Tips and Toys for Your Computing Christmas

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My gift to you, as is tradition, is a list of free programs and tips for making your computing experience even better this coming year. So, enjoy…JRC

Why You Should Buy Refurbished Computers

If you're afraid of buying used technology, when it comes to a factory refurb, read this before you buy…

20+ essential programs for your new Windows computer

Our regular readers can probably rattle off a list of their 20 favorite apps without breaking a sweat -- as the comments on this post will no doubt prove. But for our less in-the-know friends, family, and co-workers, it can be challenging to figure out where to download high quality programs that actually do what they need them to do. We've put together an assortment that will help you hit the ground running with your new Windows PC.

Top 15 free tools for every Windows desktop

There is almost no end to the number of tools offered for Windows desktops. To help guide you on your quest to find the best free tools available for Windows, I poured through reviews, sifted through hundreds of websites, and canvassed Windows-savvy customers and colleagues to see which products actually help Windows users work faster and free up time for more important things in their day.

Best Free Windows Explorer Add-ons

This Article reviews Windows Explorer extensions and add-ons, like QTTabBar, that provide some of the desirable features found in commercial File Managers (Explorer replacements), like dual-panes, tabs, favorite folder access, etc., while retaining speed and familiarity of Windows.

Free games for your new Windows computer

To get you started with an assortment a free goodies, first install Valve's Steam client software and create an account (assuming you don't have one already). There are several great games you can download at no charge, and there's something for everyone!

Outlook plug-ins, add-ins for Microsoft Outlook 2007, 2010, 2003, XP, 2000

Our time-saving Outlook plug-ins add new functionalities to Microsoft Outlook, automate some routine operations and make your work with Outlook easy and pleasant.

New Net Neutrality Rules–Critically Important to Us All

FCC makes Net neutrality rules official

The new Net neutrality rules adopted Tuesday essentially create two classes of service subject to different rules: one that applies to fixed broadband networks and one for wireless networks. The FCC says this is necessary because wireless networks are technologically different from fixed broadband networks. The first rule requires both wireless and wireline providers to be transparent in how they manage and operate their networks. The second Net neutrality rule prohibits the blocking of traffic on the Internet. The rule applies to both fixed wireline broadband network operators as well as to wireless providers. But the stipulations for each type of network are slightly different.

FCC's Open Internet Order bodes ill for Net neutrality

I'm sounding the alarm now, louder and clearer. If the worst happens, I hope that someone will unearth this column from the ashes of the era of information freedom and say, "If only we had paid more attention to what was happening under our noses, it all could have been different." The game's afoot, and we stand to lose everything.

RIP, AltaVista and Google Wave; we hardly knew ye

A bunch of Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft sites are now dead. Many more also expired in 2010. Who will be next?

Windows Live Plug-ins site Launches

Microsoft have launched a plug-ins website for their popular Live Essentials Suite.  The website, which you can find at plugins.live.com contains not only Microsoft plug-ins but those from third-parties as well.

EssentialPIM - Get Your Personal Information Managed!

The latest version of EssentialPIM is a personal information manager that allows you to keep all your information in electronic form. All your appointments, tasks, notes, contacts, password entries and email messages are stored in a graphical and easily accessible form. Free and paid versions.

MS Security Essentials 2 Now Available

Microsoft Releases Security Essentials 2

Microsoft this week quietly released a second major version of its free security solution for individuals and very small businesses, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) 2.0. This version of the product looks and works much like its predecessor, but unlike the original version, which appeared in September 2009, the new version offers deeper integration with other Windows-based security technologies, including Windows Firewall and the web-based attacks protection in Internet Explorer. Like its predecessor, MSE 2 is free and works with Windows XP, Vista, and 7.

Besides Job Cuts, Yahoo Will Shut Down Web Sites

The cost-cutting at struggling Yahoo has extended beyond 600 job cuts to close Yahoo Buzz and other services. One of the sites Yahoo may close is Delicious, and an analyst said that will upset the most users. Over two years, Yahoo has been shrinking even as CEO Carol Bartz said Yahoo was hiring. MyBlogLog and Alta Vista may also be closed.

