Online Computer Tips Monthly Newsletter - January 2009
Latest Virus/Security Alerts:
Firefox Malware Warning
Researchers at BitDefender have discovered a new type of malicious software that collects passwords for banking sites but targets only Firefox users. The malware, which BitDefender dubbed Trojan.PWS.ChromeInject.A sits in Firefox's add-ons folder.
The malware uses JavaScript to identify more than 100 financial and money transfer Web sitessuch as Bank of America and PayPal. When it recognizes a Web site, it collects logins and passwords and forwards the information to a server in Russia. Users could be infected with the Trojan either from a driveby download, which can infect a PC by exploiting a vulnerability in a browser, or by being tricked into downloading it.
When it runs on a PC, it registers itself in Firefox's system files as "Greasemonkey," a well-known collection of scripts that add extra functionality to Web pages rendered by Firefox. Mozilla now scans new add-ons for malware. However, those scans will only detect known threats, and there was no signature in the security software Mozilla was using at the time that could detect the code.
December's Poll Results:
Would you rather buy your music CDs in a store or download the album from an online store?
Online
- 62%
Store
Tip of the Month:
Undelete 2009
I’m sure there has been a time... or two when you deleted a file and then realized you still needed it AFTER you emptied the Recycle Bin. Once you empty the Recycle Bin then files are pretty much gone unless you have a third party program that will recover the files for you. Data recovery services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to recover your data.
Diskeeper Corp has a product called Undelete 2009 which can get those deleted files back. Undelete replaces the Windows recycle bin with a catch all Recovery Bin that intercepts all deleted files, no matter how they were deleted. Undelete 2009 immediately regains files that have been accidentally deleted or overwritten. You can even recover files that were deleted over the network. The Emergency Undelete feature can recover files that were lost before Undelete was installed, provided they haven’t been overwritten. The Home edition will only run you $29.95 with other versions costing more depending on your environment.
Check out the Diskeeper website for more information and a free trial here.
Hot Product of the Month: Eforcity Chill Pad Laptop Dual Fan Cooler Notebook Cooling Fan with built in USB hub and Card Reader
Details:
Your laptop can breathe easy with this ultimate notebook cooler. Extends the life and functionality of your laptop.
Features: 2 ultra-quiet cooling fans (14CFM / 1,500RPM), 3-Port USB hub, 16-in-1 Memory card reader, Additional AC Power source to prevent extra consumption of your notebook battery, ON/OFF Switch for the cooling fans to help you conserve battery power
16-in-1 Card reader is compatible with: Compact Flash (CF) / CF II / Micro Drive, SM / XD, SD / Mini SD / MMC / MMC 2 / RS-MMC, Memory Stick (MS) / MS Pro / MS Duo / MS Pro Duo / MS MG / MS Duo MG
Advertisement:
Important Windows and Office patches:
Next Office 2007 service pack will include ODF, PDF support options
Beginning with Office 2007 Service Pack 2 which Microsoft acknowledged this morning will be available during the first half of 2009, users will be presented with an option enabling them to choose ODF as the default save format for spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. In a remarkable move that also shows how much Adobe's format has become an independent standard in its own right, PDF format will also be offered as an optional default, as well as Microsoft's XML Paper Specification (XPS) portable format.
This goes many steps beyond the ability to export documents to what would be considered foreign formats. With one-time settings, users will be able to say their own native format is not Office Open XML, the current default format of Office 2007, but one of these three other formats instead. This puts Office in direct functional competition not only with distributors of the OpenOffice suite such as Novell and Sun, but with Adobe's Acrobat Professional as well. Users will still be able to save in other formats if they choose.
Question: Im trying to hook up my LG VX8300 to my computer but when I plug in the USB cable I got it wont recognize it. Do I need something special to get my computer to see my phone? I want to get my pictures off of it onto my computer.
Answer: Normally you would need a driver for your phone. Many times when you buy the USB cable for your specific phone it will come with a driver CD as well. You can usually get these for about $5 on eBay. Once you find the correct USB driver then you can install it and have Windows recognize your phone. Then you can use a free program like Bit Pim to see whats on your phone and copy it to your computer. It works with LG phones as well as others. http://www.bitpim.org/
Microsoft hopes that the release of Windows 7 will solve problems ranging from desktop clutter to what Vista did to Microsoft's public reputation. But the toughest challenge may be to win over the group of people that arguably represent the software giant's biggest obstacle to success: Windows XP users.
The new and streamlined user interface features of Windows 7 are well-documented at this point. A cleaned-up taskbar, the sleek Aero Peek GUI, mouse-hover Jump Lists and multi-touch capability have generated interest from users whose Windows desktops have been cluttered for too long.
A lot is expected of Windows 7, but can it do what at times has seemed impossible-win back the trust of XP users who have shunned Vista? That wariness is not without cause, analysts say. Even though Microsoft is trying to use Windows 7 to move XP customers forward, it's still a Vista-like operating system and will have the same compatibility problems that are part of any OS upgrade, says Al Gillen, Research Vice President, System Software at IDC . "Whether they are upgrading to Vista or Windows 7, XP users have to make sure third-party applications are compatible," he says.
Microsoft has warned users of the dangers of skipping versions of Windows entirely and has been trying to wean users off Windows XP through downgrade fees. Its success has been limited however as the Vista stigma lingers.
