop had gotten sluggish lately, but like the shoemaker's kids, this laptop got little attention from me. So I tried the can out, mosly just to see that it worked okay, on my Acer laptop. This machine is maybe 4 years old. As I shot the compressed air into all of the vents, I was very surprised to see dust fly out. Hmmm. Maybe this is what is ailing my laptop, I thought. So I continued and finished up the job, and to my amazement the sluggishness is completely gone form my laptop!

All in all this was a 10 minute exercise. It required no dismantling of the laptop, and was a near-instant fix to what had been ailing it. I bought my compressed air at Costco, but I know that Staples and Best Buy carry it, as do most all computer stores. It might just help you out with your machine and is a small investment. It sells for about $5 per can, although most stores seem to prefer to sell packs of 4 or 6. Suggest this fix to a few fellow laptop owners and share the cost.

Compressed air or even a small brush will also do the trick on desktops. Open up the case and look for the dust and get rid of it. Mostly you will find dust around the fan(s).

The Stanley Cup!

Monthly Updates Time

I had 20 updates from Microsoft this update Tuesday on my Windows 7 laptop and have successfully installed them all. One of these was Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT). I have not run it yet, but will after I get through the following:

It so happens that the MVPS HOSTS file for June became available today, so the first thing I am doing now is a run of Spybot Version 1.6.2. It is running now and then I will download and install the new HOSTS file.

After all of that I will run MSRT! Whew, a busy evening while I watch the Red Sox in Tampa and the Bruins in Vancouver!

I recommend you all do the same! :-)

The beat goes on

What can I say? Every day now we are presented headlines that show our computer sytems to be unprotected, especially these days when there are so many techies out there with evil intentions. These two are just a sample of what I see in the mainstream media this morning:

Thieves Found Citigroup Site an Easy Entry

Hackers breach US Senate website

I was not looking for these. They were just there. If I was looking for articles like this I might have found several more. The bottom line is we must protect ourselves and our data from such breaches. If you didn't read my post of Sunday, June 12, please do, and take some action to protect your computer(s). The only necessary investment is some of your time.

HAPPY FLAG DAY!

 

Spybot Version 2 - Beta

Refer to item number 7 in yesterday's post. I am not at all pleased with Spybot version 2 Beta. But then Beta testing is always risky. They throw it out there, probably because they had a deadline, and ask users for feedback.

I ran 2 different options (full scan and rootkit) and neither was satisfactory. The full scan actually had problems, the rootkit showed me some results without comments and I had no clue as to whether it was information only or if I had a problem. I assumed the former, mostly because there was no option indicating "remove" or "fix" or anything.

Stick with Version 1.6.2 for now, found under "old versions" on filehippo.com.

Security Baseline revisited

There are no changes to my baseline, but I have added a few comments or links that may help.

From time to time I refer to my security baseline. My security baseline is merely a list of programs I use (all free) and recommend for anyone to use to keep their systems secure. This applies to YOU if you use Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7.

Remember, all of these products are FREE, but will do as good a job as any fee products you may use. I make that statement and stand by it based on 43 years of experience with computers.
 
1. Microsoft Security Essentials - V2 now available. If you have V1, upgrade now  (FREE!) This is a very impressive anti-virus program and can replace any you have now. DOWNLOAD HERE
2. Windows Firewall (Standard part of your operating system. Check the Security Center to be sure it is on.)
3. MVPS HOSTS File - download the current month's version and update monthly DOWNLOAD HERE
4. CCleaner - check for newer version than you may already have. Run weekly. DOWNLOAD HERE by clicking on Download Latest Version in the upper right hand corner of the page.
5. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - run bi-weekly. DOWNLOAD HERE
6. SuperAntiSpyware Free Edition - run bi-weekly in the off week after #5. DOWNLOAD HERE
7. Spybot Search & Destroy - run monthly just before downloading new HOSTS file. I am testing the new Beta version 2, and I recommend, for now, downloading Version 1.6.2 under "old versions". DOWNLOAD HERE

I will be happy to assist you with any or all of the above installations. This can be done remotely.

Questions?  Comment below or write me, pcdoc at brpcdoc dot com

Rogue

More and more new rogue programs are out there trying to get you. I had a customer bring his machine to me today with a fairly new rogue program infection.There really wasn't much new in this one. The fake scan telling him he had viruses on his computer and the fact that "they seemed authentic" got him to submit his credit card number to pay the $29 for their product. Of course after the payment was made nothing happened.

I suggested that he call his credit card company immediately. He did and they canceled the account and have sent him a new card for a new account.

In the meantime it has taken me 2.5 hours to restore his machine to like new condition: rogue eliminated and machine tuned and cleaned.

Whatever you do folks, DO NOT give away your credit card number, regardless of how authentic their display may seem. While you are at it, check out the Lavasoft Rogue gallery. Notice, after looking at a few, how most of the rogues look alike!

Lavasoft Rogue Gallery

Let me say up front that although this PCWorld article names 29 items, my experience with the programs on the list is limited to 2: Eraser & Youtube Downloader. I can recommend them both, but you really have to be careful when downloading free (or any) programs. Read the fine print, and don't install any toolbars of extra programs that the provider may suggest. These are basically advertisements. As an example, when I look at many of your machines, I see Google's Chrome installed, and when I ask why, the usual answer is "I haven't a clue". Well I do. You have it because when downloading something else you were prompted to install Chrome, and the default answer was "yes", and so you have it but don't know why.

Both of the 2 programs I use, Eraser and Youtube Downloader work just fine without any toolbar or extras of any kind. So be careful not to include any extras. If you have questions about this, please either comment below or write me.

By the way, I use FLV Player (free) to play downloaded Youtube videos.

I should also add that I will be trying TrueCrypt at some point to encrypt files.

Top 29 Laptop Apps, Downloads, and Services

Sorting Through Apple’s Many Announcements

David Pogue of the New York Times attempts to sort out all of the various Apple announcements. That's good, because I haven't a clue. It's tough to keep up with Apple - they move so fast.

"Today, at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), Steve Jobs took the stage to reveal what the company’s been up to. Turns out the answer is: a lot.

The announcements and demonstrations covered three gigantic hunks of software: the next version of Mac OS X (“Lion”), the next version of the iPhone/iPad/Touch software (“iOS 5”), and a new online syncing service called iCloud.

Let’s address these one by one."

Read David's Blog Post

I think most of us are planning to cling to Windows XP as long as we can, or maybe some are just getting comfortable with Windows 7. Well, just to keep us all on our feet, and (Microsoft hopes) away from Apple Macs, Microsoft has opened up on what to expect from Windows 8, due to make its debut in 2012. Here are a couple of good articles and slideshows for tose of you who may be interested in getting a peek at Windows 8.

Windows 8: A Walk-Through

9 Questions About Windows 8

 

Identity Theft

This is getting serious folks. I am assuming you have all read the stories this week.

This is taken from an e-mail I got from Comcast today. This is a free offer to Comcast customers, at least in the Boston area.

