Tech Centre and My Stuff

Zune no.1 on Amazon!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:41:00 +0000

ipods are one of the best media players ever made. Even though, I am not an Apple guy, I do like ipods. They just work and has that ‘Cool factor’. But I have to admit that I have been getting poisoned by Apple and starting to like them. As a Windows enthusiast, I was looking forward to the Microsoft Zune. However, the first generation disappointed me a lot. However, the second generation of the Zune is fantastic. The IU and navigation is excellent. Also, the fake scroll wheel is replaced by a ‘Squircle’

So here is a question for you. What do you think is the top selling mp3 player on Amazon. Surely the answer would be an ipod, or is it? Have a look at this screenshot.

The top 10 mp3 players on Amazon include two Zunes; the black and the brown both 30Gb 1st gen. And the rest are all ipods with a SanDisk Sansa. The disappointments are that the other 80GB Zune is down at no.17 due to the lack of stock while the 4Gb and 8GB flash Zunes are way down the list.

November Evaluation

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:18:00 +0000

It is November and a month away from 2008. This also means that this site is around five months old. Tech Centre and My Stuff has been quite successful and I enjoy writing. However, I want to re-evaluate this site.

When I first started this blog, I included 'and My Stuff' in the blog's title. This obviously meant and my own personal ramblings. However, there didn't appear to be much ramblings to post at first. (For my ramblings, please visit Michael Talk) So it became a technology news blogs. However, I don't want it to be. There is no use of me posting technology news when you could just go to Tech Crunch or Engadget. So I wanted to this to be a place where I can review difference technology and web services and share my opinions and personal experience.

I have already made some process in this change. I have written up an Internet Security Guide

Part 1 - The Risks and Dangers
Part 2 - How to protect your PC
Part 3 - Security Suite Comparison
Part 4 - Extra protection and freebies

Skype Malacious Spyware

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:32:00 +0000

Skype is sounding the security alert, and users should take note before using the Internet calling service.

A Trojan horse disguised as Skype Defender, a security plug-in, is making the rounds, according to a Skype security blog.

The malicious software, which affects Windows users. It steals Skype log-on and password information once the program is executed. Similar log-in credential information saved in Internet Explorer is also gleaned by the Trojan horse.

If a user installs the bogus security plug-in, a malicious "Skype Defender" confirmation window pops up and asks the user to log into his or her Skype account. After typing in the sensitive information, the user is notified that the relevant name and password were not recognized.

Users, however, can watch for a key difference between the legitimate Skype log-in window and the malicious one, security research firm F-Secure advised. A red box appears around the legitimate Skype sign-in button, F-Secure noted.

[Credits: Webware ]

The battle of the email storage!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 05:02:00 +0000

A couple of years ago, anyone who receives email daily or email attachments would consider web based email as a joke. They had their point. Storage then was about 10MB or 50MB. But over the recent years, email storage is becoming more less of a problem, especially with large web based email providers such as Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail.

But let me ask you a question, “Do have 2GB of email?” I don’t think so! I get email everyday and I haven’t even filled in 1GB. Another example is Windows expert Paul Thurrott. He receives around a hundred emails a day and he haven’t even filled in 2GB. So if you can’t even fill in 2GB why would you need 4GB or 5GB? Currently, Hotmail offers 5GB of storage for a free account, Gmail offers 4GB and Yahoo offers unlimited. There are many reasons why a web based email provide would increase the storage capacity and a fraction of it would be due to competition. However, I would encourage Yahoo, Google and Hotmail to instead on expanding the storage limit again, they should add more features to their web based email service. I think that there are still many features that are missing in Gmail Yahoo Mail and Hotmail.

Security Guide: Part 4 - Extra Protection and Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:34:00 +0000

Apart from the usual security suite that you install on your PC to prevent viruses and spys, there are also many other protections in which you can take. In fact, there is nearly infinite number of small little freebies and programs that will enhance your safety. If there are 'infinite' of those freebies and security enhancements, then choosing the right ones can be quite a confusing chore to do. Also, you need to consider if the program is worth installing. If it doesn't do much, then do no install it because you should try and keep your PC as clean as possible.

