The big story this day is Lenovo Computers and their purposeful installation of something called Superfish. If you bought a Lenovo computer in the last 6 months, you should definitely check to see if you are infected. If you are, stop using it for any secure transactions.
Now, this is not something these computers caught on the Net. No, this software was deliberately put on the computers by Lenovo. Lenovo shipped some 16 million computers in the 4th quarter. If you bought your Lenovo at Amazon or Best Buy, you almost assuredly infected with Superfish. To their credit, Lenovo has now stopped installing Superfish.
Our first article details the infection as well as how to check for it and how to remove it. But some tech experts are saying you may need to reinstall Windows with a clean version of the OS from Microsoft as Superfish is a rootkit and only a clean install can get rid of it for sure.
Sadly for Lenovo, their trust is shot and this could be a killing blow to the sale of their machines in the future. We shall see.
Our second story talks about spyware being installed by all the major hard drive manufacturers…possibly at the behest of the NSA.
Now with all this good news in mind, take a look at the rest of today’s blog. Surely you will find some good things here to help you out. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Until Superfish fix, Lenovo devices can't be trusted for secure work
ZDNet is reporting Lenovo installs a self-signing root certificate authority that has the capability to intercept and hijack internet traffic flowing over SSL and TLS connections -- often used by online stores, banks, and other apps and services to secure send data.
Spyware Revealed on Popular Hard Drives, NSA Suspected
The software has been found to work with hardware made by Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba, IBM, Micron Technology and Samsung, and could provide a means to conduct surveillance “on the majority of the world’s computers.”
The Windows 8 scrap heap: 10 features that didn't make it to Windows 10
Windows 8 was filled with bold ideas, designed to move Windows forward in one giant leap. Three years later, as Windows 10 nears its release date, many of those innovative ideas are gone. Here's what's been tossed away, and why.
Meet the 'Real-Life Q' Who Builds Secret Spy Gadgets for a Living
I grew up watching James Bond films. My favorite part was always the same: the part where "Q" would outfit our hero with the latest in spy technology. Ralph Osterhout also grew up loving Bond movies — but he took it to the next level.
Uniting with rivals? Welcome to the new Microsoft
There may be no more surprising development in technology over the past year than Microsoft's radical transformation into an industry collaborator.
Computer Tips and Tricks
Microsoft OneNote tutorial: Everything you need to know to start taking notes
OneNote is the best Microsoft program from you’re probably not using. If you’ve ignored the digital note-taking app because, well, it’s Microsoft, or because you thought “the last thing I need is more software,” then it’s time to reconsider.
Apple releases iTunes 12.1.1 update for Windows
In a rare move, Apple has released an iTunes 12.1.1 update specifically for Windows users only, with fixes related to direct synchronization with Outlook and iOS devices. The update also addresses an audio playback glitch, and the release notes also indicate that the update “improves compatibility with screen readers.”
A Superb PC Troubleshooting Tool
If you need to track down the program which is causing a specific symptom on your computer, such as advertising panels being displayed, this is the best way to help find out. It does this and much more. Free from Microsoft.
The Best Tax Software for 2015
Online and mobile versions of tax-prep software make the annual ritual of ponying up to Uncle Sam less painful than ever. We test the most popular apps to help you pick the right one.
How to Find The Best Wi-Fi Channel For Your Router on Any Operating System
Choosing the best Wi-Fi channel on your router helps to reduce interference and improve your WI-Fi signal. These tools will help you identify the least congested Wi-Fi channel in your area.
Mobile Computing
How to organize photos and videos into albums on your iPhone or iPad
The Photos app on iPhone and iPad gives you quick and easy access to all your pictures and videos. Apple even automagically sorts them into moments, collections, and years to make finding specific photos and videos by time and location even easier.
How to manage a Microsoft Office document in iCloud on your iPad
As long as you are running iOS 8 you can now open, edit and save your work to iCloud Drive, as well as share your documents between multiple apps.
12 Tricks for Typing Faster on Your iPhone or iPad’s Keyboard
Some of these tricks are well hidden. You may never discover them until someone tells you — or you read about them in an article like this one.
The 10 Best Windows Tablets
But just because they're the hot new thing doesn't mean that every tablet PC is great, which is why we're here in the first place-to weed out the clunkers and help you know what's best, and why.
3G vs. 4G: What's the Difference?
If you're buying a new smartphone, you'll need to choose a type of data network. We explain 3G and 4G in simple terms.
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