How to Buy Your Next Processor

There's a lot you need to consider when you're choosing the proper "brain" for your computer, and there are a lot of CPU choices on the market. This guide will arm you with the basic information you need to make an informed choice.

Get the Most from Your Point-and-Shoot Camera

Just because you've got a relatively inexpensive point-and-shoot camera and not a $1500+ DSLR rig doesn't mean you can't take awesome photos. Here's a look at how you can elevate your regular old point-and-shoot shots to greatness.

Google's Ngram Viewer: A time machine for wordplay

The word "spiderman" appeared in books in the 1920s, long before the famed Marvel superhero debuted in the early '60s. And the term "smartphone" was in use during the first decade of the 20th century, a century before anyone picked up their first iPhone. How do I know all this? By using a new tool from Google called the Ngram Viewer. Launched by the search giant yesterday, this tool lets you trace the usage of a word or phrase during the past five centuries--five centuries!--by seeing how often it's appeared in books over that time span.

Best Free Genealogy Software and Best Batteries

Since most gadgets you buy today have that wonderful tagline, “Batteries not included,” I thought I would included some test results that tell you which batteries you should buy. As a bonus,I’ve also included some test results on rechargeable batteries. Plus, for those of you interesting in your family history, I’ve included a new article on the best of the of free genealogy programs.

I am delighted to see that Dropbox has gone out of beta and is now a finished product. I use this program to keep all my computers in sync with my most important data…but even if you have only one computer, you can use Dropbox as a place to store your most important data in the cloud and offsite. Everyone should be doing this.

As for the rest, there are some interesting articles included here and I encourage you to read them all. You may be surprised at what you find. - JRC

 

Is Your E-Book Reading Up On You?

Most e-readers, like Amazon's Kindle, have an antenna that lets users instantly download new books. But the technology also makes it possible for the device to transmit information back to the manufacturer. And it's not just what pages you read; it may also monitor where you read them. Kindles, iPads and other e-readers have geo-location abilities; using GPS or data from Wi-Fi and cell phone towers, it wouldn't be difficult for the devices to track their own locations in the physical world.

Record Labels Blame Google For Piracy, Hint At Censorship

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the UK’s main recording industry trade body, came out with guns blazing against Google today. BPI says that search engines like Google are as popular as P2P applications as a source for illegal downloads. The music industry is pressing Google and others to censor their search results in favor of ‘legal’ music services.

CNET tests alkaline battery performance

Even in the days of nickel cadmium and lithium ion batteries being used in most laptops, phones, and MP3 players, some of us still need traditional alkaline batteries. Recently, I was asked if I could conduct some battery performance tests on a few regular, everyday, over-the-counter batteries.  I chose what I thought were two of the most popular batteries on the market, and one not so popular battery. The goal being to determine which battery would last longer under controlled conditions.

AA rechargeable battery roundup 2010

On this test, we pit the Apple rechargeable batteries against Duracell and Energizer. Interesting results.

Dropbox Hits Version 1.0, Leaves Its Beta Days Behind

Our favorite file-syncing tool, and yours, just hit version 1.0. Hooray for Dropbox! What does this mean, aside from Dropbox being officially out of beta? The Dropbox team ensures it's capable of both heavier lifting and speedier speed. It also comes with a new, redesigned setup wizard and support for plenty of rare file syncing situations.

Best Free Genealogy / Family Tree Software

PEOPLEGenealogy software provides a method for recording the subjects of our research, e.g. their names, relationships, and events of their lives. Also evidence must be recorded which supports the conclusions reached. They also print the reports and charts to show off the results of our labor. I looked at several free genealogy programs which will do a reasonable job for the novice or advanced genealogist.

Feds Forbidden to Read Your E-Mail Without a Warrant

Appeals court: warrant required before Feds can read e-mail

The government must obtain a valid search warrant before infiltrating your e-mail in a criminal investigation, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. The appeals court ruled Tuesday on US v. Warshak, noting that email "requires strong protection under the Fourth Amendment," and that law enforcement can't demand for an ISP to give up e-mail with just a court order.

