Tag: Computer

Time to Change your clocks.

Paul1 Reply

Time to change those clocks of ours


[ad#ad2-right]Having been looking at one of my old clocks that would automatically change for Daylight Savings Time, I’ve had to keep reminding myself that it is an hour off. Starting tonight at 2 PM, it will be right. So I thought I would help people keep there computer clocks up to date by suggesting some good programs to us to keep your system having the right time.  So people know what dates are being affected according to the Greenwichmeantime they say  this:

Beginning in 2007, Daylight Saving Time is extended one month and the schedule for the states of the United States that adopt daylight saving time will be:

2 a.m. on the Second Sunday in March
to
2 a.m. on the First Sunday of November.

So that saying goes it “Fall back, Spring Forward”  So now here are some great programs to better help you get your computer clock up to snuff:

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Worldtimeclock Atomic Clock Sync Program – It is a free program for you to use with your Windows.  Although you have to make sure your selected the right timezone once it is installed all you will need in an internet connection to sync your windows time with the atomic clock.

PC Atomic Sync – It is an atomic clock synchronizer with some useful features (time offset, synchronize periods, etc.). The main idea of the program is to synchronize your PC’s clock in the most reliable and resource-saving way.

These programs will help keep your system from having the wrong time.   Don’t forget to install the Microsoft updates(Window XP and Server 2003) to fix your operating system with the new Daylight Savings Time dates.

Sony recalls 340,000 batteries.

Paul

Sony Recalls Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Previous Fires

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

[ad#ad2-right]Name of Product: Rechargeable, lithium ion batteries containing Sony cells used in Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation, Gateway Inc., Sony Electronics Inc., and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. notebook computers.

Units: About 340,000 batteries (an additional 3,080,000 battery packs were sold worldwide)

Battery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan

Hazard: These lithium ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: There have been 16 reports of notebook computer batteries overheating, causing minor property damage and two minor burns. All of these reported incidents and injuries have been associated with earlier recalls of notebook computer batteries containing these Sony cells. There have been no incidents involving batteries sold by the notebook manufacturers participating in this announcement.


[via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]

[ad#ad2-left]This is something that is going to hit Sony hard. The recall affects some Fujitsu, Gateway Toshiba, and Sony Laptops. If your worried about your laptop go to the site and see if your have the right laptop. It only effects people who bought there laptop from Oct 2004 to Oct 2006, before or after that date you will not have to worry. If in Doubt call your manufacture and find out.

Some other things to do is also remember to back up your data and if your not using your laptop battery if at all possible just take the battery out.

Microsoft Fixes some Performance issues with Vista a Month early!

Paul

Update for Windows Vista (KB957200)

This is a reliability update. This update resolves some performance and reliability issues in Windows Vista. By applying this update, you can achieve better performance and responsiveness in various scenarios. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows Vista License Terms.

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Now if I know Microsoft, this update actually helps with some versions of programs that is currently out. I am just curious as to why they sent this updates out early. Has Microsoft changed there tactics with updates? Have they decided to send them out as soon as they are done?

What’s with Google trends?

Paul

Having been going to the Google Trends and keeping watching.  I am starting to wonder something?  Take a look at this and you tell me?

Oct 20,2008 Google Trends

[ad]Can you see how someone might use this to create a Goog-411 and use it to promote there website? It is all about the hits and getting what publishers like to say the eyes on a website. Now is that going to confuse people or make people not want to come to a site.  So how would people abuse this?

Very Simple, they’d watch what is trending and post accordingly.  Now you as a reader would click on the website expecting to see what you want to see but instead it would popup with advertisements and maybe malware?  Check these links to better understand it:

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Now even though these are just a few.  You can see how someone might want to abuse it and get there site up on Google trends and be able to infect several to even millions of computers before Google sees that or stops.  You could in theory take over a website high in Google rankings and do exactly that.

Then I have to ask myself, why would hackers want to do it in the first? One they’d be able to direct people to sites that they could use to phish your information, or maybe make money by you going to these sites. It is all about money, I don’t say that lightly, but it seems to always be true.

So what is Google doing to prevent this? is it right to use Google for your advantage? Do we need it for anything other than to see what people are looking at? Is that a form of them tracking your every click.

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Are you comfortable with them keeping the list of what people searched for last year? if you don’t believe me, go check it out yourself. These are important questions to answer and should be explored.