If you are thinking about getting a new desktop computer soon, you might be able to get some great buys over the next few weeks. The investment banking company, Goldman Sachs is reporting that demand for desktop computers "is falling off a cliff."
Motherboard orders for the clone, or white box, desktop PC market has slid nearly 20 percent from its early October peak. Goldman Sachs says that people and companies are not buying now in anticipation of the new Windows Vista operating system that will be released in the first quarter of next year. There is also an increasing demand for laptop computers, thereby helping to kill off demand for desktops.
As motherboards and other desktop PC components pile up in November, Goldman Sachs believes companies will start a price war to clear their inventories. So, get ready for some big bargains.
As for laptops, the demand is outstripping supplies. At an investors conference last week, Acer executives said they expect to be able to procure only 95 percent of the components they need to sell laptop PCs in the fourth quarter, which is the peak season due to year-end holidays.
Also, a massive recall of laptop batteries by major PC vendors such as Dell and Apple Computer has caused a shortage of batteries because it comes at the time of peak laptop demand for the year. The recall was due to defective Sony parts that can cause the batteries to overheat and possibly catch fire. Sony expects the recall to total around 9.6 million batteries.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Free AntiVirus and Spyware Software
As I have said here many times, I love free software, especially as there are so many good one out there. In an upcoming blog, I will tell you about some of the good ones that I have found and recommend. But, for this blog, I will concentrate on free antivirus and spyware software.
Recently, Download.com came out with their top ten list of the best free antivirus and spyware killer software. It is a good list that you should carefully read to see if there is something there for you.
Two of the best antivirus software programs that are on their list are AVG and Avast!. I have been using both for some time now and both perform quite well. I have used Avast! on my office and laptop computer for sometime now and have been very pleased. I recently rebuilt an older computer to use at home since I moved my main computer to my new studio. I decided to try AVG and it is also very good, as best as I can tell. After reading the reviews, I would say that both Download.com and lots of their readers agree with me on the quality of both software programs.
As for spyware detection software, the review lists Microsoft's Windows Defender as a beta software. As of a few days ago, this program is out of beta and is now released as a final version. It is free and available on the Microsoft website. I used it when it was a beta program and found it to be quite good. I don't use it anymore as I purchased CounterSpy (see below). Never-the-less, Windows Defender is a good package and deserves your attention if want one for free.
Two other programs that are on their list are Hijack This and Spycatcher Express. I don't know much about either, but they both got good reviews from users. Might be worth a try.
Another interesting program on their list is a program called CC Cleaner. It cannot be classified as either antivirus and spyware software, but it does sound interesting. It removes unused and temporary files from your system, as well as cleaning traces left by Windows, Internet Explorer, and many third-party applications. It looks like it is worth a try, at least according to the reviews.
There are two other items to relate to you about a couple of commercial software packages that you are probably familiar with. Recently, a friend brought his laptop computer to me because it was running so slow and strange things seemed to going on. After running a couple of tests, I found out that my friend was not exaggerating. It wasn't just slow, it was crawling.
Their spyware software didn't find any issues and neither did their Norton Software. I downloaded a courtesy copy of Counterspy, the spyware software I use. It took over 20 minutes to download over a fiber connection (compared to less than a minute on my own laptop).
After installation, I ran Counterspy. It found that someone had installed a vicious spyware software on my friend's laptop. With this program, they could easily spy on my friend from a remote location, record their keystrokes, and read all their e-mail, just to name a few things. The software can only be loaded manually, not by planting a virus or from an attachment on an e-mail. Identity theft is a breeze with this program. The best we can figure is that someone loaded the software while the computer was in a hotel room (he travels a lot).
The point of this story was to tell you how good CounterSpy is and that it is worth the $19.95 to buy it (there is also a $9.95 annual renewal fee after the first year). I am not sure that many programs could have picked up the nasty spyware on my friend's computer. In fact, the manufacturer of this spyware brags on their website that it is undetectable. Sometimes it pays to pay.
The second part of this story is about what happened after I deleted the spyware. I found the computer was still running slowly. I had heard that Norton software really slows down a computer and my friend had both Norton Antivirus and Firewall software installed. After uninstalling the Norton software, the computer suddenly was much faster and worked normally. By uninstalling Norton, I picked up an additional 80 mgs of usable memory.
