Just Geeky

I am often asked how one goes about choosing the right laptop. Obviously because of the technological understanding required as well as the plethora of brands out there, it can be very confusing and daunting.

So here is some brief advice on how to go about it:

Firstly decide what you are going to use the laptop for. For example, if it is just to be used for internet, email access and documents then your requirements are very different from someone planning to run processor and memory intensive applications such as games, media applications or CAD. An entry level laptop may be more than adequate for your needs! So why pay for more?

Don’t buy a laptop just because it has “lots of features”. This is because you will most likely end up paying for features that you don’t need. A good example of what I mean by “lots of features” and where this happens a lot is with cell phones. Most people just use them for calls and sms’s, yet end up paying exorbitant prices for fancy phones that have a “million-and-one” features, they never use.

Rather carefully consider the specifications and features of various models and decide what is important for your needs. I.e. wireless (mostly standard nowadays), Bluetooth, harddrive size, processor spec, memory size, built in camera etc.

When comparing models which have similar specifications go for the one with the highest performance processor (dual processor preferable) as well as the maximum amount of ram you can afford (minimum 512Mbytes). The better the processor and the more ram, the faster the laptop will be. While one should not buy IT based on “lots of features”, it is worth ensuring that you get the best “value for money” with features that are important.

Weight and battery size can also be a deciding factor. If you travel frequently, then a light laptop with a 12” screen may be preferable to lugging around the world with a dead weight.

Choosing the laptop brand is always a personal thing. Sometimes you just like the look and feel of a particular brand. Other times it’s a recommendation from a particular person. The brand you choose can also make a huge difference in price. For example recently, I was comparing a Lenovo Z61p against a Mecer E81 with identical performance specifications and the Lenovo was +- R6000 (South African Rands) more expensive. Also the Mecer had more inbuilt features such as a camera and TV tuner. However despite the price difference and extra features, the customer still went for the Lenovo because he loved the “look and feel” of the Lenovo brand over the Mecer.

My favorites brands in order of preference are: Lenovo, Acer, Mecer and HP.

 By Mr.Gibson

What happens when you deliberately put a real debit card and pre-paid phone card out on a peer file sharing service and measure how it long before someone tries to access the cards and drain them of any value? About a week, according to an experiment conducted by Tiversa, a company who sells P2P protective software.

The results were reported in congressional testimony today.

The researchers put a file called “credit card and phone card numbers.doc” on a PC running Limewire inside a shared directory, as part of a test earlier this year. Within a few days, dozens of downloads were tracked, and soon the total value stored on both cards was depleted.

This is a very real scenario. While I won’t get into whether P2P file sharing is legit, plenty of people are running this software on their PCs, and they may easily place files in the shareable folder that contain equally sensitive information. The problem is compounded if these services are being run from corporate-owned PCs, too.

So let’s try something out. If you are running a sharing service on your PC, take a moment now and see if you have made yourself an inadvertent target:

Have you set up your entirely hard drive as shareable? Not a good idea. At least change the setting to just the folder where your media files are located.

Is your hard disk not very organized, and you don’t pay much attention to where you store your files? Now is the time to look. The Tiversa researchers found dozens of copies of passports and birth certificates, hundreds of copies of tax returns, and federal student aid applications when they did a quick search of the Gnutella network. It didn’t take them very long to find this stuff, and when they downloaded a few samples they seemed like the real McCoy.

Did the file sharing software add other folders besides the one where you knowingly store your music and videos? They are good at finding all of your media files elsewhere, and if you have an MP3 in the same place where you have your Quicken data, you could be in trouble. Spend some time cleaning house now.

Do you do work on a PC that is also used by your teenagers? You could have saved a work document in a shareable folder by mistake, or not realized that later on the folder became shareable. In a recent study by Osterman Research, 71% of employees answering the survey have checked work-related email from home on a non-work owned computer. Work is being done away from the office more often all the time.

You have been warned.

The Internet has been a revolution but not without a few negative aspects. One such threat has been the spyware that requires learning at least the basics of spyware removal software. That shall make one knowledgeable on where this spyware comes from; the best way to tackle it and which software is most effective in their removal.

These programs are written for gathering information on the Internet browsing habits of an user. The information (data) is then transferred to the spyware creator, either to be used by the same person or to be sold to third parties e.g. targeted online advertisers. This is the reason why frequent advertisements pop up frequently while being online. However, though most of these spyware programs are nothing else but annoying, the real threats come from those used by hackers and crackers. These people gather sensitive information like email addresses and passwords, bank account numbers, credit card numbers and passwords stored in a computer and give rise to offences as severe as spamming to financial frauds and identity theft. The remedy? Killing spyware programs and that requires installing a spyware removal software.

Other names for spyware:

* Adware: Named so for their primary function of delivering online ads.
* Malware: A short form for malicious software; examples include computer viruses, worms, trojans, and spyware.
* Trackware: Used for tracking the events in a computer or the sites that have been visited; ranges from harmless tracking cookies to keyloggers that record and transfers the data from every key that is typed.
* Snoopware: A snoop is a spy who makes uninvited inquiries into the private affairs of others; this explain what a snoopware is.

