Custom Built Technology

iPhone 4S Not as Good as Androids, Says Consumer Reports

2011-11-10T07:31:00.002-07:00

The leading US product critic, Consumer Reports takes a better look on iPhone 4S and found out that it's still not as good as its Android competitions.

In a report released Tuesday, the enhancement made to iPhone 4S scored a higher rating than the iPhone 4, but fall short to outscore the new Android based phones in the market.

But we can never tell unless we take a hold of the iPhone 4S and take it side by side its leading Android rival, the Samsung Galaxy SII.

First up is the operating system. iPhone runs exclusively on iOS5 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, Apple A5. It is equally powerful as the Samsung Galaxy SII's Android Gingerbread Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP GPU, Exynos chipset.

The open source OS of the Galaxy SII, or other Android mobile devices at that, makes it very convenient to customize your preferred application as compared to the Apple iOS5 that is limited to exclusive third party applications.

This makes iPhone 4S different from others. You cannot just add any applications you want for your iPhone 4S unless it's partnered with Apple or purchase it from the App Store. Android applications on the other hand if not free only requires minimal fee and can be downloaded to numerous Android App Markets.

Its physical attributes come next. Though iPhone 4S seems smaller than the Samsung Galaxy in terms of dimension (the iPhone 4S measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm while Samsung Galaxy SII is at 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm), don't you think bigger is better in terms of display when Galaxy SII has 4.3" Super AMOLED plus touchscreen while iPhone 4S only shows 3.5" screen.

It's also good to note that iPhone 4S lacks external storage support, unlike other mobile device with a good internal memory and still is expandable for better file management.

Weight makes iPhone 4S heavier as it hits the scale at 140g while Galaxy SII only weighs 116g as it is made lightweight enclosure. Both phones have the same 8MP rear camera. Apple upgraded the camera's touch focus, geo tagging and face detection, a fron VGA camera, and video recording with image stabilization feature. Samsung goes one notch higher as it brags camera elements of geo tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization plus a 2MP front camera.

But the head to head comparison is a not as good as recent report that confirms Apple iPhone 4S loss over Samsung Galaxy SII being named as the Phone of the Year during the recently concluded Stuff Gadget Awards 2011.

Same thing happened in October 2011 during the T3 Gadget Awards 2011, iPhone 4 lost the title Phone of the Year to Samsung Galaxy SII.

It goes to show that Apple iPhone 4S still has a lot of room for improvement, particularly in catching up the Androids. After all, there's a growing list of Android phones that just waits launching, so Apple better watch out.

Got Virus?

2011-09-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

Do NOT panic!!

This is very important. Having a virus basically means that there is a program on your computer that doesn't belong there. It's this simple, so really there is no need to panic. In fact, a panicking user can be much more dangerous than any virus! Users often cause more damage while attempting to exterminate a virus than the virus itself could ever have caused.

Panic may cause a user to do two very silly things: formatting and using FDisk.

Formatting
You may have overheard rumors according to which there is an infallible method to get rid of a virus, namely formatting. Formatting is a process that effectively removes all data stored on a medium (although that is not its actual purpose), including any virus.
Well, don't fall for this myth. It's not always true. In fact, it may work, but formatting is generally a bad idea for several reasons:

Formatting is in most cases absolutely unnecessary. Most viruses can be removed quite easily.
Formatting and reinstalling the operating system and all applications is time consuming.
Data loss will occur if you forget to back up your data before wiping everything.
Format may remove everything except the virus.

FDisk
Some of you may even have heard about a miraculous tool named Fdisk (generally in connection with so-called "boot sector viruses" or the MBR). The MBR is a small sector on your hard disk that contains a small program and partition information. The truth about Fdisk is that it can be useful, but its use can also result in data loss. If you don't know exactly which virus you are dealing with, Fdisk can be very destructive!! Fdisk is definitely not an anti-virus tool, so don't use it.
So, now that you know what you should not do, here is what you should do:

1. Distinguish between a virus and a "normal" hardware or software problem.

The word "virus" comes to the mind of many users when their computer behaves abnormally. In most cases, however, viruses are not at the root of the problem. Chasing a virus that isn't there is obviously pointless.

The following list contains symptoms that may indicate the presence of a virus. Note that I said "may"! None of these symptoms definitely indicates virus activity!

The system slows down.
The operating system or applications display unusual error messages.
Weird messages pop up (greetings, insults, etc.)
You notice uncommon graphic effects on the screen.
Frequent data loss occurs.
Frequent program crashes. Programs crash often, unfortunately, but if applications begin to crash excessively often, you should become suspicious.
The operating system or regular applications refuse to start.

Finally, the most reliable symptom is: Your virus scanner reports a virus!

(If it turns out not to be a virus, there are thousands of *newsgroups where you can ask for help. Consult the manual or online help of your newsreader to find out how to obtain a list of available newsgroups and how to subscribe to them. While you are at it, you should also carefully peruse Netiquette guidelines and read the FAQ of the newsgroup before posting a question.)

*A short list of helpful newsgroups:

   alt.comp.periphs.* hierarchy
   alt.comp.hardware.overclocking
   microsoft.public.win95.*
   microsoft.public.win98.*
   microsoft.public.windowsme.*
   microsoft.public.win2000.*
   microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.*
   many, many more

2. Identify the virus

If you know that you have a virus because your scanner told you, note down the exact name of the virus. This is important because various kinds of viruses exist and they require different removal methods. Even viruses from the same family may demand different disinfection approaches!

If you haven't run a virus scanner, do it now.

2.1 The virus scanner reports the "Eicar" virus

A virus named "Eicar" does not exist. Your virus scanner has simply stumbled across what is called the Eicar Anti-virus test file. It enables people to test whether their virus scanner is working correctly. Obviously yours does.

The file is harmless and you can delete it. Go to the following web page for more information: http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

2.2 The virus scanner reports the "Bloodhound" virus

A virus named "Bloodhound" does not exist. "Bloodhound" is the name of the heuristic engine of Norton Antivirus (which you are most likely using if you got this message). The heuristic engine is the part of the virus scanner that tries to detect unknown viruses based on a set of rules. The Bloodhound alert indicates that Norton has possibly found an unknown virus. Refer to paragraph 2.3.

2.3 The virus scanner reports an unknown virus

Today's scanners are capable of detecting some unknown viruses (not all of them of course). This technology is called "heuristics" and while it can be very useful, it also tends to produce false alarms. In order to determine whether you are dealing with a real virus or a false alarm, several factors must be taken into consideration:

Is the virus scanner up-to-date?
An "unknown" virus detected by a scanner that is already several months old is very probably not unknown anymore. Update your scanner (both the scanning engine itself and the virus definition files) and scan the file again. A known virus is much easier to deal with than an unknown virus. If it's a false alarm, the scanner manufacturer may already have corrected the problem.
Is the virus scanner too aggressive?
Some scanners enable you to specify the sensitivity level of the heuristic engine. It determines how aggressively the virus scanner searches for unknown viruses. If it's too high, you might be swamped with alerts and it will be difficult to filter out the "serious" alerts. Note that it is NOT a good idea to deem a file to be clean just because it's no longer reported as being infected when you decrease the sensitivity!
Can the supposedly infected file contain virus code?
Heuristics combined with a full scan of all files regardless of their type or extension is rarely a good idea. The scanner will certainly report files as infected although those files cannot even contain viruses (.bmp, .jpg, .wav, etc.).
Beware of double extensions!
(A file can have more than one extension; the last extension always determines the file type but Windows does not show it by default if the file type is known to Windows. This means that a file named hello.txt.exe, for instance, will be displayed as hello.txt. It appears to be a harmless text file although it's in fact an executable program which could contain a virus.)
Is it a legitimate program?
Disk formatting tools and similar types of programs might be reported as infected because they contain potentially dangerous code.

