Technology News

2015-09-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hard Disk Data Recovery

2012-08-16T01:14:00.004-07:00

Handy Recovery is an easy to use program that helps you recover files accidentally deleted from your hard disk or a flash drive. It can also recover files from deleted and corrupted partitions. The program works under Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista and Win7 operating systems.

Main features of Handy Recovery

- FAT 12/16/32/64(ExFAT), NTFS/NTFS 5 + EFS, HFS/HFS+ file systems support;
- Recovers files from deleted and corrupted partitions;
- Recovers files emptied from Recycle Bin;
- In-depth disk scanning for certain file types;
- Browsing of deleted files with search, filtering and preview;
- Option to create disk images for deferred recovery.

Other features

- Recovery from compressed NTFS disks;
- Recovery of EFS-protected files on NTFS disks;
- Analysis of lost MFT records on NTFS disks;
- Recovery of alternate data streams;
- Option to create disk images for deferred recovery;
- Support for compressed disk images;
- Ability to save and restore recovery session;
- Ability to save and load information about partitions on a disk;
- Sector view of disk content;
- Shows probability of successful recovery for each file;
- Files deleted from Recycle Bin are gathered in a special folder;
- Preview window to show the content of deleted files;
- HFS/HFS+ file systems support;

Click Here to Download Handy Recovery 5.5

Tips for a Secure Password

2010-05-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Password Security (Real Interesting and Important)

With most websites requiring you to create an account, do you find yourself in a bit of a pickle when it comes to inventing passwords? Many people use the same password for all their online accounts and often forget the password they came up with months ago. Hands up who doesn’t feel like banging your head against the wall trying to remember the password you created months ago?

Let’s face it - everyone has problems with creating and remembering secure passwords. That’s why we decided to help.

Tips on how to create and remember your passwords:

•Use the first letters of a sentence that you will remember,e.g. "I have 3 cats: Fluffy, Furry and Shaggy" gives: Ih3c:FF&S, or “Bouncing tigers have every right to ice-cream” becomes: Bther2I-C.

•Take the name of the website and then add your personal twist, like your height or your friend’s home address (e.g. “AmazonOceanRd6’ 2”). Avoid using your own contact details like your phone number or house number.

•Remove the vowels from a word or phrase e.g. "I like eating pancakes” becomes: Ilktngpncks”.

•Use a phrase from your favourite book and then add the page, paragraph or chapter number.

The Do’s and Don'ts of creating passwords

DOs:

•Mix letters, numbers and symbols, and use case sensitivity (upper and lower case letters)

•The longer the better. Use passwords that are longer than 6 characters.

•Change your passwords at least every 60 days, cycling the numeric values up or down makes the new password easy to remember.

•Try copying and pasting at least some of the characters in your password that way keyloggers won’t be able to track your keystrokes.

DON'Ts:

•Don’t use words or phrases or numbers that have personal significance. It is very easy for someone to guess or identify your personal details like date of birth.

•Avoid writing your password down, use a reputable password manager to manage all your passwords.

•Don’t use the same password for several logins, especially if they involve sensitive financial or other personal information.

•Don’t tell anybody your password.

•When registering on websites that ask for your email address, never use the same password as your email account.

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Folder Lock

2010-05-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

Folder Lock 6.3.5 || FULL VERSION

Folder Lock offers fastest way of encrypting and password protecting files and folders. You can either choose to encrypt important files from techies or lock your files, pictures and private data from casual users. Folder Lock comes with locking, encryption, shredding, stealth mode, hack attempt monitoring, portability, plug & play support, history cleaning, and more than 20 privacy features all tailored to special needs for people wanting privacy and security.

Folder Lock® is a fast file encryption software that can password protect folders, encrypt or lock files, protect USB Drives and lock CD/DVDs. The program supports all flavors of Windows 7.0, Vista, XP and 2000 including their 64-bit variants.

Folder Lock creates encrypted storages called 'Lockers'. You can keep as many of your private files & folders in Locker and password protect it with a single click. Lockers are portable, so you can transfer, secure and backup these Lockers or keep them in USB Drives, CD/DVD, & notebooks or transfer them over email. These Lockers are undeletable on the computer where Folder Lock is installed.

You can create as many Lockers as you want. Different users can create different Lockers with different passwords as well. With Folder Lock, you can choose either to encrypt using 256-bit AES on-the-fly encryption or lock files, folders and drives anywhere on your computer. Each Locker can contain your encrypted files as well as your personal list of your locked items.

Furthermore, Folder Lock comes with additional features like hack monitoring, stealth mode, data shredding, auto protection, portable USB autoplay support, history cleaning and virtual keyboard. This can enhance file locking and encryption beyond anything ever achieved. In addition, a Locker can't be renamed, moved or deleted without a correct password to prevent data loss.

Folder Lock is the most downloaded File Encryption Software in the market with more than 15 million downloads to date.

1.http://www.filefactory.com/file/b19ab2g/n/FL_6.3.5.rar

2.http://depositfiles.com/files/80njgrxja

HDD Temperature

2010-05-02T03:41:00.000-07:00

HDD Temperature v4.0.22

HDD Temperature is monitoring software that protects your hard drives from getting overheated. Using the SMART technology included in all modern hard drives, HDD Temperature checks and monitors the temperature of your hard drive; you can also set the maximum value for drive temperature so you’ll be warned if that temperature is exceeded. HDD Temperature Pro can monitor multiple HDDs, work as a network service, and send e-mail alerts. Perhaps most mportantly, it can automatically force an overheated system to hibernate, protecting both the hard drive and unsaved data. You also can run this application as a network service, making this tool ideal for corporate networks.

Features:

* HDD Temperature Revamped

* Brand-New User Interface

* Detailed Report on Your Hard Drives

* Supports All Kinds of Disks

* Basic Disk Health Control

Click Here To Download HDD Temperature

English Dictionary For Mobile Phones

2010-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Supported Devices

Alcatel: One Touch 557, One Touch 557a, One Touch 735, One Touch 756, One Touch C550, One Touch C552, One Touch C552a, One Touch C750, One Touch S853

Amoi: 8512

Asus: P525

Audiovox: SMT 5600

BenQ: A520, C30, EF51, P30, P31, P50, S82

BenQ-Siemens: CL71, E61, E71, E81, EF91, EL71, S68, S81, S88, SL91

BlackBerry: 6220, 6230, 6280, 6720, 7100, 7100i, 7130, 7130e, 7210, 7230, 7250, 7280, 7290, 7510, 7520, 7730, 8100, 8120, 8130, 8220, 8300, 8310, 8320, 8330, 8350, 8700, 8703e, 8705, 8707, 8800, 8820, 8830, 8900, Bold 9000, Storm 9500, Storm 9530

CECT: A1000

Cingular: Cingular 2125, Cingular BlackJack

Dopod: Dopod 515, Dopod 557w, Dopod 565, Dopod 575, Dopod 585, Dopod 586w, Dopod 595, Dopod C720W

Fly: SX210

HP: iPAQ 510 Mobile Messenger

HTC: HTC MTeoR, HTC P3300, HTC P3600, HTC S310, HTC S620, HTC S650, HTC S710, P3350, P3400, P3470, P3650 Cruise, P4350, P6300, Snap, Touch, Touch 3G, Touch Diamond, Touch Dual, Touch HD, Touch Viva, TyTN II

