Looking Forward and Back

Editors Note: Happy New Year to all my readers from Tucson. May you all be fortunate to spend a winter in Southern Arizona. I write these words while wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  For your information, spammers have been using my GoogleGroups distribution list that I use to e-mail out this blog to send out spam.  I apologize for that. I have taken steps so that it will ever happen again. New members can no longer join without my knowledge and approval. Once again, Happy New Year!!

Best new Windows software of 2009

This past year was not the best for new software developments. There were no surprising game-changers like Google Chrome in 2008, and no watershed moments. However, that doesn't mean there weren't some cool releases. I suspect that much of the best software of 2009 winds up becoming the foundation for innovations in 2010.

The Top 100 Web Sites of 2009

Some things about the Web are changing incredibly fast, others seem like they'll stay the same forever. Our list of the Top 100 Web Sites reflects that: We've selected 50 classic Web sites that we all know and love, and 50 new and/or undiscovered sites that you may not have heard of yet.

The Best Free Software of 2009

The best things in life often actually are free. Here, a list of 173 of the best things in life—free software, for launching apps, networking, backup, synchronization, entertainment, and more.

The 10 dumbest tech moves of 2009

It's that time of year again -- time to look back and offer my 2009 awards for the most malicious, obnoxious, offensive, or nonsensical behavior in technology. The 10 winners this year include some of the best-known companies on the planet, as well as some obscure but worthy candidates.

Tech Trends 2010: Predictions for the Year Ahead

We asked six IT industry observers to offer their predictions for 2010 and to speculate on who will be the winners and losers in the coming year. Here are their thought-provoking responses.

The Future of TV and Music?

Broadcasters' woes could spell trouble for free TV

For more than 60 years, TV stations have broadcast news, sports and entertainment for free and made their money by showing commercials. That might not work much longer.

Will recorded music survive the 2010s?

I have no doubt musicians will continue to perform throughout the 2010s, but they'll make less and less money from recorded music. The passion to make and sell recorded music is already starting to wane. Big record labels will be increasingly irrelevant so I wouldn't be surprised if Warner, Universal, Sony/BMG, and EMI eventually merge into one mega-label to sell and license back-catalog music. New music, that's another story. Already established bands, like Radiohead, have already proved the point: they don't need record companies anymore. They can sell their music directly to fans.

10 music-tech trends that will shape the next decade

Bill Gates has said that prognosticators often overestimate the amount of technological change that will happen in a year, but underestimate the changes that will take place over a decade. With the Zeroes coming to an end this week, and Steve Guttenberg's recent column questioning the viability of recorded music in 2020 as inspiration, here's my pick of 10 trends in music and technology that will shape the next decade.

Kindle is most gifted Amazon item, ever

Amazon.com on Saturday released its annual post-Christmas statement on holiday sales and made one thing clear: the Kindle was king, perhaps fueled by continued shifts in plans for shipments of Barnes & Noble's competing Nook e-reader. In another milestone for the e-reader, the company noted that on Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Amazon customers bought more Kindle books than physical books.

RUNit Desktop Download

The small, simple RUNit utility provides fast access to your most-used programs, via a menu you call up by right-clicking on the very edge of your screen.

Bad News for Microsoft and Amazon

Microsoft Loses Lawsuit, But Word Likely to Stay

First, the good news: No, you won't have to turn in your copies of Office 2007, even now that Microsoft has lost its appeal of a lawsuit brought by the Canadian company, i4i. The lawsuit, a patent battle over a feature few business users ever see, will cost Microsoft $290 million to settle.

Google vs. Microsoft: It's Going to Get Worse in 2010

One of the most heated battles among technology companies was waged this year between Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. For those who think this corporate fight hit a crescendo in 2009, industry analysts say they better think again. It looks like this is just getting started.

Hackers claim to crack Kindle copyright armor

A not-so-merry holiday gift for Amazon.com: hackers say they've successfully cracked copyright protections on the company's Kindle e-reader, making it possible to export e-books to other devices.

White House Picks New Cyber Coordinator

The White House has tapped a corporate cyber security Relevant Products/Services expert and former Bush administration official to lead the effort to shore up the country's computer networks and better coordinate with companies that operate 80 percent of those critical systems.

Microsoft Security Essentials Ranks as Best-Performing Free Antivirus

Anti-malware testing group AV-Comparatives.org not only gave Microsoft Security Essentials a top rating for malware removal, but now they've given it their best ranking in their performance test as well

We Interrupt Christmas to Bring You Some Tech News

Intel launches redesigned Atom chip for Netbooks

Intel is launching the biggest makeover of the Atom processor since the seminal chip debuted in the spring of 2008, and consumers can expect a crush of new Netbooks to follow.

Broadcom, Nvidia bring HD video to new Netbooks

Consumers who want to watch high-resolution HD video on Hulu on the newest crop of Intel-based Netbooks will have to seek out models equipped with special chips from Broadcom or Nvidia.

Ford cars to become Wi-Fi hot spots

The carmaker announced Monday the next generation of its Sync system designed to let Ford owners plug a USB modem directly into a car's built-in Wi-Fi, creating broadband Internet access to all passengers. Those in the car can jump online through any Wi-Fi-enabled device, from smartphone to laptop.

Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of 2009

With 2009 nearing its end, we take a look at the most-pirated movie titles across various categories. Aside from the usual suspects such as Star Trek and Transformers, the list also includes a few surprising entries, and some notable absentees.

Desktop Earth - The Earth on Your Desktop in Real Time!

Desktop Earth is a wallpaper generator for Windows. It runs whenever you're logged on and updates your wallpaper with an accurate representation of the Earth as it would be seen from space at that precise moment.

More Christmas Gifts from Jim

How to Increase External Hard Drive Performance in Windows Vista and Windows 7

In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you can increase the performance of external hard drive by increasing its speed in just a few easy steps. This is possible because Windows Vista and Windows 7 operate external hard drives connected by USB differently than internal drives.

iDailyDiary Free Version

iDailyDiary is a program tailored for taking daily notes, creating a journal, putting your thoughts into writing etc. The documents you create are encrypted, and require a password to access. The built-in editor supports graphics, hypertext links and links to other diary pages. iDailyDiary is fully searchable so you can always track down those important dates and reminders. You can also export your diary to HTML web pages. I liked it so much I bought the paid version.

Best Free Folder Synchronization Utility

File synchronization utilities help you keep updated copies of files or folders in two or more locations, such as different computers, network drives, USB drives, or online storage. While a file sync utility could be used as a simple backup tool (called one-way syncing), its real power lies in keeping an identical set of working files in two or more locations.

Build better online photo albums

Google's free photo-organizing app, Picasa, recently received a minor update to version 3.6. What is it? The capability to invite others to work on your online photo albums, which in turn means that your pals can invite you to help build their collections.

7 Multi-Site Torrent Search Tools For the Swarthy Downloader

So, it's torrent booty ye be after? Well, matey, I'll be happy to share a list of me favorite places to find forbidden treasures. Millions of torrents, thousands of places to look for them...What's a wayfarin' buccaneer to do? Why, search a whole pile of places at the same time, of course. After all, you're more likely to find gold with seven maps to the same pot than you are with just one.

Christmas Gifts

Editor’s note: Surprise – Christmas is only one week away. As news stories are few and far between this time of the year, it is time for me to reach under my virtual Christmas tree and start doling out my annual Christmas gifts of high quality free software and terrific Web sites. I will admit that I haven’t tried all these freebies yet, but all have been rated as pretty terrific by other reviewers and users.  So, enjoy the gifts that come your way and hopefully they are more useful than the tie, curling iron, or slippers that are waiting for you under your Christmas tree. – JRC 

Glary Utilities - Free Utilities to Clean Registry, Fix PC Errors, Clean Privacy

This has become my favorite all-around Windows utility...from cleaning up registry problems to optimizing memory, managing startup programs, to analyzing disk space usage (this helped me clean up a lot of stuff before I installed Win 7), duplicate files finder, and removing junk data from your disk. Trust me, when you start to learn its power, you will wonder how you got along without it.