If you simply want to know whether a file is infected, your best option is to send the file to a virus lab. This is a list of email addresses:

Virus lab	email address
CAI (IPE, Vet)	ipevirus@vet.com.au
Eset (NOD32)	samples@nod32.com
F-Secure	samples@f-secure.com
Frisk (F-Prot)	viruslab@f-prot.com
H+BEDV (AntiVir)	virus@antivir.de
Kaspersky Labs (AVP/KAV)	submit-virus@avp.ch
NAI (McAfee)	virus_research@nai.com
Norman	analysis@norman.no
Panda	virus@pandasoftware.es
Sophos	support@sophos.com
Symantec (Norton)	avsubmit@symantec.com
Trend	viruslab@trendmicro.fr

A few notes:

Send the file to as many virus labs as you want, but don't forget to send it to the company that produces the scanner that reports the unknown virus.
Before sending a file, take a look at the web site of the virus lab. There might be more specific instructions. For example, some virus labs want you to submit the file in a password-protected archive.
Do NOT open or run the file until you receive the confirmation that it is clean.
There have been reports of the Symantec virus lab reporting a file as being clean and then revoking this declaration later. So it's maybe a good idea to send the file to another virus lab as well and not trust Symantec too much.

2.4 Different virus scanners disagree on whether a file is infected

Make sure that both scanners are up-to-date. Submit the file to the respective virus labs for analysis if the problem persists after having updated both scanners.

2.5 Different virus scanners find different viruses

Different anti-virus producers may have given the same virus different names (this happens often!). Compare the descriptions of the two viruses in the virus encyclopedias of the scanner producers. You can also search for the virus name in the VGrep database (http://www.virusbtn.com/VGrep). Note that it has not been updated in a while. If the descriptions or names do not match, submit the file for analysis.

2.6 The scanner reports a virus in memory

Many viruses stay active in memory once they have been executed. This enables them to infect other files whenever they are accessed. Since most viruses try to remain undetected to be more successful they can sometimes interfere with your anti-virus program, by somehow bypassing it, or even disabling it. Viruses that hide themselves are called "stealth" viruses. Some of them will even remove themselves from a file before the scanner opens it, and then reinfect that file again after the scanner has examined it! Because of this, it's not a good idea to attempt to clean files while a virus is active in memory. You could easily end up with more infected files. There are a few things you should consider if your scanner finds a virus in memory:

Make sure that there is really a virus in memory. Please note that it is not absolutely necessary to follow the instructions in the next 2 paragraphs. You may safely skip them. They are here only for the sake of completeness; if they confuse you then please ignore them.

You may have a false alarm. One possible (although unlikely) source of false alarms is running two virus scanners in succession. The first one may leave unencrypted virus scan strings (short, harmless sequences of virus code used to detect and identify viruses) in memory, triggering an alert with the second scanner. Note that this is possible, but will only occur with older or badly written scanners, most modern scanners now use more reliable techniques.

To check for a false alarm, exit the anti-virus program and run it again. If you are running a DOS scanner in a DOS box under Windows, close the DOS box, open another instance and run the scanner again. You can also consult the description of the virus in a virus encyclopedia to see whether the virus resides in memory.
If you still have doubts, assume that there is a virus and read on.
Some scanners claim to be able to disinfect viruses in memory, and they may even succeed in doing so, but it is generally highly recommended that you first make sure that there is no virus in memory before you attempt to clean your computer.

The only way to ensure that there are no viruses in memory is to boot from a clean boot disk (usually a floppy disk) and to run a DOS anti-virus scanner from there. It is recommended that you do this in all cases where you suspect a memory resident virus.

To check whether you have a virus in memory that is hiding itself from your (Windows) scanner, you should boot from a clean boot disk and run a DOS scanner. Do this whenever you suspect an active virus infection. It's not necessary if you merely want to scan files you just downloaded or for routine scans.

2.7 The scanner reports multiple infections

In some cases a file can be infected with one virus, and then another virus may infect that resultant file. In this situation (or in any situation where an executable is infected), it is highly recommended to delete the infected file and then restore from a backup.

If it isn't possible to restore the file from a backup, you can certainly try to disinfect these files. However, you should always run another scan if you have disinfected a file with an anti-virus program. This is to ensure your machine has been disinfected and that there are no viruses remaining as a result of this problem.

* You should note that disinfecting files can sometimes cause your machine to become unstable.

3. Gather information

Get to know the enemy. Search for the virus name in a virus encyclopedia. It's always good to know what your virus does and what it does not do. The virus description may also provide removal tips and precious advice which you should heed. If your virus scanner offers the option to disinfect the virus and it does so successfully, you may want to skip this step.

4. Locate the virus

It is generally recommended to replace infected files by clean copies. This means: Delete infected files and reinstall the affected application or restore the infected file from a back up. You do regularly create back-ups of your data, don't you?

So ask your scanner to scan all drives and to create a report file. That file will contain the names of the infected files.

Please note:

If you just received the infected file via email or on a floppy and you have not yet opened it, then you are safe. If it came on a floppy, simply do not open it. If it came via email, delete the message to which the infected file was attached both from the incoming mail folder and from the trash folder. Then let your email application compact/purge folders. Your email program certainly provides a corresponding menu item or compacts folders automatically when you exit the application.
If your on-access scanner reports the virus (the scanner which is constantly monitoring your system in the background), then it will probably deny access to the infected file or message. Disable the scanner first, but do not forget to enable it right after you have deleted the infected item.

5. Remove the virus

If you are able to delete and replace infected files, do it. It's a better option than disinfection, which amounts to separating and deleting the virus code from the infected item. Disinfection may or may not work. There is no guarantee that the virus will be really gone, or that the application will still work correctly afterwards.

Of course, if you can't replace infected files, let the scanner attempt to disinfect them.

Note that for some viruses, it's not enough to simply clean infected files. You may have to delete entries from the registry or delete virus-related files. (The registry is a huge database where Windows and applications store their configuration information. There is a program on your computer named Regedit which allows you to manipulate the registry.) Instructions for manual removal of such viruses exist. Search the web sites of anti-virus producers or ask for them in the newsgroup alt.comp.virus. A virus description (see Step 3) should tell you whether that is necessary.

The virus scanner reports that it can't disinfect an infected file!

There can be 2 reasons why your scanner is unable to disinfect an infected file.

The file is currently in use and is therefore locked. This means that an application is using the infected file, so Windows will not allow you to access it at the same time. In this case you must terminate the application that uses the file and try again. Very often, Windows itself is the culprit. The only solution is to boot to DOS and to use a DOS virus scanner. Wsock32.dll is a famous example of a file that cannot be cleaned by a Windows scanner.
The virus has destroyed the file. Overwriting viruses overwrite part of the file, making it impossible for an anti-virus program to restore the original content. You must delete the file and replace it with a clean copy.

6. Verify that the virus is gone

You think you have successfully exterminated the beast? Good! Nevertheless, you should make sure it's really gone. Some viruses are stubborn and won't refrain from anything to achieve their goal, which is to stay on your computer and to spread to other computers.

Run a virus scanner, better run two virus scanners (make sure they are both up-to-date!) and pray that they don't find anything. You should also scan floppy disks and CD-ROMs. Notify people with whom you have shared data that you had a virus and tell them to watch out. Even a simple email you sent those people while the virus was active is enough of a reason to inform them!

Viewers Top 10 Internet tips and tricks

2011-09-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

You don't need the http:// portion of a web page

When typing an Internet address you do not need to type http:// or even www. in the address. For example, if you wanted to visit Computer Hope you could just type computerhope.com and press enter. To make things even quicker, if you're visiting a .com address you can type custombuilttech and then press Ctrl + Enter to type out the full http://www.custombuilttech.com address.

Quickly move between the fields of a web page

If you're filling out an online form, e-mail, or other text field you can quickly move between each of the fields by pressing the Tab key or Shift + Tab to move back a field. For example, if you're filling out your name and the next field is your e-mail address you can press the Tab key to switch to the e-mail field.

This tip also applies to the buttons, if you press tab and the web developer has designed correctly the button should be selected and will allow you to press the space bar or enter to push the button.

If you have a drop-down box that lists every country or every state you can click that box and then press the letter of the state or country you're looking for. For example, is a drop-down box of States in the United States you could press u on the keyboard to quickly scroll to Utah.

Use Internet search engines to their full potential

Make sure to get the most out of every search result. If you're not finding what you want try surrounding the text in quotes. For example, if you were searching for 'computer help' this actually searches for pages that contain both computer and help and not necessarily pages that have computer and help next to each other. If you search for "computer help" with the quotes around the search query this will only return pages that actually have computer and help next to each other.

Many new computer users also don't realize that in every search box you can press enter instead of having to move the mouse button over to the Search button.