Walgreen, McDonald's Say E-Mail Databases Breached

In a bad day for security breaches, Walgreen, McDonald's and Twitter reported incidents. McDonald's says a subcontractor improperly handled customer data, while Twitter said hackers broke into user accounts and sent spam promoting acai berry drinks. Walgreen said hackers sent spam directing customers to enter personal data into outside sites.

WikiLeaks' Assange granted bail in London

In a media-mobbed hearing today, a U.K. judge decided to release Assange on bail of 200,000 pounds, or about $317,000, on the condition that he surrender his passport, wear an electronic tracker, provide a U.K. address, and report to police daily. Article includes more updates on the entire Wikileaks situation.

Microsoft Word - Create email holiday cards in Word

Maybe you've decided to send your cards by email this year--whether for financial or environmental reasons. (Think trips to get stamps, to get cards, to mail cards--when you'd rather spend the time writing the cards, connecting with friends and far-away family members.)

Get iCare Data Recovery software free

From now until December 25, iCare Data Recovery 4.0 is available absolutely free. Regular price: $69.95. To get it, follow the "Steps to get registered iCare for free" instructions, making sure to run the program as an administrator and then pasting in the provided code. (FYI, you must activate it before the 25th.)

Costco Says Bye-Bye to Apple

You do it Apple’s way or you don’t do it at all. So Costco said adios and thanks for the memories. I commend Costco for telling them where they can stick their overpriced products.

But more seriously, I have included an update on multi-leveled attacks against Wikileaks. This is not about espionage…it is more about Freedom of Speech. It’s the US government trying force its will against us knowing what goes on behind the scenes. It harkens back to the days of Richard Nixon and his plumbers, using the IRS and other dirty tricks to attack his enemies. If these modern tricks were in use back then, we would have never known about Watergate.

The government wants to use the 1917 “Espionage Act” (created during time of war) to go after Wikileaks, saying Julian Assange is not a journalist, but a spy. He is currently is imprisoned in Britain for supposed sexual molestation charges in Sweden. But his supporters are fighting back with questionable modern technology by attacking Web sites of Wikileaks enemies. Make no mistake about it…this is an all-out war and we, the people of the United States, may turn out to be the losers. Watch this story carefully and judge for yourself. – JRC 

Update:The Winds of WikiLeaks' War

WikiLeaks' Cablegate release has instigated a Web battle. On one side, high-profile organizations like credit card companies have refused to do business with the site; on the other, WikiLeaks supporters have carried out a series of reprisal DDoS attacks.

Costco confirms it will stop selling Apple products

The Seattle Times says the split is mutual and notes that, unlike some of the deals made with other large-scale Apple resellers, Costco was never allowed to sell Apple's products through its own online store. The post also highlights that Costco's sales of Apple products did not venture further than offering slightly discounted iPods and packs of iTunes gift cards.

Three Trillion Pigs Down, Angry Birds Keeps Thriving

A silly diversion where birds do ceaseless battle with pigs has become a pop-culture phenomenon. The Angry Birds smartphone app has been downloaded some 12 million times, with another 30 million downloads of its free app, which makes money through ads. The one-year anniversary of the game's debut has been dubbed "Angry Birds Day."

Most Popular Photography Tips, Tricks, and Hacks of 2010

Whether it's before, during, or after you shoot, we've posted some awesome photography tips, tricks, and hacks this year. Here are the most popular for 2010.

AOL You've Got News app offers a slick reading experience in Google Chrome

Harkening back to days of yore, it's You've Got News. Unlike the New York Times app Seb showed you, You've Got News is a locally installed app -- not a link to a remotely hosted Web site. The app actually feels a bit like reading the newspaper: use your left and right arrow keys to flip through the main sections and your up and down keys to peruse a section's individual pages. You can also click on background pages in the margins to bring them into focus.

