PC Publican

K9 Web Protection Now Available For iPhone & iPad

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:10:59 -0700

I'm often asked by parents for recommendations for Internet filters to protect their kids (and their computers) from inappropriate material on the Web. My answer for some time now has been BlueCoat's K9 Web Protection. This outstanding (free!) product, which I've written about before, is now available for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad.

With these Apple devices, BlueCoat replaces Safari (and other browsers) with its own Internet browser, which then blocks inappropriate content as would the computer-based version. While the K9 browser is not yet as full-featured as Safari, this trade-off may be well worth it to protect your children.

The K9 Web Protection Browser is available as a free download from the Apple iTunes App Store.

Hard Drive Prices To Remain High

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:22:03 -0700

Recent flooding in Thailand has resulted in significantly higher prices for hard drives. How much higher? Just a few weeks ago I purchased a 500GB Western Digital SATA hard drive (WD5000AAKX) for $42.98. That same drive now retails for $99.00. A 2GB Samsung SpinPoint which was $79.99 is now $148.99. What exactly happened to cause such a precipitous increase?

In turns out that around 30% of the world's hard drive manufacturing capability resides in Central Thailand, in the Bang Pa-In industrial estate. This estate is essentially a gigantic floodplain, and after nearly two months of relentless rain, the series of dikes surrounding the estate failed. By October 15th, Western Digital's production facilities were under 4 feet of dirty water. Toshiba, which makes more than 10% of the world's hard drives, suffered a similar fate. What about Seagate? Well, even though Seagate was not directly impacted by the flooding their drives relied on numerous components produced by companies in the Bang Pa-In estate.

This supply disruption will have a profound effect on consumers for quite a while. Seagate's CEO sees significantly higher drive prices through 2012, and, perhaps even more ominously, Western Digital has not made an official announcement since October 19th. The largest consumers of hard drives (i.e. computer manufacturers) will weather this storm by locking in supply, which leaves retail consumers out-of-luck.

If you can delay purchasing a hard drive you will certainly benefit from a stabilizing market, but if you need a drive now (i.e. drive crash) be prepared to pay at least double what you would have a few months ago. Maybe this will speed the transition to solid-state drives (SSD) and cloud computing.

Has Your Personal Data Been Hacked?

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:53:57 -0700

Instances of data breaches are now far too commonplace. We hear regularly of email services, social media sites, merchants and even financial institutions whose databases have been hacked. Less reported are the thousands of personal computers whose data has been stolen, lost portable drives, or any other form of security compromise. Much of this information resides openly on the Internet, available to anyone who knows where to find it.

While there's no fool-proof way to determine whether your accounts or data have been compromised, a website called "PwnedList" serves as a useful tool in online safety. They have programatically harvested an immense amount of stolen data, storing nothing but encrypted e-mail addresses and usernames. This limits their ability to a simple yes or no query -- yes indicates that the given username or e-mail address was found in at least one stolen database.

What should be done if your login information is found at "PwnedList"? Since you don't know which account it relates to (or even if a username is uniquely yours), I recommend simply changing the password for all accounts that use that particular e-mail/username. Better to be safe than sorry.

How To Extend The Life Of Windows XP

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:04:26 -0700

Even though Windows 7 is a definite improvement over Vista, Windows XP remains the operating system of choice for many systems both old and new. Support from Microsoft for Windows XP will continue at least through April 8, 2014, so users should be aware of what they can do to extend the life of their XP systems:

