A key benefit to the internet is that it provides the user anonymity – you can be or claim to be whatever you want on the internet. When considering sexual predators – this gives them a dangerous advantage!

When children use the internet, they do not have the skill set and the mindset to identify potential threats. We, as parents, aim to protect them in the “real” world, whether they go to the mall, on their way to school, trips with friends, etc. However, there is a major disconnect with the “online world”. It is a fact that most parents do not monitor what their children are doing online; either because they don’t have the tools; or they, themselves, are not aware of the potential dangers.

Unfortunately, sexual offenders prey on this shortsighted approach - this is their “open door”.

Children may inadvertently communicate with someone on chat rooms, Facebook, Myspace or any other social media. Online, people can claim to be something they are not, they can easily place fake pictures and profiles of seemingly younger and harmless people. They, then try to befriend children with the intention of setting up a first meeting. This meeting can take place in an unassuming place such as a mall; where your child may say “I am just meeting some friends at the mall….”

Again, your child may think they know with whom they are interacting, but the advantage/disadvantage with the internet is anonymity. Sexual predators and offenders are surprisingly skilled in exploiting this situation. Unfortunately, more and more victims of child sexual predators are first lured on the internet using social networks and online chat rooms. What’s more troubling is that pedophiles and sexual offenders now share information and potential victim information online. They believe they are untouchable when they hide behind their screen names and online profiles. Through media and school discussions, parents are becoming more aware of the online dangers and are attempting to educate their children of the potential dangers online. Fortunately, they are now software applications that provide parents the ability to monitor what their children are doing online. Parents are actually able to monitor and view instant messages and chat room communication to screen and protect solicitations from sexual predators. Some applications also provide alerts based on keywords parents define.

For example, parents may set up trigger alerts any time the word sex or sexual is used on an incoming or outgoing message. Parents will receive this alert in the email, may view the communication and take the necessary action to discuss with their child.

Today’s parents are the first generation of parents to cope with protecting from the traditional threats as well as the online threats.

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Posted on: January 17, 2010

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The main objective of monitoring software is to provide full control and visibility over what is being done on a certain computer. This main assumption is that you are not using the computer, but rather another person – your child, spouse, employees, etc. Therefore remote access – the ability to use another laptop from a different location to access what is happening on the Monitored Computer is important.

People searching for monitoring software often want to block, filter and restrict access to internet and programs. But they often overlook the requirement – that they should be able to monitor this remotely. Thereafter, requiring them to purchase another software that does offer this features.

A common need for monitoring software are parents who want to monitor their children’s computer usage; they want to make sure they are restricting adult and violent content, protecting their children from online stalkers, etc. However, often the child is on the computer continuously, taking the computer to school, etc. Therefore the ability to remotely monitor the Monitored Computer is a must.

There are many software providers who provide Monitor & Control Software, sometimes called Parental Control software. Some attempt to offer remote access, each with different degrees of success. There was only one product that actually provided this features; there were some that advertised this features, but it was nothing more than emailed reports with incomplete information.

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Posted on: December 1, 2009

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Battling Spyware is an ever evolving battle. It is one of the biggest problems in the internet age. To protect yourself, you can take both kinds of tactics – offensive and defensive. Check out some of these tips from our experts so your computer will not be hacked.

“Turn Out the Lights”

Well, not the lights…but your computer. If your computer is on, you are still a target for spyware. Make sure you turn off your computer properly, and, if possible, disconnect from the internet. You’ll also save a few dollars on your electricity bill.

Firewalls and AntiSpyware – there is a reason why they exist.

Make sure you have a:

1.Firewall – a firewall is juts like it sounds. It acts like a wall of fire that protects your computer or private network. It will filter and block information from coming in or leaving your computer if that information does not meet certain parameters.

2.Anti-Spyware Software – this is software that specifically looks for Spyware, Trojans, Worms, etc. More importantly, it is constantly maintained by the manufactures to deal with current and new threats.

These two elements are the most critical in the fight against all types of malware. Anti-Spyware software may also provide a firewall so you can address the two with one application.

Update or Go Bust

As mentioned above, fighting all forms of spyware is an ever evolving challenge. Hackers are constantly updating their methods and exploiting new loop holes. Well, they are not alone, companies that make Anti-Spyware programs are also evolving and updating their database to combat the newest threats. Therefore it is important to select an Anti-Spyware solution that is maintained by a reputable company with a large staff to make sure there software is up to date. Some anti-spyware program have automatic update where they connect to the centralized database to get a current list of all new threats.

Cookies…

Most people believe that if you delete your cookies everyday, you are protected. Cookies are usually harmless, you need to make sure you have a way to scan your computer to identify real threats.

No Free Lunches

As we have outlined in another articles, anytime you see Free on the Internet you should be wary. They may providing something for free, but at the same time you ar downloading and giving them access to your computer; the FREE X may include forms of spyware.

