Sunday, January 31, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Mac Attack: 60 Excellent Mac Themed Wallpapers

Posted: 31 Jan 2010 01:17 PM PST

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Weekend Roundup January 29, 2010

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 06:42 PM PST

Friday, January 29, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Convert Addresses to Latitude and Longitude

Posted: 28 Jan 2010 07:22 PM PST

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Game Time: Windows 7 is a Hit with the Gamer Crowd

Published by Sunbelt Software FORUMS | RSS | MY PROFILE | PRIVACY  

Vol. 2, # 4 - Jan 28, 2010 - Issue # 20 
 Game Time: Windows 7 is a Hit with the Gamer Crowd

  1. Editor's Corner
    • Game Time: Windows 7 is a Hit with the Gamer Crowd
    • Follow-up: Service Pack - Needed or Not?
    • Quotes of the Week
  2. Cool Tools
  3. News, Hints, Tips and Tricks
    • Non-security updates for Windows 7 released
    • What features do you want to see in Windows 8?
    • Apple Boot Camp now supports Windows 7
    • Life without Windows?
  4. How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features
    • How to disable "Reopen Last Browsing Session" feature in IE8
    • How to tweak your libraries
  5. Windows 7 and Vista Security
    • Protecting your systems from the "Aurora" exploit
  6. Question Corner
    • Can I change the Shutdown button?
  7. Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting
    • Compatibility report when upgrading to Windows 7
    • Network discovery in Windows 7
  8. Fav Links
    • This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
  9. Product of the Week
    • WhiteSmoke Writer 2010: Advanced Writing Check Software for Super Charged Writing!

Kiss Your Antivirus Bloatware Goodbye

We asked users of antivirus products what they didn't like about their AV software. They told us they are resource hogs and slowed their computer down. They told us that scan times took way too long, and that the AV software nagged them. In short, old-style AV software takes too much Memory and CPU. Time to switch to VIPRE! It gives you malware protection that combines antivirus, antispyware, anti-rootkit and other technologies into a seamless, tightly-integrated product.

Even if you run "free" antivirus software, it hijacks 20% of your PC, so it's really not free at all! Get VIPRE now and see how fast your PC can really be:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-VIPRE



Editor's Corner

Game Time: Windows 7 is a Hit with the Gamer Crowd

Full disclosure right up front: I don't play games. It's not that I'm opposed to fun; it's mostly a matter of time - I just don't have enough of it free to spend it on video games. And since I sit at the computer all day, writing, I tend to prefer leisure activities that get me away from my desk.

Back in the early days of video games, when I was younger and had fewer family and work obligations, I enjoyed a good game of Frogger or Donkey Kong and I made it all the way to end of Atari's Ms. Pac-Man. But by the time today's sophisticated gaming consoles came along, I had long ago lost interest. My son enjoys his Playstation 3 and my daughter has fun with her Wii, but my husband and I don't even have an Xbox (or any other gaming system) in our otherwise very well equipped media room.

The only PC games I ever spent any time with were Flight Simulator and Tetris. The former was an inexpensive substitute for real flying lessons, and the latter was a strangely addicting way to wind down and relax after a day or night on the streets back when I was a police officer.

My son, Kris, is the only real gamer in the family. He was hooked on Everquest for a while, then World of Warcraft. He also played a lot of online chess. Consequently, he usually had the most powerful computer in the family, systems he built primarily for gaming purposes. Today he makes his living from game- playing, or rather from game analysis, using his computer skills to review past games and help plot strategies for future games for Hikaru Nakamura, the U.S. chess champion. Right now, he's at the Corus Chess Tournament in the Netherlands, where Hikaru is fighting it out with some of the world's top players.

Even though gaming isn't my thing, I frequently get questions from readers who use their computers to play, and I try to keep up with what's going on in that segment of the industry. Since the release of Windows 7, I'm often asked if it's worth upgrading to the new OS for gamers, so I've talked to some folks who are into that scene and read the performance benchmark reports so I can try to give you the information you need if you're trying to make that decision.

Gaming is one of the most demanding applications that today's computers are asked to do. As video games become more and more realistic, it takes more powerful hardware and more sophisticated operating systems to run them. Many games must display fast-moving 3D graphics, which requires graphics processors that run much faster than regular processors. Today's high end video cards have highly efficient parallel-processing GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) for 3D rendering. It's not unusual, in a gaming system, for the video card(s) to cost more than the system's motherboard. The ATI Radeon HD 5870, for example, goes for more than $400 and the 5970 costs close to $700 on the average, although NewEgg sells one iteration, the PowerColor AX5970 2GBD5-WMD, for $829.

