Date of Article: 2014-11-19
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Mobile technology is changing the way we live and interact with others and this article points out 10 of the ways it is doing so and some of the positives and negatives.
W.C.
2014-11-22
10 ways mobile devices are changing society
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-11-19
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Mobile technology is changing the way we live and interact with others and this article points out 10 of the ways it is doing so and some of the positives and negatives.
Date of Article: 2014-11-19
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Mobile technology is changing the way we live and interact with others and this article points out 10 of the ways it is doing so and some of the positives and negatives.
2014-11-21
A neverending story: PC users lose another $120M to tech support scams
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-??-??
Source of Article: ars technica
Be warned my friends, these scams are out there and this action by the government has just hit the tip of the iceberg. Four of those brand names in the next to last paragraph are familiar to me because I received their spam/scam offers. I didn't answer their offer because I was sure they were scams and this article has confirmed it for me. I hope they all get some real hard time and loose all their assets when the case is over.
What really makes me mad is I suspect that a significant part of that $120,000,000 these thieves acquired was paid by seniors living on a fixed income who just wanted to keep their PC running reliably to allow them to keep in contact with friends and family.
Date of Article: 2014-??-??
Source of Article: ars technica
Be warned my friends, these scams are out there and this action by the government has just hit the tip of the iceberg. Four of those brand names in the next to last paragraph are familiar to me because I received their spam/scam offers. I didn't answer their offer because I was sure they were scams and this article has confirmed it for me. I hope they all get some real hard time and loose all their assets when the case is over.
What really makes me mad is I suspect that a significant part of that $120,000,000 these thieves acquired was paid by seniors living on a fixed income who just wanted to keep their PC running reliably to allow them to keep in contact with friends and family.
W.C.
2014-11-06
How businesses fail to protect customer info
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-11-06
Source of Article: Windows Secrets Top Story
This article points out how many of the companies that we do business with are equally to blame for consumer's losses due to identity theft and for loss of personal information. Many companies ignore threats to their web sites and point-of-sale terminals even when companies operating similar sites of terminals are hit by data breaches. I wonder if the law required them to take the loss they caused, would they still ignore these threats. Read the article, it may wake you up.
Date of Article: 2014-11-06
Source of Article: Windows Secrets Top Story
This article points out how many of the companies that we do business with are equally to blame for consumer's losses due to identity theft and for loss of personal information. Many companies ignore threats to their web sites and point-of-sale terminals even when companies operating similar sites of terminals are hit by data breaches. I wonder if the law required them to take the loss they caused, would they still ignore these threats. Read the article, it may wake you up.
W.C.
2014-11-02
Microsoft reveals audacious plans to tighten security with Windows 10
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-10-22
Source of Article: ZDNet, The Ed Bott Report
This is very good news in my opinion. Security is often overlooked by members of the buying public when they go to get their new PC. Starting with an operating system that has more security features will make them safer.
Date of Article: 2014-10-22
Source of Article: ZDNet, The Ed Bott Report
This is very good news in my opinion. Security is often overlooked by members of the buying public when they go to get their new PC. Starting with an operating system that has more security features will make them safer.
W.C.
2014-08-07
The Best Laptops to Buy Now
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-08-05
Source of Article: Wall Street Journal
One of our members sent a link to this article to me and if I was currently in the market for a new laptop I would find it very useful. There are a few other brands that I also like but the article is still accurate and worth reading if you are in the market.
Date of Article: 2014-08-05
Source of Article: Wall Street Journal
One of our members sent a link to this article to me and if I was currently in the market for a new laptop I would find it very useful. There are a few other brands that I also like but the article is still accurate and worth reading if you are in the market.
W.C.
2014-07-09
Wzor predicts demise of Windows 8, Windows 9 to arrive in the fall
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-07-07
Source of Article: InfoWorld
Woody has long been one of my most trusted sources of where things are going in the Windows world and Wzor has been cited by him quite often and with the prediction coming true. The last paragraph in the story is very interesting and if correct could make Windows 9 acceptance the norm, especially if it includes the desktop start menu.
Date of Article: 2014-07-07
Source of Article: InfoWorld
Woody has long been one of my most trusted sources of where things are going in the Windows world and Wzor has been cited by him quite often and with the prediction coming true. The last paragraph in the story is very interesting and if correct could make Windows 9 acceptance the norm, especially if it includes the desktop start menu.
W.C.
2014-07-08
Microsoft fixes 29 Windows vulnerabilities
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-07-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
As I usually do, I will wait until next Monday (my regular weekly system update and backup day) to install these updates. By then any problems should have surfaced and I can judge if I need to skip any of the patches.]