Supervision and control - To be able to supervise and have control is very important. This is critical if your children own a computer or regularly surfs the web. For these kinds of purposes, I recommend Windows Live Family Safety. Here is what this service will do:
- Ban certain websites and filter what they view.
- Know who your child has been emailing to, IM and blogging.
- Filter out their search results
- Track their usage data plus more
- Note: You and your children will need a Windows Live ID each. To sign up please click HERE.

Pop-up blocker and phishing filter - Both of these should come standard with your web browser. To be sure, you should use the latest version of any web browser. I recommend using Firefox or Internet Explorer. Both of these have a pop-up blocker and a phishing filter. In addition, some free toolbars offer a phishing filter.

Firewall - Having a strong firewall is essential. This will block unwanted installation of programs that might harm your computer. Basically, it will shield you against weird stuff and the world wide network.

Email Attachments and fake emails - Be careful when opening an email attachment from someone you do not know. You never know, one click on the attachment or link could lead you to serious trouble. In addition, learn to depict fake emails. If you are a little suspicious of an email, do not open it. For example, I recently received a fake PayPal email saying that I had to respond to them in 24 hours or my account would be canceled. Take a look at the email below:

Dear Member,
Your PayPal Account Information Have Problems.
If your problems could not be resolved your account will be closed for a period of 24 hours, after this period your account will be closed. Click on the link below. If nothing happens when you click on the link (or if you use AOL), copy and paste the link into the address bar of your web browser. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/=login-run=P1-789-019-853

Problem ID Number: PP-34-103-876

How I knew that it was fake? 1) PayPal would never email me address me as 'Member', they would use my name. 2)It is totally absurd that in 24 hours my account will be closed. 3)I have done nothing that will cause this problem. 4)The email was caught in the Spam folder. --- And to the person who sent this fake email to me, I would like to say 'good try but you were not good enough, think I am dumb enough to be tricked by your little tricks? Think again, we are not as dumb as you!'

Don't go to bad sites - This is one of the most important rule. Just don't visit a bad site!! Do you understand?

Backups - Having copies and backups of your data will prevent you from loosing your work and data. You can either do backups with a portable hard drive or use an online backup service. But remember, if you do not have a fast internet connection, then do not use online backups. However, if you plan to use a online backup service, try out Mozy, Carbonite or Box.net.

Updates - Remember to update your computer's software also its operating system (Windows Update). Please note that updates are there for a reason, not just to eat up your internet usage data! To prevent forgetting to do Windows Updates, set it to auto mode. For other software that you have, the update option is usually in the 'Help' button in the main menu.

Personal note: I use and recommend Windows Vista. It by far the best Windows Operating system and safer. For a great Vista Security guide please click HERE

For a useful list of 100 network security tools click HERE

And this concludes the Security Guide series. I hope you learnt something from the guide. The next series will be about Using online services such as Backups, file storage and sharing. So stay tuned!

If there is anything that you think is worth mentioning or I have left out, please leave a comment or send me an email. I would really appreciate it.

Security Guide: Part 3 - Security Suite Comparison

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:09:00 +0000

Choosing an Security Suite can be quite tricky due to the vast choice we have. Also, operating systems can largely affect which security suite you buy. I have finished evaluating and testing security suites, so here are my results for 2007.