Of course, a top gaming system also requires a fast processor (such as a Nehalem model) and a motherboard that will support plenty of RAM. You'll want fast hard drives, too - which means, for best performance, expensive solid state drives. Here's a good article about how to select the best gaming motherboard:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Best-Gaming-Motherboard

Once you've assembled all this top-of-the-line equipment (and wiped out your bank account in the process), it's time to think about software. What operating system is best for your heavy-duty gaming needs? Well, it appears that gamers are quickly jumping onto the Windows 7 bandwagon. According to a report last week from Steam, a popular online gaming community, 23 percent are already using Windows 7 just four months after its release - even though Windows 7 only makes up about 6 percent of the overall operating system market.

Not surprisingly, most of those (15.61% of the total gamers) are using the 64 bit edition of Windows 7. You need to run the 64 bit edition to take advantage of large amounts of RAM (over 4 GB), and it's getting much easier to find 64 bit drivers for most components.

Gamers incur many benefits by upgrading to Windows 7. Performance is everything in the gaming world, and Win7's performance is significantly better than that of Vista (although this may be more likely to show up more on low powered hardware than on the high end hardware favored by gamers). Windows 7 also comes with DirectX 11, which supports new features such as the ability to scale across multi-core CPUs (which are standard on high end gaming machine). Another new features is "tessellation," which lets games display more detailed images and more life-like characters. DirectX 11 can be installed on Vista but is not supported on XP. You can read more about the DirectX 11 features here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-DirectX-11

Windows 7's multi-touch support also opens up a great new avenue for game developers. Gamers already use multi-touch devices. The Touch Pack for Windows 7 includes several games that leverage the capabilities of multi-touch monitors and laptops.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Touch-Pack

And for those who might be worried about whether the games you've been playing on XP or Vista will run on Windows 7, the good news is that most of them will. Way back last January of last year, when Windows 7 was still in beta, ExtremeTech tested a number of popular games, going all the way back to Quake II and found that most worked, although a few needed some tweaking or had performance issues or had difficulties during installation that had to be overcome. There were only a couple, out of the 22 tested, that failed to run.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Games-on-Win7

Microsoft has implemented a certification process, called Games for Windows, that will help you identify the games that have been tested and will work properly on Windows 7 (and Vista). That logo can give you some assurance. There is also a Games for Windows Live Marketplace where you can download games:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Games-for-Windows

If you're interested in performance comparisons (XP vs. Vista vs. Windows 7) for popular games, FiringSquad.com has benchmarks for a number of games (including ARMA II, Resident Evil 5, Left 4 Dead and several more), and concluded that upgrading to Windows 7, especially for gamers using SLI or Crossfire, is the best gaming platform yet.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Gaming-Performance

And like Vista, Windows 7 has the Games Explorer application, which provides access to all your games from one place and gives you useful information such as the effect that you can expect your computer's Windows Experience Index (WEI) score to have on your gaming experience. The Windows 7 version of Games Explorer also lets you manage the updates for your games and also gives you more information about each game (depending on what the publisher has included in the metadata for the game).

Let us know about your experiences with gaming on Windows 7, and how it compares to XP and/or Vista for your favorite games. Have you run into any issues where games that ran fine on your previous OS don't work, or don't perform as well on Windows 7? Or have you seen performance improvements? How about hardware compatibility? Did Windows 7 have any driver issues or other hardware problems when you installed it on your gaming system - or did you use the OS upgrade as a reason to buy or build a whole new system? Are you running your games on 64 bit Windows 7? If not, why did you stick with the 32 bit edition? We invite you to discuss this and other game-related topics in our forum at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Forum-Discussion


Follow-up: Service Pack - Needed or Not?

In last week's editorial, we discussed the Windows tradition of waiting for the first service pack before upgrading the OS, and whether that rule of thumb should be thrown out the window when it comes to Windows 7.

Many of you note that you've been using Windows 7 since the beta or RTM and have found it to be the most stable operating system you've ever used, so only a few folks are waiting for a service pack. One network admin is planning to wait until XP support expires, while another is happily rolling out Windows 7 Enterprise edition without waiting for a service pack.

There are several who are looking forward to USB 3.0, though. I'm one of them. Quite a few motherboards with 3.0 support are out there now, and there are a few 3.0 hard drives already available at a reasonable price. The faster USB interface will be very welcome in our home/office, where we transfer many large files and can definitely use the extra drive performance.

Coffeeturtle (love that screen name) brought up a good point: that we might be seeing SP1 sooner than later, not because there are a lot of fixes needed, but simply to get some of the "wait and see" crowd past the well-ingrained psychological barrier to upgrading. And because there are fewer bugs to fix, maybe Microsoft will be able to focus on adding some new features, too.