Check The Hardware: How much RAM do you have? 512MB is a minimum, 1GB is better. Clean your laptop's CPU ports for a cooler running system.
Check Your Hard Drive's Health: Use a tool like HDTune to check for disk errors and self-test (SMART) scores. Run a test of your drive's logical health using chkdsk (type chkdsk /f c: in a command window).
Repair Hardware Driver Issues: Use the Device Manager (Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager) to discover any hardware that may be missing drivers (look for a yellow triangle). Download the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website.
Update Your System: Use Windows Update to apply the latest XP patches/bugfixes to your system. Use the Secunia Personal Software Inspector to determine whether your system (and other key applications) is up-to-date. Note that Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) is no longer supported by Microsoft. Download service pack 3 (SP3) from here if needed.
Clean Up Your Hard Drive: Use CCleaner to remove unneeded system and browser (Internet) files. Defragment your drive on a regular basis (waiting until it's nearly full makes the process much less effective).
Back Up Your Hard Drive: An aging hard drive, especially one older than 5 years, has a dramatically higher failure rate. Use a program like Cobian Backup to backup important files to an external hard drive or flash drive. To image (a full-disk backup which allows for a perfect recovery of system and data) the entire hard drive use a product like Acronis True Image. Finally, a cloud-based (online) solution like DropBox allows for free (2GB in the case of DropBox) and easy backup of a limited amount of data.

Performing the above tasks will help maximize the expected remaining life of your Windows XP computer.

Upgrade Your Windows XP Computer to Service Pack 3 (SP3)

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:16:32 -0700

There was a time, soon after its release, that I cautioned users not to update their computers to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). Reports of corrupted installations and lost data were numerous (not to mention the infamous HP endless reboot bug). Many months have passed, however, and SP3 is quite stable and should be applied to any Windows XP installation that does not yet have it. It remedies countless bugfixes and security patches, but don't expect any noticeable performance improvements (unlike the file system speed-ups from the Windows Vista SP2 update).

As an additional motivation to update, Microsoft has declared July 13, 2010 as the last day of support for XP SP2. This means no more patches or bugfixes. Updating to Service Pack 3 will extended the Microsoft support life of your computer until April 2014.

You can find Windows XP SP3 at this Microsoft page.

Stay Away From The WD MyBook Essential

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:09:23 -0700

I always stress the importance of backing up important computer data ("What can't you afford to lose?"). For larger amounts of data, the easiest solution is often an external hard drive. Plug it in and simply copy/paste files to a lettered drive, or run your favorite backup software. The hardware itself is simply a USB wrapper around a retail IDE or SATA drive. Very straightforward to use.

The Western Digital MyBook Essential series, however, is a disaster. For starters, only a tiny portion of the Essential (a sub-gigabyte UDFS partition) can be access as a lettered drive. This area contains the WD "SmartWare" software, which is required to access the bulk of the storage. Re-formatting the drive is not an option -- this starter partition is part of the device firmware.

The consequence of this is that the user is forced to use the WD backup software for even the most minor operations. If SmartWare was even passable, however, this device might be adequate. It too, unfortunately, is dreadful. It is comprised of a number of active components, whose total memory footprint is substantial. In older or RAM (memory)-lacking computers this can lead to seriously degradation of system performance. System backups take an order-of-magnitude longer than other backup utilities like Cobian Backup or Microsoft's SyncToy (my 20GB test partition required over 12 hours to back up!). In addition, the focus on restricting user control (aka "simplicity") greatly limits the usefulness of the device.

What to buy instead? Seagate's Passport series is nice, and even WD's Elements series is a better choice.

The "Click-Jacking" Epidemic

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:58:31 -0700

I would estimate that probably 90% of the virus clean-ups I have performed in the last year have been the result of "click-jack" attacks from fake anti-virus products. The goal of this class of attack is to trick the user into believing his machine is heavily infected and entice him to upgrade his free "protection" tool to the paid professional version, which will remove the viruses. In reality, of course, the only active virus is likely the tool itself, and any money paid will be lost. Why are these attacks so successful, and what can be done to prevent them?

The typical attack originates from Javascript code within a banner ad on the page you are viewing in your browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox). A pop-up window will appear warning that your machine is infected. It typically looks quite professional and may mimic the theme of one of the popular anti-virus software (this is why users need to be knowledgeable about the actual protection tools on their machine). How you respond to this window determines whether or not you get infected. If you interact with it by clicking on any button, or even the close window 'X' (upper-right corner) you will get infected (hence the name "click-jack"). It's no wonder they are so effective.

Here's what you should do when encountering this attack: shut down your computer by pressing the power button for 5 seconds. Do not shut the computer down using the usual techniques. Restart the computer in safe mode and run the following tools:

CCleaner
MalwareBytes Anti-Malware
Your current anti-virus.

