Software

Reap the Benefits of Defragmentation

2012-03-25T22:23:00.002+01:00

Making any large and significant changes to your computer doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, it doesn’t have to be difficult either. Defragging your hard drive or your registry is one of those tasks that sounds difficult, daunting and overwhelming. For both beginners and advanced users, there are tools available, such as registry repair software, to help you throughout the defrag process. But before you decide to use these utilities on your computer, you need to know what you are doing, how defragmentation works and why it is so crucial for your computer’s overall performance.

What is Defragmentation?
When you install and uninstall software on your computer, you create fragments or holes in your hard drive and registry. When you store data on your computer, that data is first stored in those empty holes. Consequently, this means data could be stored in various locations. Because all of the data is randomly scattered, it takes the computer much longer to find all the pieces, making your computer run at a much slower pace.
When you defrag your hard drive or your registry, you are taking all those pieces of content and putting them together. You reorganize your data into a much more efficient pattern. You remove all of those empty holes, increasing the overall speed and performance of your computer.
Both your hard drive and your registry need regular maintenance and cleaning to run at their best. To someone unfamiliar with computer parts, you may not even notice a difference with the speed of your computer if you have a fragmented drive. If you install or uninstall many applications, store a wide variety of data and do much work on your computer, defragging will make a world of difference for your PC's performance.

Defragging Your Hard Drive
When most individuals think about defragging, they think about their hard drive. Your hard drive is where your data is stored. Whether we like it or not, we are constantly deleting and creating data, which causes data fragments on the drive. When you are defragging your hard drive, Windows offers step-by-step instructions to help you through the defrag process. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Defragging Your Registry
Your registry is crucial to your computer. It is where all of the hardware, software and system preferences are stored. If the registry becomes fragmented, it will cause significant slowing to your PC. If too many files are fragmented, it can actually cause damage to the registry files.
If you are looking to defrag your registry, you must buy additional software. Windows does not provide any tool to defrag your registry. Making any change to your registry can be very dangerous, so you must be very cautious when completing the task. The best registry repair software offers registry-defragging capabilities and walks you through the process. It also provides additional tools, such as backup and restore features, that help you secure and save your data in case a mistake does occur or problems do arise during the defragging process.

Insurance

2012-03-21T19:53:00.004+00:00

If you are thinking of not having your own car insurance then you will not be given the privilege to drive a car in any streets within the United States. If this is what you are thinking right now, then you need to answer this question. How can you pay your medical bills and the medical bills of other people in case you encounter an accident on the road and it is your fault? If you do not have lots of money, then you really need to start hunting for the best auto owners insurance.
The need for auto insurance should not be questioned by anyone who wants to drive in the United States. It is true that getting a car insurance will just add to your annual expenses, but you have the option of paying a monthly fee for your car insurance. As you find the best company that can give you reliable car insurance you need to ask first for this type of payment option.
Once you get an initial quote from an insurance company, then you need to know that the cost of financing is not included in the monthly payment. Companies that can offer auto owners insurance can give you several options that will meet your individual needs. When it comes to payment, there are choices that you need to choose from such as paying the auto insurance in just two equal payments or pay half and divide the rest into six month or 12 months period. All the choices are all yours to decide so you need to make a wise decision by weighing things first.
You will encounter companies that can offer free quote for you and auto insurance is very easy to locate. If you want to good insurance rate, there are factors that can affect a good rate. Age is one of the major factors that can affect auto insurance rate. If you are a driver at the age of 25 years old and below, then you need to expect higher insurance rate because insurance companies view you as a huger risk of getting into an accident. As much as possible insurance companies determine high risk age group so they can put high insurance rate.
Auto owner insurance policy also includes deductibles in the agreement. This is the amount of money that you will be required to pay right before the company pays any amount for your accident. It is important for you to realize that the lower the deductible is the high your monthly payment will be. By selecting a higher deductible is one way to lower down the insurance premium that you need to pay.

Health: Weight Loss & Fitness

2012-03-21T19:50:00.004+00:00

How many times have you spent the last half of your workout on the special ab machine at the gym or doing countless sit-ups only to see no results? You’ve done every ab workout that you’ve heard of, all to no avail and getting that ever elusive six pack that you’ve been wanting to show off in your new swim suit? Here are 3 “Six pack” myths that may be holding you back.

Myth 1.You need to do a lot of ab exercises. The reason this is a myth is because you can get away with doing a relatively few ab exercises and still see massive results. My abdominal exercises at the most last 25 minutes (but most lasting around 15 minutes) and I see tremendous results.

Myth 2. You need to do ab exercises everyday. False. Abs do not need to be worked any more than any other part of the body. You don’t do chest and back exercises everyday do you? You don’t do quad and hamstring exercises everyday do you? Then you shouldn’t do ab exercises everyday either---it results in overtraining. Your muscles (even your abs) need time to recuperate and grow. The most I train my abs is three days a week after my strength training workouts.

