Online Downloads

Sony to launch 80GB PlayStation 3

2007-05-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

Sony plans to launch an 80GB version of its PlayStation 3 console in the next month. The new PlayStation 3 model will have an 80GB hard disk drive. The 80GB PS3 will go on sale first in South Korea when Sony kicks off PlayStation 3 sales there on 16 June. According to sources, It will cost 518,000 won (around £290).

News that Sony was planning an 80GB model of the console first came in a US regulatory filing with the Federal Communications Commission in March.

Top 3 Ways To Get A Fat Affiliate Commission Check

2007-05-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

The field of Affiliate Marketing is dominated by many super affiliate marketers. If you are a newbie, a lot of research is needed for boosting your career in affiliate internet marketing. Just entering and quitting the game will do nothing. You should stay in the affiliate marketing arena to reap the results. But staying without investment will never give any sort of result. There are many ways to invest in the affiliate marketing. But I do suggest the TOP 3 WAYS to get a fat affiliate commission check and beat out the competition.

In the ideal scenario of Affiliate Marketing, you are not required to have your own website. (It is a must and should for a merchant dealing with product development, inventory, maintenance, handling customers, refunds, etc.). Let me put the concept of Affiliate Marketing in simple words. Very simply, companies’ pay you the "affiliate" a nice commission for each customer sent from your affiliate link/website who then purchases a product on the merchant web site. In fact, Affiliate Marketing is one of the easiest ways of launching into an internet business and make money online.

Coming to the internet marketers who are already into an affiliate marketing program, what would be their next goal? Earning commissions without much hard-work! Want to make the career in Affiliate Marketing leaving the day job? That’s right! How will you achieve that? There are many ways to boost your affiliate commissions overnight and to get a fat check, but I strongly believe that these 3 ways will assure you to be on TOP of Affiliate Marketing.

1. Provide Free Reports:

After selecting the best affiliate program to promote, write free reports or short ebooks related to the product you are promoting or make some recommendations. This is something like viral marketing. Distribute them through your site which will distinguish yourself from the other affiliates. The word FREE will increase the attention of the customer and if you are providing some solid information it could increase the conversion rate from visitor to the customer.

2. Publish Newsletters:

Collect and save the email addresses of the visitors who downloaded your free ebooks. You can publish newsletters to remind them to make a purchase or send them the related information. This ezine or newsletters will develop a relationship with your subscribers to make a repetitive purchase.

3. Effective PPC Advertising:

Write strong PPC ads that are authentic and creative. Do not forget to create special landing pages for your paid traffic. You need to focus your visitors’ attention on the link to the affiliate product or on the sign-up form for your newsletter or free ebook. Among all the options for PPC, Google Adwords is TOP revenue generator. However there are pitfalls aplenty. If you get things right, Adwords works brilliantly. If you get things wrong, you can lose lots of money fast. Reading the experiences will stop you from making costly errors.

Implement and monitor the above Top 3 ways, you will definitely see a boost in your website traffic and thus a phenomenon increase in your affiliate commissions check.

Disclaimer:

Cher K Markov is an Internet Marketer that writes articles on Affiliate Internet Marketing. She shares her thoughts on
How to increase Affiliate Commissions and invites you to her website and check out some of the top rated
Affiliate Marketing eBooks.

Who Loves Money - A New Sensation To Master Google Adwords

2007-05-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

Every one us will agree that making money online doesn’t happen in a single day. But in fact it’s a process where we should keep our efforts in an organized manner. Most of us have tried affiliate marketing where we put up a website and then drive traffic to it using all sort of SEO techniques. This is a pretty sound way of doing things however it does take a long time where we lose our interest in affiliate internet marketing.

The only alternative to this method of making money online is PPC. The fair advantage of this method is that it is quiet easier than the traditional internet marketing but you can end up losing a fair bit of money if you do not know what you are doing.

Mastering Google Adwords is the central theme of studying PPC techniques. If Google Adwords, then the authors Kyle and Carson comes to the mind who are pretty known as the synonyms for Google Adwords. Earlier the two internet marketers are best known for their top rated works namely Beating Adwords, Inside The List and the excellent Wealthy Affiliates. Truly they are the masterpieces from the highly successful internet marketers.

Recently they have come up with a new ebook Who Loves Money. As a fellow internet marketer let me furnish a honest review of this ebook. This affiliate marketing ebook deals with the same concept of management of Google Adwords which is a quick way to rock the online market. In short, Who Loves Money is a volume of new ideas, techniques, strategies and information that Kyle and Carson use to set themselves apart from other marketers.

There are many books that are written by “wannabe” GURUS who haven’t made a cent online using the techniques they write about! The reality is that they are making all their money from people who buy their book. However, Kyle and Carson, are the internet marketers teach the techniques what they practice in real.

The unique point of Who Loves Money is that it tells how to target the right audiences instead of simply teaching how to use Google Adwords to sell other people’s products.

I’m very much impressed with the author’s words that “Who Loves Money Will Teach You How to Make Money by Using Your Brain, Instead of Your Wallet". Absolutely “Who Loves Money” doesn’t require you to invest a single penny of your money. Although there are some techniques that can be applied by spending money, but there is no compulsion that one has to follow them to succeed. Each technique is explained in detail and you can follow the steps to make money online.

Finally I would recommend “Who Loves Money” because if one properly use the strategies and techniques within this affiliate marketing ebook you will make money online. The authors guarantee that their techniques work, but it is you to implement them to make money online.

Disclaimer: Cher K Markov is an internet marketer that writes articles on Affiliate Internet Marketing. He expresses his views on the recent release of Who Loves Money eBook. He invites you to his website and check out some of the top rated Affiliate Marketing eBooks.

The Difference of Adware, Spyware and Virus

2007-05-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

The terms Adware, Spyware and Virus are nothing new to us. For a layman, all the three terms are one and the same. In other words he names them as Malicious or simply virus because virus is much known term when compared to other two. Let me differentiate these terms in simple words. One thing is for sure that these are the major nuisances faced by the computer users.

SPYWARE is a computer software that collects our own personal information with out our knowledge. This personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of techniques. The techniques range from logging keystrokes, recording internet web browsing history and scanning documents on the PC’s hard disk.

Spyware may collect different types of information. Spyware tracks the websites which the user visits and sends this information to web advertisers through which they send unwanted emails and pop-ups which are simply a nuisance to the web browsers. Some spyware indulge in the theft of passwords of credit cards and leaks out our financial details which is nothing but a criminal affair. In other words, SPYWARE is simply that tracks the web browsing activities and is closely associated with identity theft and fraud.

The term ADWARE is nothing but a software which displays advertisements, whether or not the user has consented. The more controversial nature of adware is that it often takes the form of spyware, where the user's activity is tracked, reported, and often re-sold, without the knowledge or consent of the user.

Many spyware programs display advertisements. Some programs simply display pop-up ads on a regular basis. One can note that advertisements containing adult content seem to pop-up which are no way related to the subject of the web viewer. Moreover sluggish performance of the PC denotes that some form of spyware has attacked the PC and it’s an alarming issue.

A VIRUS is a computer program that replicates itself and infects the PC without knowledge of the user. But one is for sure, a virus spreads from one PC to another if the user sends it over the network or carries it on a removable medium such as floppy disk, CD or USB drive.

Some viruses are programmed to damage the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard disk. Whereas the other simply replicate themselves and perhaps make their presence known by presenting text, video, or audio messages. As a result, they often cause erratic behavior and can result in system crashes and data loss.

Many programmers and commercial firms has been working relentlessly to combat these nuisances. As the spyware, adware and virus threat has worsened, a number of techniques have emerged to counteract it. These include programs designed to remove or to block spyware, adware and virus. To remove spyware, anti spyware has been developed. To remove adware, anti adware has been programmed. To counteract virus, anti virus software has been developed.

Now-a-days, anti virus software also provides spyware and adware remover utilities. Similarly anti spyware software application has anti adware and anti virus removal capabilities. With the advent of technology, the programmers have comeup with Internet Security Suite which includes anti virus, firewall and anti spyware software in one single package. Whatever may be the software it is recommended to download programs only from reputable sources.

Note: Cher K Markov is an internet marketer that writes articles on various resources for educational purposes. He created OnlineDownloads.ORG for those interested in anti spyware download. He invites you to his website and check out some of the programs. http://antispyware.onlinedownloads.org

Heartburn Medications Gives Relief, But Not Cure

2007-05-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is very common but serious. Despite the name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. HEARTBURN also known as pyrosis is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus just below the breastbone, caused by regurgitation of gastric acid.

Facts about Heartburn:

•Heartburn often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw.
•Heartburn will infect 50% of all people at some point.
•About 20% of all adults will have heartburn at least once a month.
•Most people suffer from heartburn occasionally, usually after a meal.
•Untreated reflux is a major cause of Esophagitis and can ruin your health.
•Heartburn is also identified as one of the causes of chronic cough, and may even mimic asthma.
•Heartburn is very common to millions of Americans who spend billions of dollars on medications.

What Causes HeartBurn?

•Certain foods such as coffee, sodas, colas, alcohol, spicy foods, dry fruits, fatty foods can weaken or relax the Lower Esophageal Sphincter.
•Certain medications, smoking and even stress can result in heartburn.
•Overeating can also cause heartburn, because the food has overfilled the stomach which allows acid to come up.

How To Cure Heartburn?
You can really cure your heartburn and acid reflux forever. It can be done through medication. Antacids, H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors are used in the cure of heartburn based on the severity. No medications can cure heartburn, but they can relieve the pain for a certain period of time. However, there are Drug-Free, Fast, Safe, and natural solution for Heartburn.

But one thing is sure, Frequent HEARTBURN could mean a more serious condition and you should consult a professional health physician and cure Heartburn.

But if you are looking for a DRUG-FREE, FAST, SAFE, and "ALL-NATURAL" solution for your digestive problems such as ACID REFLUX, or GERD or HEARTBURN, then “Cure Your Heartburn” is the perfect solution.

Cure Your Heartburn is an ebook that perfectly diagnoses the different digestive problems people experience and cures them permanently.

Once for all, GERD, Heartburn and Acid Reflux are completely cured by "Cure Your Heartburn".

So grab the copy of “Cure Your Heartburn" for natural management and cure of Heartburn.

Disclaimer:

The author Cher K Markov is not a medical professional and offers this information for educational purposes only. However, one can find more articles on Heartburn Cure and access other Top Software and eBook Downloads.

House Approves Another Antispyware Bill

2007-05-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday passed an antispyware bill that would make it a criminal offense for an individual to place unauthorized code on a computer and use it to obtain or transmit personal information or to impair the security protections on the system.

The Internet Spyware Prevention Act (I-SPY), or HR 1525, provides for fines and prisons terms of up to five years for those responsible for such acts. The bill was introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va) and will now be sent to the full House of Representatives for consideration.

EBay Seeks to Add StumbleUpon to Portfolio

2007-05-08T23:43:00.000-07:00

EBay Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire StumbleUpon Inc., an Internet company that helps people discover Web pages that match their interests, according to people familiar with the matter.

StumbleUpon, founded in 2001 in Calgary, Canada, lets Internet surfers flag interesting Web pages and recommends those to others based on their interests. The company in April launched a feature called StumbleThru, which lets users "stumble" within specific sites such as Flickr, MySpace, Wikipedia and YouTube to share opinions on the quality of articles, pages, photos and so on. That feature could be especially useful for eBay, by letting it make personalized recommendations of auction pages for, say, clothing or electronics -- which could in turn encourage visitors to buy more items on eBay.

How to Remove Spyware From Your PC

2007-05-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Removing spyware is as much art as it is science. The rogues who create spyware make removing their malicious programs as difficult as they can. In addition, some types of spyware download and install additional components, often hiding pieces of code from Windows to make removal even harder.

Note too that if you perform certain removal steps improperly, your PC could become inoperable. How do you know whether your PC has an active spyware infestation? Slower-than-normal performance is the most common symptom people report, but such behavior can also be due to any number of factors unrelated to spyware, such as running too many applications with too little system memory, having a full or very fragmented hard drive, or running buggy software that fails to free up the memory it uses after you close the application.

For more information please do visit Antispyware Download.

How to Make Sure Your Security Software Is Working

2007-04-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

Spurred by phenomenal demand, the security software industry is mushrooming. That's a good thing: With the sophistication of hackers and snooping apps at an all-time high, we need all the security we can get. And no single anti-malware application is likely to provide complete protection. A layered approach running a variety of programs, each helping to cover the others' shortcomings, works best for dealing with new threats.

For instance, you might need a "raw PC analysis" tool that reviews the apps that start automatically with Windows and stops any spies from loading on their own. The best known of such utilities is HijackThis, which identifies many startup programs and processes but doesn't say whether any pose a real threat. Security firm XBlock Systems' X-RayPC (free) tries to help with that: Click its Online Analysis button, and it identifies the apps known to be 'good' programs, narrowing the search for a parasite.