It's great to read so many posts from people who are happy with their operating system - especially for someone who is used to receiving troubleshooting questions and complaints. Windows 7 certainly isn't perfect - I doubt we'll ever see a perfect OS - but it's obvious that customer satisfaction is high. I just hope the software doesn't get so good that my tips, tricks and troubleshooting articles are no longer needed.

As always, thanks to all of you who participated in the discussion.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
feedback@win7news.net

Follow Deb on Twitter

PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication for XP users called WXPnews? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-WXPNews

And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-WserverNews

Look for the Win7News fan page on Facebook!
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Win7News-on-Facebook


Quotes of the Week

"Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late." - Felix Frankfurter (1882 - 1965)

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." - Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)


Kiss Your Antivirus Bloatware Goodbye

We asked users of antivirus products what they didn't like about their AV software. They told us they are resource hogs and slowed their computer down. They told us that scan times took way too long, and that the AV software nagged them. In short, old-style AV software takes too much Memory and CPU. Time to switch to VIPRE! It gives you malware protection that combines antivirus, antispyware, anti-rootkit and other technologies into a seamless, tightly-integrated product.

Even if you run "free" antivirus software, it hijacks 20% of your PC, so it's really not free at all! Get VIPRE now and see how fast your PC can really be:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-VIPRE



Cool Tools

ADVERTISEMENT

Never reinstall your computer again. New technology: easy set-up, no loss of data or applications. The ultimate professional repair tool. Free comprehensive PC diagnostic with every scan, get it now!
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Reimage

Do you have programs you just can't seem to get rid of? Uninstaller! 2010 "ALL New" Version Just Released:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Your-Uninstaller

Moving to Windows 7 is Easy! PCMover moves programs, files, and settings from your old PC to your new PC.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-PCmover

Search for a driver and you get a ton of Driver Software offers instead. But how do you know which one is good? Try Driver Genius 9.0. Free scan.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Driver-Genius

Billing address autofill, secure password storage, all automatic and safe. Not a little toolbar utility. Huge time saver!
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-RoboForm

Get your speed back! Advanced Vista Optimizer will tweak Vista for Max performance. Easy to use:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-System-Optimizer


News, Hints, Tips and Tricks

Non-security updates for Windows 7 released

We all know about Patch Tuesday - that's the day each month when Microsoft releases security updates for Windows, Office and other products. But last Monday, the company released a number of non-security patches that fix stability problems some folks have had with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. There is also an update that addresses a very specific hardware configuration, a new version of the System Update Readiness Tool and an updated version of the Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7. Find out more about the updates here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Windows7-Updates


What features do you want to see in Windows 8?

Whether or not Windows 7 was your idea, you probably have some ideas about what you would like to see in the next version of Windows. Student Lounge, a Microsoft newsletter for students, asks you to toss your ideas into the ring and share what you think should be included in Windows 8:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Windows8-Features


Apple Boot Camp now supports Windows 7

Like the Apple hardware but don't want to give up Windows 7 for OS X? Now you can have your apple and eat it too - by installing Win7 on that super slim Macbook Air or your little Mac Mini or whatever Intel Apple product you might have. Last week, Apple released an update for its Boot Camp utility that adds support for Windows 7, so that you can install it in a dual boot configuration with the Mac OS. You can install Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate, in either 32 bit or 64 bit configuration. Find out more here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Boot-Camp-Update


Life without Windows?

Some folks would like nothing better than to see Microsoft fall, but what would life without Windows really be like? Randall C. Kennedy of InfoWorld paints a pretty grim picture, with many unintended (and unwanted) consequences. It makes a good read, and certainly gives you something to think about. Check it out at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Life-wo-Windows


How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features

How to disable "Reopen Last Browsing Session" feature in IE8

Windows 7 comes with Internet Explorer 8, which offers many great new features. One of those is the ability to reopen your last browsing session - this can be a godsend if you accidentally close the browser with a number of pages open that you need to go back to. No more hunting through the History list - you can have them back with a single click. But there are situations wherein this can be a security issue. If you don't like the idea of having your previous browsing sessions so accessible, you can disable the feature and clear the browser cache so it won't be so easy for someone to see where you've been on the web. Here's how:
  1. In the registry editor, navigate to
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Internet Explorer \ Recovery
  2. In the right pane, right click an empty space and select New | DWORD value (32 bit) Value.
  3. Rename the new Value NoReopenLastSession
  4. Double click the new value and set the value data field to 1
  5. Close the registry editor.
  6. Close and restart IE to make the change take effect.
Note: if you want to completely hide the tracks of your previous browsing, clear the browser cache as well: click Tools | Delete Browsing History.