Watch your Email

Do not open emails from person you don’t know, especially if they have attachments. Opening an attachment may be the same as downloading the spyware on to your computer. Most email programs have a spam filter, however, hackers know how to circumvent this, so be wary of unknown emails source. Best options is to erase and to delete from the trash

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Finally, there is a choice. Today, thanks to increase internet speed and bandwidth, there is a choice between the old way of watching and paying for cable:

You can continue to watch cable television on your computer, and pay around $75 each month;

OR

You can watch over 3000 channels with only a one-time fee of about $40. You can watch these channels on your computer and your television (by connecting computer to television).

A recent survey in the United States found that a typical American will spend about 15% of his/her time watching TV. This is about eight weeks per year; quite a lot considering that we sleep sixteen weeks per year. Another survey found that the average home has about three televisions. The following article discusses the pros and cons of a new choice many homes are making: Watching Satellite TV using the Internet.

1.Reception and Picture Quality

Cable Television has been a positive experience because the reception and picture quality is good and reliable. Satellite TV provided good quality as well, however, was affected by weather. Satellite TV was at a disadvantage until it was possible to watch Satellite TV on the internet. Now, Satellite TV on PC provides the same picture quality and reception as Cable TV.

2.Variety: Channels and TV Programs

Satellite is the hands down winner. Depending on which software you use, Satellite TV on your computer can provide between 2,000 and 4000+ channels. These channels are made to receive free-to-air transmission, and offer a much larger variety than standard cable.

3.Installation and Maintenance

Cable TV requires a cable box for each television; there are costs associated with “renting” these boxes from your cable company. Installation is one time, and maintenance is rather limited; sometimes the cable repair man is called, (rarely), remotes may break, however maintenance is quite limited which is good. If you watch Satellite TV on your PC – there is zero maintenance, there is no hardware required, you may view it on as many television and computer. All that is required is installation of the software which is about 5 minutes, and only needs to be done once.

4.Cost

You can easily add up the cost of Cable TV; the average home pays about $80 / month; which is about $960 / year; and close to $5,000 over five years. Watching Satellite TV on your computer costs a one-time fee of about $40. The average home can save almost $5,000 every five years by watching Satellite TV with the internet. If you decide to connect your computer to your television, you may spend an extra $20 for a connecting cable from your PC to your television set. (Note: the cable can be purchased at any electronics store, e.g., Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc.)

The main problem with watching Satellite TV on the internet is the overwhelming number of software that is available. Unfortunately, the demand has increased for this product, and there are many companies offering a solution which hardly works, and do not provide support for their customers. Visit the Satellite TV Software Buying Guide for the best software solutions. (Note: the companies reviewed provide a full refund if you are not satisfied; try it for 60 days, if you are not happy, email them and receive a full refund.)

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Watching television is still the world’s favorite hobby. The evolution of watching TV has undergone many changes, but perhaps none bigger that what is transpiring today. The internet has become the major communication highway – exceeding newspapers, magazines, and now on the verge of surpassing television.

As the computer (via the internet) becomes the new communication method, many companies are developing methods to bridge the gap – enabling users to watch Satellite TV on their computers. The technology is based on a combination of FTA (Free To Air) and streamlined media. You can install the software on your computer – on average the download and installation is less then five minutes.

Once the software is installed on your computer, you will be provided with an online viewing window – in essences a Television Screen. Each software products provides a different layout, screen design but the main purpose is the same: providing you an interface to view Satellite TV on your computer as well as a remote control function to search/scroll through the various channels. There are Satellite TV products that offer advanced features such as recording, and scheduling reminders for favorite satellite programming.

There are many products that are being marketed on the internet that are nothing but a scam. They may have a fancy website, but the technology is bad, and there is no response from the company via customer support.

The good news – there are actually a number of well know Satellite Software providers that have several years experience, providing reliable technology for a reasonable price – usually in the range of $30-$50 for a perpetual license; perpetual licenses enables you to use the software forever.

When comparing the one time fee to the average yearly cable fee – Over $1,200 per year [12 months X $100 / month], there is tremendous cost savings. It is important to note that no other hardware / software is required – no Satellite Dish, receivers, etc. Of course – internet connection is required.

The decision process is made easier – they provide a 60 day money back guarantee – No Questions Asked Return policy. Some people have downloaded several products, and simply continue using the one that works best, and return the other products.

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FTA is at the core of all products that claim you can watch satellite TV on the internet. FTA is short for Free to Air. The FTA concept enables potential viewers to receive transmissions from any satellite TV provider that transmits.

In order to view these types of channels you can either (1) install your own FTA satellite dish or (2) download software which enables you to utilize the steaming over the internet. Doing either one of these options brings thousands of channels into your home.

FTA technology over the internet has been around for several years; however, has only become main stream in recent years. In reality, installing a Satellite dish compatible with FTA is costly, and requires a significant amount of time – in addition, you may require unique software prior to viewing certain channels. You also need to get a receiver which will be connected to your entertainment set with a coaxial cable. There are two types of dishes that work – either C or K band.

