July 12, 2012

Signs Your Computer has a Virus

Computer users always act surprised when they find a computer virus or malicious software on their computer. Computer viruses rarely come out of the blue and usually there are signs and symptoms that there is a computer virus present on the computer.

 

If you know the signs and symptoms of a computer virus you can work to remove it before it causes permanent damage. Here’s a look at the common symptoms of a computer virus.

 

Changed Desktops 

Malware logo Crystal 128. 

Image via Wikipedia

 

If your computer desktop changes without you having made the changes it is a sure sign there is virus on your computer. Changes to desktops can range from new programs being added, deleted programs or even having icons moved around.

 

Computer Speed

 

Computer viruses often effect the speed of your computer. If you notice it is taking unusually long to upload documents, turn the computer on or off, or do normal computer functions it could be a sign there is a computer virus.

 

System Errors or Blue Screen

 

Computer viruses can cause an extreme amount of system errors to occur. If you notice you have a lot of system errors happening when you are using your computer or you experience the blue screen of doom these might be caused by a virus on your computer.

 

By knowing and educating yourself on the signs and symptoms of a computer virus you can avoid the shock and surprise that comes with finding a computer virus on your computer. Conducting regular virus scans can also reduce your surprise and shock from receiving a computer virus because it is caught early.

Dell Streak 7 Review

The Dell Streak 7 is one of many new tablets that have recently been introduced. Featuring the Android operating system, the Streak blends smartphone and tablet functions. If you are looking for something versatile and mobile, the Dell Streak 7 could be right for your needs.

The Dell Streak 7 has a seven inch multi-touch screen for easy viewing and overall mobility. Not only does it include Android 2.2 for its operating system, but the Streak is one of the first tablets to support Adobe Flash. This is a feature rarely seen on an Internet tablet, which will enable you to view websites, emails, and your favorite e-books.

There are plenty of other cool features on the Dell Streak 7 as well. You will find 16 GB of storage on the device. Additionally, the Dell Streak 7 has a five mega-pixel camera which allows for video chat as well as normal video capabilities.

The versatility of the device, as well as its features, makes this a perfect choice for powerful features and mobility. Simply put, you receive the functions found on standard tablets, but with the portability of a smartphone. Casual and business users alike should find it very well.

Consider the Dell Streak 7 for your next computer-related purchase. It is an Internet tablet and smartphone which combines the advantages of each. Powered by the Android operating system and with new features to boot, the Streak deserves serious consideration. This device could certainly replace a couple of your current ones.

Web Hosting in Today’s World

In the Internet dominated commerce scene of the 21st century, it is a very good exercise to expand your business in the computer sphere as well. For doing so, you need the help of a top web hosting service. This service allows you to have your own space on World Wide Web with the help of a Web Host server. This service allows people using the Internet to visit your website and engage in business activities with you. You can host your own website and include all the features that are required by you, but the major deterrent in this technique is that it is rather very expensive and high technical skills are required to maintain the host server. In the light of this information, many people avail the services of other Web hosts which offer the required web space and the features at lower prices. As there are innumerable hosts trying to vie for customers these days, you have to be very careful in choosing the right service provider. It is highly recommended that you use the services of a reputed web host even though it might be a bit more expensive than a local one.

You must assure that your current business needs a dedicated server or not, as this type of server is expensive and similar work can be done over a shared server as well, which is usually a cheaper option. The up-time average of your web host server must be 99.9% as a lesser rate would be detrimental to your business. You should opt for a service provider which offers a money-back policy in case you decide to pull out of a particular venture. A simple practice to find out the credentials of the web host is by comparing the information given to you in the different forms of media like e-mail, telephone and fax. If there are conflicting statements, it is best to steer away from the company. The bandwidth you require for your website is also of prime importance as going in for a greater bandwidth than you actually require can prove be a simple waste of money. For an average business, a bandwidth between 500 MB to 1 GB will be more than enough. Unlimited data transfer at extremely low prices usually is accompanied with some clauses which we often tend to ignore. So you have to be careful while paying for this feature.

A company providing the best web hosting will offer a 24/7 support for your site and it is a good thing to confirm it at the time of contract signing. Moreover, reading web hosting reviews will also help you in choosing the right provider so you must dedicate some time to it before finalizing your deal. The control panel offered for your site must be simple to use for better visitor convenience. The reputation of the service provider must be carefully checked so that you don’t have to suffer later with a bad deal coming your way.