How to tweak your libraries

The Libraries feature in Windows 7 makes it easier for you to organize and find your files, but if you've ever wished you could do a little more configuration of your libraries, here's a piece of software called Librarian. It lets you create a new library with any folder inside, change a library's icon, rename a library, change the content type of a new or existing library, change the default save location option, and more. Best of all, it's free. You can see screenshots and download it here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Library-Manager


Windows 7 and Vista Security

Protecting your systems from the "Aurora" exploit

There has been a deluge of discussion about the "Aurora" attack against Google and other companies in December, which exploited a security vulnerability in IE 6. Some organizations and government agencies have gone so far as to recommend that users dump IE for another browser. But Microsoft has released a fix for the vulnerability, and there are additional ways you can protect your systems from this type of attack. See these seven steps to get you started:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-7-Steps


Question Corner

Can I change the Shutdown button?

QUESTION:
I know this is a little thing but I thought I'd ask. I almost never shut down my computer completely. I do restart it. Is there any way to put "Restart" on the Start menu along with or instead of the "Shutdown" button? That would be great. Thanks. - Reese L.

ANSWER:
You can, in fact, change the Shutdown button's function to Restart, or even to Sleep if you more frequently put the computer to sleep. Any of the functions that appear when you click the arrow by the Shutdown button can be assigned to the button itself. Just right click the Start button and select Properties. Then click the Start Menu tab, and in the drop-down box labeled "Power button action," choose the action that you perform most often and you'll save yourself a click every time you perform that action.


Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting

Compatibility report when upgrading to Windows 7

If you upgrade Vista to Windows 7, you may receive a compatibility report that lists programs and says "these programs might not work properly after the upgrade. We recommend uninstalling these programs before upgrading." If you're running Windows Live OneCare, it will be included in this report. That's because Windows Live OneCare is not compatible with Windows 7. Find out more in KB article 968420 at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Compatibility-Report


Network discovery in Windows 7

You may have seen the option in the Network and Sharing Center to turn network discovery on or off, but do you wonder exactly what network discovery is and how it affects your computer on the network? Check out this Microsoft site that explains network discovery and tells you how to enable or disable it or customize its settings:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-Network-Discovery


Fav Links

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

Disclaimer: VistaNews does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites.


Product of the Week

WhiteSmoke Writer 2010: Advanced Writing Check Software for Super Charged Writing!

The world's leading language solution now allows you to perform advanced grammar checking, style checking, and spell checking, with a single click. The latest version of WhiteSmoke features Writing Review, a summary of your text which provides an overall readability score. WhiteSmoke Writer works with all text-based applications. WhiteSmoke Writer helps you to write with confidence, improve your communications and messaging with business partners, clients, family and friends around the world. Now, in an exclusive offer for Win7News subscribers get these added bonus tools: 2 Extra Pro Versions + the Multi-Lingual Dictionary for FREE! Get the full story here!
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100128-WhiteSmoke


 About Win7News

What Our Lawyers Make Us Say
These documents are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Sunbelt Software on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Sunbelt must respond to changes in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Sunbelt and Sunbelt cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.

INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT.

This newsletter and website and may contain links to other websites with whom we have a business relationship. Sunbelt Software does not review or screen these sites, and we are not responsible or liable for their privacy or data security practices, or the content of these sites. Additionally, if you register with any of these sites, any information that you provide in the process of registration, such as your email address, credit card number or other personally identifiable information, will be transferred to these sites. For these reasons, you should be careful to review any privacy and data security policies posted on any of these sites before providing information to them.

The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Sunbelt's copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. All trademarks acknowledged. Copyright Sunbelt Software, Inc. 1996-2010.

Win7News Archives
Looking for a past issue? Missing an issue? Accidently deleted an issue? Trying to find that article that pointed you to that cool site? All our newsletters are archived and are searchable:
http://www.win7news.net/archives

About Your Subscription to Win7News
This is a posting from Win7News. You are subscribed as cpedley.killcomputer@blogger.com
Your personal W7N Number is: O52HI2

To manage your profile, please visit our site by clicking on the following link:
http://www.win7news.net/profile?w7n=O52HI2

If you have feedback or wish to write to the editor, write to us at feedback@win7news.net

Sunbelt Software
33 North Garden Avenue
Clearwater, Florida USA 33755

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

How to Perform a Country Specific Web Search

Posted: 26 Jan 2010 05:49 PM PST

Monday, January 25, 2010

TechnoPets: Even our Animals are Going High Tech

WXPNews: Published by Sunbelt Software since 2001
FORUMS | BLOG | RSS | MY PROFILE | PRIVACY  