Of course, the Satellite dish will be installed on your roof, and should be installed by a professional.

With the advent of streaming on the internet, and more importantly the large bandwidth most homes receive – installing a Satellite Dish has become obsolete. You should check your internet connection speed, but if you have over 5MB / second, this should be sufficient for streaming.

The installation is much quicker, and requires a simple download of the software onto your computer. There cost is significantly cheaper as there is no hardware, no professional to install, no receiver, etc. You may want to purchase a cable to connect your computer to your TV but this is not required.

Unfortunately, there are many companies that provide bad technology with little experience. These companies are prevalent on the internet since there is high demand for this product and they are simply seeking for quick revenue. On the bright side, there are a few companies which provide reliable products for reasonable prices (usually a one-time fee under $50). More importantly, these companies provide a full refund- if you are not satisfied, they refund your money – No Questions Asked.

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There are many reasons DLL errors occur. Most likely DLL errors are caused because of the addition or deletion of computer software. They can also occur as a result of spyware, malware, trojan software, etc.

If you running Windows XP, you can try to troubleshoot DLL errors by using the System Restore Utility. This utility will generate “restore points”, you can use these “restore points” to rewind your systems to a previous state. For example, you can create these restore points before you install a piece of software; if you have errors, you simply rewind your system to a restore point before the installation.

Your System Restore Utility is available if you go to Start -> All Program -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore. There is online help to restore the computer’s systems to a previous restore point (before the installation of the software which caused the errors).

You should then try to use the SFC command which scans and repairs protected Windows files. You go to Run and type in sfc / scannow. There are other commands which you can use to try to identify broken registry files.

Registry Cleaners are meant to automate and streamlines the process. The reliable solutions are not free but they also are not expensive, about $30. You can use them fix all types of registry errors, including DLL errors. They have other features as well, but the top registry cleaners can truly automate your maintenance, you can set periodic maintenance, e.g., every 8 weeks in the Sceduler, and your computer will be both repaired and defragged to ensure computer is fast and efficient.

It is really not recommended to perform manual maintenance, especially since if you have installed many programs on your computer it is extremely difficult to navigate between the different restore points. You may have to re-install certain software multiple times.

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The average person has no clue what a registry cleaner does, what a registry is, or why they have to “clean” it. However, the average person does face the following problems:

Slow Computer

Computer Freezing

Blue Screen

Program Crashing

Using Control + Alt + Delete to shutdown programs

DLL Errors

Chances are that most of the above errors and many more can be fixes by running a reliable Registry Cleaner. According to Microsoft, your Windows Registry is the centralized location (database) that captures all the specifications and settings for your Operating System. You are most likely using Windows 2000, XP, or Vista – each one has a Windows Registry. As you use your computer, your registry files become out of “synch”; registry files are deleted or moved sometimes by installing software and hardware. These disconnected files and registry errors cause your computer to run inefficiently.

Many people don’t realize that as you watch movies, listen to music, install other software applications on your computer, surf the internet, your computer’s registry file becomes cluttered and out of synch. As you continue to use your computer, it becomes slower, and you attribute it to an older computer. The reality is that you can use your computer for several years as long as it is properly maintained.

Performing periodic maintenance (every 8-12 weeks) of the computer’s registry files and performing defragmentation of your hard disk will keep your computer running fast.

Your Windows Registry File can be maintained manually but it is very time consumer and difficult to do. Experts have shown that manually updating the registry causes more errors that fixes. Fortunately, there are solutions to fix your registry, however, BE CAREFUL.

There are many free programs that actually fix a small percentage of registry errors and at the same time install spying software on your computer to track your shopping habits, worst, they can install malware to track personal information. In addition, there are many applications that charge a lot of money that are either worthless or could cause fatal errors to your hard drive. There are several applications that are relatively cheap, around $30, and provide an effective registry cleaner – these companies also provide support to answer any questions.

Registry Cleaners Comparison

You will notice increase in computer speed immediately, however, the major benefit will come after a few months of use. This does not mean you need to run the software every day, you simply need to set an automatic scheduler which will perform maintenance to your Windows Registry File every 8-12 weeks, at your option. Fortunately, most Registry Cleaners are very easy to use, and are geared to the average internet surfer

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If you are running a Windows operating system, either Vista, XP, Windows 7, etc., your computer has a Registry Editor (also know as regedit .exe). This is an application that helps you do standard modifications to registry files. For example, you can add, delete registry entries, but you it does not have scanning capabilities to identity potential registry errors. Sophisticated users (Bill Gates & Paul Allen) may be able to manually modify their registry file, but this is a lengthy process, which is very error prone. Errors can lead to severe problems in computer speed, freezes, etc. Most people, including IT administrators in large companies relay on third party software- known as Registry Cleaners / PC Cleaners / Registry Repair Software, etc. to manage and maintain the computer’s registry files

Some parameters to consider when looking at Registry Cleaners (they are prevalent on the internet)

Price Is Secondary.The priciest tool may not be the best option. Sometimes weaker companies may price their product more expensive to fool would be customers into assuming that their product is the best because it costs more.

