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List of Programs we recommend keeping updated

Keeping updated helps keep your computer secure and free of spyware and viruses.  With fake security alerts it can be difficult to know what to keep updated.  If you see pop-ups for the any of the following programs, you should click to update them.  For Windows 7 systems you click on the arrow in your system tray to see all notifications.

I was tired of semi-bare walls in my apartment and a blank TV that I rarely watch.  Currently I'm too cheap to buy art for a place I might not live in for a long time.  What's the solution?  Let's get the best of Flickr's photos streamed to my TV using my mac mini and the internet connection.  RSS will do this for you in low quality.  Use the directions below to go high def.  To get started you''ll need a TV, internet and a mac mini.  There are ways to do this with a PC, but this blog post focuses on macs.

Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.  It is free for home users and free for small businesses with 10 PCs or fewer.

According to the following BBC article, Google studied 240 million websites over 13 months, and found that 15% of all malware is fake antivirus software, and discovered over 11,000 domains distributing the fake software.  It is best to stay with known antivirus providers such as Symantec, Microsoft, and AVG, and not to be tricked into clicking on links or fake windows.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10088949.stm
 

Crisis Commons overview & focus on maps from Robert Wray on Vimeo.

If your laptop is stolen, it is relatively quick and simple to access data stored on its hard drive, including web browsing history, patient information, legal documents, personal information, etc.  Using open-source (free and community developed/supported) software to encrypt your laptop drive raises the "security fence" high enough that only super-spy types could access your data.  And if they have your laptop, you have more to worry about than your college videos ending up on YouTube.

We have suggested to many of you to buy a wireless connection to fill your need for constant connectivity. This could be for connectivity on the go or for a backup internet connection when your cable or DSL line goes down. XOHM has merged with clearwire. As part of this merger, all the XOHM hardware is getting deactivated and "Clear" hardware has been sent out as a replacement. We got our new Clear hardware today for our XOHM monthly account.

Have we done so much remote work and preventative maintenance for your office that you forgot what we look like?  Check out our current group photo shot.   We also plan to do a winter party soon, so please come see us there too.  We expect the party to happen in January or February.  Check back here soon or follow us on twitter.  @innov8usa.

What is "Cloud Computing"?  CNN provides a good explanation in this video: 
 

Hard drives often run out of space, which in addition to lack of file storage, can cause very noticeable operating system performance issues.  When trying to clean up a drive, it is often difficult to find what is the real space-killer.

WinDirStat is a free application that analyzes the drive and creates a visual interactive map of your drive's file usage, allowing you to see exactly what is using up space so that you can make decisions on what to delete.

Do you want to make your computer run twice as fast? Robert Wray, Innovative Technology's founder talks about one of the greatest products in computing over the last serveral years . This could speed up your computer from 2-20 times faster. Watch the video below to find out more.

Apple has released their new operating system called Snow leopard. The new feature we are most excited about is the ability for the operating system to connect to the Microsoft corporate mail server called exchange. It has been possible to do this in the past with an expensive entourage license, but now you can do this for free if you get a new mac, or for 29$ on your old macs. If you have 5 macs, apple has offered a discounted price of 49$. Give us a call if you have questions about how this might work in your office.

Switch to a faster, safer, and easier to use browser - Firefox 3.5, latest version released today.

Tired of phishing scams, spyware, employees playing online poker, kids viewing adult sites, etc?  Check out OpenDNS, which can aggressively filter web content, preventing phishing attacks and inapproriate surfing.

Using a mobile phone equipped with a camera and GPS, augmented reality applications are emerging, blending live real-world information with online data. 

I'm always looking for alternative inputs to standard keyboards for smartphones.  There's a cool new for iphone, android, and windows mobile.  Instead of tapping on each letter you just draw a line between letters, making for faster entry.  It's called Shapewriter.

 Malware is any software that infiltrates, uses and/or damages your PC without your consent.  Examples of malware are spyware, adware, trojans, viruses, and worms.  Through our experience tackling these costly pests, we've found some programs that work really well, especially when used together, including:

Need to access the same set of files across multiple computers? While these file sharing applications don't replace business-class networking solutions, they can be handy for personal use:

Welcome to the blog of Innovative Technology Consulting! Stay tuned for PC / network related news items and tips.