Date of Article: 2014-07-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
As I usually do, I will wait until next Monday (my regular weekly system update and backup day) to install these updates. By then any problems should have surfaced and I can judge if I need to skip any of the patches.]
W.C.
Microsoft warns of pending support deadlines for Windows 7, Office 2010 SP1, Windows Server 2003, and more
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-07-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
Thus the official countdown begins for Windows 7. IMO Microsoft really needs to get their version of the Start Menu back for Windows 8.1. I already use an add-on one but there are several different versions out there and that makes life harder in some cases for software developers. An official Start Menu would force the add-ons to make their products compatible with it. I believe it would also speed up acceptance of Windows 8.1, especially among seniors. A couple of days ago I saw a video demo of Microsoft's vision for the menu seemed to combine the best of the tiles with a traditional start menu. It looked really promising.
Date of Article: 2014-07-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
Thus the official countdown begins for Windows 7. IMO Microsoft really needs to get their version of the Start Menu back for Windows 8.1. I already use an add-on one but there are several different versions out there and that makes life harder in some cases for software developers. An official Start Menu would force the add-ons to make their products compatible with it. I believe it would also speed up acceptance of Windows 8.1, especially among seniors. A couple of days ago I saw a video demo of Microsoft's vision for the menu seemed to combine the best of the tiles with a traditional start menu. It looked really promising.
W.C.
Scam: Funeral Announcement
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-07-??
Source of Article: Snopes
I started getting this one today. I did a little research and found the article above on Snopes. I found several other articles including two from the real Amos Family Funeral Home in Ks whose name was useed in the two emails I received. If you receive one like this my advice is to not click on the link unless you like to have your machine infected.
Date of Article: 2014-07-??
Source of Article: Snopes
I started getting this one today. I did a little research and found the article above on Snopes. I found several other articles including two from the real Amos Family Funeral Home in Ks whose name was useed in the two emails I received. If you receive one like this my advice is to not click on the link unless you like to have your machine infected.
W.C.
2014-07-07
10 tips for a more user-friendly Linux desktop
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-07-02
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Since several of our members have Linux laptops I thought this would be a good article to post.
Sorry I am so late posting this but I have been off line for almost five days due to a service outage.
Date of Article: 2014-07-02
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Since several of our members have Linux laptops I thought this would be a good article to post.
Sorry I am so late posting this but I have been off line for almost five days due to a service outage.
W.C.
2014-06-30
The top 10 Windows 8 questions everyone asks
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-06-27
Source of Article: PCWorld
Some good questions about Windows 8. I remember asking some of them myself when I got myu first Windows 8 system.
Date of Article: 2014-06-27
Source of Article: PCWorld
Some good questions about Windows 8. I remember asking some of them myself when I got myu first Windows 8 system.
W.C.
2014-06-10
New iOS 7 lock screen flaw opens up iPhones, iPads in seconds
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-06-09
Source of Article: ZDNet
I'm including this one because quite a few of our members use products effected by this flaw. My advice if you use one of these products is to make the last app before entering the lockscreen something unimportant, i.e. a single user game which does not provide access to any user information until this flaw is fixed. That way anyone with physical access to your device can not access its settings or any of your personal data or information.
Date of Article: 2014-06-09
Source of Article: ZDNet
I'm including this one because quite a few of our members use products effected by this flaw. My advice if you use one of these products is to make the last app before entering the lockscreen something unimportant, i.e. a single user game which does not provide access to any user information until this flaw is fixed. That way anyone with physical access to your device can not access its settings or any of your personal data or information.
W.C.
2014-05-21
Getting started tutorials for Windows
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-05-20
Source of Article: Microsoft
For those of you who are getting to know that new Windows 8 or 8.1 machine Microsoft has a useful set of tutorial on the web for you. I haven't read all of them but it appears that they are being updated on a regular basis and cover the basics.
Date of Article: 2014-05-20
Source of Article: Microsoft
For those of you who are getting to know that new Windows 8 or 8.1 machine Microsoft has a useful set of tutorial on the web for you. I haven't read all of them but it appears that they are being updated on a regular basis and cover the basics.
W.C.
2014-05-11
Start Menu Reviver 2 offers a better program manager for Windows 8.1
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-05-09
Source of Article: Tech Republic
Another Start Menu for Windows 8.1 that the author highly recommends and it is free. To use his words, "that if Microsoft had put something like this in Windows 8 from the get-go, they sure would have saved themselves a lot of grief." Right now I am using Classic Start Menu and I am satisfied with it but if I get a chance I mi try this one out.