Apple Macs hit by scareware attacks

Additional data has become available regarding yesterday's post, "Are Macs really virus-free?".

This morning I saw these articles:

"Apple Macs hit by scareware attacks"

and 

"First Mac Virus Removed at Call That Girl"

Both articles describe some details about what the attacks look like and include preventive measures.

I always liked this: "Just because you are not paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you"!

Take heed and be careful out there.

This is an excellent article from the Kim Komando web site. As reported here over a year ago, I own an Apple MacBook Pro 17". I will now be looking at security software for it! (I hadn't until now.)

Are Macs really virus-free? 

"Q. I received a warning message when I was surfing the Web the other day. It said that there are infected files on my machine. It told me to install a program called MacDefender. Is this a real program? I use a Mac, which is immune to viruses.-Charles from Abingdon, VA, listens to my national radio show on WFHG 92.7 FM

A. For years, Mac owners have watched Windows users struggle with viruses and spyware. Mac owners laughed at Windows users. Apple even released commercials to this effect. You see, Macs were free from the malware, spyware and viruses that have plagued Windows users.

Note that I used past tense. Those days are over. If you own a Mac, you are now being targeted by the online miscreants and criminals.

There is no magical feature that makes Macs impervious to online threats."

More here

Summer Vacations

Do you have summer vacation plans yet? If not, please visit our web site Boothbay Region For Rent By Owner. Check out the variety of offerings there. From oceanfront homes with docks to water view cottages to cabins in the woods, you may just find a place that could be your dream vacation spot, and because you will be dealing directly with the owner, the price will be right.

Even if you do have plans in place, consider the possibility of taking a second mini-vacation by renting in the Boothbay Region for a week or even a long weekend. Discover all that the Region has to offer. 

As many of you know, BRFRBO is a little project of mine. It started several years ago when a friend, who wanted to rent their summer cottage at Ocean Point, in East Boothbay, Maine, asked me if I could create a web site for them, which I did, and this soon grew over the years to the point where I think we have 20 or so homes, cottages, cabins, condos, and apartments listed for rent. Most of these are summertime rentals, but a few properties are year-round. If you have never been to the Boothbay Region of Maine, you owe yourself a look. We looked in 1969, I think it  was, back when we had 2 little boys, rented for a week in the summer, kept coming back, and the rest is history. Our 4 sons have lifelong friends at Ocean Point, and although our little cottage is too small to hold all of us anymore, they keep coming back, and we love having them.

It started as a summer vacation spot, and although we only go there in the summer, it is our real home, the place where we all 6 of us have roots. I invite you to look over our listings, come for a week, and come back for a lifetime. You will not be disappointed.

BOOTHBAY REGION FOR RENT BY OWNER

Acer Travelmate Drops Power

Okay, this is my first problem with this Acer laptop. I am not sure when I bought it, but I would say it is at least  4 years old, maybe a year or two older.

Needless to say this is a most anoying problem, and it is so annoying I have switched to my Acer 5100 laptop running Windows 7 for the time being. Annoying I say, so I posted my issue at annoyances.org:


"You posted the following message to the Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1305889163

My Acer Travelmate 4220 laptop lately has started doing something most annoying.
It simply loses power and goes silent. I can't even restart it by powering on - the
power button is not functioning. It will start up after a rest period - not sure
how long it needs.

I just thought I'd ask for a few quick responses to this as to what might be the
cause. It's about 4 years old. I'm guessing it's an overheating problem, but not
sure. When I say "drops power", I mean instantaneously. I could be in the middle
of typing something or could be out of the room. It's unpredictable.

When I do power it back on, my wireless switch has been turned off and I have to
turn it on again every time this happens.

Needless to say I can not rely on this machine.

Thoughts?

Thank you,

Tom"

Windows scareware fakes impending drive disaster

Just another rogue program, but sometimes we need reminders to be careful of our choices. These folks are really bold, I might add, asking $80 for a copy of their worthless product!

This comes from computerworld.com.

"Scammers are trying to trick Windows users into paying to fix bogus hard drive errors that have apparently erased important files, a researcher said today.

The con is a variant of "scareware," also called "rogueware," software that pretends to be legitimate but actually is just a sales pitch based on spooking users into panicking. Most scareware masquerades as antivirus software."

More here.......

It was less than 2 months ago that I sang the praises of Skype, admitting I was late to the game. Now I see that Microsoft has purchased Skype. Hmmm. I wonder how this will change things.

http://pcdocsblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/skype.html

David Pogue of the New York Times has some opinions about that. His article can be found here:

The Future of Skype

MSRT May 2011

Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool was included in yesterday's Automatic Updates. I recommend running a FULL scan. Just start it up and let it run. A little research confirmed for me what I thought: if you do nothing, a QUICK scan will run in the background automatically. You should get a screen like the one below when it finishes running your full scan. Nothing will appear if you simply let it run its quick scan.


Click on START/RUN/MRT/OK. Be sure you have the May 2011 version installed (see top of display below). If not it's because you have not yet installed your Tuesday update(s). It's cheap insurance.

MVPS HOSTS File for May available now

For those of you who are regular followers of this blog and who are in the habit of installing the newest version every month, today is the day to do that, but remember to update and run a Spybot scan before you do the install.

For those of you who may be new to this HOSTS file thing, I once wrote up instructions on how to download and install the MVPS HOSTS file. There were 5 blog posts that cover the subject, the and first is at:

http://pcdocsblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/hosts-file-post-1.html

If you go to the first post you'll find the other 4. I think I wrote them up on 5 consecutive days.

Also, for those of you who are not familiar with the HOSTS file, please note that I consider it a very essential part of a good baseline security package I hope most of my readers have implemented by now. To review my recommended baseline security package, consisting of all FREE programs, check this out:

http://pcdocsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/from-time-to-time-i-refer-to-my.html

Paying for antivirus doesn't improve protection

More kudos for Microsoft Security Essentials. I am happy to say that I was one of the ones out in front of this and became a very early user of MSE and have been recommending it to you as the best product for you to use. And, as usual with my recommendations, IT IS FREE!

This article, by Woody Leonhard, can be found here: http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/dont-pay-for-software-you-dont-need-part-1/


I have been a subscriber to the Windows Secrets newsletter for several years.

"I've been recommending free antivirus software since the second edition of Windows XP All-In-One For Dummies, nearly a decade ago. I've drawn the wrath of many a player in the billion-dollar AV industry, but I still say there's absolutely no reason at all to pay for antivirus protection.

Back in XP times, I recommended AVG Free, Avira, ESET's NOD32, and the like — many of those products were, and still are, free for personal use. That's changed. Starting with the second edition of Windows 7 All-In-One For Dummies, I've stopped recommending any third-party antivirus software. Why? Because Microsoft makes a first-rate AV product that's absolutely free for anyone with a genuine copy of Windows. It's also free for organizations of 10 or fewer people.

Microsoft Security Essentials (download page) goes in easily, runs quietly, needs no tending, and catches as many infectious programs as any of the big-name antivirus products. And it's free. Fred Langa has a full description in his May 6, 2010, Top Story, "The 120-day Microsoft security suite test drive."

