Over at Lavasoft they have posted a new warning about a Trojan that is infecting systems. The Trojan is sneaky like most Trojans are. After infecting your system the Trojan replaces the users background screen with the below warning:

Clicking the ‘Update Now’ button takes the user to a purchase page which the bad guys try to sell one of two products. The first for $49.95 is what is stated as a Trial version with another option to purchase a Full Version for $79.95.

Keep your eyes open for junk like this and do not become a victim of these type of scams.

Comments welcome.

Source.

I wanted to pass this on in case you missed it from last week. On October 31, 2009, The Oracle aka Marc passed on a free piece of software [here] in an article that I think is great. What it basically does is it changes the start menu so that you can view all of your programs without having to scroll through the traditional menu system. I have used a lot of different Windows tweaking software, but this is one of the best, IMHO, that I have ever used.

The software is called Vista Start Menu and the author states the following information:

Vista Start Menu is the convenient alternative to the plain Start menu you find in Windows XP and Windows Vista. The program uses your cognitive abilities (visual memory, reflexes,etc.); however, while it is easily understandable for beginners, it is also highly efficient for experienced users.

Go ahead and try replacing your Start menu right now! It is safe because Vista Start Menu does not change your system settings, thus making it easy to install, as well as simple to remove.

Improved interface

Each detail in Vista Start Menu is well thought-out and the program will allow you to accomplish all your tasks with ease and comfort.

Always ready

Vista Start Menu was designed specifically to make it possible for users to quickly access any information simply by using the keyboard or the mouse.

The program is a free download and works with any version of Windows from 2000, XP,  Vista and Windows 7. Give it a try and see what you think. The free version doesn’t support the Aero feature, but the author does offer the Pro version which does at an additional cost of $19.99

A special thank you to Marc for finding this gem.

Comments welcome.

Download Vista Start Menu for free here.

As technology writers, bloggers and just about everyone who is interested in computers write all about the new operating system from Microsoft known as Windows 7, we fail to remember that good old reliable Windows XP still is the operating system of choice. Consumers are holding on to Windows XP, some even proclaiming that XP will need to be pried out of their dying hands. So when I read an article over at Arstechnica about Windows 7 beating out Snow Leopard and Linux, the number that caught my attention was the one that had Windows XP use pegged at 70.48%.

So why do people continue to love their Windows XP?

Simple. It works!

Don’t get me wrong. I am really enjoying Windows 7. But in all honesty it doesn’t really do anything any better than XP did. Or does it?

What do you think? If you are running Windows 7 and have previously been an XP user, what do you like or dislike about the new OS. What about those using Vista compared to XP?

Comments welcome.

Source.

Just a quick note.

For those who are looking for a low price upgrade to Windows 7, the 3 pack for Windows 7 Home Premium is being offered at Sam’s Club for $129.88. Check you local Sam’s club for further details.

If anyone finds a cheaper price please let us know.

Comments welcome.

Source.

Mozilla is continuing their beta testing of their new Thunderbird 3 email program, which is expected to go final towards the end of November, 2009. I have been trying the latest beta, T-bird 3 beta 4 this past week and I like what I am seeing thus far. First of all the new email version opens a lot quicker than version 2 does. But what really is new is the streamlined user interface that can be customized by the user.

New to version 3 is a tabs feature which can show your email accounts, feeds or new messages can show up as tabs, instead of a new window. This makes T-bird function more like it’s sister Firefox and will be familiar to most of us. A new archiving feature makes saving message a snap and is kind of like what Gmail has been offering for their accounts.

Also new to Thunderbird is a faster search feature for finding stuff you have saved or archived that works very well. The account setup feature can add Gmail account, feeds, newsgroups almost automatically for most users. There is also the ability to manually add accounts as well.

I will continue to try Mozilla Firefox as it enters into the RC stages and will do another review once Mozilla goes gold with the program.  As a side note T-bird works fine in Windows 7.

Comments welcome.