Vol. 10, #4 - Jan 26, 2010 - Issue #414

 TechnoPets: Even our Animals are Going High Tech

  1. Editor's Corner
    • TechnoPets: Even our Animals are Going High Tech
    • Follow-up: Unofficial Tech Supporters, Unite
    • Quotes of the Week
  2. Cool Tools
    • Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without
  3. News, Hints, Tips and Tricks
    • Prolonging the life of your XP computer
    • Which web browser(s) will survive?
    • Hackers target Microsoft forensics software
    • Love those Bing images?
  4. How To: Using XP Features
    • How to turn your display back right-side up
  5. XP Security News
    • Emergency Patch for IE flaw released
  6. XP Question Corner
    • Can I keep documents from being changed?
  7. XP Configuration and Troubleshooting
    • Error message with network printer
    • Change the default icons for folders in XP
  8. Fav Links
    • This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
  9. Product of the Week
    • WhiteSmoke Writer 2010: Advanced Writing Check Software for Error-Free Writing!

Shop Online Securely, Protected By VIPRE

Protect yourself from cyber thieves during this online shopping season. VIPRE protects you against today's highly complex malware threats including viruses, adware, spyware and rootkits. And it does not hog your PC resources like many traditional (free) antivirus products.

Make online purchases with confidence, Get VIPRE!
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-VIPRE



 Editor's Corner

TechnoPets: Even our Animals are Going High Tech

Most households in the U.S., and in many other countries, include four-legged members. The 2007 Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook reported that there were over 72 million pet dogs and nearly 82 million pet cats in this country alone.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Pet-Ownership-Stats

We love our animal friends, and it's no wonder. They provide companionship and entertainment, while asking for very little in return. And we now know there are proven health benefits, in addition to the psychological benefits, of living with pets.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Pet-Health-Ins

And we're not about to give them up. People may be sacrificing their big cars, shivering or freezing in their homes, and throwing away their printers to "go green," but when it comes to our furry friends, we draw the line. A recent New Zealand study that suggests pets are "twice as damaging to the environment as a four-wheel drive vehicle" was met with responses indicating that's just too bad and readers will do "pretty much anything" to keep their pets:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Environment-n-Pets

What does this have to do with technology? Just as other aspects of our lives have been affected by computers and other high tech gadgets, so have our relationships with our pets. It begins with methods for acquiring a new puppy, kitten or other pet. Prior to the Internet era, most people got their pets from the local animal shelter, a pet shop at the mall, or a friend's or neighbor's litter. If you wanted a purebred animal, you might go to a local dog or cat show to connect with a breeder. Newspaper classified ads were also a common way to find a pet.

Today, many of us turn to the web as soon as we start considering adding a pet to the family. When Tom and I recently started talking about getting a dog, my first task was to research different breeds to determine what type would fit best with our lifestyle. You can even find surveys and quizzes that ask you a series of questions about your preferences and how you live and attempt to match you up with the right breed, such as the one at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Dog-Breeds

These can get you started in the right direction, but they don't usually cover all of the breeds or ask all the right questions. We knew we wanted a small dog that would stay indoors with us all or most of the time, but that wouldn't be "yappy." We aren't extremely active, so we didn't want a high energy dog that would be jumping around all the time. We've long been "cat people," so we needed a dog that would get along with our cats, and in fact that would be as much like a cat as possible - while still being able to do "dog things" like swim with us in the pool, walk on a leash and ride in the car.

Pre-Internet, I doubt I would have found that perfect dog. But with the help of the web, I stumbled across a reference to the Japanese Chin - a breed I'd never heard of before - and more research showed that this breed fit our needs more than any other. A web search also turned up a couple of breeders in our area, and next weekend we're bringing home our little Suki:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Suki

The web has also made people much more aware of the phenomenon of "puppy mills," and more careful about checking out the credentials of breeders who offer pedigreed animals for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

But the technology angle doesn't stop there. At their first visit to the vet, many pet owners are having RFID chips implanted into their dogs' and cats' bodies so that if the pets are lost, they can be more easily identified and returned. Microchip implants for pets has grown into a multi-million dollar industry, and the Humane Society, the American Kennel Club and numerous other pet-related organizations endorse the practice.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Microchip

One of the earliest technological developments that had an impact on pets and pet owners is the "invisible fence," an electronic device that some people use to keep their dogs and cats in their yards without a fence. It uses radio signals to activate a collar that causes a slight shock (similar to static electricity) when the pet gets close to a boundary wire. These products have been around for over three decades, with varying degrees of popularity. I've never tried them, but I know a few people who swear by them.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Hidden-Fences