Reliability is Key.The registry is an extremely critical element of your computer’s brain – processing unit. It is important to select a reliable and well known solution that has been used for many years. There are many free and new solutions, but there are not reliable – they offer no guarantees, they have little or no support, and ultimately put you and your computer as risk. Better to pay $30 now, than pay $100’s later.

Hard Disk Defragmentation. In order to speed up your computer, it is important to not only to clean up the registry of irrelevant files but also to defrag the hard disk. Defrag, Defragging or Defragmentation reduces and consolidates the size of the disk space enable your operating systems to use the drive reader more effectively -> Faster Computer.

Advanced Features. Most people will use registry cleaners simply to speed up their computer – quick install, and follow the default settings. If you have more time, and invest the time to learn the advanced features, you may be able to increase computer speed even more; you may set up automatic maintenance every 12 weeks, etc.

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One of the most important elements of computer monitoring software – also called Parental Control Software – is the ability to filter and control the type of content that is available to your children when they are online. Claiming to have internet filtering, and actually offering state of the art filtering are two different things. You should consider the following when looking at Monitor and Control software.

User Friendly – most parents are not computer experts. Packages claim to offer advanced features, but they are useless if you need a PHD to use them. Installation and Usage should be easy, there should be online help, as well as customer support to assist with any questions

Reliable Filtering – The internet is a good source of information; the filtering functionality should not block out too much, making the internet experience useless for you child.

Configuration – parents should be able to select the desired level of filtering based on the specific child.

Monitoring – parents should be able to view and receive reports on each child’s internet usage. Remote access enables parents to view – in real time- what is happening on another computer. Parents may also want to receive emailed reports of internet usage, time spend, programs used, etc.

Foreign language – software needs to address foreign languages. Foreign languages are often used to “cheat” filtering software. It is important that the software can block illicit content, even if it is typed in a different language.

Override – In the event is accidently blocked, parents should be able to permit / white list the content so that their child may view it if it is in fact acceptable content. Some filters are over zealous and block too much content, this leads to eventual turning off of the system by the parents. Parents may then purchase another system, or simply turn off the software..

Alerts – you may want to be notified in real time of dangerous activities; you may decide to get emails when your child is a chat room at 3:00 AM.

Speed – need to make sure that your internet speed is not affected.

These are some of the critical features you should look for when selecting an applications.

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Raising children today is much different that it was ten years ago. The threats may be the same, but now they have direct access to your children that was not available before. There are many benefits to open communication with all people across our planet – ideas are free flowing, research is shared, etc. However, with this power, unfortunately, exposure to adult and violent content is readily available, as well as open access for online predators (pedophiles, etc.) Many parents state that they have good relationships with their children, and trust their children not to access this type of material online. This may very well be the case, however, online pornography is a very lucrative business. This means that they use aggressive means of advertisements – your child may not intend to access this information, however, advertisements, pop-up messages, etc. may appears even when looking at non-pornographic information. More troubling are the sexual predators – they spend a lot of time and effort to disguise their actions as harmless.

There are warning signs that can trigger thoughts that perhaps you should monitor your children’s online activity more closely:

Sudden and excessive time on the internet;

Using the internet in later hours;

Chat Rooms – these are the playground for sexual predators

Child reacts strangely when you enter the room; as if trying to hide something; immediately turns off the computer or switches to another screen.

Finding pornography on your computer – this could have been sent by sexual predators

Child gets phone calls from unknown people;

You may notice long distance phone calls to people you don’t know.

Proactive Measures

The concept of what you need to do is simple; however, with the internet – you just need to learn the new tool set that is available to you to be a responsible parent. The concept – be involved with what your kids are doing; speak to them about the dangers. What may seem innocent to them may turn out to be anything but. Just like you want to meet your children’s friends before they spend a night going to dinner and movies, the same goes for online. Ask them about chat rooms; about their friends online, do they meet them; where are they from, etc. We’ve covered the basis, now you need to understand what tools you have available so you can enforce these principles. When going out, you physically see you child leave the house; with the internet it is not the case.

Monitoring Software / Control Software / Parental Control Software/ Filtering Software / Blocking Software

All of the above are different names for the same software “Monitoring Software”– they provide you the ability to monitor and control what is being done on your computer. Your objective as a parent may be to encourage internet usage since it is and will continue to be valuable technology and skill set to be used in their future adult lives, however, at the same time monitor that the content is suitable for their age.