This should ensure that no virus will get control of your system.

FireFox Add-On To Help Prevent Viruses

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:26:33 -0700

The prevalence of web-based viruses has skyrocketed within the last year. The growth has been fueled by a class of fake antiviruses that arise from web browser banner ads. The pop-up ads claim that your PC is infected and, when clicked (even on the 'X' to close the window), will install their malware.The resulting fake antivirus infection claims to scan your PC for viruses and then usually prompts the user for a credit card to obtain the "full" version. The companies that write and sell these viruses make millions off fraudulent product and reselling credit card numbers.

What can PC users do to help prevent these attacks? First, use FireFox, an alternative browser to Microsoft's Internet Explorer. FireFox is, on the whole, safer to use than IE, and can extend its capabilities through a wide range of 3rd-party add-ons. One of these add-ons, Adblock Plus, can help prevent the malware attacks mentioned above. You simply choose to add Adblock Plus to FireFox, restart the browser, and then select one of the default filter lists (I chose EasyList). It's that simple.

Conficker Worm: Some Peace Of Mind

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:34:19 -0700

There certainly has been a lot of hype surrounding the latest variant of the Conficker worm and its April 1st payload delivery date. While no one seems quite sure what exactly Conficker.C will do on Wednesday, there are a number of concrete steps that PC users can take to feel secure about their machines:

Update your Windows installation with the latest patches: Either turn "Automatic Updates" on or manually update via "Start -> All Programs -> Windows Update". If neither of these options work then Conficker may already be on your machine (it disables communication with Microsoft).
Update your antivirus/malware tools with the latest definitions and run a full system scan. This too may fail if Conficker is already resident on your machine.
Scan your PC with one (or both) of these Conficker scanners:

Internet Storm Center appears to have the complete listing of Conficker removal tools as well as detailed information on the worm itself.

If you follow the above steps then you can feel secure that your machine is both free from and (hopefully) impervious to this rather nasty worm.

Emergency Internet Explorer Bugfix

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:44:34 -0700

There's an especially nasty security hole in all versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser that could potentially allow a compromised (hacked) website to take control of your PC. This exploit has been planted in thousands of web pages (but mostly in China, from what I've heard).

Microsoft is publishing a security fix today, Wednesday, and I urge everyone to apply the fix immediately. If "Automatic Updates" is set on your computer then it will be patched without your intervention. If you don't have Windows updates set to automatic (and I typically recommend you don't -- for various good reasons) then be sure to either click on the update icon in the system tray (lower-right corner, by the clock), or select "Windows Updates" from your "All Programs" menu. Try to make sure that you don't end up applying Service Pack 3 (SP3) in this process (see previous post).

All this brings me to yet another reminder to stop using Internet Explorer altogether and start using Firefox. Firefox is a free alternative to Internet Explorer, and is in many ways safer and easier to use. It can import your existing set of favorites, cookies, and homepage(s), and has an excellent set of user-created plugins for enhancing its functionality.

How To Save Money On Printer Ink (And Repairs)

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:07:25 -0700

The price war among printer manufacturers has forced a change in their business model to something similar to the "razors and blades" model. In this analogy, the razor is the low cost (cheap!) printer and the "blades" are the exorbitantly priced ink cartridges. To help sales of this high-priced ink, many printer manufacturers embed sensors and computer chips into ink cartridges which keep track of ink used (or number of pages printed, or perhaps other metrics) and alert the printer when they are empty. This signal is often erroneous, perhaps intentionally so, and thus forces the consumer into buying ink when there is still significant print life left.

What can the typical consumer do? Read this for starters. Pay particular attention to the reference to FixYourOwnPrinter.com. This is an excellent site with advice and instructions for fixing just about any model of printer, both laser and inkjet. Given the low retail price and high repair costs for printers, a site like that is indispensable.

Save Money From Your Cable Provider

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:02:16 -0700

Most computer users who have cable broadband connections lease their cable modems from their service provider. Charter Communications, for example, charges customers $3/month for the entire service period. Sizable savings can obviously be had from buying a modem versus renting.