Myth 3. The ab crunch is still the best ab exercise. The reason this is false is because there are so many other exercises out there that can do the job! I’ve done complete ab workouts that don’t include a single crunch---it’s all done either standing up or sitting on a mat---and it works your abs like crazy.

For more detailed info on finding those hidden Six Pack Abs, check out my Free 65 Page Report!

Bryan Akers is a Beachbody Coach and has been enjoying working part-time with individuals at all fitness levels achieve their goals through a variety of at-home workout routines and programs. For more information be sure to check out his website and stay up-to-date on his latest projects.

Linux desktops: KDE vs Gnome

2012-03-19T19:03:00.000+00:00

What is a desktop anyway?

The term desktop refers to the graphical environment where you do your work. The desktop usually consists of a workspace (called the root window) with pretty icons and quite possibly a menu that pops up when you click on it, usually a panel on the top or the bottom and/or top of the screen with a menu and a lot of other practical services you may never even notice.
The most important part of any desktop is the window manager, this is the application that handles window placements and movements. The window manager is what draws a border (or no border) around your windows and makes them maximize, minimize, moves and behave according to your preferences.

KDE vs Gnome, What is the better desktop environment?

KDE and Gnome are complete desktop environments that consist of a large number of tightly integrated yet still separate pieces of software. Gnome uses a window manager called metacity, KDE uses kwin. Both these desktops can be used with any other window manager if you do not like the default choice.
Linux is like Lego. You can build your own desktop environment. Both KDE and Gnome are just big packages with software aimed to look and feel the same way, work well together and generally give you a nice experience. If you dislike a component, then replace it with something else. It's that simple.
Application that are "made for gnome" or "made for kde" can be used with any desktop. This only means that that the program use a set of library functions found in their underlying gnome-libs or kdelibs. You do not need to use the actual desktops to use the applications, software made for KDE and Gnome can be used with any window manager / desktop as long as you got the proper libraries installed. There is no reason to use only applications made for the desktop you prefer, the "best software" for one task is made for KDE, the best for another task is made for Gnome. Use the best from both worlds.
Both KDE and Gnome can be customized to behave exactly the way you want. What desktop you prefer is your own choice and preference. When in doubt, try to learn both. Or experiment with other desktops. Remember, *nix applications are not locked to the desktop they are made for, Gnome applications can be used in KDE and vice versa.
There is no "best desktop", but there is a desktop that's best for you. It's a matter of preference, and hardware.

The Future is Freedesktop

Freedesktop.org is a software project aimed at developing shared technology standards for the X Window System. They provide common protocols like System Tray Protocol Specification, standard that allows developers to write a program that will work in KDE, GNOME, Fluxbox and other desktops who follow the Freedesktop recommendations.
is a free software project to work on interoperability and shared technology for desktop environments for the X Window System. The most famous X desktops are GNOME and KDE but any developers working on Linux/UNIX GUI technology are welcome to participate.

Hardware requirements

Desktop	Required RAM	Required CPU
fluxbox/idesk	48	100 MHz
XFCE4	128	200 MHz
Gnome 1.x	256	500 MHz
Gnome 2.x	384	800 MHz
KDE 3.x	512	1 GHz

These values are general rules of thumb. KDE will start on computer systems who should have been moved to museums long ago, like a Pentium 100 with 64 MB RAM, but it will run horribly slow. Any computer box can be used for the right purpose if you select software according to it's capacity. A Pentium 100 will let your write email and surf the Internet if you choose the MUTT email client and the web browser Lynx.
For a hot new box with lots of RAM and a fast CPU I recommend KDE 3.x or Gnome 2.x. Gnome is bloated and KDE is even more bloated. This is great, but all those fancy features demand more CPU and ram.
XFCE4 is a very nice complete fast and lightweight Desktop Environment and is probably the best choice for old, but not ancient hardware. The ROX desktop is another good light choice.
For really old hardware you should use something simple to draw icons on your desktop (like idesk) and a fast window manger like fluxbox (based on blackbox), waimea or icewm

The Best Desktop

Again: Try them all. This is your choice. There are plenty of Live-CD Linux distributions that let you try both KDE and Gnome without installing anything at all. Knoppix is a nice alternative.
Some people claim KDE is the best choice for beginners.

Desktop Overview
Complete Linux Desktops:

GNOME
- Complete Linux desktop.
KDE
- Complete Linux desktop.
XFCE
- Light Linux desktop.
ROX
- "Light" Linux desktop. The ROX filemanager Filer is clean and nice. ROX Panel and the Filer are excellent and can be used with other desktops.

Popular Windows Window Managers:

ION
- Untraditional window manager using frames and floating workspaces, this helps you use the available on your screen more efficiently.
Fluxbox
- Excellent Window manager, tabbed windowing, layers and more.
EvilWM
- Minimalistic no-fuzz window manager with all basic features, excellent if you like borderless windows.

Be Safe on Your Social Networks

2012-03-17T12:03:00.000+00:00

Social networks are a wonderful tool that keeps us in touch with long-lost friends and family members. They provide a way for instant communication with individuals and help us find friends that we haven’t seen for years. However, even with all of the good that social networks bring, they also contain a few drawbacks as well.