A less controversial technology is the "pet cam." Once upon a time, putting a surveillance system in your house or yard was expensive and installation wasn't a snap. With today's computer-connected web cams and wireless self-contained IP cameras, it's easy to keep an eye on your pets when you aren't at home. With microphones and speakers built into some models, you can even talk to your pet. If someone else is at home with the pet, you can have them bring your dog, cat, or bird to the computer and you can engage in a video call with the pet. If you're leaving the pet home alone, you can set up cameras in the places where the pet usually hangs out (for example, near its food dish or favorite sleeping spot). Some camera vendors are even marketing their products specifically as pet cams:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-PetCam

There are even "automatic" litter boxes now, such as the Litter Robot, that clean themselves (up to a point). A couple of years ago, one company was even selling a "SunSpa" so that if your pet was suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) on gloomy winter days, you could give it a little dose of simulated sunlight in which to bask. Unfortunately, they seem to have since gone out of business.

I'm not the only person who has created a web site for my pet. Many cats and dogs have their own web pages now, and some of them (not mine) even have their own social networking sites. Dogbook is a Facebook application that's available for the iPhone, which you can use to upload photos and update your dog's status from your phone (or, I guess, in the case of some very pampered pups, from the dog's own phone).
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-DogBook

Some of the new pet-related technology borders on the gruesome, though. I recently ran across a company called Perpetual Pet that "freeze dries" your animal after death so you can keep its body around forever. I hate the thought of ever losing my "babies," but I think I prefer to give them a proper burial when the time comes.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Perpetual-Pet

But if you want a pet that will never die, there's another way. Some companies are betting that people will be willing to trade in their flesh-and-fur animals for metal and plastic ones. Robotic pets are marketed as alternatives for those who live in "no pets" apartments, those who travel too much to provide a proper home for a dog or cat, or the elderly for whom pet care is too much of a chore. Although these robopets have been on the market for a few years, they haven't exactly surged in popularity in recent years. The Sony Aibo, a robotic dog that was introduced amidst much hype way back in 1999, was discontinued in 2006. Maybe it was the high price - or maybe we just aren't ready to make machines a part of our family as we do with real animals. After all, even children can tell the difference:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Robot-Dogs

Tell us what you think about technology as it pertains to pets. Do you shower your furry or feathered friends with the latest pet gadgets, or do you keep the relationship more low tech? Does your dog or cat have its own web page or Facebook site, or do you think that's just silly? What technological developments would you like to see that would benefit your pets? Would you ever consider having your precious pet "preserved" for eternity? How about a robotic pet - does the low maintenance aspect appeal to you, or do you believe a machine, no matter how lifelike, could never substitute for a living animal? We invite you to discuss this topic in our forum at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Forum-Discussion


Follow-up: Unofficial Tech Supporters, Unite

In last week's editorial, I discussed the position in which many of us find ourselves, serving as the unofficial tech support person for our family members and friends. Wow - this piece inspired the most lengthy discussion we've had since going to the forum feedback format. Apparently many of our readers can relate to what I said, although one accused me of "just whining" and another turned it into an anti-Windows/pro-Mac issue. Yet another noted that he could fix any problem in an hour and implied that the rest of us are incompetent if any problem ever takes more time than that. But the topic seems to have struck a chord with most of you.

Some of you said you enjoy being able to help and don't mind the requests. I suspect those folks either don't get as many requests as I do, or don't have as much other (paid) work that they have to get done every week. I enjoy helping, too - but I don't enjoy being overloaded. Other readers shared some good tips and tricking for reducing the numbers of those tech support calls. I liked the one from RJMGroup: ask the person who needs help to bring the computer (and its peripherals) to you instead of making a house call. That will, indeed, help to weed out those who want you to do it all. However, this strategy can backfire, too. If you're not careful, you could end up with several friends' computers stacked in the spare room, awaiting your magic touch.

It was interesting to see the differing opinions regarding charging for your services. Some of you were adamant about not accepting money, pointing out that this creates a situation whereby your friends now think they "own" your services because they paid you. Others pointed out that quoting your fees will, in many cases, make the request go away altogether. But many of us have trouble asking for money from close friends and family members who ask for a "favor." That's especially true when many of your friends and relatives are less well off, financially, than you are. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had the same experience Ozekoala mentioned: a friend offers to pay when he/she brings you the computer to fix, but then after the work is done, all you get are thanks and praise for your skills - apparently that previous offer has been consumed in a bad case of selective amnesia.

I really enjoyed reading about all of your experiences and wish you all the best in your (wanted or unwanted) tech support roles. Thanks for participating.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
feedback@wxpnews.com

Follow Deb on Twitter

PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication called Win7News? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Win7News

And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-WserverNews

Look up the WXPnews Fan Page and join us on Facebook!

Quotes of the Week

"Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds." Marian Evans

"The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." - Harry Golden

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Sir Richard Steele


Own a Single-user VIPRE?

