The Computer Skeptic

Don't Worry, Be Happy

2013-05-16T14:21:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine recently asked, “I'm leaning toward purchasing a Google Nexus tablet, but I want to ask: What kind of virus protection will I need? Would an iPad be less vulnerable? How vulnerable are tablets anyway? I assume since they are computers they must also be affected.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.”

A quick refresher: There are essentially two kinds of tablets out there: Those made by Apple (the iPad), and those running Google’s operating system called Android. Various manufacturers make Android tablets. Only Apple makes iPads. (Microsoft has a tablet, too, but I’m still mad at them over Windows 8 so they can kiss it.) An iPad is essentially a large version of an iPhone. An Android tablet is essentially a large version of an android phone.

At the moment, viruses on tablets aren’t nearly as much of a concern as viruses on desktop computers. In fact, I know of only one instance of a virus found on an Apple device and it was fixed quickly. There have been a many reports of viruses on Android devices. This problem is bound to get bigger as more and more people use tablets. So an Android is more susceptible to attacks. But should you really worry about it? Not yet.

The biggest risks right now are infected “Apps” for both platforms. Apple designed their App Store as a “sandbox” for pre-tested apps. Apple has a very thorough screening process and weeds out the miscreants so a malicious developer simply cannot post software to the Apple App Store to have it downloaded by victims. The Android Play Store isn’t quite as walled-in as Apple but they are still pretty good at stomping out malicious apps so the risk is quite low.

However, Apple users can “Jailbreak” their devices which allows them to install apps from sources outside of Apple’s App Store. Android users can do so without messing with the tablet. People who tinker with their device without understanding the risks are a bit more susceptible to virus attacks than others.

All this is bound to get worse as time goes on so if you are the type that will click on every bit of "free smiley faces" software or consider yourself gullible or susceptible to being tricked into installing stuff on your home computer, you will be at risk no matter what you choose. I have clients that bring their computer into my shop 3 or 4 times a year. Those people are the ones that will have problems with their tablets in the future. But if you've never had a virus on your home computer, chances are you are a pretty safe user and no need to worry.

So, which one is safest? I am an Android fan because they are not only cheaper but generally have more features. But for safety, I’d have to give a slight advantage to the iPad and balance that with the fact that virus infections are far, far down the list of things to ponder when purchasing a tablet or phone.

Hide Yo Computah, Hide Yo Bank Account, They be Scammin' Ev'ybody Around Here

2013-05-03T07:05:00.003-05:00

Okay, this is a repeat article, updated and revised to reflect the fact that you people did not listen to me the last time I wrote about online “Speed Up My PC” programs. I am seeing more and more of this “scumware” on my client computers. Many of you have actually subscribed to these services and inevitably have to bring their computers to me to fix the stuff that was supposed to be fixed. Companies like DoubleMySpeed, MaxMySpeed (and various other similar names) have spent millions of dollars on national TV and radio ads hocking their miraculous ability to speed up your computer. In case you haven't already guessed, they are all pootyheads and don’t do what they say they can do.

But for your benefit, I took some time to mingle with these miscreants to see what this was all about. I unboxed a brand new computer. This computer has never accessed the Internet until I accessed DoubleMySpeed.com. I downloaded their free scanner that did some impressive looking scans then presented scary red numbers telling me how messed up my computer was. I called the 1-800 number for a free consultation and told the lady on the other end that I wanted to “get my computer speeded up.”

She had me install a bit of software that gave her full control of my computer. I watched as she performed another scan that presented even more scary red numbers. She informed me that my computer was in overall good health but “there was one major problem.” She paused for dramatic effect until I fearfully asked, “What do you mean?” She answered, “You have an infection. Specifically, an identity theft program.”

“Holy spaceships!” I exclaimed, “How did I get that?” She replied that it came from the Internet and would steal my bank passwords and ruin my credit. “Well what can we do?” She replied, “Well, you could take it to some place like (Big Box Store) and they will charge you over $300.00 to clean the virus.”

“Wow. $300.00? That’s a lot of money,” I said. She replied, “But I have a deal for you. I can provide you with two and a half years of virus protection with free remote support. We will periodically log in remotely and fix any problems you will have. We can do all that for only $479.00.” After I picked-up my jaw from the floor, I told her I would have to think about that and get back to her. I hung up the phone and immediately pounded out this article.

And I only charge $85 bucks for this kind of service! How stupid am I? These people are obviously making millions of dollars off people who are not savvy enough to know they are being conned. Don’t be fooled, friends. When you need computer help, take your system to any one of our quality local people who actually know what they are doing.

"SpeedMyPC" My Fanny!

2013-04-04T16:11:00.000-06:00

A client (an elderly woman) brought in a system a few days ago that set a world record for us. This is only a partial list of the tons of scamware, junkware, and malware on her computer.: 24x7Help, PC Cleaner Pro, PriceGong, Alot Toolbar, Appgraffitti, PC Optimizer Pro, PC Powerspeed, Rebate Informer, Savepath Deals, Search Donkey, Social Search Bar, Unfriend App, Windows Shopper, Special Savings, Inbox Toolbar, Shop at Home, Ask Toolbar and Driver Manager.

All this stuff is either useless snake oil or litters your Internet browser with a bunch of annoying toolbars or slows your computer down.

I’ve racked my bring trying to figure out how one sweet little old lady could get so much junk on her computer. I just don't have an answer but I do have a few theories. The first is that she had grandkids

visit her. Grandkids are a great revenue generator for my company. They tend to click on anything that says “FREE IPAD!” and download all sorts of junk that supposedly gives them “free” music. I wish I had enough room to detail every one of these foul programs but but I can at least impart a few basics so you can avoid these pesky programs and perhaps save a few dollars.

Many of you have slow computers. It is perfectly natural to attempt to fix it yourself by simply Googling “slow computer.” When you do this, you will see plenty software that promise to speed-up your computer. I have never seen one program that has any effect whatsoever. Almost all “PC Optimizers” or “PC Speedup” or “Speed Boosters” are scams. They supposedly “clean your registry” and “cache” and do all sorts of magical things to increase your computer’s performance. Avoid these programs like the plague or I will be seeing you.

We see tons of “shopper” toolbars. One of the most annoying we’ve seen is “Pricegong.” It will send you a pop-up window advertising special savings on a variety of products. They also hijack your search engine. These scammers get a couple of pennies every time one of you click on their advertised product.

“24x7 Help”: I wish I knew where this garbage was coming from. I see it on at least a quarter of the computers brought into us. I suspect some of it is the result of foreign “cold callers” that I have written about in the past. These scammers will call a gullible person, claim to be from Microsoft and inform the “mark” that their computer is infected. They will direct the client to a website that will install some software that allows the scammer to control their computer remotely. They will inevitably find “bad things” and request a credit card number to “help” the client remove the non-existent viruses.

Facebook apps are another source of these things. Look, dear readers, there is no app that actually allows you to “see who visits your Facebook Page.” There are not magical “Like to get a free iPad” and no need for you to add anyone to a “Birthday calendar.”