Huawei: C5600, INQ Candy, U1270, U526, U626

I-mobile: 510

LG: 8380, B2000, B2050, B2070, B2100, B2150, C1100, C1150, C2000, C2500, C2600, C3100, C3300, C3400, CB630, CF360, CG225, CT810 Incite, CU 515, CU320, CU400, CU405, CU500, CU720, CU915, CU920, F2400, G1600, G1610, G4015, G7100, GR500 Xenon, GT365 Neon, HB620T, KC550, KC910, KE770, KE800, KE820, KE850, KE970, KE990, KF300, KF310, KF390, KF600, KF690, KF700, KF750, KF755, KF900 Prada II, KG110, KG195, KG200, KG220, KG225, KG240, KG245, KG290, KG300, KG320, KG800, KG810, KM500, KM900 Arena, KP202, KP220, KP500, KS10 Joy, KS20, KS360, KT520, KT610, KU250, KU380, KU385, KU450, KU580, KU800, KU830, KU950, KU970, KU990, L600v, LG KE500, LG-KE600, LG550, LX 600 Lotus, LX265 Rumor II, LX350, LX400, LX550, LX570, M4410, MG100a, MG105, MG220, MX510, P7200, S5200, T5100, Trax CU575, TU500, TU515, TU575, TU915, U250, U300, U310, U370, U400, U8100, U8110, U8120, U8130, U8138, U8180, U8210, U8290, U830, U8330, U8360, U8380, U8500, U8550, U880, U890, U900, U960, U970 Shine, U990 Viewty, V9000, VX9400, VX9900

LG Electronics: LG-B2060

Lenovo: V800

Mitac: Mio 8390, Mio 8860, Mio 8870

Motorola: A1200, A760, A768, A780, A835, C155, C168, C257, C261, C290, C350, C350M, C380, C385, C390, C450, C550, C650, C975, E1000, E1070, E365, E380, E398, E398B, E398i, E550, E680, E680i, E770, E770-Vodafone, E790, E8 Rokr, E815, EM330 Moto, i580, i830, i850, i930, IC402, IC502, IC902, K1, K3, KZRK K1, L2, L6, L6i, L7-Vodafone, L71, Motoming A1600, MOTOROKR Z6m, Motorola Q, Motorola Q Plus, Motozine ZN5, MPX220, PEBL U3, PEBL U6, Q9H, QA1 Karma, Razr V3, RAZR V3a, RAZR V3m, Razr V3x, RAZR V3xx, RAZR V3xxv, RAZR V6, RAZR2 V8, RAZR2 V9, RAZR2 V9m, RAZR2 V9x, RIZR Z10, RIZR Z8, ROKR E1, ROKR E2, ROKR E6, ROKR Z6, SLVR L7, SLVR L7e, SLVR L7i, SLVR L9, T720, U9, V1050, V1075, V1100, V171, V177, V180, V186, V188, V190, V191, V195, V197, V220, V235, V300, V303, V330, V360, V360-Vodafone, V365, V3c, V3i, V3m, V3r, V3t, V3v, V3x-Vodafone, V400, V500, V505, V525, V525M, V535, V545, V547, V550, V551, V555, V557, V600, V600i, V620, V635, V690, V80, V950 Renegade, V975, V980, V980M, VA76r Tundra, W220, W315, W375, W385, W490, W510, Z3, Z9

NEC: e616, N600

Nokia: 1680c, 2330 classic, 2355, 2600 classic, 2610, 2626, 2630, 2650, 2660, 2680, 2720 Fold, 2760, 2855, 2855i, 2865, 2865i, 3100, 3105, 3109 classic, 3110c, 3120, 3120 classic, 3125, 3152, 3155, 3155i, 3200, 3220, 3230, 3250, 3300, 3410, 3500, 3510, 3510i, 3530, 3555, 3586i, 3587, 3595, 3600, 3600 slide, 3610 Fold, 3620, 3650, 3660, 5000, 5070, 5100, 5130, 5140, 5140i, 5200, 5220 XpressMusic, 5300, 5310 XpressMusic, 5320 XpressMusic, 5500, 5610, 5630 Xpress Music, 5700, 5800 XpressMusic, 6010, 6015, 6020, 6021, 6030, 6060, 6060v, 6061, 6070, 6080, 6085, 6086, 6100, 6101, 6102, 6102i, 6103, 6108, 6110 Navigator, 6111, 6120, 6120c, 6121 classic, 6124 classic, 6125, 6126, 6131, 6131 NFC, 6133, 6136, 6151, 6152, 6155, 6165, 6165i, 6170, 6200, 6210 Navigator, 6212 classic, 6220, 6220 Classic, 6225, 6230, 6230i, 6233, 6234, 6235, 6235i, 6255, 6255i, 6260, 6263, 6265, 6265i, 6267, 6270, 6275i, 6280, 6282, 6288, 6290, 6300, 6301, 6303 classic, 6310i, 6500c, 6500s, 6555, 6585, 6600, 6600 Fold, 6600 slide, 6610, 6610i, 6620, 6630, 6650, 6651, 6670, 6680, 6681, 6682, 6700 classic, 6708, 6800, 6810, 6820, 6822, 7070, 7100 Supernova, 7200, 7210, 7210 Supernova, 7250, 7250i, 7260, 7270, 7310 Supernova, 7360, 7370, 7373, 7390, 7500, 7510 Supernova, 7600, 7610, 7610 Supernova, 7650, 7710, 7900 prism, 8600 Luna, 8800, 8800 Arte, 8800 Sirocco, 8801, 8910i, 9210, 9290, 9300, 9300i, 9500, E50, E51, E55, E60, E61, E61i, E62, E63, E65, E66, E70, E71, E75, E90, N-Gage, N-Gage QD, N70, N70-1, N71, N72, N73, N75, N76, N77, N78, N79, N80-1, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N85, N86, N90, N91, N92, N93, N93i, N95, N95 8GB, N96, N97

O2: Ice

Orange: SPV, SPV C100, SPV C500, SPV C550, SPV C600, SPV C700, SPV e100, SPV E200

Panasonic: A210, SC3, VS2, VS3, VS6, X200P, X400, X400P, X500, X70

Pantech: C520 Breeze, C530 Slate, C610, C740 Matrix, C810 Duo, C820 Matrix Pro, PG-1400, PG-1410, PG-C300

Philips: 568, 588, 755, 756, 766, 768, 960, S890, S900

QTEK: QTEK 7070, QTEK 8010, QTEK 8020, QTEK 8080, QTEK 8100, QTEK 8300, QTEK 8310, QTEK 8600, QTEK 9000, QTEK 9100, QTEK S100

Qtek: 8100, 8500

RoverPC: M1

Sagem: MY 302X, MY 301X, MY 400V, MY 400X, MY 401C, MY 401X, MY 401Z, MY 405X, MY 419X, MY 421Z, MY 501C, MY 501X, MY 511x, MY 600v, MY 600x, MY 700X, MY 850C, MY C4-2, MY C5-2, MY C5-2 Vodafone, MY C5-3, MY V-55, MY V-56, MY V-65, MY V-75, MY V-76, MY V-85, MY W-7, MY X-4, MY X-5-2T, MY X-6, MY X-7, MY X-8, MY X5-2, MY X5-2M, MY X6-2, MY Z-5, my411X, myX5-2v, Sagem myS-7

