Swine Flu Infects Computers

Posted by Civi on April 30, 2009

No, there’s no need to keep pigs away from your computer, but there may be a need to update our virus scanners. In Japan, a computer virus called Swine Flu has shown up. The virus has been spread by an email with the attachment “information on swine flu.” The email supposedly comes from Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, but it’s really the work of a hacker. No one is certain what the virus actually does or Read more… »

Computer to Compete on Jeopardy

Posted by Civi on April 27, 2009

We’ve seen a computer take on the highest ranked chess players in the world. Now engineers at IBM are ready to pit their computer against players on the trivia show Jeopardy! IBM is preparing their computer to handle all the interesting categories the quiz show features, which include things like puns, word relationships, and analogies. Contestants must answer in the form of a question to gain money, something the computer will also Read more… »

Is Downloading Really Safe?

Posted by Civi on April 23, 2009

You may have heard about someone who downloaded a new song, a movie clip, or even a program and ended up getting a horrible virus that wiped out their computer. These stories may make you very wary about downloading anything of the internet, but not every download contains a virus. If you only download programs from reputable websites, you shouldn’t have to worry about destroying your computer. Also, don’t download any file you think Read more… »

Roll up Keyboards Give You Flexibility

Posted by Civi on April 20, 2009

Are you tired of your fingers hitting several keys on your tiny laptop keyboard? Many people find them too small to type on, but it’s really impractical to carry around a full-sized keyboard. Buying a laptop with a full keyboard can be impractical, too, since they’re larger and heavier. The solution: a roll up keyboard! These keyboards are made out of flexible material that can be rolled up like a piece of paper and stowed in just about any sized backpack. Read more… »

Microsoft Repairs 23 Different Software Security Issues

Posted by Civi on April 16, 2009

Notice your computer wanting to update around April 15? If so, let it—Microsoft has released an update that fixes 23 different known security issues with various programs. If you’re still using Internet Explorer 6 or 7, there are six different issues that have to be addressed. There’s also a Windows XP and Vista critical update that helps stop attacks on your computer. A few of the fixes address vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel, Read more… »

Conficker Virus Still At Large

Posted by Civi on April 13, 2009

While April 1st came and went without the Conficker virus destroying the computing world as we know it, the virus is still active and is doing some damage. Most recently, the virus hit the University of Utah, infecting over 700 computers and causing some issues at the university’s hospitals. The Conficker virus can steal personal information, including passwords and credit card numbers.

Various patches and removal tools have been issued by nearly every major antivirus company, and instructions for removing Conficker from your computer and Read more… »

Magic Folders Allows You to Hide Away any Folder

Posted by Civi on April 9, 2009

If you share your computer with anyone, you may have some folders or files you don’t want them to see. These may be important business documents, or they may be, um, interesting images and videos you’d rather your spouse not know you have. You might just want to hide your important documents from your kids just so they don’t accidentally get deleted. Whatever the reason, the program Magic Folders can easily allow you to make certain folders invisible to all users. Once they’re hidden, no one can modify, move, view, or delete the files located in these folders. To unhide them, just go to Magic Folders and enter your password. Instantly, all the invisible folders are visible to you! It’s a great way of protecting files on any shared computer.

Android Operating System Coming to PC’s?

Posted by Civi on April 6, 2009

If you’re familiar with the smart phone world, you’ve heard of Android, Google’s operating system that runs on mobile devices. So far, Android only runs on the HTC G1/Dream, but it’s scheduled to appear on many more phones this year. It also may appear on Hewlett-Packard’s netbooks, replacing Windows as the company’s default operating system. Android has already been tested on some netbooks, including those may be Asustek, and it ran fine. Netbooks are a relatively new concept—they are small, cheap computers designed mainly for internet and application use. They are, in some ways, the big brother of the smart phone, so it only makes sense that Android would be a great fit for them.

The Conficker April Fools Virus

Posted by Civi on April 3, 2009

April 1, 2009 loomed as one of the biggest days in computer history…almost. After a week of hearing about the Conficker virus and how it was going to cause all sorts of issues for computer users, the day came and went without much of anything happening. Computer programmers had been saying for several days that the Conficker virus was one of the most sophisticated that they’d ever seen and had the ability to actually take over people’s computers. However, computer experts from around the world, including many working at top virus protection companies, sprang into action and Read more… »

Unique USB Hubs

Posted by Civi on April 2, 2009

Are you tired of your computer station looking like everyone else’s? If so, there are a few interesting computer gadgets you can grab to spice up your desk. One of the computer accessories that have become very popular to customize is the USB hub. Sure, all you really need is a small, boxy hub that splits your one USB port into four or more, but where’s the fun in that? If you really want to show off your unique personality and style, you can find USB hubs in a variety of shapes and sizes.

If you want to work in a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars R2-D2 or Darth Vader USB hub is perfect for Read more… »