It should be no surprise to anyone, least of all Microsoft, that sales of their new Windows 7 operating system is already out selling Vista by a wide margin. Vista started out on a bad foot, with so many problems, that it was soon realized by many that this was a bad OS. However, once Microsoft got their act together and introduced SP1 and SP1 things did get better for most users. But Vista never recovered from the bad press and lived with the stigma until Windows 7 was released.

According to the Microsoft release of their figures by the NPD, it also states that:

“A combination of factors impacted Windows 7 PC sales at the outset, but the trajectory of overall PC sales is very strong leading into the holiday season,” said Stephen Baker at NPD.

This morning I was at our local hospital waiting to have some tests done. The hospital provides free wi-fi to their patients and one gentlemen was sitting using his laptop. We struck up a conversation and I learned he wrote an article about wine in our local newspaper. After some chit chat the subject turned to Windows 7 and his opinion was that Microsoft keeps shooting themselves in the foot. He also stated that when Google comes out with their OS, Microsoft would be finished.

This was the opinion of what I would call ‘the man on the street’, who didn’t have an axe to grind, just an opinion. It makes one wonder how bad Vista has actually hurt Microsoft and if Windows 7 will be enough for them to recover.

What do you think? Share your thoughts.

Comments welcome.

Source.

Whether you have just bought yourself a new computer system, or have completed a clean install of a new operating system, there is an online application that can make installing free software easy. Called Ninite you just select the software you want and it will be installed for you. On their site the people at Ninite describe their program as:

Ninite runs on Windows XP/Vista/7 and works in the background 100% hands-free. We install apps with default settings and say “no” to browser toolbars and other junk. All we do is install the latest versions of the apps you choose. Not even Ninite is installed.

There is browser software like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, plus anti-virus software such as Avast, AVG, MS Essentials, plus more software for burning, messaging, media, imaging, documents, runtimes, file sharing and utilities. All in one convenient location.

Give it a try and see what you think.

Comments welcome.

Ninite source for downloading software.

Ed Bott over at ZDNet has taken the time to put together a simple to understand chart that explains the ins and outs of Microsoft’s cryptic licensing requirements. Ed does go on to explain that he is not a lawyer, but after reviewing the chart below, it does seems to me that he has nailed it when it comes to the requirements that most consumers will face.

Click on the chart to open it in a new Window.

I believe we all owe Ed Bott our thanks for his taking the time to put this together. Hopefully it will help us all clarify the licensing maze that is fondly referred to as the End User Licensing Agreement which is presented as we install our favorite version of Windows.

Comments welcome.

Source

Over at PC world they have an article about what they describe as the ‘killer’ feature of Windows 7. I read with interest on their test methodology and the conclusions that were made after the testing was complete. I also gave some thought to what they reported and wanted to see what others thought.

In their report they stated the following:

Given the same number of CPU cores, Windows 7 runs circles around both Windows Vista and Windows XP. In fact, the results aren’t even close: In one multiprocess workflow test, Windows 7 outpaced Windows XP by 250 percent — this on an eight-core (dual quad-core Xeon) HP Z800 workstation.

This is Windows 7’s killer feature. It means that, as customers invest in new PC hardware, they’ll be better positioned to reap the improvements in CPU, memory, and chip set performance by deploying Windows 7. It also means that sticking with Windows XP — ostensibly because it is less bloated and performs better — is a fool’s errand.

I found this statement odd when I thought about how this would have any affect on consumers and their home computer systems:

In one multiprocess workflow test, Windows 7 outpaced Windows XP by 250 percent — this on an eight-core (dual quad-core Xeon) HP Z800 workstation.

Is there anyone running this type of configuration on a desktop or laptop system? I know the answer is no, but I thought I would ask anyway. To me twin quads Xeons are in the server league of systems. I seriously doubt that such a system would be running Windows 7. What do you think?

It also means that sticking with Windows XP — ostensibly because it is less bloated and performs better — is a fool’s errand.

A fool’s errand? Who wrote this article, Steve Ballmer? Calling anyone who still uses Windows XP a ‘fool’ is rude. I still have two computers in my home that both run Windows XP just fine. I realize that neither are able to run Windows 7, but they still work on a daily basis without incident.

What do you think?

Comments welcome.

Full PCW article is here.