Selecting a Good Monitoring software is tricky since there are so many vendors trying to offer anything to a worried parent. Good software will provide main features:

Remote Access – monitor your children’s activity from a different computer in real time;

Block Website – block adult and violent content;

Easy to Use – quick installation, online help, responsive customer support

Invisible – monitor without children are aware (this is optional – you may, of course, tell your children that you are monitoring their internet usage)

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Everyone loves to watch videos and listen to music. The internet has enabled people to shared and download videos and music very easily. Unfortunately there are so many different version and file extensions for music and videos. Whether it’s a CD or DVD you purchased or files someone has sent you, if you do not have the correct media device, you either have to download a media player or you simply can’t use the video or audio file. Some people have more then ten different media players on their computer to handle the different types of files.

Media converters are useful tools that allow you to take the source file and convert it to your desired file format. For example, you may take an MP3 format and convert it to MP4.

Another example, you may also have iTunes music which is provided with .m4p extension. This extension may limit the number of times you can duplicate the music. With a media converter you may convert the music the MP3 format, and use your music in any of your personal devices.

There are hundreds of media converters available on the internet. Beware of any free applications as they many provide spyware or adware to monitor your usage of the applications. Some usage may be illegal, and they use spyware to alert authorities of illicit activities. Also, the free converters have no support and can cause harm to your computer.

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When you update to Windows XP, you can use the internet to download the different software and hardware device drivers. The problem is: it is often difficult to locate the right driver and the correct version.

Your device drivers are critical for the communication between your Windows operating systems and your devices, e.g., video cards, sound cards, monitors, etc. Think of your device drivers as translators between the different signals that are sent out and interpreted by your operating system. You operating systems does not access your devices directly, but rather uses device drivers and then communicates with the driver who then transfers the commands to the device.

There are good and bad software programs that attempt to assist in the updating of Widows XP Drivers.

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Device Drivers is a generic term meant to cover several types of device hardware, such as:

Video Cards

Sound Cards

Cameras

Phones

Scanners

Mice and Keyboards

Monitors

CD/DVD Roms

Network Cards and Modems

Printers

All of the above devices (and many more) use their own drivers – the drivers are made by the manufacturer and are compatible with a certain operating systems. So for example, you Lexmark printer may have several drivers based on the version of printer and version of operating system you are running.

You initially install the driver when you connect your hardware – this is done with the installation CD. The problem is…your Operating Systems is constantly being upgraded, and therefore these initial drivers are often outdated and need to update updated.

Question becomes: “Why Update Drivers?”

As is the case with any product, the hardware devices are often not perfect when released. The manufacturer is continuously correcting and offering new functionality in their product and hence they update their driver. The result is better performance, increase compatibility options, and increased functionality.

You can try to Google the device, manufacture, your operating system, etc. However, unless you are experienced you are likely to cause more harm than good. For the inexperienced, using driver update software is quick, easy, and safe option. These programs make scanning, fixing and updating your device drivers a painless task. They can also provide periodic scanning to ensure that all drivers are based on latest versions.

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Spyware is the software that are running on your PC with the objective of “spying” and recording how you surf the internet, collecting information on the sites you visits, you searches on search engines. Most non-malicious spyware will collect information on your shopping behavior and reaction to certain advertisements and marketing activities. Their goal is to provide information to marketing organizations for them to improve their marketing efforts to reach their target audience.

That’s the good part. Unfortunately, there is spyware, Trojans, malware, etc. that is intended to obtain personal information, including Social Security numbers, birth dates, passwords, etc. The objective here is to use this information for criminal or illicit purposes.

There is an entire industry dedicated to combating these attacks. Most people deem the collection of shopping behavior personal, and are often shocked that they are being tracked without proper notice. Even more disturbing, this information is sold to many users who then attempt to market a hundreds of products, you may have seen these pop-up messages. (Note – if you have many pop-up messages on your computer, you most likely have spyware installed on your computer).

Spyware is often installed on your computer when you download music, movies, install free software from the internet. There is nothing Free – if it is free, they may be spying on your personal habits, and then selling that information to a third part.

There are over a hundred different products on the internet that claim to remove this spyware from you computer. Since it is very easy to set up a website with nice graphics, it is very easy to sell a product which is at best worthless, or worst – harmful to your computer. That being said, there are number of products which are easy to install, reasonably priced (usually under $40), and provide continuous protection against threats for all kinds of Trojans, spyware, adware, etc.

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Although the internet has been around since the early 1980’s, it only became widely used in 1999. This is also when Spyware became a major problem. Almost all of the free download that we available on the internet collected information and sent it back to the “spying entity”. Now, it has become the standard practice – if you use free software, most likely it is free, because they are willing to provide it to you as long as they can “spy on you”; The “spying” may be harmless, and simply collect information about your shopping habits. However, this type of “spying” has been the cause of much anger since it is not disclosed and is considered a breach of privacy.

Some hackers have cleverly named their spyware just the opposite, e.g., Trojan Horse Remove, SpwyareWarrior, etc.