Samsung: A717, A867 Eternity, B2700, F480, GT C5220, GT M7500, GT S3310, GT S5233, GT S5603, GT S7330, GT S7350, GT-M8800 Pixon, i300, i320, i320N, i8510 INNOV8, i907 Epix, Instinct M800, M3510 Beat, M7600, S5230, S5600, S7220 Ultra, s8300, SCH A870, SGH A167, SGH A177, SGH A227, SGH A237, SGH A257, SGH A411, SGH A412, SGH A551, SGH A561, SGH A637, SGH A657, SGH A701, SGH A706, SGH A707, SGH A711, SGH A727, SGH A736, SGH A737, SGH A747 SLM, SGH A777, SGH A801, SGH A821, SGH A827, SGH A837, SGH A877, SGH C100, SGH C100G, SGH C130, SGH C140, SGH C160, SGH C170, SGH C200, SGH C207, SGH C207L, SGH C210, SGH C230, SGH C260, SGH C300, SGH C400, SGH C406, SGH C417, SGH D407, SGH D410, SGH D500, SGH D500C, SGH D500E, SGH D510, SGH D520, SGH D600, SGH D600E, SGH D720, SGH D800, SGH D807, SGH D820, SGH D830, SGH D836, SGH D840, SGH D880, SGH D900, SGH D900i, SGH D908, SGH D980, SGH E200, SGH E210, SGH E250, SGH E300, SGH E310, SGH E310C, SGH E315, SGH E316, SGH E330, SGH E330N, SGH E340, SGH E340E, SGH E350, SGH E350E, SGH E360, SGH E370, SGH E376, SGH E380, SGH E388, SGH E390, SGH E420, SGH E490, SGH E500, SGH E530, SGH E568, SGH E570, SGH E590, SGH E600, SGH E620, SGH E630, SGH E630C, SGH E690, SGH E700, SGH E710, SGH E715, SGH E720, SGH E728, SGH E730, SGH E736, SGH E740, SGH E760, SGH E770, SGH E780, SGH E788, SGH E800, SGH E808, SGH E810, SGH E820, SGH E830, SGH E840, SGH E870, SGH E878, SGH E890, SGH E898, SGH E900, SGH E950, SGH F110, SGH F270, SGH F330, SGH F338, SGH F400, SGH F408, SGH F488, SGH F490, SGH F500, SGH F700, SGH G400, SGH G600, SGH G800, SGH G808, SGH G810, SGH i200, SGH i300, SGH I320, SGH i450, SGH i550, SGH i560, SGH i600, SGH I620, SGH I627 Propel Pro, SGH i640, SGH i710, SGH i780, SGH i900, SGH J165, SGH J200, SGH J208, SGH J400, SGH J600, SGH J700, SGH J750, SGH J800, SGH L170, SGH L760, SGH L768, SGH L770, SGH L810, SGH L811, SGH M110, SGH M600, SGH P200, SGH P270, SGH P300, SGH P310, SGH P400, SGH P510, SGH P777, SGH P850, SGH P900, SGH P906, SGH P910, SGH P920, SGH P960, SGH S300, SGH S300M, SGH S500, SGH T209, SGH T219, SGH T309, SGH T319, SGH T329, SGH T339, SGH T349, SGH T459 Gravity, SGH T509, SGH T509S, SGH T519, SGH T609, SGH T619, SGH T629, SGH T636, SGH T639, SGH T729, SGH T809, SGH T929, SGH U600, SGH U700, SGH U708, SGH U800, SGH U900, SGH U908, SGH V200, SGH X100, SGH X100A, SGH X105, SGH X120, SGH X140, SGH X160, SGH X200, SGH X210, SGH X300, SGH X430, SGH X450, SGH X460, SGH X480, SGH X486, SGH X490, SGH X495, SGH X500, SGH X506, SGH X507, SGH X510, SGH X520, SGH X530, SGH X540, SGH X600, SGH X608, SGH X610, SGH X620, SGH X620C, SGH X630, SGH X636, SGH X640, SGH X640C, SGH X648, SGH X650, SGH X660, SGH X670, SGH X680, SGH X686, SGH X700, SGH X820, SGH X830, SGH Z107, SGH Z110, SGH Z140, SGH Z170, SGH Z220, SGH Z230, SGH Z240, SGH Z248, SGH Z300, SGH Z370, SGH Z400, SGH Z400V, SGH Z500, SGH Z510, SGH Z530, SGH Z540, SGH Z560, SGH Z630, SGH Z720, SGH ZM60, SGH ZV10, SGH ZV30, SGH ZV40, SGH ZV50, SGH ZV60, SGH-A767, SGH-i607, SGH-L700, SGH-P520, SGH-T819, SGH-V820L, SPH A580, SPH A640, SPH A660, SPH A680, SPH A740, SPH A900, SPH A900P, SPH A920, SPH A940, SPH A960, SPH i325 Ace, SPH M500, SPH M510, SPH M610, SPH M620, SPH-M520, SPH-M540 Rant, SPH-M630, SPH-Z400, T919 Behold, Z130, Z150

Sanyo: MM 7400, MM 7500, MM 8300, MM 9000, PRO 200, PRO 700, S750, SCP 2700, SCP 6650 Katana II, SCP 6750 Katana Eclipse, SCP 8400, SCP 8500 Katana DLX, SCP M1, SCP-6600, SCP-7050

Sendo: X

Sharp: 550SH, 770SH, 880SH, 902SH, 903SH, GX-L15, GX10, GX10i, GX15, GX17, GX20, GX22, GX25, GX29, GX30, GX30i, GXT15, TM100, TM150

Siemens: A31, A60, A65, A75, AL21, AP75, AX72, AX75, AX76, C55, C60, C62, C65, C65-Vodafone, C66, C72, C75, CF62, CF75, CF76, CX65, CX70, CX75, EF81, M50, M55, M56, M65, M75, MC60, ME75, MT50, S55, S57, S65, S75, SK65, SL42, SL45, SL55, SL65, SL75, ST60, SX1

Sony-Ericsson: C702, C902, C905, D750, D750i, F305, F500i, G502, G700, G900, J200i, J210i, J220i, J230i, J300a, J300i, K200i, K300, K300a, K300i, K310, K310a, K310i, K320i, K330, K500i, K508, K508c, K508i, K510a, K510i, K530i, K550i, K600, K600i, K608i, K610, K610i, K618i, K630, K660i, K700, K700c, K700i, K750, K750i, K770, K790a, K790i, K800i, K800iv, K810i, K850i, P1i, P800, P900, P910, P910a, P910i, P990i, S302, S500i, S700, S700i, T226, T230, T250i, T290a, T290i, T610, T616, T630, T637, T650i, T68, V600, V600i, V630i, W200a, W200i, W300, W300i, W350, W380, W550c, W550i, W580i, W600c, W600i, W610i, W660i, W700i, W710i, W760, W800c, W800i, W810i, W810iv, W830i, W850i, W850iv, W880i, W890i, W900i, W910i, W950i, W960, Z1010, Z200, Z300i, Z310i, Z310iv, Z500, Z500a, Z520a, Z520i, Z530i, Z550a, Z550i, Z555, Z558i, Z600, Z610i, Z710i, Z750, Z800, M600i

T-Mobile: MDA Dash, MDA Mail, SDA, SDA (US name), SDA II, SDA Music

Tatung: M1

Toshiba: G500, G710, G810, G900, TS803, TS921

VK Mobile: VK4000

Vodafone: v1210, v1240, VDA II, VDA IV

ZTE: F232, F858, F866

DOWNLOAD LINK

Link 1 :

http://rapidshare.com/files/369051974/English_Dictionary-rvddvd.rar

Link 2 :

http://depositfiles.com/files/833ypaqdi

Link 3 :

http://hotfile.com/dl/35004466/227a4f1/rvddvd.rar.html

COMPUTER CLEANING TIPS

2010-03-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

GENERAL CLEANING TIPS

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

1. Never spray or squirt any type of liquid onto any computer component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use that cloth to rub down the component.