Because social networks are popular among individuals of all ages, they are prime targets for security and privacy threats. It is not uncommon to find a malicious link posted on yours or your friend’s wall. There are also several third-party apps you can download onto your social network that are created by phishers. Luckily, several Mac internet security applications and similar programs provide a tool that will scan your social network and alert you of any suspicious links or sites. But even with this extra layer of protection on your computer, security and privacy threats lurk everywhere on a social network, and without proper caution you can easily become victim to an identity thief or other online predator.

Beware of phishing websites

Social networks have become popular targets among phishers. Phishing is a way to gather another individual’s passwords, usernames, financial information and other personal data. These types of attacks are prevalent because individuals do not think anything is wrong with a link because a friend posted it on one of their social networks.

Unless you are extremely cautious about which websites you enter information on, rarely will you know you are being attacked by a phisher. Oftentimes, you will be redirected to a webpage that looks similar to your regular login page for your social network, bank, email, etc. However, the URL is different and you are not actually on a secure website. And after logging on to one of these fake websites, you have just submitted your personal login information to the phisher. To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, always check the URLs on your login webpages and make sure you only log in to the actual, secure website.

Be cautious of what you post

Even though social networks are the ideal way of staying up-to-date with all of your friends’ lives, that doesn’t mean they need to know every small detail about your day. It is easy for cybercriminals to watch social networking postings of a company and its employees or a family and their friends. They can easily piece together small tidbits of information posted about certain events or activities on a social network wall. They can then use those to their advantage, determining functions, tools and resources to help them gain access to the information they need to steal your identity.

Always check to make sure that your privacy settings are on. If not, anyone can see what you are doing and find important personal information about you with a simple Google search. Be cautious what you post, and make sure you're using privacy settings so your private life stays private.

Third-party apps may not be all fun and games

Third-party apps are easy to use and integrate directly onto your social network. They make it easy to play games, read and access resources. However, many of these third-party apps are providing your information to other companies. These apps also provide a variety of security and privacy vulnerabilities. Not all third-party apps sell and use your information, but always be aware of what apps you download and how much permission you grant the apps to use.

Just be smart

One of the best things to do when using a social network is to be smart. Be aware of who you are friends with and do not confirm any user you don't know. Confirming people you don’t know is often one of the easiest ways for any cybercriminal to gain personal information and data about your life. It only takes one person to cause a significant amount of damage.

Don’t forget to log out of your social network when you are done, especially if you are using a public computer or a public network. Be cautious of all photos you post, all personal information that can identify you, and be sure your privacy settings are turned on and working properly.

Virus Statistics

2012-03-16T07:52:00.001+00:00

Anti-virus software and computer security companies tend to amp up fear about the possibility of your computer being infected with a virus or malware. While scare tactics help sell software, are there really that many viruses out there lurking around every corner of the web? According to statistics, the answer is yes, but you probably shouldn't be too worried. As long as you're careful, you can avoid and deter threats, no matter the number.

The History of Virus Statistics

Back before the wide-spread use of the internet, viruses were virtually unheard of. Viruses are created to spread from one computer to another. Before the internet was widely used, viruses were limited to individual networks of computers, hardly a tempting target for someone wanting to create widespread damage.

The very first virus was created in the early 1970s. It was called the Creeper virus and affected computers on ARPANET, which is known as one of the first forms of today's internet. This virus wasn't malicious and was quickly eradicated with the first anti-virus program, the Reaper.

In 1981, the first hacker-made virus appeared. It was created by a kid in high school and spread through Apple floppy drives.

Yearly Statistics of Viruses

As the years passed, the threat of viruses grew and ebbed, according to statistics. In the 1990s, when the internet became widely used, around 20 major computer viruses were created. The list of notorious '90s viruses includes Shifter, OneHalf, SrcVir, the Chameleon and the Concept Virus.

In 2001 the numbers bloomed to around 34,000. In 2004 the number of viruses skyrocketed from 17,425 in the previous year to 52,151, according to statistics. Since 2006, the number of viruses has gradually been decreasing, according to a statistics report by the Information-Technology Promotion Agency. There were only approximately 14,000 viruses in 2010.

These numbers may seem low since many people confuse the term virus with other attacks that may affect your computer. As noted above, viruses are programs created to spread from one computer to another. Other forms of malware are not able to spread themselves and must be manually downloaded to move from one machine to the next. If you add up all types of malware and look at the statistics, the numbers are much higher.

Protecting Your Computer

Of course, you need to be wary of any type of malicious program that may damage your computer, no matter what the statistics say. Security software with virus and malware defense capabilities offer the best protection. Software that is kept current will block most threats as they are created and identified, no matter how many threats there are. Another easy way to avoid computer infection is to avoid using jump drives that haven't been checked for malware. Many security software packages include the ability to scan jump drives.

While the statistics show that viruses and other forms of malware are abundant, it is easy to keep your computer safe. With constantly improving technology, it will be harder and harder for hackers to create a virus that can outsmart security software, which will eventually lessen the numbers even more.