So, I guess the moral of this story is that their definitely is some software that is worth buying and some big name brand software that is not worth buying. I hope you get something useful out of all this.
PS: I install one of the free anti-virus program on his computer after deleting Norton.
Recently, Download.com came out with their top ten list of the best free antivirus and spyware killer software. It is a good list that you should carefully read to see if there is something there for you.
Two of the best antivirus software programs that are on their list are AVG and Avast!. I have been using both for some time now and both perform quite well. I have used Avast! on my office and laptop computer for sometime now and have been very pleased. I recently rebuilt an older computer to use at home since I moved my main computer to my new studio. I decided to try AVG and it is also very good, as best as I can tell. After reading the reviews, I would say that both Download.com and lots of their readers agree with me on the quality of both software programs.
As for spyware detection software, the review lists Microsoft's Windows Defender as a beta software. As of a few days ago, this program is out of beta and is now released as a final version. It is free and available on the Microsoft website. I used it when it was a beta program and found it to be quite good. I don't use it anymore as I purchased CounterSpy (see below). Never-the-less, Windows Defender is a good package and deserves your attention if want one for free.
Two other programs that are on their list are Hijack This and Spycatcher Express. I don't know much about either, but they both got good reviews from users. Might be worth a try.
Another interesting program on their list is a program called CC Cleaner. It cannot be classified as either antivirus and spyware software, but it does sound interesting. It removes unused and temporary files from your system, as well as cleaning traces left by Windows, Internet Explorer, and many third-party applications. It looks like it is worth a try, at least according to the reviews.
There are two other items to relate to you about a couple of commercial software packages that you are probably familiar with. Recently, a friend brought his laptop computer to me because it was running so slow and strange things seemed to going on. After running a couple of tests, I found out that my friend was not exaggerating. It wasn't just slow, it was crawling.
Their spyware software didn't find any issues and neither did their Norton Software. I downloaded a courtesy copy of Counterspy, the spyware software I use. It took over 20 minutes to download over a fiber connection (compared to less than a minute on my own laptop).
After installation, I ran Counterspy. It found that someone had installed a vicious spyware software on my friend's laptop. With this program, they could easily spy on my friend from a remote location, record their keystrokes, and read all their e-mail, just to name a few things. The software can only be loaded manually, not by planting a virus or from an attachment on an e-mail. Identity theft is a breeze with this program. The best we can figure is that someone loaded the software while the computer was in a hotel room (he travels a lot).
The point of this story was to tell you how good CounterSpy is and that it is worth the $19.95 to buy it (there is also a $9.95 annual renewal fee after the first year). I am not sure that many programs could have picked up the nasty spyware on my friend's computer. In fact, the manufacturer of this spyware brags on their website that it is undetectable. Sometimes it pays to pay.
The second part of this story is about what happened after I deleted the spyware. I found the computer was still running slowly. I had heard that Norton software really slows down a computer and my friend had both Norton Antivirus and Firewall software installed. After uninstalling the Norton software, the computer suddenly was much faster and worked normally. By uninstalling Norton, I picked up an additional 80 mgs of usable memory.
So, I guess the moral of this story is that their definitely is some software that is worth buying and some big name brand software that is not worth buying. I hope you get something useful out of all this.
PS: I install one of the free anti-virus program on his computer after deleting Norton.
Friday, October 27, 2006
A Look at Firefox 2
As I mentioned in our last edition, the new Firefox Version 2 is now a reality. Like IE7 it was in beta stage for the last few months, but now it is released to the general public.
First reviews are nothing short of raves. Said E-Week Magazine, "eWEEK Labs found Firefox 2.0...to have the greatest out-of-the-box usability of any Web browser that we have tested (and that's a lot of Web browsers)." They also found it easier to use than any other browser on the market. Meanwhile, the folks at CNET awarded Firefox 2 its Editor's Choice Award.
As we stated yesterday, IE7 is very limited in the operating systems it can run in...while Firefox will work with almost any operating system, past, present and future.
Here are some of the new features, as listed by Mozilla on their web site:
First reviews are nothing short of raves. Said E-Week Magazine, "eWEEK Labs found Firefox 2.0...to have the greatest out-of-the-box usability of any Web browser that we have tested (and that's a lot of Web browsers)." They also found it easier to use than any other browser on the market. Meanwhile, the folks at CNET awarded Firefox 2 its Editor's Choice Award.
