Pink & Turquoise Krazydad Scope–A link to my kaleidoscope search & view slideshow gadget for iGoogle is included in the description.

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Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles stoke sales
Jeff Bezos isn’t just confident you’ll want a Kindle e-book reader. The CEO of Amazon.com is bracing for a future in which you’ll also want ones for your kid heading to college, your spouse in a book
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Security Suites: Big Protection, Little Fuss
Just a few short years ago, all a PC needed for protection was a basic antivirus program to guard against any malware that arrived via an e-mail attachment… antivirus – Malware – Security – Personal computer – Malicious Software
Read more on PC World

The use of online faxing services is quickly growing. More and more businesses and individuals are using the online faxing services to send documents quickly and safely across the world. In the near future, the fax machine will give way to online faxing altogether; however, most people are still using the standard fax machine.

Regardless of whether online faxing becomes one of the more common modes of communication, it is an important skill to have, and many people aren’t yet sure how to send a fax online. So, how do you send an online fax?

Sending faxes via the internet is a simple process. It involves signing up with an internet fax provider (there are many available to choose from), they will give you a toll free number that you use to receive and send faxes. The provider acts as a middle man, sending and receiving your documents for you.

In general, you can expect to receive faxes as an e-mail attachment in either TIFF or PDF format. It is therefore possible to send online faxes from one online account to another or from an online account to a traditional fax machine. the online faxing website that you select will figure out how to convert the files and make sure that your fax gets where it needs to go.

All of the online fax providers offer a website where you can view sent documents, save incoming files, and check the progress of recent faxes. Some also work directly with your email accounts, so make sure and check with your online faxing service to see what they offer.

Other fax services offer a particular desktop application that allows the sending or receiving of faxes. Your particular fax service will also have more information on this.  Some plans offer the use of Microsoft Office applications that can be directly integrated for programs like Excel, Word, or Power Point.

The cover letter and multi page fax are still used during online faxing, the only difference is that you are sending the documents via the internet and not the phone lines.

While online faxes are convenient and fast, you may wonder why so many people are switching to online faxing.

Many people are switching over the online faxing since it requires fewer resources. In general, it uses less paper and ink, and if often costs less money than a traditional fax machine. Also, in the era of laptops, you can read and send faxes on the go– working from home or while traveling is much easier with online faxing.

For those of us who are becoming more concerned with going green, online faxing will also save the earth by using fewer resources. Not only will you use less paper and ink, but you will also use less energy to run the fax machine.

Most importantly, online faxes are the way of the future. It enables one machine, your computer, to receive or send all your faxes through the internet. Since the internet never turns off, there is never a worry about a missed fax because of a busy signal and there is no need to wait to send or receive because it can all be done at the same time.

One way to be more competitive as a business and have a smooth running business is through online faxing. Faxing is the one of the methods used to acquire sales, clients, and communicating with other employees. While some companies are using online fax services to stay competitive in addition to their old machines, others are making the complete transition into the new way of faxing.

All advantages are accessible with  online faxing and it helps beat the competition. You can smile knowing your ahead when you send the next fax.

Brought to you by cheap remade Gateway notebooks. Combating infections and removing viruses is now big business. Lesson one is ‘knowing the enemy’.

THE ENEMY – Crackers and Hackers

Geeks make a distinction between crackers, who break into systems to do damage, and hackers who enjoy taking programs apart just to see how they tick. We’ll stick with the more common, though less accurate, term of hacker. (The term ‘hacker’ originally meant ‘someone who makes furniture’ with an axe. Crude, but effective – like most computer viruses.)

Viruses are actually a particular type of computer ‘malware’ – a general term covering all types of malicious software.  The most common types are viruses, worms and Trojan horses.

VIRUSES

A virus is usually hidden inside another program such as an installation program delivered via e-mail attachment. (Biological viruses require a host organism to live and reproduce, hence the name.) When the ‘host’ program is run, the virus program also runs. Once it’s in memory the virus is able to do its dirty work, which usually includes infecting other programs.

After the infection stage of the virus, there’s a destructive stage. The virus waits for a pre-determined trigger (such as a specific date or a certain number of times the virus has replicated itself) before delivering its ‘payload’. Payloads range from simple messages to file deletion commands to destruction of the core operating system.

When first developed, computer viruses were commonly distributed on floppy disks. With the growth of the Internet downloaded files and e-mail are the preferred delivery mechanisms. E-mail can contain attachments which can be any kind of computer file. Any executable file can be infected with a virus, and shouldn’t be run unless you’re confident they’re virus free. 

WORMS

Worms are similar to viruses in that they’re self-replicating. They reproduce themselves across networks without human assistance, such as e-mail sending. A worm, though, doesn’t need another executable program to be distributed.

Worms usually affect networks more than individual computers on the network. Their self-replicating behavior can overload network resources, causing slowdowns in data transmission by consuming massive bandwidth normally used to forward normal traffic. Network systems that route Internet traffic are just specialized computer hardware and software. They, too, can be affected by malware.

Worms can also be designed to carry a payload, using a ‘backdoor’ installation program. A backdoor is a hidden access point to a computer that bypasses the normal login procedure. They’re commonly used by spammers to distribute junk e-mail, for example.