Surf Safely: Secure your Browser and Protect your Computer

2012-03-14T21:37:00.001+00:00

For most of us, online browsing has become essential to everyday life. But the internet is rife with dangerous threats, ranging from your computer becoming infected by malware to cyber thieves stealing your personal information. Taking action to secure your internet browser will enable safer web surfing and can help ensure your hard drive and personal information aren’t at risk. Here are a few ways to secure your internet browser for safer surfing.

Update Your Browser Regularly
As internet browser technology evolves, so do the unsavory individuals looking to exploit new online vulnerabilities. Subsequently, it is imperative to keep your web browser regularly updated. Internet browsers periodically release important updates that fix security bugs and loopholes. In fact, many of the top browsers, including Google Chrome, have automatic updates and will prompt you to download an important update. Security updates can typically be downloaded directly from the browser’s website as well. In a similar vein, also update your operating system regularly, especially if you are using the OS’s default browser (e.g., Internet Explorer on Windows).

Use the Pop-up Blocker
Most internet browsers have a built-in pop-up blocker that prevents pop-up windows from opening and cluttering your screen. The blocker can help prevent harmful malware from installing on your computer. If you’re using an application that requires you to temporarily disable the pop-up blocker, be sure to enable it when you are finished.

Enable Fraud Protection
A phishing website is a fraudulent website that is masked as a trustworthy one in order to acquire personal information such as passwords and credit card information. Often these websites can steal cached data on your computer without you even knowing it. To prevent this, enable your browser’s fraud protection, which typically “blacklists” known phishing sites and blocks access to them. This blanket protection ensures you don’t inadvertently visit a known phishing site.

Install Only Trusted Programs
It may seem obvious but only download software or programs from known, trusted sources. A surprising number of internet users download free programs from unknown sources and inadvertently install damaging spyware or viruses onto their computers. If you are unsure about a particular program, do some research online; chances are if it isn’t a legitimate program or application, you won’t be able to verify it online.

Look for Private-Browsing Features
Most internet browsers have privacy features that allow you to easily clear your browsing history and personal data. This is important if you use a shared computer, whether in your office, at the library or in a computer lab. Many browsers also have private browsing or private tabs, which allow you to surf the web without leaving any trace of the sites you visit.

Seek Robust Encryption Support
Only use internet browsers that support the latest encryption standards of SSL and TSL. These types of encryption establish an encrypted link between your browser and the website you are using in which sensitive data can pass through securely.

Internet security can be a complicated and tricky thing. But a little know-how and some easy preventive techniques can go a long way towards providing you with a safer browsing environment in an online world rampant with security threats.

Securing Your Portable Tech: The Top 10 Guarding Gadget Tools

2012-03-14T20:49:00.001+00:00

Christmas 2011 was one for the record books in terms of portable tech, with more than 6.8 million mobile devices activated on Christmas Day. Furthermore, an approximate 1.2 billion apps for both Apple and Android devices were downloaded over the Christmas weekend. If you were one of the millions lucky enough to score one of these hot devices, now is the time to look into options for protecting it from theft, damage and other viable threats. From heavy-duty cases to mobile virus software, these top 10 tools can help you safeguard your pricey new gadget from the inside out.

1. Protective Cases
The Griffin Elan Form

This one may seem obvious but a staggering number of people still don’t use anything to protect the exterior of their mobile devices. Using a durable protective case can help keep your smartphone or tablet in optimal condition for longer, especially if you tend to be tough on your devices. Fortunately, cases are typically built for both form and fashion, offering maximum protection in stylish and slim silhouettes.

2. Remote Wipe
Find My Phone App

Mobile gadgets may be pricey but they are easily replaced if stolen. The data on them, however, is much more important. These days, cell phones store all sorts of personal information – think cached online banking passwords, email accounts and more – and can become hazardous in the hands of an unsavory type. In the event your device is stolen, a remote wipe application allows you to remotely wipe all of its data. All of the major mobile platforms support some kind of remote wipe application.

3. Cloud Services
iCloud

A cloud service automatically and securely stores your content in the cloud so it is always available on any of your synced computers or devices. For instance, any content, including photos and contacts, that you add to your mobile phone is automatically synced to your account. The advantage of using a cloud service to protect your gadget (assuming it’s an internet-connected one) is if it’s ever damaged or lost, you can still access the content that was stored on it through your cloud service.

4. Screen Protectors
ZAGG invisibleSHIELD

A fundamental component of any gadget is the screen, especially on a touchscreen device such as a smartphone or a tablet. Screen protectors, like ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD, provide comprehensive scratch protection that can extend the life of your device. Completely transparent and amazingly thin, screen protectors come pre-cut to exactly match the contours and dimensions of your specific device.

5. Mobile Virus Software
BullGuard Mobile Security

Any internet-connected device is susceptible to viruses. Viruses can wreak havoc on your smartphone or tablet, interfering with use or in the worst case scenario, rendering it ineffective. Mobile virus software blocks viruses and keeps you from unintentionally downloading or installing harmful viruses when accessing the internet on your device.