Microsoft has taken off the wraps for its new MSN site and is offering a preview. Microsoft is also offering free Hotmail email with 5 GB of storage plus some additional features that Microsoft has stated users wanted. For instance, the new site appears to be less cluttered than the older MSN site is. Users are allowed to customize the site to meet their specific wants and needs.

I signed up for the freebie Hotmail account, which provided me with a live.com email address. Though 5 GB of space limits what a user can do, for the casual user it is sufficient. After viewing the site and what it offers, it has a long way to go in order to compete with what Google offers for iGoogle users. IMHO.

But take a look at the new site and see what you think. Share your thoughts with us.

Comments as always are welcome.

Source

Walmart is having a one day sale on electronic items, starting this Saturday at 8:00. Quantities are limited at most store so check online if your local store will be participating. Some of the items that Walmart will be offering are:

HP 15.6″ Pavilion G60-519WM Entertainment Laptop PC with Intel Celeron Processor 900 & Windows 7 Home Premium for $298. Includes 3 GB of RAM.

Sony Blu-ray Disc Player, BDP-S360 for $148.

Xbox 360 Arcade Console w/ Bonus* $100 eGift Card $199.

Magnavox DVD Player 1080P Up-Conversion, DP170MGX $29.

Sharp 42″ LCD 1080p 60Hz HDTV, LC42SB45UT $498

Panasonic 46″ 1080p Plasma TV for $788.

Take a look at the Walmart site and see what you think.

Comments welcome.

Source Walmart Sale Site.

Last night I received an email from an acquaintance of mine asking me about the ‘N’ versions of Windows 7 and whether these versions use a different product key. He went on to say that there was a company selling product keys on eBay for what was being described as the ‘N’ version and that these keys were being sold at about 50% lower than other retail pricing.

First of all with each new release of any Windows version there are scammers who pop up promising product keys at ridiculously low prices. Don’t become a victim and fall for these scams.

So what is the ‘N’ version? It is the versions of Windows 7 that do not come with ‘media play or related technologies’ already installed. A user would need to download an upgrade package which is available directly from Microsoft. The ‘KN’ version is for the Korean version of Windows 7.

Windows 7 with the ‘N’ designation do in fact have their own product keys.

Upgrade Package Available From Here

During my travels I also stumbled on this product guide from Microsoft for Windows 7 which is in .pdf or .xps formats.

Windows 7 Product Guide Available Here

Over at Buy.com they have what appears to be a deal on Symantec’s Norton AntiVirus 2010 software. The single licensed version is only $15.99 and includes free shipping. The software also includes anti spyware software as well.

Here are the system requirements:

Comments welcome.

Check out the Buy.com deal here.

Last week my wife and I were watching the TV when up popped one of those Microsoft Bing commercials. I am sure you have seen the commercial where the teenage daughter asks Dad a question and in a zombie stare he goes off in a tangent babbling out obscure facts. The girl turns to her Mom who also spews out babble and up pops Bing the search alternative and decision maker.

My wife turned to me and asked ‘what was that all about’? Simple my dear. We are all suffering from search overload because we use Google. By using Microsoft Bing as our search client we can regain our search sanity. I am sure that millions of people changed their default search engine to Bing after viewing this commercial. I did, didn’t you?

The recent technology commercials border on the comical side. The Apple vs PC commercials are another example of how far advertising has failed to grab our attention with a real viable message. The latest Apple commercial depicting the PC guy saying that every version of Windows is better than the previous Windows with the ‘trust me’ slogan is just plain dumb, IMHO.

I am not dumping Google nor am I running out to buy A MAC. What about you?

Comments welcome.

Yesterday I received an email from an old friend of mine asking for some advice about a Toshiba laptop computer that Best buy has on sale. My friend asked whether or not this cheap laptop would be a wise buy and would meet their needs of email, surfing the web and light word processing ? I was familiar with this particular model since one of my old neighbors had bought a similar model from Walmart a few months ago. But the model from Walmart had came with Windows Vista Basic instead of Windows 7 Home Premium, was priced at $349.99 and other wise was basically the same model.