	BitDefender NO.1	MacAfee 2007 NO.2	Norton 2007 NO.3	NOD32 2007 NO.4
Overall Rating	8.5/10	8.3/10	8.1/10	8/10
Antivirus	9/10	9/10	8/10	8/10
Antispy	9/10	8/10	8.5/10	8/10
Firewall	8.5/10	8.5/10	8.5/10	8.5/10
Easy of use	8/10	8.5/10	8/10	8/10
Other Features	8/10	8.5/10	8/10	8/10
Price/Value	8/10	7.5/10	8/10	8/10
Use and integration with Vista	7.5/10	7/10	7/10	8.5/10
Use and integration with XP	8.5/10	8/10	8/10	8.5/10

	Kaspersky 7 NO. 5	CA 2007 No.6	Panda No.7	F-Secure No. 8
Overall Rating	8/10	7.7/10	7.7/10	7.6/10
Antivirus	9.5/10	7.5/10	8/10	8/10
Antispy	7/10	8/10	8/10	7.5/10
Firewall	7/10	8/10	7.5/10	8/10
Easy of use	8.5/10	8/10	8/10	7.5/10
Other Features	8/10	7.5/10	7/10	7.5/10
Price/Value	7.5/10	7.5/10	8/10	7.5/10
Use and integration with Vista	8.5/10	7.5/10	8.5/10	7.5/10
Use and integration with XP	9/10	8/10	8.5/10	8/10

* Not included in Overall test result

BitDefender - Gold!

BitDefender offers the most comprehensive security in this comparison. It does extremely well in all areas especially when it comes to protecting your PC against viruses and spyware. The scan speed is quite fast and it does not eat up too much of your system's memory. However, the user interface is not as good as some of the other available options. But again, that is not the most important issue here. Click HERE to go to BitDefender's official site.

Mcafee - Silver

Mcafee comes second in this comparison. It too, has excellent anti-virus and spy protection. However, Mcafee does slow does your computer a lot (very Norton like) and it is among the most expensive suites here. But apart from those flaws, the suite is quite good. It has a better user interface than Bitdefender. Click HERE to go to the Mcafee official website.

Norton - Bronze

Norton takes the third place. Like Mcafee, it takes up a lot of your PC's memory and slows your computer down. Another flaw is that Norton can be very annoying. For example, you uninstall the program, but some components of Norton suite can still be in your PC in the background. In addition, I find that it blocks numerous of programs and some features such as frequent pop-ups are very irritating. But apart from those flaws, Norton does achieve well in the basic virus and spy protection. Click HERE to go to Norton's official site

NOD32

As older readers may remember that I was a Kaspersky fan. But that may change. I have used NOD32 for nearly two years on one of my PCs and I like it very much. It does not take much PC memory and integrates well with both Windows Vista and XP. In addition, it is easy to use and does not interfere you a lot. In addition, it gives to high quality virus and spy protection which is very important. (Leo Laporte recommends NOD32!) Click HERE to go to the NOD32 official site.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky is a security suite that I like a lot. It offers possibly the best anti virus protection and is very easy to use. However, it does not do a very good job in spyware and firewall. Another flaw is that it takes ages to scan my computer. Apart from from those two flaws, it is quite good. It automatically scans, do health checks and updates. In addition, it does not take very much of your memory. My suggestion is that you should run another free anti spyware program on your computer. Kaspersky is quite compatible and flexible with other softwares. Spyware Doctor starter edition and ad-ware free are good examples. For, I think it is the best combination of security. But again, I cannot judge Kaspersky with the additional help pf another program. That is why is ends up at 5th place. But with the help of any other spyware program, it would deserve at least 3rd place. Click HERE to go to the Kaspersky official site.

Panda

After rating it as number four in my previous security suite comparison, I thought that Panda was pretty good and was confused why other test comparisons gave it a low score. Still, I think it is a great solution. But this time, it has dropped a little bit, but not but far. Although it does not offer the super-strong and unbreakable anti-virus protection like Bitdefender does, it does offer quite a strong and flexible protection. Panda does not slow down your computer very much. After testing it more 30 days, I am very happy with it. For people who run Vista on their PC, Panda offers more than enough protection.

(F-secure and CA security suite reviews are currently not available, Sorry)

My final thoughts and suggestions.