FIRE IN THE SKY

2013-03-21T12:26:00.003-06:00

I have a love/hate relationship with lightning. I love it for the business it brings me. After a good storm, we generally have to replace 4 or 5 expensive routers and quite a few computer power supplies. That is good for business! I hate them for the misery that lightning brings upon my clients. So, this is a repeat article that I try to run once a year in an attempt to remind both my readers of the dangers that thunderstorms present for your computer equipment.

An interesting thing about lightning damage is that the damage is caused not by a direct bolt of fire from the sky, but by an indirect charge (called “induced”) from a nearby lightning strike. When Mother Nature sends us a lightning bolt, the bolt emits a ginormous amount of radio waves on all frequencies. Your power line, phone line, cable TV line and the electrical wiring inside your walls act as a giant antenna. This “antenna” turns these unlicensed radio signals back into surges of electrical energy which, in turn, inflict terrible carnage upon the innards of your computer. Sometimes, components can be repaired or replaced inexpensively. Sometimes, the only way to undo the damage is to whine to your insurance agent.

These dangerous electrical surges can enter your computer system in three main ways. The most common is through your home’s AC power but it can also enter through the phone line or high speed cable/DSL Internet connection. All of these entry points must be protected if you want to adequately protect your computer.

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from being smitten again. If you are near your computer when a storm strikes simply unplug everything from the outlets. That’s what we do at my shop whenever possible. Next, you need a quality surge suppressor. I’m not talking about those six-dollar power strips that claim they suppress surges. Those little strips have a fuse in them that might protect you from a single zap. After that, the power strip continues to provide power but offers no surge suppression. To get quality protection, you need to spend upwards of $20.00 for a quality protector from a well-known company such as American Power Conversion or Tripplite. They include an indicator light that tells you if the surge part of the surge protector is working. Green good. Red bad.

If you use high speed DSL from the phone company it is important to know that there is a difference between regular phone-line surge suppression and “DSL phone line” suppression. Look on the retail box for “DSL protection” or your DSL line may run slow or not at all. If you have high speed cable, be sure to purchase a surge suppressor that comes with a coaxial connector that accommodates the cable. Don’t forget to buy one for that fancy TV, too.

American Power Conversion makes a “Home/Office SurgeArrest” that combines DSL, Phone line, Cable and AC protection in one package. It’s available at most local retailers for about $30.00.

ZOMBIES ATTACK!

2013-03-07T15:24:00.004-06:00

Before I was Cured

There has been a pretty impressive uptick in reports of “backscatter” spam recently that result in “bounce” messages. You may receive backscatter when an infected computer, out there on the internet somewhere, sends spam email to tens of thousands of people with your email listed as the “sender.” Because you are the “sender,” when that fraudulent email reaches a mailbox that does not exist, the real you receives the notifications (called a “bounce”) that the mail was not delivered or was blocked for some reason. The subject lines are often a bit embarrassing and often read, “CHEAP Cyails, Vygara and Levytar.” The drug names are intentionally misspelled in an attempt to get around spam filters. They often contain pornographic images that appear to have come from you.
A computer that is infected with this kind of virus is called zombie. Most zombies are a part of a “robot network” (aka “botnet”) of infected computers that do the will of criminals who are paid by the number of spam emails they send. To the end user, the computer appears to be working just fine but, unbeknownst to the user, it has been commandeered to do evil things by people who live far away. Computer security experts estimate that as much as 40% of all spam originates from zombie computers. If your computer is actually infected, local internet service providers such as Comcast and AT&T have equipment that can detect a high level of mail activity and halt your ability to send email until you have the computer serviced. Updated antivirus software will usually prevent or remove these kinds of infections. The problem is that many people don’t bother with installing antivirus software, much less keeping it updated.

I can’t do anything about the emotional distress of you being accused of sending offensive email to

326 × 269 - zdnet.com

millions of people but rest assured knowing that the offensive mail did not actually come from you. Your computer is probably not infected. Authors of spam and viruses wish to make their messages appear to originate from a legitimate source to fool recipients into opening the message so they often use web-crawling software to scan message boards and web pages for legitimate email addresses. Then use those addresses as the “senders.” They can also originate from a zombie computer that coincidentally has your email address and perhaps a few of your mutual friends in their “contacts.” The virus randomly attaches a name to the “sender” part of the email and that “sender” just happens to be you. Short of starting a real zombie apocalypse, there is not a darn thing you can do about it.

For those of you who use web-based email where you visit a website, such as AT&T or Comcast, there is a chance that your email account has been hacked and spammers are using your account to send spam. This is not very likely, but if you start getting backscatter spam, change your password just to be on the safe side.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

2013-02-21T16:39:00.003-06:00

There are many ways to safely exchange money on the internet these days but you’re going to have to be on top of your game to stay ahead of the criminals. Among the giants in the honest money exchange industry are Google Checkout and PayPal. Both operate similarly in that you set up a free account, associate your bank account or credit card with the account, then start sending or receiving money. It’s generally more secure because you never give your actual credit card number to some stranger. You send them a PayPal payment instead. For certain large purchases such as automobiles the companies offer an escrow service where the money is held in limbo until both the buyer and seller are satisfied. It is a very safe way to buy stuff as long as you keep your skeptical radar in tune.

But people are getting scammed left and right when trying to buy a car using these services. During my research, I came across hundreds of stories from people who shared their horror in hopes of preventing someone else from getting scammed. Reading their stories, I can immediately pick out the red flags that should alert any skeptic worth their salt. I’ll point out some of these flags here.

The scam begins when someone finds an excellent deal on an automobile on eBay, Craigslist, or other car buying website. When a potential “mark” responds to the ad, they will receive a response similar to this: “Thank you for your interest in purchasing my 2005 Acura TL. It is in perfect condition, with no scratches on it, no damage, always garaged,. Everything about this car functions perfectly. 29,0000mi. Incredible power, handling and reliability. If you are interested in buying, the price is US $2,900 (RED FLAG! Why that price is almost unbelievable, isn’t it?). I had to move with my family to Greece but because now i don't have time to ride i decided to sell the car (RED FLAG! The scammers always want to lure you in with some sob story, promise of riches or impress you with their “Christian” love). The transaction will be done through eBay for our own protection, no money first to me. Your funds will be 100% insured by eBay until you will receive and inspect the car, and I will be sure that I will receive the payment. “ (RED FLAG: Someone astute in English can tell this person’s native language is probably not English.)
If the mark decides to proceed, they will receive an email with containing an official looking invoice from “Google Checkout” or “PayPal.” A skeptical and experienced eye can easily discern that the “invoice” is not actually from a Google or eBay internet address but it sure looks real. The invoice will typically direct you to make a payment through Western Union or Moneygram (RED FLAG! Never send money through the internet to any stranger via Western Union or MoneyGram! EVER!). If you fall for that, you can kiss your money goodbye. Overworked law enforcement will never pursue the criminal.

YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR PRYIN' EYES

2013-02-07T15:57:00.001-06:00

Camfecting has been around for as long as there have been webcams. However, I’ve recently seen some interesting reports on national news shows that discuss new variations of camfecting that are deeply disturbing. Obviously, many of you know about this, too, because I see more and more clients with little pieces of tape covering their laptop’s webcam. I have smart clients.

