XP Internet Security 2010

Last week I had an encounter with “XP Internet Security 2010” malware. This is considered to be a “Rogue Security Software”. It is built to deceive users into paying for fake malware removal. It looks very much like the real thing. Here are some screenshots:

Looks real and official doesn’t it?  This just pulls up random files in your PC and warns about a malware infection. These are just listed to scare you. Well you are infected with this malware of course.

You’ll also get pop-up warnings in the corner of your taskbar.  Of course by this time your probably already suspecting a malware attack  as these pop up almost constantly at this point.

Of course they want you to register. They want your money and information. The only course you should take here is the “X” on the top right corner.

At first I did run a scan  with my Panda antivirus which showed up nothing. I scanned with Spybot:Search and Destroy which did find some spyware. It did not solve the problem even after two scans. I realized I had to get some extra help. One that came highly recommended was MalwareBytes:

I downloaded the software and ran a full scan. The only downside was that the scan last almost 3 hours. After  it rebooted the infection was gone.  I was very relieved and happy. The version I got was free but, there is a pay version also.  I highly recommend this software if your running into this problem too. It can be found here at Malware Bytes website. For more information you can check out this helpful guide by BleepingComputer.com.

My favorite Apps so far

  I know that iPhone is sort of old news but it’s new to me. I think part of the allure of the iPhone is the sheer number of apps that you can find for this device. Even a couple of weeks later I’m still finding interesting stuff browsing through the Apple App store. I got a car charger and a silicon case for it already. I’ve got a car carrier coming too. Next I believe may be a cassette adapter to play my music. Anyway I just thought I’d share what my favorite items are so far. Most are free though a few I’ve paid for. I’ve discover many free apps are but “lite” versions(or demo) of full scale pay apps. Which is good that you can try something out for free before forking over your cash. This is essentially a way to “test drive” an app to see if you like it. Well here’s an early list of my favorite apps:

Facebook - (Free)

I’m a self admitted Facebook addict so this was a no brainer. It contains the essential features that you use on the site. You can update your status, upload photo’s, check your feed, make comment’s, chat, and so on. Games, quizzes, video’s(containing flash media) and other applications may not show up. It’s actually a very clean version of Facebook without all the added clutter.  I like it so far.

Flickr - (Free)

I’m a big fan of Flickr and so this was an early download. Flickr if you don’t know is a site that allows you to upload and share your photo’s along with many other things you can do with your photo’s. This app is handy to upload your photo’s to the web and then you can do what you want with them( like post them to a blog like I’m doing here).  It can also be a way to surf through and admire other peoples photography.

Google - (Free)

This one is handy if you’ve got a Gmail account and use there services a lot. There search feature even has a voice search which you can “tell” Google what to search for. It’s a pretty neat feature in it’s own right.

Yahoo! - (Free)

Of course we can’t leave out Yahoo! I’ve had a Yahoo! for over ten years so this was one of my first downloads. Like the Google App you can check your email and other Yahoo! features.  You can check news and on your social media and customize it to your taste.

Doodle Jump - ($o.99 USD)

I had to include this fun app to break up all the serious ones here. This one was recommended to me by my sister-in-law. It is strangely simple yet addicting. Your doodle must jump and bounce continually on floating platforms. You move him around by tilting your phone from side to side. It’s silly but fun. It’s a quick game you can play waiting in line somewhere.

These are just the first five of favorites. I do have some other’s I’ll feature in another post. Enjoy and I’ll talk to you later.

Happy New Year’s Day 2010 !

I want to wish all my friends, family and guests to this website a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Usually New Year’s day is a day of parties and resolution’s. For me it is a time to spend with family without much fanfare.  This past year has been a challenge but we made it through which we can be thankful. We lived through the challenge of bringing up my new son Sam(in his first year) and my oldest son Josh who still wants the same amount of attention as before.  I don’t have any new “resolution’s” to reveal. I’m still continuing along with the goals I’m working on. They include to continue with my quitting smoking with Chantix, to get an “A” in every class I take at New England Tech and not to forget to love and support my family throughout the year.

I actually think New Year’s day should be the day of thanks instead of Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for my wife bearing the brunt of raising  two son’s and running a household. Thankful for a job that has been steady and keeps food on the table and a roof over our heads. I’m also thankful to new and old friends and family I’ve met through Facebook. I hope you all have a……..

Happy New Year!