2. Users can use a vacuum to suck up dirt, dust, or hair around their computer on the outside case and on their keyboards. However, do not use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it generates a lot of static electricity that can damage the internal components of your computer. If you need to use a vacuum to clean the inside of your computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum designed to do this job.

3. When cleaning a component and/or the computer, turn it off before cleaning.

4. Never get any component inside the computer or any other circuit board damp or wet.

5. Be cautious when using any type of cleaning solvents; some individuals may have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can even damage the case. Try to always use water or a highly diluted solvent.

6. When cleaning, be careful not to accidentally adjust any knobs or controls. In addition, when cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is plugged in, make sure not to disconnect any of the plugs.

7. When cleaning fans, especially the smaller fans within a portable computer or laptop it's suggested that you either hold the fan or place something in-between the fan blades to prevent it from spinning. Spraying compressed air into a fan or cleaning a fan with a vacuum may cause damage to some fans.

8. Never eat or drink around the computer.

9. Limit smoking around the computer.

CLEANING TOOLS

Although many companies have created products to help improve the process of cleaning your computer and peripherals, users can also use household items to clean their computers and peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need or want to use while cleaning your computer or computer peripherals.
Keep in mind that some components in your computer may only be able to be cleaned using a product designed for cleaning that component; if this is the case, it will be mentioned in the cleaning tips.

* Cloth - A cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down a component; although paper towels can be used with most hardware, we recommend using a cloth when ever possible.

* Water or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may be bad for the plastics used with your computer.

* Portable Vacuum - Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette particles, and other particles out of a computer can be one of the best methods of cleaning a computer. Over time, these items can restrict the airflow in a computer and cause circuitry to corrode. Do not use a standard vacuum as it can generate a lot of static electricity that can damage your computer.

* Cotton swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations.

* Foam swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free swabs such as foam swabs.

CASE CLEANING

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

Procedure: The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint-free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. It is recommended that you never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.
Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer; however, if you need to clean the inside of the computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum to prevent static electricity.

If you are looking for steps on cleaning the inside of the computer, please see our motherboard cleaning section.

Additional help: Case Page

CD-ROM CLEANING

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

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

Also see our below CD cleaning recommendation for steps on cleaning each of your CDs.

Additional help: CD-ROM Page

CD CLEANING

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

Procedure: Cleaning CDs should be done with a CD cleaning kit but can also be done with a normal clean cotton cloth or shirt. When doing this with a clean cotton cloth or shirt, wipe against the tracks, starting from the middle of the CD and wiping towards the outer side of the CD. Never wipe with the tracks; doing so may put more scratches on the CD.
It is recommended when cleaning a CD that water is used. However, if the substance on a CD cannot be removed using water, pure alcohol can also be used.

Additional help: CD-ROM Page

FLOPPY DRIVE CLEANING

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

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

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

Additional help: Floppy Drive Page

HARD DISK DRIVE CLEANING

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

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

Additional help: Hard Disk Drive Page

HEADPHONES CLEANING

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

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

Headphones that have cushions often also have the availability of replacement cushions. Replacing these cushions can also help keep the headphones clean.
Finally, in regards to headphones and the spreading of head lice, if multiple students are using your headphones, you should consider having the students use their own headphones, using bags that are placed over the headphones, or having headphones that can be wiped with warm water after each student has used the headphones.

KEYBOARD CLEANING

If you're trying to clean a laptop keyboard see document CH000780 for additional help and information. All of the below information applies to standard desktop computer keyboards.
Why? Dirt, dust and hair can build up causing the keyboard to not function properly.

Procedure: Many people clean the keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking. A more effective method is to use compressed air. Compressed air is pressurized air contained in a can with a very long nozzle. Simply aim the air between the keys and blow away all of the dust and debris that has gathered there. A vacuum cleaner can also be used, but make sure the keyboard doesn't have loose "pop off" keys that could possibly be sucked up by the vacuum.
Why? If the keyboard has anything spilt into it (ie: pop, Pepsi, Coke, beer, wine, coffee, milk, etc.), not taking the proper steps can cause the keyboard to be destroyed.
Procedure: Below are a few recommendations to help prevent a keyboard from becoming bad once a substance has been spilt within it.

If anything is spilt onto the keyboard turn the computer off immediately. Once the computer is turned off, quickly flip the keyboard over helping to prevent the substance from penetrating circuits. While the keyboard is upside down, shake the keyboard over a surface you do not mind getting wet or that can be cleaned up later. While still upside down, use a cloth to help clean out what can be reached. After you you have cleaned the keyboard to the best of your ability leave the keyboard upside down for at least one night allowing it to dry.

If a keyboard does not work after trying it again later it is recommended that it be replaced. If the keyboard works, however some of the keys are sticky or cannot be pressed in you can attempt to do additional cleaning in attempt to resolve the issue. Unfortunately many times any sticky substance such as a non-diet pop is spilt directly onto the keyboard it is usually a loss unless you plan on spending dozens of hours attempting to clean each key.
Why? A keyboard that is used by multiple people, such as students or different employees, may need to be disinfected to help the spread of germs.

Procedure: Turn off the computer. Spray a disinfectant onto a cloth or damp a cloth with alcohol and rub each of the keys on the keyboard. As mentioned in our general cleaning tips, never spray any type of liquid onto the keyboard.
Additional Information: Keyboard Page

LAPTOP CLEANING

Additional help and information about cleaning your laptop or portable computer can be found on document CH000780.

LCD CLEANING

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

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

When cleaning the LCD screen it is important to remember to not spray any liquids onto the LCD directly; do not use a paper towel as it may cause the LCD to become scratched.
To clean the LCD screen we recommend that you use a soft cotton cloth; if a dry cloth does not completely clean the screen, you can apply rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe the screen with the damp cloth. Rubbing alcohol is actually used to clean the LCD before it leaves the factory.

MONITOR CLEANING

Note: This section is for computer monitors if you have a LCD or flat-panel see our LCD cleaning section.

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

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

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

Additional help: Monitor page

MOTHERBOARD CLEANING

Why? Dust and especially particles of cigarette smoke can build up and corrode circuitry causing various problems such as computer lockups Note: When inside the computer take the necessary ESD precautions and try to avoid unplugging any cables or other connections.

