Online Computer Tips Monthly Newsletter - May 2009
Latest Virus/Security Alerts:
Facebook Phishing Scam
A phishing scam is reportedly spreading fast through Facebook that is requesting users to login via phony URLs named FBAction.net and FBStarter.com.
Once you try to login with your name and password, your password is changed and all your friends are emailed. Many people have not been able to access their Facebook account after entering their account details on the fake site.
Since Facebook has over 200 million users, it is a perfect target for these types of scams.
April's Poll Results:
Did you build your computer?
- 45%
No
Tip of the Month:
Restore your missing volume icon to the taskbar
If your volume icon has disappeared from your system tray by your clock, you can add it back by going into Control Panel and then Sounds and Audio Devices and add it back by checking the box next to Place volume icon in the taskbar under the Volume tab.
But even after doing that it may disappear again after you reboot your computer. If this is the case then you can try this handy registry fix to restore your volume icon even after rebooting. This registry edit was designed to fix this exact problem and works great. All you have to do is download the file here, run it and allow it to add the information to the registry.
Like any registry edit, you should backup your registry first just in case something doesn't go right. To do so, click on Start, Run and type in regedit. Then go to File and Export and save a copy of your registry somewhere that you can find it if you need to restore it.
Hot Product of the Month: Iomega 34200 USB 2.0/AV 500GB ScreenPlay HD Multimedia Drive
Details:
With the Iomega ScreenPlay HD Multimedia 500 GB Drive, you can watch and listen to digital media files on your home theater or TV without being connected to your computer.
Audio Media Formats - MP3, AC3 (Dolby Digital Encoding) and WAV
Video Media Formats - MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4
Photo Formats - JPEG
Advertisement:
Important Windows and Office patches:
Microsoft plans 10 fake updates for Windows 7
Microsoft plans to test Windows 7's update mechanism by feeding users of the just issued Release Candidate as many as 10 fake updates. It will be the second time that Microsoft has released phony updates for Windows 7. in February, it tested the beta by delivering five bogus patches.
People running Windows 7 RC, which publicly debuted late on May 4, will be offered the mock updates beginning on Tuesday, May 12, said Brandon LeBlanc, a Microsoft spokesman. Microsoft wants to "verify our ability to deliver and manage updating of Windows 7 in certain real-life scenarios," LeBlanc explained.
Microsoft has already released one legitimate update for Windows 7 RC. Microsoft pushed a patch for a major bug that had slipped through testing. If left unfixed, the bug can cripple applications or block them installing properly.
If you want to have fun with your children and play some educational games online then check out NetSmartKids.org and let the fun begin.
Readers Question of the Month:
Difference between Office Student/Home and Professional
Fern writes in with an Office question
Q. I have the student/home version of office 2007 and my question is if an excel document was created on the professional version will i be able to open it. If I can't is there an easy fix or do I need to upgrade to the professional?
A. The Student/Home and Professional version of Excel will be the same thing as long as its the same version as in version 2007. The Professional version of Office usually has more features and programs while the Student version is just the basics.
You will be able to open your Excel file in either version. If you need to open it in an older version of Excel like 2003 then you can use the free Microsoft Office 2007 Compatibility Pack. Or do a Save As and choose an older version/format.
After keeping its lips zipped for months, Microsoft is finally giving a bit more clarity to Windows 7's release date. The company will release the new version of its operating system in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Microsoft isn't yet publicly setting an exact release date, but it's clear it expects Windows 7 will be ready for the winter holidays.
For more than a year, Microsoft had given little guidance on Windows 7's release date, saying publicly only that Windows 7 would be released about three years after the release of Windows Vista, which would put it on track for sometime late this year or early next year.