Generally, you should stick with the comparison list. But not all people need all that extensive protection. For a simple user who just reads emails, view photos and read some articles, a simple and light security suite will do. Another important point is that you should always consider which operating system you use. For any Window that is 2000 or older, you should get the top suites for good protection. Windows XP is quite safe but not as safe a Vista. For XP, I recommend using NOD32 or Kaspersky. However, in Widows Vista, you do not need all that extensive protection. All you need is something like Windows Live OneCare (Read my review of OneCare), or perhaps something even simpler such as the free edition of AVG anti virus with another free anti spyware program But that depends on what the user intends to do. (Windows Expert Paul Thurrott uses AVG Free)

In the next article, we will talk about enhanced security and extra programs and freebies that will help to secure your PC. So stay tuned!

(This is a revised edition of Security Suite Comparison. You can find the older version HERE)

Security Guide Series: Part 2 - How to protect your PC

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:49:00 +0000

Protecting your PC is very important especially in the modern days. Now, if you are a Mac user, you might laugh at Windows users about them having to worry about viruses and spys. But the truth is that you do not have to do a lot to secure your PC. Of course if you want extra protection or if you own a large business, you might want to look further.

So lets start with the basics. The operating system you are using may largely affect the security of your computer and also what steps you have to take. For example, if you compare Windows Vista with Windows 2000, the difference is huge. For users of Windows ME and 98, I really recommend you to upgrade. You do not have to have Vista but something like XP would be fine. Or even better, why not reward yourself with a new PC. You can get quite a good PC at a very cheap price these days. So as I said before, the operating system you are using greatly affects what you have to do to secure your PC.

The next thing you should care about if what Security Suite you are going to use. For XP, 2000 and 98 users, I recommend getting the top performance security suites. I recommend NOD32 and also Kaspersky. For a detailed security suite comparison, click visit Tech Centre or Top10 Reviews. They both do a great job and unlike Norton, they do not slow down your PC very much. If you are using Windows Vista, then you are rewarded for getting the newest and safest operating system. All you actually need for Vista a very light weight and average security suite. I currently use Windows Live One Care which is not highly rated but I find it just fine. Paul Thurrott who is a Windows expert uses the free edition of AVG anti virus combined with Windows Defender that comes standard on Vista. (You can also download Windows Defender for XP) In addition, AVG also have their own anti-spyware program which is free. In addition, PC Tools has got a great free Anti-Spyware Program that comes with Google Pack. I have been using it for nearly two years and so it is the best Anti-Spyware program I have ever used. As you can see that you do not have to do a lot in Vista.

The web browser you use to surf the web is very important too. I always recommend to use the latest version of a web browser. Firefox 2.0+ is a little safer than Internet Explorer 7 and you can even go further with Firefox by installing security add-ons. Both of them have a phishing filter which I think is a got to have feature) I mainly use Firefox and occasionally use Internet Explorer 7.

But probably the biggest factor that will affect your security is you. What you browser on the net and your behaviour is extremely important. Try to avoid going to bad sites and be suspicious when opening an email or attachment from a sender that you do not know.

Having a firewall is also a must. Both Windows XP and Vista have a standard Firewall when purchased (It is called Windows Firewall). Windows Firewall does a good job and is free. But nearly all Internet Security Suites have their own firewall to give you extra protection.

In addition, it is very important that you install the required Windows Updates for your PC. To ensure that you do not forget to keep up with updates, turn on 'Automatic Updates'. This will automatically update your PC without you having to do anything. To find out how to turn on auto-updates or see if you have auto-updates on, please click HERE.
(This article maybe edited for improvements and updates) If you have any Security tips and recommendations, please leave a comment.

Stay tuned for the next article: Security Suite Comparison (revised edition).

Security Guide: Part 1 - The Risks and Dangers

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:41:00 +0000

The internet is a great thing and I am sure that nearly all people cannot live without it. But along with the advantages, it has also brought us that problem of Internet Security. Now days, you need that take extra precautions on the net. In addition, internet security does not only include the risks of getting viruses and spyware, it is also about your children exposing their personal information and identify on the web.