T3Desk Brings 3D Eye-Candy to Your Windows Desktop

Windows only: If you want a little extra eye-candy in your Windows management, T3Desk is an alt-tab alternative that gives you 3D windows arrangement and more.

SoftMaker Office 2008 for Free

This is a pretty impressive office suite comprising a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation program and scripting utility. To the eye it looks very like Office XP and it works very well indeed. In fact Infoworld rated it as superior to Open Office 3.1. A pretty impressive freebie.

The secret to a perfect desktop? Fences

Fences 1.0 (for XP, Vista, and Windows 7) is a freeware gem that simply creates silos on your desktop, like the box tool in a drawing program, in which you group together icons. You pick the theme--like Downloads, Programs, and Documents--and the shortcuts that go in them. It's even faster if you choose from a number of suggested layouts when you install Fences for the first time, and let the app sort it out. Any placement you don't like, you can change later on.

10 Best Free Game Sites

Some of the best GAMES ever programmed are available on the Internet for FREE, even classic trend setters like Doom and Grand Theft Auto. If you’re willing to put up with pop-up ads, “nag-to-buy” screens and in some cases, registration, there are a host of free games awaiting your introduction. We can’t tell you what games you should play … So … Instead of categorizing and rating our favorite games we’ll show you where you can go to find, select and download your own soon-to-be favorite games.

Free McDonald’s Wi-Fi

You Want Wi-Fi with That? McDonald's To Make Wi-Fi Free

McDonald's will make Wi-Fi free at 11,000 of its U.S. restaurants in January, with or without a purchase, in partnership with AT&T. Currently, McDonald's charges $2.95 for two hours of wireless Internet for non-AT&T customers. The McDonald's move is part of a trend toward offering free Wi-Fi to attract customers and promote goodwill.

Obscure Win7 tools can save you time and trouble

Somehow, the new tools in Windows 7 have been lost in all the Windows 7 hype. That's a shame, because they can increase your productivity tremendously. Unfortunately, finding them is often like hunting for snipes. Here's a quick review of my favorite, little-known Win7 features.

Windows 7 Tips

Microsoft TechNet offers a daily tip on using Windows 7. Here is a collection of past tips that is updated daily. You can also subscribe to a daily RSS feed to have them delivered to you.

Web sites that do mobile right

Apps are great, but they tie you to a specific device. These sites work well for any modern smartphone

Take This Test To See If You Are Addicted To The Internet

Over at the web site netaddiction.com they offer a self-test to determine your addiction to the Internet. I took the test and I scored 35. Not bad, since the score seems to indicate that I am an average user.

Anti-Trust in the News Again

FTC Charges Intel with Stifling Processor Competition

The Federal Trade Commission has charged Intel with stifling processor competition for more than a decade. Intel, the FTC said, used coercion and threats to deprive consumers of potentially superior chips at lower prices. The FTC also said Intel's compiler reduced rivals' performance, and it said the tactics have been used recently against Nvidia.

EU resolves Microsoft IE antitrust case

European Commissioner for Competition Policy Neelie Kroes on Wednesday formally announced a resolution to the Internet Explorer antitrust case against Microsoft. As part of the settlement, Windows PCs sold in the European Economic Area will now present users with a Choice Screen, allowing them to install alternative browsers beyond Internet Explorer.

How to Buy an E-Book Reader - Reviews by PC Magazine

Kindle? Nook? Sony Reader? E-book readers are hot this holiday season, and we'll help you figure out which one is the best read.

Firefox 3.5.6 patches critical security holes

Mozilla has updated its Firefox browser to patch three critical security holes. Firefox 3.5.6 and 3.0.16 both suffered from memory corruption issues. "We presume that with enough effort at least some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code," the security advisory said. Make sure you update.

Little Firefox add-on makes simple macros

Meet DejaClick, a free Firefox extension that records your movements and replays them at your whim. It essentially creates macros that you can name and launch after installing DejaClick.

Stolen and Missing E-Mails Making Headlines

Climate Science Not Faked, But Not Pretty

E-mails stolen from climate scientists show they stonewalled skeptics and discussed hiding data Relevant Products/Services -- but the messages don't support Relevant Products/Services claims that the science of global warming was faked, according to an exhaustive review by The Associated Press.

22 million missing Bush White House e-mails found

Computer technicians have found 22 million missing White House e-mails from the administration of President George W. Bush and the Obama administration is searching for dozens more days' worth of potentially lost e-mail from the Bush years, according to two groups that filed suit over the failure by the Bush White House to install an electronic record keeping system.

Support for Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2 ends next July

Microsoft has issued a reminder this week that it will stop providing support for Windows 2000 and Windows XP Service Pack 2 on July 13, 2010. After this date, public support for these products ends and Microsoft will no longer provide any assisted support or security updates. To get updates, you will need to install SP3.

HubbleSite - Holiday Cards

This year, say it in stars! Send your friends and relatives best wishes for the season with printable holiday cards. Messages of joy and peace are illuminated by the natural splendor of the universe. The cards are designed to be printed out at photo stores or online photo labs, though you can also use a home printer.

Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2009

We've featured hundreds of free Windows applications over the course for 2009 that we hoped might bolster your productivity, workflow, or your PC usefulness in one form or another. Here's a look back at the most popular Windows downloads of the year.

Mozilla Releases Final Version of Thunderbird 3

Mozilla lets Thunderbird 3 fly

Mozilla Messaging pushed the stable release of Thunderbird 3 out of the nest on Tuesday, and there's a lot to like in case you haven't been following the beta development of this Outlook alternative. The long-overdue Thunderbird 3 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it introduces several hefty new features and some long-needed improvements, including an overhauled search and message indexing, tab support, and a revamped setup wizard that's designed to make new account setup quick and painless.

Best of the Decade - Reviews by PC Magazine

We salute the most important, revolutionary products, services, and technologies of the last 10 years, as well as the most influential people of the decade.

I like Win 7, but I've already drawn up a Win 8 wishlist

As I’ve said before, I like Windows 7. In fact, I like the OS a lot. It reminds me a lot of the good ol’ NT4 days. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’ve fallen in love with Windows again because times are different and I enjoy a polyamorous existence where I use several different OSes. But Windows 7 has reminded me of the fact that when Windows is done right, it can be a cracking OS.

What Matters Now: Download the Free E-Book

Author Seth Godin has compiled a free 80-page e-book entitled What Matters Now, a collection of thought-provoking nuggets from authors and technologists across the web.

SoftCAT 4.10 (Windows) - Free Software

SoftCAT is the ultimate software organizer database. The AutoCatalog feature will automatically add all programs installed on your computer. SoftCAT will help you know what you have and where it is, but it will also help you keep track of important information like serial number, and other registration information.

Tomorrow is Patch Tuesday

Patch Tuesday heads-up: MS to fix 'critical' IE, Office security holes

Just two weeks after the release of exploit code for a critical (remotely exploitable) security hole in its Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft says a fix will be included in this month’s batch of Patch Tuesday updates.

9 ways to increase the security of your laptop while on the road

Using your laptop to get work done away from your office or on the road is becoming widely accepted. But this rapid growth in laptop computing has made portable systems the target for theft around the world. If your laptop computer is stolen, company information can be exposed, as well as your personal and financial information. Use these 9 tips to learn how you can keep your laptop more secure when you're on the road.