6. Cell Phone Parental Control Software
PhoneSheriff

While smartphones allow you to stay connected on the go, such widespread accessibility can be laden with risk, especially for young users. If your kid was gifted a new smartphone for Christmas, mobile parental control software is a must. Such software allows you to monitor your kids’ wireless communications and control their internet usage, preventing access to questionable or explicit content. Some applications even allow you to create a list of “trigger” words or phrases, alerting you when your child sends or receives any message containing one of the listed words. Cell phone parental control software helps keep your child safe and provide you with peace of mind.

7. GPS Phone Tracking
AccuTracking

Mobile devices and other gadgets are becoming smaller, pricier and subsequently, more vulnerable to theft. Thousands of devices are stolen each year, and replacing your gadget can cost hundreds of dollars, particularly if you don’t have insurance through your carrier. A GPS phone tracking app turns your device into a GPS tracking device, so you can pinpoint the real-time location of your phone in the event it is lost or stolen. GPS phone tracking is also ideal for parents who want to keep tabs on their kids when they are away from home.

8. Antispyware Browser App
Trend Micro Smart Surfing

An antispyware browser app, such as Trend Micro’s SmartSurfing for Apple devices, helps guard your gadget against web threats. Malware, spyware and phishing sites are all used to steal personal information - think stored passwords, financial documents or inforamtion gleaned from email accounts - off of computers and mobile devices. The app denies access to malicious URLs and helps protect your device against phishing attacks. You can also modify your protection level, choosing the level of protection you feel necessary.

9. iPad Lock
iPad Security Lock

An iPad lock is a physical locking mechanism that secures the tablet to a fixed object such as a table. While tablet locks are primarily used in retail environments, they are ideal for any consumer who wants to keep roommates, colleagues and others from swiping their tablet without permission.

10. Mobile Security Service
McAfee WaveSecure

For total gadget security, opt for a mobile security service. Mobile security services for smartphones and tablets are all-inclusive security suites, providing tracking, antivirus protection, and remote lock and wipe capabilities in one seamless application. The services don’t come cheap and most are subscription-based. However, you may find the comprehensive security and subsequent peace of mind the service provides are well worth the cost.

Whether you were gifted a smartphone or a tablet, it is imperative to take the necessary precautions to keep your gadget secure both internally and externally. Doing so will extend the life of your gadget and keep all personal information stored on the device safe and out of the wrong hands.

Social Media: Enhancing Your Online Website

2012-03-14T20:33:00.000+00:00

Social networks have become a favorite online pastime. With such a large number of individuals spending their time on these online mediums, you can expect many of your customers and potential customers to have social networking profiles. You can take advantage of these social networks by increasing your online presence, improving your reputation and spreading the word about new products from your eCommerce website. By taking the rights steps and avoiding a few common social media mistakes, you will see an increase of traffic and possibly an increase of revenue to your website.

Start with the basics

One of the first mistakes merchants make is creating a profile on dozens of social networking sites at once. When first stepping into the social networking world, begin with the largest and most popular networking sites. Create a Facebook page and a Twitter account first because those are the most popular services and are where many of your customers may be spending their time. Also, evaluate the type of customers your eCommerce website brings and carefully consider which social networking sites they would be using. When working with social networks, thinking of your customers is key.

After you have decided which social network you will use, create strong profiles. Give plenty of information about your company and provide detailed posts and links that will make potential customers interested and curious about your site.

Post a variety of content

Posting interesting pieces of content to your profile is how you can captivate your customers and make them excited about specific products or events. Write original articles with information that provides assistance and guidance to your customers. However, make sure the content is proofread and well written. If not, customers will not waste their time and will quickly leave your site.

One of the best types of content you can post on your profile is videos. Product videos, tutorial videos and even videos explaining why your company is the best are an exciting and intriguing way to grasp customers.

Don't overwhelm your customers

Even though adding content is what social networks are all about, be smart about what you post. Some merchants are carried away with the amount of posts and links they share. Keep your information current and available, but don't post information every few minutes. Before you post, think carefully about whether your customers will find the information useful or if it will attract potential customers. There is nothing worse than finding you have lost several "friends" from constantly pestering and annoying them with your posts.

Incorporate share buttons

Placing social networking share buttons on your website allows your customers to share your website on their social network profiles. Share buttons are an excellent way to spread the word about specific items on your webpage, and they can dramatically increase your online presence. You can place Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, Google+ and other share buttons anywhere on your webpage. However, before you go placing these buttons on all of your webpages, think about whether the information is worth sharing.

Constantly maintain and improve

You cannot have a social networking profile and think that is good enough. You have to be diligent in maintaining and constantly improve your profile. Add new links, and post videos and pictures. Social networks need to constantly have a little TLC if you want to use them as tools to improve your eCommerce website. By working hard and keeping a well-maintained profile, it will give your website the boost in traffic it deserves.