Know your Internet browser shortcuts

There are dozens of different shortcut keys that can be used with Internet browsers. Below are a few of our top suggested Internet browser shortcuts.

- Pressing Alt + D in any major Internet browser will move the cursor into the address bar. This is a great way to quickly enter an Internet address without having to click the mouse cursor in the address bar.
- Hold down the Ctrl key and press the + or - to increase and decrease the size of text.
- Press the backspace key or hold down the Alt key + left arrow to go back a page.
- Press F5 to refresh or reload a web page.
- Press F11 to make the Internet browser screen full screen.
- Press Ctrl + B to open your Internet bookmarks.
- Press Ctrl + F to open the find box in the browser to search for text within the web page you're looking at.

Take advantage of tabbed browsing

Take full advantage of tabbed browsing in all Internet browsers today. While reading any web page if you come across a link you may be interested in open that link in a new tab so it can be viewed later. A new tab can be opened by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the link or if you have a mouse with a wheel click the link with the middle mouse button.

Try alternative browsers

Most computer users use the default browser that comes included with the computer, with Microsoft Windows this is Internet Explorer. There are several great alternative browsers that are all free to download and use and may have features your current browser does not include.

Install plugins and add-ons

Each of the above alternative browsers also have a large community of volunteers who develop add-ons and plugins that can be added into the browser. Each of these browsers have hundreds of thousands of these add-ons that can do such things as giving you live weather in your browser window, changing its color, and adding additional functionality.

Make sure your browser and its plugins are up-to-date

Each Internet browser can have several additional plugins that give it additional functionality. For example,Adobe Flash is a great way to bring movies and other animated content to the Internet. Keeping these plugins up-to-date is vital for your computer stability and also security. Using the below tool you can quickly verify if your plugins are up-to-date and get links to where to download the latest updates.

Free online lectures and courses

2011-09-19T10:37:00.003-07:00

Today, there are hundreds of free online lectures available in almost any conceivable topic. Visit Academic Earth, KHANACADEMY, and Lecturefox to get instant access to thousands of free online lectures and courses, many of them from the top Colleges in the world.

Cleaning your computer

2011-09-19T10:32:00.003-07:00

General cleaning Tips

Below is a listing of general tips that should be taken when cleaning any of the components or peripherals of a computer as well as tips to help keep a computer clean.

Never spray or squirt any liquid onto any computer component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use that cloth to rub down the component.
You can use a vacuum to suck up dirt, dust, or hair around the computer on the outside case. However, do not use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it generates a lot of static electricity that can damage the internal components of your computer. If you need to use a vacuum to clean the inside of your computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum designed to do this job or try using compressed air.
When cleaning a component or the computer, turn it off before cleaning.
Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some individuals may have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can even damage the case. Try to always use water or a highly diluted solvent.
When cleaning, be careful not to accidentally adjust any knobs or controls. In addition, when cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is plugged in, make sure not to disconnect any of the plugs.
When cleaning fans, especially the smaller fans within a portable computer or laptop it's suggested that you either hold the fan or place something in-between the fan blades to prevent it from spinning. Spraying compressed air into a fan or cleaning a fan with a vacuum may cause damage or back voltage to be generated.
Never eat or drink around the computer.
Limit smoking around the computer.

Cleaning tools

Although many companies have created products to help improve the process of cleaning your computer and peripherals, users can also use household items to clean their computers and peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need or want to use while cleaning your computer or computer peripherals.

Keep in mind that some components in your computer may only be able to be cleaned using a product designed for cleaning that component; if this is the case, it will be mentioned in the cleaning tips.

Cloth - A cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down a component; although paper towels can be used with most hardware, we recommend using a cloth when ever possible. Caution: We only suggest you use a cloth when cleaning components such as the outside of the case, a drive, mouse, etc. You should not use a cloth to clean any circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard since they can generate ESD that can damage electronics.
Water or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may be bad for the plastics used with your computer.
Portable Vacuum - Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette particles, and other particles out of a computer can be one of the best methods of cleaning a computer. Over time, these items can restrict the airflow in a computer and cause circuitry to corrode. Do not use a standard vacuum as it can generate a lot of static electricity that can damage your computer.
Cotton swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations.
Foam swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free swabs such as foam swabs.

Case cleaning

Why? Keeps the appearance of the computer looking new. During cleaning, if ventilation locations are found, these can be cleaned helping the case keep a steady airflow to the computer, keeping components cool and in good working condition.

Procedure: The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint-free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. It is recommended that you never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.

Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer; however, if you need to clean the inside of the computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum to prevent static electricity.

CD-ROM, DVD, and other disc drive cleaning

Why? A dirty CD-ROM drive or other disc drives can cause read errors when reading discs. These read errors could cause software installation issues or issues while running the program.

Procedure: To clean the CD-ROM drive we recommend purchasing a CD-ROM cleaner from your local retailer such as a local Radio Shack. Using a CD-ROM cleaner should sufficiently clean the CD-ROM laser from dust, dirt, and hair.

In addition to cleaning the drive with a special disc designed to clean drives users can also use a cloth dampened with water to clean the tray that ejects from the drive. Make sure however that after the tray has been cleaned that it completely dry before putting the tray back into the drive.

CD and DVD disc cleaning

Why? Dirty CDs can cause read errors or cause CDs to not work at all.

Procedure: Cleaning CDs and DVDs should be done with a cleaning kit but can also be done with a normal clean cotton cloth or shirt. When doing this with a clean cotton cloth or shirt, wipe against the tracks, starting from the middle of the CD or DVD and wiping towards the outer side as shown in the below picture. Never wipe with the tracks; doing so may put more scratches on the disc.

It is recommended when cleaning a CD that water is used. However, if the substance on a CD cannot be removed using water, pure alcohol can also be used.

Additional help: CD-ROM Page

Hard disk drive cleaning

Why? While hard drives cannot be cleaned physically, they can be cleaned with various utilities on the computer to help it run fast and more efficiently. Utilizing these utilities will prevent the hard drive from slowing down.

Procedure: Refer to our basic troubleshooting section for your operating system for steps that can be done to help improve the performance of your computer.

Headphones cleaning

Why? Headphones that are used by multiple people may need to be cleaned frequently to help prevent the spreading of germs and head lice.

Procedure: If the headphones being used are plastic or vinyl, moisten a cloth with warm water and rub the head and earpieces of the headphones. As mentioned earlier in our cleaning tips, it is recommended that if your headphones are being used for a library or school that you do not use any disinfectant or cleaning solvent as users may have allergic reactions to the chemicals they contain.

Headphones that have cushions also have the availability of having the cushions replaced. Replacing these cushions can also help keep the headphones clean.

Finally, in regards to headphones and the spreading of head lice, if multiple students are using your headphones, you should consider having the students use their own headphones, using bags that are placed over the headphones, or having headphones that can be wiped with warm water after each student has used the headphones.

Keyboard cleaning

The below steps are for cleaning a standard desktop keyboard. See the cleaning a laptop keyboard page for steps if you have a laptop.

Dust, dirt, and bacteria

The computer keyboard is often the most germ infected items in your home or office, often it will contain more bacteria than your toilet seat. Cleaning it can help remove any dangerous bacteria. Dirt, dust and hair can also build up causing the keyboard to not function properly.

Procedure: Before cleaning the keyboard first turn off the computer or if you're using a USB keyboard unplug it. Not unplugging the keyboard can result in causing other computer problems as you may press keys that cause the computer to perform a task you don't want it to do.

Many people clean the keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking. A more effective method is to use compressed air. Compressed air is pressurized air contained in a can with a very long nozzle. aim the air between the keys and blow away all of the dust and debris that has gathered there. A vacuum cleaner can also be used, but make sure the keyboard doesn't have loose "pop off" keys that could possibly be sucked up by the vacuum.

If you wish to clean the keyboard more extensively you'll need to remove the keys from the keyboard.

After the dust, dirt, and hair has been removed. Spray a disinfectant onto a cloth or use disinfectant cloths and rub each of the keys on the keyboard. As mentioned in our general cleaning tips, never spray any liquid onto the keyboard.

Substance spilt into the keyboard

If the keyboard has anything spilt into it (e.g. pop, cola, Pepsi, Coke, beer, wine, coffee, milk, etc.), not taking the proper steps can cause the keyboard to be destroyed.