Upgrade Now To Unlimited Home License For Just $19.95
You run VIPRE and love it. But what about the other PC's at the house? We have a special, limited time upgrade offer. You can upgrade now and just pay the difference (20 bucks) between the Single License and the Unlimited Home License (UHL). But wait, it gets better. Your UHL starts fresh and you get a new 12 month subscription! Do the math. Wait and pay 30 bucks later, or buy the upgrade now and get a whole year for 20 bucks. A no-brainer! Remember this is for a limited time only, get that upgrade now! Click here to learn more and order:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-UHL-Upgrade


 Cool Tools

Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without

ADVERTISEMENT

Never reinstall your XP again. New technology: easy set-up, no loss of data or applications. The ultimate professional repair tool. Free comprehensive PC diagnostic with every scan, get it now!
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Reimage

Do you have programs you just can't seem to get rid of? Uninstaller! 2010 "ALL New" Version Just Released:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Your-Uninstaller

Billing address autofill, Secure password storage, all automatic and safe. Not a little toolbar utility. Huge time saver!
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-RoboForm

Moving to Windows 7 is Easy! PCMover moves programs, files, and settings from your old PC to your new PC
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-PCmover

Search for a driver and you get a ton of Driver Software offers instead. But how do you know which one is good? Try Driver Genius 9.0. Free scan.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Driver-Genius

Behind on your backups? Why back up when you can sync? Simply replicate every piece of data to another drive in real-time. Set it and forget it.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-GoodSync

Spellchecker is NOT ENOUGH! Improve your English writing skills with WhiteSmoke a smarter solution for high quality writing. Try it:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-WhiteSmoke


 News, Hints, Tips and Tricks

Prolonging the life of your XP computer

In this economic climate, many people who used to buy a new car and a new computer every year or two are now looking for ways to stretch out the lifespans of the ones they already have. This article offers some tips for keeping your old XP system running for a while longer. Check it out here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Technobuddy


Which web browser(s) will survive?

France and are advising everyone to ditch Internet Explorer following attacks in China that exploited a vulnerability in IE 6 (which Microsoft has since patched):
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Abandon-IE

Talk show host Kim Komando was spouting the same advice on the radio a few days ago. At the same time, Randall Kennedy over at InfoWorld is telling us that Firefox is doomed:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Firefox-is-Doomed

Does anyone really think Chrome is going to overtake the top two anytime soon? It currently has less than 5 percent of the browser market, and Safari has even less.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Browser-Market-Share

Opera is down there in the 2-3 percent range.

Should governments really be telling their citizens what browser to use, anyway?

Hackers target Microsoft forensics software

Microsoft makes a forensics tool called COFEE that they give away to law enforcement agencies, world-wide, for examining computers for digital evidence. Now hackers have come up with a countermeasure that they call Decaf, that looks for the COFEE software and attempts to prevent it from doing its job. Read more here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-War-on-MS-COFEE

And here's an update about the new version, DECAF v2:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-DECAF


Love those Bing images?

If you enjoy seeing what great new photo will be featured on the Bing web site, you'll be happy to know that those images are archived so you can check out the ones that you might have missed, or set your favorite to be your Windows wallpaper. You'll find the Bing image archive at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-BingImages


 How To: Using XP Features

How to turn your display back right-side up

I got an urgent message a few nights ago, asking me to call an old friend I haven't seen in years (but with whom I've reconnected on Facebook). Curious, I gave him a call. It seems he had a problem with his computer. He came home to find that his Windows XP display was upside down. He didn't look forward to standing on his head to read his email, so he was hoping that I might be able to help.

How did it happen? Well, his wife said she "moved the mouse." Maybe so, but this is an old trick that many folks have played on friends and family members. If you want to annoy someone, next time you're alone with his/her XP system, try pressing CTRL + ALT + Down Arrow Key. If the computer's video card supports 180 degree rotation, this will turn the display upside down.

Luckily, it's usually just as easy to fix the problem by pressing CTRL + ALT + Up Arrow Key.

Sometimes, however, the key combination doesn't work. In that case, you may need to find the graphics card's settings. If your card displays an icon in the notification area (system tray), click or right click that and look for a "rotation settings" option. If that doesn't work or you can't find the graphics card settings application, do this:
  1. Open Display from Control Panel or by right clicking the desktop and selecting Properties.
  2. Click Settings | Advanced
  3. Click the tab that represents your video card. This tab may contain a rotation settings option. If so, choose "0 degrees" or "normal."
If you encounter the upside down display immediately after restarting the computer, check out KB article 915164:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Upside-Down-Desktop


 XP Security News

Emergency Patch for IE flaw released

In case you don't have XP set to automatically download and install critical updates, be aware that Microsoft released an "out of band" emergency patch of Internet Explorer last Thursday. This addresses the exploit that was used in the attacks on Google and other companies. Be sure to do a manual update to ensure that your system is protected.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Google-Attack-Patch


 XP Question Corner

Can I keep documents from being changed?