Here are some of the specifications of the Toshiba Laptop:

Product Features

• Intel® Celeron® processor 900
  Features an 800MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 2.2GHz processor speed.
• 2GB DDR2 memory
  For multitasking power, expandable to 8GB.
• Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
  Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL media; also supports DVD-RAM.
• 15.6″ TruBrite TFT-LCD widescreen display
  With 1366 x 768 resolution for stunning detail and clarity.
• 250GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
  Offers spacious storage options.
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M
  With up to 1340MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory for intense detail. Built-in stereo speakers offer clear audio.
• Multiformat media reader
  Supports Secure Digital, Memory Stick and MultiMediaCard formats.
• 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
  For fast digital audio, video and data transfer.
• Realtek wireless LAN (802.11b/g)
  Lets you connect to the Internet on the go.
• 10/100 Ethernet LAN
  With RJ-45 connector for easy wired connection to the Web.
• Weighs 5.9 lbs. and measures just 1.5″ thin
  For easy portability.
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition operating system preinstalled.Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.

The single core Intel Celeron processor at 2.2 GHz is old technology, but a technology that has always performed reliably for the most part. I doubt if one should expect blinding speeds, but I believe the processor is adequate for the job of running Windows 7. 2 GB of RAM is also adequate and the other spec’s seem adequate as well. Overall I gave this stripped down unit a two-thumbs up for my friend.

But my question to you is this. Would you personally buy such a unit for your own personal needs? Would you recommend this computer to a friend? Share your thoughts.

Comments welcome.

Best Buy source.

Last Friday the Washington Post had a very interesting article about why newspapers must be saved or our society as we know it will crumble. The two writers made a plea of sorts why a investigative press is good for us and that bloggers could never fill this void. But it was this one statement that struck a sour cord, IMHO:

For the first time in American history, we are nearing a point where we will no longer have more than minimal resources (relative to the nation’s size) dedicated to reporting the news. The prospect that this “information age” could be characterized by unchecked spin and propaganda, where the best-financed voice almost always wins, and cynicism, ignorance and demoralization reach pandemic levels, is real. So, too, is the threat to the American experiment.

‘Minimal resources’? Today there are more TV stations that are strictly dedicated to reporting the news as it happens than at other time in our history. Radio stations report the news hourly and there are even stations dedicated to keeping us informed 24 x7. The internet itself keeps us informed with the voices of the people from around the world expressing their opinions.

‘where the best-financed voice almost always win’ ? Hasn’t this always been the way that newspapers have worked? If they were paid enough they would express your opinion if the price was right? Or was Citizen Kane really fictional?

I don’t know about you but I consider myself an intelligent person. So why is it that when the President of the United States addresses Congress, I need to be told by television news people what he just said? Have those who report the news become so arrogant that they need to treat the remainder of us as imbeciles?

What do you think? Comments welcome.

Source.

I have discussed many times before about how a computer ‘feels’ and how this ‘feel’ determines, at least for me, how a computer is performing. During the past 20 years or so, I have read a multitude of reviews, bench marking tests, comparisons between operating systems, charts, graphs and other statistical information that is complied to convince us of some fact. Usually this fact is to confirm that CPU z is faster than CPU x because one is faster than the other by some obscure number scaling. Or that one video card will produce more flops, flips or flaps or some other geek term that never has meant that much to me personally.

For the past year I have taken advantage of what Microsoft calls ‘readyboost’, starting with Windows Vista. ReadyBoost is described by Microsoft as:

With Windows ReadyBoost, you can use non-volatile flash memory, such as that on a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, to improve performance without having to add additional memory “under the hood.”

The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache — that is, memory that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on the hard drive. Windows ReadyBoost relies on the intelligent memory management of Windows SuperFetch and can significantly improve system responsiveness.

The limits of using ReadyBoost is that Windows allocates about 4GB of any flash memory, no matter what size you use. What I have been using are flash memory cards, since both of my Toshiba laptops have media card readers. I set up ReadyBoost using the 4GB limit and forget about it. The feel of the system does appear to me to actually increase performance.