Procedure: Below are a few recommendations to help prevent a keyboard from becoming bad once a substance has been spilt within it.

If anything is spilt onto the keyboard turn the computer off immediately or at the very least disconnect it from the computer. Once done quickly flip the keyboard over helping to prevent the substance from penetrating circuits. While the keyboard is upside down, shake the keyboard over a surface that can be cleaned later. While still upside down, use a cloth to help clean out what can be reached. After cleaned to the best of your ability leave the keyboard upside down for at least one night allowing it to dry. Once dry, continue cleaning the keyboard with any remaining substance.

If after cleaning the keyboard you have keys that stick remove the keys and clean below the keys and the bottom portion of the key.

Finally, if the keyboard still works but remains dirty or sticky before discarding the keyboard as a last resort try washing the keyboard in the dishwasher.

If after doing all the above steps the keyboard does not function properly or at all it's recommended you buy a new keyboard.

LCD cleaning

Why? Dirt, dust, and finger prints can cause the computer screen to be difficult to read.

Procedure: Unlike a computer monitor, the LCD / flat-panel display is not made of glass, therefore requires special cleaning procedures.

When cleaning the LCD screen it is important to remember to not spray any liquids onto the LCD directly, press gently while cleaning, and do not use a paper towel as it may cause the LCD to become scratched.

To clean the LCD screen we recommend that you use a non-rugged microfiber cloth, soft cotton cloth, or Swiffer duster. If a dry cloth does not completely clean the screen, you can apply rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe the screen with the damp cloth. Rubbing alcohol is used to clean the LCD before it leaves the factory.

Additional help: LCD help

Monitor cleaning

Why? Dirt, dust, and fingerprints can cause the computer screen to be difficult to read.

Procedure: The glass monitor screen can be cleaned with ordinary household glass cleaner*. Be sure to remove power from the monitor and spray the cleaner onto a lint free-cloth so the fluid doesn't leak into the electrical components inside the monitor. Vacuum off any dust that has settled on top of the monitor, and make sure no books or papers have been placed on the air vents. Obstructed monitor vents can cause the monitor to overheat or even catch on fire.

We suggest using a cloth dampened with water when cleaning monitor on a screen that is not made of glass or has any anti-glare protection on the screen. Using ordinary household glass cleaner on special screens, especially cleaners with ammonia can remove anti-glare protection or other special surfaces.

Other good cleaning solutions

Microfiber Towels
Swiffer Dusters

Motherboard cleaning

Why? Dust and especially particles of cigarette smoke can build up and corrode circuitry causing various problems such as computer lockups

When inside the computer take the necessary ESD precautions and try to avoid unplugging any cables or other connections.

Procedure: Our recommendation when cleaning the motherboard from dust, dirt, or hair is to use compressed air. When using compressed air, hold it in the up-right position; otherwise, it is possible chemicals may come out of the container that could damage or corrode the Motherboard or other component within the computer. Also, ensure when using compressed air that you always blow the dust or dirt away from the motherboard, or out of the case.

Another good alternative to compressed air is to use a portable battery powered vacuum that can effectively remove the dust, dirt, and hair from the motherboard completely and prevent it from getting trapped within the case. However, do not use a standard electricity powered vacuum as it can cause a lot of static electricity that can damage the computer. When using the vacuum it is vital that you stay a couple inches away from the motherboard and all other components to help prevent contact as well as to help prevent anything from being sucked into the vacuum. Ensure that you do not remove any small components with the vacuum such as jumpers.

When cleaning the inside of the case also look at any fans or heat sinks. Dust, dirt, and hair collects around these components the most.

Mouse cleaning

Why? A dirty optical-mechanical mouse (mouse with a ball) can cause the mouse to be difficult to move as well as cause strange mouse movement.

Procedure: To clean the rollers of an optical-mechanical mouse, you must first remove the bottom cover of the mouse. To do this, examine the bottom of the mouse to see what direction the mouse cover should be rotated. As you can see in the below illustration, the mouse cover must be moved counter clockwise. Place two fingers on the mouse cover and push the direction of the arrows.

Once the cover has rotated about an inch, rotate the mouse into its normal position, covering the bottom of the mouse with one hand and the bottom should fall off including the mouse ball. If this does not occur, attempt to shake the mouse gently.

Once the bottom cover and the ball are removed, you should be able to see three rollers located within the mouse. Use a cotton swab, finger, or fingernail to remove any substance. Usually, there will be a small line of hair and dirt in the middle of the roller, remove as much as this substance as possible.

Once you have removed as much dirt and hair as possible, place the ball back within the mouse and place the cover back on.

If the mouse still appears to be having the same issue, repeat the above process; if after several attempts the mouse is still having the same issues, it's likely that your mouse has other hardware issues and we recommend that it be replaced.

Note: Cleaning your mouse pad with a damp cloth can also help improve a computer's mouse movement.

Why? To help keep a mouse clean and germ free it can be helpful to clean the mouse.

Procedure: Use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol or warm water and rub the surface of the mouse and each of its buttons.

Printer cleaning

Why? Cleaning the outside of a printer can help keep the printer's appearance looking good; and in the case of a printer that is used by many different people, keep the printer clean of germs.

Procedure: First, make sure to turn off the printer before cleaning it. Dampen a cloth with water or rubbing alcohol and wipe the case and each of the buttons or knobs on the printer. As mentioned earlier, never spray any liquid directly onto the printer.

Why? With some printers it may be necessary to clean the inside of the printer to help keep the printer running smoothly.

Procedure: Because of how many different printers there are, steps in cleaning printers, and printer manufacturer policies on cleaning the inside of the printer, we recommend you obtain the printer cleaning steps from your printer manufacturer.

Scanner cleaning

Why? Flatbed scanners commonly become dirty with dust, fingerprints, and hair. When a scanner is dirty, the images may have distortions.

Procedure: Clean a flatbed scanner's surface by spraying a window cleaner onto a paper towel or cotton cloth and wipe the glass until clean. As mentioned earlier, never spray a liquid directly onto the component.

To clean the outside of the scanner, the same towel or cotton cloth can be used.

Miscellaneous cleaning steps

Below are a listing of miscellaneous computer hardware that is rarely used today, but kept on this page for the few people who are working on older computers and need to clean these devices.

Floppy drive cleaning

Why? Dirty read/write heads on the floppy drive can cause errors during the reading or writing process.

Procedures: The floppy drive can be cleaned two different ways. The first method of cleaning a floppy drive, and our recommended method, is to purchase a kit at your local retail store designed to clean the read/write heads on your floppy drive.

The second method of cleaning the floppy drive is only recommended for experienced computer users. Open the floppy drive casing and physically swab the read/write heads with a lint-free foam swab soaked in pure alcohol, free-on, or trichloroethane. When performing these steps, be extremely careful when cleaning the heads to ensure that you do not lock them out of alignment causing the floppy drive to not work. To help prevent the heads from becoming out of alignment, use a dabbing motion lightly putting the swab on the head and removing it, do not perform a side-to-side motion with the swab.

Palm pilot cleaning

Why? Dirty touch screens can cause difficult navigation.

Procedure: To clean the Palm Pilot Screen, use a soft cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol and rub the screen and the casing of the palm pilot. It is not recommended to use glass cleaner as it could damage plastics over time.

Top 10 keyboard shortcuts everyone should know

2011-09-19T10:17:00.001-07:00

Using keyboard shortcuts can greatly increase your productivity, reduce repetitive strain, and help keep you focused. For example, highlighting text with the keyboard and pressing Ctrl + C is much faster than taking your hand from the keyboard, highlighting the text using the mouse, clicking copy from the file menu, and then putting your hand back in place on the keyboard. Below are our top 10 keyboard shortcuts we recommend everyone memorize and use.

Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert

Copy the highlighted text or selected item.

Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert

Paste the text or object that's in the clipboard.

Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y

Undo any change. For example, if you cut text, pressing this will undo it. This can also often be pressed multiple times to undo multiple changes. Pressing Ctrl + Y would redo the undo.

Ctrl + F

Open the Find in any program. This includes your Internet browser to find text on the current page.

Alt + Tab or Alt + Esc

Quickly switch between open programs moving forward.

Press Ctrl + Tab to switch between tabs in a program.