Looking Ahead to 2011

The Tipping Point: 2011 Technology Preview

PC Users are on the brink of a massive shift in technology and performance. We identify the most game-changing technologies and life-changing products for the coming year

December 2010 Patch Tuesday will come with most bulletins ever

According to the Microsoft Security Response Center, Microsoft will issue 17 Security Bulletins addressing 40 vulnerabilities on Tuesday, December 14. It will also host a webcast to address customer questions the following day.

Internet Explorer 9 to get tracking protection

Microsoft this morning detailed changes to Internet Explorer 9's security features that will better enable users to keep sites from tracking their activity across browsing sessions. The feature, which is set to arrive in the first release candidate of IE9 early next year, uses a list to tell the browser which third-party page elements sites can and cannot be blocked from tracking. This includes elements ranging from advertisements to more mundane things like embedded widgets from particular providers.

Is now the wrong time to buy an iPad?

Here's how I see it. For starters, I don't believe Apple's actually releasing a new iPad 2 in February. You could argue that despite Steve Jobs insisting that the company has no plans to ship a smaller iPad, it might put one out. You know, the so-called iPad Mini. We're talking something with a 7-inch screen. Fat chance that'll happen but it's just as unlikely Apple will put out a new version of its current 9.7-inch model.

Todo.ly is a to-do list manager for Chrome and the Web

To-do lists are pretty important for getting things done; and much like text editors, every person has their own favorite flavor, and it seems like every developer has a slightly different idea of what an ideal to-do manager would look like. Todo.ly is one take on the do-do list manager. It also comes as a Chrome Web app, so if you use multiple synchronized Chrome browsers (or Chrome OS) and install the Web app, you instantly get the same to-do list manager across all of your machines. Just that may be reason enough to set it up.

Bad China and Good Info

Leaked Cable: China Ordered Hacking on Google

A cable released by WikiLeaks quotes a contact as saying that high-ranking political and military officials oversaw the hacking of Google last year. A separate cable released by WikiLeaks says that another high-ranking Chinese official demanded action against Google after looking for his own name on the search engine and finding criticism of him.

Top smartphones of 2010 

In the market for a new cell phone? Here are some of the best ones that might help you with your decision. Hint - pick your carrier first then the phone.

iTunes alternatives: how do Amazon and other digital music services compare? 

Is iTunes still the most expensive digital music service? Which iTunes alternative offers the best deal for music lovers? Are digital albums a better deal than CDs? And just how much are you overpaying if you buy by the track instead of by the album?

Google eBooks: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Google launched its e-books site this morning. No longer called Google Editions, the site is now called Google eBooks. Can the Kindle and Nook can survive in the face of Google’s entry into the market (I think the answer is yes), I’d suggest that Google will most likely just make platform-agnostic eBooks more mainstream than Amazon has with its Kindle apps for various platforms.

Add 'do not track' to Firefox, IE, Google Chrome

With just a little effort, you can set Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome to clear out and block the cookies most online ad networks and other Web trackers rely on to build their valuable user profiles.

Tips for Purchasing Your Next PC

Your next PC: thinking beyond the desktop

With Black Friday a fading memory and Cyber Monday deals still fresh on the Web, visions of a new PC may be dancing in your head. But before you go out hunting for that shiny new Win7 machine, take a deep breath, sit back, and consider these tips on buying a PC.

FTC calls for "Do Not Track" list, new policies to protect online privacy 

The Federal Trade Commission is proposing new policies around online privacy, including the creation of a “Do Not Track” mechanism as a means of easing the burden on consumers trying to keep tabs on who’s keeping tabs on them.

Facebook rolls out facelift for profile pages 

Facebook unveiled a redesign for members' profile pages today that puts a greater emphasis on photos and sharing personal information at the top of users' pages.

Top 10 Ways to Spot an Internet Hoax

Here are John C. Dvorak’s 10 tips for spotting the fraud, hoax, and scam e-mails that pile up in your inbox, so you can avoid them or get payback.

Windows 7 Christmas Themes description, Screen Savers & Themes Downloads

Are you feeling a little blue this holiday season? I was, until I installed Windows 7 Themes.net's delightful Christmas themes. This free download has it all--several wallpapers, holiday-themed icons, and Christmassy sounds, plus a soothing screen saver. The desktop themes (one red themed, one green) manage to be festive, stylish, and inspirational all at the same time.