Google Chrome now bundled with Avast

You wouldn't necessarily expect it, but Avast and Google Chrome might be the next peanut butter-and-jelly combo in the software world. Google's nascent browser has paired with one of the most popular free security programs in the world so that when users run the Avast installer on a computer that has neither Chrome nor Avast, they'll be offered a chance to install Chrome simultaneously. This is the first such bundling for Avast in its 21-year existence.

Barnes & Noble Nook E-Book reader reviews

The Nook, Barnes and Noble e-reader that has been in short supply, is now in stores for purchase. Is it any good and how does it compare with its main competitor, Amazon's Kindle? Here is a in-depth review.

Download dozens of free holiday MP3s

Places on the Net where you can get free MP3 Christmas music

Note: I will not be publishing for the next few days as I head out on a photographic expedition with a fellow professional photographer from the Northwest. JRC

Comcast Now Controls NBC Universal

Comcast snags NBC Universal to build $37 billion venture

It's official. Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, announced Thursday that it is buying a controlling stake in the TV network and movie studio NBC Universal. The total value of the blockbuster media industry deal, which had been rumored since September, is estimated at around $37 billion. The new joint venture will merge Comcast's cable channels, which are worth about $7.25 billion, with NBC Universal assets that have been valued at around $30 billion, the companies said Thursday.

Can Comcast-NBC play nice with Hulu?

Comcast managers said Thursday, following the company's announcement it had acquired a controlling stake in NBC Universal, that it will be business as usual at Hulu, the joint venture operated by NBC Universal, News Corp., and Disney. Ever since rumors of the acquisition began to swirl in September, questions were raised about whether Comcast would try to kill Hulu to discourage cable customers from dropping their subscriptions.

New ransomware attack blocks Internet access

Security researchers have stumbled upon a new piece of ransomware that blocks an infected computer from accessing the Internet until a fee is paid via SMS (text message).

Google wants to unclog Net's DNS plumbing

Google is setting up it's own DNS service and invites you to join in. The DNS is a crucial part of the Internet. It converts the text addresses people can remember into the numeric Internet Protocol addresses actually used to locate information on the Internet. For example, CNET.com's IP address is 216.239.122.102. Personally, I am going to stick with OpenDNS.com.

Tools for creating holiday-shopping lists

Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just a memory, the holiday season is in full swing. For those of us who like to be organized when we hit the stores, creating a shopping list is really the best way to go.

Windows Live – Part Two

In my previous blog on this subject, I mentioned Windows Live has some good functions and some that are not so good.  Here are three functions that exist in the cloud (fancy word for the Internet) that can theoretically help your computer use.

The first one is a good one…called “Windows Live Mesh.” Its function is to take certain files that you designate and continuously copy them up to the Net. Then, if you have a second computer (or many others) and it is also running Live Mesh, it will continuously sync the files with the first computer.

I’ve use this with a program I’ve mentioned before called OneNote. I continually use the program and create new files and add new entries into existing files. As I do that, the files are automatically synced into the cloud and stay there until I turn on my laptop. Then, the laptop contacts Live Mesh and the files are synced to it immediately. So, the files on my two computers are always in sync.

This program is very useful when I am on the road and I plan to add more files to it.  The only downside is that since Live Mesh is storing my files, I am limited to 2GB of file space. For now that is plenty.

Microsoft Live has a similar program that I also use called Windows Live Sync. It works almost exactly the same way, except that no files are stored in the cloud…files are only on the computers you designate. In my case, my Excel and Word files are in sync when both computers are on. This is also useful as there is no file size limit since nothing is stored in the cloud.

Microsoft has another Internet-based file storage facility that is not well implemented…in fact it is very badly limited…almost to the point of being unusable.  It is called Windows Live Skydrive.  In theory, it is a fabulous idea. Microsoft gives you, the user, 25Gb of free on-line storage to back up your most important data.

That is a great idea in that having an offsite backup protects you from data loss should you be the victim of fire or theft and your computer and all backup drives are destroyed or stolen. Everyone should have off-site backups of some type. There are several on-line storage companies that give you 2Gb for free, then charge you a monthly fee for more…or, like I do, I have a portable backup drive in a location away from my home.

But, getting back to Skydrive, here is where the implementation is bad…With Skydrive, you can only send up one file at  a time…not a folder, mind you, only one file at a time. That makes it almost impossible to use.  To be fair, you can install an add-on to Windows Explorer so you can add five files at a time. Whoopee!

You can also create one ZIP file containing many files and send them up to Skydrive, but I am hoping Microsoft will deliver a better solution in the near future.

Stay tuned for more on Microsoft Live…

AT&T Customers Not Happy Campers

Customers have spoken: AT&T = FAIL!

A survey of cell phone users of four of the major cell phone providers has ranked the ball-and-chain that the iPhone comes attached to, AT&T, last when it comes to customer satisfaction.

Gamer Sues World of Warcraft Maker for Ruining His Life

A California-based gamer is suing World of Warcraft maker Activision Blizzard for ruining his life. Erik Estavillo is accusing the publisher of maintaining a "harmful virtual environment" via "sneaky and deceitful practices."

Tips for safe online shopping

Shopping online does carry some risk, but so does shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. At least online shoppers don't need to worry about fender-benders in the parking lot, pick pockets at the mall, or getting the flu from all those fellow shoppers. But the nice thing about shopping online is that by following some basic guidelines you can be reasonably sure you'll have a safe experience.

7 Reasons Why eReaders Make Great Gifts This Year

Some people think eReaders like the Kindle are nothing but a blip in the technology timeline. I beg to differ.

Windows Starter Kit

Here is the list of the best freeware apps for 2010 from CNet's Windows Starter Kit. Their top picks include the browsers, image editors, utilities, and social networking apps that you should consider downloading before you fill up your computer with anything else.

Understanding Windows Live - Part 1

I thought I might take a few blogs here and there and delve into those Microsoft products branded under the “Windows Live” label. As you will no doubt see, Windows Live is not an easy concept to understand…but I will do my best. Trust Microsoft to make it as obscure as possible.  But, if you dig hard enough there are some good things available to make your computing better…but there are also a few turkeys.  We will be look at the good and the not-so-good.

Its hard to get your arms wrapped around what Windows Live truly is. Here is the best description I could find from Wikipedia:

“Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require installation on a user's PC. There are three ways in which Windows Live services are offered: Windows Live Essentials applications, web services, and mobile services.”

To put it more succinctly, some applications for Windows Live reside only on your computer, some reside only on the Internet, and some work in both places. Some are well advertised, others are sort of hidden away.

First, lets look at Windows Live Essentials, a downloadable collection of several software products.  If you are moving to Windows 7, some of these applications replace similar products that were part of XP and Vista. But, understand, Windows Live Essentials does not come with any version of Windows 7. It has to be downloaded from the Net…and I recommend everyone do it. Then, pick and choose the products you want to install.

There are currently 11 software products that come with Windows Live Essentials:

• Messenger
• Mail
• Writer
• Photo Gallery
• Movie Maker
• Family Safety
• Toolbar

Additional programs:

• Microsoft Office Outlook® Connector
• Office Live Add-in
• Microsoft Silverlight

I won’t cover them all, but just the ones I use or experimented with.  Windows Messenger is similar to Yahoo Messenger and other instant messaging programs. You can talk to friends and family, as long as everyone is using Windows Messenger. I have not used it yet, but may try it out sometime with a friend.

Window Live Writer is a fantastic program specifically made for writing blogs. It is what I am using to write this blog and have been doing so since it first came out. If you write a blog, you want this.