Spyware, So What, What’s the Harm?

Some claim that spyware is not bad; below are some symptoms, you be the judge:

Pop-Up Advertisements

Spyware will try to track what you search for on the internet; based on these searches it will try to send you pop-up advertisements, trying to induce you to purchase something. Unfortunately, many adult content website uses aggressive spyware to promote pornographic ads. This may also cause children to accidently view illicit material.

Your Private Information may be revealed

Spyware may retain a copy of any type of information, e.g., personal information, and send it to you a third party. Again, this third party may use the information to offer you products to purchase, and/or may use it for illegal purposes; e.g., steal passwords and usernames, often for online banking.

There is a spyware program known as a Keylogger; Keyloggers can capture every keystroke on the computer and send them to a third party.

Affect web browser settings.

Companies make money on the internet by either selling products or directing your internet activity to certain websites. Some spyware may change your website settings so that you have a different website as your home page. Spyware may delete or modify your Favorite website. If your home website has been changed, it is possible that all your searching activities is being tracked.

Remote Access

This may be the worst of the spyware, because if someone can remotely access and control your computer; they can easily install other types of spyware, such as keylogger to track your personal information, password, bank account information and much more. Third parties may also copy, delete, modify existing files.

Modification of Unwanted Files / Programs.

Even without remote access, spyware may affect other programs. Spyware may be described as Auto Update for larger programs, if you allow the spyware to “auto-update”, it can install or download other malware, e.g., viruses, more spyware, etc.

Computer Freeze / Shut down

Some spyware may simply cause your computer to freeze, shut down, or slow down your computer.

Incur charges on your phone bill

If your computer is connected to modem phone line, then spyware may incur charges on your phone bill. The spyware may be designed to dial pay per minute services with the intent of getting your money through your phone bill. Your computer may be dialing to adult pay per minute phone number, and incurring either small or large charges. Some spyware focuses on small charges over long period of times, so it is more difficult to detect when you are reviewing your phone bill.

Force you to “Contaminate” your friends and contacts.

Spyware may install on your computer, but also attach to any emails that you send so that it can contaminate all of your contact.

There are hundreds of antispyware programs available on the interent – some of them are free. Hopefully after you have read this article, you know to stay away from any free downloads – as they themselves most likely are spyware. Click Here for the best Antispyware Software Packages we found

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You most likely have seen an error with a variation of the following:

<<Can’t locate XXX driver>>

Your operating systems can’t find the driver for the hardware you are trying to use on your computer. Result – you need to go look for the right driver file. Drivers are code that permit your hardware devices to communicate with your computer’s Windows operating systems (XP, Vista, Window 7, etc). Normally, you will get the driver on a CD which is included with whatever hardware device you are trying to use. When you first connect the hardware to your computer, you are usually prompted with a warning message to install the driver.

If you have used the device in the past, and it is now showing a message, it is possible that your device if physically broken. It is also possible that your driver became corrupted by a malware or possible other installations of other hardware. The corrective action is to find and replace the old driver with a new driver.

Bill Gates does his part, and tried to provide utilities that do most of the work for you. Unfortunately, most of the times, Windows Update cannot locate the correct file, or at worst, will download and install the wrong or incompatible version.

You can try the following steps to minimize the possible errors; if you are not technical and are looking for quick and safe solution you can skip to option 5.

1. Go to the Device manufacture’s website.

Go to their Help section of their website. You can also try to email them but responses can be a bit slow. You need to know your specific model of your device, and also be sure of your operating system version. Your model number is on the serial number sticker. After you find the driver, you need to install it in certain steps, be sure you read the instructions carefully; if you skip a step, you have to repeat the entire process.

2. Find the Device’s installation CD.

If you kept the device installation CD; you most likely have the driver. The problem is that it is the driver which was current when you purchased the device. It may not be compatible with your operating system if you have upgraded. Also, the manufacturer may have corrected an error with the old driver and as in the meantime provide an update driver. If this is the case, try Option 1 or Option 5.

3. If 1 and 2 are not working, try Window XP/Vista utilities.

If you are running Windows XP or Vista, your operating system has a utility that can help (most often it doesn’t work, but you can try it). Go to your control panel, and run Add Hardware Wizard. Select “Search for Driver”; you should select the option enabling it to search the internal.

4. If 3 fails in “Auto-Select” mode; try option: “I’ll specify which driver to install'

Sometimes, a generic driver will work. This may work with certain devices that use similar communication code; e.g., select a generic scanner driver. Problem with this is that it doesn’t work often, because manufacturers want to lock you in to using their drivers and not a competitor’s for fear that you may migrate and purchase their hardware in the future.

5. AUTOMATE THE PROCEES - you can use an automatic driver update utility and have it look for a correct driver.

These Automatic driver utilities can save you a lot of time. They cost about $30 but automate the process. The software, scans your computer; identifies all hardware components, and your operating systems. The software has a database of hundreds of thousands of drivers which they maintain often. They then update all relevant drivers – they may also update drivers that work but are old. This can results in increased computer speed. Also, they have features where you can set the software to run every X months, and you in essence automate the process over the life of your computer.