Procedure: Our recommendation when cleaning the Motherboard from dust, dirt, or hair is to use compressed air. When using compressed air, hold it in the up-right position; otherwise, it is possible chemicals may come out of the container that could damage or corrode the Motherboard or other component within the computer. Also, ensure when using compressed air that you always blow the dust or dirt away from the motherboard, or out of the case.
Another good alternative to compressed air is to use a portable battery powered vacuum that can effectively remove the dust, dirt, and hair from the motherboard completely and prevent it from getting trapped within the case. However, do not use a standard electricity powered vacuum as it can cause a lot of static electricity that can damage the computer. When using the vacuum it is vital that you stay a couple inches away from the motherboard and all other components to help prevent contact as well as to help prevent anything from being sucked into the vacuum. Ensure that you do not remove any small components with the vacuum such as jumpers.

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

Additional help: Motherboard Page

MOUSE CLEANING

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

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

Image

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

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

Once you have removed as much dirt and hair as possible, place the ball back within the mouse and place the cover back on.
If the mouse still appears to be having the same issue, repeat the above process; if after several attempts the mouse is still having the same issues, it's likely that your mouse has other hardware issues and we recommend that it be replaced.

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

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

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

Additional help: Mouse Page

PALM PILOT CLEANING

Why? Dirty touch screens can cause difficult navigation.

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

PRINTER CLEANING

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

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

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

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

SCANNER CLEANING

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

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

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

SUPERDISK CLEANING

Why? It is recommended that the SuperDisk / LS120 drive be cleaned regularly to prevent drive heads from becoming dirty.

Procedure: Purchase the SuperDisk cleaning kit available through Imation. Using any other method will void the warranty on your drive.

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Make Your Computer Talk

2010-03-07T05:16:00.000-08:00

Open a text file in notepad and write:

Dim msg, sapi
msg=InputBox( "Enter your text","Talk it")
Set sapi=CreateObject( "sapi.spvoice" )
sapi.Speak msg

Save the file with a (*.vbs) extension,
it will create a VBScript File.
Now open the saved file, input the text and press ok."

You will hear what you typed

this works in Windows XP and in Vista also.

enjoy!!!

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What Are Spyware, Adware, and Trojan Horses?

2010-02-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

What Are Spyware, Adware, and Trojan Horses?

In a narrow sense, spyware is a term for some tracking technologies (specifically, executable applications) deployed on your computer without adequate notice, consent, or control. Spyware can monitor your activities online and/or perform functions without your knowledge or consent. Depending on the program, spyware can track and report on every Web site you visit, generate pop-up advertising, change your home page and browser settings, or record every key you press.

In its broader sense, spyware is also commonly used as the overall name for most types of potentially unwanted technologies detected by popular anti-spyware programs.

These technologies are implemented in ways that impair your control over the following: collection, use, and distribution of your personal information; material changes that affect your desktop experience, privacy, or system security; and use of your system resources. These are items that users of anti-spyware software will want to be informed about and that they may want to easily remove or disable.

Adware is a subset of the broader spyware category, which is designed to deliver targeted advertising to your Web browser, especially through the use of pop-up ads. Adware is often bundled with other software programs, such as peerto- peer file-sharing software, games, or other utilities that can be downloaded for free from the Web. Adware knows what kinds of ads to deliver to you because it tracks the places you surf. For instance, if you surf to a car rental site, an adware program might generate a pop-up ad that a competing car rental company has paid the adware company to deliver to you. Besides tracking your behavior and annoying you with ads, adware may also open a connection on the Internet to report your surfing habits back to a central server. This information, which may include your age, your sex, your shopping habits, and even your location, is used to conduct “market research” to attract new clients.

Trojan horses are programs that claim to be something they are not. For instance, a Trojan horse may advertise itself as an amusing animation clip, a screen saver, or a free software program that promises to do something cool or helpful. But Trojan horses also include unadvertised functions (if, in fact, the advertised function works at all). The most common goal of a Trojan horse is to install a back door on your computer or steal passwords. A back door lets attackers control your machine remotely. Some classes of spyware can be considered Trojan horses because they arrive under false pretenses. For instance, you may have downloaded a neat little screen saver with pretty butterflies on it that also happens to monitor your Web-surfing habits or log your keystrokes. Trojan horses often rely on viruses, worms, and social engineering to get unsuspecting users to download them. The term Trojan horse has become shorthand for any program that resides on your computer and provides remote access to an unauthorized person or performs unwanted functions. Most anti-virus (AV) software and some anti-spyware software can detect Trojan horses. Spyware, adware, and Trojan horses can’t replicate themselves. Thus, these categories of applications need other ways to spread. For instance, Trojan horses may be delivered as part of the payload of a worm or virus, included as an e-mail attachment, or bundled with other software. Spyware and adware use similar techniques to spread, but they are most frequently downloaded as part of a “free” file-sharing program or software utility or via drive-by downloads (in which you visit a Web site that installs the program without your permission).

Defining Spyware and Adware

While security risks such as spyware and adware can be seen as an extension of the virus problem, there are significant differences in how these programs are judged as desirable or undesirable and whether you want them on your machine. Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are always undesirable and should be automatically removed from a computer. Many types of programs classified as adware and spyware are also high-risk and can have a significant negative impact on computer performance or invade your privacy by transmitting personal information to a third party.

However, other adware programs are low-risk. They can deliver useful functionality such as games or utilities and have a relatively small impact on privacy and computer performance. Just as broadcast television programs are free because television companies earn revenue from advertising, many software programs are free to download because they too rely on advertising to generate income. Such software programs are called ad-supported programs. They include adware to deliver targeted ads. Some ad-supported software programs seek the user’s consent
before installing adware; others do not. Still others operate in a gray area in which user consent is part of the “fine print” of a software license agreement. We’ll examine these distinctions and what they mean to you more closely in subsequent sections.

The broad range of spyware and adware or potentially unwanted programs can be divided into two general categories: high-risk or malicious programs and low-risk programs. Security researchers assign spyware and adware programs to one of these categories depending on how the programs are installed, what data they try to export from your computer, what impact they have on your computer’s performance, and what you are led to understand about their operation and intent. When security researchers investigate a program’s behaviors to determine risk, they look at a number of key areas, including installation characteristics, stealth properties, privacy impact, integrity impact, performance impact, and ease
of removal:

Does the program impact system stability or slow down the network connection?

Does the program launch pop-up advertisements? If so, how frequently?

Does the program serve as a means of downloading and installing other security risks (such as additional spyware and/or adware Does the program replace the browser home page or alter search options or
behavior?

Does the program cause the release of confidential, sensitive information
such as bank account numbers and passwords?

Does the program cause the release of less-sensitive data such as tracking of Web-surfing habits?

Does the program have a privacy policy, and does its behavior match the
stated policy?

Does the program try to hide itself or avoid being uninstalled by the user,
including an unsolicited reinstallation and techniques to restart user terminated processes?

Does the program lack an uninstall feature or fail to register in the
Microsoft Windows Add or Remove Programs area?

Does the program install itself silently, with little or no indication to the
user?

Does the program lack a user interface?

Does the program conceal its processes or hide them from the user using
an obscure name?

Is the user notified of the program’s presence only through an End User
License Agreement (EULA)? Does the EULA appear to relate to a different
program?