Amazon.com currently carries Motorola's SB5101 modem for $43.99 (with free shipping and no tax). A little math shows that 15 months of cable service is the break-even point at this price. If you are a new customer, you can often get a large rebate as an incentive for sign-up. Check with your local retailers or ISP for details. If you are an existing customer, setup is easy. Remove the old modem, connect the new, call your provider's technical support and ask to "re-provision" your new cable modem (this does not require a visit from a tech).

While there is certainly a risk to customer-owned equipment, the SurfBoard family from Motorola are quality modems that are likely to save you money over the long-run.

UPDATE (06/19/08): It appears that Frys is hosting a $20 rebate for this modem, making the SB5101 a particularly good deal right now. The rebate form includes Amazon.com as an accepted vendor.

Do Not Update to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:43:54 -0700

After many starts and stops it appears that Microsoft is now officially pushing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to its customers via Automatic Updates. Early reports indicate, however, that installation of SP3 is a highly risky proposition, with many users reporting problems ranging from browser troubles to complete corruption of their system. Here are some interesting links to read regarding this:

http://www.wservernews.com/YGN8EJ/080512-AMD-CPU

http://www.wservernews.com/YGN8EJ/080512-XP-SP3-FAQ

And this and this are just plain ugly. My advice is to stay away from SP3 until it's stable -- whenever that may be. Go to "Automatic Updates" in your control panel and turn them off (switch to "Classic View" if you're having trouble finding it). If you're worried about being fully patched, you can go to through Microsoft's website and manually (choose custom install) receive the latest SP2 updates (via "Start -> All Programs -> Windows Update").

I will post an update to this entry when SP3 has been fully vetted and is truly ready for mass dissemination. Finally, if you feel you must update now at least take the precaution of backing your system up, preferrably with a disk imaging program such as Acronis True Image.

UPDATE (06/16/10): It's certainly safe (and desirable) to update to SP3 now. Do backup, however, as mentioned above.

Another Neat On-Line Service

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:53:06 -0700

This one is not from Google, but rather from a company called Jott. Jott converts voice (phone messages) to e-mail, text message, or a variety of other formats. For example, if I want to send an e-mail while I'm out on the road, I call Jott on my cellphone (voice dialing, of course :-) and tell Jott the intended recipient. I then dictate my message to Jott, which converts my speech to text and automatically sends the e-mail. Very quick, very simple, very easy.

Jott can do many other things besides simply converting and sending text. My favorite is its link with Google Calendar. You can schedule appointments on-the-go using Jott to voice enter meetings, as in "Meet Bill for lunch tomorrow at 11:30AM." Jott will automatically enter a Google Calendar entry for the next day at 11:30. You can also easily add information about duration or recurrence: "Dinner with Mom every Wednesday at 6PM for 2 hours."

The accuracy of the speech-to-text translation is fantastic. So much so that I was curious as to whether it was entirely processed by computers. It turns out that it is not. Difficult translations are sometimes handled by Jott employees -- which is both good and bad. Good in that in helps ensure that messages are sent accurately (including punctuation), but bad in that your information will be seen by humans other than the intended recipient(s).

Neat New Google Service

nospam@example.com (Glenn Holt) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:08:57 -0700

Google is obviously most recognized as a search engine, but their success in generating a googolplex of advertising revenue via Internet search has allowed them to branch out into myriad other related technologies. One such neat new service is GOOG-411. It is a toll-free, voice interactive information service that allows users to find and connect to local business easily and quickly.

To use the service, simply call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411). A voice prompt will ask for the state and city (or type in a zip code), and then ask for a business name or general category of business. If you were hungry for pizza, for example, you could specifically request the number of your favorite pizza joint, or you could simply say 'pizza', and GOOG-411 would provide a (pretty lengthy) list of places in your area to choose from. After you choose a business, the service automatically connects your call.

Since it's free, you might ask what Google gets from this service. Google has stated that GOOG-411 was implemented to build a massive database of phonemes to aid in indexing audio content for search. Let us all bow to our new information overlords!