So what the heck is “camfecting” you say? Camfecting is the fraudulent process of hacking into a computer’s web camera and activating it without the owner's permission. Typically, a hacker sends his victim an innocent-looking application (perhaps a link via email or an “electronic postcard”) which has a hidden virus that can activate the victim's webcam. Once installed, the camfecter can turn on the webcam and capture pictures/videos without the knowledge of the victim.
A disturbing example of camfecting was a story from a few years ago where a California man, Luis Mijangos was sending Trojan emails and instant messages embedded with malicious software that gave him complete access to the victims’ webcams. He also embedded his trojans into popular songs or videos found on peer-to-peer file sharing websites. Once Mijangos obtained images and videos from female victims, he used the stolen images to “sextort” victims by threatening to share the stolen images with the victim’s friends unless the victims provided him with even more intimate images or videos. He is now resting comfortably in a federal prison.

Another disturbing case was one of a computer technician, Trevor Harwell, who worked for a company in California. This pervert installed special webcam software on client computers. He also installed a program that would generate “error messages” designed to trick victims into getting naked in front of their webcams. One message read, “You should fix your internal sensor soon. If unsure what to do, try putting your laptop near hot steam for several minutes to clean the sensor." Victims would evidently take the laptops into the bathroom and take a hot steamy shower not knowing they were broadcasting to the pervert. As gullible as that sounds, plenty of people fell for it. Mr. Harwell is also enjoying a vacation from his computer tech job at a federally funded, all-male camp.
So how can you protect yourself? Well, understand that this kind of virus is exceedingly rare but simple precautions can give you peace of mind. First, know that computers will never, ever want you to take them towards hot steam. Ever! Always keep your antivirus software up to date. Close the lid of your laptop when not using it. You can also put a piece of tape across the webcam lens. Don't open any emails from people you don't know. Don’t open “electronic postcards” from anyone (And don’t be tacky enough to actually send a friend an electronic postcard. The old fashioned way is way better). Don’t click on those silly Facebook postings that say things like "Watch this incredible video!" Or you can do what I do and point the webcam up your nose and let them have a good look.

THE ROOT OF ALL (FBI VIRUS) EVIL

2013-01-24T16:47:00.001-06:00

Some of you may recall a fairly recent article on the FBI virus. This virus locks your computer and displays a message that says the FBI is aware that your computer has been used for some “illegal activities.” The virus then demands that you pay an outrageous fine or risk prosecution. You either pay the fine (which, unsurprisingly, doesn’t unlock your computer) or pay someone like me to set your computer free.

I’ve long wondered where my clients were getting this infection. We are still seeing 5 or 6 cases per week at the shop. My interest was piqued recently when newswires were abuzz about an “exploit” that was found in Java software. Java is a bit of software made by Oracle that is essentially a miniature operating system within your operating system (such as Windows) and in internet browsers on Windows and Mac computers. If you’ve ever played the popular web-based game “Words With Friends” or been on “Pogo” on the popular website Yahoo.com, you’ve seen Java in action.

Java is not a native part of Windows so it has to be installed as an add-on to your computer’s internet browser. There is a separate Java add-on for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari (the browser used on Macs). All of these are susceptible to the exploit I’m about to tell you about.

Okay, now that you know everything you ever need to know about Java, let me tell you why you should avoid it if you can -- and why you probably can. Headlines around the world warned users that up to 850 million computers were at risk from a crimeware program that was discovered on the black market. It seems that thieves can purchase this program for about $5000, insert it into their own websites, or even hack legitimate websites, and insert their illegitimate code. Then along comes an unsuspecting website visitor and BAM! they get a scary message from “The FBI.”

The headlines were just a bit sensationalized. The risk of getting this virus is minimal for any given user but is a problem for society as a whole and especially businesses with many computers. The FBI infection is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many ways to utilize this crimeware to pilfer money from innocents.

The fact is that Java is not as widely used as it once was and most users probably can get by without having the program installed at all. My recommendation is to remove or disable Java unless you have a specific use for it. If you discover later that you really do need Java it is trivial and free to download and reinstall. Be aware that many people confuse Java with Javascript. Most Web sites use JavaScript, a powerful scripting language that helps make sites interactive -- so leave that alone.

To disable Java on your computer, follow the steps in this article from Zdnet

My 8 Hate Cure

2013-01-10T18:56:00.002-06:00

I’ve heard many mixed reviews since the official introduction of Windows 8 a few weeks ago. I personally can’t stand it. I’m a geek and must have the latest and greatest stuff but Windows 8 is just plain annoying to me. My office manager thinks its the best thing since professional wrestling but she is weird like that.

One of my main worries about Windows 8 was the fact that many older clients are resistant to ANY sort of change. Some have been known to hurl dirty words at us if we even think of updating Internet Explorer to the most recent version (or install Chrome or Firefox) simply because it looks just a bit different. Windows 8 is waaaay different.

If Windows 8 confuses and frustrates me, how can some of my clients ever hope to wrap their heads around it? As I stated in my last rant against Windows 8, Microsoft’s strategy is to bring the same experience to your Windows phone, Windows tablet and Windows desktop and laptop computers. If they succeed they will score a major home run on the competition. They still might pull it off but they have a ways to go.

While the Microsoft tablets and phones running Windows “Metro” are actually way cool, the experience of the desktop and laptop version is a foul ball. Many expect Microsoft to make some big changes in Windows 8 to quell the uprising from disgruntled users and make it behave more like the Windows we’ve all come to love and loathe.

But there is a cool solution that has eased the burden of the transition to Windows 8 for me. Perhaps it will do the same for you should you decide to take the plunge and upgrade to Windows 8 or purchase a new system with Windows 8 pre-installed.There are a number of tweaks you can download that hide the most annoying parts of Windows 8: The ugly “live tiles” of the “Metro” interface and absence of a Start menu. The problem with the few tweaks I’ve tried is that the ugly parts of Windows 8 still popped up unexpectedly. One of my bestest technicians, Chris Ludington, turned me on to a freeware program called ClassicShell available from www.classicshell.net that permanently hides the Windows 8 ugliness.

This program puts a “shell” around your operating system to give it a familiar look and feel. If you want your Windows XP system to look like a Windows 7/Vista system, you can do that. If you want Windows 7 to look like Windows XP, you can do that too. And, alas, if you want your Windows 8 computer to look and feel like the familiar Windows 7/Vista experience (or even XP), this is your savior. It’s super easy to download and install. If you don’t like it, it just as super easy to uninstall it and go back to the train wreck of Windows 8.

CRAZY COUPON LADIES

2012-12-27T19:24:00.002-06:00

I’ve seen a impressive upswing in computers that are littered with coupon related software. I’ve always been skeptical of these things but didn’t know much about them. I have assumed they were “drive by” virus-like infections that were installed without permission. I made this assumption because I see this stuff on computersbelonging to teenagers and people who apparently can’t afford toothbrushes, much less afford to constantly shop. So I turned my skeptical eye towards this industry to see what was afoot. I was surprised to see how big this industry has become. So large, in fact, that criminals are making a killing form counterfeit coupons. Who would’a thunk that?