You can get internet virus in a numerous of ways. Some common ones are from downloading files, opening attachments, visiting bad websites, etc. Computer viruses can cause you to lose valuable data and cause your computer to not function properly. Although Spyware so not cause harm to your computer straight away, it can just sit in the background of your computer and track down all the activities happening on your computer and even steal your information such as password. In addition, these irritating virus and spyware have become very hard to entirely be cleaned these days. Although, your Security scanner said that the virus or spy has been deleted, you never know, it could still be sleeping in the background. So the best way to prevent this from happening is to not let the virus or spyware get into your computer in the first place.

Another bug concern about online safely is children exposing their personal information onto he web. In my opinion, you should never give out your real identity on the web unless that you absolutely sure that it is safe. Do not just assume that it will be OK, because it will not!

Online shopping is another concern. Number one is that you are exposing your personal information and number is that you are exposing your credit card number. However, it has now become much more safer. In addition, your could use extra safely tools and enhancements for better protection.

In the next article, I will be writing about 'How to Protect your PC'. Stay tuned!

Windows XP Service Pack 3 News

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:26:00 +0000

Windows XP Service Pack 3 is due to be shipped in the second quarter of 2008 and may very likely be the final service pack for XP. This service pack has been long awaited since service pack 2.

Q: What is XP Service Pack 3?

A: Windows XP Service Pack 3 is basically a collection of previously-released fixes and improvements to XP and some new enhancements.

Q: Do I have to install SP1 and SP2 first to install SP3??

A: No, you do not have to install SP1 or SP2 to install SP3. This is because XP SP3 includes all of the previously-released XP fixes. This means that SP3 will work fine on any version of XP.

Q: Are there are new features in XP SP3?

A: Windows XP Service Pack 3 will not include any major new features. So don’t get too excited. But it will include a few minor new features that improve the system's reliability and security. These new features include:

Network Access Protection compatibility will allow Windows XP machines to interact with the NAP feature included in Windows Server 2008.

Product Key-less install option allows you to install the OS without entering a product key during setup. This feature is also in Vista. (You will of course have to enter it some time!)

"Black hole" router detection algorithm allows XP to ignore network routers that incorrectly report their network path information. Again, this feature is standard in Vista.

Bloated Adobe software

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:35:00 +0000

If you have used previous Adobe products, then you will notice a big difference between the old versions and the new versions. It is the size of the software. I just don’t get it. Of course there are new features and functionalities, but I am sure that those extra features won’t be that big. For instance, Adobe Acrobat which is a PDF creator is 1GB. This means that installing on Acrobat will take up 1GB of your hard drive. Of course PCs with a large hard drive will not matter much for those with a hard drive that is less than 80GB, there aren’t much space left for other purposes. Personally, I think this 1GB Adobe acrobat should be reduced to less than half of its current size. A 400MB Acrobat will be more sensible for a wide range of users. Currently, I do not use Adobe Acrobat to create PDF files. What I do is create a word document and then use an online PDF maker to convert the Word document into a PDF file.

This goes the same with other Adobe products. Another example is Photoshop. Let’s compare version 6 with the current CS3. Although there are some new features and better user interface, the size of the application has increased from 100MB to around 300MB. This is a 300% increase!

I understand that Adobe are continually trying to add new features and functionality and better user interface to their products but if you are listening, please try to not bloat your software to a gigantic size where a lot of normal users have to suffer and buy new machines. Please do keep in mind that not all people have new and modern technology!

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:11:00 +0000

I'm back! I'm back with an Internet connection. Previously I used an ISP called Internode in Australia. Now I have switched to Exetel. Also, I have switched from ADSL 1 to ADSL 2 which means I will experience faster speeds.
My time at Internode was excellent. I received the best service and support. Everything was done like it should. However, I felt that I was getting a little less for my money. But for those who live in Australia, I do recommend Internode.
Also, this will mean this regular posts will resume. Yahoo!!