Bob and his iPhone

I know that I’ve only had the iPhone  for a week I just wanted to share some thought’s on it. This was a combination quit smoking and Christmas gift. I had been researching the iPhone and other “smartphone’s”  on and off the last few months. At first I thought of the iPhone. Then I thought a Blackberry would be nice. Then I came back to the iPhone. The Android phone came along and that seemed to give the big Apple some serious competition. Despite some of the recent news and negative ads about AT&T’s 3G network problems the iPhone stayed in contention. Most iPhone user’s I encountered loved there phone and wouldn’t part with it.

A few things were the deciding factor:

Cost – Refurbished iPhone’s start at $49.95 & $99.95. An easier price to swallow than some of the  competitive “smartphone” prices.

AT&T – We were already with them with our current phone’s. To be honest they’ve been good with coverage and service. We weren’t locked into any contract but to switch over may have caused some hiccups or hassle’s which we didn’t want over the holidays.

Referrals – Those I’ve talked to about the iPhone all love it. Very little was mentioned about coverage or quality of phone calls. I think it(AT&T coverage and quality woes) may be over hyped and may also depend on your location.

Usage – I’m quite a light user when it comes to the cell phone. So the hype of dropped calls or poor call quality wasn’t a huge issue. I suppose if I was in a business or work that was dependant on being on the phone it may be a concern but I’m not either of those so it’s not a huge issue right now. I was looking for something to be able access the Internet, text, and be able to do more than just make a phone call.

I opted for the base refurbish model iPhone 3G 8GB model. The 16GB (also refurbished) model was out of stock  and new 16GB and 32 GB prices were a bit much to swallow. Actual activation was kind of slight pain calling AT&T customer service but all went well and I was soon playing around with it. The design is sleek and modern looking. It feels solid and comfortable in your hand. The screen layout is intuitive and quick to navigate.  I admit this was the quickest learning curve I’ve encountered  on any phone I’ve used. Working with a touch screen has been interesting and fun.

Within a short time I was downloading apps and customizing and discovering my iPhone and what it could do.  The day after we traveled to (from Rhode Island)Maine for Christmas eve and day. Along the way I noticed no drop in service or slow down. The only bummer was while at my mother-in-laws she had no 3G coverage though I was still able access the Internet even though it was a bit slower. I’ve downloaded a bunch of “apps” to try out. I'll write more about them in the coming weeks as I further try them out.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a happy new year.  Thanks for coming by and I welcome your questions and comments.

Technorati Tags: iphone,at&t.apps,new,3g

How not to fix your computer

Computer Troubleshooting Books

There so many books on repairing or troubleshooting computers that it can be confusing to which one to pick. I’ve picked up many books on the subject. Some of which have been helpful and some haven’t. Many get looked at a few times and then to collect dust on my bookshelf. There is two books I do recommend above all else. Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts and The Laptop Repair Workbook both by author Morris Rosenthal. I wish I had picked these up a long time ago. They are thin in comparison to other computer books but, they pack a good punch.

Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts

As the author says to us in his introduction this book is not meant to read from cover to cover. This is meant to be a reference or guide. This book is full of flowcharts meant to guide those repairing or troubleshooting a computer. It does have the premise that you have at least some working knowledge of a computer is and what the different pieces are. It has no pictures to help you along. The flowcharts are easy to follow. Following each flowchart is an explanation of each symbol on that chart.

Some examples of the subjects included:

• Power Supply Failure
• Video Failure
• Motherboard, RAM, CPU failure

The Laptop Repair Workbook 

This book covers laptops and is very similar than the previous book.  It only makes sense to have a laptop troubleshooting book. Laptops by there very nature have there own unique problems and can be more difficult to diagnose. This one is split into two parts. The first half of the book is a guide which gives a good overview of troubleshooting laptops. The second half we have the flowcharts with explanations following them. Some of the contents include:

• Laptop Basics
• Laptop Upgrades
• Troubleshooting power problems
• Laptop Video Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting Laptop Overheating

Taking your computer to the local PC repair shop can be expensive.  At the very least you’ll be more knowledgeable and less likely to be taken advantage of.  If you solve the problem yourself you’ve already covered the cost of these books. If your a computer enthusiast or even an A+ Certified Tech I believe you’d find these books an essential part of your toolbox. They are written in a way that isn’t overwhelmingly technical nor condescending to the newcomer.  Like I said before I wished I had gotten these books a long time ago and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.