Antivirus software is a must, of course, but it's not foolproof. If you get hit with a virus before the company that makes your antivirus software has released a virus definition, a virus scan may tell you your machine is clean. If you find a suspicious file on your system and your antivirus software hasn't raised an alarm, you can get a second opinion at two free sites: Virustotal.com, where you can upload a suspect file and run a comprehensive scan using 23 separate antivirus products; or Jotti, which scans files slightly more quickly because it uses only 15 different antivirus engines.

Both antivirus and antispyware applications try to catch new threats by detecting certain types of telltale characteristics and behaviors. But how can you gauge the effectiveness of your program's behavior-based protection?

Spycar (free) is a suite of utilities that probe how your antispyware or antivirus app reacts to the behaviors spyware engages in: Changing the Windows Hosts file (which could redirect your browser to malicious sites), adding favorites to the Internet Explorer menu, or changing parts of the Windows Registry. Any worthwhile security scanner should watch for these warning signs and prevent these actions.

Running Spycar won't harm your system, but if you can run the program without your antispyware or antivirus program going apoplectic, it's time to buy new security software.

Windows XP to Be Discontinued in Early 2008

2007-04-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Microsoft's plan to phase out OEM shipments of Windows XP, the predecessor to the new Windows Vista platform, is not sitting well with some observers, based on Internet-driven feedback.

According to a Microsoft Life-Cycle Policy Web page, Microsoft plans to discontinue shipments of Windows XP to OEMs on January 31, 2008. The page also said retail licenses will be discontinued at that time. Editions affected include the Professional, Tablet PC, Professional x64, Home, and Media Center editions of XP.

Chatters on Silicon Valley.com cited issues with the suitability of Vista on existing machines and said they might just go to Linux instead.

"If Microsoft forces us to make a choice of Vista or Linux, they might just be unpleasantly surprised as to the choice many of us will make," one chatter wrote. "I am telling anyone who has not yet upgraded from Win 9x to XP that they had better do it right away because Vista will never run on their Win 98-era machine. If they don't upgrade to XP right away, they will have to switch to Linux. The only alternative to that is to throw away their computer and buy a brand new one!"

Another chatter said it was "time for enterprises to stock up on shrink-wrapped copies of XP Pro."

A chatter on the Direct2Dell site expressed similar reservations.

"I don't care how much you've tested your systems with Vista, it simply will not be enough," the chatter said "In the corporate world, there are countless applications that are going to fail miserably with Vista in offices that are standardized on XP Pro."

Dell on Direct2Dell said it plans to continue offering XP for now. "Dell recognizes the needs of small business customers and understands that more time is needed to transition to a new operating system. The plan is to continue offering Windows XP on select Dimension and Inspiron systems until later this summer," the company said.

In a statement, Microsoft acknowledged its Vista emphasis.

"Windows Vista is safer, easier to use, better connected, and more entertaining that any operating system we've ever released, and we're encouraged by the positive customer response we've seen to date," the company said in a statement.

"It's standard practice to allow OEMs, retailers, and system builders to continue offering the previous version of Windows for a certain period of time after a new version is released, and this information as it applies to Windows XP has been available to our partners and to the public," since last year, the company said.

Microsoft has reported that more than 20 million copies of Vista shipped from January 30 to February 28, the first month of general availability. A Harris survey of home-based users in March, however, found that only 12 percent of the 2,223 respondents planned to upgrade.

There are pluses and minuses to upgrading, according to analyst Michael Cherry, of Directions on Microsoft. Security features, such as BitLocker Drive Encryption , are driving upgrades, he said. However, hardware issues have been a problem, Cherry said.

"The major factor I think that's putting a damper on it is people being uncomfortable with what the hardware requirements are," said Cherry. Questions have arisen about configuration matters such as the circuitry of graphics cards, he said. Lawsuits have even arisen about what it means to be Vista-capable, Cherry added.

Although Cherry said he did not have specific estimates on Vista shipments, he said Vista appears to have not affected PC sales rates, either upward or downward.

Vista shipments have been about as expected, said analyst Brett Waldman of IDC, who also acknowledged equipment issues with the new platform. Shipment levels so far are similar to what XP presented, he said.

To run Vista's Aero interfaces requires an advanced graphics card, Waldman said. A lot of low-end PCs do not have that, he said. Otherwise, upgrading a PC to 1GB of memory should make it Vista-capable, said Waldman.

Microsoft's decision to cancel XP shipments was "what we expect," Waldman said. Business customers, however, are putting Vista upgrades on hold.

"They're waiting 12 to 18 months to evaluate it," said Waldman.

The upcoming Windows Server Longhorn platform, meanwhile, is looking good, Cherry said. "It's very stable," he said.

PC Tools Wins the Prestigious Checkmark security certification for its anti-spyware and anti-virus programs

2007-04-14T07:05:00.001-07:00

PC Tools announced today that Spyware Doctor and PC Tools AntiVirus software have been awarded the Checkmark Security Certification by West Coast Labs following a rigorous, comprehensive evaluation.

"We are very pleased that our products have achieved the expected standards of the industry. Third-party evaluations are critically important to boost consumer confidence regarding all Internet security products," said Michael Greene, Vice President of Product Strategy.

PC Tools has previously won the prestigious Checkmark certification for Spyware Doctor. This is the first time it has received both Level 1 and Level 2 security certification for PC Tools' AntiVirus.

West Coast Labs has made the Checkmark Security Certification System one of the leading certification programs worldwide. It has been trusted by both experts and consumers for more than 10 years providing best practice principles and independent testing on product effectiveness and performance.

PC Tools has also recently unveiled a new version of Spyware Doctor, version 5.0, which will incorporate the highly effective—and now Checkmark security certified—anti-virus software.

For more information, please visit Free Antispyware Download.

Sony Kills 20-GB PlayStation 3

2007-04-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

Just as Microsoft's about to introduce a new Xbox 360 SKU, Sony's announced they're removing one from the marketplace.

Sony Computer Entertainment America announced Wednesday they've officially dropped the PlayStation 3 20GB SKU and will no longer be offering the cheaper, Wi-Fi less model to North American retailers. Sony says a 10-to-1 retailer demand for the 60GB SKU has prompted the move.

Don't panic, though, as 20GB owners will continue to receive the same customer service support they were guaranteed upon purchasing the machine. The architecture between the 20GB and 60GB SKUs are the same, save for a few feature differences, so the shift is minimal from a customer relations and development perspective -- unlike Microsoft, who cannot drop support for the Core SKU, as that model doesn't come with a built-in hard drive.

"At launch, we offered two separate models of PLAYSTATION 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base. Initial retail demand in North America was upwards of ninety percent in favor of the 60GB sku, so we manufactured and shipped-in accordingly. Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model here in North America," said SCEA senior director of corporate communications Dave Karraker.

"In addition to the larger internal hard drive, the 60GB PlayStation 3 features added storage media slots and built-in Wi-Fi not found in the 20GB system. Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60GB model," he concluded.

And so it's official -- less than six months after the launch of the PS3, the 20GB SKU is officially dead.

For more on PSP Downloads

Kaspersky Lab Discovers First iPod-Specific Virus

2007-04-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

Russian computer security company Kaspersky Lab announced on Thursday that it had discovered the first virus designed specifically to infect iPods. The catch? You actually have to put it on your iPod-and your iPod needs to have Linux installed on it.

The virus, dubbed Podloso, is what's known as a "proof of concept" virus-or one that is created in order to demonstrate that it is possible to infect a specific platform. As such, the company said that it does not pose any real threat.

If installed on an iPod, Podloso proceeds to further replicate itself to the folder that contains program demo versions, according to Kaspersky Lab.

"Once launched, the virus scans the device's hard disk and infects all executable .elf format files," the company said in a statement. "Any attempt to launch these files will cause the virus to display a message on the screen which says 'You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus.'"

Kaspersky Lab stressed that Podloso does not carry a malicious payload and is unable to spread.

Despite Kaspersky's claim that Podloso is the first iPod virus discovered, a small number of iPods were actually shipped with a Windows virus installed on them last October.

Less than 1 percent of the video iPods sold after Sept. 12 were infected with the Windows RavMon.exe virus, Apple said. Furthermore, it only affected Windows computers and was easily detected and removed with up-to-date anti-virus software.

Beware Of Free Antispyware Download

2007-04-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Though internet is a revolution in the present world, it has its own disadvantages. The security and privacy are at stake. The Internet is a dangerous place full of privacy invaders, scammers, and hackers availaing full advantage of your internet activities. You need to take certain preventive measures to avoid these threats. Spyware may get installed via certain shareware programs offered for download. Downloading programs only from reputable sources can provide some protection from this source of attack.

There are are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself safe. Antispyware, antivirus, firewalls or internet security suites are some of the software applications that can ensure your privacy. There are a number of good antispyware programs in the market today. At the same time, dozens of fake and rogue antispyware softwares are also prevailing in the market. They leave the traces of spyware and adware on your PC when scanned, thus creating a fear of threat and making yourself to buy that antispyware software. These rogue antispyware softwares are heavily marketed through e-mail campaigns and sometimes through some words like FREE ANTISPYWARE DOWNLOAD. Beware of them. Never run any free scan or free antispyware download unless you are aware of the software publishers.

If you find time, just go through the independent product reviews that are published by renowned computer magazines like PCWorld, PCMag, CNET. Spending some extra time on researching antispyware softwares can save you a lot of hassles in the long run. There are certainly some companies that specialize in delivering just good antispyware software programs and nothing else.

As a customer, everyone of us would be interested in evaluating the antispyware program. The four basic parameters which we look at the best antispyware software are price, features, ease of use, and performance. A growing number of antispyware tools are taking a new approach to fight the spyware. Rather than blocking each spyware and adware, they aim to limit malware's power to cause harm even if it gets in.

Research analysts test the products' ability to provide real-time defense on contact with threats, as well as their propensity to falsely identify harmless files. A real-time protection against rootkits and phishing sites is also one of the feature to test the accuracy of the antispyware software. Other user-friendly features like the ability to choose between a fast system scan and a slow system scan is a notable thing if you are run out of time.

Anti-phishing protection guards prevents access to known bad sites. Detecting malware is one thing; cleaning it thoroughly from your system is another. Some antispyware softwares claim that they have detected even the unnoticeable spyware and adware. But in reality one needs to have a thorough cleaning antispyware software application.

Some of the top most antispyware software programs are : Aluria Spyware Eliminator, AVG Antispyware, CA Antispyware, Lavasoft Ad-aware SE, Microsoft’s GIANT Antispyware, McAfee AntiSpyware , NoAdware, PC Tools Spy ware Doctor, Spybot Search & Destroy, Spyware Nuker, Webroot’s Spy Sweeper, XoftSpy.

In the above list, some are free antispyware downloads, the other are paid versions. Spybot S&D and Lavasoft offer free antispyware download. The major difference between a paid and free antispyware software is the presence of real-time adware and spyware protection and automatic updates in the paid ones. I don’t think for a few dollars, you would be at the pray of the spyware attack. Act wisely and you can be sure of your internet activities.

For more information please visit Free Antispyware Download

Do You Use A Windows Registry Cleaner?

2007-04-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Does your PC crash? Is your PC running slow? Do you have error messages popping up? Do you have programs that you just can't get off your computer?

If you answer is YES to any of these questions, you need to take serious steps to prevent the pathetic situation. I’ve recently installed a program on my PC, decided I didn't want it, and uninstalled it. But there are still bits and pieces of it all over my computer. Thus the performance of PC got adversely affected. This kind of situation happens to everyone of us.

You could have brought a brand new PC so that you could enjoy the benefits of a fast, easy machine that would make your life easier, comfortable and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, after continual use, all PC’s suffer the effects of a corrupt and ineffective Windows registry, causing error messages to appear, slow loading, and system crashes. Eventually, that machine that was supposed to make your life easier is now the source of your greatest frustration.

Truly it’s not your fault. Over the time with regular use computers tend to lose their performance. This is due to registry errors, spyware and adware, especially if you have a regular internet access. If you are trying to remove them manually it’s either hard to get rid of or never uninstall completely, leaving unused entries in your Windows registry which slows down the performance of the PC.

The technical reason for the registry errors is as follows: Computers perform at the best when they receive a regular and professional maintenance. The installation and un-installation of software, hardware, and drivers often leave remnants behind in your registry, resulting in a tangle of unused applications, broken drivers, and incomplete and empty command signals. This ultimately slows down your PC and if not addressed promptly can lead to serious problems such as computer freezing, programs not responding, and system crashes.

The Windows Registry is a massive database representing your PC's unique configuration. Windows Registry is the component that governs the operation of Windows. Whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry. Without a clean and well organized registry, your Windows operating system is vulnerable to corruption, freezing, and crashing. Taking preventative measures will ensure the optimal performance of the PC. It’s very simple to fix the registry problems with just a few clicks.

You can notice that the larger your Windows Registry, the longer the OS will take to boot. When the Windows registry becomes very large, the PC’s performance can also decrease. Only a well versed technically sound person can manually edit the registry. In fact it’s very risky to do that. Most computer users find this task sensitive and time consuming and those who are not advanced computer experts run the risk of permanently damaging their system by trying to fix their windows registry manually.