As we stated yesterday, IE7 is very limited in the operating systems it can run in...while Firefox will work with almost any operating system, past, present and future.
Here are some of the new features, as listed by Mozilla on their web site:
Tabbed browsing. Firefox popularized tabbed browsing, enabling multiple Web sites to be viewed as separate tabs contained within a single browser window, and improving peopleÂ’s efficiency by helping them better organize their desktops. In Firefox 2, tabbed browsing has been further improved with the addition of individual close buttons on each tab, enhanced tab navigation features, and a session restore system that automatically restores previously-open windows and tabs when a new browsing session is started.
Spell checking. Modern Web sites are increasingly complex with the rollout of new, rich Internet applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets and blogging tools. Inline spell checking in Firefox 2 automatically checks for spelling errors and suggests corrections as users interact with Web sites, bringing a common desktop feature to the Web.
Search. Search is one of the most frequently used features of the Web. With Firefox 2, Mozilla improves the browser'’s integrated search capabilities, making it even easier for users to find the information they are looking for. The new Search Suggestions feature dynamically updates a drop-down list of suggested search terms as users enter text into the search bar for Google, Yahoo! or Answers.com search engines.
Web feeds. Firefox users can now take better advantage of the frequently updated content offered by Web sites, with increased options for handling Web feeds. Users now see a preview of the content being offered and are given the option to subscribe to a feed as a Live Bookmark, using a Web service such as Bloglines, My Yahoo!, or Google Reader, or with a desktop application.
Identity theft protection. In addition to its award-winning safeguards for blocking drive-by installation of spyware and unwanted pop-up windows, Firefox 2 helps protect users from identity theft by quickly informing them when they surf to a questionable Web site. To protect users'’ privacy, Phishing Protection is active by default with a local blacklist that updates hourly, rather than sending information to an external online service. An enhanced mode is available where users may optionally elect to have Firefox check the validity of Web sites with a third-party Web service, such as Google, prior to loading the site. Phishing Protection provides warnings, advice and guidance when Firefox encounters a Web site that appears to be fraudulent or malicious.
Proven security model. Mozilla'’s open and transparent community-driven security model helps ensure Firefox provides the safest possible online experience. Thousands of security experts and technical contributors from around the world examine and analyze the Firefox source code, uncover potential threats and vulnerabilities, and work together to quickly identify and address emerging threats. This open, distributed, innovative approach to security puts people'’s interests first and delivers the safest Web experience possible.
Customization. No other browser can be customized like Firefox 2. With thousands of add-ons that enhance the browserÂ’s functionality and features, Firefox lets users personalize their Web browsers to fit their interests and style.
Another feature not mentioned above, but that I found intriguing is "Live Titles." Live Titles are regularly updated summaries of the most important information on a Web page. As the information on the page gets updated, so does your Live Title. For instance, you can track an eBay auction item in one small area of your screen while you continue working on other pages.
To be honest, I didn't get a chance to download it or work with it until this morning. I did find it easier to use and more feature-rich than the last version. I look forward to playing more with its new features. And since I have been using Firefox for over two years now, I recommend heartily that it should be your browser of choice also.
Here are a few links to help you learn more about Firefox 2.0:
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The New Internet Explorer
Hello, everybody. I'm back. Yes, the art season is finally over and although my plate is still full with my new studio and gallery in Ephrata, I am going to get back in the swing of writing these tech blogs. It has been an interesting few months since we last spoke, to say the least. There are a lot of changes in our lives (mostly good) and those of our family. So, I will write you an update about all this in separate blogs.
But, today, its time to get back to the tech world. Obviously, a lot has happened since my last blog, so I will try to catch you up as best I can with the stories that really matter. One of the big stories happening right now is the release of Microsoft's latest version of Internet Explorer (IE), known as Version 7. It has been five years since Microsoft released a major revision of IE, which is part of the reason they are losing more and more market share to other browsers like Firefox and Opera.
And, of course, Microsoft has spent much of its time in the last couple of years fixing the security holes that seem to pop up on a weekly basis with IE6. And don't look for that trend to change much with IE7. In fact, a new security hole has been found in IE7 even before it has been sent out. But that is another story.