QUESTION:
I have some documents that are in their final form. Some are Word documents and some are .txt files. The point is that I don't want to accidentally change them and don't want them to get changed by my family members that use my computer. I've read about rights management service that lets you disallow modification of documents but if I understand right, you have to have a special server for that. Is there an easier way? - Howard L.

ANSWER:
The easiest way to protect files from accidental changes is to set the Read Only attribute on them. When a file is Read Only, any changes you make to it can't be saved under the original file name. You can save changes with a new file name, but your original will remain the same. Here's how you set a file to Read Only:
  1. Navigate to the file in Windows Explorer.
  2. Right click it and choose Properties.
  3. Click the General tab.
  4. Check the box that says "Read Only."
  5. Click OK.
If you want to make all files in a folder Read Only, you can check this box on the folder's Properties sheet. Note that this will make all of the files currently in the folder Read Only, but it won't affect new files that you put in the folder. Remember that others can still delete or move Read Only files, they just can't make changes to them.


 XP Configuration and Troubleshooting

Error message with network printer

If your XP computer tries to open the printer properties dialog box for a network printer that's connected to a Windows Server 2003 domain controller, you might get an error message. To fix the problem, you have to remove the printer and driver, install a hot fix and reconnect to the printer. For step-by-step instructions on how to do it, see KB article 924078 at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Properties-Dialog-Box-Error


Change the default icons for folders in XP

You can't customize the default icon for a folder in Windows XP but you can make a shortcut to that folder, and change the icon for the shortcut. KB article 310192 walks you through the steps for doing this.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-Changing-Default-Icons


 Fav Links

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

Disclaimer: WXPNews does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites.


 Product of the Week

WhiteSmoke Writer 2010: Advanced Writing Check Software for Error-Free Writing!

It allows you to perform advanced grammar checking, style checking, and spell checking on your texts, in a single click. The latest version features Writing Review, a summary of your text, which provides an overall readability score. WhiteSmoke Writer works with all text-based applications. Now, in an exclusive offer for WXPNews subscribers: 2 Extra Pro Versions + Multi-Lingual Dictionary for FREE!
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100126-White-Smoke


 About WXPnews

What Our Lawyers Make Us Say
These documents are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Sunbelt Software on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Sunbelt must respond to changes in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Sunbelt and Sunbelt cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.

INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT.

This newsletter and website and may contain links to other websites with whom we have a business relationship. Sunbelt Software does not review or screen these sites, and we are not responsible or liable for their privacy or data security practices, or the content of these sites. Additionally, if you register with any of these sites, any information that you provide in the process of registration, such as your email address, credit card number or other personally identifiable information, will be transferred to these sites. For these reasons, you should be careful to review any privacy and data security policies posted on any of these sites before providing information to them.

The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Sunbelt's copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. All trademarks acknowledged. Copyright Sunbelt Software, Inc. 1996-2010.

WXPnews Archives
Looking for a past issue? Missing an issue? Accidently deleted an issue? Trying to find that article that pointed you to that cool site? All our newsletters are archived and are searchable:
http://www.wxpnews.com/archives.cfm

About Your Subscription to WXPnews
This is a posting from WXPnews. You are subscribed as cpedley.killcomputer@blogger.com.
To manage your profile, please visit our site by clicking on the following link:
http://www.wxpnews.com/profile.cfm?wxp=MY5HU3

If you have feedback or wish to write to the editor, write to us at feedback@wxpnews.com

Sunbelt Software
33 North Garden Avenue
Clearwater, Florida USA 33755

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

94 Secret Windows Shortcuts You Can Use

Posted: 23 Jan 2010 03:56 PM PST

Weekend Roundup January 22, 2010

Posted: 22 Jan 2010 08:12 PM PST

Terms of Use

Personal & Educational Use Only This blog consists mainly of FREE newsletters from computer web gurus that I receive. I thought you might like to see them all in one place than try to discover them on your own. A moderate amount of editing may be done to eliminate unrelated repetitious ads or unnecessary text which bloat the post. However I have given the authors full credit and will not remove their site links because you deserve to see where it comes from and they deserve to get credit for what they have written. Your use of this site is simply for educational purposes. For more computer-related help go to: CPEDLEY.COM for free software, advice and tips on low cost products which are very helpful. If you want to contact the editor, please go CPEDLEY.COM and check the Contact page for email address.