Here’s how the scam works: Company A would post a coupon on their website. Honest website visitors would print off said coupon and redeem it at a participating store. However, it wasn’t long before companies noticed a precipitous drop in revenue in certain categories so they started looking into the problem. What they found was that people were using their computers to alter coupons so instead of getting 10% off an item, the coupon offered 50% or 75% discounts or even free products. Unscrupulous shoppers were presenting the coupons to unsuspecting cash register clerks. The coupon thief would then sell the items on websites such as eBay.

As word of this scam got around, some enterprising criminals started selling counterfeit coupons on the internet. In fact, this past July, some companies banded together and hired private investigators. The PI’s followed the bread crumbs to a pair of housewives who were operating an international coupon ring out of their middle class homes in Arizona. It is illegal to reproduce coupons in the US so the housewives had overseas companies print counterfeit coupons for them. They would then sell the coupons on their website here in the US. Those middle class girls now live comfortably in the Big House with bars on the windows.

To stop the monetary hemorrhage, companies fought back with computer technology. Many manufacturers now rely on the services of companies such as Coupon.com and SmartSource.com to deliver coupons to individuals. These websites require users to install bits of software to print legitimate coupons. The software assigns your computer a unique ID and will only let you print one coupon per offer. The software also assigns a unique barcode to the coupon so that it can only be used once thus preventing photocopying and counterfeiting.

There is a darker side to the craze. Coupons.com and other sites have been accused of installing software on end user computers that track the user’s surfing habits. Generally, this kind of data is not personally identifiable but the data could potentially inform manufacturers what websites you visit and glean marketing information that is really none of their darn business. This is not too big of a deal for me as my surfing habits are quite boring but the tinfoil hat crowd has fits over this.

DESKTOPS RULE

2012-12-13T14:14:00.000-06:00


Compaq Portable Computer

Fast forward to now and we have a thousand times more computing power in the palm of our hands in the form of a smartphone. Laptop computers used to be fairly rare but now almost “everyone” has one. The venerable desktop computer with the large tower and massive screen seems to be going the way of the Dodo bird.

But it shouldn’t be that way. Not yet. Before you go slap down many hundreds of dollars on a laptop computer for Christmas, take a moment to ponder some important benefits of owning a desktop. Here are a few of my complaints about laptop computers:

They are expensive. If you compare apples to apples, you will typically spend well over $100.00 and as much as $500 (or much more) more for a laptop over a similarly-equipped desktop computer. That’s because a great deal of engineering goes into a laptop to make the parts small enough to fit in portable case. That’s why those ultra-slim hotties are so expensive.
They break expensively. Graphics cards (the component in a system that draws the images on a display) have a bad reputation for longevity. If a graphics card goes out on a desktop computer, you whip out $45 for a new one and install it yourself. If your laptop’s graphics card dies, you buy another laptop. The same goes if you spill a beer on a laptop versus a desktop computer. Think about that if you are buying one for a college student.

They are slower. The processors in a laptop are designed to sip energy to make the battery last longer. The hard drive spins much slower for the same reason. That’s a good thing for battery life but not so much for performance.

They grow legs. Laptops get stolen. Desktop don’t. If you are buying for a college student or travel often, invest in some tracking technology that will cause the laptop to phone home if it grows legs. There are a variety of free and expensive tracking technologies out there.

Alas, none of these complaints matter one iota if you need the portability that only a laptop can provide. My suggestion here is simply to ponder the benefits and risks and come to an informed decision. Happy holidays, everyone!
We live in a world of portable computing. Why, it was just yesterday (Okay, perhaps 30 years ago) that I worked on my first portable computer. It was a suitcase-sized monster with a “large” 7-inch plasma screen that only displayed the color orange. It was a marvel of technology at the time and cost nearly 10 grand.

8 HATE

2012-11-29T19:38:00.001-06:00

Microsoft saw the writing on the wall a few years ago: We consumers were moving en masse towards portable devices such as smart phones and iPads and Android tablets. Sales of desktop and laptop computers started to slump many months ago and are taking a nose dive now. Microsoft is a latecomer to the phone and tablet market. Windows 8 is designed to pull us back into their world.

Windows 8 is designed to address a problem with all smart phones and tablets: You can’t do “real” work on them. They are great for surfing the ‘net, jotting a quick email or looking up a recipe but if you need to finish a novel or construct a spreadsheet or presentation, tablets just don’t work. As a result, computer professionals need to carry a convenient tablet for the small stuff and a big computer for everything else.

Microsoft is making a bold attempt to deliver the same experience from laptop to phone to tablet. If Microsoft plays their cards right, us consumers will be able to start working our Windows smart phones, transition to a Windows tablet and finish the project on our Windows desktop or laptop computers. We won’t have to learn a new ways of doing things for each device because they will all function essentially the same.

The problem with Windows 8 is this: It is designed for a touch screen experience. That simply does not work on a desktop computer yet. Especially one without a touchscreen. In the near future, all computers will come with a touchscreen but a touchscreen is awkward when using a desktop or laptop computer. We’ve become accustomed to a much-more-convenient mouse when doing “real” work rather than reaching out to a screen.

So here are my gripes concerning Windows 8: First, it’s kind of ugly.Windows 8 presents you with a large mosaic of touchscreen-friendly rectangular orange-and-blue tiles instead of the familiar “desktop.” You know the “Start” button we have been using for decades? It’s gone. If you want to access your applications, you move your mouse to the upper left corner of the screen and click a hidden menu. To get your old familiar “desktop” with a Start button and icons all over the place, you have to do some intensive tweaking that is simply beyond the ability of the average consumer.

The short story is this: Windows 8 has a steep learning curve. I certainly enjoy learning something new and here is much to appreciate in Windows 8 but you have to unlearn so much before you can begin to appreciate it. We consumers WILL get used to the new format but it’s going to take some time and effort to get there. Good luck!

Geek Evolution

2012-11-15T13:37:00.000-06:00

Evolution according to Geeks

Tablets are a natural way of sharing information. They’ve been around since man first picked up a handful of clay and pounded it into the first “touch screen” about 6,000 years ago. The modern version of the tablet is old news to any “Star Trek” fan but the computing technology that makes these things remotely possible didn’t come about until the 1980’s. There were a few fits and starts from various companies over the years. Finally, Apple introduced their iPhone in 2007 and the world said, “Oh, so that’s how you do it!” In 2010, Apple introduced a large version of their iPhone and called it the iPad. The world said, “Star Trek technology at last!”
Since then, the world has responded with a dizzying array of tablet computers from various manufacturers. With Christmas just around the corner, I want to take a stab at helping you narrow down your choice if you are in the market for one.

There are essentially two kinds of tablets out there. Those that run Apple’s operating system called iOS and those running Google’s operating system (OS) called Android. Apple is the only manufacturer of Apple devices. Dozens of companies make Android devices. My geek friends will be quick to point out that Microsoft has introduced a new tablet called Surface but I have yet to be able to put my hands on one.

“Which tablet is better?” Sorry, but I can’t give you a good answer. The iPad is very refined. It’s really hard to qualify what makes it so refined but you can tell that a lot of thought has gone into everything about the tablet. It is rare that anyone is disappointed with an iPad.