In order to clean your computer correctly and thoroughly, a comprehensive analysis of your registry is necessary. Using registry cleaner software is the most highly developed method in fixing the problems of windows registry. While there are a number of registry repair applications available, few offer a comprehensive set of features that enable you to completely clean your registry safely. It is very crucial that you choose a Windows registry cleaner software that you can trust.

A Registry cleaner scans all types of problems such as invalid paths, file types, CLSID's DLL's Sound files, Fonts, extensions and class keys. The registry cleaner will have these features in a place where they are easy to access and well organized. The registry cleaner will be easy to use.

The unique advantage of using a windows registry cleaner software is its : 1)ability to provide your computer a free scan before purchasing, 2)ability to backup current registry and set a restore point before any change is made to the registry, and 3) a Windows startup manager. Moreover it’s user-friendly software and does not require complicated steps to setup and use.

Regular registry cleaning is very necessary. Without this the system is definitely going to crash attracting a very high bill from the technician not to mention the data that could be lost which could be your life changing information.

For more information visit Free Registry Cleaner Download.

The Best AntiSpyware

2007-03-31T11:40:00.001-07:00

According to a recent report by PCworld, Spy Sweeper--is the Best Buy and top performer--or Spyware Doctor, which has thorough rootkit protection. However, the results of the disinfection tests suggest that one product can't do it all, and that adding a second antispyware product, such as the free Ad-Aware Personal or a spyware scanner in an all-in-one security suite makes a nice two-fisted defense.

For more information log on to Antispyware.

Simple tip to keep your PC safe

2007-03-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

Getting rid of every trace of spyware takes work, but it can be done. Don't fall for the spyware trick using phony messages that pop up in your browser. Test whether a message is legit by right-clicking the image. If you see the 'Save Picture As...' option, it's likely a trap. Close your browser.

For more information please visit Antispyware .

PS3 launch details revealed

2007-03-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

In the wake of fervent rumors of the PS3's demise, Sony came clean with launch information about the PS3, while presenting a host of new features for a price-dropped PSP. Here are the main bullet points, separated by console.
PlayStation 3:

The PlayStation 3 will launch in all territories in early to mid-November 2006--with a pre-Black Friday release promised. No price was given. This is a delay from the console's purported spring release in Japan but on track with the speculated launch for the United States and Europe.

The 60GB 2.5-inch hard disc drive will have a Linux OS. It was not revealed whether the hard drive will come with the console, but one will be necessary to play PS3 games.

Sony is preparing an online gaming service comparable to Xbox Live. It will be called PlayStation Network Platform. No price was given, but "free" is being bandied about.

In order to meet the worldwide demand and avoid Xbox 360-esque shortages, Sony will produce 1 million PS3 consoles each month, promising 6 million by March 2007.
As expected, PS3 games will only be available on Blu-ray discs to curtail piracy. The PS3 will play DVDs and CDs as well as PS2 and PS1 games.

PlayStation Portable:

A new PSP bundle available next week will retail for $200--$50 less than the current bundle. The new bundle will include only the system with the built-in battery pack and an AC adapter. Gone is the 32MB Memory Stick, the headphones with remote, and the soft case. No word yet on the status of the worship cloth.
Sony is developing an emulator that allows the PSP to play PS1 games--legally. The games will be digitally distributed in the same way that Microsoft provides Xbox Live Arcade games and Nintendo promises to deliver previous-gen games on the Revolution. This leads speculation that Sony will ramp up the available memory, perhaps via a console redesign.

Beginning in October, the PSP will support Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Complementing it will be an EyeToy-esque accessory that supports motion JPEGs.
Rounding out the new features for the PSP is the ability to play games made with Macromedia Flash, RSS feeds in the Internet browser, and a GPS locator.

PlayStation 2:

The PS2 will remain firm at its $150 price tag. Sony will continue to support the console for another four to five years. It's always nice to have some humor at these press conferences.

For more information visit PSP downloads.

Apple iPod Shuffle (second generation)

2007-03-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Apple iPod Shuffle (second generation)

The good: The competitively priced iPod Shuffle has a dead-simple user interface with satisfying tactile controls, and its integrated belt clip provides a handy way to keep track of the player. The Shuffle is available in five, metallic colors, and the package includes a cute little syncing cradle.

The bad: The iPod Shuffle has no screen, so there's no way to navigate easily among artists, albums, or playlists. The player might be too small for some users, and nonstandard USB syncing takes away from its plug-and-go appeal.

The bottom line: If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the second-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player.

For more information on ipod downloads , visit http://ipod.onlinedownloads.org

Microsoft to Open Its Online Gaming Service to Windows Users

2007-03-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Microsoft announced yesterday that it was extending the online gaming service for its Xbox consoles to the millions of people who use Windows PCs to play games over the Internet, a move that could bolster the popularity — and profits — of video gaming.

Xbox Live, Microsoft’s online gaming network that serves some six million Xbox users, is scheduled on May 8 to open its basic and premium features to online PC gamers under the rubric of Games for Windows — Live, Microsoft executives said.

The service coincides with the much-anticipated release of a Windows Vista version of Microsoft’s best-selling combat game, Halo 2.

“The benefit of expanding Live to Games for Windows titles is twofold,” Peter Moore, corporate vice president for interactive entertainment at Microsoft, said in a statement. “We’re bringing together two communities that share a passion for playing online games, and we’re enhancing the online experience for PC gamers who have long desired seamless game and voice connectivity.”

While much of the $10 billion gaming industry has focused on next-generation game consoles like Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii, most games are still played on personal computers, which are far more numerous than dedicated gaming machines.

But as multiplayer video gaming online grew more refined on console-only networks, some PC gamers became frustrated that they could not enjoy a similar experience, video game specialists noted.

Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, said that bringing Xbox Live to the more than “200 million PC gamers out there playing on Windows PCs” was no small feat.

Part of what that would mean, Mr. Greenberg said, is that PC gamers would have a single identity online, a gamer tag that would follow them regardless of what game they were playing.

Other features would include text and voice chat, and a unified friends list and list of achievements for games whether they are played on the Xbox 360 or a Windows-based PC. The expanded service, which will have basic and premium tiers, will not work for games intended to play on Macintosh computers, he said.

Ross Rubin, the director of industry analysis for the NPD Group, noted that Microsoft’s inclusion of PC game players into its online network was part of a broader initiative announced last year to bridge gaming platforms — first console and PC, and eventually cellphone.

One benefit of permitting Xbox and PC gamers to play over the same network is that it revitalizes the focus of game developers on Windows. This comes at a time when Intel’s new class of multicore microprocessors, as well as expanded graphics capabilities from companies like Nvidia and Microsoft’s Vista operating system, are enhancing the play of video games on personal computers.

And some gamers prefer PC gaming because of the depth and control they say they have when using a mouse and keyboard instead of a game pad.

In some cases, Mr. Rubin said, unifying online gaming could let developers sell two versions of the game to the same person so the player could experience it on the console and PC.

“It allows them to leverage the tremendous investment — billions of dollars — it has made in the past few years in creating and refining and upgrading Xbox Live,” Mr. Rubin said of Microsoft’s move. “It offers it to a new group of users. It bridges that gap that exists between sometimes totally different kinds of gamers,” who also approach video gaming in radically different ways.

In fact, in June a new game, Shadowrun, is expected to be released and is designed to permit, for the first time, Windows gamers to connect with Xbox 360 users in cross-platform matches, said Kevin Unangst, director of global marketing for Games for Windows. Later this year, he said, another game, UNO, would also be available for similar Xbox 360 and PC play.

He said the basic level of the expanded service, known as a silver membership, was free. A gold membership, required for multiplatform gaming among other advanced features, would cost $50 a year, the same as current Xbox Live gold memberships, which automatically have access to the Windows expansion.

Safeguard Your PC With An Antivirus Software:

2007-03-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

Firstly, a few words on viruses, a computer virus is a program or programming code that replicates by being copied or initiating it’s copying to another program, computer boot sector or document. So a virus is nothing but a small program made up of binary code i.e ones and zeroes just like the other programs that run the PC and the precise order of that code is called the virus' signature. Each virus has a different signature.

In contrast to viruses, computer worms are malicious programs that replica themselves from system to system, rather than infiltrating legitimate files.

Let me tell you even a small virus can do several bad things to your computer. This may quickly use your entire computer's available memory and slow down the system or bring it to a halt. It can delete files, format hard drives or mix up the data on them. Totally a virus program makes it impossible for you to access the computer. They can attack virtually all operating systems; however, they are most common on Windows 9x machines.

Methods of transmitting viruses:

The most common methods of transmitting viruses include downloads from the internet, files saved from floppy disks, and e-mail attachments. Despite being popular, Floppies are highly sensitive to their environment (dust, moisture, humidity, magnetic fields etc) which can lead to damage and corruption of files and they transfer viruses across the computers.

While the diskette has declined in recent years, it still accounts for almost 20% of viruses transferred, while e-mail's share has increased to almost 60%. In fact, Virus writers use the names of well-known people in order to entice users into clicking on Web links or open up files that then infect their computers. Examples include well known viruses such as the "ILoveYou" or “Love Letter” and the "Anna Kournikova," “Michael Jackson has attempted suicide” mail, etc. According to a survey, the top 10 list of celebrity virus rankings is: Britney Spears, Bill Gates, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Osama Bin Laden, Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton, Anna Kournikova, Paris Hilton, and Pamela Anderson.

Tips on avoiding Viruses and Worms:

Install AntiVirus software, update regularly, and use it regularly.
Install security patches
Use a firewall and secure your browser.
Never open unsolicited e-mail attachments with the file extensions VBS, SHS, or PIF.
Disconnect your network or modem cable when you’re not using your computer-or just power it down.
Avoid P2P and distributed filesharing.
Avoid attachments with sexual file names.

What is AntiVirus Software?
Anti Virus software consists of computer programs that attempt to identify, thwart and eliminate computer viruses and other malicious software (malware). Antivirus software programs can contain between 40,000 - 100,000 "virus definitions" that are updated on a daily or as needed basis. When you purchase antivirus software you receive the software but the definitions that you receive are the real value in your purchase. Once those have expired, then you need to extend the service or purchase new software.

The benefits of Anti Virus Software:

High quality virus protection provided by antivirus research team.
Automatic updates take care of everything.
A comprehensive scan of CD/DVD-ROMs, diskettes, USB sticks, Internet surfing and Internet downloads.
Once a virus has been detected, the antivirus software will quarantine it, so it cannot spread. It will then attempt to erase it and repair any file damage caused.

There are competing claims for the innovator of the first Anti Virus product. Perhaps the first publicly known neutralization of a wild PC virus was performed by European Bernt Fix (also Bernd) in early 1987. Later on many antivirus softwares has been developed by notable research teams. Some of them are as follows:

Avast
Anti vir
AVG Anti-Virus
Bitdefender
F-Secure
Kaspersky Anti-Virus
MaAfee Virus Scan
NOD32
Norman
Norton AntiVirus
Panda AntiVirus
PC-cillin
PC Tools AntiVirus
Windows Live OneCare
ZoneAlarm AntiVirus

Out of all these Anti Virus softwares, AVG, AntiVir Guard and Avast do provide the free subscription. There are differences between free and paid antivirus software programs. The paid antivirus program detects and disarm the dangerous attachment even before you open it, whereas the free product may not discover the virus until you click the attachment. However, the free product still stops the virus from opening and doing its dirty work. Overall, the protection offered by the free Anti Virus packages is solid, if not as feature-rich as the paid alternatives.

iPod - The Non-Stop Entertainer

2007-03-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

iPod - The Non-Stop Entertainer:

iPod…An ultra-portable digital music player that enables you to bring your music collection with you, wherever you go. It provides you the flexibility that you crave for. Listen to music in the bus while traveling, when taking a jog, at the gym, and even when you are at work. No more heavy baggage of CD’s. The iPod weighs just a few grams and you can load over 10,000 songs in it. It comes with varied storage capacity options.

It was in the year 2001; Apple introduced the iPod with a memory of 5 GB. It was the memory which never heard of then. The latest i.e., the 5th generation iPod was introduced in October 2005 with 30 and 60 GB sizes. It can play songs, movies and photo slideshows, and with the recent one you can store up to 60 GB of any type of file you want.

Apple has continuously made innovations in its product. The current generation of iPod Players includes:

iPod shuffle which has 1-GB capacity. The only problem is that it can play songs but display is not available.
iPod nano which can play digital audio and display digital photos. Its available in 2, 4 and 8GB storage

iTunes is the integrated media-player software that comes along with an iPod. It’s installed on the computer/laptop with which one can use for organizing, playing, converting and downloading files from an external source to the computer and even from the computer to an iPod.