Windows Live Mail I will save for a future blog as it is quite involved. Photo Gallery and Movie Maker are excellent programs for storing and manipulating photos and videos, but I don’t personally use them, so I will not be reviewing them.  Same for Family Safety and Live Toolbar (no family and have enough toolbars).

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector (for connecting to Windows Live Hotmail)seemed like a very good idea and I tried using it, but it set up its own accounts inside my Outlook rather than blending with my current accounts.  A good idea, badly executed. But try it if you use Outlook for your email and calendaring. The last two I will skip for now.

So there is a quick look at Microsoft Live Essentials, but we have a long way to go yet.  Stay tuned.

PS – If you would like to see a complete list of all Windows Live products, be sure and check out the Wikipedia reference I quoted above.

Hadron Collider Approaches Speed of Light

Science: Large Hadron Collider Shatters Energy Record

The world's largest particle accelerator has set a new record in matter-smashing. The Large Hadron Collider shot beams of protons at energies measuring 1.18 teraelectronvolts, beating the previous world record of just under one TeV. The exercise is another step toward taking the LHC to its highest capacity, which researchers say will be around 7 TeV. In English, that means speed approaching .997 the speed of light.

Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0 - At A Glance

Its Web-browsing vulpine sibling may get all the attention, but Mozilla's other product, the Thunderbird open-source e-mail client, has its own devout following, and has now taken flight with a new version. Thunderbird 2 was strictly for power users, but version 3 changes all that. It's as simple as pie, having cut down on the number of toolbar options and simplified mail account setup. It also adds tabs and archiving.

Kindle vs. Nook Review « Kindle Review – Kindle 2 Review, Books

Since the announcement of the Nook, Kindle PDF support has been added, Kindle for PC has been released, and Amazon have made other enhancements. It looks like e-book readers may be one of this year’s hottest gift ideas.

100 Movie Quotes (American Film Institute Top 100 Movies)

Here is a fun 10 minutes of film clips. Watch 100 famous movie quotes from some of the AFI top 100 movies.

Process Explorer - Free

If you've ever tried tracking down a process in Windows Task Manager, you know it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Process Explorer makes the job a lot easier. This freeware utility displays running processes in an intuitive tree format that includes not only process names, but also program icons and other data, such as description, image, and processor time. Excellent for spotting malware running on your computer.

Happy Thanksgiving from Sunny Tucson

What Not to Buy in 2009

Before you whip out that wallet and spit-polish your plastic, you'll want to make certain that you don't get punked by your own holiday shopping missteps.

Google Chrome OS Preview

There is no company that could and likely will damage Microsoft as effectively as Google. Put simply Google Chrome OS is an important platform to watch. Here's what Google revealed this past week.

Amazon Rolls Out Improvements To Kindle 2

Amazon has upgraded its Kindle 2 e-book reader, bringing the device more on par with its Kindle DX. Amazon's improved Kindle 2 features a longer battery life, wide-screen viewing and a software upgrade that supports PDF viewing and rotation.

Our Favorite Blogs 2009 - Reviews by PC Magazine

Blogs—everybody's got one, and most of them are terrible. Thankfully, we've read every single blog on the Internet, so you don't have to—okay, that's not actually entirely true, but we have culled together a list of favorites from our staff, which is really the next best thing, as far as we're concerned.

Automatically disable your touchpad while you type with TouchFreeze

One thing about laptops that drives a lot of my customers nuts is the touchpad. If I had a nickel for every time someone brought a laptop in complaining that their mouse pointer suddenly jumped somewhere else on the screen and messed up their typing, I'd have at least $10.15.

More on Retail Sites that Ripped off Customers

E-tailers snagged in marketing 'scam' blame customers

Priceline, Classmates.com, FTD, Shutterfly, and Orbitz, it will be business as usual. They see nothing wrong with the marketing practices that millions of angry online shoppers and members of the U.S. Senate have called a "scam," "robbery" and "theft."

Feds: Top e-tailers profit from billion-dollar Web scam

At the bottom of this story is a complete list of companies who profited from this scam. Some of the names on this list will surprise you. All of them should be boycotted because they willingly participated and profited from this horrific scam.

ZDNet's Ultimate Black Friday 2009: Deals, steals & specials guide

The Christmas shopping season is now underway. Are you looking to give some tech gifts this Christmas? Here is a huge collection of very special sales on all kinds of high tech goodies.

Video – First look at Office 10

Check out this short video on the features of the new Office 10 (beta)

www.peopleofwalmart.com 

Website of the Day. Photos of some of the interesting folk who shop at Wal-Mart. Don’t miss this one.

More Info on Browser Wars

With IE 9, Microsoft fights back in browser wars

With Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft showed Wednesday it's trying to retake the browser initiative.IE remains the Net's dominant browser. But perversely, it became something of a technology underdog after Microsoft vanquished Netscape in the browser wars of the 1990s and scaled back its browser effort.

Browser security features compared

Internet Explorer 8, Firefox 3, Google Chrome 4, Apple's Safari 4, and Opera 10 include features that block sites known to host malware and malicious downloads. All but Opera also let you browse without leaving any tracks. But just as important as these protections is ensuring that whichever browser you use is thoroughly patched.

Why Chrome OS will fail -- big time

The Chrome OS is here -- sort of. This week, Google was kind of enough to give the world a sneak peek at its nascent desktop operating system. And after months of speculation (and more than a few bogus screenshot galleries), I can finally say that I've seen the future ... and it's not Chrome OS.

8 Ways to Watch TV and Movies Without Cable 

It seems like only yesterday that we were all watching 550 cable channels and trying to decide between cable and satellite. Now we have all those channels, plus a wide variety of TV and movie consumption options, many of which will deliver high-quality content directly from the Internet to your TV. Don't try and figure them all out by yourself. Instead, do as I do and read though this concise report on the 8 best know options for cutting that cable cord.

Install Windows 7 Themes on your XP or Windows Vista Computer

Microsoft paid close attention to personalization in Windows 7, and shipped it with a gorgeous collection of desktop backgrounds and themes. Windows 7 also makes it easy for users to create their own personalized themes and then share it with other Windows 7 users. If you are still using an older version of Windows (like Windows XP or Vista), you don’t have to feel left behind because, with some simple tricks, you can enjoy all or part of what these Windows 7 themes have to offer

Editor’s Note: New blog posts are going to be spotty for the next week.  I am currently in Blythe, CA helping my son move to his new home in Yuma. Internet access is limited and I won’t be back in Tucson for about a week.  Will write when I can. JRC

Update on The Verizon vs. AT&T War

Verizon to AT&T: "Our ads are true and the truth hurts"

Verizon Wireless responded today to a lawsuit filed by AT&T earlier this month that accused Verizon’s “There’s a map for that” marketing campaign of misleading consumers about AT&T’s 3G coverage in the United States.

Microsoft patching zero-day Windows 7 SMB hole

Microsoft said it is working on a fix for a vulnerability in the Server Message Block file-sharing protocol in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 Release 2 that could be used to remotely crash a computer.

Security in Windows 7: Getting Started

According to Microsoft, "Windows 7 improves security, reliability, and performance while helping to optimize PC management." Concepts like Kernel Patch Protection, Data Execution Prevention, Address Space Layout Randomization, and Mandatory Integrity Levels sound good, but the early propaganda about Vista hyped security too, and much of its promise failed to materialize. Will Windows 7 do better at living up to the hype?

Modern Warfare 2 tops entertainment industry, not just games

In the first five days of availability, Modern Warfare 2 has eclipsed the largest worldwide box-office opening, held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which tallied $394 million over its first five days. It also beat "The Dark Knight," which holds the U.S. box-office record with $203.8 million in first five-day sales.