The Antivirus Software Reviews

2012-03-14T20:22:00.002+00:00

There are a lot of anti-virus software packages to choose from, and you may be feeling intimidated. You want to make the best choice, but you might not know where to start. That's where we come in. We've compiled a bite-sized list detailing the highlights of a few of our favorite products from our review catalogue.

BitDefender Antivirus Plus
Long considered one of the top dogs of the anti-virus applications, BitDefender packs a lot of bite. A full scope of protection, including an array of techniques for keeping browsers secure, plus stellar 24-hour support, is why we picked BitDefender as our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award winner.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus
Kaspersky’s security labs have created a work of art. While a high price turns away a few users, Kaspersky has passed AV-Test’s analyses with a 100-percent success rate. That means nothing gets through. Plus, Kaspersky is highly customizable, making this program a joy for tech-savvy users. We gave it our TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award for its consistently high success rate and serious extra features.

Norton AntiVirus
A long-time default for OEM installations, Norton has quite a name in the anti-virus community. This isn’t without reason, however; Norton has a robust set of features that defend against internet marauders. Unfortunately, a few compatibility issues remain.

ESET Nod32 Antivirus
The simplicity of ESET might make it a good choice for users who like a streamlined experience. While its security features still remain competitive, we found that ESET’s interface might be a little too plain for TopTenREVIEWS readers.

AVG Anti-Virus
As one of the most-downloaded free anti-virus products, AVG has established a solid base of users. AVG Anti-Virus 2011 won’t disappoint those familiar with the free version. An excellent range of security features are sure to keep your system protected, but a tendency to overprotect and cause false positives are definite drawbacks.

G DATA AntiVirus
G DATA makes keeping a machine secure pretty simple. A solid database of virus signatures, as well as heuristic scanning, make G DATA an excellent choice, but the program is missing common features like gaming and laptop modes.

Avira AntiVir
Avira’s powerful scanning technologies, such as ProActiv behavior scanning, make it a great anti-virus program. With over two decades of respectable security experience, Avira is a safe bet. But the current version lacks necessary features, and its heuristics technology tends to create false positives.

Vipre Antivirus
While Vipre hasn’t been around for very long, the current version of its anti-virus program brings some solid features to the table. All types of malware are covered by Vipre, including Trojans, rootkits, keyloggers and more. The installation is a bit of a hassle, though, since it requires a restart.

Trend Micro Titanium
Trend is one of the few programs on this list that utilizes cloud technology for real-time scanning and updates. While this sounds impressive, Trend’s security and feature sets still lag behind the others.

Webroot AntiVirus
Webroot lacks certain features, like a laptop mode and a recovery CD. On the other hand, malware is defenseless against Webroot’s capable Spy Sweeper.

These are only a few of our top-rated anti-virus software picks. Check out our full reviews to find a more in-depth examination of each product so you can select the best from the rest.

Important Things Before Using Registry Cleaner Software

2012-03-14T20:02:00.000+00:00

The question of whether registry cleaners are safe and smart to use on your PC seems to be a constant argument. Some people contend that these applications are unnecessary and that the registry should not be touched. They claim that using one of these applications does not make a large enough difference to your computer to compensate for the risks involved with using the software.

On the other hand, many individuals say that it is safe to use these applications and that they increase the performance of your PC. Overall, the decision is up to you, but when you are determining whether registry cleaner software is right for your computer, there are several different aspects you must consider before you make a decision.

Understand How Your Registry Works

Before you make any changes in your registry, you need to know exactly what your registry does and how it functions. When using registry cleaner software, you will be working directly inside the registry, which is a crucial part of your PC's operating system. If you don't know exactly how the pieces work, you can cause extensive damage to your machine.

Your registry is what keeps track of your computer’s hardware and software. It also keeps track of your settings and the preferences for your applications. The registry is organized using a specific structure. The top level contains the registry hives, and within these hives are keys, which are similar to folders. Within each key, there is a value, or the crucial data you need to properly work your registry.

Understand the Risks and Benefits

When you begin to make changes and alter the structure of your registry, you can easily make a mistake and create severe problems for your system. However, just like other aspects of your computer, the registry needs occasional cleaning and tidying.

A large drawback to this type of application is the creation of holes in your registry. When you optimize your registry’s performance or allow the software to repair any errors it may find, these large holes in your registry can appear and will create future difficulties. Many of these risks can be prevented if you know what you are doing and exactly what is being done to your registry.

When you are deciding whether to use this type of application, you must weigh the benefits and the risks associated with the software. If you find that your computer takes unusually long to boot or to run applications, cleaning the registry might cut down those times. However, this could also lead to complications.

One advantage to using registry cleaner software is its backup capabilities. The best registry cleaner applications offer backup tools that allow you to back up your registry in case significant errors occur. With these backup features, if problems do appear, you can restore your registry to its original form.

Find the Right Software

Registry cleaners will scan your registry for you. They will search for any errors and areas where the registry needs cleaning. There are dozens of free versions of registry cleaner software available online, but these can be even more dangerous and harmful to your system than a cluttered registry. They can secretly install additional malware on your PC that can carry viruses, worms, spyware and more.