I've heard all the arguments against Microsoft Security Essentials. Yes, it's like asking the fox to guard the chicken coop. But in this case, MSE's one fine fox.

MSE doesn't catch all the nasties, all the time. No AV product does. If you shoot yourself in the foot and wittingly install a rogue anti-malware program, for example, MSE may not keep you from pulling the trigger. In desperate situations, you may need a special-purpose program such as Malwarebytes to cleanse your system. But for everyday use, MSE works as well as any of the big-name, expensive, constantly money-grubbing packages. Get rid of 'em.

The only downside to installing MSE? You have to figure out how to completely remove the antivirus program you have now. Good luck."

FBI warns that fake bin Laden video is a virus

OUCH! This hurts. Be careful out there, and only link to things like this from reputable sites.

From itworld.com:

"May 03, 2011, 10:19 PM — The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation warned computer users Tuesday that messages claiming to include photos and videos of Osama bin Laden's death actually contain a virus that could steal personal information.

The warning comes as security companies said that they've spotted the first samples of malicious software disguised as photos of the dead Al Qaeda leader.

Security vendor F-Secure said Tuesday that criminals are e-mailing a password-stealing Trojan horse program called Banload to victims, and Symantec said it's seen criminals spamming victims with links to fake "Osama dead" news articles that launch Web-based attacks on visitors.

U.S. authorities do have photos of bin Laden, who was shot in the head during an early morning raid Monday in Pakistan. But these photos have not been released publicly."

Read more of this article here

Your iPhone Is Tracking You. So What?

David Pogue's NYT blog post. Good stuff.

Your iPhone Is Tracking You. So What?

Gulp! This Maximum PC article is really too much for me, but at least for the next month or so it'll probably remain current and valid, and the link should still work. After a month this stuff could well be outdated. Yes, things change fast in this world of ours it is definitely true.

This is worth at the very least a quick scan. You may find something you'll be interested in. I already have.

A Complete Guide to 39 Google Apps and Services

Easter 2011

HAPPY EASTER!

Bigger Thumbnails In Windows XP

The default size for a thumbnail photo in Windows Explorer in XP is 96 x 96 pixels. If you find this to be smaller than you'd like, you can change it quite easily, up to 256 x 256 pixels, by using a free tool from Microsoft called Tweakui. You can download Tweakui from Microsoft at this web site: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-xp Scroll down once there until you find Tweakui. When you download, you will get a file called TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe. Just run it to install Tweakui. Tweakui will appear in your Start/All Programs menu.

Follow the instructions at this site: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1951129,00.asp

Someplace I read that this will only affect new photos and not existing photos. I found that this changed (enlarged) the size of existing photos as well. Good news, and a little easier on the eyes too!

Picking Out a Laptop in the Brave, New World of Tablets

Now that is a very timely and catchy title for this article by Walt Mossberg of the WSJ. The presence of a multitude of tablets in the marketplace sure does complicate the issue of buying a laptop.

"It is too soon to replace my twice-yearly laptop buyer’s guides with tablet buyer’s guides, but some days it feels like I should. Much of the energy that companies once poured into laptop designs and advances seems to have been drained off into a massive race to create tablet computers."

More.....

The Best Google Search Tricks

Some good ideas here. I think if you use Google quite a bit you will enjoy this. From our friends at pcmag.com:

The Best Google Search Tricks

The Tragic Death of the Flip

This is indeed a very sad piece of news - at least to me. The Flip video camera has been a constant companion of mine for several years now, and I love it. It was inexpensive, is small and light, very easy to use, has a direct USB connector built-in for easy downloads to a PC, and it takes extremely high quality videos. See my September 21, 2010 blog post for earlier comments. I will continue to use mine as long as it lasts and then look for an alternative. I imagine there will be scrambling to buy the remaining inventory of Flips online and in stores until they are gone.

The Tragic Death of the Flip by David Pogue of the NY Times

"Day before yesterday, my jaw hit the floor, and I still haven’t managed to get it back up again. 

Cisco is killing the Flip camcorder.

 Let’s see if I can get this straight. Only two years ago, Cisco bought Pure Digital, the company that made the Flip, for $590 million. Then, on Tuesday, Cisco announced that it’s shutting down the whole division and laying off 550 people.

We humans are a rational species. Our instinct is to find reasons, to seek patterns where none may exist. In this case, everybody’s first reaction is: “Oh, it’s because of smartphones. Everybody’s shooting video with iPhones nowadays—nobody’s buying Flip camcorders.”

Or, as Gizmodo puts it, “Cisco just axed Flip, yeah, but the blame should be aimed squarely at the smartphone in your pocket.”"

More....................

Gartner: Tablet Frenzy Cuts into PC Sales

No surprise here, I guess. People I know who have tablets really seem to love them. I would like to try one, but I am not about to shell out $800 for a well-configured model. This comes from Maximum PC.

"The sky isn't falling, the world isn't about to end, and PCs aren't dying. Why, then, is market research firm Gartner bugging out? Call it an overreaction or a temporary blip as tablets settle into the marketplace (or a little of both), but according to Gartner, worldwide PC shipments totaled 84.3 million units in the first quarter of 2011, a 1.1 percent slip from the same period one year ago. Doesn't sound like much, but Gartner says the shipment results are indicative of a potential sluggishness, not just a normal seasonal dip."

More.............

Patch Tuesday

I just finished installing 27 updates to my Windows XP laptop that were downloaded over night! I think that is a record for me. It is very unusual to see so many. I am happy to say that all 27 installed successfully and only needed a system restart to get them all doing what they were meant to do. The number of updates any one user gets will vary depending on your own software environment.

One of these, as expected, was the April 2011 issue of Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool. As always, I recommend that you run a Full Scan of this tool as a little extra insurance that all is well with your system. (START/RUN/MRT/OK) and then select the Full Scan. Let it run while you continue to use your machine for other things.

What is rogue security software?

I have been warning you all about rogue programs for some time now. Here is some basic information about rogues from Lavasoft that you might find helpful.

"Rogue security software is an application that appears to be beneficial from a security perspective but provides little or no security, generates erroneous alerts, or attempts to lure users into participating in fraudulent transactions. Some products defined as "rogue" simply fail to provide the reliable protection that a consumer paid for. Others are far more sinister, masquerading as legitimate security software, and using deceptive tactics to con users into buying the product."

More.............

The Long and Wireless Road to a Home Router

That is the title of a New York Times article you can find here. I am hopeful that you won't need a subscription to their digital service in order to get to and read this particular article.

It kind of comes as a surprise to me that this is even an issue worthy or writing about, but I did read the article and they make some good points (they have to if they want to get paid!), and do provide answers to several questions a buyer of a router may have. If you are in the market for a router and have questions, just write me and I will recommend a specific router to suit your needs. It really is not rocket science.

Internet Email Alerts and the Facebook Hacking

This is an excellent blog post from callthatgirl.biz. You will find this post at http://www.callthatgirl.biz/blog/.