To qualify as high-risk or malicious spyware and adware, programs must have significant impact on system stability and/or performance or release confidential, sensitive information and/or exhibit stealth behaviors such as a silent installation, no user interface, and concealment of application processes. Examples of highrisk programs can include keystroke loggers, browser hijackers, and dialers.

(Table 5.1 describes these and other kinds of programs.) Malicious spyware is illegal and therefore is employed by criminals who want to steal from you. Malicious spyware gets installed on your computer through software vulnerabilities, worms and viruses, social engineering, and drive-by downloads.

Low-risk programs include many popular commercial adware or ad-assisted programs. However, some adware generates multiple pop-up ads and performs other unwanted functions, like changing your home page, directing you to unfamiliar search engines, or installing toolbars in your Web browser that you didn’t

Spyware Definitions

Term Definition

Spyware Spyware is a general class of software programs that monitor computer activity and relay that information to other computers or locations on the Internet. Among the information that may be actively or passively gathered and transmitted by spyware are passwords, log-in details, account numbers, personal information, individual files, and personal documents. Spyware may also gather and distribute information related to the user’s computer, applications
running on the computer, Internet browser usage, and other computing habits. Spyware is usually loaded onto a user’s computer without the user’s knowledge and is created by underground attackers or criminals.

Adware Adware is a type of advertising display technology—specifically,executable applications whose primary purpose is to deliver advertising content. Many adware applications also perform tracking functions and therefore may also be categorized as tracking technologies.
Consumers may want to remove adware if they object to such tracking, do not want to see the advertising generated by the program, or are frustrated by its effects on system performance.
Some users might want to keep particular adware programs if their presence is a condition for the use of other free software. Adware is created by commercial software companies rather than
criminals and is often bundled with popular free software, such as file-sharing programs. Some adware describes its functions in a license agreement and provides uninstall options; other adware may install itself without a user’s permission and thwart attempts
at removal.

Keystroke logger Keyloggers are tracking technologies that surreptitiously record (also known as a keylogger) keyboard activity. Keyloggers typically either store the recorded keystrokes for later retrieval or transmit them to the remote process or person employing the keylogger via e-mail. Keystroke loggers are used to steal passwords and other identity information.

Browser hijacker Browser hijackers reset your home page and redirect your browser to unwanted or unknown search engines or other Web sites. Some browser hijackers can prevent you from restoring your home page. Browser hijackers work by deleting the entry for the home page you’ve selected and inserting their own in a special file that your computer consults (the hosts file). They also might intercept search queries typed into a legitimate search engine and display their own results.

Browser Helper Object (BHO) BHOs are companion applications for Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) that run automatically whenever IE is launched. They are a form of state management tool. Many tracking technologies or advertising display technologies are implemented as BHOs. BHOs can search the Web pages a user visits and replace banner ads generated by the Web server with targeted ads. BHOs can also monitor and report on a user’s surfing behavior and may reset a user’s home page. Note that not all BHOs are malicious; many legitimate Web browser toolbars are BHOs.

Trojan horse Trojan horse software masquerades as an innocuous or useful program to trick a user into installing it. Once installed, the Trojan horse engages in unwanted or unadvertised functions. Remote Access/ RATs are executable applications designed to allow remote access Administration Tool (RAT) to or control of a system. They are a type of remote-control technology. Many legitimate uses of RATs do not pose security threats, but they can be used maliciously, especially when used by someone other than the computer’s legitimate owner or administrator. Dialer Dialers are programs that use a computer’s modem to make calls or access services. Users may want to remove dialers that can result in unexpected phone numbers being dialed or unexpected telephone charges. Dialer is a colloquial term for dialing technologies

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WiFi

2010-02-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

What Is WiFi?

A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication. Here's what happens:

1. A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna.
2. A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. The router sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection.

The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer's wireless adapter.

The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s. But WiFi radios have a few notable differences from other radios:

* They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data.

* They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several flavors:

* 802.11a transmits at 5 GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It also uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), a more efficient coding technique that splits that radio signal into several sub-signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference.

* 802.11b is the slowest and least expensive standard. For a while, its cost made it popular, but now it's becoming less common as faster standards become less expensive. 802.11b transmits in the 2.4 GHz frequency band of the radio spectrum. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and it uses complementary code keying (CCK) modulation to improve speeds.

* 802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it's a lot faster -- it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. 802.11g is faster because it uses the same OFDM coding as 802.11a.

* 802.11n is the newest standard that is widely available. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second. The standard is currently in draft form -- the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) plans to formally ratify 802.11n by the end of 2009.

* Other 802.11 standards focus on specific applications of wireless networks, like wide area networks (WANs) inside vehicles or technology that lets you move from one wireless network to another seamlessly.

* WiFi radios can transmit on any of three frequency bands. Or, they can "frequency hop" rapidly between the different bands. Frequency hopping helps reduce interference and lets multiple devices use the same wireless connection simultaneously.

As long as they all have wireless adapters, several devices can use one router to connect to the Internet. This connection is convenient, virtually invisible and fairly reliable; however, if the router fails or if too many people try to use high-bandwidth applications at the same time, users can experience interference or lose their connections.

How WiFi Works

If you've been in an airport, coffee shop, library or hotel recently, chances are you've been right in the middle of a wireless network. Many people also use wireless networking, also called WiFi or 802.11 networking, to connect their computers at home, and some cities are trying to use the technology to provide free or low-cost Internet access to residents. In the near future, wireless networking may become so widespread that you can access the Internet just about anywhere at any time, without using wires.

WiFi has a lot of advantages. Wireless networks are easy to set up and inexpensive. They're also unobtrusive -- unless you're on the lookout for a place to use your laptop, you may not even notice when you're in a hotspot. In this article, we'll look at the technology that allows information to travel over the air. We'll also review what it takes to create a wireless network in your home.

One wireless router can allow multiple devices to connect to the Internet.

WiFi Hotspots

If you want to take advantage of public WiFi hotspots or start a wireless network in your home, the first thing you'll need to do is make sure your computer has the right gear. Most new laptops and many new desktop computers come with built-in wireless transmitters. If your laptop doesn't, you can buy a wireless adapter that plugs into the PC card slot or USB port. Desktop computers can use USB adapters, or you can buy an adapter that plugs into the PCI slot inside the computer's case. Many of these adapters can use more than one 802.11 standard.
Wireless adapters can plug into a computer's PC card slot or USB port.

Once you've installed your wireless adapter and the drivers that allow it to operate, your computer should be able to automatically discover existing networks. This means that when you turn your computer on in a WiFi hotspot, the computer will inform you that the network exists and ask whether you want to connect to it. If you have an older computer, you may need to use a software program to detect and connect to a wireless network.

Being able to connect to the Internet in public hotspots is extremely convenient. Wireless home networks are convenient as well. They allow you to easily connect multiple computers and to move them from place to place without disconnecting and reconnecting wires. In the next section, we'll look at how to create a wireless network in your home.