Also, these free cleaners do not offer many of the advanced security features and tools to keep the data safe on your computer that paid versions include. If you are serious about cleaning your registry, investing in a solid registry cleaner application may be well worth it since you will avoid the hassle of a slow computer or a botched attempt at a manual registry overhaul.

DVDs and Blu-rays: Difference

2012-03-14T19:53:00.001+00:00

With the plethora of digital media flooding today's market, it's no surprise that many consumers have trouble discerning the sometimes subtle differences between one medium and another. Particularly tricky are the differences between DVD and Blu-ray Discs, especially for users of DVD copy software.

Although everyone knows that the Blu-ray Disc is gradually replacing the more outmoded DVD, and we all remember its conquest of DVD-HD in the format wars, many people are unsure as to what the difference really is. Vague assertions as to quality and storage size might come up, but for the most part, we accept that this new option is the superior format and leave it at that. To be perfectly fair, it is. But what makes it the best? What are the pros and cons of using a Blu-ray over a DVD? By reviewing a few simple facts, the differences between the two formats should become readily apparent.

Quality
Also called resolution, image quality is without a doubt the most visible aspect of a disc's abilities. This quality is typically measured in lines of pixels, with the higher numbers representing the best quality. Standard DVD format is only 480 to 520p. This is by no means poor quality; in fact, on a standard tube-style television, it's about as good as it gets. However, Blu-rays have quality that goes as high as 1080p – more than twice the resolution of a standard DVD. While this certainly looks good in print, you should bear in mind that this level of quality is only really discernible on a large, flat-screen TV or monitor. Likewise, many DVD rippers or DVD copy software applications do not support Blu-ray burning.

Data Capacity
While the exact numbers may vary, standard DVDs (or DVD 5 discs) can hold up to 4.7GB of information. This works out to be about two hours of continuous footage, or 4–5 half-hour episodes. Double-layer DVDs can hold about twice this amount of information, and these are called DVD 9 discs.

In a similar vein, there are single- and double-layer Blu-ray Discs; however, each of these discs contains far greater storage capacity. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc can hold up to 25GB of information, which equates to around 13 hours of standard-definition video, but only about two hours of high-definition video. Double-layer discs can hold up to 50GB, which translates to about 26 hours of standard definition or four-and-a-half hours of high-definition material.

Format/Compatibility
Perhaps the greatest difficulty with Blu-ray Discs has nothing to do with their quality or capacity to store information; it's simply the fact that the format isn't quite universally accepted. DVDs still comprise a sizable portion of the market in films, TV shows and other media. Part of this is due to the simple fact that some people simply don't have the means to really use Blu-ray Discs. These discs require a special player and can only really be appreciated with a large, flat-screen TV. Buyers should make sure that they have the proper electronic devices to fully appreciate this new trend in digital media.

Macs or PCs: Which Has Better Anti-virus Security?

2012-03-14T19:45:00.001+00:00

Maintaining computer security is important. There is a variety of options for fortifying your digital domain, from anti-virus software to firewall defenses, but one main question remains: which is more secure: Macs or PCs? There was a time when most security experts would have said that Macs were more secure, hands down. The prevalence of Windows-based PCs made them a more likely target, with hackers seeking out more lucrative payoffs from each attack. However, with Macs gaining a greater market share, a strengthening Windows platform and security holes in modern Mac applications, the times are a changing.

Unlike common criminals who are often beset by sociological ills like drug use or illiteracy, cyber criminals are more sophisticated, often living in poor countries like Russia or Brazil. Cyber criminals are often more rational than ordinary outlaws. For hackers, the prevalence of Windows makes attacks on PCs more lucrative. Malware like viruses, spyware and Trojans are more likely to be designed to attack Windows-based systems because cyber criminals rationally attack the larger herd. The prevalence of Windows machines, however, may be changing.

The paucity of malware for Macs doesn't mean Macs are harder to infect. In fact, Macs have repeatedly fallen to the Pwn2Own hacking contest at the CanSecWest security conference. The web default browser in OS X, for example, has long been less secure than Internet Explorer. Plus, the ubiquity of iPads and iPhones and their ability to share malicious codes between them make them a juicier target.

New Mac malware is on the rise. Back in May, Ed Bott of ZDNet.com reported signs of malware authors setting their sights on Macs. A Danish IT company has reported that a new Mac malware kit is being sold in underground hacking communities, with iPad-directed releases underway as well. Web-security firm McAfee Labs has also reported a rise in new Mac malware based on the rising prevalence of Mac OS X and iPhones and iPads.

Another threat faced by both users of PCs and Macs is the phishing scam. A phishing scam utilizes users' fear or lack of technical sophistication to defraud users of money or information. Security threats like phishing scams require little technical finesse because these scams are often done through email. For this reason, both PCs and Macs are vulnerable.

