Archive for the ‘Computing’ Category
Afraid your Mom won’t be able to open the e-card? Have no fear – each e-card is accompanied by a 20% off coupon for any Geek Squad Online Support service.
Although your Mother may not accept the e-card as a substitute for an in-person greeting on May 8th, she’ll be slightly less disappointed knowing you care not only about her, but her well-being online. So check out all the cards at http://www.someecards.com/geek-squad-cards/most-sent-today and select one to send to your mom before you help her celebrate her big day.
What rumored features made the cut, and how will they affect performance of the device when it hits shelves next week? Let’s take a look.
The first thing you might notice about this new iPad is that it is thinner and lighter. Compared to the 1st iPad, the 2nd generation device is only a third of an inch thick, making it 33% thinner. The weight has also been reduced from 1.5 to 1.3 pounds. The overall screen size and shape hasn’t changed, however, with the same 10 inch screen found on the original iPad, with the same resolution as well.
Another change to the iPad 2 is the addition of two cameras to the device. The front facing camera will support VGA resolutions at 30 frames per second. Most users will use this camera with the iPad Photobooth and Facetime apps that will be available with iOS 4.3. The iPad’s version of Facetime will allow video calls to be made between iPad 2s, as well as iPhone 4s and Macs running the app. The rear facing camera will record 720p HD video at 30 frames per second, or take still shots with a 5x digital zoom. Apple will also be releasing a new iPad iMovie app for purchase on the app store to edit these videos while on the go.
Under the hood, the iPad 2 has been upgraded to a 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 processor. Apple claims this new processor will provide 2 times the processor power for apps and multitasking, along with a 9 times increase in graphics processing for when you want to take time out for some portable gaming. Equally important is that Apple states that the new processor won’t impact battery life, with a reported 10 hour battery life, the same as the original iPad.
Just like the original, the iPad 2 will come with options of 16, 32 and 64GB storage, along with both WiFi-only and 3G mobile + WiFi models. A key difference, though, is that the iPad 2 3G will be like the iPhone 4, and will be available in either a GSM model compatible with AT&T, or a CDMA model supporting Verizon. This will allow a choice in which mobile broadband provider the iPad 2 can be used with, but it does present a buying decision that will need to be made by potential owners.
The announcement also held news about iOS 4.3, which will be available on the same day as the iPad 2. With this update, Apple has improved performance with their mobile Safari web browser, added features to AirPlay to allow wireless streaming of videos shot on the iPad 2 with an Apple TV, and included the ability to access the music and video library stored on your computer via your wireless network with iTunes Sharing.
How will these changes impact the average iPad user? The thinner and lighter design will certainly make the already portable tablet even more so, but the screen size and resolution will still be familiar to those who already own the original. Storage sizes remain the same, but the improved processor will certainly help with web browsing and regular app use, while the improved graphics speed will help the iPad 2 compete in the portable gaming market dominated by Nintendo and Sony. Overall, the changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary, but Apple does get credit for sparking the latest tablet revolution with their original iPad last April.
The iPad 2 and iOS 4.3 will be available on Friday, March 11th. The 2011 tablet wars just got a little more interesting.
You have an up to date antivirus protection program installed and running regular scans. You have your system set to backup your important data, either to an external hard drive or an online service (or even both). And of course, you always make sure that you have the latest security updates and operating system patches from Microsoft. This is good, because Microsoft just released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7, the latest operating system found on most new computers.
What if, however, you don’t have your system set to automatically update, or don’t know whether your PC is setup to do so? Well, it’s an easy matter to fix in the former, or check that you’re up to date in the latter.
First, you’ll want to check to see if Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is already installed. You can do so by clicking on the Start button in the lower left hand of your screen, on the Taskbar. From there, right-click on Computer, and then left-click on Properties.
In the System box that comes up, you should see a listing for “Windows edition”. If “Service Pack 1″ is listed here, then your computer is up to date.