Building a Wireless Network

If you already have several computers networked in your home, you can create a wireless network with a wireless access point. If you have several computers that are not networked, or if you want to replace your Ethernet network, you'll need a wireless router. This is a single unit that contains:

1. A port to connect to your cable or DSL modem
2. A router
3. An Ethernet hub
4. A firewall
5. A wireless access point

A wireless router allows you to use wireless signals or Ethernet cables to connect your computers to one another, to a printer and to the Internet. Most routers provide coverage for about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in all directions, although walls and doors can block the signal. If your home is very large, you can buy inexpensive range extenders or repeaters to increase your router's range.
A wireless router uses an antenna to send
signals to wireless devices and a wire to
send signals to the Internet.

As with wireless adapters, many routers can use more than one 802.11 standard. 802.11b routers are slightly less expensive, but because the standard is older, they're slower than 802.11a, 802.11g and 802.11n routers. Most people select the 802.11g option for its speed and reliability.

Once you plug in your router, it should start working at its default settings. Most routers let you use a Web interface to change your settings. You can select:

* The name of the network, known as its service set identifier (SSID) -- The default setting is usually the manufacturer's name.

* The channel that the router uses -- Most routers use channel 6 by default. If you live in an apartment and your neighbors are also using channel 6, you may experience interference. Switching to a different channel should eliminate the problem.

* Your router's security options -- Many routers use a standard, publicly available sign-on, so it's a good idea to set your own username and password.

Security is an important part of a home wireless network, as well as public WiFi hotspots. If you set your router to create an open hotspot, anyone who has a wireless card will be able to use your signal. Most people would rather keep strangers out of their network, though. Doing so requires you to take a few security precautions.

It's also important to make sure your security precautions are current. The Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) security measure was once the standard for WAN security. The idea behind WEP was to create a wireless security platform that would make any wireless network as secure as a traditional wired network. But hackers discovered vulnerabilities in the WEP approach, and today it's easy to find applications and programs that can compromise a WAN running WEP security.

To keep your network private, you can use one of the following methods:

* WiFi Protected Access (WPA) is a step up from WEP and is now part of the 802.11i wireless network security protocol. It uses temporal key integrity protocol (TKIP) encryption. As with WEP, WPA security involves signing on with a password. Most public hotspots are either open or use WPA or 128-bit WEP technology, though some still use the vulnerable WEP approach.

* Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering is a little different from WEP or WPA. It doesn't use a password to authenticate users -- it uses a computer's physical hardware. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. MAC address filtering allows only machines with specific MAC addresses to access the network. You must specify which addresses are allowed when you set up your router. This method is very secure, but if you buy a new computer or if visitors to your home want to use your network, you'll need to add the new machines' MAC addresses to the list of approved addresses. The system isn't foolproof. A clever hacker can spoof a MAC address -- that is, copy a known MAC address to fool the network that the computer he or she is using belongs on the network.

Wireless networks are easy and inexpensive to set up, and most routers' Web interfaces are virtually self-explanatory.

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Hottest phones to come in 2010

2010-02-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

If you think the phones currently on the shelf are hot, think again. A hotter crop of smartphones will hit the market later this year. Most cell phone manufacturers have unveiled their best models at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress in last one week.

When these hotties make a debut in the market, they may make your heart go zoom. Check them out.

Samsung i8520 Halo

Samsung Halo is a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED touch-screen smartphone with an 8-megapixel AF camera. The smartphone runs on Google's Android 2.1 OS.

It is equipped with a GPS, Wi-Fi, DivX and XviD support for videos, 8-megapixel camera, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and 16GB of internal memory.

HTC Legend & HTC Desire

HTC Desire comes with a 3.7-inch capacitive touch-screen (800 x 480), a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the Android OS. The smartphone supports Flash 10.1. HTC Legend sports a 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touch-screen display (320 x 480) and the company's Sense user interface.

The company also showcased Legend. HTC Legend is powered by a 600MHz Qualcomm processor and runs on Google’s Android operating system (version 2.1). Other features include Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, a 5 mega-pixel camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth.

Sony Vivaz Pro

Vivaz Pro comes with a QWERTY keyboard that slides out from underneath the 3.2-inch touchscreen. The Symbian-based Vivaz Pro is about 2 millimeters thicker than the original Vivaz, allows for video capture in 720p HD, and comes in black or white. It includes an 8GB microSD card and a 5.1 megapixel camera.

Sony introduced the original Vivaz last month, and that device is set to be released this quarter.

LG GD880 Mini

LG GD880 Mini is a touch-screen handset supporting HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS. The super thin phone features a sleek design with textured metal side panels. Features include a 5-megapixel camera with face detection capabilities and a 16:9 widescreen display.

LG also showcased LG GT350. The QWERTY messaging smartphone offers built-in applications for major social networks and sports a 3-inch full-touch screen. LG GT350 also includes real-time push e-mail and will be available in four colors.
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gmail buzz

2010-02-23T07:54:00.001-08:00

Google Buzz allows users to “autofollow” contacts in their Gmail account. It allows users to share Tweets, photos and more! This new service launched today and provides a rich fast sharing experience combining public and private sharing all in your Gmail inbox. Inbox integration is a new feature that allows social interaction within Gmail. Buzz takes a Google approach in terms of removing noise from actual content users want when interacting socially. Buzz ties Picasa, Twitter and other social networks into Gmail. In addition to Gmail Buzz will soon be available in Google Enterprise Applications.

Organizing the worlds social information is a big new problem that Google wants to solve. In addition to the web application, Buzz has a mobile application as well. Like PageRank the original social graph, Google asked how to make sense out of social posts to gain relevancy. Location is one important signal in terms of how engines determine relevancy for the query as a task. One problem with using location is that not all users are lat/long aware. Google has invested heavily over the past decade in GEO aware applications.

Buzz will be available from Google.com on mobile devices via GPS at buzz.google.com. Google will then translate lat long locations into a more human friendly term. For example are you at Google? At the “mobile place page” on wireless devices Google combines all information about location returning it to the user. Users can also select to see all “the Buzz” near them using the nearby function via GEO tags.

In terms of SEO these Buzz results are instantly indexed.
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Top 10 Mobile Battery Saving Tips

2010-02-22T03:57:00.000-08:00

If you're expecting a call and your battery icon starts blinking, the first thing you should do is find a charger. But if that's not an option, here are ten things you can do to hang on. We'll skip the usual tips about the 'memory effect' and which battery type is better — NiCd or Li-Ion — because you don't really have a choice in that.

Close Background Applications

If you're using a Smartphone, close applications that you don't need. Applications that stay active in the background use up a bit of CPU, which uses up battery. Make sure you 'exit' the applications from the menu, not by pressing the 'End' key, as that merely puts the application in the background. In Series 60 Smartphones (mostly Nokias), hold down the 'Menu' key to get a list of all applications running in the background to close them. In Windows Mobile 5 phones, open the 'Memory' application and check the 'Running programs' tab to close them.

Turn Down Screen Brightness

The screen is one of the most power-consuming parts of the mobile phone. The lower the brightness, the lesser power it needs. Keep it as low as you can, so long as you can still see it! Also, some phones like the E61 and the BlackBerry Pearl come with auto-adjust features that increase the brightness in brightly lit areas and dim it in low-light areas. If you're setting the brightness low, make sure that auto-adjust is turned off.

Don't Use Animated Wallpapers or Screensavers

The animations in wallpapers and screensavers can drain a bit of battery as they also consume a wee bit of CPU. Turn them off.