View Top Device Driver Update Software

Posted on: November 28, 2009

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Simply put, drivers are code that permits communication between your computer’s “brain” – its operating system – and any external device or hardware. Examples of hardware are: printers, scanners, monitors, game consoles, etc. Your drivers are critical parts of your PC, and you may experience errors and non-functioning hardware if you don’t have the correct drivers installed.

If you are experiencing errors with your external devices, it is recommended to get Device Driver software to scan and correct these errors. ViewTop Device Driver Update Software

What are Drivers For?

Each device has its own driver. The driver, in essence, controls the device. For example, when you get a new scanner, it will often come with an installation CD which contains the scanner driver. If you simply connect your scanner, it will not work – your operating system cannot communicate with it because the driver is not installed unless the device is “plug and play” which means it does not need a driver.

Why Do you Need to Update your Device Driver

If the manufacturer made one device and never updated or added functionality, then you will never need to update your driver as long as you also did not change your operating system. In reality, you may update your operating system; for example, if you upgrade to Windows 7, you may have to update all of your device drivers. In addition, the manufacturer of the device is always updating the product, either for (1) fixing errors; or (2) increasing functionality. This requires an updated to the device driver. Ensuring you have the most recent version of the driver will often translate to a Faster Computer

How to update a Driver for XXX Device?

You need to do the following:

• Determine the exact version of device that you have;
• Determine the exact version your operating system;
• Identify and locate the most recent version of the your driver which is compatible for your device;
• Uninstall the old driver
• Install the new driver

This is a manual process, which can be done, however, if you need to do this for several devices, can be very time consuming. Also, if your install the wrong driver, it can cause additional problems, and possibly affect your computer’s registry files.

Device Driver Update Software

If you want to save time and effort, you can simply download software that automates the process described above. This takes the guesswork and hassle out of updating your device drivers – it is the best solution for people that just want to get the device working and are not technical.

There are good and bad software programs that attempt to assist in the updating of device drivers.

View Top Device Driver Update Software

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If you are running a Windows operating system, either Vista, XP, Windows 7, etc., your computer has a Registry Editor (also know as regedit .exe). This is an application that helps you do standard modifications to registry files. For example, you can add, delete registry entries, but you it does not have scanning capabilities to identity potential registry errors. Sophisticated users (Bill Gates & Paul Allen) may be able to manually modify their registry file, but this is a lengthy process, which is very error prone. Errors can lead to severe problems in computer speed, freezes, etc. Most people, including IT administrators in large companies relay on third party software- known as Registry Cleaners / PC Cleaners / Registry Repair Software, etc. to manage and maintain the computer’s registry files

Some parameters to consider when looking at Registry Cleaners (they are prevalent on the internet)

Price Is Secondary. The priciest tool may not be the best option. Sometimes weaker companies may price their product more expensive to fool would be customers into assuming that their product is the best because it costs more.

Reliability is Key. The registry is an extremely critical element of your computer’s brain – processing unit. It is important to select a reliable and well known solution that has been used for many years. There are many free and new solutions, but there are not reliable – they offer no guarantees, they have little or no support, and ultimately put you and your computer as risk. Better to pay $30 now, than pay $100’s later.

Hard Disk Defragmentation. In order to speed up your computer, it is important to not only to clean up the registry of irrelevant files but also to defrag the hard disk. Defrag, Defragging or Defragmentation reduces and consolidates the size of the disk space enable your operating systems to use the drive reader more effectively - Faster Computer.

Advanced Features. Most people will use registry cleaners simply to speed up their computer – quick install, and follow the default settings. If you have more time, and invest the time to learn the advanced features, you may be able to increase computer speed even more; you may set up automatic maintenance every 12 weeks, etc..

Registry Cleaners Comparison

Posted on: November 27, 2009

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When you update to Windows XP, you can use the internet to download the different software and hardware device drivers. The problem is: it is often difficult to locate the right driver and the correct version. Your device drivers are critical for the communication between your Windows operating systems and your devices, e.g., video cards, sound cards, monitors, etc. Think of your device drivers as translators between the different signals that are sent out and interpreted by your operating system. You operating systems does not access your devices directly, but rather uses device drivers and then communicates with the driver who then transfers the commands to the device. There are good and bad software programs that attempt to assist in the updating of Widows XP Drivers. View Top Device Driver Update Software

Device Drivers is a generic term meant to cover several types of device hardware, such as:

• Video Cards
• Sound Cards
• Cameras
• Phones
• Scanners
• Mice and Keyboards
• Monitors
• CD/DVD Roms
• Network Cards and Modems
• Printers