Here are the facts about the new release: Sometime over the next few weeks, Microsoft will be sending you IE7 as an update release. But, be aware that IE 7 only works with Windows XP using Service Pack 2 and with the forthcoming release of the new Windows Vista operating system. It will not work with older operating systems. When you get the update notice from Microsoft, you will be given the option to install IE7 or not.
If you don't want to wait, IE7 is available now. You can get it from Yahoo, preinstalled with the Yahoo toolbar and using the Yahoo search engine. You can also get it by going to the Download.com website. Microsoft is staggering their release of IE7 to allow their tech support personnel to handle the calls in a reasonable manner.
What is new about IE7? Mostly, Microsoft is playing catchup by adding features that have been available in other browsers for sometime. They have added support for Web standards, RSS Web feeds and, the big one, tabbed browsing. The new browser also offers protection against phishing sites, malicious Web sites designed to trick users into handing over their personal information. None of this is new browser technology. Microsoft has fallen behind in browser software innovation and may never catchup completely.
What are the first reviews saying about IE7? Not great, but not bad either. One reviewer called IE7, "Yesterday's browser tomorrow," while another reviewer called it, "Microsoft's homage to Firefox and Opera." There is little or nothing new in IE7 that has not been available with other browsers for sometime. If you would like to take a video tour of IE7, CNET has a good 3+ minute on-line video.
Should you get it? Probably the answer is yes, whether you use another browser or not. If you still use IE6 exclusively, you will love all the new features. If you use Firefox or Opera or some other browser, you should still upgrade to IE7 as IE is part of your operating system whether you use it or not. Every once in a while, most of us who use other browsers have to resort to IE for one reason or another, so you might as well upgrade.
While the release of IE7 is important, it is now being overshadowed by the release of Firefox Version 2 which has just become available. The first reviews on it came out yesterday and, according to them, it is a real winner. More on Firefox 2 in our next blog.
But, today, its time to get back to the tech world. Obviously, a lot has happened since my last blog, so I will try to catch you up as best I can with the stories that really matter. One of the big stories happening right now is the release of Microsoft's latest version of Internet Explorer (IE), known as Version 7. It has been five years since Microsoft released a major revision of IE, which is part of the reason they are losing more and more market share to other browsers like Firefox and Opera.
And, of course, Microsoft has spent much of its time in the last couple of years fixing the security holes that seem to pop up on a weekly basis with IE6. And don't look for that trend to change much with IE7. In fact, a new security hole has been found in IE7 even before it has been sent out. But that is another story.
Here are the facts about the new release: Sometime over the next few weeks, Microsoft will be sending you IE7 as an update release. But, be aware that IE 7 only works with Windows XP using Service Pack 2 and with the forthcoming release of the new Windows Vista operating system. It will not work with older operating systems. When you get the update notice from Microsoft, you will be given the option to install IE7 or not.
If you don't want to wait, IE7 is available now. You can get it from Yahoo, preinstalled with the Yahoo toolbar and using the Yahoo search engine. You can also get it by going to the Download.com website. Microsoft is staggering their release of IE7 to allow their tech support personnel to handle the calls in a reasonable manner.
What is new about IE7? Mostly, Microsoft is playing catchup by adding features that have been available in other browsers for sometime. They have added support for Web standards, RSS Web feeds and, the big one, tabbed browsing. The new browser also offers protection against phishing sites, malicious Web sites designed to trick users into handing over their personal information. None of this is new browser technology. Microsoft has fallen behind in browser software innovation and may never catchup completely.
What are the first reviews saying about IE7? Not great, but not bad either. One reviewer called IE7, "Yesterday's browser tomorrow," while another reviewer called it, "Microsoft's homage to Firefox and Opera." There is little or nothing new in IE7 that has not been available with other browsers for sometime. If you would like to take a video tour of IE7, CNET has a good 3+ minute on-line video.
Should you get it? Probably the answer is yes, whether you use another browser or not. If you still use IE6 exclusively, you will love all the new features. If you use Firefox or Opera or some other browser, you should still upgrade to IE7 as IE is part of your operating system whether you use it or not. Every once in a while, most of us who use other browsers have to resort to IE for one reason or another, so you might as well upgrade.
While the release of IE7 is important, it is now being overshadowed by the release of Firefox Version 2 which has just become available. The first reviews on it came out yesterday and, according to them, it is a real winner. More on Firefox 2 in our next blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)