Posted by callthatgirl on April 6, 2011

"Wow this was an exciting week with fake email alerts folks! We have received tons of client emails asking about these and yes, they are fake as all get out!

Best Buy, US Bank, Target, Ameriprise (and more) got hit . Apparently it was just email accounts that were compromised, but welcome to the world of the Super Information Highway (circa 1997). How long has it been since you have heard that term? A very long time I am sure. I say Super Information Highway because Facebook hacking and these email hacking intrusions are becoming very prevalant in today’s world. And no, antivirus protection will not help you with this, it’s all done on the inside and sitting cozy in your inbox when you wake up.

Are we safe? Probably not. Will my email get hacked even though I have it on a Go Daddy secure server called “secureserver”??? At some point I guess. What can I do about it? Not much, it’s the internet. I think in a few years our whole internet experience will be changed completely. I do think that we will have something called “an internet account” that is run by some large company and every single thing we do is run out of it. Almost like a Zuckerberg idea of sorts, but very secure with physical requirements to log in…unlike Facebook right now. Speaking of Facebook, the calls are still coming in on a weekly basis about people’s facebook accounts getting hacked. Don’t fret, the techs at Call That Girl are sniffing and testing these “I photoshopped a picture of you” chat logs and private messages. So far, our programs are keeping out the intruders. Want to know what we have? Call us for more info 952-681-7969

Moving along…What should you do if you get an email from a well known company that you service with that looks like trouble?

• Delete the email–who cares (I did that with my US Bank email)
• Call your bank if you are worried, scared or nervous
• Never click on links in these types of emails
• Call us for a virus spot check if you did click on any links

While we are not surprised by what is going on, we are trying to watchdog it and alert our fans, friends and subscribers of this information. Always delete, ask questions later!

Lisa"

Security Baseline

From time to time I refer to my security baseline. My security baseline is merely a list of programs I use (all free) and recommend for anyone to use to keep their systems secure. This applies to YOU if you use Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7.

Remember, all of these products are FREE, but will do as good a job as any fee products you may use. I make that statement based on many years of experience.

1. Microsoft Security Essentials - V2 now available. If you have V1, upgrade now  (FREE!)
2. Windows Firewall
3. MVPS HOSTS File - download the current month's version and update monthly
4. CCleaner - check for newer version than you may already have. Run weekly.
5. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - run bi-weekly
6. SuperAntiSpyware Free Edition - run bi-weekly in the off week after #5
7. Spybot Search & Destroy - run monthly just before downloading new HOSTS file

Questions?  Comment below or write me, pcdoc at brpcdoc dot com

MVPS Hosts File Download Available

The March update to the MVPS HOSTS file is available now.

This is a good time to run an up-to-date Spybot and then download and install the new HOSTS file. You can find it here:

March MVPS HOSTS file download

This should be an integral and very important part of your security baseline.

Adobe Update Time

So true. Have you noticed? :-)

 

Thank you graphjam.com

The Browser Wars?

Much is being made these days of "The Browser Wars". I think that's funny because I find some of my customers if asked "what browser do you use?" would probably reply "what is a browser?".

Internet Explorer is the  browser that most everyone knows, mostly because it comes installed on every Windows machine. I switched to Firefox years ago because of all of the security issues with Internet Explorer. Firefox is still my browser of choice. I have tried the others, but see no reason to change. I see one reason NOT to change to Chrome, and that is their refusal to include something as simple as a left sidebar for listing all of your Favorites or Bookmarks. Why? I haven't a clue. I see no good reason to switch to Opera or Safari.

All browsers are free, and that is good.

Maximum PC recently published their review of these 5 browsers, with Firefox coming out as the winner. If you are at all interested, it is a good article, and can be found here: Browser Battle 2011: Who Is the New King of the Web?

FYI, I have installed Firefox 4 on my 2 Windows XP machines. The install was fast and simple, and the differences are barely noticeable. You can read about these in the above-referenced Maximum PC article.

Asus Launches Eee Pad Transformer Tablet with Keyboard Dock

Well, this looks interesting! I wonder what the price will be locally. This comes from MaximumPC.com.

Posted 03/25/2011 at 8:15am | by Paul Lilly

Asus is calling its new Eee Pad Transformer "an innovative tablet with an expandable keyboard dock," but could this also be the netbook evolved? A physical keyboard isn't something that comes with any other major tablet, however it sits front and center on the Eee Pad Transformer, when you want it to. When you don't, simply detach the head and you're rocking a portable tablet PC with up to 9.5 hours of battery life (up to 16 hours with the dock).

Let's take a look at the feature-set. The Eee Pad Transformer sports a 10.1-inch IPS panel with LED backlighting (1280x800 resolution), 10 finger multi-touch support, scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, Nvidia's Tegra 2 chip, 1GB of memory, 16GB/32GB of storage plus unlimited Asus WebStorage, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 5MP rear-facing camera with auto focus, microSD card slot, internal microphone, headphone and mic jacks, two USB 2.0 ports, G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, GPS, and an optional 3G radio.

All this comes wrapped in Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) platform with Asus' Waveshare UI. By all means, Asus has come out swinging. Looking at the spec sheet alone, the Eee Pad Transformer is portable, it's powerful, and it transforms into a netbook on the fly.

Asus said the first shipments are already underway, but didn't reveal a price or release date. Bummer.

Asus Launches Eee Pad Transformer Tablet with Keyboard Dock

Avoid Japan disaster relief scams - & many others!

If you receive e-mails soliciting funds for Japan disaster relief, be very wary. The best way to donate is to go directly to the web site of reputable organizations, and to key in their address in your browser's address bar yourself. Don't rely on links, especially those embedded in soliciting e-mails. There is much scamming going on through fake websites that are created to look just like those of reputable organizations.

There is an excellent web site that will give you additional detail on all that is going on in this, and other, matters. It is called ScamWarners. Once at the home page (address below), check out their FORUM by clicking on their FORUM link.

ScamWarners

More on Skype

If you are not yet a Skype user and would like to learn more, Kim Kmando has a nice writeup here:

Free video calls with the whole family

SKYPE

Late to the game I admit, but I have quickly become a big fan of Skype. Most laptops today have a built-in video camera, so making video calls is a piece of cake. Not surprisingly I guess, based on the popularity of Skype, many others already have Skype userids and conducting video calls with them is really easy. Also, even if you don't have a video camera, you can use Skype to make free voice calls if you are calling someone else using Skype (internet user to internet user). So many of my customers have told me that they use Skype to talk to relatives overseas. It saves a ton f money if one has a son or daughter in the military in the Middle East or elsewhere, or perhaps a relative living overseas for other reasons.

The Skype program is free and very easy to download and install.

Write me if you have any questions.

Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1

Or W7/SP1 for short, if I may.

My W7 laptop, an Acer, is not heavily used and contains little data. I have known that SP1 has been available for some time, but I had read some bad things about it. However, at this time and since I have little to risk, I thought I would give it a try.

I didn't pay particular attention to the download and installation process, but it went smoothly and I'd say it took about an hour overall. There were no errors in the entire process, and when I finally rebooted when it was completed, the system came up just fine. No issues. No problems.