If your system is not up to date with Service Pack 1, you can click on the Start button, then click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
When the Windows Update box comes up, you can click on the Change Settings option in the left hand column to check that your system is set to install important updates automatically. This is the recommended option to keep your system protected and performing at its peak. Once you’re satisfied with the settings, you can click OK to go back to the Windows Update box.
Windows Update will list the number of updates available, along with an Install updates button if applicable. In some cases, under the “Updates are available for your computer” dialog, you may see “No updates are currently selected”. In this case, if you see a link for 1 or more “important updates are available”, click on the link to bring up a list of updates to select. You will want to click on the box in front of the updates under the “Important” tab, such as “Windows 7 Service Pack 1″ to select them for install. Then, click on the OK button. This should bring the Install updates button on the Windows Update box.
Before you begin the update, you may want to back up your personal data to protect it should anything go wrong with the update. You will also want to disable your antivirus program to allow Windows to make any needed system file changes. If you are on a laptop, it’s also a good idea to make sure your power adapter is plugged in to ensure the power saving features don’t interrupt the update process.
Once you are ready, simply click the Install updates button. Depending on the number of previous updates, the update should be between 80MB and 800MB. Sit back and relax while your computer downloads the updates and then installs them automatically. Once the process is complete, Windows Update may display a Restart now button. Make sure to close any other programs you may have running, and click the button to restart your system and finish the update.
Once this process is complete, you can revisit the System Properties box to confirm that Service Pack 1 is now listed under your “Windows edition”.
Windows Update will help keep your computer operating system up to date, but it is not the only updates you can check on. To protect against online threats, it is a good idea to make sure that Java, Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader are up to date as well. You can check on these programs by visiting java.com and adobe.com respectively. You should also take this time to double check that your antivirus program has recently updated itself, and that your subscription is listed as being good.
If you have any questions about protecting your computer, or issues with your system, the 20,000 Geek Squad Agents standing by at your local Best Buy, 1-800 GEEK SQUAD or at www.geeksquad.com are ready to help.
Tell Me More: Geek Squad is seeing an increase in call volume regarding errors while starting Internet Explorer. The error looks like this:
Most people getting this error seem to be using iGoogle as their homepage. It’s possible that a malfunctioning gadget (application box) on your iGoogle page is causing the error.
Should I Be Worried? This error doesn’t seem to pose a security risk, but it should be dealt with in order to avoid other problems with Internet Explorer.
What Do I Need to Do? It seems that in most cases, this error can be resolved by removing the malfunctioning gadget from your iGoogle page:
• In the top-right corner of the gadget you’d like to delete, click the down arrow.
• Select Delete this gadget.
If you continue to experience problems, or you can’t determine which gadget is causing the issue, you can find more troubleshooting steps at the iGoogle help center.
Geek Squad Final Word: If you experience any undesired computer symptoms, seek help from a computer professional as soon as possible. For more information, visit iGoogle help (http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/topic.py?topic=1592&hl=en), check out the Geek Squad home page at www.geeksquad.com, or contact your nearest Geek Squad Agent. Whether it’s online, via 1-800-GEEKSQUAD, or in any Best Buy store, we’re here to help 24/7/365!
We also know that there’s nothing more disappointing than giving your tech gift, and realizing that the recipient can’t get it to work because of a missing cable, battery or accessory. To help, Geek Squad Agents have created four downloadable holiday tip sheets to accompany this year’s hottest tech gifts. They’re the perfect way to ensure your tech-gifting goes on without a glitch this holiday season.
We’ve included tips for a Blu-ray Player, a 3DTV, an eReader and gaming systems. Click the links below to download the tips to use as the perfect accomaniment for your holiday tech gifts.
This virus is contracted in a method similar to other FakeAV infections, and runs a “scan” alerting you to several “security threats” on your PC. These threats are fake; the only real infection on the PC is the FakeAV itself.
This virus is typically contracted in the following manner: While browsing websites, you suddenly see a pop-up alerting you to an infection on your computer. The pop-up offers the ability to scan the computer for you with one simple click. At this point your PC is not infected; however, when you click the ‘scan’ link on the pop-up, it downloads and installs a worm on the PC.