Symptoms of spyware infection:

* Sluggish performance.
* Increased number of pop up ads.
* An unexpected change in homepage address.
* Strange, unwanted search results.

Effects of spyware infection:

* Identity theft: Through keyloggers that capture all the keystrokes to derive passwords, personal information and even bank details.
* Decreased Memory: Computer memory gets eaten up and the system turns slow.
* Unwanted information: Surfing becomes a big hassle due to large amounts of unwanted data flowing in.

Spyware removal software facts:

* The only alternative to a spyware removal software or a spyware blocker is turning the computer off.
* It should provide boot-time protection as well as real-time protection.
* It must remove memory-resident and registry-resident spyware.
* Certain anti-virus software (e.g. McAfee Security Center) comes with a built in spyware removal software.
* It is important to backup all the files before running a spyware removal software.
* It must be run on a regular schedule.

Choosing the right software:

* As a rule of thumb, several comparisons are required prior to choosing a good anti-spyware software. But it is recommended that one should choose different ones for alternative usage.
* The best spyware removers should offer complete protection against spyware, adware, keyloggers, Remote Access Trojans (RATs) and browser hijacking or phishing to stop confidential information being exposed.
* Must have an automatic update feature.
* Technical support from the manufacturer should be at the user beck and call; so is customer service.

By Ian Mcliff

Regular PC maintenance is just as important as cleaning out your garage or going to gym. No one wants to put the effort into properly maintaining his or her garage or his or her computer. Even though it is an oxymoron, you have to think of your computer like an electronic organism. It needs food and needs to be properly cleaned in order to run as you would like it to. just The nice thing about most regular PC maintenance is that you can auto-run most tasks so you don’t have to remember to handle them.

Keeping a Copy
The most important thing for you to do in the course of regular PC maintenance is to back up your files. This should be done on a daily basis. Imagine if your computer crashed, and you lost all your files. Without a back up, you have little to no chance of retrieving them.

With Windows XP, it is easy to back up most of your vital files during regular PC maintenance. Pretty much everything is located inside of ‘C:/Documents and Settings’ folder. That means that all you have to do is zip that folder and burn it onto a disc for safekeeping. Of course, you can buy a program that will do this for you, thus eliminating your need for this particular task in regular PC maintenance.

Scanning Procedures
Next, you should do habitual scans and updates as part of your regular PC maintenance. Doing this once a week is the best. If you don’t already have an anti-virus program, go out and get one before you start regular PC maintenance. Without one, you are vulnerable to system crashing viruses. So go get one before you experience that hassle!

Naturally, your anti-virus program is useless if you don’t update it. Usually you can set it to scan and update automatically without any effort from you whatsoever. Of course, you should also update your Windows software fairly often as part of your regular PC maintenance. This will help to keep your Windows operating system running smoothly. It also fixes any previous bugs and glitches that are inherent in most programs. Regular Windows updates also helps to fill any holes that your firewall and anti-virus software may have.

Internal Cleaning
Once a month, as part of your regular PC maintenance, you should do a run disk clean up and disk defragmenter. Doing so will help keep your PC running smoothly and quickly. Best of all, it’s not very difficult. All you have to do is click on a couple of things and leave your machine to work while you sleep or do some errands. Who knew regular PC maintenance could be so easy?

To do either of these, you must first stop any programs running in the background. Things like instant messengers or download managers will prohibit the scanners from doing what they need to do. Once those are closed, the next step to this piece of regular PC maintenance is to go into ‘My Computer’ and right click on your C:/ drive. Then go to ‘Properties’ and in the new window, click on the ‘Tools’ tab. There are the two programs you need to use: Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragment. It is advisable to run Disk Cleanup first. This will determine if there are any bad sectors on your hard disk. Don’t be surprised if there are. Over time, your hardware can age and things like this happen. When the scan disk is finished, do a disk defragment. A disk defragment will consolidate all your fragmented files and keep your PC running fast, which may speed up the regular PC maintenance process.

Registry Cleaning
Another thing you should as part of your regular PC maintenance is to scan and back up, fairly recurrently, your Windows registry. The registry is a database of files that log certain preferences within programs and from multiple users. You want to keep your registry happy and healthy through regular PC maintenance. You can buy software that scans and automatically makes a back up copy for you so that you will be covered should you ever encounter a crash. Do some research so you can find one that suits you. If you are better with computers, then you can probably do it by yourself. Be careful, though, because you can really screw it up during your regular PC maintenance.

Hopefully now you can see just how regular PC maintenance can solve many problems. It isn’t that difficult for the most part. It is time consuming, but it is also incredibly important. Try and get yourself in a regular PC maintenance routine to help make it easier for you.

This article was written by staff at RepairYourPcNow.com Find the latest software to help clean and restore your computer to full health. We review Registry Cleaners and have many articles on PC maintenance and tips on how to speed up your pc.