Adding the Shift key to Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab will move backwards. For example, if you are pressing Alt + Tab and pass the program you want to switch to, press Alt + Shift + Tab to move backwards to that program.

Windows Vista and 7 users can also press the Windows Key + Tab to switch through open programs in a full screenshot of the Window.

Ctrl + Back space

Pressing Ctrl + Backspace will delete a full word at a time instead of a single character.

Ctrl + Left arrow / Right arrow

Move the cursor one word at a time instead of one character at a time. If you wanted to highlight one word at a time you can hold down Ctrl + Shift and then press the left or right arrow key to move one word at a time in that direction while highlighting each word.

Ctrl + Home / End

Move the cursor to the beginning or end of a document.

Ctrl + P

Print the page being viewed. For example, the document in Microsoft Word or the web page in your Internet browser.

Page Up / Space bar and Page Down

Pressing either the page up or page down key will move that page one page at a time in that direction. When browsing the Internet pressing the space bar will also move the page down one page at a time. If you press Shift and the Space bar the page will go up a page at a time.

How to earn and make money by Bloggiing

2011-09-15T17:22:00.001-07:00

This post I dedicated for you who are a begginer in Blogging. Well, a few months ago I remember the day since I started to build a blog I have asked my self with a question "Will I get money by doing blogging?". Anyway, I heard some of people has done well and they got an earnings from their blogs. Even though at the first time I wasn't quite sure I could do the same things to be successful in blogging like them, I have thought my english is not really good (English is not my common language) I even can't write well an article post..hehe :D, but I keep blogging because I know I have passion and spirit to build a blog and I love it!

For me and maybe many others bloggers has thoughts that to build and to be a successful blogger isn't something that we can get instantly just in one night or in a few days. A blog is to build with focus-mind, effort and energy, it the same as like you build a high-building. But you have to be fun and love with it and enjoy it. Because when you love on what you are doing, you will also attract everything you like. You will see there's many visitors will comes to you, then the money will follows :)

Well, there's so many ways you can find to make and earn money by blogging. Some of them are becoming an ads publisher by using Google Adsense (or another adsense services), affiliate programs, sell E-books, Amazon, and many others. However the most common way used by many bloggers in the world are using Google Adsense to monotize their blog to earn money, as you can see in this blog (Custom Built Technology Blog) that until now this post is written almost 100% earnings comes from Google Adsense. If you haven't already Google Adsense account yet, you can easy to register yourself here for free and start earning from blogging. All the payment will be transfered by Google to your account.

Please note that above all, it's better for you to focus on your content rather than earnings. Because Blogging is about to attract/help visitors or readers and make them enjoy to read your blog. Keep posting regulary and be patient, as long as you do Blogging with passion and loving it, you'll be succeed in the future. It is only a matter with time.

How to Make / Create Facebook Like Button in post to Blogger

2011-09-15T17:12:00.001-07:00

Today, everyone is on facebook. The biggest social network, someone said if Facebook is a country it has to be the 3rd largerst population in the world after China and India, That's Amazing right? and now, we are about going to learn how to make/create Facebook Like button in your post. This is very important for your Blog because social network is vey powerful today to promote your Blog.

Okay, just Follow the steps below:

1. Go to Dashborad > Design/Layout > Edit HTML
2. Download Full template first before you create this trick to back up
3. Tick the Expand Widget Templates check box
4. Find the following code in your HTML, this is the code for your post content:

5. Paste the Facebook button code immediately below (after) it.

How to Make [Auto] Read More Blogspot | Blogger

2011-09-15T14:42:00.021-07:00

Hello Blogger, I bet You always see "read more button" in every post, or Auto Blogger read more link. when you're make an article that you wanna post into your Blog and you wanna make that simple so, you should create read more button or [auto] Blogger Read More Link that make your blog easy to load in the search engine Google. that's means your potencial to ranked by Google in the first page. But now we'll gonna make auto Blogger Read More Link to your post. This is different from the conventional read more button because you gonna make it simple with the first image thumbnail on your Blog. I call it Auto read more blogger link.

take a look the pic below:

Conventional read More VS Auto Read More

Follow, these Steps:
1. Login to your Blogger account
2. Go to Dashboard > Design > Edit HTML
3. Back up the template with full download template
4. Check the Expand Widget Templates check box on top right of the HTML window
5. In the code window, look for </head> line.

6. Add the Read More button code below right after that line

<br /> <script type='text/javascript'><br /> var thumbnail_mode = "yes"; //yes -with thumbnail, no -no thumbnail<br /> summary_noimg = 430; //summary length when no image<br /> summary_img = 340; //summary length when with image<br /> img_thumb_height = 200;<br /> img_thumb_width = 200;<br /> </script><br /> <script type='text/javascript'><br /> //<![CDATA[<br /> function removeHtmlTag(strx,chop){ <br />  if(strx.indexOf("<")!=-1)<br />  {<br />   var s = strx.split("<"); <br />   for(var i=0;i<s.length;i++){ <br />    if(s[i].indexOf(">")!=-1){ <br />     s[i] = s[i].substring(s[i].indexOf(">")+1,s[i].length); <br />    } <br />   } <br />   strx =  s.join(""); <br />  }<br />  chop = (chop < strx.length-1) ? chop : strx.length-2; <br />  while(strx.charAt(chop-1)!=' ' && strx.indexOf(' ',chop)!=-1) chop++; <br />  strx = strx.substring(0,chop-1); <br />  return strx+'...'; <br /> }<br /> <br /> function createSummaryAndThumb(pID){<br />  var div = document.getElementById(pID);<br />  var imgtag = "";<br />  var img = div.getElementsByTagName("img");<br />  var summ = summary_noimg;<br />         if(thumbnail_mode == "yes") {<br />  if(img.length>=1) { <br />   imgtag = '<span style="float:left; padding:0px 10px 5px 0px;"><img src="'+img[0].src+'" width="'+img_thumb_width+'px" height="'+img_thumb_height+'px"/></span>';<br />   summ = summary_img;<br />  }<br />  }<br />  var summary = imgtag + '<div>' + removeHtmlTag(div.innerHTML,summ) + '</div>';<br />  div.innerHTML = summary;<br /> }<br /> //]]><br /> </script><br />

7. After that, find this line: <data:post.body/>

8. Replace the line with this code:

9. Preview, if it works then save template
10. Enjoy!

Now you have auto read more button or I call it [Auto] Blogger Read More Link
If you love this post. Please share this read more button post or give it comment below, thanks! :)

Display (Floating) Pop Up Ads Widget for Blogger

2011-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

For you who are an adsense publisher then you want to display pop up ads format, you are in the right place now. Because this tutorial will show you how to create keeping getting pop ads on your blog. Having pop up ads is very useful because these ads will appear several times, then this is very potential to clicked by a readers.

Anyway, here's the tutorial:

1. Login to your Blogger account
2. From Dashboard > Design > Page Elements
3. Click 'Add a Gadget'
4. Choose 'HTML/Java Script'
5. Copy Paste the code below to the box Widget

<style>
#topbar {
height:30px;
width:auto;
background: #005094
background-repeat:repeat-x;
text-align:left;
padding-top:0px;
}
#adsground {
height:auto;
margin:0 auto;
width: 300px;
background:#fff;
border-bottom:0px #005094 solid;
border-right:0px #005094 solid;
border-left:0px #005094 solid;
text-align:Center;
padding:0px;
}

#headlineatas {
opacity:1.0;
height:auto;
width:auto;
position:fixed;
top:250px;
left:180px;
border-bottom:1px #005094 solid;
border-bottom:0px blue solid;
color:#333;
padding:0px;
z-index:1001;
font-size:13px;}
</style>
<script type="text/javascript">
function getValue()
{
document.getElementById("headlineatas").style.display = 'none';
}
</script>
<div id="headlineatas">
<div id="topbar">
<span style="color:#fff;font-size:13px;font-weight:bold;text-shadow:black 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em">Custom Built Technolgy</span>
<span style="color:#fff;font-size:13px;font-weight:bold;text-shadow:black 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em;float:right;padding-top:3px;padding-right:10px"><a href="http://custombuilttech.blogspot.com" target="_blank" onclick="getValue()">close</a></span>
</div>
<div id="adsground">
<h3>Sponsor Ads </h3>
<p align="left"><h3></h3></p>
<p>

<script src="http://custombuilttech.com" type="text/javascript"></script>

<br/></p></div></div>

6. Save Widget

Replace the Adsense Script with yours (on the red line)

Things that will improve the next iPod

2011-09-14T18:20:00.003-07:00

Apple's iPod Touch can't get much thinner. Is there still room for improvement?