The iTunes Store lets iPod users purchase music, movies, podcasts, audiobooks and music videos with a click. The Store offers 3.5 million songs, tens of thousands of podcasts, 3,000 music videos and 20,000 audiobooks, as well as TV shows, feature films and iPod video games. One can directly watch or listen to the files through iTunes on the computer and download them to the iPod.

The Click Wheel is easy to navigate. Its very fun to select playlists, scroll through artists, and select the song. Even a child can do it playfully. Apple’s iPod is the best portable digital music experience possible with highest sound quality possible. Some of the notable features include:

Digital Audio:
You can have access to 20,000 songs in 80-GB iPod whereas for 30 GB model iPod, one can store up to 7,500 songs. It supports MP3, WAV, AIFF, AAC, Apple Lossless and Audible 2,3 and 4 audio files.

Digital Video:
The 80-GB version can hold up to 100 hours digital quality video. It supports H.264 and MPEG-4 files as well as MOV files which can be converted to iPod video through the iTunes software.

Digital Photos:
The 80-GB iPod can store up to 25,000 photos. The important feature of the iPod is that it can support files which are converted from JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PNG and PSD. You can download your photos to the iPod from both Mac iPhoto and Windows Adobe Photoshop Elements/Album.

Other Uses:

Functions as handy hard disk, carrying all types of files for computers.
Calendar/contacts syncing
Download and create games
Car integration with iPod player into the sound system.

The best notable feature of Apple’s iPod is that it can work with both Mac and Windows machines.

So with a 30GB or 80GB iPod in hand, one can enjoy music, movies, TV shows, iPod games, podcasts, audiobooks, photo albums, and, of course an entire library of music. In other words, iPod is a pocket-size prodigy.

You can continuously listen to the iPod songs up to 20 hours. Or else, if you want to watch movies and TV shows you can have the nonstop entertainment up to six-and-a-half hours.

Other Uses of iPod:
Rather than buying the iTalk for 40 USD, you can install a program called Podzilla on your iPod and use a regular old microphone to record high quality audio. All iPods, except for the shuffle, come with calendaring functionality built in, so you can sync your desktop calendar to your iPod and keep track of where you're supposed to be and when if you're out and about. Using Griffin’s Total Remote Software and IR device, you can set up your iPod as a remote for any number of devices, including your TV, DVD player, Xbox, and Roomba.

On the whole, iPod can give you a non-stop entertainment of 20,000 songs, 25,000 photos, and 100 hours of video — or any combination of each. Thus its aptly said with iPod in hand one can enjoy the whole world as a theater.

Check Point ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7.0

2007-03-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

This suite performs well and is easy to use, but it lacks a targeted antiphishing component.

Check Point's new ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7.0 significantly improves on the 6.0 version. "All-in-One Security." Parent company Check Point has replaced the mediocre CA antivirus engine that it licensed from CA with a much better one from Kaspersky Labs, and the result is a high-performance suite whose only weakness is its antiphishing protection.

Core components includes antivirus, antispyware, and antiadware protection, courtesy of the Kaspersky engine, as well as the house-developed network firewall and the OSFirewall, a supplemental layer of protection that detects and blocks suspicious changes (caused by malware) to key areas of the system.

The ZoneAlarm suite is easy to use, with clear explanations of each decision you have to make, a big one being the level of security you want to establish. This year, the suite offers an Auto-learn mode. Though this mode initially lowers security to invoke fewer pop-up alerts, once it understands the applications it should trust, it cranks the security level back up for any activity it doesn't recognize. The Auto-learn mode was pleasantly quiet to begin with, but then the suite started popping up repeated alerts for legitimate application activity (such as my Trillian and Lotus Notes programs) that it should have recognized.

ZoneAlarm offers most of the usual suite extras. Its Privacy section selectively blocks Web site cookies, advertisements, and embedded objects and scripts. Its instant messaging security protects users of AOL, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo services from bad links and attachments, though it added so many warnings to my outgoing IM messages that I turned it off. Spam protection, provided through MailFrontier, adds a configurable toolbar to Outlook and Outlook Express. Parental controls block sites included on Check Point blacklists along with unknown sites identified via effective dynamic analysis. The Vista version of this product is expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2007, and ZoneAlarm customers within the one-year subscription window will be able to upgrade to it for free.

Noticeably missing from the suite is an antiphishing toolbar--the suite lacks anything capable of instantly blocking known phishing sites. (You can download free tools such as McAfee's SiteAdvisor to warn you against suspect Web sites.) However, ZoneAlarm does provide other, less effective Web protection. The myVault tool prevents information--such as social security, credit card, and password digits--from leaving your PC, but it requires you enter the information (encrypted if you want) first. If you sign up for the free year of fraud protection, available through Intersections' credit protection services, you'll be notified if the service finds your financial information elsewhere on the Internet.

At $50 per PC per year (with support calls billed at an additional $3 per minute), the ZoneAlarm suite is priced on a par with other major suites. It performs well and is easy to use, though it could use better phishing protection.

For more information, visit internet security suite.

Microsoft Upgrades Xbox 360

2007-03-06T10:48:00.001-08:00

Microsoft plans to release a 512MB Memory Unit for the Xbox 360 in April and drop the price of its original 64MB memory unit.

The size of Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade games also will jump from 50MB to 150MB, reports our colleague Zoe Mutter from IDG sibling publication Techworld.com.

The 512MB unit will ship worldwide on April 3 and be priced at $49.99. It will come pre-loaded with the Xbox LIVE Arcade game Gemoetry Wars: Retro Evolved. The original 64MB memory unit will be reduced in price from $39.99 to $29.99.

Besides expanded storage, the new Memory Unit will let Xbox 360 owners store and transport their gamer profile and save game data. Microsoft also says they'll be able to download exclusive content from Xbox kiosks in retail outlets.

Expanding the game size limit of the Xbox LIVE Arcade will open up the game design possibilities for developers, enabling them to create more advanced features, Microsoft representatives add.

The new size limit offers developers "continued opportunities for innovative game development" while ensuring "gamers on Xbox LIVE can continue to easily access, download and play all Xbox LIVE Arcade games," says Chris Early, product unit manager for Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Apple Patches Serious QuickTime Bugs

2007-03-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

By enticing a user to open a malicious QuickTime movie, an attacker could trigger a buffer overflow, which could provide remote access to the compromised computer. For this reason, Apple has labeled the new QuickTime patch "serious" and is recommending that all QuickTime users -- on both Mac and Windows platforms -- install it.

Apple has released several updates for QuickTime, the company's media-player software, to address eight security vulnerabilities. Classified as "serious," the flaws expose Macs and Windows computers to attack, the company noted in its security alert.

The bugs garnered a high severity rating because they could be used to create malicious files that could give an attacker control over any computer running QuickTime.

Apple has issued patches for QuickTime in the past, most recently in January when it created a patch for a zero-day flaw. The new patch is for QuickTime 7.1.5, which can run on both Macs and Windows systems.

Feeling Flawed

The bugs reside in QuickTime's integer overflow and heap buffer overflow functions, and affect the software's handling of video files.

By enticing a user to open a malicious movie, an attacker can trigger an overflow, according to Apple. This action could lead to an application crash or arbitrary code being executed, which could give an attacker control of the user's system.

In addition to issuing the QuickTime patches, the company released updates for iTunes, adding additional support for the music and video store.

Now in version 7.1, iTunes has improved sorting options so users can more effectively organize artists, albums, and songs. It also adds support for the release of Apple TV, expected to launch within the next few weeks.

System Check

Security researchers have been focusing intently on QuickTime and other similar applications because they are in widespread use on blogs and social-networking sites.

As much as Apple hypes its security in comparison to Windows, it is very difficult to say whether one operating system is more secure than another, according to Sophos senior security consultant Carole Theriault.

"There are millions of lines of code behind any platform, and of course there are flaws inside that can be discovered and exploited by those that look hard enough and are determined enough," she said.

Apple tends to be less targeted than Windows because more people use the Microsoft system, she added. That means there are more hackers and malicious code writers scouring that OS for vulnerabilities.

Hacker Target

So, although it might look like Apple is safer, Theriault noted, the more likely reason is that the company is not the market leader, and presents a smaller, less attractive target for attackers.

"Should this change in the future and they become kings of the computer market, I'd be very surprised if we didn't see malware distributors and hackers shift their attention to exploiting Apple code much more regularly," she said.

In terms of warning users and taking security matters seriously, both Microsoft and Apple seem to be very adept at dealing with flaws, she added.

The Emergence of Satellite TV

2007-03-03T10:55:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days when cable TV was a simple matter of turning on the idiot box and settling down to a baseball or basketball broadcast. With the advent of technology, Satellite TV has come and occupied a premium place in the hearts of the people.

Satellite TV is dominating the US market with its best picture quality, most channels for the least amount of money and thus awesome value for the money spent.

Earlier the satellite TV was limited to the towns; but now even the farmers and country dwellers could have entertainment option through the satellite TV. Even the satellite dish size was changed from a gigantic one to the sleek models. No more numerous installation headaches. The satellite TV has meta-morphsized a lot. Today's satellite dish is a sleek, compact affair, and a satellite TV system offers strong competition to cable TV for viewer choice.

In fact, the intense rivalry has forced cable TV providers to add extra services like high definition TV signals and movies on demand in an attempt to compete with satellite TV. Unfortunately for cable TV operators, the cost increase led to the constant rate hikes in the subscription. So the Cable subscribers around the country are subject to constant rate hikes and some of the worst customer service of any industry in existence today. This led to the growth of satellite TV. Satellite TV offers an alternative to all these frustrations.

Let me explain in brief regarding the pc satellite tv. Satellite television is television delivered by way of communications satellite , as compared to conventional terrestrial television and cable television. Satellite TV gives you a clear and comprehensive picture of your best alternative to typical cable TV. Right now, over 45 million people in US subscribe to Satellite TV. Satellite TV is no longer an obscure or exclusive club for people with big wallets and gargantuan dishes. With most retailers offering free installation, you can start enjoying satellite TV for as low as $19.99 a month!

Satellite TV provides the best picture quality and the most channels for the least amount of money. Thus creating the most awesome value for the money spent over entertainment.

Today, there are three major providers of Satellite television: Dish Network, DirecTV and VOOM. Each one offers a large number of channels and several low-cost options for service. In addition to that, they offer freedom from the binding stresses of your local cable company, and that alone is worth it.
The best deals on satellite TV are available from authorized retailers. While your monthly bill will be the same regardless of where you procure your equipment (the providers dictate the monthly cost either way), these authorized retailers offer you a far better selection of promotions, such as free installation and equipment, discounted HDTV dishes and receivers, and free trials of premium channel, and credit towards your first month's bills (refund of activation fees).

Now you can watch more channels than your standard antenna could ever provide. You can receive more than 250 stations from favorites like CNN, MTV, HBO, and ESPN, to more obscure options like the Speed Channel, Discovery Wings, and the Love Stories network, Nickelodeon and HGTV, plus plenty of movies, sports, local channels (in many cities) and even HDTV programming. Subscribers also receive more than 30 commercial-free music stations-from Top 40 to Jazz to Classical and everything in-between. There is a satellite TV channel to suit every imaginable interest. Whether you're into sports, fashion, travel, music or romance, you will find it all, and much, much more, on satellite TV.

Both Dish Network and Direct TV received the highest possible reputation and ratings in almost every category, including reliability, cost, and customer service. In contrast, the major cable companies' scores were not even close.

According to JD Power and Associates, 133,000 consumers nationwide and discovered that they gave both DIRECTV and DISH Network "outstanding" customer service ratings…while only two cable providers were found to perform "above or at" the industry average. J.D. Power and Associates ratings are based on research studies that survey a representative sample of owners, they are indicative of what typical buyers may experience. Truly they are based on the opinions of consumers who have actually used or owned the product or service being rated.

When it comes to satellite TV system providers, Dish network Satellite System are the top rated satellite TV system provider which is known for its delivering unsurpassed customer satisfaction and excellent product quality, all at cost-effective prices. DISH Network is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the United States.

Click for more information on satellite tv.

Do I Need a Registry Cleaner?

2007-02-25T03:51:00.000-08:00

It's a well known reality that over 94% of PC’s that are over a month old are infected with malicious spyware and adware. Even if you have an antispyware tool your Windows Registry might be broken - developers of those tools are focused on removing spyware and adware only, not every trace of software itself. Such software is rarely accompanied by an uninstall utility and even when it is it almost always leaves broken Windows Registry errors behind it.

The registry is essentially the catalog or reference source for the computer. Only those with a meticulous knowledge of computers should attempt to change the registry. If you make a mistake while altering the registry and it isn't backed up, you may lose information critical to the proper performance of your computer.

After you run an antispyware application that deletes active spyware files, you are still left with references to those files in your computer registry. These traces will clog your registry over time, leaving your computer susceptible to failure.