Get a cool background for your Twitter profile

Twitter might be a great way to communicate, but the default options for the profile background aren't all that nice. That said, the Twitter background is a fine way to promote your company, tell the world a little something about yourself, or to enhance the beauty of your profile.

This Must Be Scary Tuesday

Feds: Top e-tailers profiting from billion-dollar Web scam

Three companies have generated more than $1.4 billion by "misleading" Web shoppers into signing up for so-called loyalty program memberships, according to a Senate report issued Tuesday. Out of that money, the report charges, Webloyalty, Vertrue, and Affinion paid online retailers $792 million, and in exchange the retailers handed over access to their customers' credit cards.

Thousands of web sites compromised, redirect to scareware

Security researchers have detected a massive blackhat SEO (search engine optimization) campaign consisting of over 200,000 compromised web sites, all redirecting to fake security software (Inst_58s6.exe), commonly referred to as scareware.

FAQ: Recognizing phishing e-mails

If you have received an e-mail from the Internal Revenue Service or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, chances are it was a phishing attempt. If you received e-mail from your bank, PayPal, or Facebook urging you to immediately verify information or risk having your account suspended, it was undoubtedly phishing.

Why I hate Microsoft Office 2010

The combination of bad UI decisions and sluggish performance has turned the author off from Microsoft's latest and greatest

You're Backing Up Your Data the Wrong Way

Time and time again, people tell me that they've bought an external hard drive to back up their pictures, music, and documents. Great, right? Sadly, that's not always the case. There's one simple rule about backups that everybody needs to fully understand: Your files should exist in at least Two places, or it's no longer a backup—and your data is at risk. Too often people delete the files from their primary PC, assuming they are backed up.

Explanations of Interesting Subjects

Bing getting a fall refresh

Unlike when you stand over your coworker's desk, Microsoft's Bing search engine actually works better when you hover. One of the key features of the would-be rival to Google is that when you hover to the right of a result, you can get a preview of what to expect. As part of an update this week, Bing's hover result will now feature more information including a thumbnail preview of the site in question.

32 bit and 64 bit explained

Here's a short tutorial which attempts to answer these questions and helps us understand the concepts of 64 bit and 32 bit hardware, operating system and applications.

7 Cloud Computing Myths Busted

Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others are investing aggressively in the cloud, even as critics point to security, reliability, and compatibility issues. We cut through the fog.

25 Places to Become A Photoshop Expert

The Internet is the perfect place to learn pretty much anything, Photoshop is no exception. The popular image-editing software gets quite a few evangelists ready to spend their time to teach their techniques. In this collection you’ll find some of the best websites to become a Photoshop expert.

Celestia Brings Interstellar Exploration to Your Desktop - Free

With Celestia you can zoom through the known universe, flying through star clusters and swooping in to examine far off galaxies. On its own Celestia is a really fun tool to play with but on top of the expansive star map included in Celestia there is a bustling community of astronomy hobbyists creating hundreds of add-ons for the application.

Double Freebie Friday

Your top Windows 7 questions, answered

Since Windows 7 launched on October 22, my e-mail inbox has been deluged with questions, comments, and pleas for help. I can’t possibly reply to them all personally, so I thought I would answer some of the most common/interesting/provocative questions here.

Verizon tests sending RIAA copyright notices

Customers of Verizon Communications who pirate music files may soon receive an unwelcome letter from the company. Verizon, the second-largest phone company in the United States, is expected to begin issuing "copyright notices" on behalf of the Recording Industry Association of America to those accused of illegally downloading songs from the Web, according to sources with knowledge of the agreement. Told you...music and movie companies rule the U.S.

Google digital book ambitions hinge on settlement

Google Inc.'s plans to add millions of copyright-protected books to its digital library are riding on a new legal settlement addressing the objections of government regulators who don't want Google to gain too much power over a new market.

Print2PDF 8.0.09

Free Software - Print2PDF uses print output for conversion into an Adobe Acrobat compatible PDF file. Choose from multiple page sizes, orientations, watermark / stamp insertion, metadata access and file resolutions (up to 2400 DPI).

DVD Knife Quickly Extracts Any Clip from DVDs - DVDs

Free Software - Trying to extract clips from a DVD is usually a roundabout process that involves a lot of waiting. Free utility DVD Knife makes it easy to extract clips from any part of your DVD.

Chip Legal War Over…For Now

Intel to pay AMD $1.25 billion as companies end litigation war

Intel and AMD on Thursday said they will settle all legal disputes, including antitrust litigation, for $1.25 billion. AMD CEO Dirk Meyer said the settlement ushers in a “new era” in the chip industry. But Intel CEO Paul Otellini was a bit defiant in a conference call this morning, saying that there would be no changes to the company’s business practices because the company has not acted illegally.

AMD Unveils Two-Year Processor Road Map

AMD has laid out its road map for processors through 2011, with an emphasis on a complete computing experience featuring stunning graphics and video. AMD also is on track to deliver a new line of Fusion processors to lower power consumption. For next year, AMD will release multi-core processors for notebook graphics.

Microsoft Insists Windows 7 Not Copied from Mac OS

Microsoft is denying comments by partner manager Simon Aldous that Windows 7 copies the "Mac look and feel" in graphics. Not so, Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc quickly wrote in the Windows Blog. Aldous also called Vista "far more stable" than Mac OS X. An analyst noted the irony of Windows 7 arguments, since it was supposed to just refresh Vista.

Google's SPDY protocol will speed up the web - and Chrome OS, too

Over at the Chromium blog, Google has announced a project they've been working on called 'SPeeDY.' It's an updated transport protocol for the web which improves upon HTTP, reducing latency through network-fu like multiplexed streams, request prioritization, and header compression.

Find and Get Rid of Old Files with an Advanced Explorer Search

It's easy to visualize your hard drive usage by file size to get rid of big files you don't need, but if you want to hunt down the files you haven't used in ages, this quick search query can help.

Free WiFi at Airports

Hundreds of Facebook groups hijacked

Facebook groups are under attack. But the attackers say they come in peace and insist they want only to highlight a flaw in the way Facebook handles group administration.

Crazy tech support stories

An IT support specialist remembers the calls that made him push the mute button while he pulled himself together. A fun read.

Stop Paying for Windows Security; Microsoft's Security Tools Are Good Enough

Security tips: When it comes to keeping your Windows PC secure, all of the scare tactics and overblown virus stories out there make it hard to feel safe online. The fact of the matter is that you don't need to pay for Windows security.

Google Offers Free Holiday Wi-Fi at Major Airports

On Tuesday, Google announced an early Christmas present for the traveling masses: Free Wi-Fi at major airports across the country. Google is teaming up with scores of airports, as well as Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, Airport Marketing Income, and others to offer the holiday gift starting Tuesday and running through Jan. 15.

Paint.NET 3.5 earns Windows 7, stability fixes

Far more robust than Microsoft Paint, but nowhere near as loaded with features as Photoshop, Paint.NET occupies a niche perfect for users who want a free image editor that has more than resizing and inverting. Version 3.5 includes an enormous number of stability tweaks and menu adjustments, as well as a couple of new minor features and some Windows 7 love, too. And its free!!

Microsoft and Google in the News

Patch Tuesday heads-up: Critical MS Office patches coming

Microsoft plans to release six security bulletins next Tuesday November 10 to fix at least 15 serious vulnerabilities that could expose Windows users to malicious hacker attacks.

Windows 7: First Service Pack Details Emerge

It has been just over a week since Microsoft's low-key Windows 7 launch, and rumors are already circulating around the operating systems first service pack (SP).