Selecting a New Display Panel

Selecting a New Display Panel

Years ago your options were limited for monitors. They came in a single flavor of CRT or Cathode Ray Tube, were large, cumbersome and heavy and your option was only size. These days’ times have changed. There are hundreds of styles, brands and sizes to choose from. The first step to picking out your monitor is deciding what kind you need. How do you spend most of your time on the computer? Are you mostly using the internet? Using word? Perhaps you have a need for two monitors so that you may have multiple items visible at all times.

To start, we will not be talking about CRTs or Cathode Ray Tube monitors. Nearly all monitors sold today are the LCD type, this means thinner, flatter, lower power consumption and one of the best features is, less strain on your eyes. Most LCD panels give you a choice when it comes to backlighting. The choices are Cold Cathode illumination or LED (Light Emitting Diode) illumination. LED illumination looks very similar but has the advantage of even further power savings thanks to its low power consumption. The next thing to look at is size, anywhere from a standard 15″ LCD to a 30″ widescreen.

Then you need to decide if you would like one, two or even more. The more displays you have the more screen real-estate you have to use, but it also comes at the expense of your physical desk space and you need to ensure that you have the computer to run it. You cannot simply split one connection, so it’s important that you have more than one display outlet to utilize. When selecting a display panel, go to a local store and check them out in person or if ordering online pay close attention to user reviews.

A Poker Success Story

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

He had to beat out more than 7,000 players to win, and in the field were all of the biggest names in poker today. Before this year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, no one had heard of Jonathan Duhamel, but now they have and his life has changed forever. Duhamel was the last man standing at the 2010 huge No-limit Texas Hold-em tournament and went home from Las Vegas with $8.9 million, not bad for a ten thousand dollar buy in.

Jonathan Duhamel is from Quebec, Canada and is only 23 years old. Up until winning the biggest tournament of them all, Duhamel had made about $40,000 playing poker professionally. His decision to put on hold his pursuit of a finance degree in Canada now appears to be a good one.

Duhamel quickly became a folk hero in his native country because of his victory. He is the first Canadian to ever win the WSOP Main Event, earning headlines all across the country. He unfurled the Canadian flag after he clinched his win and stared at the $8.9 million dollars in cash that he had just won, which was spread out on the table in front of him.

Texas Hold-em is a fun game to play at home, even though I obviously cannot afford the stakes that they play for in Vegas. Even a friendly game for a couple of bucks poses a great challenge and is an excellent way to spend time with friends. There is no limit to how many people can play Hold-em, and if necessary you can have several poker tables going at the same time just like they do in Vegas. The usual split when the game is over has 65% of the pot going to the winner, 25% to the person in second place, and 10% to the player who comes in third.

Finding Software for Download

A Chumby downloading new software.
Image via Wikipedia

In the technology age, just about everything runs on software. As such, people are constantly looking for software for download to make work easier, or even just for entertainment. Whatever the reason for downloading software, knowing where to look is always important.

Knowing where to find software for download is almost as important as the software itself. There are many reasons why this is so. Of course, one of the most important reasons is to avoid downloading viruses or other malware. No one wants to download something onto their computer or other device that will cause problems.

Knowing where to find the right software makes the process easy and less time consuming. Otherwise, it takes lots of time searching online for just the right site from which to download what is needed. Once possible sites are located, they still have to be checked to ensure that they are trustworthy.

How to Evaluate Sites Offering Software for Download

Not every site that offers software should be used. While most will be pose no problems, you cannot just assume that downloading software is always safe. Before downloading it is always a good idea to evaluate the site. Some ways to do this include:

  1. Choosing Reputable Sites: There are many sites that are well-known in the industry. They should be the first choice when it comes to downloading programs. Any site offering software that is not recognized should be researched first.
  2. Reading Reviews: Website users sometimes post their reviews and experiences online. Read reviews of companies and the software they are offering before downloading anything they have. This will save you from grief later on if the software does not live up to expectations.

There are lots of different types of software for download available online. With a little patience and care, it is possible to find just want you need for most purposes.

Selecting a Webhost

Tux, as originally drawn by Larry Ewing
Image via Wikipedia

There are many important considerations to look at when selecting a webhost. The first is cost, can your host provide you with everything you need with a price you are content with? Additionally, does your host have adequate space for you? A good way to evaluate this, is what do you intend to do with the hosting space? A simple blog or regular website will not require as much space as if you would like to host video, a large collection of images or other kinds of multimedia content. Some hosts may offer unlimited content, but even if so there is usually a catch. That catch is simply that unlimited means “reasonable usage” traditionally this is around five gigabytes. So be careful and be sure to read the fine print when picking your host.