Symptoms of Windows Registry Problems:

Problems with the Windows Registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages. Your PC is likely infected with Windows registry errors if it has ever undergone any of the problems:

• PC runs much slower than when you first bought it
• PC keeps crashing at vital times
• PC doesn't startup correctly
• PC doesn't shutdown correctly
• PC needs frequent rebooting
• Unable to remove a software using add/remove dialog
• Getting the "Blue Screen of Death

The registry records the relationship between hardware, memory space, and addressing. It contains information and settings for all the software, hardware, users, and preferences of the computer. The registry is stored on your computer in several files and depending upon your version of Windows, there will be different files and different locations for these files. The registry keep growing when you use Windows and become corrupted as software and hardware is added and removed from your computer.

To keep your computer in top performance, it is recommended to periodically clean the Windows registry with a reliable and efficient Registry Cleaner. Registry Cleaner is an utility program that scans the Windows Registry and looks for outdated and invalid entries.

In short, the registry cleaner cleans the following:

Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera:
Temporary files, URL history, cookies, Auto complete form history, index.dat.
Windows Temporary files and Log files, recycle bin, recent documents.
Advanced features
Removes unused and old entries, including File Extensions, ClassIDs, ProgIDs, Uninstallers, Help Files, Shared DLLs, Fonts ActiveX Controls, Icons, Invalid Shortcuts, Application Paths, and more...
Third-party applications
Removes temporary files and recent file lists (MRUs) from many apps including Media Player, Kazaa eMule, WinRAR, Google Toolbar, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, WinAce, WinZip, , Netscape, MS Office and many more...

There are dozens of programs on the market that cleans registry, boosts PC's performance, get rid of unwanted material and prevent crashes. Some of the prominent ones are: Error Doctor, Reg Cure, PAL Registry Cleaner, JV16 PowerTools, EasyCleaner, Adv. System Optimizer, Fix-It Utilities, Ace Utilities, Registry Mechanic, Registry Repair, RegistryFix etc.

A good windows registry clean and repair product should have the following options:

Automatic Scan:
It is the simplest way to clean up the registry. Automatic Scan is recommended for 'non-technical' users.
Custom Scan:
One can customize the search and scan Windows registry for particular types of errors (shared DLLs, invalid start-up entries, missing fonts, etc.).
Manual Cleanup:
After the scan is complete, the program should show a full list of errors with details, broken down by types and let you fix individual invalid entries or all invalid entries of a certain type.
Backup and Undo:
Before removing an entry from the windows registry, an automatic creation of a backup file should be done, that can be used to undo the changes. This to avoid changes without backup.
Scheduler:
Schedule the program to scan the registry whenever you start your PC.

Using the registry cleaner software is not a one time fix. One should run it on a regular basis to keep the registry clean and without errors. This will help the stability and speed of windows.

Thus every PC requires registry cleaner which optimizes windows registry allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. Valuable registry repair software can help you get your computer back into shape, tuned–up and running problem free in no time.

Sony and Sky in content talks for PSP

2007-02-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) is in talks with Sky to allow PSP owners to download Sky content such as Lost and 24 onto their handheld devices. An agency pitch has been launched for the creation of the service, understood to be a joint venture between Sony and Sky scheduled for a release later this year.

The deal would be significant for SCEE's handheld console, which has been going head to head with Nintendo's DS. Stay tuned to PSP World for more developments on this story.

For more info on psp visit psp downloads.

Unlimited PSP Downloads ... Is it a Myth ?

2007-02-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

The PSP is a machine which is a great source of entertainment for you and your family. This is a machine where you can not only play games but also play music, movies; browse the internet and store vital digital data. It is not necessary that you always buy the music, games and movies you wish to run on the PSP. There are plenty options available on the internet where you can avail of your free PSP downloads.

The PSPs are usually handheld devices where you can transfer the movies, music, software, games, e-books, images and TV shows that you download from the Wi-Fi hot spots of the internet. This is where you can avail of your free PSP downloads for use on the PSP.

The main reason these downloads are called free is because there is no use for you to buy a physical disc to download the programs. They just have to be downloaded to a computer, and then transferred from the computer to the PSP.

The first thing you have to do to get free PSP downloads is to surf the internet for the respective sites. There are many sites on the internet that offer free PSP downloads to PSP owners. These sites are generally free where you just have to register wherein you can download all the games, music, movies, etc for use on your PSP.

These sites have two types of offers; some sites charge a monthly membership fees while others have a once off membership fees wherein there are no limitations on the number of free PSP downloads you make. In fact, you are also permitted to burn these downloads on a disc.

Collecting unlimited PSP downloads for movies was impossible in the past without burning deep holes in our pockets. Watching PSP movies on your PSP while on the move in the train, car or bus was such an enjoyable experience. But once the credit card statement arrives at your desk, suddenly reality jolts you back onto earth. Your credit limit has been busted and you instantly realize that you have spent all your money building your private collection of PSP movies and games.

Well, there is a way to avoid this scenario. Let’s look at what are the options available if you are tempted to grab your next PSP movie.

We used to be able to watch PSP movies only in the Universal Media Disc (UMD) format. Anyone who has bought a copy of these PSP UMD would know that it is not the cheapest form of entertainment. Many folks felt that they didn’t really have many choices if they wanted to watch a movie on their PSP.

The UMD movies are expensive and the selection is limited. The technology has made them rather unaffordable to teens, which form a significant percentage of their target market. Naturally, sales plummeted and many studios and distributors are unwilling to release more movies in the UMD format. It’s little wonder why the UMD movies couldn’t take off.

Forget about UMD movies. It’s amazing how PSP fans came up with creative solutions to this problem. People began to rip movies off DVDs onto their PC before transferring the file into the PSP. It is possible to do so since the movie format is compatible with the Sony memory sticks.

However, there are two shortcomings in this whole process of ripping and copying. Firstly, the memory sticks do not have enough capacity like our hard drives. The quality of the movies is compromised.

Secondly, some DVDs are copyrighted, meaning that they are hard coded and there is no way you can crack them and rip the content off. You can expect the new DVDs to be coded in such a manner. It seems that the manufacturers and studios have beaten PSP users at their game.

It’s rather ironical since these users are part of the movie watching group who has been fuelling the demand for more movies over the years. Then again, it’s an issue of profits and if you are not paying to rip the movie, they have every right to stop you from doing so.

It seems like PSP users are stuck in a grid lock. Fortunately, smart business people saw the opportunity and established membership sites that offer unlimited PSP downloads of movies, games, music, TV shows, etc.

You may wish to know that at these download sites, the movies come in ready to play format. No ripping is needed. Everything from searching to downloading and playing the movie are compressed into a few clicks of the mouse.

Mac Malware: Slow but Steady Evolution

2007-02-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

The number of OS X security vulnerabilities is on the rise, which may have something to do with Apple's growing personal computer market share. Still, the operating system remains an infrequent victim for malware hackers compared to Windows systems. Though incidents are increasing, most malware targeting OS X remains one-off, proof-of-concept code.

Although security Barracuda Spam Filter – Free Evaluation Unit vulnerabilities are discovered in Mac OS X on a monthly basis, the operating system Back up your business with HP's ProLiant ML150 Server - just $1,299. remains a backwater for malware hackers.

"We have seen an increase in bugs, but they haven't been critical," Amol Sarwate, vulnerability research manager for Qualys, a security auditing and vulnerability management company in Redwood Shores, Calif., told MacNewsWorld.

"There aren't enough Mac OS systems being used to be exploited publicly by viruses and worms," he added.

"When vulnerabilities are being found on a regular basis," he continued, "what makes the most impact is a virus or worm using that vulnerability to spread itself. We haven't seen a virus or worm use an OS X vulnerability to make a big impact."
'Month of Bugs'
Two unique events have boosted the OS X bug count in recent months, according to Sarwate. They were the "Month of Apple Bugs" campaign launched in January of this year and the move by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple from PowerPC to Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Latest News about Intel processors.

The Month of Apple Bugs revealed each day in January an undocumented security hole in OS X or in applications Get the Facts on BlackBerry Business Solutions running on top of it. The bug-a-day concept was pioneered by researcher H. D. Moore last summer with his "Month of Browser Bugs" campaign.

"When the Mac operating system was ported from Motorola-based systems to Intel-based systems, there were some bugs introduced into OS X," Sarwate said. "There were bugs introduced that would not have been introduced if they hadn't changed processors."
Proof of Concept

Although hackers have shown an increased interest in OS X in the last six months, that interest hasn't been "out of the realm of the norm," Shane Coursen, a senior technical consultant at Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, told MacNewsWorld.

Last year, Kaspersky found a slight increase in OS X security vulnerabilities during the first half of 2006 compared to the first half of 2005. During that period last year, 60 OS X vulnerabilities were reported, while during the previous year only 51 were revealed.

Another study released by McAfee Latest News about McAfee last year showed a 228 percent increase in OS X vulnerabilities, from 45 in 2003 to 143 in 2005.

Most of the malware targeting OS X is "proof of concept" code, asserted Coursen.

"They're things that show up once," he explained. "They serve no greater purpose other than to show that they could be done."
Learning From Experience

Operating systems are getting increasingly harder to attack, contended Rohit Dhamankar, security research manager at the TippingPoint division of 3Com (Nasdaq: COMS) Latest News about 3Com in Austin, Texas.

"These days people are actually trying to hack more into the applications than the core operating system," Dhamankar told MacNewsWorld.

That was apparent in the most recent security bulletin issued by US-CERT on Jan. 29. In it, 10 Apple vulnerabilities were documented, but only one was directly connected to OS X. The others were related to applications such as QuickTime Latest News about QuickTime, Apple installer, iPhoto, iChat and Safari.

"Over the years, people writing operating systems have learned from the past and hardened and made it more difficult for hackers to attack the core operating system," Dhamankar maintained.
Numbers Game

As secure as OS X may be, one of its greatest protections against hacker Latest News about hacker attack may be its small market share.

"Malware and spyware go behind the numbers," Qualys' Sarwate observed. "They go behind the most number of installations of an operating system.

"Mac is definitely gaining ground," he acknowledged. "That's the reason we've been seeing an increase in the number of vulnerabilities. But the impact that malware or spyware can make is greater if it goes after Windows boxes just because of the number of installations.

"If someone wants to write malware and affect the most number of users," he continued, "they'll target Windows boxes, but that's going to change as Mac gains market share."

There is one area, however, where Apple has an overwhelming market share. That's in the digital music business, where its iPod has become an almost ubiquitous device.

"The iPod has a huge market share, so that's a place where we should keep our eyes open for worms," Sarwate noted.

For AntiSpyware please do visit the site http://www.onlinedownloads.org

New pharming attack discovered

2007-02-18T10:17:00.000-08:00

As many as half of all broadband users - including some small- and medium-size enterprises - are susceptible to a new pharming attack that can succeed without the hacker ever penetrating the computer, Symantec announced today.

Router access is enough for attackers to steal personal information from unsuspecting users, Zulfikar Ramzan, senior principal researcher at Symantec Security Response, told SCMagazine.com today. But there is a simple fix – change the password.

The attack – described in a new report from Symantec and Indiana University – begins by employing social engineering tactics to dupe users into visiting a malicious webpage containing a "simple piece" of JavaScript code, Ramzan said. The code, regardless if users’ machines are fully patched, will attempt to simulate a log-in screen so the attacker, assuming the user is running a default password, can access the broadband router.

Many routers are protected with default credentials, making it easy for the attacker to correctly enter the information and gain access to the router, Ramzan said. With control over the router, the attacker can then configure the server’s domain name service (DNS) settings to lead an unknowing user to a malicious website, such as one that mimics his or her real banking site.

"The main thing is that once an attacker controls a router, they control the conduit by which the user accesses the internet," Ramzan said. "They can take you anywhere on the internet without you knowing it."

The technique, dubbed "drive-by pharming," has been made public in a new paper written by Ramzan, Indiana University Associate Professor of Informatics Markus Jakobsson and his graduate student, Sid Stamm.

So far, the authors have seen no exploits in the wild. But today, Symantec issued a news release urging users to protect their broadband networks by customising their passwords. No new security solutions are needed, Ramzan said.

"We feel a lot of people are vulnerable to this attack," he said. "Most people don’t know they should change those (router) passwords. Most people don’t know how to change those passwords."

Experts estimate that as many as half of broadband users run a default password, Jakobsson told SCMagazine.com today.

"People can deal with it very easily," Ramzan said. "You don’t have to wait for a vendor to issue a patch. You can go in and change your password, and in two minutes, you’ll be protected."

Many small- and medium-size enterprises use broadband routers to connect to the internet and they, too, should be cognisant of the new threat, he said.

"When that router gets configured (by the hacker), every machine on the network will be using a wrong DNS server," he said. "Every machine on that network will now be susceptible to the bad things that can happen when your router is controlled by an attacker."

Organisations should be aware that remote workers using a router to access the internet at home may infect the company network if they are attacked.

Ramzan called on router manufacturers, such as LinkSys, a division of Cisco, to prompt password changes during the initial set-up of the product

"This is pretty bad because it strikes at unsecured software and hardware," Jakobsson said.