Windows 7's default UAC bypassed by 8 out of 10 malware samples

A recently conducted test by malware researchers reveals that eight out of ten malware samples used in the test, successfully bypassed Windows 7’s default UAC (user access control) settings. That is a little scary, to be sure.

Google Dashboard: A Closer Look 

Google Dashboard allows you to manage your Google digital life. Here is a closer look at how it works.

9 things we still hate about tech

We all claim to love technology, but there's just as much to loathe about the world of techies

The Friday Roundup

Which antivirus is best at removing malware?

Detecting the presence of malicious code is one thing, successfully eradicating it is entirely another. According to AV-Comparatives.org’s recently released malware removal test evaluating the effectiveness of sixteen antivirus solutions, only a few were able to meet their criteria of not only removing the samples they were tested against, but also getting rid of the potentially dangerous “leftovers” from the infection.

Find safe-browser technologies that really work

The major browsers and security programs all tout their ability to warn you about malware sites before you visit them, but do any of these early-warning systems really work?

Google Maps and the mystery of the non-existent town

A small village in the north of England, Argleton, has been causing confusion with an air of mystery. The simple reason is, is that the village simply doesn’t exist except in the world of Google.

Near-final Thunderbird 3 due next week

Thunderbird 3, an update to the e-mail software that Mozilla hopes will give it some of the advantages its Firefox browser has enjoyed, is due to arrive in near-final form next week. Mozilla Messaging plans to issue release candidate 1 of Thunderbird 3 as soon as Monday, with the final version expected later in November, the e-mail-focused subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation.

Microsoft Learning Snacks

Learning Snacks are short, interactive presentations about popular topics created by Microsoft Learning experts. Each Snack is delivered by using innovative Microsoft Silverlight technology and includes various media, such as animations and recorded demos. At the end of each free presentation, you can view more Snacks, learn more about the topic, or visit a related Web site.

Mostly Browser News Today

Firefox 3.5.5 Update Fixes Critical Security Bug

There's nothing terribly exciting to speak of in today's Firefox 3.5.5 update; from the looks of the tiny changelog, it looks like one critical security fix and a few other minor bug fixes will make their way to your browser.

Mozilla: Firefox 3.6 won't be late

Mozilla may have released the first beta of Firefox 3.6 nearly two months late, but the organization believes the final version still will arrive on schedule before the end of the year.

Microsoft fixes IE patch again

Microsoft has released an out-of-schedule fix for problems introduced by its last patch for Internet Explorer.

Chrome: How Fast? This Fast ...

Tests indicate that Google's latest edition of Chrome may well be the fastest Web browser on the market, beating even Apple's Safari. There are certain things that Chrome does where the score differences are factors of 10. In some rounds of testing, Chrome's results can only be described as virtually obscene.

Flash Cookie Cleaner - The Free Flash Cookie Cleaner

Flash Cookies are small bits of data saved by websites you visit. They can be used to store website settings and info (like Flash game scores), to track website behavior, and to target advertisments.

Lawsuits, Photography Tips, and Two Freebies!!

AT&T Sues Verizon To Stop 'Misleading' Map Ads

Verizon Wireless has scored a roundhouse with its ads attacking AT&T's 3G coverage, and AT&T has sued to block the ads. AT&T says the maps featuring coverage maps are misleading, but Verizon insists its message is clear. The ads are part of the struggle between Verizon and AT&T since Apple, Inc.'s iPhone lured away Verizon customers.

New York antitrust suit accuses Intel of bribery

New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo filed a federal antitrust lawsuit Wednesday against Intel that accuses it of paying computer makers rebates to illegally maintain its monopoly power, the newest among several such attacks that have dogged the chipmaker in recent years.

How to Develop Your Photography Skills: 11 steps (with pictures)

If you've mastered the basics of framing, shooting, and taking a photograph, try taking it further. Make it a hobby, or maybe even a career, rather than taking the usual holiday, pet, and kid snapshots. It is time to start making stunning, rather than simply passable, photographs.

Golden Rules Organizer 1.5.4 (Windows), from Golden-Rules

Golden Rules Organizer is a free professional organizer and goal system. It provides three planning levels: mission & values, projects, recurring and one-time activities.

Hulu Desktop

Hulu Desktop is a lean-back viewing experience for your personal computer. It offers superior resolution and a large viewing area than watching regular Hulu through your browser. It works with XP and all later versions of Windows and can also be set up to run inside Windows Media Center. Highly recommended by yours truly. Thousands of TV shows and movies are available for free.  

Report on Cybercriminal and Cool Free Desktop Organizer

Report: Malware Makers Are Organized, Sophisticated

Cybercriminals are organized like corporations, and follow regular software release cycles, says principal group program manager for the Microsoft Malware Protection Center.

Windows 7's real killer feature

What gives Windows 7 a strong future is not what you're thinking

E-book reader news and releases round-up

The last two weeks have been especially busy for the e-book reader industry (and probably pretty frightening for Amazon). Here’s a quick round-up of what’s been released and what we have to look forward to this holiday season. (Strangely, they left the excellent Sony readers out this story)

How to capture vibrant fall foliage with your digital camera

Fall (or autumn, for many of you) is my favorite season of the year, particularly because of the crisp weather and beautiful falling leaves. Capturing the vibrancy of the foliage can easily be done with either a pocket camera or digital SLR. Here are five tips to get you started:

Stardock ObjectDock

ObjectDock™ is a free program that enables users to organize their shortcuts, programs and running tasks into an attractive and fun animated dock. By allowing users to have more control over how they organize their desktop, users can take control of their desktop icons and shortcuts to have them be available when where and how they need them. Editor's note: I am using this program and loving it. Take a look. It works in all versions of Windows.

Postcard from Tucson – Apologies

Hi everyone.  I fully intended to write a photo blog today on Bryce Canyon, but the last few photos I have attached to the blog have not been good.  The colors are washed out and nowhere near the originals.  I hate showing my photos when the displayed results are not even close to what I intended.

Am not sure why this is happening but am trying to find a solution.  I will resume the blog as soon as I figure out why this is happening.  My apologies and hope you will stay tuned for some really good photos and stories.

Jim

Two Windows Stories and a Droid

Phishing experiment sneaks through all anti-spam filters

A recently conducted ethical phishing experiment impersonating LinkedIn by mailing invitations coming from Bill Gates, has achieved a 100% success rate in bypassing the anti-spam filters it was tested against. The experiment emphasizes on how small-scale spear phishing campaigns are capable of bypassing anti-spam filters, and once again proves that users continue interacting with phishing emails.

Windows 7 security: Five things you should know

Microsoft says Windows 7 is the most secure version of the Windows OS yet -- but you should be aware of some enhancements

The Master List of New Windows 7 Shortcuts

Windows 7 adds loads of great shortcuts for switching between apps, moving windows around your screen, moving them to another monitor altogether, and much more. Here's a quick-reference master list of the best new Windows 7 shortcuts.

Droid by Motorola (Verizon Wireless)

The Motorola Droid is the first truly lust-worthy smartphone from Verizon Wireless, and it puts all other Google Android phones to shame. Motorola may have stinted on a few of the basics in its quest for mind-blowing smartphone power. But the first Android 2.0 phone is definitely the most advanced and exciting device connecting to Verizon today.

12 cool ways to donate your PC's spare processing power

So you'd like to do more volunteering but can't find the time? Here's an easy way to do it: Donate the spare processing power on your computer via one of the dozens of ongoing volunteer computing projects

Congressional Blunders and more Microsoft News

P2P snafu blows lid on secret Congress probes

A confidential memo from one of the most secretive panels in Congress was leaked on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network, publicly detailing sensitive probes involving more than 30 lawmakers and aides.