So yesterday I noticed something strange on my system. My laptop seemed to be responding slowly while burning a .iso file to DVD. While doing the burn, I was also writing a blog article and checking emails via two separate email programs. I noticed that the sidebar gadget I use to monitor CPU and memory use was showing a 72% memory usage. Strange stuff!

At first I didn’t know what was going on. But after some checking I noticed that my flash disk had popped out, which must of happened when I moved my laptop from my desk to my work table. After popping the disk back in and rebooting all was well.

But here is my question to you. Do you use ReadyBoost?  If so, have you noticed a performance increase?

Let us know and share your experience with us.

Comments welcome.

Microsoft site describing readyboost

GameStop is offering gamers an unusual offer that could get you Call Of Duty  Modern Warfare 2 for as little as $20. On their web site they states that if you pre-order the game, for either the Xbox 360 or PS3 and pay full retail of $60, you can get a $40 refund when you return the game to a participating GameSpot retailer.

The offer is as follows:

Pre-order Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 online and get a guaranteed $40 trade credit if you trade in the game at a GameStop store by December 13, 2009. Offer valid for online purchases only. Offer valid for a limited time only and will be extended to all existing pre-orders. GameStop reserves the right to end this promotion at any time. Coupon for $40 trade credit will be e-mailed November 16, 2009 to the e-mail address used to place the order. Xbox 360 and PS3 versions only.

Pre-order Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 by November the 9th at 11am CST with overnight shipping and get guaranteed delivery on the street date of November the 10th! If your product does not arrive on the street date, we will fully refund your shipping charge. Continental United States only. Must have Overnight Service available in your area. Offer void if you are unable to accept a delivery that was attempted. Not responsible for orders delayed due to inclement weather, incorrect address, credit card information or war dogs chasing the mailman.

This is an interesting approach and it should be interesting to see if it works. Question for you gamers. Would you take advantage of such a program if you were guaranteed a refund?

Comments welcome.

GameSpot source.

Microsoft has had a rough year when it comes to its line of financial software. In June it stopped producing its MS Money product and now it is discontinuing its MS Office Accounting software as well. Though the product may be in the process of being discontinued, you can still get the Express version, which is a free download.

The Microsoft Office Accounting site states:

We continually evaluate our business strategies to make sure we’re working to meet the needs of customers, partners and shareholders. With that in mind, we have determined that existing free templates within Office used with Excel was a better option for small businesses, and the Microsoft Dynamics ERP products were appropriate for mid-range organizations.

On November 16, 2009 Microsoft will officially stop distributing Office Accounting.

As I have stated before, I believe that Microsoft should stick with what it does best, which is Windows and Office.

Comments welcome.

Microsoft Office Accounting 2009 Express Version - Free Download

Source

There is an unfinished feature built into Windows 7 that allows a laptop to become a hotspot. Microsoft originally was going to include the feature, but during development dropped it from the final version. Now a company is beta testing its software, which is free for the download, that takes advantage of this feature.

On the Connectify Web site, the company states:

What versions of Windows does Connectify run on?

Connectify runs on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 r2, both in either 32 or 64 bits.

Does it run on Windows Vista or Windows XP?

Sorry, not at this time. Connectify depends on improvements made in Windows 7 to operate. Frankly, Windows 7 is such a big improvement, that we suggest you’re better off upgrading than waiting for us to get all this working on an older version of Windows.

Do my friends need Windows 7 in order to connect to my Connectify hotspot?

Absolutely not, any Wi-Fi enabled device can connect to your network without any additional configuration or software.

Can I still join a Wi-Fi network while my computer is acting as a Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Yes, absolutely. You can join a Wi-Fi network and run the Connectify Hotspot on the same Wi-Fi card, at the same time. The Connectify Hotspot is always on the same channel as the Wi-Fi network that you join, but Wi-Fi networks can share the same channel.

Am I allowed to share my Internet?

This depends on the terms of service of your Internet Service Provider. Many have terms against reselling the connections, however sharing with friends, family and your other computers is generally fine.

The beta version of the software is currently available at the link below. If you do decide to try it, let us know what you think.

Comments welcome.

Download beta of Connectify