Thwart the Three Biggest Internet Threats of 2007

2007-02-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

Threat #3: Malware

Every day, virus, spyware, and adware creators come up with new, ingenious ways to gain access to your PC. These steps will help keep you safe:

Think before you click:
Attached files that end with .exe, .com, .bat, and .scr, as well as scriptable document files, including .doc and .xls, can infect your PC with a single click. Many e-mail programs block access to executable-file attachments.

Use a spam filter:
Though some malware makes its way onto your computer via drive-by browser hijacking (see "Threat #1"), e-mail is its other main source. Install a junk-mail filter to reduce your chances of activating malicious scripts embedded in messages.

Update your antivirus software:
Allowing your antivirus software to continue running after its subscription has expired is actually worse than using no antivirus software at all: Not only do you lack the crucial virus signature database updates, but you expose your system to malware that targets known flaws in antivirus software. My personal favorite antivirus is Kapersky's Antivirus application whereas the free antivirus app is Grisoft's AVG Anti-Virus Free.

Get a second opinion:
Install and use only one antivirus program at a time on your computer because multiple real-time scanners will conflict with one another. If you have doubts about your program's effectiveness, however, use a free online virus scanner, such as Panda Software's ActiveScan; see Figure 3) or Trend Micro's HouseCall.

Download with discretion:
Any program you download and run on your system could potentially result in a lethal infection or zombification. Download software only from reputable online sources that first scan all of their download files for any malware.

Use a bidirectional firewall:
Windows XP and Vista each come with a firewall that blocks incoming attacks; it's enabled by default in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later. For the best protection, you'll also want to block unwanted outgoing connections made by malware on your PC that attempts to either connect to a remote server or send out spam. Vista's firewall can be set up to do that, but configuring it is not a job for the average Windows user. Instead, get one of several free bidirectional firewall programs, such as Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Free, or Agnitum's Outpost Firewall Free. Most commercial internet security software suites also include a firewall program.

Use antispyware:
Spyware, adware, and some browser cookies slow down your system, cause crashes, and track your online activity. Antispyware utilities work much like antivirus software, detecting and removing the unwanted software from your PC. We picked Webroot's Spy Sweeper 5 antispyware as our favorite in our "Spyware Fighters" antispyware roundup. We do also suggest NoAdware AntiSpyware software.

Upgrade from XP:
Service Pack 2 makes Windows XP much safer, but the operating system still has security holes, and it remains a top target for malware authors. Windows Vista's new user access controls ask your permission before launching new programs, which reduces the chances that malware can leap from the Web to your PC automatically, though some Vista bugs have already been found. Both the Mac OS and Linux offer even stronger safeguards against program launching, and they are rarely the targets of malware attacks, which makes it very unlikely that Web-hosted attacks--or any other kind--will afflict computers running those operating systems.

For more information on antispyware download visit http://antispyware.onlinedownloads.org/

Thwart the Three Biggest Internet Threats of 2007

2007-02-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Threat #2: Phishing and Identity Theft

You've probably seen your share of phishing attacks, which look like communications from your bank, PayPal, eBay, or another online account. The message may ask you to click a link that leads to a bogus Web page, complete with realistic user-name and password log-in fields, or it might ask for a credit-card number.

The fake address often resembles the real institution's URL--'citibank.fakesite.com' in place of 'citibank.com', for example. The phisher's site and e-mail message may even load images from your bank, or have links to the institution's own Web site.
When you take the bait, the phisher harvests your data, and either sells it to someone else, or uses it to drain your account right away.

A variant called spear phishing identifies you by name in the lure message or Web site, making the sham even harder to spot. Typo-squatting is a related trick in which phishers set up a fake site at an address slightly different from the real one ('www.amazom.com' instead of 'www.amazon.com', for example) in hopes that fast-typing customers will land there and not notice their typo.

You may have read that your bank will never send you an e-mail asking you to log in to your account, and it shouldn't, though it does happen on occasion. The vast majority of messages that appear to come from financial institutions are phishing attacks, so assume that such messages are bogus and avoid opening them at all, let alone clicking any links they contain.

If you are concerned that the bank or other service is really trying to notify you of a problem with your account, open your browser manually and log in to the site directly, or better yet, pick up the phone and call a customer service agent (if you can find one via the bank's automated phone system).

The place you're most likely to notice that your credit card or bank account has been compromised by a phishing attack or identity theft is on the statement you receive from them via mail. Check it carefully for unauthorized charges, and report any to the institution immediately.

Both IE 7 and Firefox 2 include new antiphishing settings that can compare links to databases of known phishing sites before displaying the page. (As we went to press, Opera planned to include a similar feature in the Opera 9.1 browser.) IE 7 asks you a couple of times if you'd like to enable its phishing filter during installation; say yes. To enable this feature, choose Tools, Phishing Filter, Turn On Automatic Website Checking, and click OK.

Firefox 2's phishing filter is enabled by default, but it uses a static downloaded list of known phishing sites. To query Google's more up-to-date Phishing Protection service instead, choose Tools, Options, Security and select Check by asking Google about each site I visit (see Figure 2). Note that you'll have to accept the service's licensing agreement.

Many firewalls and other security programs include identity-protection features that scan the stream of data leaving your PC for sensitive information, such as passwords or social security and credit card numbers, and then block the unauthorized transfers. For more information on these products, see "All-in-One Security."

Resist the temptation to post personal information on your Web page, blog, or social site (Facebook/MySpace) account. Identity thieves, spammers, and online predators are always on the lookout for such data. Browse to "Safeguard Your Reputation While Socially Networking" for an explanation of the risks to both adults and children, and for tips on what you can do to avoid the dangers.

For more information on software downloads visit http://www.onlinedownloads.org/

Thwart the Three Biggest Internet Threats of 2007

2007-02-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Protect yourself against the three gravest Web dangers: IE, phishing attacks, and malware.

The same Internet connection that lets you reach out and touch millions of Web servers, e-mail addresses, and other digital entities across the globe also endangers your PC and the information it contains about you. Here's how to stymie the three gravest Internet risks.

Threat #1: IE

Internet Explorer heads the list of top Internet security attack targets in the most recent joint report of the FBI and security organization SANS Institute.

One reason: As the most widely used browser, IE provides the biggest payoff for malicious hackers who set out to exploit its flaws. The biggest problem with IE is its reliance on Microsoft's ActiveX technology, which allows Web sites to run executable programs on your PC via your browser.

Security patches and upgrades, including Windows XP's Service Pack 2 and the recently released IE 7, make ActiveX safer, but the inevitable flaws that allow malware to circumvent those security measures--combined with the reality that we computer users are often a credulous lot--make ActiveX a risk not worth taking. Happily, with very few exceptions (such as Microsoft's Windows Update site), you can browse the Internet effectively without ActiveX.

To disable ActiveX in IE 6 and 7, choose Tools, Internet Options, Security, Custom Level, scroll to 'Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins', and select Disable (see Figure 1). Click OK, Yes, and OK to close the dialog boxes. To enable ActiveX on a known and trusted site, click Tools, Internet Options, Security, choose Trusted Sites, click Sites, enter the site address in the text box, and click Add.

Uncheck Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone, and click Close and OK. If you leave ActiveX enabled, you may quickly encounter malware-harboring sites and e-mail attachments that ask you to let them install their ActiveX controls on your system. Unless you're 100 percent certain that the control is safe and legitimate, don't allow it.

Regardless of which browser is set as the default on your system, always keep Windows (and IE) updated to minimize your risk. To keep Windows XP up-to-date, visit update.microsoft.com (you'll have to use Internet Explorer) and install Service Pack 2, if you haven't already. Next, choose Start, Control Panel, System, and click the Automatic Updates tab.

Select Automatic (recommended) If you trust Microsoft implicitly, Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them if you trust the company a little bit, or Notify me but don't automatically download or install them to play it safest. (Click "Don't Let a Windows Update Bring You Down " for more on Windows updates.)

Whichever option you choose, click OK to download and install the most recent security patches. If you stick with IE, upgrade to version 7, which improves ActiveX security. Still, the best way to reduce your PC's vulnerability to ActiveX exploits is to download and install another browser, and set it as your default browser.

Mozilla's Firefox is the most popular IE alternative. Unfortunately, Firefox's growing popularity has enticed malware authors to exploit its own flaws. While no software is perfectly secure, many experts (including me) think the Opera browser is safer than either IE or Firefox.

For more information on software downloads visit http://www.onlinedownloads.org/

Symantec warns of drive-by hackers

2007-02-16T05:21:00.000-08:00

Home PC users have been warned to change the default password on their home router to avoid a new type of hack.

Researchers at Symantec and Indiana University have published the results of tests that show how attackers could take over your home router using malicious JavaScript code.

For the attack to work, hackers would need a couple of things to go their way. First, the victim would have to visit a malicious website that served up the JavaScript. Second, the victim's router would have to still use the default password that it's pre-configured with it out of the box.

In tests, the researchers were able to do things like change firmware and redirect a D-Link Systems DI-524 wireless router to look up websites from a DNS (Domain Name System) server of their choosing. They describe these attacks in a paper, authored by Sid Stamm and Markus Jakobsson of Indiana University, and Symantec's Zulfikar Ramzan.

"By visiting a malicious web page, a person can inadvertently open up his router for attack," the researchers write. "A website can attack home routers from the inside and mount sophisticated... attacks that may result in denial of service, malware infection, or identity theft."

Once the router has been compromised, victims can be redirected to fraudulent websites, the researchers say. So instead of downloading legitimate Microsoft software updates, for example, they could be tricked into downloading malware. Instead of online banking, they could be giving up sensitive information to phishers.

At the heart of the problem is the fact that consumer routers ship with simple, well-known default passwords, like ‘admin’, which could be exploited by attackers.

"Owners of home routers who set a moderately secure password - one that is non-default and non-trivial to guess - are immune to router manipulation via JavaScript," the paper states.

The researchers blame router makers for shipping products with “poorly secure default settings”.

Vendors like D-Link and Cisco are aware of the problem. "It's a concern to us," said Karen Sohl, a spokeswoman with Cisco's Linksys group. "We've shipped about 30 million routers and we want those 30 million customers to understand why it's so important to change [the default password]."

Both Cisco and D-Link said they've taken steps to avoid this type of security problem. Over the past few years they've introduced step-by-step "wizard" software to configure their routers, and these products always suggest that the user come up with a unique password.

The problem is that the routers still work if the password is left as default. And that's not likely to change anytime soon, according to Michael Scott, D-Link's technical media manager.

Users wouldn't buy routers that forced them to enter unique passwords, he said. "That would only result in returned products, and then they would buy one of our competitors products," he said.

To download symantec products visit: http://antispyware.onlinedownloads.org

Microsoft warns of new Word bug

2007-02-16T05:15:00.000-08:00

Microsoft has acknowledged that a bug in Word is being used by hackers to commandeer computers.

On Tuesday, Microsoft released 12 security bulletins with patches for 20 vulnerabilities, including six for Word and one each for PowerPoint and Excel.

"All the zero-day [vulnerabilities] in Word and Office were patched on Tuesday," Mark Griesi, security program manager for the MSRC (Microsoft Security Response Center), said on Wednesday.

Griesi said the status of the bugs and their patches - most of which were being used by cybercriminals in targeted attacks - was confusing. "Some of that is because in the time since the vulnerabilities began appearing, there were other reports on new zero-days," said Griesi. "But those were not new zero-days."

Instead, Microsoft determined that in-the-wild exploits weren't working, or that the bugs being used had already been disclosed. The newest Word flaw fits the first scenario.

On 9 February McAfee researchers said they had found another unpatched bug in Microsoft Word 2000. That same day, Microsoft reported that its analysis indicated the flaw could only crash the word processor. Such DDoS (distributed denial of service) vulnerabilities are considered less threatening, since they may not let the attacker run his own code on the compromised machine.

As it turns out, however, Microsoft was wrong. "[Our] analysis shows that this vulnerability is likely not limited to denial of service and that remote code execution may in fact be possible," Craig Schmugar, virus research manager at McAfee's Avert Labs, wrote in a warning.

In a security advisory posted Wednesday, Microsoft admitted that the flaw in Word 2000 and Word 2002 could be exploited to "corrupt system memory in such a way that an attacker could execute arbitrary code."

Attacks leveraging Office bugs are typically delivered in malformed documents attached to e-mail messages. Hackers try to dupe recipients into opening the attachments. As it has before, Microsoft's recommendation was to not open Office documents unless they came from a trusted source and were expected.

A patch is planned, Microsoft said, but it did not set a time line. The next scheduled security updates from the Redmond, Wash. developer are not set to appear until 13 March.

According to third-party security organizations, Microsoft has numerous problems that still need to be addressed. The Sans Institute's Internet Storm Center, for instance, lists seven unpatched Microsoft bugs, including the just-acknowledged Word flaw as well as a December bug that affects several editions of Windows, Vista among them. eEye Digital Security's Zero-Day Tracker, meanwhile, lists five unpatched Microsoft vulnerabilities.

"All these are still being worked on," said Microsoft's Griesi.