If you want to install SP1 on your W7 machine, I urge you to backup all of your data beforehand, and, as always, you should have an understanding of how you would reinstall the operating system if necessary.

While doing this I noticed that my machine has only 2GB of RAM. This was sufficient when W7 first came out, but the best minds nowadays recommend 4GB as a minimum for W7. While not one of the best minds, I nonetheless encourage you to upgrade to 4GB if you are still sitting with 2GB or less.

I learned in this process that my machine can be upgraded to 4GB. I really never explored that before, but nowadays you can get 2GB on one memory module, so I can install 2 of these, if I choose to spend $68, for a total of 4GB.

The Crucial Memory Tool is a good way to check on the RAM capabilities of your system (crucial.com)

You can click on those pictures for a larger size for easier viewing.

From Maximum PC:

"Internet Explorer 9 is finally available in final form to the general public, and we’re pleased to say that it represents a big leap forward for Microsoft’s web browser. We know that many of you Maximum PC reader’s have gotten turned off to IE in recent years (and understandably so) but Internet Explorer is suddenly a lot more competitive, and worth a look.
We recommend you try it for yourself (sorry XP users, Vista and Windows 7 only), but in case you’re still on the fence, we’ve prepared a visual guide to our 10 favorite new features in Internet Explorer 9."

Notice the phrase in RED above. This is good news for those of us still using XP. This means no more pressure to upgrade IE. I do recommend that XP users upgrade to IE8 if you are not already there. IE8 is much more stable and reliable that IE7, for those of you who may be using IE7.

For those of us who have W7 machines, I would suggest you wait a while, at least 3 months, before installing IE9. Give it a chance to stabilize.

The 10 Best New Features In Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft's Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

It is that time of the month again. Served up with the usual Tuesday Windows updates was the March 2011 version of Microsoft's MSRT or MRT for short. If you have installed the March updates, then you now already have the March MRT tool available to you. In the pictures below note the :"March 2011" in the application banner (top of the windows).

 You may click on any of the 3 photos below to view a larger version.

 

Microsoft Launches IE6 Deathwatch

There was a time not too long ago when I held on to IE6, figuring I'd go with it until its end, but I threw in the towel and upgraded to IE7, which was really horrible, and then IE8, and IE8 seemed to be a reliable product with enhanced features vs. IE6.

That being said, however, I never use IE at all unless I am forced to do so. Firefox is still my favorite browser. I really thought Google's Chrome would be the ultimate browser, but when I tried it, release after release, and saw that Google apparently refuses to include a most basic feature - a Bookmarks list on the left side of the screen - I abandoned it. So for me it's Firefox.

However, I know that there are some of you who are planning to stay with Windows XP and IE6 until the end, which is still 2014. To you I say GOOD FOR YOU! Do it! I still run XP on all but two of my machines, which have Windows 7.

Perhaps the most important line in today's PC World article is this: "Microsoft has promised to support IE6 until April 2014."

Microsoft Launches IE6 Deathwatch

 

I'm starting to get the iPad itch! How to justify yet another expensive toy?

This review comes from PCMag.com.

Apple iPad 2 Hands On: Faster, Thinner Than the Original

Rogue Gallery

A link I saw on Kim Komando's web site pointed me to what I consider a valuable resource. In the past I had recommended Bharath's Security Blog as a web site to visit to check on rogue programs, but Bharath has not been updating lately, so I was very happy to see that Lavasoft has taken up the effort to keep us informed on the latest rogue programs. 


I was particularly interested because Lavasoft used to make a fine adware detection and removal program called Ad-Aware. It was always on my list of baseline security programs. However, at some point Lavasoft decided to abandon that small and simple program in favor of a much larger all-in-one security package. I thought, this morning, I would check out their free offering, but when I saw the download file size of 117MB I quickly decided against it. Having discovered Microsoft Security Essentials, the last thing I need is yet another anti-virus program in an all-too-big "Internet Security" bundle.


Anyway, Lavasoft's Rogue Gallery looks good and I recommend it to you as a reference site worth bookmarking.

Lavasoft's Rogue Gallery

A Parent’s Struggle With a Child’s iPad Addiction

This is from David Pogue's blog. He is with the New York Times.

"I think my 6-year-old is addicted to the iPad.

He asks for it constantly. He wants to use it in the car. He wants to use it at every unscheduled moment at home.

He brings it to the dinner table.

When I tell him it’s time to shut off the iPad and head up to bed, or put his shoes on, or head out to the bus, he doesn’t hear me the first three times I ask. Sometimes, he gets bizarrely upset when I say I have to take it away now — out-of-character upset. That’s what makes me think he’s addicted."

More............

Xoom Vs. iPad: The Real Tablet Wars Begin

From PC World:

Motorola couldn't have chosen a worse time to start selling the Xoom, the first real Apple iPad competitor. Just as the Xoom went on sale on Verizon, Apple dropped an iBomb in the shape of a press invitation next week to the unveiling of the next generation iPad (let's call it the iPad 2).

But even with the iPad 2 looming, Motorola's Xoom will have to go head to head with the original iPad. If you can't hold on a bit longer without a tablet, here's how the Xoom and iPad stack up against each other.

Xoom Vs. iPad: The Real Tablet Wars Begin

A Patrol for the Web’s Playgrounds

From the New York Times:

A company’s nationwide network of moderators aims to keep Web sites free of cyberbullies.

A Patrol for the Web’s Playgrounds

Tell us how you really feel!

This comes from the Call That Girl blog:

Reasons why we do not recommend AVG 2011

"…Or any of their products for that matter. Put simply, viruses, spyware, and malware get right through most antivirus programs. And AVG 2011 is no exception, it’s one of the free products that we see most often when we remote into a computer that has viruses on it. Not only is AVG 2011 a bad and heavily bogged down product, but it is just not worth the download, free or paid. (And in our opinion AVG 8.0 used to be one of the best). But just like with Norton (we consider AVG Norton’s little brother) or Symantec products, they both took a once good product, weighed it down, and ultimately just ended up ruining it. Sometimes it’s just right to leave things well enough alone."

 Your humble PC Doc, me, agrees 100%. I strongly recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) for all, although there was a time, pre-MSE, when I was AVG Free's number one fan!

Spybot Time

A quick reminder that the MVPS HOSTS file for February is available now.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/hostsnews/archive/2011/02/18/1788355.aspx

The Tablets of MWC 2011: Watch Your Back Apple

Yesterday I wrote about how the world of tablets is expanding. Here's some data to back that up - from PCWorld.

"Mobile World Congress 2011 was the launchpad for tablets from tech heavyweights LG, Samsung, HTC, Toshiba, Acer, and ViewSonic. Here is a roundup of what debuted.

Apple sold over 14 million iPads so far, a huge head start on these tablets introduced or first demoed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week. The iPad is attacked from all sides: smaller screens, more multimedia blitz or port bonanzas. Can these upcoming tablets show Apple who has the last word in the tablet wars?"

