Archive for April, 2006
EBay phishing going from bad to worse
It is a sad thing that the Internet is riddled with schemes to rip you off but human nature being what it is, a small minority of sociopaths is taking a lot of the convenience out of using the Internet.
Here is yet another case. Ebay has been a remarkable phenomenon, providing an easy and [...]
Watch out for increased “Nigerian” scams
Presumably those who read this blog know better than to fall for the so-called “Nigerian” scam. However, just to be sure I’ll point out an article in Internet Week. Apparently, the looming income tax deadline on April 17 is bringing extra actvity by the scam artists. The article says
With the U.S. deadline for tax filing [...]
Apple makes a big move
By now you have probably heard that Apple has released beta software called “Boot Camp” that allows you to install and run Windows on a Mac. The software will be a regular part of the newest Mac operating system coming out at the end of the year. This is potentially a very important milestone [...]
More on how to find a live human when you call for help
Back in November, I posted an item on a site by Paul English with ways to get a real human being when you need help from various companies. At that time the site had 111 entries. The site was so popular that the original blog couldn’t handle it any more. The information has been [...]
About batteries
Batteries are everywhere these days as various types of portable gadgets proliferate. Also more and more people have laptop computers and battery characteristics and lifetimes are an important factor. PC Magazine has an article that will help you learn about the different battery types and their characteristics, and about proper charging and storage procedures.
Left-handed mouse
I don’t know how many manufacturers have a mouse for southpaws in their lineup of products but I see from Steve Bass that Logitech has announced a model MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse with a retail price of $60. I know from teaching computer classes that lefties will welcome this. I use a [...]
Firewall testers
Here’s some more useful links from Neat Net Tricks. If you want to make sure that your firewall is really protecting you, check out Firewall Leak Tester where you can get data on various firewalls and test your firewall in a variety of ways. Also probe your firewall at HackerWatch to see if you are [...]
An easy way to find the time anywhere
Want to know what time it is anywhere in the world? Here is a really easy way to find out. The site has a nice graphical display. Thanks to Jack Teems at Neat Net Tricks for pointing this one out.
April 11 patch to Internet Explorer will affect streaming media
Some time ago, Microsoft lost a patent case dealing with the way ActiveX is used to open streaming media (sound and video) on Internet Explorer. A company called Eolas claims they have a patent for the method of making the content display and they were partially upheld in court. Up to now, Web sites could [...]
List of freeware
There is still a lot of free stuff available on the Web and PC World has a list of their 101 favorites.
Want a full-fledged image editor? How about a few gigabytes of e-mail storage? Or maybe an entire office software suite? We have the real deals–no hobbled half-products or demos that expire after 30 [...]