Extension granted in iPhone trademark row

2007-02-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

Apple given more time to respond to Cisco suit

Cisco has granted Apple a further extension on the deadline to respond to its iPhone lawsuit, the company announced late last night.

Apple was hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit from Cisco Systems the day after it unveiled a new mobile phone under the name iPhone at January's Macworld Expo in San Francisco. Cisco says its Linksys division owns the trademark on iPhone and filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court for Northern California seeking an injunction against Apple using the name.

Yesterday evening Cisco said it had agreed to a request from Apple for more time.

"Cisco has agreed to give Apple an extension until Wednesday 21 February," the company said in a brief statement. "Cisco is fully committed to using the extra time to reach a mutually beneficial resolution."

When Cisco sued Apple on 10 January it revealed that the two companies had been talking about the iPhone name for about two years and were close to a deal on 8 January, which was the day before Macworld Expo. When Apple CEO Steve Jobs went ahead on 9 Jauary and announced the phone, he did so before an agreement between the two companies had been reached and that pushed Cisco to file its lawsuit.

A previous extension was granted Apple by Cisco on 1 February, at which time Cisco said it wanted an agreement on "trademark use and interoperability". Those words lend credence to earlier media reports that Cisco might back down over the trademark issue if the iPhone were made compatible with its networking gear.

Just how serious Apple views the issue or how close the current talks are to a deal is unknown.

A few days after being hit with the lawsuit Natalie Kerris, Apple's director of music public relations, said the company thought the lawsuit was "silly".

Linksys launched its iPhone in late December, just as buzz was building about the possibility of a mobile phone and music player combo from Apple coming at Macworld. The Linksys iPhone is a cordless telephone with base station that attaches to the internet. It means calls can be made from the handset over Skype without the need for a personal computer.

Apple's iPhone is a GSM cell phone married with an iPod that runs on Apple's Mac OSX operating system. The phone is due to be released in the US in the middle of this year through a deal with Cingular Wireless. Models for international markets are due out sometime after the US launch.

iPod....A new machine

2007-02-08T03:19:00.000-08:00

iPod is a brand of portable media players that is designed and marketed by Apple and was launched on October 23, 2001. Since October 2004, iPod sales have dominated the market for digital music players in the United States.

Devices in the iPod range are primarily digital music players, designed around a central click wheel — although the iPod shuffle has buttons only.

The full-sized model stores media on an internal hard drive, while the smaller iPod nano and iPod shuffle use flash memory. Like many digital audio players, iPods can also serve as external data storage devices.

In addition to playing music, iPods with display screens can display calendars, contact information, and text files, and play a limited range of video games. Models introduced in 2004 include the ability to display photos and the fifth-generation iPod, introduced in 2005, can additionally play video files. In January 2007, Apple announced the iPhone, combining the features of a video-capable iPod with integrated mobile phone and mobile internet capabilities.

Apple's iTunes software is used for transferring music (as well as photos, videos, games, contacts and calendars, for models that support those features). As a free jukebox application, iTunes stores a comprehensive library of music on the user's computer and can play, burn, and rip music from a CD. It can also sync photos and videos.

For more information on ipod downloads visit http://ipod.onlinedownloads.org

PC Tools Firewall Plus

2007-02-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

PC Tools new Firewall Plus offers latest technology to bar dangerous Internet threats. This user-friendly firewall can be downloaded free of charge.

PC Tools, creator of award-winning Spyware Doctor, has just released Firewall Plus™ - a powerful personal firewall for the Windows Operating System - that provides bullet-proof defense for computers.

This highly refined and flexible tool uses the latest technology to block dangerous Trojans, backdoors, keyloggers and other intrusive malware from damaging computers by stealing information.

PC Tools Firewall Plus protection is configured by default. For those who simply want to install it and forget it…that is all that is required. Advanced users can also easily create their own powerful rules to customize the network defenses.

This new product offers world-leading protection because it is backed by regular Smart Updates, OnGuard™ real-time protection, and comprehensive network shielding to ensure computers remain safe and hacker free.

PC Tools Firewall Plus feature highlights:

Protects your PC as you are working, surfing and playing.
Intelligent automatic protection without all the questions.
Easy to use. Designed for both, novice and expert users.
Advanced rules to protect your PC against common attacks.
Best of all it’s FREE. No catches, limitations or time-limits.

PC Tools Firewall Plus can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

For more information on firewalls visit internet security suite.

Convenience of Online Shopping

2007-01-31T02:17:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season gets into full swing, online shopping really picks up. It is a delightful way to find presents you would not find so easily close to home and you get to avoid the crowds.

Shopping online has many advantages, especially if you are shopping for family and friends who are far away. If you are going to have to ship the presents anyhow, shopping online can save you a trip to a crowded post office and the wait in line. That alone can make shopping online worth it. The challenge can be deciding where to shop. There are all the big names, of course, such as Amazon, but when you want to stand out there are many more great options out there

Comparison shopping is also easier online. You do not have to go all over town to see who has the best price. You can search various sites and figure it out for yourself. No car, no gas, no crowds. You just have to appreciate that.

Shop when it is convenient for you. Online stores are open 24/7/365. It does not matter what time is convenient to you, the websites are there waiting for you. If you have to shop for your own children it can be much easier to do the shopping online than to try and sneak presents past them.

There are, of course, some disadvantages to online shopping too. You need to be certain that the merchant uses your credit card and personal information appropriately. Before you buy anywhere, check the privacy policy and make sure the merchant is using a secure connection for taking your information. You will also want to check return policies. Returns should be fairly easy.

Here is a list of tips you should consult when shopping online:

1.Trust your instincts.
If you do not feel comfortable buying or bidding on an item over the web, or if you feel pressured to place your order immediately, maybe you should not.

2.Be knowledgeable about web-based auctions.
Take special care to familiarize yourself not only with the rules and policies of the auction site itself but with the legal terms (warranties, refund policy, etc.) of the seller's items that you wish to bid on.

3.Double check pricing.
Be suspicious of prices that are too good to be true. Also consider carefully whether you may be paying too much for an item, particularly if you are bidding through an auction site. You may want to comparison shop, online or offline, before you buy. Make sure there are not extra shipping or handling costs.

4.Find and read the privacy policy.
Read the privacy policy carefully to find out what information the seller is gathering from you, how the information will be used, and how you can stop the process

5.Review the return, refund, and shipping and handling policies as well as the other legal terms.
If you can not find them, ask the seller through an e-mail or telephone call to indicate where they are on the site or to provide them to you in writing. See Legal Terms.

6.Make sure the Internet connection is secure.
Before you give your payment information, check for indicators that security software is in place. See Security.

7.Use the safest way to pay on the Internet.
Pay for your order using a credit card. See Payment.

8.Print the terms.
You should print out and date a copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, company information, even confirming e-mails, and save them with your records of your purchase. See Recordkeeping.

9.Insure the safe delivery of your item.
If you are concerned you may not be home when your package is delivered and that someone may take it if it is left on the doorstep, ask whether you can specify that the shipper must receive a signature before leaving the package. Or, it may be safer to have the package delivered to your office. See Delivery.

10.Inspect your purchase.
Look at your purchase carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact the seller as soon as possible if you discover a problem with it. Tell the seller in writing about any problems you have, ask for a repair or refund, and keep a copy of your correspondence. See Legal Terms.

11.Do you know to whom to complain or contact if you are not satisfied or have a question?
Check the site for a customer service page, contact us link, e-mail address, or phone number to get your complaint addressed or questions answered. If you have a complaint, ask for what you think is fair even if it is more than the legal terms stated. A merchant is not forbidden from doing more than required to make the customer happy.

Online shopping can be a real delight when everything goes smoothly. However, it is not for everyone and it may not always be all that easy.

For more information visit Online Downloads

Top 7 Things to Do With Your PSP Besides Play Games

2007-01-29T21:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, so most people buy a PSP to play psp games, right? But what if you're just not sure you need another game system? And what do you do with the PSP until that one game you've been waiting for comes out? Just like its big brother the PlayStation 2, the PSP can do more than just play games.

Some of the PSP's extra features will be more useful than others, but it's pretty cool that it has them at all, and each new system update adds new things to play with.

1) Listen to Music:

The PSP is a multimedia player which can play video as well as audio files much like an iPod. With a PC, a USB cable, and a memory stick, you can download your music to your PSP and listen on the road. It may not be a big deal if you've already got an MP3 player, except instead of having separate machines for games and music, with the PSP you only carry one. You'll probably need a bigger memory stick than the one that comes in the box, but they're getting cheaper every day.

Download Full albums, single songs, unreleased mixes plus more! You can transfer music from your computer to your PSP with ease! Copy your own CD collection or download from our existing database of music already available online.

2) Watch the Movies:

According to some few reports, sales of movies in the PSP's UMD format are higher than sales of games. Regardless, the PSP makes a nifty portable movie player. You can either buy movies on UMD, or transfer your own DVD movies onto a memory stick. The PSP's screen might seem too small for movie-watching, but it's actually super-sharp, and the audio is great with headphones. And I swear I saw a laptop-sized portable DVD player at Walmart with a screen about the same size as the PSP's.

Download Full DVD Quality movies, video clips, music videos plus more! You can transfer films from your computer to your PSP with ease! Copy your own DVD collection or download from our existing database of movies already available online.

All you need is a PSP USB cable or compatible memory stick reader, and at least a 256MB Memory Card. You will be able to transfer films or Movie Clips from your PC to your PSP! This includes the following formats: AVI, MPEG, RM, WMV, MOV, MP4, MPEG4, XVID, DIVX, AC3, OGG, 3G.

Not only can you play the movie and television show downloads on your PSP you can play them on your computer, a compatible media player, or your DVD player. All movies and television show downloads are fully compatible with all major DVD players.

3) Look at Pictures:

You can also download and view photos (or any other images in a supported format) with a memory stick. You can zoom, rotate, and move pictures, and even view them as a slideshow. It's an easy way to show your relatives your latest digital snapshots, without a computer. You can even transfer photos from your PSP onto your mother's PC. The possibilities of using the PSP as a portable portfolio of my art and design were a significant factor in my decision to buy one as soon as I did.

4) Surf the Web:

With the system update version 2.0, an internet browser was added to the PSP's features. The "keyboard" might take a while to get used to, but if you've ever sent a text message on your cell phone, you shouldn't have any difficulty. You might not want to bother with websurfing at home on your PSP, especially if you have a desktop or laptop computer handy, but if you're out of the house, you can access any open wireless points. Why lug around a laptop when all you need is your PSP?

5) See in the Dark:

You might consider this a stretch, but I've found the PSP's bright screen handy on several occasions, such as trying to sign an attendance form in a completely dark lecture theatre (I could never have found my name on the list if I hadn't pulled out my PSP and turned it on). Another time, I had to sneak around in a dark room in which my roommate was sleeping. I couldn't have found what I was looking for without waking her if it weren't for my PSP.

6) PSP Keyboard Mod:

Though not very practical, the homebrew PSP keyboard mod allows users to create and save text files. Apparently Logic 3 has been trying to develop a keyboard for the PSP for some time but they’ve been beaten to it by a homebrew hacker, whose new application allows you to save short notes as .txt files on your console

7) PSPhone:

That’s right, a modder has managed to create a custom phone chip for the PSP, which amazingly enough, “is able to receive incoming calls, and display the current signal strength.”

Though currently unable to make outgoing calls…PSPhone is also capable of communicating over both CDMA & GSM cellular networks. I’m still working on how to resize it and get it into a mass production.

The pack will contain:
* X1 antenna
* X1 board
* headsets with microphone
* X2 wires
* X1 32 mega memory stick

The antenna to connect to the local network. On the board will be a switch to switch between CDMA network (without sim card) and the GSM network (with the sim card). The wires are to connect the board and the antenna to the PSP. All will cost approximately more or less than $60

Tips in Online Shopping

2007-01-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of tips you should consult when shopping online:

1.Trust your instincts
If you don't feel comfortable buying or bidding on an item over the web, or if you feel pressured to place your order immediately, maybe you shouldn't.

2.Be knowledgeable about web-based auctions
Take special care to familiarize yourself not only with the rules and policies of the auction site itself but with the legal terms (warranties, refund policy, etc.) of the seller's items that you wish to bid on.

3.Double check pricing
Be suspicious of prices that are too good to be true. Also consider carefully whether you may be paying too much for an item, particularly if you're bidding through an auction site. You may want to comparison shop, online or offline, before you buy. Make sure there are not extra shipping or handling costs.

4.Find and read the privacy policy
Read the privacy policy carefully to find out what information the seller is gathering from you, how the information will be used, and how you can stop the process

5.Review the return, refund, and shipping and handling policies as well as the other legal terms
If you can't find them, ask the seller through an e-mail or telephone call to indicate where they are on the site or to provide them to you in writing. See Legal Terms.

6.Make sure the Internet connection is secure
Before you give your payment information, check for indicators that security software is in place. See Security.

7.Use the safest way to pay on the Internet
Pay for your order using a credit card. See Payment.