TROJAN HORSES

Trojan horses are the third common type of malware. A ‘trojan’ is a program that pretends to do one thing but actually does something different. (The term comes from the story of the Greeks who built a large wooden horse in which to hide. Their enemies, the Trojans persuaded they’d receive a gift, took the horse inside their compound giving the Greeks easy access to wreak havoc.) Unlike viruses or worms, a Trojan doesn’t replicate itself.

Trojans may be hidden in otherwise useful software. Once started they can do almost anything including erasing data, corrupting files, installing backdoors and logging keystrokes so that hackers can steal information such as credit card numbers and passwords.

FIGHTING MALWARE

Elsewhere in the series, we’ll discuss what is and can be done to combat the spread of malware. In the interim, just remember not to be passive and expect the problem to be solved by others. Fighting viruses requires active participation from vendors, webmasters AND users.

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Brought to you by cheap refurbished Lenovo laptop computers. Two simple precautions can help keep your computer virus free – install and use software from reliable vendors and avoid opening unexpected e-mail attachments.

Almost all e-mail attachments are potential virus carriers. Some of the most famous viruses were distributed by accessing address books of infected computers and sending e-mail (with attachments) to everyone in the address book.

Even those from known senders should be regarded with suspicion – e-mail addresses can easily be faked to appear to be from someone you know.

The ‘Melissa’ virus that appeared in 1999, originally posted on an Internet newsgroup, was distributed in a Microsoft Word document. When downloaded and opened the virus accessed the user’s address book and sent copies of the document (along with the virus) to the first 50 people in the user’s address book.

Every computer that received the virus sent out an additional 50 copies, creating a worldwide slowdown in Internet networks. The effect took only a few hours.

Another widespread virus distributed by e-mail was the ‘ILOVEYOU’ virus of 2000. When double clicked it sent copies of itself to every e-mail address in the infected computers address book. But far from a problem of the past, viruses are still very much with us.

What to do?

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE 

Antivirus software is available in both commercial and freeware versions with a variety of features and prices, usually from free to less than $50.

Most antivirus software works by examining files as they arrive at the computer and by scanning later at configurable pre-set times. The programs work by examining each e-mail attachment and downloaded file looking for virus ‘signatures’.

If a virus is found the user will be alerted and infected programs and attachments can be cleansed of the virus or, if not possible, infected files can be deleted or placed into ‘quarantine’ where they can’t be run.

UPDATES

Whare are signatures? All programs have instructions in a pattern. Computer viruses – like their biological counterparts – come in known, though evolving, patterns. The fact of evolution is the reason virus-checking files need to be regularly updated. Updated files contain lists and the characteristics of new signatures.

Most antivirus software can be configured to alert you when the virus checking files are out of date, and even to automatically refresh signature files with the latest versions.

USER PARTICIPATION

Users can become complacent after installing antivirus software, thinking they’re totally protected and don’t need to worry about becoming infected.

Apart from the fact that antivirus software is written by humans, who can make errors, vendors can only react to viruses after they’re created. By that time, much damage can already have been done. An e-mail attachment or program may be infected with a new type of virus that your software cannot (yet) detect.

Some antivirus software can – to a limited extent – detect virus activity even without being able to identify a particular virus. This is an extra level of protection against the latest viruses, but still shouldn’t allow users to become overconfident. 

Always use trusted sources for downloading software and treat every e-mail attachment with caution.

OTHER INFECTION ROUTES

Lastly, a special note about CDs and DVDs. While they can’t be written to (those that can are called CD-R’s, DVD-R/W or some variation), they can still contain viruses. Users who burn their own CDs or DVDs – inexpensive and easy these days – can accidentally copy infected programs onto the disc. Since CDs can contain files that automatically act when the disc is inserted, it’s possible – though rare – for viruses to be spread without additional user action.

Once again, the lesson is clear. Only accept material from those you know and trust, and who practice ‘safe file sharing’.

Be safe out there, now.

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Known for its desktop search application, Copernic has a new service for the remote crowd.

MyCopernic on the Go lets you remotely search for and access files on your home or office PC.

By subscribing to the $9.95-per-year service, you can find and view files on your PC from any remote device–desktops, laptops, or smartphones including Apple’s iPhone, Palm’s Pre, or BlackBerrys.

The service requires that either Windows Desktop Search or Copernic’s own desktop search app be installed on your source computer. (Copernic offers three variations of its search app–a free Home edition with basic features, a $50 Pro version, and a $60 Corporate edition.)

To get started, you set up your subscription at Copernic. You install and load the MyCopernic connector on your source PC. From there, you open the MyCopernic on the Go site on your remote device and log-in to your account. And then your source PC is ready to be searched.

The MyCopernic on the Go search screen

(Credit: Copernic)

MyCopernic on the Go boasts that it can find just about any file type–document, image, e-mail, attachment, contact, or calendar item. You can search for files by name or category and even run advanced searches to include options like date and file size.

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(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

As promised back in May, T-Mobile is bringing Microsoft Exchange support to the T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009. Starting Tuesday afternoon, Sidekick LX owners will be able to download the Sidekick Sync app from the handheld’s Download Catalog and get real-time push e-mail, attachment viewing, and …