Mac users' self-assurance that their machines are totally secure is beginning to wane. What security experts are beginning to call the "Icarus Effect" is taking shape as the prevalence of Windows systems begins to fall to the ubiquity of iPhones and iPads. New Mac malware is on the rise as Apple systems are beginning to look more lucrative. Yet, phishing scams are a bane of both systems, as this type of fraud uses neither malware nor hacking tricks, but simple ignorance.

In order to defend against internet attacks, make sure your PC or Mac is protected by robust anti-virus software. Check out our anti-virus reviews to see which product we've rated the best anti-virus software.

Surfing the Internet with Text to Speech Software

2012-03-14T19:39:00.001+00:00

These days, having a computer without internet capabilities is like having a couch without cushions. Sure, it gets the job done in most cases, but to really utilize the device to its full potential, you need that absent component. If your screen reader software isn’t fully compatible with most internet browsers, you’re really missing out on the software’s full functionality. When you’re shopping for the best text to speech software, you should look for a few key features to make web browsing easier.

Even the most basic screen reading application should have the ability to read all of the text on a webpage. Some applications will automatically start reading text on a page when it loads. Others will start reading when you type a keyboard command, or when you click the cursor at a specific point in the text. Look for a reading style that matches your visual capabilities and needs.

More-advanced applications offer special features that make web browsing easier if you are visually impaired. One such feature reads text as you mouse over it with the cursor. This helps orient users who can’t see, making it easier to click links and navigate text fields, like those found in online forms and login screens. While most screen reading applications offer a text echo feature, which reads characters or words out loud to you as you type them, the echo feature doesn’t always work in internet browsers. Make sure that the application you choose offers this feature for web browsing to make online interaction, such as blogging or social media updates, easier.

Another phenomenal feature helps protect your security by masking passwords when you type them. If you are using the text echo function, your password is vulnerable to detection by anyone within earshot. The best screen reader software will automatically substitute the characters of your password with a beep or other audio as you type, much like the way a computer automatically replaces on-screen characters with stars or circles to prevent someone from reading over your shoulder when you're typing a password.

You should also look for text to speech software that is compatible with a variety of web browsers. Many are only compatible with one web application, like Internet Explorer. This means that users of Safari, Opera, Google Chrome, Firefox and other browsers will be forced to use an application that they don’t prefer. This may seem like a minor inconvenience, but if you’re the type of person who becomes fiercely dedicated to your preferred browser, you probably won’t appreciate the incompatibility.

The very best screen reading applications come with their own built-in solution to web browser compatibility by including their own dedicated browser application within the software package. This solves a lot of other issues that other superior applications may encounter when surfing the net. For example, images often present issues for even high-quality text to speech applications. The dedicated web browsers that come with screen reader software automatically eliminate images and graphics, instead converting all webpages to an easy-to-read, text-only pages.

With the right combination of features, surfing the internet with screen reader software should be as easy as using word processing software or any other offline application on your computer.

Detect Viruses Without Antivirus Software

2012-03-14T18:57:00.000+00:00

Most computer experts will tell you that you need anti-virus software to protect your computer from viruses, but do you really need it? Many people don't know that their internet browsers provide free protection from internet threats while browsing, downloading software or checking emails. The problem is that this protection may not be enough. Here is how to turn on your browser's protection, what advantages it provides and why you probably will still need security software.

How to Turn On Firefox's Protection

Open the Firefox browser on your computer.
In the upper left-hand side of the screen there will be an orange Firefox tab. Click on the tab. This will open a dropdown menu.
Choose "Options" from the dropdown menu.
Click on the "Security" tab in the options menu.
A list of options will open. Tick the top three security options.
Click "OK."

How to Turn On Chrome's Protection

Open your Chrome browser.
Find the button that looks like a wrench. It will be in the upper right-hand side of the screen.
Click on the "Options" choice in the menu.
Pick "Under the Hood." This will be in a menu on the left side of the screen.
Tick the box beside the choice that says, "Enable Phishing and Malware Protection."
Close out of the window. The options will be saved automatically.

How to Turn On Internet Explorer's Protection

Open the Internet Explorer browser.
In the upper right-hand side of the screen there will be a "Tools" button. Click on it. This will open a menu.
Select "Internet Options" from this menu.
Open the "Security" tab in the pop-up window.
Tick the "Enable Protected Mode" box.
Click the "OK" button.
Restart Internet Explorer.

Browser Benefits

There are many ways that browsers protect computers. Most browsers will warn you before a suspicious webpage opens to prevent you from going there. This will keep hacker sites from downloading viruses to your computer. Some more sophisticated browsers will also block malware and any automatic software downloads. Pop-ups can spread viruses, so almost all browsers have the option to block pop-ups from trusted sites and known malicious sites alike.

Browser Drawbacks

After turning on your browser's protection features, you will only have protection from infections that may come from the internet while you are using your browser. This limits the amount of protection you receive.

Anti-virus software can protect every aspect of your computer online or offline. While viruses are predominantly spread through infected file downloads and websites on the internet, they can also be spread through infected detachable drives and infected software.

So, the answer is yes, you do need some type of protection software on your computer. The best defense is to have both browser and security software running while you use your computer, since you can never have too much protection.