Top 10 MWC Tablets Challenging The iPad

What a tough time to feel a need to buy a new laptop. The world of tablets is expanding every day with new brands and models, all claiming to be one better than the other guy. I'd love to have a tablet, but just can't justify the extra expense at this time.

Most netbooks (like the ASUS 1215n which I own) are cheaper than a tablet. Most notebooks (laptops) are priced the same or higher than most tablets, so the tablet fits right there in the middle between the two.

If however, you feel the need for a new laptop, you might find some useful information in this PC World article.

When Should You Buy a New Laptop?

E-cycling begins with you

This is a good site if you want to recycle some computer components. Tip: In using the site I found that I had success by clicking on a state name on the map. The "Pick Your State" drop down menu at the bottom of the page didn't work for me.

http://www.ecyclingcentral.com/

IBM's Watson Ties for Lead on Jeopardy Despite Some Missteps

From maximumpc.com:

"As fans of technology, it was easy rooting for IBM's Watson supercomputer in last night's first of a three-day Jeopardy segment pitting man versus machine. Watson's going up against two former Jeopardy champions, Ken Jennings, who in 2004 won 74 games in a row earning over $3 million including tournaments, and Brad Rutter, Jeopardy's biggest money winner of all time with over $3.2 million. Tough competition, but in the opening round, Watson held its own."

More........

Netbooks Lose Status as Tablets Like the iPad Rise

Anyone want to buy a good used Netbook?! :-) This comes from the New York Times.

"Remember the Last Big Thing in computing? You’ll be forgiven for having forgotten it was the netbook — a small notebook computer with a slender price tag, about $300.

Today, tablets are all the rage, including the iPad from Apple and a host of new entries starting to come from rivals like Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Research In Motion and Samsung. But less than two years ago, in 2009, netbooks were seen as the earth-shaking force in the industry, potentially changing the economics of the business and undermining the technology leaders, Intel and Microsoft.

Things didn’t work out that way. Netbook sales were meteoric in 2009, jumping eightfold in the United States, to 7.5 million devices, and tripling worldwide to 34 million. Yet the torrid growth stalled last year."

More...........

XP Desktop Resurrected

Okay, I did it. I have moved into our new home in Acton and I decided to see if I could get my old faithful IBM desktop to come alive after a rather longer than planned hiatus due to the sluggish real estate market, but that's another story.

My good old desktop, running Windows XP SP3 is alive and well. I have committed to it as my main computer, so my laptop usage is limited to web browsing and web mail, whereas my desktop at home has my Outlook and other serious software applications.

I have decided that I see no reason why this machine, and XP on my other machines, should not be able to carry me through to 2014, the announced termination of support date for XP. For those of you who have also made that commitment, good for us all. I do have a Windows 7 laptop. I need that for supporting customers with W7. Otherwise, XP on my desktop is it!

I have yet to come to grips with what to do about my investment in a beautiful Apple MacBook Pro 17. It is truly a great machine, but you know, it just ain't XP.

This evening I downloaded another 9 important XP updates. Included among them was MSRT. I shall now run MRT and call it a day.

PRIVACY: Remove your data from public directories

This comes to us from the Kim Komando web site, a site worth checking daily for tips.

"Whether you like it or not, your information is available publicly. And this information is freely available online. Marketers and advertisers have teams dedicated to finding this information. They use it so they can sell you thing you likely don’t want.

There are many online directories. Some of these compile listed phone numbers. Others might also include your address. And still others serve up more personal information as sales leads. They scour public records for your information.

Public information can include records from courts, real estate registrations and voter registration. It can also include hunting permits and marriage or driver's licenses.

However, online directories aren't out to get you. In fact, they typically offer a way to opt out of their listings. But you have to find the exit.

I've already done some searching for you. Here are the opt-out pages for a few major directory sites:

555-1212.com
www.555-1212.com
Look near the bottom of the list on this page. Click on Opt-out or Change Request Policy for further instructions.

Anywho
www.anywho.com
Remove your phone number online or by mail.

Acxiom.com
www.acxiom.com
You can opt out of both ad tracking and the online directory from this page. Opting out of the directory requires that you fill out and mail in a form.

Network Advertising Initiative
www.networkadvertising.org
This site lets you opt out of a long list of advertising databases and trackers. Simply select all the sites you wish to opt out from. Then click Submit.

Intelius
www.intelius.com
You must fax documents proving your identity to remove listings. Detailed instructions are in the section labeled, "How to Remove your Information."


US Search
www.ussearch.comYou'll have to mail in a form to turn on PrivacyLock and block your listing."

Today Show January 1994...What is the Internet?!

How far we have come in just 17 years!

Blue screen of death and what it means

Today's blog post comes from the "Call That Girl" blog.

"So you get the “blue screen” or “blue screen of death”…what do you do now?

If you call someone, you may get this answer, “It’s your hard drive”

Or is it…???

I’ve troubleshooted many of these errors. Sometimes simple troubleshooting is all you need to do. Sometimes it’s a bad Windows update or a software glitch that caused the blue screen to happen. 2 calls this week in the shop proved that it was a Windows problem and we quickly resolved it by doing some magic in the shop, cost to the client? An easy $40 fix. Didn’t take much more than 30 minutes for us to repair it.

Here are a few tips for you to try yourself at home before bringing it into our shop.

• Start by turning off your computer
• Then unplug all your cords including monitor
• Let the computer sit for 20 minutes
• After 20 minutes, only plug in the power for the computer and monitor and turn it back on
• If it turns on and goes to the Windows start up screen, you may have a bad keyboard, mouse or USB external port issue
• Once it comes back on, if all seems ok…turn it back off
• Plug back in the keyboard and mouse. Turn it on again

If it blue screens, it’s more than likely your mouse or USB port. If the end of your mouse has a circular end, it’s probably not the issue. If it has a 1/2″ thin metal end, it’s a USB mouse and could be the issue. Try another mouse if you have one.

If your computer turns on fine again, then test your USB plug-ins. (camera, webcam, printer, etc) If then all seems ok, go in and back up your information/data right away.

Again….if anything at this point fails, it could be a hard drive or a software issue. I don’t always think it’s a bad drive if it blue screens. Sometimes your computer just has a bump in the road and needs to be “reset”.

The troubleshooting tricks above often help figure out what may be causing the issue."

10000!

The hit counter for this blog just went over 10000! Thank you for looking!

10,000

Spam Scam

Wow, look at this e-mail I found in my Inbox this morning. It got through Google's spam filter and Outlook's junk mail filters. It sure looks simple, to the point, and legitimate, but NEVER EVER reply to something like this. No company will EVER ask you to send this level of information, nor would they ask it of you over the phone.

NEVER SHARE YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION WITH ANYONE!

"From: Amazon.com [mailto:amazone@live.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 12:18 AM
Subject: Amazon Alert

Dear Amazon Customer,

Kindly note that we are carrying out a routine check up on

all our account holders. This process is vital. For your account to be verified,

Kindly reply to this email by providing your Account Email, Account password,

Account Debit/Credit Card details and Card Security number (cvv).