Android tablets were once perceived to be secondary to iPads but that was so two-years-ago. Leading manufacturers of Android devices have been packing power and features and refining the devices so that it now equals and even surpasss Apple in many ways. So my advice here is this: If you already have an iPhone, you will feel right at home with an iPad from Apple. If you already have an Android smartphone, you will feel perfectly at home with an Android tablet from almost any well-known manufacturer.

The next choice will be “form factor.” Apple just released the iPad Mini. It’s just a smaller version of the iPad which makes it more portable. This form factor has been around for awhile on Android tablets. Buy whatever size fits your hands best.

Somewhere along the line, you’ll need to consider price. You will pay at least $500.00 for an iPad, $350 for an iPad Mini and as little as $150 for an Android unit such as the Kindle Fire from Amazon. Generally speaking, you will get a little more for your money with an Android device but it is hard to make a “bad” choice no matter what you decide. Stay away from the really cheap knockoffs.. You really do get what you pay for.

WAIT, WAIT! I TAKE IT BACK!

2012-10-19T13:54:00.004-05:00

Do any of you ever get words built up inside you that must be unleashed? For me, ideas start out as a sort of tropical storm of loosely organized thoughts that quickly work themselves into an organized hurricane. These thoughts MUST be put on paper and someone MUST read them or I will perish. If that sounds crazy that is only because it probably is.

In ancient times (20 years ago) to communicate the written word, we had to laboriously write the words with primitive instruments, take the time to put them in an envelope, address the envelope, spend some money to have the postman deliver it, then wait. You had ample time to consider your words and take them back if necessary.

Well, those days are gone. Whatever thought pops into our heads can be written and published for hundreds or even thousands of people to see. Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back. If they are controversial enough, someone has already made a copy and will use it against you in fantastic and wonderful and hurtful and humorous ways. Not that I would know anything about that, of course.

A psychologist (or someone with an IQ above freezing) would say that if you are going to publish an angry, emotional or otherwise scandalous missive, it’s best to wait two or more days before clicking the “send” button. During that time, our subconscious processes the information and can issue a little voice of warning of the implications. Some of us, not me of course, ignore that little voice.

If you are one of those who just have to push “send” or “post” or otherwise suffer from grammatical constipation, here are some cool tips that will help you avoid controversy. I can’t think if a time where I, a professional writer, would need these but you little people might--Wait, did that sound sarcastic instead or funny as I intended? Hmm . . .

Are you going out of town for a few days and still need to keep your audience engaged through Twitter or company Facebook posts? Or perhaps you just can’t resist the urge to post something but want your computer to temporarily hold the post as you ponder it? Check out hootsuite.com. Among many other things, you can type a slew of posts and pick a date and time to submit each one.

If you’re an Outlook user, type your email as usual then, before you send it, click on “Options” then “Delay Delivery” and follow the prompts.

There are various websites out there that will hold on to an email and send it days, weeks, months or even years in the future. Use it for those angry messages or as a convenient way to remind yourself of some future event. Check out Timecave.com for an example.

Of course, it would make much more sense to simply do it the old fashioned way and think about what you post before posting it. But some of us (not me of course) might need a little help to keep ourselves in line.

MONEY FOR NOTHIN’ AND CHICKS FOR FREE

2012-10-05T10:59:00.002-05:00

Give up all hope ye who enter their real info

Blowhards on TV and radio have been touting an “amazing” way to make money using IncomeAtHome.com. Ignoring the humming of my skeptical radar, I took the time to find out how little ol’ me could make a “six figure income” just by doing a little work. To my utter non-surprise, what I discovered is how this company is making millions feeding on gullible people.

It starts with a visit to IncomeAtHome.com. The site immediately starts with a voice recording from various radio personalities telling you how awesome this company is. You can’t stop the commercial voices. They play until you are compelled to give up your money. If you try to exit the website it will throw up one of those annoying boxes that read “Are you SURE you want to leave this website?”

The website is just like the radio commercials in that it gives you absolutely no clue how you can make money. To find out more, you have to give up your name, email address and a phone number. Once I entered some fake info, the site took me to yet another flashy page that explains that financial independence is within my reach. To find out how, I must purchase their “kit” for $9.95 that will explain it all. I love you guys but, honestly, I wasn’t about to give up 10 bucks to a suspicious organization just to satisfy your curiosity so I did some online research to find out what would happen if I continued. Turns out the Internet is filled with angry people who have reported their findings.

When you order stuff over the internet, do you ever read the “terms and conditions” that you must agree to before clicking “place order”? Yeah, me neither. But if you bothered to read the one at IncomeAtHome.com you would see that you are agreeing to this: “We will charge you $9.95 for Shipping & Handling for the kit. You will have (14 days) to decide if our method is right for you. If you decide to keep it, we will charge you $39.95 for the price of the kit.” That’s a total of $50.

These people are happy with their brochures!

The “kit” includes more lofty promises and flashy print material that tells you how much money you can make but still gives no clue what they expect you to do. No, to find out more, you have to schedule an appointment with a “mentor” (aka “high pressure salesperson”) who will deliver even more empty promises before they finally reveal the Big Exciting Secret.

The exciting secret is this: “IncomeAtHome” is a front for Herbalife multi-level-marketing (MLM) products. They sell herbal supplements that are supposed to help you lose weight. They also have a skin and hair care division. Herbalife has been in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission for “inappropriate business practices” and have been the subject of numerous class action lawsuits with accusations of running a “pyramid scheme” to contaminated products to and ripping off their own “distributors.”

The bottom line is that IncomeAtHome is simply a bogus way to extract $50 from the pockets of gullible and often desperate people. Shame on them.

SMARTPHONE FUTURE SHOCK!

2012-09-21T11:24:00.002-05:00

iPhone 4s vs. iPhone 5

Unless you’ve been living under O'Neal Bridge, you’ve heard all the hoopla about the iPhone 5. Before I get into my rant against it, let me preface it by saying that this geek absolutely loves living in a world where I can call poo-poo on such a miraculous device. I am reminded of a famous book written in 1970 called “Future Shock.” In the book, the author, Alvin Toffler, argued that technological progress was so rapid that societies wouldn’t have time to get used to the present before the future was upon them resulting in "shattering stress and disorientation"—aka “future shocked.” This book also popularized the term "information overload."

Isn’t that a quaint notion? We now live in a world where “information overload” occurs to us daily. The latest revolution started long, long ago (2007) when Apple dramatically melded the phone with a computer in the original iPhone. Many of us now have these mind-bogglingly powerful computers that fit in our palms. And I have the gall to be critical of it? Really?

Really. The iPhone 5 was introduced a couple of weeks ago with great fanfare. My verdict: Meh. Yeah, yeah, Apple has incrementally improved nearly every single aspect of the iPhone but, alas, the iPhone is a “simply” an evolutionary, not a revolutionary design.

It is an interesting conundrum that Apple brought on itself. It’s not unlike Apple’s unveiling of the Mac in 1984 when they revolutionized the way we interact with data (Clickable “icons”? Whoda thunkit?). The rest of the world quickly caught up and surpassed Apple as technology exponentially advanced and eventually relegated Apple to the backwaters of innovation from where they would rise again years later. It’s “deja vu all over again” in the smartphone world.

