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Over time, whether they’re a relic we still rely upon or a recently purchased powerhouse replete with cutting edge technology, our computers are home to needless software – rubbish, essentially – that would be best disposed of. Those old computers collect outdated software through the years, while brand new systems are often filled with trial software that most people end up ignoring upon use.

Aiding in the cleanup effort is a helpful utility that quickly removes unnecessary junk from your computer, freeing you from the task of uninstalling them individually.

Called PC Decrapifier, this program requires no installation, commencing with its task once you run the executable.

Once you’ve moved past the end user agreement, the program will alert you to its inability to distinguish between trial software and the full version of the same application. You should be mindful of what you’re selecting, which will save you the headache that’ll surely arise when you realize that you’ve removed an application that you use often.

You’re then asked to specify if the computer you’re “decrapifying” is old or new.

It then offers you a chance to create a restore point, which will return your computer to a previously saved state should the removal of certain programs result in the occurrence of certain errors. Doing this is critical, as the removal of any program brings with it the removal of ancillary files – drivers, libraries, etc. – that may be used by other applications. However, you should know that the creation of a restore point will guarantee the recovery of any programs you remove.

After you’ve done that, the clean-up begins.

Although there’s a possibility the program will not detect any programs that need to be removed, which can happen on computers owned by those who are more pro-active in monitoring what’s installed, it does provide you an opportunity to select all of the programs you’d like to dispose of.

Once you’ve selected the programs, PC Decrapifier commences with its job, eliminating all of the programs you’ve checked as unnecessary. Doing this frees up your hard drive and may remove programs that impair your system’s performance with unnecessary processes running in the background.

For those of you who want to get a head start on spring cleaning, PC Decrapifier is certainly up to the task.

You can download it here

For all the praise it receives for its ground-breaking services and the advances they’ve introduced to our use of the internet, Google has also been viewed as a pioneer of dubious intentions, an increasingly vocal chorus of criticism rallying around what some denounce as the company’s tendency to overstep its bounds where privacy is concerned.

While there’s no denying that Google’s products have ushered in a considerable shift in how we take advantage of the ever-evolving internet, concerns have been raised about what many perceive to be intrusions on their privacy. No matter which Google service you’re using – search engine, email, blogs, news, videos, shopping – the company logs your activity, collecting data about every action you take.

For many of these, Google requires your permission to exact that information, but the sheer number of services makes it difficult for the average user to keep track of what’s being collected.

To assist in that effort, Google has unveiled the Google Dashboard, a helpful tracker that sums up every bit of information Google has collected about your profile from the moment of use. This includes everything from the latest blog you’ve read to the number of emails contained within your Gmail account, giving you a compilation of your ongoing activity while using Google’s services.

For those concerned about security, this is not contained on a server, restricting this information to just your web browser.

This tool can be used only for those Google products which require your login information.

The information Google Dashboard will sum up for you includes:

• Web history
• email
• Calendar
• Youtube
• iGoogle
• Latitude
• Reader
• Shopping
• Voice
• Contacts
• Finance
• Friend Connect
• Tasks
• Picasa
• Mobile sync
• Orkut
• Blogs
• Docs
• Account and profile
• Alerts
• Search engine

At this time, despite the persistent questions about how Google uses the information they collect, we feel that you should not be overly concerned with your use of their products. If you have any questions about your use of a Google service, give one of our technicians a call.

Installed on more than 450 million computers, Adobe Shockwave is a multimedia player that allows users to view animations and play games on any computer that has the Adobe Shockwave plug-in installed. Whether you’re watching a recently released cartoon or playing the latest online game,  Shockwave cultivates the kind of creative energy that can only be realized with software of its kind, making your internet experience all the more lively and interactive.

Used primarily to enable users to participate in the exploding online gaming scene, Adobe Shockwave is installed on over 50% of the world’s internet-enabled computers.