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

OK, let's cut to the chase, folks. Apple's rumored October event is around the corner, and we're all expecting an iPhone 5 and a new crop of iPods, right?

Now, it's no mistake that I gave iPods second billing in that sentence. The iPod line doesn't print money for Apple the way it once did, especially now that the iPad and iPhone have entered the spotlight. Still, the iPod Touch continues to sell well as the often overlooked third pillar of iOS.

Apple needs to do more to bolster its star iPod, but what more can it do to improve the iPod Touch and keep it selling in spite of the allure of its higher-profile siblings? So let's put on the thinking cap, break out the crystal ball, and try to piece together the future for the iPod Touch.

Make it thinner
Gadgets can never be too thin, right? This is especially true for any iPod, which must fight desperately for pocket real estate in today's world of gigantic smartphones.

The problem is that its current 0.28-inch depth is already barely adequate for fitting today's standard headphone minijack.

Apple could give it a wedge shape, like the Macbook Air, keeping ports on the fat end and thinning to a blade at the other. Or, it could go without the headphone jack altogether and create a boon for the Bluetooth headphone market.

Regardless, thinness alone is not going to make the iPod Touch a holiday must-have. Apple must have something else up its sleeve.

The headphone jack on the 2010 iPod Touch takes up nearly the entire width of the device.

(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)

Make it white
I want to laugh, but sadly, this is probably true. Now that there's a white iPad and a white iPhone, you can bet there will be a white iPod Touch. How about a gold one to mark the iPod's 10-year anniversary? No? Too much? Yeah, probably.

Make it 3G
I've been over this one before (exhaustively). An iPod Touch with the iPad's no-contract 3G cellular service would shake up the mobile industry and give antisocial misfits like me a way to text, tweet, and e-mail without the whole awkward voice calling thing.

Unfortunately, there are reasons to believe a 3G iPod Touch won't happen. For one, it would cannibalize iPhone sales. Two, carriers might not support the device if it presents too much of a threat to their business. And finally, the 3G hardware would bloat the design and the price.

If there's a reason Apple is keeping the iPad's 3G capability out of the iPod Touch, it's just as much a political concern as a practical one.

(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)

Better cameras
I really hope this one is true. The exceptional photo quality of the iPhone has always been part of the secret sauce that's made it such a hit. Unfortunately, the iPod Touch uses an entirely different sensor and the results are less than spectacular.

Rumor had it that the iPod's thinner design made it impossible to fit the iPhone 4's camera sensor. Perhaps technology has advanced sufficiently enough over the past year to solve the problem.

Faster processor
While we're collecting all the low-hanging fruit, let's assume Apple will upgrade the iPod's processor to at least be on par with the iPad 2's dual-core A5 chip. With any luck, more power will translate into faster performance, and smoother gaming.

Glasses-free 3D screen
Lord, let's hope not. You're better than that, Apple. Let's not resort to gimmicks. Plus, remember that whole lawsuit about iPods making people deaf. Imagine the lawsuit in store for Apple when parents are convinced the iPod's 3D screen is melting their kids' eyeballs.

Price drop
Right now, a $399 iPod Touch (64GB) is just $100 away from a 16GB iPad. That math seems off. Make the base 8GB model $149 (kill off the Nano while you're at it, or take it down to $99) and you'll make Nintendo weep as kids unwrap their iPod Touch from Santa and pour money into your App Store and iTunes store.

Lose the dock connection
Apple has already made it perfectly clear that the new version of iOS allows you to activate and sync devices without physically connecting to a computer. It calls the feature PC Free, and the icon shows a pair of scissors cutting away the dock cable. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to put this one together.

The dock's days are numbered.

(Credit: CNET)

Users can sync their media and contacts via iCloud, and continue to download new content through the mobile iTunes and App stores. You can stream content via Bluetooth or AirPlay. The world becomes wireless, and Apple gets to brag about pushing you into the future.

You still have the problem of charging, but I'm sure Apple could whip up some MagSafe style connection from its MacBook line or go with some newfangled inductive charging system.

What's the payoff for Apple? Well, aside from preserving its legacy of pushing the envelope, it gets to extract one less component from the guts of the device, giving it room to make it thinner. Add this to the theory about it ditching the headphone jack and you could really start making an obscenely thin device.

Apple will also benefit from the flock of third-party accessory developers who will need to create new solutions for charging and streaming media from these connection-free devices. That means a lot of AirPlay licenses, as well as whatever proprietary charging standard it comes up with.

Bigger screen
If Apple really wants to differentiate the iPod Touch from the iPhone, why not give the thing a bigger screen? Make it the Goldilocks device between the iPhone and the iPad.

A 5-inch screen like the Dell Streak's would be really interesting. It's still small enough to fit in your pocket, but the added screen real estate is a great match for games, video, and e-books (sorry, iBooks).

Final thoughts
Some of these ideas will undoubtedly filter into the iPod Touch we see next month. A few probably won't emerge until next year, and some may never happen at all.

In my experience covering Apple announcements over the past four years, these things are always a mix of surprise and disappointment. Inevitably, Apple gives with one hand and takes with the other, always leaving you wanting more but still reaching for your wallet.

If Apple is in top form this fall, I suspect the new iPod Touch will be yet another beautiful, flawed, but nonetheless drool-worthy gadget for us all to rant and rave over for another year.

written by: Donald Bell

Video Of The Day

2011-09-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

A friends sent me this video of a man trapped under a burning car. It's amazing what the american people can pull together and get done when they want.

Xbox Live functionality for Windows 8

2011-09-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

Microsoft today re-confirmed that it will be bringing Xbox Live functionality to PCs -- a move that will come courtesy of the newly showcased Windows 8. The integration -- titled, simply enough, Xbox Live on Windows -- will bring the service's gaming, music, movie and TV content to Win 8 devices. The software giant promises to shed more light on the move later in the week, with a Build 2011 session for app developers interested in harnessing the service's features.

Major Nelson, Channel9

AT&T announces Window Phone Lineup

2011-09-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. This morning AT&T took the wraps off their expanded phone lineup that will feature the next release of Windows Phone, code-named Mango. They also announced they will be among the first carriers to start updating existing AT&T Windows Phones with the Mango release this fall.
AT&T said they will carry three brand new Windows Phones this year including the HTC TITAN, the Samsung Focus™ S and the Samsung Focus™ Flash.

The HTC TITAN was unveiled to the world last week as a global phone and we are excited to share that that an exclusive version of this device will make its way to the U.S. at AT&T. If you missed the post on the TITAN last week go check it out. It features a giant 4.7-inch display which makes movies, music and gaming incredible. It also includes front and rear facing cameras for video chats with friends and family. The AT&T version will be unique, but we’ll have to keep you in suspense for a while longer on what it looks like and final specs.
The Samsung Focus™ S takes the success of the original Focus to the next level with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, a 1.4 GHz processor, 4G speeds and a super thin profile. It also includes front and rear facing cameras to capture a moment or connect with friends.
The third phone in the lineup is the Samsung Focus™ Flash. The Focus Flash is a great pocket phone with a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, but still packs a speedy 1.4 GHz processor. This phone is great for people looking for a high performance phone at a value packed price.

Microsoft blacklists more DigiNotar certificates

2011-09-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Microsoft and Adobe released security fixes today, and Microsoft blacklisted six more root certificates in the wake of a breach at DigiNotar that allowed fraudulent SSL certificates to be issued.

As part of its monthly Patch Tuesday, Microsoft released five security bulletins, none of which are critical, plugging 15 holes. Affected software includes Windows, Office, Excel, SharePoint, Windows Server and Office Web Apps.

More details are in the advisory, which Microsoft had accidentally posted online four days early before removing it to save it for today.

Meanwhile, Microsoft revoked certificates signed by two certificate authorities, Entrust and Cybertrust, which had issued certificates on behalf of DigiNotar. DigiNotar was hacked and more than 500 SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates were fraudulently issued, including one that was used in an attack involving spoofing Google.com to snoop on Gmail of users in Iran.

Microsoft, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Adobe and Apple now blacklist the certificates.

