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One
on One Computer Consultants (www.1on1cc.com)
Microsoft
Unwraps “ “ Toshiba to put
AMD Processors in Laptops Much to my dismay, Toshiba
announced that it is breaking its exclusive agreement with Intel and starting to
put American Micro Devices (AMD) processors in 20 percent of the laptops sold in
the Virus/Spyware/Spam Warning & Updates
Spammer
Arrested and Charged Alleged spam mogul Robert Alan Soloway was arrested on Wednesday after
being indicted by a federal grand jury. The man the Washington State Office of the Attorney General
has dubbed the Seattle Spammer was given an August 6 trial, during which he is
set to face 35 charges related to suspected fraudulent Internet activities.
Soloway, owner of Newport Internet Marketing, was indicted by a federal grand
jury on May 23 in a U.S. District Court in Scareware The latest culprit to infect
computer systems is called “Scareware”, another form of Spyware. The most
notorious are “SysProtect, Win Antivirus 2007, WinFixer, and Drive Cleaner”.
Once a computer is “infected” the programs will generate pop-up windows or
dialog boxes with exaggerated claims of viruses or spyware. The point of these
fictitious messages is to persuade the user to go to software manufacturer’s
web site and purchase a removal program. Unfortunately, once a computer is
infected by this “Scareware”, it’s not a simple task to remove it. A
Google search usually yields links to “Spy Hunter” or some other commercial
program which will detect the infection, but you must purchase the software to
remove it. There are a few web sites that offer some “free” help and removal
instructions with tools. One site is: ( http://www.atribune.org/
). Also read about “Spy Catcher” below. For
more on this latest threat and other malicious software, visit the US-Cert site
at: "Free" Software Downloads
SpyCatcher -
Express This is another “free”
program that offers “real-time” protection, automatic updates, and scheduled
file spyware scanning. It will not remove the infections listed above, but can
help you track down the infected files on your computer. When Spyware or
Scareware attempts to change your Internet home page, this program can show you
what files are trying to make the change. You can use other tools like “HiJackThis”
and “Kill Box” to eliminate the
culprits. For more detailed removal instructions, go to: ( http://1on1cc.com/scareware_removal.htm
). To download SpyCatcher –
Express, go to: ( http://www.tenebril.com/consumer/spyware/spycatcher-express.php
). Tips & Tricks
DVD+R
or DVD-R? As more and more computers are being built with recordable
DVD drives, the question arises as to which is the better media. The
disks are pretty much the same, but the writing process is different. DVD+R
disks are a bit more advanced, but the disks often cost more than the older
DVD-R format. Most new DVD Writers support both formats, but some DVD writing
software works better with one format than with the other. You better read your
software recommendations before working on any detailed video projects. Remember
the “VHS” vs. “Beta” war? Remanufactured
Ink Cartridges! No wonder they can sell an inkjet printer for under $50.00,
it costs just about as much to replace the ink cartridges. But, it can be more
costly in time and money if you decide to try to save a few dollars and purchase
“remanufactured ink cartridges”. HP claims that using them will void your
warranty, but that’s not the biggest problem. Most remanufactured ink
cartridges are basically just an ink “refill” of an old cartridge. They
don’t replace the “membrane” where the ink is shot out of the cartridge.
This can affect the quality of the print and lead to leaking cartridges, which
is mess to clean up. If you insist on trying the remanufactured route, then look
for cartridges that have been “completely” rebuilt, with a warranty. If
you’re going to print a lot of black & white documents, buy a laser
printer (about $0.02 per page) versus an inkjet printer (about $0.08 per page). |