Tracy Colemann

Customer Care Manager"

Kaspersky: Fake Antivirus Scareware on the Rise

From Maximum PC:

"Fake antivirus software masquerading around as the real deal is quickly becoming one of the oldest (and most used) tricks in the malware manual, and for good reason. It's easy to dupe less savvy computer users, especially as these bogus programs have become adept at looking the part. The latest one making the rounds is a false AV scanner called Antivirus 8.

"Over the last few days, we received numerous reports of computers infected with fake antivirus (scareware)," Roel Schouwenberg, senior antivirus research for Kaspersky, wrote in a blog post. "The name of this particular culprit is Antivirus 8."

According to Schouwenberg, fake pop-ups related to the bogus application were appearing on users' systems while not actively using their PC. Instead, they were running as soon as ICQ began fetching/displaying new ads. As Schouwenberg explains it, malware writers went through the trouble of setting up servers that appear to be related to actual retail products, so to outsiders (like Kaspersky) looking in, it appears the 'store' was simply the victim of an attack and the dirty ads keep rolling.

"By making it look like their server got compromised, the criminals can claim it isn't them who's responsible for distributing the malware," Schouwenberg explains. "But rather someone else who hacked their server to spread malware. The ad distributor is very likely to simply give them a warning, which gives these criminals at least one more shot at infecting more machines."

How it works isn't really important here, as none of this is going to matter to inexperienced users in the first place. Instead, now might be a good time to remind family and friends -- the ones who seem to ring your number every couple weeks with a new computer problem -- not to fall for fake AV scams.

"

Are AOL Subscribers Dense?

Okay, that post title is not mine, even though many of you know that I have nagged enough of you about this. How or why anyone could still be paying AOL the monthly subscription rate is beyond me. Okay, I do realize that there are still some of you who are dial-up and maybe have no other option (still hard to believe), but read the dollar figures and look at the percentages in this Maximum PC article posted at their site today. I also don't understand why anyone would use AOL at all, subscription or not, but that's just me.

"First and foremost, you might be surprised to learn that people still subscribe to AOL, the once popular ISP that fell from relevance about the time broadband came into its own. But get this -- according to The New Yorker, some 80 percent of AOL profits still come from its subscription business. It gets even better.

The New Yorker describes these subscribers as "older people who have cable or DSL service but don't realize that they need not pay an additional $25 a month to get online and check their email."

We're not talking about a small fraction of users, either. BusinessInsider said it spoke with a former AOL exec who said that AOL's "dirty little secret" is "that 75 percent of the people subscribe to AOL's dial-up service don't need it." When you consider that AOL raked in $244 million from 4 million customers in the third quarter of 2010, you can see where this could be troubling."

Reposting: Recommended Security Baseline

From time to time I have and will refer to my security baseline. My security baseline is merely a list of programs I use (all free) and recommend for anyone to use to keep their systems secure. This applies to YOU if you use Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7.

Remember, all of these products are FREE, but will do as good a job as any fee products you may use. I make that statement based on many years of experience.

1. Microsoft Security Essentials - Version 2 now available
2. Windows Firewall
3. MVPS HOSTS File - download the January 2011 version
4. CCleaner - check for newer version than you may already have
5. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
6. SuperAntiSpyware Free Edition
7. Spybot Search & Destroy

Questions?  Comment below or write me, pcdoc at brpcdoc dot com

Have a wonderful weekend!

Worldstart.com

I'm not sure how I first stumbled upon this web site,WorldStart, but I have to say I have come to like it very much. I have been visiting it every day for a month or two. At first I wasn't too impressed, but then all of a sudden it seemed to change and offer what I view as smart, practical small tips that just might help you.

I usually just look at the 5 tips that are right there front and center on the home page. Many are quite simple, but I have found a few that really amazed me. I recommend a bookmark for this web site. Visit it occasionally or daily or more. You may just find a tip that can really help you. By the way, I have not bought anything form this web site, and I have not created an account, so don't feel you need to do those things. Also, their search window will search their archives for tips relevant to your search argument.
 
After looking at the tips, scroll down and take a gander at all of the links offered for other ideas. WorldStart.com is a neat, handy, and valuable bookmark to have on your system.

WorldStart

Tablets, Compared

These devices can't be ignored, and they probably won't go away, so if you want to invest in one, and they are getting to be an investment (iPad from $500 to $800), you might want to know about your options. Be wary of add-ons you might need, like a carrying case for example.

This New York Times article does a nice job of comparing some of the available products, but nearly every day you can read about another new tablet "to be announced soon".

FYI, I do not own one (yet). If someone were to give me one, I'd be glad to use it, but at this point I am not ready to invest in one. 

Tablets, Compared

While you are at it, you might enjoy this brief video:

http://www.wimp.com/fingerpaintingbeyonce/

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) Version 2.0

Microsoft Security Essentials or MSE Version 2.0 is now available. I have installed it on my everyday laptop. As my readers know, MSE is Microsoft's free anti-virus program. As my readers also know, I was an outspoken advocate for AVG for many years, but I have left AVG and migrated to MSE. I got tired of AVG's marketing ploys, constantly pushing their fee product and, in fact, they pushed so hard that some of my customers actually thought they had to upgrade and did so. Sad, but one more reason to check this blog once in a while!

I believe MSE to be a superior product all around when compared to other free anti-virus products. The principal reason I believe this is because Microsoft, more than anyone else, has the ability and knowledge to integrate their product with their own operating systems.

For those of you currently using MSE Version 1, Version 2 will be rolled out over time through Automatic Updates, but you don't have to wait for that and can download it and install it just as you did Version 1. And, you will NOT have to uninstall Version 1. Microsoft will take care of that for you as a part of the Version 2 installation procedure. You can get it, as I did, here: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/.

I encourage you to do so, and if you do not already use MSE, I recommend it to you without reservation. If you have another anti-virus you will need to uninstall it first.

Enough from me, or perhaps too much, but I am excited about this new version. You can read a real pro's review of MSE Version 2.0 online. Fred Langa's Beefing up Microsoft Security Essentials
will lay out the technical details for you. Check it out.

Security Updates

I see the MVPS HOSTS file for January is available today. Also, the January MRT was one of this week's Microsoft Updates.

This is a good time to run a complete scan with MRT. Then update, immunize, and run Spybot. Finally, download and install the new HOSTS file.

I will cover this tomorrow, but there is also a new version, Version 2.0, of MSE, and this is very good news.

And now a word from our sponsor

Actually, I am the sponsor. One of my little ventures is called Boothbay Region For Rent By Owner or BRFRBO. I guess the name says it all, but let me add that the Boothbay Region of Maine has become a very special place for our family. We purchased a small summer cottage back in 1974 in an area known as Ocean Point , which is in East Boothbay which is in Boothbay. On this web site we have listed several rental properties including some year-round but mostly summer cottages. Boothbay, as you may know, is on the ocean. I honestly believe that if you go there once for a long weekend or a vacation, you will want to return. Please check it out. Click on the photo or link below the photo to see our web site.

