Infection! That word used to talk about people now it is just as common on your computer, and it is a huge problem to productivity and being able to use your computer. Malware – that generic term for software that can damage your computer what programs can get rid of or block most of it? There is a new free program that is worth looking at. It is from a known name in the virus and spyware game, Ad-Aware. The current product from Ad-Aware provides protection from both viruses and spyware. It has automatic daily updates, it block and scans for anything that might have gotten through. Want to try it out? Here is the link Download Ad-Aware Just click on the download latest version link on the right and you will have full system protection for free!

Keep up with everyone, play Farmville of course and share documents? You bet, you can share files on Facebook using the Microsoft app called Docs. It allows you to create and share Microsoft Office documents with all your contacts on Facebook. In addition you can upload your files to your Facebook account and edit them from any computer because you can edit them online inside your Facebook account. Productivity and shareablity, now that is a good combo. I have started using it and I like this app so far, let me know what you think about it!

You installed a brand new DVD drive, or hard drive and the thing didn’t work. You returned it and got another one, it didn’t work either. What is going on here? It very likely could be the master slave setting. You see computers aren’t that smart they can’t even tell which drive should go first in line. If you have a SATA system it doesn’t matter for you because each port has a priority built right in, but for all you who still have IDE systems check the drive for master slave settings. There should be a map of them on the back of the drive. If it is the only drive of it’s type ( such as the only DVD drive ) then it should be set to master. If there is another one then it needs to be set to slave. This should make the drive work properly with no more need for returns.

There are some bad people out there, and many of them know how to use the internet. Social media sites connect people but not all of them are worth connecting to. There are many predators, and some are posing as kids to lure children into danger. In 2009 Facebook removed nearly 6,000 registered sex offenders from its lists no doubt there are thousands more. So monitor your children when they use social media, make sure you are connected with them. Talk about not posting information that should be kept private. Being aware of the danger, is a step in the write direction so help your kids informed as to the dangers that are out there.

You didn’t do anything different, you didn’t ask for this. However the tech who cleaned your computer says that you had to accept the virus or click on something that permitted it on your computer. Suddenly every one is a suspect, you know you didn’t do it, so who did? Mostly likely it was you, you just didn’t know it. You might have been clickjacked. Clickjacking is taking some hidden code and putting it into an innocent looking webpage. Usually they tell you that you are doing something innocent or getting some info you need, or a link that looks like one you would normally use. That link is a lie, it is the permission that puts the virus onto your computer, and you never know it.

So what can you do? Some anti-virus stop these kind of attacks like AVG. But nothing is bullet proof. You need to be careful when you are browsing, make sure that you are on the site that you think you are, and don’t click on links that seem suspicious to you, or that make ridiculous offers that you are tempted by. If they do trick you and a virus gets through, don’t start looking at everyone suspiciously when the Tech tells you someone clicked on something they shouldn’t have. It was probably you.

Irritated by your internet experience? Would you love to download any video you would like? Is there something you want to do online but it just won’t let you? I have been there too, but I found a solution, Firefox. Firefox is an internet browser and it is my personal favorite. What makes it so good in my point of view?

Firefox add-ons

The add-ons, hands down. Install Firefox for yourself, and then check out the add-ons page. You will find some function that will do just about anything you want for free! I use the web developer toolbar more than anything, I don’t think I could get by without it. I also use DowloadHelper a lot to download videos from the web. A note of caution, check what other people have said about the add-on in the ratings area, because all add-ons are NOT created equal some are clearly better than others. Give it a try and let me know what add-ons you love or hate.

How can you speed up your computer? ReadyBoost is a Windows feature perfected with Windows 7. It makes it possible for you to use USB flash drives to speed up your computer. You can use SD memory cards, flash drives pretty much any kind of flash memory card. Windows 7 can use ReadyBoost on up to 8 devices at the same time, giving you a maximum of 256GB of extra memory!

How do you use it? Your computer will automatically when you plug a flash device into your computer, an autoplay menu should pop up, click on the Speed up my system option and you are off to the races, literally.

Think you are safe on the net because you are surfing on your phone? Think again. This is what a recent report from the Toronto Star had to say:

“Recent research from computer training firm SANS found that 85 per cent of users were not scanning their mobile devices for malicious programs running on the devices. Of the 15 per cent who were, 18 per cent found mobile malware, higher than the overall infection rate for PCs in North America. ”

Smartphones At Risk of Computer Virus

The changes to Google’s search algorithm was announced late Thursday. The goal is to stop websites and blogs that jus copy content from the real creators and then try to benefit from it. According to Matt Cutts a Google engineer this is a big change that will affect many search queries. The proposed benefit is to drop low-quality websites in search results while

Google Changes Search Algorithm

It is the end of an era, the era of space shuttle missions to space is going to end this year. NASA is under presidential direction to retire the shuttle fleet this summer, let private companies take over trips to orbit and focus on getting astronauts to asteroids and Mars.

Space Shuttles Retire