Turn Off Keypad Lights

If you've been using the phone for a while, you may be able to use the keys without seeing them. If this is the case, the keypad backlight can be turned off. However, not a lot of phones support this, but it's worth considering if your phone does.

Decrease Screen Standby Time Out

The time till your screen dims out and/or gets turned off is configurable in most phones. 10 seconds is good, 5 seconds is better. Set it as low as you can go without it becoming inconvenient.

Turn Off Vibration

Probably the second most power-consuming feature of any mobile phone is the built-in vibration alert. See if you can do without it.

Turn Down Ringer Volume, Keypad Tones and Speaker During Calls

If you're mostly indoors, like in the office or at home, a low ringer volume can go a bit towards saving your battery. Most phones also have DTMF-like keypad tones, which are not necessary if the keypad has decent tactile feedback. I keep them turned off most of the time — you can try it too. Volume of the earpiece when you're on a call can also be lowered, and that helps too.

Disable Voice Clarity / EFR / Voice Privacy

Almost all phones now do Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) for voice communication that consumes a little more power. In most cases, the enhanced quality of EFR doesn't make a difference thanks to the high noise levels in our city. Keep it off, you probably won't miss it. Some phones (mostly Samsungs) have a 'voice privacy' feature which can also be turned off to save battery.

Turn off 3G / GPRS / EDGE

Most 3G/UMTS/WCDMA phones keep searching for 3G coverage by default. In India, they'll keep searching till 2008, draining your battery, so go to the network selection screen and choose GSM-only. If your phone has a secondary camera near the screen, it's a 3G phone. Check your phone’s specs on the website if you aren't sure. Sometimes, even regular GPRS or EDGE connections stay active in the back, so make sure you specifically disconnect when you're done browsing the web.

Use Bluetooth and WiFi Only While Transferring

If you only use Bluetooth occasionally to transfer files to and from other devices, there's probably no point keeping it on all the time. Most phones only come with an on/off setting for Bluetooth, unlike the 'Turn on for 10 minutes' setting available for Infrared in some phones (mostly Sony Ericssons). People tend to forget about Bluetooth being left on after transferring the file — avoid doing this. Same goes for WiFi, if you're phone has that.

Here's another tip — find a USB cable if your phone supports recharging via USB. The Motorola RAZR/KRZR/SLVRs and most Windows Mobile Smartphones have a standard miniUSB slot that can use the same cable as most digital cameras. You're more likely to find one of these lying around somewhere than a charger for your phone, unless it's a Nokia, of course.

Finally, the last tip is not very recommendable, but it is something to consider if you've tried everything else above: don't use the phone too much. Of course, you can't use the camera and media features (most Samsung phones won't even let you, if the battery is low) but you can also be a bit choosy while answering incoming calls — not all of them need to be answered. This is even more true in case of unknown numbers!
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From Sand to Silicon: the Making of a Chip

2010-02-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how the microprocessor, the brain 'behind the magic' of your PC, is made? If so, this site is just for you. Below you'll find an animated video, simple-to-follow documentation and some very cool graphics that illuminate the fascinating process Intel employs in building the chips that power many of the world's computers.

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How SMS Work

2010-02-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Just when we're finally used to seeing everybody constantly talking on their cell phones, it suddenly seems like no one is talking at all. Instead, they're typing away on tiny numerical pads, using their cell phones to send quick messages. SMS, or text messaging, has replaced talking on the phone for a new "thumb generation" of texters.

In this article, we'll find out how text messaging works, explore its uses and learn why it sometimes takes a while for your text message to get to its recipient.

SMS stands for short message service. Simply put, it is a method of communication that sends text between cell phones, or from a PC or handheld to a cell phone. The "short" part refers to the maximum size of the text messages: 160 characters (letters, numbers or symbols in the Latin alphabet). For other alphabets, such as Chinese, the maximum SMS size is 70 characters.

But how do SMS messages actually get to your phone? If you have read How Cell Phones Work, you can actually see what is happening.

Even if you are not talking on your cell phone, your phone is constantly sending and receiving information. It is talking to its cell phone tower over a pathway called a control channel. The reason for this chatter is so that the cell phone system knows which cell your phone is in, and so that your phone can change cells as you move around. Every so often, your phone and the tower will exchange a packet of data that lets both of them know that everything is OK.

Your phone also uses the control channel for call setup. When someone tries to call you, the tower sends your phone a message over the control channel that tells your phone to play its ringtone. The tower also gives your phone a pair of voice channel frequencies to use for the call.

The control channel also provides the pathway for SMS messages. When a friend sends you an SMS message, the message flows through the SMSC, then to the tower, and the tower sends the message to your phone as a little packet of data on the control channel. In the same way, when you send a message, your phone sends it to the tower on the control channel and it goes from the tower to the SMSC and from there to its destination.

The actual data format for the message includes things like the length of the message, a time stamp, the destination phone number, the format, etc. For a complete byte-by-byte breakdown of the message format,

SMS History

SMS was created during the late 1980s to work with a digital technology called GSM (global system for mobile communications), which is the basis for most modern cell phones. The Norwegian engineers who invented it wanted a very simple messaging system that worked when users' mobile phones were turned off or out of signal range. Most sources agree that the first SMS message was sent in the UK in 1992.

As SMS was born in Europe, it's not surprising that it took a little longer to make its way to the United States. Even today, texting enjoys much greater popularity in Europe, though its stateside use is on the rise. A July 2005 study found that 37 percent of U.S. mobile phone owners had sent or received at least one text message in the previous month [ref]. [/]

[i]SMS Attacks

Recently it has been suggested that SMS messages could be used to attack a cell phone system. The basic idea is very simple. If a large number of SMS messages were sent by computers to phones in a small geographical area (like a city), these messages would overwhelm the control channels and make it impossible for the cell phone system to set up calls. Now that cell phone providers know about the possibility of this threat, they can design systems to throttle messages coming from the SMSC onto the network.

Why 160 Characters?

SMS was designed to deliver short bursts of data such as numerical pages. To avoid overloading the system with more than the standard forward-and-response operation, the inventors of SMS agreed on a 160-character maximum message size.

But the 160-character limit is not absolute. Length limitations may vary depending on the network, phone model and wireless carrier. Some phones don't allow you to keep typing once the 160-character limit is reached. You must send your message before continuing. However, some services will automatically break any message you send into chunks of 160 characters or less. So, you can type and send a long message, but it will be delivered as several messages.

lternatives to SMS

Alternative messaging services allow for more elaborate types of messages. With EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service), you can send formatted text, sound effects, small pictures and icons. MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) allows you to send animations, audio and video files in addition to text. If your mobile phone is EMS- or MMS-enabled, you can use these standards just as you would SMS. However, the cost per message will be higher.

Another alternative to using SMS is using an instant messaging program, such as AOL IM, on your cell phone. This can be in the form of software that's pre-installed on your phone, or you can use WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) to access the Internet and sign into your IM account. WAP is a protocol that gives you small, simplified versions of web pages that are easily navigable on your mobile phone or PDA (check out How WAP Works for more information). You can use it to send instant messages or actual e-mails from your phone.

A common complaint about SMS is its inefficient delivery structure -- when the message center is backed up, messages take longer to reach their destination. To make message delivery faster, networks are using more new next-generation technologies such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Service).

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