Date of Article: 2014-05-09
Source of Article: Tech Republic
Another Start Menu for Windows 8.1 that the author highly recommends and it is free. To use his words, "that if Microsoft had put something like this in Windows 8 from the get-go, they sure would have saved themselves a lot of grief." Right now I am using Classic Start Menu and I am satisfied with it but if I get a chance I mi try this one out.
W.C.
2014-05-04
Internet Explorer Security Flaw: 4 Ways to Protect Yourself
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-28
Source of Article: Time
Good advice on how to be safe. I prefer his first suggestion.
Date of Article: 2014-04-28
Source of Article: Time
Good advice on how to be safe. I prefer his first suggestion.
W.C.
2014-04-28
US CERT and KB 2963983: Don't use drive-by-enabled Internet Explorer
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-28
Source of Article: InfoWorld
I am going to do something I don't often do in this blog. I am going to quote more than the title of the article.
This is the subtitle of the article: "Department of Homeland Security recommends avoiding Microsoft browser until vulnerability in IE6 to IE11 is fixed"
And this is the line that makes the warning important: "As Microsoft notes, this is a drive-by class security hole: Your machine can be compromised if you simply visit an infected site."
Based on the article I am going to advise paying attention to this warning and avoid using Internet Explorer Versions 6 through 11 until this is fixed.
Date of Article: 2014-04-28
Source of Article: InfoWorld
I am going to do something I don't often do in this blog. I am going to quote more than the title of the article.
This is the subtitle of the article: "Department of Homeland Security recommends avoiding Microsoft browser until vulnerability in IE6 to IE11 is fixed"
And this is the line that makes the warning important: "As Microsoft notes, this is a drive-by class security hole: Your machine can be compromised if you simply visit an infected site."
Based on the article I am going to advise paying attention to this warning and avoid using Internet Explorer Versions 6 through 11 until this is fixed.
W.C.
2014-04-17
Your Heartbleed bug fix in three steps
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-10
Source of Article: SlashGear
Some pretty good advice on how to handle the fallout from Heartbleed.
Date of Article: 2014-04-10
Source of Article: SlashGear
Some pretty good advice on how to handle the fallout from Heartbleed.
W.C.
Windows 8.1 Update
Date of Comment: 2014-04-16
Well my laptop is now running the Windows 8.1 Update but little thanks to Windows Update. I tried using it three times over two days without ever getting to download the update so I decided to try an alternate though not overly user friendly method.
I went to the Windows download site and download the five files (not quite a GB worth) which makeup the update. To be safe I also downloaded the prerequisite update but found that I had installed it last month. I also downloaded an iso file which contained the five patch files for X86, X64, and ARM processors. Three of the five patches required me to restart my system after installing them and then when the five were finished I ran Windows Update to check the status found there were three more patches to install but Windows update handled them and required another restart. All told it took the better part of a day to download and install all of it.
So far my system seems stable and all of the programs that I have run since the update are running normally. If I spot any problems I will report them here.
PS I also installed an update to Java today but it did not take long and was necessary as I do visit a few sites where Java is required.
Well my laptop is now running the Windows 8.1 Update but little thanks to Windows Update. I tried using it three times over two days without ever getting to download the update so I decided to try an alternate though not overly user friendly method.
I went to the Windows download site and download the five files (not quite a GB worth) which makeup the update. To be safe I also downloaded the prerequisite update but found that I had installed it last month. I also downloaded an iso file which contained the five patch files for X86, X64, and ARM processors. Three of the five patches required me to restart my system after installing them and then when the five were finished I ran Windows Update to check the status found there were three more patches to install but Windows update handled them and required another restart. All told it took the better part of a day to download and install all of it.
So far my system seems stable and all of the programs that I have run since the update are running normally. If I spot any problems I will report them here.
PS I also installed an update to Java today but it did not take long and was necessary as I do visit a few sites where Java is required.
W.C.
USPS Delivery Failure Notification
Link To Article
Source of Article: Scam Trends Since I have received several of these over the last few days I think posting a warning about this one might be a good idea. This scam if you follow their instructions most often installs malware on your machine.
Source of Article: Scam Trends Since I have received several of these over the last few days I think posting a warning about this one might be a good idea. This scam if you follow their instructions most often installs malware on your machine.
W.C.
2014-04-12
How to avoid the pileup malware exploit on Android
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: TechRepublic
I don't normally cover smart phones here but many of our members use them and for those with Android phones this is a good article to check out.
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: TechRepublic
I don't normally cover smart phones here but many of our members use them and for those with Android phones this is a good article to check out.
W.C.
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