The worm then begins the process of installing the FakeAV and running a basic ‘scan’. It hijacks several main system files the next time your PC is rebooted, allowing it core access to the system. This allows the infection to run in an elevated mode, overriding the user when they try to stop the processes associated with the infection. The ThinkPoint or MSE variant is of special concern because it is able to operate in Safe Mode also, providing a special challenge to even tech-savvy users who can typically clean their own PCs.
Tell Me More Because these infections rely on the user allowing the pop-up to run the scan, it can by-pass most virus protection software. These pop-ups almost exclusively come from a website but can sometimes look like a very convincing Windows or Microsoft Security alert. If you see the pop-up, you can avoid the infection by pressing Alt+F4 to close the browser window, preventing the installation of the worm. Immediately after closing the window, run a full virus scan on your computer.
Should I Be Worried? While this infection is common online, with some basic best-practices you can avoid contracting the infection. If you do receive an alert from a virus program that is not one you installed on your system; be suspicious. Typically these infections profit by convincing people to ‘purchase’ the software; when in reality they are stealing your credit card information. If you are browsing the web and receive a pop-up that tells you you’re infected; you probably aren’t yet. Be sure to close the window immediately, ignoring any pop-ups that may warn you your system is infected.
What Do I Need to Do? As always, ensure your virus protection is up to date and running scans on a regular basis. Keeping an eye out for suspicious alerts will go a long way with this infection, as it requires you to install it. If the alert isn’t from your virus protection software; it is fake and should be ignored.
Geek Squad Final Word As FakeAV rapidly becomes the most popular way of infecting computers for profit, they have almost exclusively relied on the end-user to install the software themselves. Be suspicious of any strange alerts you see on your computer; no matter how much they look like they may have come from Windows itself or legitimate virus protection software. As always; if you have any concerns you can consult with us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Claire is the host of Food Network’s 5 Ingredient Fix (Saturdays at 12:30pm) and Food Network Challenge (Sundays at 8pm).
Threat Level – Guarded
Summary – For the past week, security companies have been tracking an email worm known as “VBMania.” This infection spreads the same way that email-based infections typically do – by sending emails from a computer that is already infected. The messages start with the subject line “Here you have” and contain a link that exposes your computer to the worm if clicked. Geek Squad’s Remote Support capability has seen a marked uptick in cases of the worm, spiking on Sunday, 9/12, with cases more than double the average for other days in the month. Once the infection is on a machine, it can spread by sending email to others and by infecting network shares and removable drives. It also checks for running antivirus programs and attempts to disable them, potentially making the situation worse.
Tell Me More – If the “Here you have” subject line sounds familiar, it’s probably because it’s the same subject line that was used by the infamous “Anna Kournikova” virus in 2001. Both infections rely on people forgetting the most basic email security guidelines. Kaspersky offers this reminder on its website: “As a rule…if you receive an unexpected/unsolicited email containing an attachment or a link…don’t open the contents of the message! Even if the message comes from someone you know, take a second and ask the sender to confirm the message. And obviously, any email that contains bad grammar or irregular spelling should be a red-flag.”
Should I Be Worried? – The worm can affect anyone, but corporations are the most vulnerable. Comcast, ABC/Disney and Google are among those that have been impacted. Leading antivirus software providers (Symantec, McAfee, and Kaspersky, among others) have all updated their products to protect you against this infection, so if you have up-to-date protection and use a bit of caution, your chances of infection are comparatively low. Computers running without antivirus protection or with outdated virus definitions are, of course, still at risk.
What Do I Need to Do? – Keep your antivirus protection up to date, and exercise common sense when dealing with unsolicited email.
Geek Squad Final Word – Although it has spread rapidly since September 7, this type of attack is relatively primitive. It ultimately relies on a person’s lack of discretion, just like the email worms that preceded it. Antivirus protection is important, but cannot replace good security habits. A bit of vigilance goes a long way and will help protect you against future infections of this type.
Dustin S. is a Geek Squad Remote Support Agent.
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