One of the other things you need to be careful of is bandwidth. Like space bandwidth is often sold in “unlimited” quantities that might not actually be unlimited. So again it is important to read the entire contract and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before signing up. Ideally everyone likes to assume that they will need a ton of bandwidth for their website, because generally speaking this means a ton of visitors. But take a good look at your content and give yourself a realistic estimate of how many visitors you plan to have a month.

Once you have bandwidth and hosting space down you need to evaluate what other services you might need. Do you need Windows or Linux hosting, do you plan on using a Content Management Service or a shopping cart? If so you will probably need an SQL based database for these systems. Pay attentions to how many emails you get with the account, some hosts allow you as many as you want where other will; tend to charge in blocks of 5-10 emails at time.

What is Spyware?

Example of firewall function: Blocking spyware...
Image via Wikipedia

Spyware can be a huge problem these days. Spyware is physically capable of infecting nearly all computers, and so this means that you are at risk regardless of what type of computer you are using or what you are doing on the internet. Users can get spyware unintentionally just by visiting websites linked from search engines that are designed to infect users. Unfortunately there are many different ways that you can unintentionally infect your computer with spyware and other types of malicious software like adware and viruses.

A common tactic that websites use in order to infect your computer with spyware is to tell you that you have won something and that you only need to “click here” to accept. Another such idea might be to create a website dialog that looks like it is coming from your computer, but it will actually be coming from the infecting website, tricking you into launching something harmful for your computer without realizing it. Many websites will even launch pop ups that look like they are scanning your PC for spyware for absolutely free. They tell you that they have found an infection, and if you download their software you can remove the virus or infection, only you end up installing spyware or other malicious software instead.

Aside from obtaining reputable spyware software in order to clean your personal computer up after an infection, one of the best things you can do is simply to make sure that your computer is fully up to date with the latest service packs and hot fixes from the manufacturer of your operating system. Additionally, using third party browsers such as Google’s Chrome or Sea Monkey and Firefox from Mozilla can help keep you and your website more adequately protected from internet predators and their spyware, adware, viruses and other malicious software.

Keeping Up with Technology News

NBC News Washington
Image via Wikipedia

Technology seems to change from day-to-day, so much so that you can feel as though it’s very hard to keep up with what is going on. There are ways you can accomplish this, however, without having to devote a huge amount of time to it. The first step is to find a technology news source that provides accurate information. Even the most current news is going to be no good if it isn’t right. So make sure your technology news source does its homework.

The second step is to realize that you really don’t need to check your technology news source every day. Once or twice a week should be enough, unless you hear about something (from a reliable source, of course) that appears as though it is going to be happening very quickly, and the information applies to you or your business. Then you might want to make more frequent checks. Again, make sure all the information you’re reviewing is accurate.

The third step is deciding whether or not any new technology is really going to make that much of a difference. For example, if the latest technology news involves new “apps” becoming available for cell phones, you want to make sure that it’s one that you and your employees actually need. If you participate in affiliate programs, and a new “app” provides faster access to information on the top affiliate programs, then you definitely want that.

You know what needs you and your company have, and by keeping up with technology news, you probably know ahead of time whether or not the latest happenings are going to have an immediate effect on you, or if you can wait a while before taking advantage of the latest things. When you have chosen a good source, you will have the information you need to make informed decisions.

Content Management Systems

Image representing WordPress as depicted in Cr...
Image via CrunchBase

If you are looking for a website or a blog one of the fastest and easiest way to make this happen is to install a Content Management System on your webhost. There are a variety of Content Management Systems available for you to use. Selecting a Content Management System will depend on its features and how you intend to develop and produce content on the website. Additionally you will need to ensure that your hosting service is compatible with the Content Management System of your choosing. There are two good Content Management Systems to look at are Joomla and WordPress.

WordPress is a great Content Management System. It is designed to be easy to use even for novices. Most webhosts support WordPress out of the box and have turnkey installations so that manual installs are not necessary. There are a variety of plugins available for WordPress making it very adaptable for whatever purpose you have in mind. You can also find a lot of themes available for free to change the look of your WordPress site as well as many inexpensive themes that can be purchased. WordPress is ideal for a blog but has options to allow you to use it as a regular website as well.

Joomla is another Content Management System that while isn’t as novice friendly as WordPress is built in a manner that makes it easy for a developer or programmer to create a site that is not only dynamic but is easy to add content as well, the entire basis of the Content Management System. Joomla has plugins but they are generally called extensions. Additionally Joomla also has themes, which are generally called templates. You can often find the same templates and themes available for both platforms, so if you have both installed you can test drive both Content Management Systems.