Visit RepairYourPcNow.Com Here By Gareth Barrow

The spyware scan programs are usually available in two forms. The first type of program is limited in its functions and they will only detect if there is any spyware on your computer or any other malicious program than can create a mess on your computer. However, they will not help you remove the same. On the other hand, the second type of spyware scan programs will not only detect the spyware on your computer, but they will also remove the same in order to keep your computer safe for Internet browsing and other functions. If you are facing the following things with your computer, you should understand when you should go for a spyware scan.

Your Computer Is Running Slow

If your computer has lost its speed all of a sudden and it is taking much longer time to perform even the simplest of the functions, it is high alert for you. Most probably, there are some malicious programs, may be spyware that is running in the background and passing the valuable information from your website to a third party. In that case, the first thing that you need to do is to disconnect the Internet connection. You should note that when a spyware hits your computer, they do not only take space on hard disks of your computer, but they also share the processing speed to perform their malicious acts. Therefore, if you experience such things, do not delay in starting the spyware scan process.

Are You Downloading Something?

Many things are available to be downloaded free. This can be any software program, wallpaper, screensavers, or various audio or video files. However, it is important for you to understand that in most cases, spyware hits your computer when you are downloading some freebies. Therefore, if you are downloading some freebies, the first thing that you have to do make sure that you are downloading from a reputed and established website. Now, even if you decide to download the program, make sure that you run the spyware scan program while downloading the same. This will make you aware as soon as any spyware is detected. You can then remove the same by using the spyware cleaner.

There are many free spyware removal programs available on Internet. But, before you go ahead and download a free spyware remover software program, you must make sure that they are from established companies. After all, they are also freebies. Overall, spyware scan is a great tool for the security of your computer and the data stored in the same.

A spyware scan is the first step of the spyware removal process. A spyware cleaner would first run a spyware scan and then remove the malicious spyware programs from your computer. You can select from many free spyware removal products and then buy one for your computer. Free spyware remover is a good tool for testing but if you want complete protection purchase full version of spyware removal software from a reputable vendor. Visit spyware removal program for more information and free downloads.

By Anupriya Jain

A new web exploit could force the iPhone to divulge private info to hackers. Also, Apple has redesigned its professional notebook power adapter, one German store claims it will carry the iPhone, and Duke no longer blames the Apple cellphone for network woes.

iPhone Safari exploit revealed

Consultants at Independent Security Evaluators warned iPhone users on Monday that critical holes in the mobile version of Safari would let a malicious web page feed code to the device that forced it to do “anything that the iPhone can do,” including its phone services.

In a proof of concept demo given to the public by the security team, users tricked into visiting one of the sites through a link or a poisoned Wi-Fi point could have their call lists, contacts, past SMS texts, and voicemail relayed to an intruder. But this example is just a portion of what could be done, the security firm said: the worst cases could send encrypted passwords, text messages that subscribe to expensive services, and capture phone calls.

Apple has already been made aware of the exploit, which will be more fully explained by ISE when it presents at the BlackHat expo on August 2nd. In the interim, however, the company says that iPhone owners should be just as skeptical of spam links and unknown wireless hotspots as they would with an ordinary computer, as the iPhone shares many of the same features.

“The iPhone is an internet connected device running a relatively full featured software suite: this research shows that it is vulnerable just like many other similarly capable devices, both PCs and embedded systems,” the consultants said.

Sony has unveiled plans to launch an 80GB PlayStation 3 for the North American market in August at a suggested retail price of $599. 

The Japanese electronics company also announced that, effective immediately, the current 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499, $100 below the original launch price.

Sony hopes that an expanded hard disk drive in the new 80GB PS3 will allow it to better appeal to online gaming and entertainment enthusiasts.

The new model includes the million-selling MotorStorm game, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time.

More than 120 new first-party and third-party software titles will be available for North American PS3 users throughout the holidays and this fiscal year, Sony added.

Upcoming first-party titles include Folklore, Heavenly Sword, Lair, NBA ’08, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, SingStar, Socom: US Navy Seals Confrontation, The Eye of Judgment, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Warhawk.

Third-party titles will include Devil May Cry IV, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, Grand Theft Auto IV, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hellboy, Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Sega Rally Revo, Stranglehold, The Darkness, TimeShift, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2.

“As we move into the next phase of PS3, it is important that we continue to evaluate our product line, offering consumers the technology and features that meet their growing needs for new forms of media and the way in which it is delivered,” said Jack Tretton, president and chief executive at Sony Computer Entertainment America.

 

The Nintendo Wii continued its dominance in Japan, outselling the Playstation 3 by over a 6 to 1 margin in June.

According to Reuters, the Wii sold 270,974 units, compared to the Playstation’s 41,628 units and the Xbox 360′s 17,616 units sold.

They also note that the Wii led by a 4 to 1 margin in April, and a 5 to 1 margin in May.

In an interview with the Game Informer, Playstation studio head Phil Harrison said that a successful launch should not be judged by the console’s soft launch lineup.

Harrison noted, “You only have to go back to the games that launched PlayStation 1 and Playstation 2.”

“If you took those few dozen titles and analyzed them, you would never have imagined that either of those formats would have on to sell over 100M units each.”