Apple iLife and ipod Touch updates

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:58:00 +0000

Apple has released a bunch of updates for their iLife suite and also the ipod touch.

The update for iLife applied to iDVD, iMovie, Garageband and iPhoto. A separate update wass released to support components shared by all of the iLife applications. For more information, please go to MacWorld.

The ipod touch received a hefty 150MB update which contained bug fixes and also appeared to fix some video-display problems. This update is version 1.1.1. For more information, please go to MacWorld.

XP sales extend to June 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:49:00 +0000

Microsoft has announced that they will continue to sell Windows XP till the end of June 2008. Previous Microsoft only gave businesses the opportunity to down grade from Windows Vista to XP and also the deadline for XP sales was 30th of January 2008.

Mercedes + Razr = ???

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:07:00 +0000

know you will think 'What'? A Mercedes Benz + a Motorola Razr? I don't get it? Well, neither do I. But take a look at these two interesting pictures. A gigantic Motorola Razr 2 crashes into a Mercedes Benz! --- Humour score = 10/10!

Source: Engadget

Attention to all readers

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:01:00 +0000

From today to the 11th of October (2007) I will be without an Internet connection. I am switching ISP. Without an Internet connection, I will not be able to post any articles. I may go to my friend's house to post but I cannot guarantee this. So expect the worse.

But I will still be writing articles in these 10 days. When my Internet connection is back, I will post all the articles I have written.

Regards

The author, Michael

Lotus Symphony: Free!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:06:00 +0000

Lotus Symphony is a Office suite owned by IBM. Now, it is absolutely free! This will be another challenger to Microsoft Office. Lotus Symphony is based on Open Document Format and you can import and export Microsoft Word documents. But another feature that is quite useful is that you can export your documents to PDF.
Lotus Symphony is in my opinion is the most interesting free office suite. Of course, there are 'Open Office' and 'Star Office' but apart form being free, there is nothing much good about them. Mediocre user interface and features. But take a look a Lotus Symphony. It feels much more polished and has a better user interface. Also, it does look a little like the new Microsoft Office 2007. Lotus Symphony has a Word Processor, a Spreadsheet and a Presentation maker.

Currently, Lotus Symphony is in beta (1). I do not recommend normal users to use beta 1 version. However, when it moves of to full release or even beta 3, Lotus Symphony will surely be worthy to try out. Click HERE to go to the official site.

Also, Lotus Symphony has a Image Gallery' section in their website. Here, users can download images to use for their word documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Click HERE to go to the Gallery.

Update: Lotus Symphony has been downloaded 100,000 times by registered users in the fist week!

Resigned home page for MSN UK

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:16:00 +0000

UK's MSN homepage has received a redesign. The new look is very similar to the current Australian MSN portal. Also, there is now a new sidebar at the right. It contains all the basic information and updates such as your MSN/Windows Live account sign-in, the weather, your mail box and a map.

The layout of the main section has also change a little. The new portal now has a lot of Windows Live feel with the green and blue colour scheme. However, integration with other Windows Live services are not excellent. The only Windows Live services that appear on the home page are Hotmail, Messenger and Spaces.

Below is a comparison of Australia's MSN portal and UK's

Halo 3 Released!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 04:27:00 +0000

Halo 3 is out for only 3 days and in this short time, there are hundreds of reviews and pictures of Halo 3 out on the net. So it is really no use of me reviewing it again. But below I have listed five reviews that are quite useful:

Preview of Halo 3 by Windows Expert Paul Thurrott http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/xbox360_halo3_preview.asp

Photos of the launch event from CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/id/20963953

Review and over 700 photos from IGN.com http://au.media.xbox360.ign.com/media/734/734817/imgs_1.html

Official Halo 3 site www.halo3.com

Xbox website - games - Halo 3 http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/launch/20070926halo3biggestday.htm

New Ad Spots available!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:12:00 +0000

With my blog's new design, I am looking for advertisers. This is a great chances to get some traffic and buzz to your website or blog.