Meanwhile, Adobe today issued fixes for critical vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could allow an attacker to take control of the computer. More details are in the Adobe advisory.

The best 11-inch ultraportable laptops

2011-09-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

By: Dan Ackerman

(Credit: HP)

When the history of laptops in 2011 is written, it will be said that this was the year of the ultraportable (not to be confused with the Ultrabook). We've seen more 11.6-inch laptops than ever before, along with a handful of 12.1-inch and 12.5-inch alternatives.

The latest news on this front is HP's announcement of an updated version of the Pavilion dm1, the very first 11-inch ultraportable we reviewed this year. That new version of an old favorite is getting some design tweaks and more CPU options, and we look forward to checking it out later this fall.

The rest of the 11-inch lineup isn't bad, either (well, most of it, anyway). The majority of these systems use AMD's E-350 CPU to create a laptop significantly more powerful than a Netbook, and slightly more expensive, from $400 to $600. We've also seen a handful of Intel Core i3 variations, but those tend to be at the higher end of the price scale (or completely out in left field, as in the case of the 11-inch MacBook Air).

Below you'll find a quick roundup of some of the best ultraportables of this year, along with a few high-profile near-misses. We're still partial to the HP dm1z, for doing it right early on in 2011, but other systems, such as the MacBook Air and Samsung Series 3, also have their fans.

Samsung Series 3 (11.6-inch)
As a less-expensive version of the snazzy Series 9 (or Samsung's just-announced Series 7 laptops), the Series 3 fills a need for an 11-inch ultraportable that has a sharp design, and also breaks the typical 11-inch AMD E-350 mold. Instead the Series 3 uses an Intel Core i3 processor, but can otherwise be seen as competing with systems such as the Lenovo IdeaPad S205 and HP Pavilion dm1z.

Lenovo IdeaPad S205
Combining AMD's excellent ultraportable Fusion platform with Lenovo's consumer-friendly IdeaPad designs, the S205 is a solid, if unexciting, 11-inch laptop ideal for on-the-go Web surfing.
Read the full review.

Apple MacBook Air (11-inch, Summer 2011)
This year's 11-inch MacBook Air improves on last year's model in several significant ways and is by far the fastest ultraportable you're likely to find, though some users will consider the limited flash storage space to be a hindrance.
Read the full review.

Acer Aspire One 722-BZ608
The Acer Aspire One 722-BZ608 is a budget-priced 11-inch laptop that's more powerful than a Netbook, but not as fast as some higher-priced 11-inch alternatives. Better options are out there for a little more money.
Read the full review.

Samsung Series 9 NP900X1A
The smaller, 11.6-inch version of Samsung's excellent Series 9 laptop is thin and light, and has a few features the MacBook Air lacks, but it's more expensive and doesn't trump the competition where it counts.
Read the full review.

Sony Vaio VPC-YB15KX/S
The Vaio YB is similar to HP's Pavilion dm1, but adds more RAM and a bigger hard drive, along with a more high-end chassis. That also leads to a more high-end price, and the Vaio YB, in its single currently available configuration (with either pink or silver lids), is $599 versus $449 for the HP.
Read the full review.

HP Pavilion dm1z
The first laptop to offer AMD's power-efficient Fusion platform delivers on much of its promise, combining great battery life, decent performance, and basic graphics for less than $500

Read the full review.

10 tips to protect your computer from viruses

2011-09-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to protect your computer from nasty viruses invading. Protecting your computer is an number one concern for every computer user on earth. I do not know anyone that wants to have their computer crash due to a virus invasion. Here are 10 ways to protect your computer and keep your files and data safe.

1. Learn about viruses

The first thing that I recommend is to research and become knowledgeable about viruses. How can you protect your computer from viruses if you don’t even know what they are.

2. Arm yourself with the best Anti-virus software to suit your needs.

Not everyone can get away with using free Anti-virus software because it depends what you do on your computer. It depends on factors such as if you download files or not, if you open email attachments, and if you surf suspicious websites. See my reviews for the best Virus Removal Software. Lets face it, if you do not have protection against viruses installed on your computer, you will without a doubt, get a virus within the first hour of surfing the internet. It is that easy. For years I would remove a virus from my dads computer at least once a year, until finally I realized that he needed a paid Anti-virus program. He wasn’t good with computers and if a windows popped up and said he needed to take a scan, he would just do it. He would just presume it was the program I had installed to protect his computer. Now I have Avast on his computer and there has not been one problem since. I bought the Internet security version so it has full protection. It never asks him to do anything and just works in the background.

3. Regular Updates

Having a great Anti-virus program installed on your computer to protect your computer from viruses is great, however if you do not regularly update the virus definitions, then the program is useless. New viruses are produced daily and this is why we constantly have to update the viruses definitions and stay ahead of the bad guys. Avast Internet Security simply updates by itself and just tells me when it is done.

4. Downloading

When surfing the internet avoid websites that contain illegal software downloads, sexual references, free screensavers, cracks or serials, etc. I am sure you get the picture. If you go near these sites you are immediately asking for trouble. Some other websites that you should stay away from include foreign websites where you cannot understand the language on them. This is because you cannot tell what is on the website.

5. Windows Updates

Always update Windows when protecting your computer. These updates contain security updates that will help in your fight against viruses. If you do not perform regular Windows updates you are leaving your computer in a vulnerable state. You can simple check to see if your computer needs updates by going to he start menu and typing in “windows update”. See the screen shot below. You can also view recent Windows update historyso you can be in control of the whole situation.

6. Opening Emails

Be careful when opening emails. There are obvious emails that you know you shouldn’t open, however what about the ones you get from people you know? What if your friend has a virus and it is spreading itself through emails? An email cannot be important enough to risk getting a virus. Delete the email and send a fresh email to your friend asking them if they actually did send you the email. It is better to be safe than sorry.

You can also create a whitelist so only certain emails get through. You will still have to be careful though, as you do not know what security the sender has installed on their computer. It’s like driving on the road, you need to watch how others are driving to stay safe.

7. Change your settings to protect your computer from viruses

If you are really serious about protecting your computer you can change your email settings and receive text emails only. You can also disable the ability to open email attachments. Virus travel in HTML enabled emails and file attachments. They cannot travel in text email messages. I know this sounds very boring, however, I would rather be boring and protect my computer from viruses.

8. Peer to Peer file sharing – ways to protect your computer

Do not use peer to peer (p2p) file sharing programs. These include programs such as Limewire, Bearshare, Gnutella, Morpheus, Torrents, etc. These program let you download files from other computer users connected to their program network. You have no way of knowing what you are actually downloading until it is on your computer. Even if you share files from a cd from a friend, it may have a virus. Protecting your computer from viruses is the most important priority for you and you do not want to risk your computer safety just because you trust your friend.

9. Do not download files from websites

Again, there is no way of knowing what you are downloading. The file can appear to be named like the file you want, however it could be anything. Most of the time, this is how a virus is unleashed, it usually seems like a harmless, familiar object. If you are looking for a driver for a certain brand of computer then make sure you are getting the download from the genuine website. Many websites on the Internet offer free driver downloads, however, many of them contain viruses. Everything is not what it seems, so be very careful.

10. Have Firewall Protection

Make sure you have a firewall enabled on your computer. Windows comes with an inbuilt firewall or you can use a third party firewall program like Zone Alarm. Either way, make sure the firewall is on…To check the Windows Firewall go to the security settings in your control panel.

If you are careful and are serious about learning how to protect your computer from viruses, it is possible to stay safe. My top 10 tips will help you keep your computer running smoothly, and virus free.

Plate of sushi may be an iPhone 5 spoiler

2011-09-08T08:11:00.001-07:00

By: Doug Gross, CNN

This time, it only took a plate of tasty-looking raw fish to crank up the iPhone rumor machine.

Smartphone news and review blog PocketNow posted a photo late Wednesday night that they say might be one of the first taken with a version of Apple's yet-to-be-released iPhone update.his time, it only took a plate of tasty-looking raw fish to crank up the iPhone rumor machine.

The photo's embedded info claims that it was taken with an iPhone 4. But the smoking gun, according to the site, is the fact that the photo appears to have been cropped from a size requiring an 8-megapixel camera.
PocketNow doesn't name a source for the photo but, again unattributed, says it "supposedly" came from an Apple employee having lunch at work.