Microsoft to discontinue Office Accounting next month

Microsoft is killing off its small business accounting product, Office Accounting. The company will no longer distribute Office Accounting Professional or the free version, Office Accounting Express after November 16, 2009.

Windows 7: Giving credit where credit is due

Microsoft's ad campaign is a lie. Let's set the record straight about who really shaped the Windows 7 development process

Microsoft Strikes Back: The Microsoft Store in Scottsdale, AZ

Jumping on the coat tails of another high-end computer store we won't mention, the Microsoft store is clean, shiny and covered in gleaming screens. In fact, walking by you might confuse it for, well, that other high-end computer store we won't mention.

Top 10 Windows 7 Booster Apps

Windows 7 is a big improvement over Vista, and a pretty convenient OS in general—but it's by no means perfect. These 10 downloads improve Windows 7's looks, functions, and make it easier, safer, and more convenient to upgrade to.

No Windows Today

Hollywood wants share of Netflix's windfall

Wall Street and Netflix subscribers appear overjoyed with the direction that Netflix's CEO has the Web's top video-rental store pointed in. The only people who don't seem pleased with Netflix's success work in Hollywood. Just days before Netflix reported third-quarter earnings that jumped 48 percent from a year ago and subscriber growth of 28 percent during the same period, two executives from different studios told me they aren't getting their fair share. Is there no end to Hollywood's greed?

L.A. votes to "Go Google"; pressure shifts to Google and the cloud

Score one for Google and The Cloud. The Los Angeles City Council today voted unanimously to “Go Google,” approving a $7.25 million contract to outsource the city’s e-mail system to Google’s cloud and transition some 30,000 city employees to the cloud over the coming year.

Death of the DSLR Camera

Here's a news flash: Cell-phone cameras be damned, because a significant segment of the population is actually prioritizing sharp, well-exposed images over ultimate convenience. Since the introduction of the first Canon Digital Rebel in 2003, this quality-conscious segment has been turning to interchangeable-lens digital SLRs (DSLRs) to take the best possible photos.

Amazon.com rolls out shortcut for paying online

Amazon.com Inc on Wednesday announced the launch of "PayPhrase," a shortcut for making purchases on the Web, as the online retailer prepares for a rush of holiday season shopping.

Twitter Lists finally unrolled to the masses -- get your lists here!

Though Twitter seem to be having some stability issues, at the time of writing, almost every active Twitter user should now have access to the new Lists functionality

Internet Problems…and Some Solutions

Infected sites rising at alarming rate

The number of websites hosting malicious software, either intentionally or unwittingly, is rising rapidly, according to statistics to be released on Tuesday from Dasient.

Firefox 3.5.4 fixes critical memory flaws

Mozilla trotted out Firefox 3.5.4 yesterday, which patches 16 vulnerabilities - 11 of which were critical bugs. Interestingly, my Windows 7 notified my about the upgrade before Firefox did.

Mozilla releases SeaMonkey 2.0

Do you pine for the Netscape Communicator days with unified browser and e-mail software but want something more current? Mozilla on Tuesday released SeaMonkey 2.0, which combines Firefox and Thunderbird.

Official Gmail Blog: Gmail account security tips

As part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we recently posted about how to pick a smart password. Having a strong password goes a long way in helping to protect your data, but there are a number of additional steps you can take to help you keep your Gmail account secure:

Best Free CD / DVD Burning Software 

Despite the technology world’s efforts to eliminate moving parts in computers, optical mediums such as CDs and DVDs are still widely used and most average users still need to burn optical discs. Whether backing up data, preparing an audio mix CD, or creating a bootable Linux disc, finding the right burning software is essential.

A Mostly Windows-Free Edition

Social Networking: Facebook Users Balk at New Dual-Feed Design

Many Facebook users are disgruntled over the latest design changes to the site. The home page now defaults to a News Feed containing items Facebook selects as most interesting, based on the attention they attract. To see the latest updates, users have to toggle to the Live Feed, which now includes a lot of extra notifications that many users consider junk.

Google's new Social Search surprisingly useful 

No, Social Search isn't yet another social network aggregator. It's a way for you to make your Google search results more relevant by adding a section dedicated to content written by your friends and acquaintances. Though limited, we think it's pretty useful thus far.

Google Voice Offers Voicemail Without a New Number

Want in on Google Voice's web-based, transcribed, custom-greeted voicemail, but you're not quite ready to adopt a new number? Starting tonight, Voice users can choose to keep their number and still get Google's upgraded voicemail features.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 3 Public Beta

A quick look at the highlights of Adobe Lightoom V3 beta. No word yet on a final version release date. The beta is free to download.

Results of the Windows 7 upgrade poll

Over the weekend, CNET ran an unscientific poll inquiring about the level of difficulty in your Windows 7 upgrade experience, and the response we received was undoubtedly strong. Nearly 11,000 people voted, and more than 50 percent of you said your Windows 7 upgrade experience was as easy as pie. (And who doesn't love pie?)

More Windows 7 Info for your Dining and Dancing Pleasure

Editors note: Got my Win 7 upgrade package yesterday and been installing it and my software since then (in between football games). It is going great…the speed is incredible and no problems at all with crashes or programs not working properly. Will keep you apprised. JRC

How to Prep for an XP-to-Windows 7 Upgrade: FAQ - PC World 

We're here to help lower your blood pressure with answers to your questions about how to get ready for tomorrow -- or later -- when you pull the trigger on Windows 7 and finally, finally leave XP fading in the rearview mirror.

Six free antivirus programs made for your Windows 7 system 

Hey, you just paid for an OS or a whole new computer -- why not save a few bucks if you can? The most important thing to remember when you go hunting for a Windows 7 antivirus program is to make sure it's fully compatible. You can get just about any old program to install under 7, but who knows if it's going to work the way it's supposed to?

Netbooks worth the upgrade to Windows 7? Heck yes!

There’s one place where an upgrade is definitely in order and it should probably happen sooner than later: Netbooks.

iPod: The device that changed everything

Eight years ago Apple introduced its first iPod. The world has never been the same

FolderSize Displays What's Eating Your Hard Drive Space

Windows only: Free portable application FolderSize quickly analyzes the contents of any hard drive or specific folder on your computer to help you hunt down your hard drive hogs and free up space

Free Panda Security Software – Today Only

Happy Windows 7 Release Day, everybody.

Panda Internet Security Free for 24 Hours on Oct 22

Panda will be offering a full 12 month license to their Panda Internet Security 2010 anti-virus program for 24 hours starting on October 22, the launch date for Windows 7.

Fake 'Conficker.B Infection Alert' spam campaign drops scareware

An ongoing spam campaign is once again attempting to impersonate Microsoft’s security team — the same campaign was first seen in April — by mass mailing Conficker.B Infection Alerts (install.zip), which upon execution drop a sample of the Antivirus Pro 2010 scareware.

The pros and cons of switching to Windows 7

After you wade through the Win7 marketing hype, you'll find a solid core of real improvements in the new release. There are many aspects of Windows 7 that cry out for adopting it and just a few that suggest sticking with Vista or XP.

Exclusive: Easing XP Netbook owners' path to Windows 7

After months of grappling with the issue of how to allow Windows XP Netbook owners to move to Windows 7, Microsoft is ready with its answer. Starting on Thursday, Microsoft is adding a tool to its online store that will allow those who buy Windows 7 to create a bootable USB drive with the operating system that can then be used to upgrade a Netbook.

100+ Places for Free Books Online

This is a listing of 193 sites that legally offer free books (eBooks) for download or for online viewing. Also included are free audio books for downloading.

