E-book Readers: How to Carry Thousands of Books Anywhere
December 16, 2009
An item of technology that has become increasingly popular over the last year is an electronic book reader, or “e-book reader”. Essentially, it is a hand-held, portable device that allows a user to read a book electronically and store multiple books all in one location. They are incredibly useful and for the avid reader they are a becoming a necessity. They come in different sizes but typically have around a 7″ screen. They display 1 page from a book at a time (or magazine, blog or newspaper) on a paper-like screen; the screen emulates the actual page from a book so that it can be read in sunlight, or inside in normal reading conditions. This means that it is soft on the eyes and doesn’t cause strain like a computer screen does.
Online Backups: Why Are They So Important?
November 17, 2009
In this day and age, people know there are problems with computers. They can malfunction and crash and your important data lost. A lot of people have taken steps to back up their data. This can be done many different ways from having it backed up to an external hard drive, to DVD backups, storage tapes and onto other computers, but there is one thing all of these have in common: they are all local backups. Read more
Identity Theft: What Can I Do?
November 17, 2009
One of the biggest computer concerns people deal with is identity theft. Identity theft can be anything from using someone’s credit card to stealing money from their bank account. In the technical world we live in, many people wonder what they can do to help prevent identity theft. There are many preventative measures you can take to ensure your computer is not exploited for identity theft. Read more
Windows 7: Should I Upgrade?
November 17, 2009
Windows 7 has been out for almost a month now and for the most part has gotten positive reviews. I have been asked by a lot of people if they should upgrade their computers to the new operating system. The short answer is no, but for some users it does make sense.
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Bluetooth and WiFi Communication
October 19, 2009
Intermedia Systems Group, the audio/visual division of Emerson Technologies, recently released a video explaining the differences between Bluetooth and WiFi. The segment discusses the differences between Bluetooth and WiFi communication, as well as when they are each typically used. Bluetooth is for mobile and fixed small device communication with small amounts of data transfer, where WiFi is designed to be more of a computer to network form of communication for larger amounts of data transfer.
Planning Ahead For 2010
October 19, 2009
Most people are still using a version of Windows called “Windows XP.” After Windows XP, the next version was “Windows Vista.” Coming out on 10/22/2009 is the newest version of Windows, “Windows 7.” There is nothing wrong with continuing to use Windows XP; there is no need to upgrade…yet. Emerson Technologies recommends that Windows 7 be deployed as you purchase new computers from now on. Once Windows 7 is released, Windows XP will no longer be available for direct purchase. It will still be possible to find Windows XP for use in new computers for some time yet, however it will be significantly more expensive to purchase. Microsoft will gradually be supporting Windows XP less and less. The gradual transition to Windows 7 is only one aspect to consider when planning for the 2010 budget. Read more
Toolbars…Are They Helpful?
October 14, 2009
How many toolbars do you currently have installed in your web browser? Did you know that the more toolbars you have, the slower your browser will behave? Toolbars may seem like they are a useful tool but in reality they aren’t as useful as you may think. Most of the time, the “features” they add are already in the latest version of your browser. Read more
Apple Releases New iPod Nano: Now with Radio and Video Camera capabilities!
September 14, 2009
This month, Apple released their latest version of the iPod Nano. The iPod Nano has been Apple’s smallest fully functioning version of their iPod line. I say fully functioning because they do have an iPod shuffle, which is nothing more than a small music player with no interactive screen. The new iPod Nano has a 2.2” screen and weighs 1.28oz. It has a lot of new features as well. It can be bought in either an 8gb model or a 16gb model which is approximately 2,000 or 4,000 songs. Read more
Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and the Social Networking Craze
September 14, 2009
Social networking is a way for people to develop networks with their friends and associates. The medium by which this is done is internet websites. It allows people to stay in touch and see what others are up to. Three popular social networking websites are Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. Each one is a tool that in one way or another allows you to interact with another person. We are going to examine each one and talk about the differences between them.
Fake Anti-Virus Software: Are You Safe?
September 14, 2009
One of the ever growing threats out in the world is the presence of computer viruses. Computer viruses and other unwanted visitors such as worms, trojans etc, have become more widespread than ever and pose a serious threat to everyone who uses a computer (except us linux users of course). Someone once asked me, “How can my computer be messed up when I have anti-virus software?” I took a look at their laptop and they actually had fake anti-virus software. It looked like real anti-virus software and appeared to function like it, but it did not. It said it was performing system scans and even reported fake logs saying the computer was clean. What’s even worse is that when I tried to remove it, it had such control of the system that any attempt to install real anti-virus software failed, as the fake program would prevent that from happening. I eventually was able to get rid of it by other means, but it was a first (of many) encounters with this type of threat. Fake anti-virus software can be very serious because it allows other malicious software to be installed on your computer and can have its own threats that include items that lead to identity theft, which is another growing concern and something we will discuss in the future.