Motorola Razr Maxx vs. iPhone 5

For example, Apple fanboys are hooting and hollering over the introduction of turn-by-turn GPS -- A feature that’s been available on Android devices for years. Fanboys are hooting about the iPhone 5’s longer battery life that should last “most of the day.”. I’ve had a Motorola Razr Maxx for a few months and the battery lasts a day and a half with fairly heavy use. The iPhone 5 has a better camera with capabilities that have been on the Samsung Galaxy S III for months. The iPhone 5 has 4G wireless capability! A technology that’s been around for awhile on Android phones. And, finally, the iPhone has (drum roll, please) a BIGGER SCREEN! Why, the screen is almost as big as my 2 year-old Droid X that I traded in months ago.

The lesson I’d like for both my readers to take home is this: The new iPhone is miraculous and wonderful but you will be doing yourself a disservice if you pay too close attention to all the hoopla that Apple has expertly garnered. Depending on your particular wants and needs, there are other phones out there that equal or surpass the iPhone in functionality. Shop around. The worst thing that could happen is that you will get “Future Shocked” and turn into a blabbering idiot like me.

INTERNET IN THE BOONIES

2012-09-08T09:17:00.002-05:00


The Broadband Ray Gun from Viasat

Boonies is an interesting word. it is a derivation of the word “Boondock.” Boondock derives from the Tagalog (Philippines) word bundok, meaning “mountain.” American soldiers learned the word during the occupation of the Philippines in the early 20th century and skewed the meaning to mean any remote and wild place.

Those of you who live in the boonies have long been ignored by high speed internet providers. Up until recently, you had a choice of internet over cellular towers or slow and expensive satellite internet from companies like HughesNet and Wildblue. That is no longer the case.

First, a little background: Wildblue was purchased by Viasat back in 2009. In late 2011, Viasat launched the most advanced internet satellite in the world named Viasat 1. It is now located 22,230 miles above our heads and is aiming its ray gun directly at the boonies. Viasat is calling their service “Exede.”

In the old days (last year) speeds of 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) were common with satellite providers. The new Viasat service delivers 12Mbps. How fast is that? Well, a typical song from iTunes is about 4 megabytes (MB-note the large “B” versus the small “b.” Megabytes [MB] are much larger than megabits[Mb]). At 1.5Mbps, that song would take about 20 seconds to download. At 12Mbps, it takes about 2.5 seconds.

Although the Exede service is fast, it’s only 1 satellite right now. In order to provide service to millions of people, Viasat has caps on the amount of data you can use before your speed is “throttled” (reduced). Internet packages start at $49.99 per month for 7.5 gigabytes (GB) per month, $80 for 15GB and $130 for 25GB.

How “generous” is that? That is difficult to nail down. The 7.5Gb plan would allow you to download over 1500 songs. A typical user doing basic surfing and checking email will never get even close to using the 7.5GB limit of the basic plan. However, if you subscribe to Netflix (high definition movies over the internet) you will consume 2GB per hour. That means you will blow through your data limit watching just one 2.5 hour movie. Once you reach your limit, Exede will throttle your speed 90%. That sounds like alot but even the “throttled” speed is 10 times faster than dialup speeds many of you in the boonies are still enduring.

The plans are still a little pricey compared to the service us cityfolk receive from phone company and cable providers. However, if you read my last article on MagicJack phone service, you folks in the boonies could switch to Exede for internet, purchase MagicJack for as little $20.00 per year then cancel your old phone service. That makes the plans much more affordable.

My company recently started offering this service so give us a shout if you have any questions.

THE MAGIC OF MAGIC JACK

2012-08-23T09:15:00.002-05:00


A cheap line coupler and 20 feet of phone cable connects my Magic Jack to all my jacks in my house which makes all my will jacks "live."

Why do I even have a “home” phone any more? I’ve been asking myself that question for a few years. The only time it rings is when some politician wants my vote. Everyone in my family has their own cell phone.The only reason I can come up with for keeping my old phone number is that I’ve had it for so for decades. But I also don’t want to continue to pay $30.00 per month for something I hardly use. I found a solution.

My one-year anniversary with AT&T Uverse (phone, internet, television bundle) arrived recently. With that anniversary came the opportunity to re-negotiate with AT&T for better/cheaper service. After considerable research, here’s what I did: I switched my phone service to MagicJack and cancelled my AT&T phone service. I also got a better deal on my all-important TV lineup. And I didn’t have to give up my phone number to do it. This will save me over $300 bucks per year.

Most of you have probably heard of Magic Jack. It was invented a few years ago as a small $20 dongle that you plug into a USB port on a computer. It has a standard RJ-11 phone jack into which any standard phone can be plugged. This allows the user to make unlimited free phone calls over an existing high speed internet service to the entire continental U.S. and Canada. That’s all cool but the problem was that your computer had to be present and powered on to use it.

In September of last year, the company introduced the MagicJack Plus. It costs $70.00 and includes one year of free nationwide calling. After your first year, you can renew for $30.00 per year. The MagicJack Plus plugs into your router, which is always powered on. You then plug your phone line into that MagicJack. One minor problem with that setup was that this provides only one working phone jack in the house - the one on the MagicJack itself. That’s not a big deal as most people own a cordless phone but I wanted all the telephone jacks in my house to work. So I ran a phone wire from my MagicJack to the telephone interface on the back of my house. That makes all the jacks in my house “live.”

MagicJack comes with a free generic phone number with an area code of your choosing but my goal was to keep my trusty old phone number. The process for “porting” my number from AT&T to MagicJack was simple. It is all done on the MagicJack website. The process cost an extra $20 and took about 5 days to complete. Once the process was complete and I verified the MagicJack worked as advertised, I called AT&T, cancelled my phone service, and renegotiated my TV lineup.

And MagicJack does work as advertised. I have extra-high-speed internet at my house so it works flawlessly. My brother has a vacation house in the mountains and uses notoriously-slow satellite internet. The MagicJack works “pretty good” even for him.

KNOCK KNOCK! FBI CALLING!

2012-08-10T11:38:00.005-05:00

Scary!

The FBI has had my technicians hopping these past few weeks! That’s actually good news because my guys are paid to clean up the mess supposedly caused by them. But it’s bad for you who fall for this new attack on your wallet.

We started seeing a new “FBI” virus about three weeks ago and it is apparently spreading like wildfire through the Shoals. We are up to about 5 victims per week and that number seems to be growing. This virus fills your display with an official-looking document that reads “Your PC is blocked for at least one of the reasons listed below” then goes on to warn you that the FBI knows you’ve been downloading illegal songs and distributing illegal porn.The computer’s start menu and all programs are rendered inaccessible. To make the scam even more scary the virus turns on your web camera and displays a video of whoever is sitting in front of the computer. This makes it appear that a video of you is being sent directly to FBI investigators.The FBI logo and banner at the top of the screen looks identical to the FBI website but when you look closely you can see discrepancies such as misspellings, and poor grammar.