The iPhone 4 has a 5-megapixel camera.

Also (and this will require a little camera geekery) the site notes that the lens was recorded as a 4.3 mm f/2.4, which is closer to a point-and-shoot camera than the iPhone 4's 3.85 mm f/2.8.

PocketNow doesn't name a source for the photo but, again unattributed, says it "supposedly" came from an Apple employee having lunch at work.

Insert your own bitter "Apple employees get sushi at work" comment here.

Mashable's Ben Parr writes that the photo came from the Flickr account of an Apple employee -- an account that has since been made private -- and that GPS data puts the photo's source at 1 Infinite Loop, the address of Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters.

Of course, PocketNow, which regularly searches photo sites for evidence of upcoming phones, notes that they've been fooled before. For example, by an iPhone photo that had been uploaded to an iPad, changing its image-file data.

Tech blogs speculate that an iPhone 5, or at least an updated iPhone 4, will be unveiled by Apple some time late this month or in October.

What do you think? Is an 8-megapixel camera a selling point? Do you think the image is real, or a red herring? Does this make you want lunch? Let us know in the comments -- and hopefully this conversation will drown out those of you who always will complain about anything on the subject of Apple.

HP's failure is Microsoft's win as 1000 webOS developers migrate

2011-09-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

The vultures are circling the failed webOS-powered hardware victims, particularly the developers who have been making their money around building apps on the platform. Brandon Watson, the man responsible for apps and developers for Windows Phones, sent out a tweet on Friday to attract a response.

The response has been huge. Currently, nearly 1000 webOS developers have attempted to take him up on his offer.

To qualify, developers must have at least one application published on the webOS App Catalog.

With Android and iOS exploding with apps and being hit up by tens of thousands of developers worldwide, anything that Watson and his team can do to get more attention, more developers, and more apps is a plus.

Upcoming Apple store in Hamburg pranked with Windows logo

2011-09-07T23:22:00.002-07:00

Now this is an older story but I still find it very hilarious because I through this daily with a couple of friends of mine. See I'm not a big apple fan but for some reason several of my friends are die hard apple lovers.

The barriers between Apple and PC users often creates humorous results “when geeks collide.” Such was the case in Hamburg, Germany last week when some clever pranksters vandalized the under-construction Apple store with a Windows logo.

All it takes sometimes is desire, some sheet metal, and orange vests. As you can see in the video below, they nonchalantly walked up with a ladder, “installed” the windows logo on the side of the construction facade, and walked away.

Capture 3D pictures on standard 2D camera with Sony’s new Xperia phone

2011-09-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Unveiled at IFA technology fair in Berlin, Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Arc S has become a big hit. You can expect Sony’s Smartphone that can take 3D panoramic photos to be available for sale.

Enjoy 3D Snaps with 2D Cam

Whereas the pictures taken by Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Arc S can be watched on a compatible television set but in 2 dimensions and not 3D. For 3D output, you need to have a 3D TV with HDMI output.

The fair also had other hit events including Toshiba’s claim for its first glasses-free 3D television although there are mixed reviews about 55ZL2. LG demonstrated glasses-free 3D computer.

Features of Sony Xperia Arc S

The Smartphone comes in 4.2 inch screen with 8.1 megapixels camera definition. The camera can take panoramic i.e. 3D pictures, which makes this Smartphone one of its kinds. Google’s Android 2.3 is the operating system installed in it which enables faster web browsing.

With 1.4GHz processor Sony claims it to be 25 percent faster than its predecessor gadget. It features Sony’s music and video unlimited media stores and doubles as a remote control for Sony Bravia TVs. Sony said, Arc S will be available in five colors namely white, silver, blue, black and pink.

FlashAir – World’s first memory card with wireless WAN connectivity

2011-09-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, Toshiba unveiled world’s very first Secure Digital High-capacity memory card gadget and what makes it unique is the fact that it is embedded with wireless LAN functionality.

FlashAir

The card has been named “FlashAir” will be shipped to Japanese stores in the month of November while it will be available for purchase in February 2012. This latest memory card is compatible with peer-to-peer technology and transfers and with respect to storage space; it has in-built storage capacity of 8 gigabytes.

Share Photos with your loved ones with ease

In a conference, the company said that today, users want a quick and easy way to share photos with their loved ones and also, want to transfer them to and from online storage services as well as social networks. The new card is available at the IFA 2011 electronics meet going on in Berlin for coming 6 days and that will be available to the consumers by coming Friday. The icing on the cake is; all your transfers are going to be wireless which means you would not need a cable connection ever. Talking about the other technical specifications, the new card measures 32mm by 24mm in size and is very sleek, that is 2.1mm thick.

QR Codes

2011-09-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

What are QR codes and how can they help your business? Keep reading to find out.

Quick Response codes (QR codes) and other two-dimensional codes are expected to achieve widespread use this year – and for good reason. Consumers want immediate access to what’s relevant and QR codes are being used to make that possible.

QR Codes 101

If you’re not yet familiar with QR codes, they’re similar to the barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price products at the point of sale. The key difference between the two is the amount of data they can hold or share.

Bar codes are linear one-dimensional codes and can only hold up to 20 numerical digits, whereas QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. Their ability to hold more information and their ease of use makes them practical for small businesses.

When you scan or read a QR code with your iPhone, Android or other camera-enabled Smartphone, you can link to digital content on the web; activate a number of phone functions including email, IM and SMS; and connect the mobile device to a web browser.

Any of these desired functions are easily achieved by properly creating your QR code. It’s a simple process of entering the appropriate data into the QR code generator, described below, and it all takes just a few minutes.

The ability of Qr codes to connect people with each other and to multimedia digital content is very useful for businesses and consumers alike.

Is blogging important for you business?

2011-09-05T18:50:00.002-07:00

It seems like everyone has a blog nowadays. Millions and millions of people are also connected to the various social media channels. There are those who feel that it has to be one or the other. They are both critical.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Blogging and social media can exist in harmony and work very effectively for business together. More and more social networking companies are realizing how important blogging is to business. In fact, it is more important than ever. If a social networking company brings blogging into their business, they can either rebrand themselves as a content-driven company, or add to their existing branding to include the content side. You have heard that content is king a million times and it really is true! Content is definitely an extraordinarily important part of every business.

The giant edge that blogging has over other types of online communication is that the content is always fresh. Nothing is ever allowed to stagnate. Blogging is not only about the written word either. It can encompass videos, photos, etc. It has tremendously wide appeal to numerous people. Another great product of blogging is that people love to share what they read with other people. The more they like it, the more they share it. Another way in which people love to share blog content is on Twitter. It is certainly not a deterrent that Twitter has a 140-maximum character limit. People take short concepts from the blogs that they find interesting and valuable and they retweet those concepts. Twitter is a very potent tool when it comes to content (and blogs specifically).

Blogging has taken on an even stronger momentum

In business today, blogging is more essential to success than it has ever been. Social media has a great deal to do with that. As social networking continues to become even more and more popular, people need to get the content from somewhere and blogs are an excellent resource for that. There is so much content available that there is enough of relevance to satisfy everyone. Another great benefit that blogging brings to businesses is that the content increases (or strengthens) search engine optimization (SEO). The reason that blogging produces such a result is that the search engines don’t differentiate between content that is business oriented and content that is of a personal nature. On the other hand, that is not the case with article directories. Because blog sites are part of social media channels, they can be included in your social media marketing strategy. From a practical perspective, you need your blog to bring in a solid return on investment (ROI). You need it to meet your business’s goals and objectives. Blogging also gives your business positive exposure, increases your visibility, and allows you to build solid relationships with other people.

Blogging on a personal level

When you blog, you are able to do so on a personal level. Your interactions with your online connections are personal. You can use your business blog to keep people informed about your new offerings and what is going on in your business (changes in personnel, new product features, etc). Another sensible use of your blog is to list promotions, which is a type of incentive for your readers. They love being the first to learn new things. The more you give them, the more they will want. Your blog also allows your customers to give you instant feedback about your offerings.

Conclusion

Blogging is critical for your business. The more valuable information you share with others, the stronger your position will be in your online communities. You will constantly be building your reputation, establishing yourself as a subject matter expert, and building solid credibility for you and your business. Blogging and social media are both stronger than ever. Together, they are an immovable force.