Is the U.S. Becoming a Nation of Censorship?

I am becoming alarmed at the role our government is taking in censoring Internet content. Bills are pending in Congress that will allow the government to shut down Web sites that they deem to violate copyright laws, or are deemed a “security risk.”. Of course, this is being pushed on them by their masters in the entertainment business.  

Homeland Security’s ICE division (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is already confiscating domain names from Web sites that have the slightest hint of file sharing…without due process! By taking the domain name, the effectively remove the sites from the Web, even though they are still there. Many of these sites are located in other countries, which extends this censorship beyond US borders.

What is ironic, as pointed out in our third story, is that some Web sites are moving to China, the king of all Internet censorship! What does that say about our right of free speech? That right and others are slowly being eroded in the name of security. I fear for us and where we are headed.

JRC

The Rise of Web Censorship 

I have no problem with law-enforcement agencies having the power to stop crimes. What I do have a problem with is them being given carte blanche to decide on their own, whenever they want, anywhere in the world, when a Web site should be shut down. That is a power that should never belong to the police alone of any country.

Booted from US-based domain, WikiLeaks site finds refuge with Swiss Pirate Party

The website WikiLeaks.org is no longer functioning, after its US-based domain host, Amazon, terminated service for the controversial site, under pressure from the government. The expulsion forced WikiLeaks to relocate its domain name with a Switzerland-based domain name host, and the website is now found at WikiLeaks.ch.

Avoiding US Censorship, Torrent Sites May Flee To China

China is often criticized for its Internet censorship practices. Although this is certainly valid with regard to political issues, the United States is rapidly becoming one of the most progressive countries when it comes to commercial censorship. Safeguarding commercial interests is increasingly preferred above the rights of the general public. Ironically, BitTorrent sites may have to flee to China to keep their ‘freedom’.

Google patches Chrome security holes, adds PDF viewer in sandbox

Google has shipped a new version of its Chrome web browser to fix at least 14 security vulnerabilities that expose users to malicious hacker attacks. The Chrome 8.0.552.215 update also include a new built-in PDF viewer that is secured in Chrome’s sandbox...

Chopin Script Freeware Font Strikes an Elegant Note

If we were matchmakers unstuck in time, we would introduce Chopin the composer to Chopin Script font. Nineteenth-century Monsieur Chopin is known for major innovation to the Polonaise, a low dance of Polish origin, while Twenty-first century Chopin Script (free) is a digital descendent of the script face Polonaise created in 1970 by the late Phil Martin of Alphabet Innovations.

WikiLeaks–The New Journalism?

WikiLeaks has U.S. scrambling to plug holes

The apparent revelations originating from the latest WikiLeaks are both embarrassing and rapid-fire: Afghanistan's vice president was found to be transporting $52 million in cash; Saudi Arabia's king called for the U.S. to attack Iran; a British duke mocked Americans' understanding of geography.

Facebook infested with new worm; More proof site is insecure? 

Facebook is littered with a worm, seemingly the same one under different names, created by randomly generated developers, which is spreading links all over the site.

Google Earth 6.0 Offers a Full Walking Tour Experience

A virtual walking tour with a mouse scroll wheel is one of the new features in Google Earth 6.0. The streets available to tour on Google Earth are in selected city locations and highlighted in blue. Google Earth 6.0 also makes it significantly easier to access historical images. Backgrounds in Google Earth are now filled with 3-D constructs.

Google's E-Book Store Will Offer 'Read Anywhere' Storage

he delayed Google Editions e-book store is getting ready to launch with a new twist of storing e-books in the cloud for "read anywhere" access. Analysts expect 200 independent booksellers could join Google Editions, and Google could capture a fifth of a growing market. While Google is not offering an e-book reader, that could come later.

WinUtilities Free Edition

WinUtilities Free Edition, a suite of tools designed to free up disk space and improve system performance. We were quite pleased with the program's results.