Picture Ads
The ads will be 120 by 120 picture ads and will be located at the top right sidebar. (The blue boxes featured in the picture below) There will be a total of four spots available. Email me: mg8isoft@hotmail.com

Text link ad - Featured Sites
You can get under the list of 'Featured Sites' for $3 dollars per month. This is dam cheap! Although not as effective as a picture as, but only 3 bucks! Email me: mg8isoft@hotmail.com

Built in post Text Link ads
You can have your site or blog get listed under 20% of our posts for $3! Built in post ads means that every time a reader reads an article, your ad will be seen! Email me: mg8isoft@hotmail.com

Header Ad
Only one spot is available for the Header Ad. This picture ad will appear just under the Title of this site. The shape and size of the ad can be negotiable. Click on the 'Advertise Here' link located under the title of the website to apply.

Prices are : 7 week - $5
20 Days - $10
60 Days - $15

Hurry and apply for your ad spot! Below are some details of my this site:

Alexa Ranking: 862,490 (This site is still new and is certainly going to get a better ranking in the upcoming weeks)
Technorati: 871,446 (Zoomed to under a million from 3 million+)
Traffic: Around 100 views per day and still growing.

Blog Rush Flavours and Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:25:00 +0000

Blog Rush flavours is now live. You can now personalized your Blog Rush widget with different colours of your choice! Take a look at all the colours available, there a total of 13 colours including the default black! Updating your Blog Rush widget is very easy. Just log into your account and click on Settings and then Flavours. Then select your blog and your new colour.
If might take a while to decide which colour is best for your blog. It's quite tricky when you have 13 colours to choose from!

Also, there are some very important updates from Blog Rush. Click HERE to read the original newsletter.

What's going on with Vista SP1?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:45:00 +0000

We haven't heard much about Windows Service Pack 1. Nor does Microsoft wants us to know. A couple of months after Vista was released, Steve Ballmer even pretended that he did not even know what is a service pack is! This is obviously suggesting that Microsoft wants us to think that Vista is so goof that the traditional ways of using Service Packs may not apply to Vista. Is Vista really that good? Yes - No - Maybe so, that is for you to decide but I am sure that service packs will still apply to any version of Windows.

Currently, Vista service pack 1 is under private beta testing. For changes in Vista SP1 please click read my article HERE.

A couple of changes in Vista SP1 beta are:

1) A more stylish logon experience.

2) A new option in the Disk Defragmenter that allows you to choose which volumes you would like to defragment.

3) Improvements in responsiveness when resuming from Hibernation / Sleep modes.

4) Improved battery life for laptops.

Are you living under a rock?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:05:00 +0000

Are you living under a rock? Why not find out? Click HERE to take the test.

Results
9-10 - You are not living under a rock, you are alive!

7-8 - Yes, you are living under a rock.

6 and below - Not only are you living under a rock, but you are almost dead!

Where' s my iphone news?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:44:00 +0000

Did you notice that I didn't cover much iphone news? Did you go and say, 'iphone is the latest news! Why is this blog ignoring it?'
This is because I live in Australia and I do not have an iphone myself. I did not bother to get one from my friends in Australia because I am not an iphone maniac. Also, I did not want to pretend as if I have an iphone and say things that are not true. If I will get one, I will wait till it comes to Australia and I am sure that by then, Apple has fixed many glitches and added new functionality.

Alexa Shock Update

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:33:00 +0000

After that shocking status graph comparison yesterday, Alexa is back to normal again. The glitch lasted only for about one day. If you haven't read my post about the Alexa Shock please click HERE.
All down fall statistics are now removed and replaced with the correct status. If my opinion, Alexa has responded this this glitch very well. They quickly fixed and now everything is back to normal. I don't even think most of the top technology news blogs even realized this problem.

Pingo is the way to go!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:07:00 +0000

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