Visit the BRFRBO web site

How to Switch from a PC to a Mac

As reported here a little more than a year ago, I purchased a MacBook Pro 17" laptop. It sits around virtually unused. I have no calls from customers looking for support, either because they don't need any (can Macs be THAT good?) or because they wouldn't think to call a "PC Doctor" when they have issues with a Mac. Well, here's a confession: I need help with my Mac. No, as far as I know there is nothing wrong with my new Mac, it's a user issue.

To show that I am serious about using this machine, I recently purchased Microsoft's Office for Mac 2011. I had figured from the start that this was a necessary prerequisite for me to ever get serious about using a Mac as my primary computer. I also intend to buy, shortly, the new iLife product which includes a newer and enhanced version of iPhoto. I had heard so much about iPhoto and really wanted to use it to organize and edit my large library of photos. I began using a digital camera in 2001 (thanks to my 4 sons) and have accumulated nearly 40,000 photos, not one of which I would ever want to lose.

And now that my wife and I are about to move into our new home outside of Boston, I will have room to set up my MacBook in a place where it may well become my new "desktop" computer. Up to now, since moving from Vermont, we haven't had the space in our tiny rental home in Wayland. At least, that is my plan, and time will tell how well this will work out.

I will continue to use my Windows XP and Windows 7 laptops to make sure I stay current and can address any PC problems that may come up. I have yet to decide if I will resurrect my good old desktop machine, after we retrieve it and 99% of our home furnishings from a Waltham storage unit.

So this article from today's pcmag.com website is very timely indeed for me. If any of you has a desire to learn more about the world of Macs, I think you will find this a very helpful article, written for us PC users.

How to Switch from a PC to a Mac

I still haven't made the leap, mostly because I am cheap, to the world of Blackberry, iPhone, or any of the other very pricey offerings out there, but I sure have been tempted. And now that Verizon is getting into the 4G game, the temptation will be even greater. Verizon, as my cell phone provider, seems to cover all of the areas I travel with decent signal strength.

This is Walt Mossberg's take on the Verizon move to offer 4G. I usually avoid such articles, not wanting to be tempted any more, but not this one.

In 4G Race, Verizon Pulls Ahead With Pricey Speed

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA)

Here is another free handy dandy tool I stumbled upon today. It is from Microsoft and is called the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA). It can be downloaded here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/cc184923

Go to that link and click on the blue text just under Download Now in the upper right corner of the window. On the next window click on Download to the right of the version you want. There are two English versions, one for 64 bit operating systems and the other, labeled as for X86, is for 32 bit systems.

This tool is really meant for organizations and their tech support people, but I found it was very much worthwhile for me. After the download run the program to install MBSA and after the install run it. I just took all of the defaults on the first screen and did not change a thing.

Two issues were found on my XP laptop. One, they have finally gotten me to leave good old IE6 behind and upgrade to IE8. I have been very stubborn and have resisted this change for a long time now, but there are security issues with the older version that really I should not be risking, so I installed IE8. The second issue found was that the GUEST account was enabled on my machine. This is viewed as a security exposure, and I have never even thought about it before. Also, I never knew that the GUEST account could be disabled, but it can, and I have done just that following the instructions given.

After making these 2 changes and on the third try, MBSA gave me a clean bill of health as shown here.

Security assessment:
Strong Security (The selected checks were passed.)
Computer name: HOME\ACERTRAVELMATE
Security report name: HOME - ACERTRAVELMATE (1-6-2011 9-57 AM)
Scan date: 1/6/2011 9:57 AM

What’s In Store for Technology in 2011

This is an article by Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal.

"It has been a big year in personal technology, from the debut and early success of Apple’s iPad, to the rise and continuous improvement of Google’s Android smart phone platform, to the continued surge in social services led by Facebook and Twitter.

So I thought I’d take a look at the challenges and opportunities facing some major players in consumer tech in 2011. As with all my columns, this one is focused only on products and services provided directly to consumers, rather than to businesses. Also, as usual, this column isn’t meant to offer investment advice or to evaluate the management skills or financial condition of companies. It is a look at the products and competitive positions of the key contenders as they enter the new year."

Read the article here

How to choose strong passwords

This is not a recommendation, but rather just some food for thought. Be sure you have strong passwords.

How to choose strong passwords

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a very happy & healthy 2011.

Tom

Happy New Year everyone!  Time for my last post of the year, but...

Looks like this is the time of year for Top 10 lists! Kim Komando posts a very good one at the link below.I suspect we can all learn SOMETHING from it.

Top 10 Privacy Tips of 2010

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Technology

This is very interesting. It sure made me think about changes I can make, and I may do some of them. Not all apply, at least not to me, but maybe you can get one or 2 good ideas and try them out. Also, I don't necessarily agree with all of them. Followers know that my free antivirus program of choice is Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), but I also confess I know nothing of Avast and have nothing against it.

This is from the New York Times and was written by SAM GROBART. Good food for thought.

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Technology

PC Repair Rip-Offs: Don't Get Gouged by Fix-It Services

A worthwhile article to read from pcworld.com.

"Computers don't always work as they should. Components fail, and operating systems fill up with crap that hinders performance and occasionally brings the whole machine to a halt. Savvy users know that they can fix most PC problems themselves, and use sites like PCWorld.com to find solutions to their tech problems. Those who lack confidence in their tech skills, however, often fall prey to the rapacious tactics of online and local repair shops."

Read more here...

We celebrate the birth of Jesus

Merry Christmas

Kim Komando's Top 10 Cool Web Sites of 2010

These are the top 10 cool web sites of 2010 per Kim Komando as posted on her web site today, 12/21/2010. 

"There are literally billions of Websites. That can make it difficult to find the ones that will really help you or entertain you. Every day I bring you the best the Internet has to offer. It could be a game or a helpful service.

Here's a look back at this year's most popular Cool Sites:

1. Quotes to inspire you
Sometimes it is hard to get inspired. That's when reaching for a favorite inspirational quote can help. This site has you covered.

2. Fun online jigsaw puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are fun, but they take up a lot of room. Do hundreds of jigsaw puzzles online instead.

3. How much is your home really worth?
It's been a rough couple years for real estate. Is the value of your home finally recovering? Find out now!

4. Get free birthday treats
Presents are a Birthday staple. But why stop there? There are tons of places that will give you stuff for free.

5. Match current geography with the Bible
Geography knowledge can help us understand historic events. Get geographic information for Biblical locations.

6. Digging up dirt online
What do you really know about the people around you? Learn more about them for free.

7. Play old video games online
Miss the good old days of 16-color graphics and 8-bit sound? Thanks to the Internet, you can still play the games of yesteryear.

8. Great cleaning tips
Cleaning is a fact of life. But what do you do when cleaning isn't working? Visit this free Website to get the solution.

9. Get crime reports for your area
Even safe neighborhoods have crime. Get crime reports for your area. It will help you keep your family safe.

10. Find real car prices before you buy
Buying a new car can be stressful. How do you know you're getting the best price? This site can help you find out."