Firefox, Email, and More Windows 7 Stuff

Microsoft exposes Firefox users to drive-by malware downloads 

Remember that Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant add-on that Microsoft sneaked into Firefox without explicit permission from end users? Well, the code in that add-on has a serious code execution vulnerability that exposes Firefox users to the “browse and you’re owned” attacks that are typically used in drive-by malware downloads.

E-mail Isn't Dead—But it Is Broken

E-mail isn't going away anytime soon, but it will need to evolve to be useful. And so will we.

Windows 7 - Reviews, News & Information

Here is PC Magazine's central location for news and information about Windows 7. Some excellent stories here.

Google Chrome 5, Not 4, Will Support Windows 7

Google is not in any rush to adapt its open-source browser to the latest iteration of the Windows client. While Mozilla has already tailored the first Beta development milestone of Firefox 3.6 to Windows 7, the Mountain View-based search giant will not make the current Stable and Beta development milestones play nice with Windows Vista’s successor.

Kill desktop clutter

This freeware app helps you create flexible boxes, or "fences" on your desktop that help you cleanly organize your shortcuts. You can rename these fences easily, and drag and drop shortcuts in and out of them. Works for XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

Implementing Windows 7

Windows 7 is only three days away now.  So, I thought I would share with you how I plan to implement my upgrade to this new operating system.

If you have read my blog posts, you know I really like this upgrade and am excited about moving my entire computer operation over to it.  It will be like having a brand new computer for me as Windows XP is really showing its age.

Having downloaded and installed the the Release Candidate, I know it works very well on my computer.  If you are not sure if it will work on yours, just download the Windows 7 Upgrade Analysis software and it will analyze your system.

Assuming your computer will handle Windows 7, how should you install it?

First of all, whatever you do will require a clean install…you cannot do an upgrade to XP and you must do a special work-around to upgrade Vista. But, all experts agree that you should always do a clean install anyway…even if you are running Windows 7 Release Candidate like me.

Doing a clean install requires reformatting your hard drive.  So, say goodbye to everything on your computer (of course you will backup your data). 

But there is a better way…repartition your hard drive and set up a dual boot.

I did this when I set up Windows 7 RC…and, I am going to keep this new partition and dual boot setup so I can keep running XP for as long as I need it.  I recommend you also do this.  Get yourself a free disk partitioning utility like Aeseus Partition Manager.  Then, set up a new partition, perhaps calling it “Win7” or something similar. 

Then, when you start to install Win 7, tell it to install on the new partition.  It will automatically set up a dual boot screen so when you turn on your computer, it will ask which operating system you wish to run.

After installing Win 7, I will begin installing some of my most important programs, like Office, Photoshop, Lightroom and several others (I have already made a list). Then before I get started really using Win 7, I will do a disk image of it to one of my external hard drives.  So, if my hard drive dies and I must reinstall, I do it from the backup image, saving myself many hours, perhaps days, of work.

The good news is Windows 7 includes a disk imaging program as part of its Backup program. Itwill also make a bootable DVD or CD so you can boot up and reinstall your operating system.  Make sure you do this (even if you buy a new computer with Windows 7 installed)!!!

For more good information, here is an excellent article from Tech Republic that gives you a realistic approach to upgrading to Windows 7:

http://www.wxpnews.com/9LH8QB/090908-WinXP-to-Win7

Weekend Bonus Edition

At the start of my recent vacation, I was in Flagstaff and wanted a good cup of coffee. I was passing a Barnes and Noble so I pulled in, got a cup, then went to get a book to browse. I grabbed a just-released book called “Windows 7 Secrets,” by Paul Therrott and Rafael Rivera. Paul is the chief editor of Winsupersite.com and does a weekly podcast with Leo LaPorte, so I am very familiar with him and was aware of the book.

It is a large book, over 1,000 pages, and weighs about 5 pounds. But as I sipped my coffee and browsed the book, I quickly knew I had to have it.  I was amazed how much I did not know about Microsoft’s latest operating system. I didn’t buy it then, but did shortly after my return to Tucson.  It is now my daily reading material out by the pool every morning.

The bottom line for me is there are many new things that are not in Windows XP, and, that are not obvious. I recommend if you move to Windows 7 via the forthcoming upgrade…or when you buy a new computer…you think about getting this, or another book to learn more about what this great new operating system can do.  There are a lot of new things here that you might overlook.

Paul’s book lists for $49.95, but is available at Amazon.com for $31.49 with free shipping.

Windows 7 nears the finish line

Here is a central depository of all Windows 7 stories and information, by ZDNet.

Amazon, Wal-Mart battling over book pricing

Wal-Mart Stores is waging an online book pricing war against Amazon.com, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday morning.

Is Quicken at the end of the road?

Conventional wisdom is that Intuit's acquisition of the personal finance Web service Mint will mean the end of the line for the company's standalone software app, Quicken. Upstart Mint, which is being acquired by Intuit for $170 million, has a personal finance product more in line with the times, with a younger demographic, a working business model, and a passionate CEO, Aaron Patzer, who's slated to take over the Quicken product line at Intuit once the acquisition closes. It doesn't look good for the old desktop app, Quicken.

Windows 7 Videos to Help You Learn

Editor’s Note: As the official release of Windows 7 is only a few days away, I will be focusing much of my editorial duties to bringing you some of the latest information about this new operating system. Whether you’re upgrading or buying a new computer after 10/23/09, you will need to know how it works and how it differs from what you have been using.

Windows 7 in action: Search tools

One of the best things about Windows 7 is its updated search mechanism. This short video shows how easy it is, how it works, and some of the new things you can do with it. Recommended.

Windows 7 in action: do more with the taskbar and Jump Lists

Here is a closer look at the new taskbar, which represents a striking departure in form and function from its predecessors. Its design is clearly intended to make it easier to manage large numbers of programs and open windows.

Windows 7 in action: A smarter way to manage windows

You’ve no doubt heard about Aero Snap and Aero Shake. Here’s a chance to see these features in action.

Windows 7: Windows Backup Overview

Another major improvement in Win 7 is its built-in backup. Windows Backup allows you to make copies of data files and also create a system image which includes your system settings, programs and files. In Windows 7, you can choose your custom location for the data backup and whether or not to include the system image during backup.

Hulu Desktop Integration Brings Hulu to Windows 7 Media Center

Now that sites like Hulu have become a viable destination for free TV, Hulu integration seems only natural, and Hulu Desktop Integration makes it simple for users to jump between Windows 7 Media Center and Hulu Desktop. Media Center is included as part of Windows 7 Home Premium Edition.

Some Updated Security Information

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

This outstanding list has been compiled by one of our senior security editors, Antti Koponen. The products are listed with the best products first, as judged by Antti. The products are almost exclusively free with some exceptions.

AVG Free 9 offers speed, lacks etiquette 

AVG Free 9 introduces few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. AVG is claiming that scans are 50 percent faster compared with AVG 8.

New Ad-Aware offers behavioral detection

Lavasoft has updated its popular malware and spyware detection and removal tool Ad-Aware. Rather than a dramatic redo, version 8.1 builds on the improvements made in the previous version. The new version is faster, has better removal abilities, and introduces a behavioral detection engine.

Optical storage: RIP

TDK recently demo’d an impressive technical achievement: a 10 layer 320 GB optical disk - using standard Blu-ray (BD) drive technology. Too bad it will never be a commercial success. Optical is at the end of the line.

Kindle versus Sony Reader Pocket Edition

E-book readers are starting to become really popular and may be one of the hottest items for the upcoming holiday season. And the prices are starting to fall. Here is a good comparative review of the two hottest readers available today. Personally I am looking strongly at the Sony.