technology

Free utility shows what your computer has been doing

Some suspicious computer users believe that, while they are away, others are accessing their computer, running unauthorized software or malware. Other wary users may find it interesting seeing what other people have done on a particular computer, what programs they may have run, what documents were viewed, and when the computer was booted and shut down. If a computer was infected by malware, it may often be of great interest to see what was being run on the computer at the time of infestation, and even identify the malware and its payload.

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Free software manages passwords

Let’s face it. Most computer users are inherently lazy. In order to make things easy on ourselves, we often use the same simple password on multiple websites and devices.

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Is Windows going the way of the dinosaur?

While some blame the economy, competition or technological change for the decline of Microsoft and its flagship operating system Windows, there is no doubt that Microsoft’s current offering, Windows 8, is nowhere even close to meeting its sales projections. This has also hurt others in the industry dependent of the sales of Windows based computers, including manufacturers such as Dell and HP, as well as Intel and other component makers.

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Scammers take advantage of Boston, Texas disasters

Ira Wilsker

Americans are a generous people. In times of disaster or crisis, countless Americans have always heeded an internal call to do good and contribute to those in need. The recent terrorism in Boston, which resulted in at least three dead from the bombings, as well as over 170 injured, many losing limbs, has encouraged Americans to open their hearts and wallets to help. Donations are also pouring in to help the family of the murdered MIT campus police officer and a critically wounded Boston Transit officer, allegedly at the hands of the two suspected bombers.

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New technology replacing old standbys

I was one of several presenters at a recent Taylor Career Center Business and Technology Summit. My topic was new computing technologies currently on the market making existing technologies obsolete.

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Improve your privacy, security on social network

However we personally feel about it, Facebook has become enormously popular. But one issue facing Facebook, as well as many other social networking and online services, is the privacy and security of its users. Sadly, the small percentage of the global population that wants to commit a variety of cybercrimes has found that social networking services are a fertile hunting ground, and Facebook is no exception.

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Gizmo lists the best free Android apps

Android powered smart devices, including smart phones and tablets, are currently outselling the other major smart operating systems by a huge margin. While published figures differ, some pundits allege that Android devices outsell Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows (smart device versions) by factors of between three or seven to one. According to Wikipedia, as of October 2012, Android powered smart phones had captured 75 percent of the market, with more than 500 million devices currently using Android.

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Free malware removal utilities from Kaspersky

One of the most frequent requests that I get from readers of this column has to do with removal of malware from infected computers. Most frequently, I have recommended the free versions of MalwareBytes (malwarebytes.org) and SuperAntiSpyware (superantispyware.com). I typically suggest downloading, updating and running one, and then repeating the same cycle with the other in order to reasonably ensure that the computer is free of malware.

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Search engine provides more info with ‘mind mapping’

The major search engines, along with most of their competitors, use a linear type of search results. The user simply types a search term, which promptly displays a linear listing of results, with little indication of how those results displayed are connected to each other.

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Prepare for National Financial Literacy Month with online tools

In April 2013, we will be celebrating “National Financial Literacy Month” for the ninth time. Growing out of earlier initiatives, the United States Senate officially recognized April as National Financial Literacy Month in March 2004. It should not be surprising that much of our population is blissfully unaware of important financial topics such as the wise use of credit, investing, banking, spending, saving, and other areas of personal finance.

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