The document demands that the user to go to a local convenience store (with CVS and RiteAid logos prominently displayed) to purchase a prepaid debit card worth $200.00. If you don't pay the fine within 72 hours, the FBI will evidently “deprive you of your liberty.” The victim is instructed to enter that debit card number card number into the proper field in order to unlock the computer. One of our clients actually fell for the scam, paid the “fine” and of course his computer was not unlocked as promised. Adding insult to injury, he then had the pleasure of paying me to remove the virus.

Many viruses try to scam people into giving up their credit card information to pay a bogus charge. Once the victim finds out they were scammed, they could call their credit card company, explain the situation and usually get the charges reversed. With this virus, there is no hope for that because you made a legitimate purchase of a debit card then gave the thieves that debit card number. Your credit card company will have no mercy on you for that level of gullibility.

My research for the source of this bug was inconclusive. Most of the material I read suggests that the virus arrives as an attachment in an enticing email message. If you open the attachment, you get your computer locked by the “FBI.” Other sources indicate it is a “drive by” virus that hops on your computer when you simply visit an infected website.

Removal of the virus is not terribly difficult for people who know their way around computers but is beyond the skills of most computer users. That is mainly because the computer is locked up and won’t allow the user to do anything to remove it by force. The usual precautions still prevail: Keep your antivirus and Microsoft updates current and your skepticism on high alert.

Stupid People Part III

2012-07-27T14:44:00.002-05:00

Q: Jim, are you stupid or what? Jim Fisher - Florence

A: This was a question I asked myself a while back. It was early morning when I arrived at the office and clicked the icon to check my email. Among the offers for larger body parts and weight loss remedies, there was a confirmation of a $400.00 PayPal payment that I supposedly sent to some person on EBay. Just below the very legitimate-looking confirmation was a clickable link that read “Click here to dispute this payment.”

Before I continue with my tale of horror and suspense, I reckon I ought to make sure both my readers know that PayPal (www.PayPal.com) is a method of safely and securely sending money to anyone with an email address. It is the preferred payment choice on many websites and is immensely popular with EBay users.

I buy and sell items on EBay so PayPal confirmations are a pretty common item in my Inbox. However, I was certain I never purchased a digital camera from EBay so I clicked on the link to report a fraudulent payment. The link took me to a website that looked exactly like PayPal where I entered my username and password and pressed the enter key. It took me only an instant longer to realize what an idiot I was. By then it was too late.

You see, I, Jim Fisher – formerly not-so-humble geek who’s been around computers since the stone ages and who should darn well know better -- ignorantly gave my PayPal username and password to scam artists. I was the victim of a phishing scam.

I also owe many of you an apology. You see, I have secretly made fun of some of you who fall for this kind of scam. I used to ask myself, “In this day and age, what kind of ignoramus could be dumb enough to fall for a blatant phishing scam?” Don’t answer that, I already know. After all, I’ve written about this very subject in this very column at least twice. Our banks, internet service providers and headlines in the newspaper inundate us with warnings to never give our username and password to anyone. I’ve personally received dozens of phishing emails from virtually every bank I do (and don’t) do business with. I even get PayPal scams on a regular basis. I’ve never fallen for it because I KNOW better. But for some goofy reason I let my guard down with this particular email.

It was only after I typed in my username and password, and pressed “enter” that I glanced at the address bar in my browser and noticed the address of the website I was entering was not www.PayPal.com. I immediately pulled up a separate web page, logged into my real PayPal account and changed my password before the thieves beat me to it. My account wasn’t cleaned out but I am certain it was a very close call. Had the scammer been a little faster he could have locked me out of my own account and cleaned out my entire balance of $3.35. Whew!

SYNCHRONIZE YOUR LIFE

2012-07-13T10:36:00.002-05:00

A nagging problem for many smartphone users (and those of us who use multiple computers) is that fact that the mail on your phone or computer is separate from the mail on your other desktop or laptop computers. For example, you might use Outlook or Windows Mail to check your company email. You may go to Comcast.com to check your personal email. If you use Outlook (or Comcast) and mark an email as “read” it will not be shown as read on your smartphone. If you delete an email on your smartphone, you will find the mail remains in your inbox when you get back to the office.

There’s a fix for that. Here it is in a nutshell: Create a Gmail account then use Gmail to check all your other accounts. Once you complete the setup process that I’m about to describe, whatever you do on your phone will synchronize with all your other devices such as your home desktop computer and your laptop. When you delete an email from your phone, it will be deleted on your laptop, too. When you send an email to Aunt Cindy from your desktop computer, you will see a copy of that mail in your “Sent Items” on your phone, too. Another bonus is that Gmail has an excellent spam filter so all your mail will be scrubbed of spam before it gets to you. This is all 100% free.

The first step is to create a Gmail account if you don’t already have one. If you have an Android phone, you already have one (you have to have one to activate your phone). Just visit Gmail.com and follow the instructions. Once created, you’ll notice a little icon of a gear in the upper right corner. Click on that, then “settings” then “accounts and import” then scroll down to “Check mail from other accounts.” If you use an email from a major carrier such as Comcast, AT&T, Yahoo and Hotmail, the setup process is super easy. Corporate mail users will need to enter a few additional settings. Repeat this for each of your email accounts.

Now that you’ve got Gmail configured to check all your email accounts, the next step is to configure your home computers to access Gmail. By far the easiest way would be to simply get used to using Gmail.com to send and receive email. If you still want to use Outlook or any other popular email client, you’ll simply add your Gmail account to whatever client you use. This part is really easy but will be really boring to explain here. Just call me if you need help.

The last step is to add your new Gmail address to your smartphone. iPhone and iPad users will simply need to go to “settings” then tap ”Mail, Contacts, Calendars,” then tap “Add Account” and “Gmail.” As I said earlier, Android users will already have this done. As always, holler at me if you have any questions.

STUPID PEOPLE II

2012-06-29T17:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I evidently poked a hornet’s nest with a comment in my last column. It was a piece about evil people who phone people in the Shoals and inform them that their computer is infected with this, that and the other. Victims evidently whip out their credit card and are charged an average of $800.00 for “fix” computers that weren’t broken to begin with.

The offending statement read, “I have a hypothesis that the scammers have zeroed-in on the fact that the Shoals area has a preponderance of elderly people who are (...) more susceptible to these kinds of things.That might explain the uptick. Then again, we have lots of stupid people, too, so maybe they’ve picked up that.”

The majority of people who have called me about this scam were, in fact, elderly. From a skeptical standpoint, that doesn’t mean all the victims were elderly. It could be that my column is read by mostly-elderly people. It’s possible that my younger readers do not call me to report stuff. But the fact is that since the Shoals area is known worldwide as an excellent place to retire, it makes sense that evil people will also know that and take advantage of some of you.

A review of the research results in some interesting reasons why the elderly fall for scams. One researcher performed some tests that revealed that the possibility of losing money activates certain regions of the brain that govern risk taking. Young people have much more activity in this region that older folks. The kicker is that the part of the brain that anticipates financial rewards works well in both the old and the young.

Translation: The brains of elderly people no longer work to warn them of financial danger. All they can see is the potential reward and not the risk.