8.Print the terms
You should print out and date a copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, company information, even confirming e-mails, and save them with your records of your purchase. See Record keeping.

9.Insure the safe delivery of your item
If you're concerned you may not be home when your package is delivered and that someone may take it if it is left on the doorstep, ask whether you can specify that the shipper must receive a signature before leaving the package. Or, it may be safer to have the package delivered to your office. See Delivery.

10.Inspect your purchase
Look at your purchase carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact the seller as soon as possible if you discover a problem with it. Tell the seller in writing about any problems you have, ask for a repair or refund, and keep a copy of your correspondence. See Legal Terms.

11.Do you know to whom to complain or contact if you are not satisfied or have a question?
Check the site for a customer service page, "contact us" link, e-mail address, or phone number to get your complaint addressed or questions answered. If you have a complaint, ask for what you think is fair – even if it’s more than the legal terms stated. A merchant isn’t forbidden from doing more than required to make the customer happy.

Online shopping can be a real delight when everything goes smoothly. Check the Online Downloads for more information.

Portable Play Station

2007-01-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Definition: The PlayStation Portable, or PSP, is a handheld gaming console made by Sony. It was released in 2004 in Japan, and in 2005 in Europe and North America.

The PSP is primarily a game console (PSP games come in UMD, or Universal Media Disc, format), but it can also play UMD-format movies. Using a memory stick, the PSP can play music and video files, and display picture files such as photos. This portable console can also connect to the internet via a web browser (not incuded in early firmware releases) and built-in wi-fi.

As its name suggests, the PSP -- or PlayStation Portable -- is a smaller, lighter version of Sony's PlayStation. It's not as powerful as the PS2, but more powerful than the original PlayStation, and it has a built-in screen and speakers so you don't have to plug it in to anything to use it.

Sony has also announced an add-on camera and a GPS device for use with the PSP, expanding its capabilities even further.

Specifications
• Color:
o black
o ceramic white (Japan and Europe only)
o pink (Europe only)
o Tsukimi -- black with copper (Japan only)
o Kachofugetsu -- white with black and red (Japan only)

• Dimensions: 6.7"/170 mm wide x 2.9"/74 mm high x .9"/23 mm deep

• Weight: .62 lbs/280 g (including battery)

• CPU: PSP CPU (1-333 MHz)

• Memory:
o 32 MB Main Memory
o 4 MB embedded DRAM

• Display:
o 4.3", 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD screen
o 480 x 272 pixels
o 16.77 million colors
o maximum luminance 180/130/80 cd/m2 (when using battery pack)
o maximum luminance 200/180/130/ 80 cd/m2 (when using AC adaptor)

• Sound:
o built-in stereo speakers
o headset connector

• Connectors, Ports and Drives:
o IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi)
o USB 2.0 (mini-B)
o Memory Stick Duo
o infrared
o DC in 5 V connector
o headset connector
o UMD drive (Read only)

• Buttons and Switches:
o d-pad
o analog nub
o triangle, circle, cross, square
o right and left shoulder
o Start, Select, and Home
o Power/Hold
o display brightness, sound, volume up, volume down
o wireless LAN on/off
o UMD latch

• Power:
o lithium-ion battery
o AC adaptor

• Access control:
o UMD region coding
o parental control

What Does It All Mean?
Basically, what all these fancy specs come down to is a kick-ass handheld gaming machine with amazing graphics for its size, that can also play movies and music, display photos and image files, surf the web and, with every new firmware release, even more cool stuff. Phew!

As for whether or not you should buy one . . . well, you'll have to decide for yourself, but I've never regretted buying mine.

For more details, visit my site PSP Downloads.

Making Money on the Internet for Beginners

2006-12-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

If you’re interested in making some extra money to pay off creditors or earn enough income to replace your current job or career then the Internet is the place where aspiring entrepreneurs are turning. Unlike traditional businesses, a business on the Internet can be started with virtually no capitol, with the exception of your website expense. You have to have a website if you want to do business on the Internet…PERIOD.

If you don’t have your own product to advertise on your website, there are literally millions of affiliate programs on the Internet who do have products and will pay you commissions to sell their products from your website. You can choose to sell cell phones, or internet services, candles, furniture, or maybe insurance, the field is wide open. The affiliate program you choose will also handle all the money, shipping and correspondence with your customers. All you need to do is to generate the traffic to your new website in order to make the sale.

Often times the affiliate program you join will offer you free websites and that is great, but you will never generate enough free traffic to these affiliate sites to succeed without having your own website. Why you ask? For one, the search engines don’t list affiliate sites and you definitely want to get listed in the search engines, this will be your biggest free traffic source.

One of the best ways to generate free traffic is to get involved in link exchanges. You will basically place a link to another site on your website and they will in turn place a link on their site to yours. Once you have exchanged several hundred links a portion of your link partners traffic will come to your site. The free websites you have been given via your affiliate program will not be able to be edited in anyway, thus link exchanges are not an option.

Link exchanges produce a double bonus also. Not only will you get traffic from your link partners, the search engines will place you higher in their listings when they see lots of links pointing to your site.

The Internet was created to provide information, so if you want to succeed on the Internet and generate lots of free traffic, you are going to have to provide information on your website.

Offering free and useful information will keep your visitors coming back to your website, and the double bonus here is that the search engines love content. The more content your website has will produce better listings in the search engines.

Once you have perfected this process of building a website, getting listed in the search engines and have developed a huge traffic stream to your website, your going to be making sales. It will start out slow and as you build links and content, the traffic will grow and so will your sales.

Affiliate programs can be a great stepping stone to get your foot in the door towards cashing in on the riches that the Internet provides. You can know the secrets at Affiliate Marketing Simplified.

As time goes by you will find that you have learned so much and have evolved into an Internet Guru and now it’s time to take it one step farther, and start selling YOURSELF.

Using the knowledge that you have gained, you may want to venture into selling your services to other entrepreneurs just getting started. You could start a consulting business, or you may offer to build websites, or to help your clients get listed in the search engines. You may want to start writing E-Books and selling them. The possibilities are endless.

The Internet is a huge marketplace that is still virtually untapped. Don’t waste another day worrying about how you’re going to pay your creditors or provide for your family in the future. Start an Internet business today and see how your life can be changed for the better.

For more options, visit the top 5 ways to make money online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_White

Review of NoAdware

2006-12-11T23:03:00.000-08:00

Spyware, adware, diallers, and web bugs can easily be installed onto a PC without the owner even realising. These infections can slow down or crash the computer, change a browser's home and search pages, track surfing habits or even open up the PC to hackers ready to take passwords and personal details if not traced and removed. That's where softwares like antispyware become invaluable.

There are lots of both paid and free anti-spyware programs out there, and, like all things in life, some are better than others. The question often asked is, which is better, a free program or a paid one.

The simple answer is that the best approach is a combination of the two, and, unlike anti-virus programs, you can run more than one anti-spyware program on your system without any problems.

First thing to do is to install the totally free Spybot Search and Destroy program, which will eliminate 70-85 per cent of all known spyware. Then, invest a little money in a good paid program like Spyware Doctor,
Noadware or Spyware Nuker to complete the job for you. Yes, I know that it means spending some money, but if it can prevent someone stealing your credit card details, for example, then it's a sure fire thing that its going to be money well spent.

Another advantage of the paid programs is that they generally have a more effective "pro-active" nature to them than the free programs do. In other words, they are usually far better at stopping spyware and adware actually getting into your PC in the first place, and, clearly, preventing the problem is far easier and less time consuming than having to deal with it once your PC becomes infected.

Adware, Spyware, Dialer, and Web Bug Scan
Noadware 5.0 is constantly updated to identify the latest threats to your privacy. The software will scan your PC for different Spyware, Adware, Dialers, and Web Bug traces. These items not only create nuisances in the form of popups, system slowdowns and crashes, but many items actually record personal information about you, such as credit cards, social security numbers, or other sensitive information.

PC Immunization
Wouldn't you like to simply prevent malicious components from ever adding themselves to your computer in the first place?
Simple! With the click of a button, you can safely block those annoying yes/no boxes asking for your permission to install adware/spyware. If you happen to attempt to install an item that exists on our block list, the item will actually be prevented from being installed!

Browser and PC Shields
You can configure various browser shields to further protect your computer when online, including a real time shield, that will prevent items we detect from ever running on your PC in the first place!
Check the Protect IE Favorites box to ensure that no website can add their URL to your browser's 'Favorite List'.
In fact each time a bookmark is attempted, NoAdware will alert you and ask for your authorization to add the specific URL to the browser's 'Favorite List'.
This feature prevents addition of website URLs to your browsers favorites from unwanted or potentially offensive or dangerous websites!

Add a schedule
This is another useful feature that is built into the NoAdware application. With this you can schedule times when NoAdware will automatically scan your computer for possible adware / spyware infiltrations. This protects you in the event that you forget to do so manually.

Noadware is one such product – free for download from the company website and highly effective against spyware. Available since 2002, No Adware comes well recommended. It runs on most versions of Windows: 95, 98, ME, NT 3.x, XP, 2000, 2003 and CE.

WITH OVER 42 MILLION USERS WORLDWIDE AND A 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE YOUR DECISION IS SAFE.

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Antispyware

2006-12-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

Spyware can definitely wreak havoc on your computer system. Your computer could be working fine one day at peak performance and with no problems and then the very next day, suddenly you log on and it takes forever to load your basic operating system. When you finally get logged on and online, you notice how slow things seem to be moving. Pages on the web are taking forever to load and you're getting pop-up windows filled with advertisements. Your homepage is different and filled with more advertisements. You suddenly get a new pop up window with a pornographic image in it. You shake your head wondering what's going on. It's as if your computer has been taken over by someone else.

Well, it has. A spyware program has invaded your machine. The spyware threat is real. Anyone who uses a computer is susceptible to spyware infection. In fact, nine out of 10 Internet-connected PCs are infected with spyware that can:

Open your PC to identity theft
Expose your personal information and private accounts
Corrupt your hard drive
Share your passwords and user names

Spyware threats can be any application that may track your online or offline PC activity. It may save or transmit those findings to third parties. These unwanted programs are stealthy and often attach to your computer without your knowledge – or appropriate consent. Many nefarious spyware threats can record keystrokes to steal your social security number, bank account information and credit card numbers, or hijack your modem to dial expensive, pornographic phone numbers.

Adware is a different type of program that lets companies track your online activities and tailor pop-up ads based on your choices.

What are the symptoms of spyware?
If you use the Internet, it’s very likely some form of spyware threats are already at work on your PC. Your computer may be infected if you recognize any of these symptoms:

Sluggish PC performance
An increase in pop-up-ads
Mysterious new toolbars you can’t delete
Unexplained changes to homepage settings
Puzzling search results
Frequent computer crashes

How do spyware threats find Us
Through seemingly harmless tasks spyware threats may attach itself to your computer. These unwanted programs may start watching your actions right away or the programs may wait, triggering covert activities later. Even if you’re careful you can pick up these dangerous, unwanted programs through normal Web activities like:

Sharing music, files or photos with other users
Visiting a media-supported Web site
Opening spam e-mail or an e-mail attachment
Downloading free games, toolbars, media players and other system utilities
Installing mainstream software applications without fully reading license agreements

How can I remove spyware?
Detecting spyware is tough and spyware removal is even more difficult. Even if you think you’ve successfully removed an unwanted program manually, a remaining tickler file can trigger a complete reinstallation the next time you start your PC. And as a survival tactic, malware programs often leave similar traces elsewhere on your system so the game of cat and mouse never ends.
For these reasons, the most effective way to detect and safely remove spyware threats from your system is antispyware software. We have researched hundreds of antispyware products and presented here:Click For Free AntiSpyware Download

The Delights of Online Shopping

2006-12-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season gets into full swing, online shopping really picks up. It's a delightful way to find presents you won't find so easily close to home and you get to avoid the crowds.

Shopping online has many advantages, especially if you're shopping for family and friends who are far away. If you're going to have to ship the presents anyhow, shopping online can save you a trip to a crowded post office and the wait in line. That alone can make shopping online worth it.The challenge can be deciding where to shop. There are all the big names, of course, such as Amazon, but when you want to stand out there are many more great options out there

Comparison shopping is also easier online. You don't have to go all over town to see who has the best price... you can search various sites and figure it out for yourself. No car, no gas, no crowds. You just have to appreciate that.

Store hours, schmore hours! Shop when it's convenient for you! Online stores are open 24/7/365. It doesn't matter what time is convenient to you, the websites are there waiting for you. If you have to shop for your own children it can be much easier to do the shopping online than to try and sneak presents past them.There are, of course, some disadvantages to online shopping too. You need to be certain that the merchant uses your credit card and personal information appropriately. Before you buy anywhere, check the privacy policy and make sure the merchant is using a secure connection for taking your information.You'll also want to check return policies. Returns should be fairly easy .

Online shopping can be a real delight when everything goes smoothly. However, it's not for everyone and it may not always be all that easy.

Online Downloads helps in digital shopping...so make online shopping a delight.