All of the above devices (and many more) use their own drivers – the drivers are made by the manufacturer and are compatible with a certain operating systems. So for example, you Lexmark printer may have several drivers based on the version of printer and version of operating system you are running. You initially install the driver when you connect your hardware – this is done with the installation CD. The problem is…your Operating Systems is constantly being upgraded, and therefore these initial drivers are often outdated and need to update updated. Question becomes: “Why Update Drivers?” As is the case with any product, the hardware devices are often not perfect when released. The manufacturer is continuously correcting and offering new functionality in their product and hence they update their driver. The result is better performance, increase compatibility options, and increased functionality. You can try to Google the device, manufacture, your operating system, etc. However, unless you are experienced you are likely to cause more harm than good. For the inexperienced, using driver update software is quick, easy, and safe option. These programs make scanning, fixing and updating your device drivers a painless task. They can also provide periodic scanning to ensure that all drivers are based on latest versions. View Top Device Driver Update Software

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Spyware is the software that are running on your PC with the objective of “spying” and recording how you surf the internet, collecting information on the sites you visits, you searches on search engines. Most non-malicious spyware will collect information on your shopping behavior and reaction to certain advertisements and marketing activities. Their goal is to provide information to marketing organizations for them to improve their marketing efforts to reach their target audience.

That’s the good part. Unfortunately, there is spyware, Trojans, malware, etc. that is intended to obtain personal information, including Social Security numbers, birth dates, passwords, etc. The objective here is to use this information for criminal or illicit purposes.

There is an entire industry dedicated to combating these attacks. Most people deem the collection of shopping behavior personal, and are often shocked that they are being tracked without proper notice. Even more disturbing, this information is sold to many users who then attempt to market a hundreds of products, you may have seen these pop-up messages. (Note – if you have many pop-up messages on your computer, you most likely have spyware installed on your computer).

Spyware is often installed on your computer when you download music, movies, install free software from the internet. There is nothing Free – if it is free, they may be spying on your personal habits, and then selling that information to a third part.

There are over a hundred different products on the internet that claim to remove this spyware from you computer. Since it is very easy to set up a website with nice graphics, it is very easy to sell a product which is at best worthless, or worst – harmful to your computer. That being said, there are number of products which are easy to install, reasonably priced (usually under $40), and provide continuous protection against threats for all kinds of Trojans, spyware, adware, etc.

View the top Antispyware Software Packages

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FTA is at the core of all products that claim you can watch satellite TV on the internet. FTA is short for Free to Air. The FTA concept enables potential viewers to receive transmissions from any satellite TV provider that transmits.

In order to view these types of channels you can either (1) install your own FTA satellite dish or (2) download software which enables you to utilize the steaming over the internet. Doing either one of these options brings thousands of channels into your home.

FTA technology over the internet has been around for several years; however, has only become main stream in recent years. In reality, installing a Satellite dish compatible with FTA is costly, and requires a significant amount of time – in addition, you may require unique software prior to viewing certain channels. You also need to get a receiver which will be connected to your entertainment set with a coaxial cable. There are two types of dishes that work – either C or K band.

Of course, the Satellite dish will be installed on your roof, and should be installed by a professional.

With the advent of streaming on the internet, and more importantly the large bandwidth most homes receive – installing a Satellite Dish has become obsolete. You should check your internet connection speed, but if you have over 5MB / second, this should be sufficient for streaming.

The installation is much quicker, and requires a simple download of the software onto your computer. There cost is significantly cheaper as there is no hardware, no professional to install, no receiver, etc. You may want to purchase a cable to connect your computer to your TV but this is not required.

Unfortunately, there are many companies that provide bad technology with little experience. These companies are prevalent on the internet since there is high demand for this product and they are simply seeking for quick revenue. On the bright side, there are a few companies which provide reliable products for reasonable prices (usually a one-time fee under $50). More importantly, these companies provide a full refund- if you are not satisfied, they refund your money – No Questions Asked.

View Top Satellite TV Software Packages

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Everyone loves to watch videos and listen to music. The internet has enabled people to shared and download videos and music very easily. Unfortunately there are so many different version and file extensions for music and videos. Whether it’s a CD or DVD you purchased or files someone has sent you, if you do not have the correct media device, you either have to download a media player or you simply can’t use the video or audio file. Some people have more then ten different media players on their computer to handle the different types of files. Media converters are useful tools that allow you to take the source file and convert it to your desired file format. For example, you may take an MP3 format and convert it to MP4. Another example, you may also have iTunes music which is provided with .m4p extension. This extension may limit the number of times you can duplicate the music. With a media converter you may convert the music the MP3 format, and use your music in any of your personal devices. There are hundreds of media converters available on the internet. Beware of any free applications as they many provide spyware or adware to monitor your usage of the applications. Some usage may be illegal, and they use spyware to alert authorities of illicit activities. Also, the free converters have no support and can cause harm to your computer. Click Here for a comparison of Top Media Converter Packages

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