There is a part of me that wants to offer an apology for what I said. But a bigger part wants me to deliver bitter medicine to my elderly readers and the people who love them. So here goes: I’m not sorry. Not a bit. I did not call my readers stupid. I didn’t call the elderly stupid. I stated that we do have stupid people in the area. That is true. When I wrote that, I was actually thinking of some moron I read about in the newspaper who abused an animal. If you are that person, yep, you’re stupid.

I really do write these articles as a way to help you, my friends and neighbors, save money and not get scammed by evildoers. So if my words made you angry at me, I hope that anger burns a spot in your brain that will become active the next time you are contacted by someone that wants to scam you. Good medicine sometimes tastes bad. I’m not sorry for that.

“MICROSOFT” PHONE SCAM

2012-06-15T12:15:00.000-05:00

The phone scam I’m about to tell you about has been going on for years. However, there seems to be a major uptick in the calls recently. There has certainly been an uptick in people asking me if it’s legitimate. In fact, about a year ago, Microsoft did an actual survey and found that this scam ultimately costs victims an average of over $800.00. Seriously! Who in the heck would just hand out a credit card number to a stranger on the phone? Well, some of you would, is who! According to the survey about 15% of users in the US, Canada and Ireland have received calls from the scammers so chances are good that you will eventually hear from these sleazebags.

I have a hypothesis that the scammers have zeroed-in on the fact that the Shoals area has a preponderance of elderly people who are perceived to be more susceptible to these kinds of things. That might explain the uptick. Then again, we have lots of stupid people, too, so maybe they’ve picked up that.

So let’s take a look at this scam and see what these weasels are up to.

You may receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a Microsoft employee. They may tell you that they are a member of Microsoft’s "Global Service and Support Provider" or some other impressive name. They might claim that the call is in response to one of those “Send Error Report” messages that most of us see from time to time. They might inform you that they have detected that your computer is cramming the internet with spam or is sending our porn images. They will generally ask you to click on this and that and will often produce colorful language when you inform them of various errors and or files are really meaningless. The fact is that it is not possible that someone like this could possess this kind of information about your computer. Your number was simply dialed randomly.

It won’t do much good to call the authorities as there is not much they can do. The calls generally come from foreign countries and have disguised their caller ID number to make it look like they come from the US or even locally.

If you’ve been taken in by this scam, there is a glimmer of hope. According to the real Microsoft, about 3/4ths of the victims reported that they were able to recover at least some of their losses when they contacted the bank or credit card company.

The bottom line? If you ever, ever get a random call from anyone claiming you that you have computer problems, hang up hard enough to bust the scammers ear drum. These bottom feeders are very good at what they do. If you know any really old (or really stupid) people, please tell them to be on guard.

WHAT'S A WINZIP?

2012-06-02T06:35:00.001-05:00

WHAT’S A WINZIP?

I recently received this question and thought I’d share: “This is probably a stupid question but it is one that I am about to pull my hair out with. I am into the digital scrapbooking and am trying to download and install fonts that are stored in ‘zip’ files. My question is this: What are Winzip files and how do I use them?”

There is no such thing as a stupid question. . . . Actually, that’s not true. Why, someone once asked me if I could translate a computer’s processor speed from megahertz to miles per hour. But this particular question isn’t stupid at all. So, please stop abusing your hair for a moment and read on.

WinZip is a computer program that can group and compress files so that they take, on average, 50% to 70% less space and, therefore, take 50% to 70% less time to download from the Internet. When you download and “unzip” this computer file, the same algorithm reverses the process and restores the file to its original form.

The story behind the creator of zip compression is morbidly interesting. The original technology was developed (or stolen from others depending on who you believe) by a fellow named Phil Katz back in 1986. Mr. Katz called this technology “Phil Katz Zip Program” or PKZip. The product’s popularity exploded among users of Electronic Bulletin Board Systems – one of the precursors of the World Wide Web. Money started pouring in to Katz and, almost overnight, the former loner and computer hobbyist found himself rich, famous and mildly disturbed.

Most of us would handle sudden wealth and fame pretty well but personal struggles and alcoholism quickly took their toll on Mr. Katz. In 1997, authorities obtained a search warrant after Katz’s neighbors complained about odors, insects and mice at his luxury condominium. Authorities said they found knee-deep garbage and decaying food.

Katz’s lawyers paid the city of Mequon, WI, about $8,000 for the cost of the cleanup, pest exterminators and legal fees. In April of 2000, after a string of DUI’s and other brushes with the law, Phil’s dead body was found in a luxury hotel room at the ripe old age of 37. He still had an empty bottle of Schnapps in his hand. The death was caused by complications from chronic alcoholism.

I’m sure that is way more than you ever wanted to know about zip files but the truth is, I needed some interesting fluff to fill this column because zipped files are actually quite simple to deal with. Windows has built-in support for "zipped" files. To uncompress a zipped file, you simply double-click on the file and it will open a folder containing the contents of the unzipped file. From there, you can click on an icon to install software or, in your case, copy the new fonts to your fonts folder.

Exposing Yourself

2012-05-18T09:41:00.001-05:00

This article is a continuation of my previous one where we talked about a couple of ways you may be exposing yourself. . . .Get your head out of the gutter! I mean your “computer” self. This is a very big subject and I’ve got much to say so without further ado:

Have you downloaded apps from the Android or Apple “App” store? If so, you’ve certainly had to “agree” to the little pop-up that often informs you of what the application will be able to do on your phone. I bet a dollar that most of you simply click “OK” without reading the stuff. Even if you do read it, you might not fully grasp what it’s telling you - that’s me.

Take the fairly innocuous “Weather Channel” (TWC) application. I love the app. It’s pretty, useful, user-friendly and works nicely. But before you can download it from the Android market, you have to agree with their terms. Those terms include:
“STORAGE: This application can modify/delete data on your SD card.” That’s cool. The app has to download new data and replace old data. No harm there so let’s move on.

“YOUR LOCATION: This application will track where you are.” That’s ok since the application needs to know where you are so it can tell you what the weather is at your location.

Here’s a tricky one. “SERVICES THAT COST YOU MONEY. This application can call numbers and send text messages without my intervention.” Now why in the world would The Weather Channel need permission to call numbers and send text messages? A bit of investigation reveals that the app uses ads. These ads are clickable. When you click on one, the app can prompt you to either call the advertiser or send them a text. That’s cool.

And another questionable one: “HARDWARE CONTROLS. This app can record audio and take pictures and video.” This sounds a bit scary until you consider the fact that the app allows you to record audio and video and upload that directly to TWC so others can see the weather you are experiencing.
But the last one is really disconcerting. It says “PERSONAL INFORMATION. This app can change calendar events.” Now why in the world would the Weather Channel need access to my calendar? After a great deal of research, I found that the app can allow you to check the weather for a location specified in your calendar.

There are many reports of apps that actually do “steal” your data but for the most part, apps from “legitimate” companies like TWC can generally be trusted. But that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Just realize that an app that takes pictures needs access to your hardware. Netflix needs to keep your screen awake for the 90 minutes you're not touching the screen. A ringer mode widget needs access to your settings. When you come across something you don’t understand, usually a bit of deductive reasoning can figure out why an app needs to do something. If not, read comments in the Market or App Store, and ask questions in the forums. Call me. Be skeptical.