Just this week,  a company that specializes in providing solutions for improved security on our computers has identified numerous ways for people to use Adobe Shockwave to harm your computer. What they uncovered are backdoor exploits that leave unsuspecting users susceptible to the malicious aims of hackers looking to take advantage of their unprotected system from a remote location.

All of these vulnerabilities — they have identified four, so far — can be exploited for the purpose of deceiving a user into visiting a website that has been created with the express intent of harming their system.

These vulnerabilities affect those users who have a version of Adobe Shockwave that’s older than latest one, which was just released days ago.

If you think you have an outdated version of Adobe Shockwave, we strongly suggest that you upgrade to the latest release.

To download it, you can visit: http://get.adobe.com/shockwave

Though these were just reported, there’s no telling how many websites have been created to take advantage of the vulnerabilities that exist. As we’ve always advised Geek Choice users, it’s important to stay vigilant and remain aware of where your travels on the internet take you.

If you mistakenly find yourself on a website you’re unfamiliar with, close the web browser. If the web browser refuses to close, press the following key combination:  CTRL – ALT – DELETE.  Doing so will bring up your Task Manager. From there, you will be able to select the process associated with your web browser. For a more in-depth look at how beneficial Task Manager is, particularly when dealing with a stubborn web browser, visit this link.

Even when visiting a website that you’re acquainted with, make sure to note anything that looks troubling, as these hackers are skilled in crafting mock websites that mirror those which are otherwise safe to visit.

Geek Choice is a leader in providing solutions to the security challenges that confront you. If you have any questions about how to best protect your computer, feel free to call us.

Microsoft has unveiled Direct Access for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008, remotely connecting users to their office as if they were right there. Establishing bi-directional connectivity with the user’s enterprise network, this solution keeps them connected to their office, forging a link each time the user’s computer – provided it’s enabled by DirectAccess – is connected to the internet.

As the workforce transforms, with the information age evolving at a rapid pace, the needs of an organization adapt accordingly. Increasingly, employees are working from remote locations, the advances in internet technology affording them the ability to work from an off-site location – home, business meeting abroad, etc.

The mobility of our workforce has contributed to the success of those companies driving our economy, with new technologies facilitating the uninterrupted productivity of employees whose presence in the office is no longer a necessary component in the operations of an efficient and profitable enterprise. By 2011, the number of mobile employees is expected to have increased by 30.4 percent (IDC, “Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2007-2011 Forecast,” Doc #209813, Dec 2007).

While technology has contributed to an outgrowth of wireless communication, with the internet providing the backbone for those gains, corporate security – namely, firewalls – obstruct the accessibility of those resources which are native to an office. This poses a number of problems, not the least of which being access to the network from those IT professionals tasked with managing the corporation’s network.

In the past, VPN (Virtual Private Network) has been the solution employed for that purpose. However, as any IT professional will tell you, the use of a VPN can prove challenging. VPN requires users to wait for authentication, a process that can see the end user waiting for what has commonly amounted to several minutes. If internet connectivity is lost, the VPN connection will be severed, requiring the user to repeat the authentication process. With alternatives providing even less functionality and additional hurdles to overcome, VPN has become the de facto solution, its problems notwithstanding.

Surmounting the challenges inherent to VPN, DirectAccess immediately establishes a bi-directional connection between the user’s computer and office’s network. Using Windows 7, the DirectAccess client detects its connection to a network. The DirectAccess client will then connect to an intranet website designated during the initial configuration of DirectAccess. The process is seamless and automatic. Unlike VPN, which requires authentication with each use, DirectAccess authenticates the computer before the user even attempts to access the network.

Easier to use than VPN, the efficiency of DirectAccess is a boon to the productivity of an enterprise’s workforce. With a transparent connection to their corporate network, employees will no longer find themselves enduring the cumbersome process that has soured many  on the use of VPN. Using DirectAccess, the information on a company’s network – intranet, applications, file-shares – is accessible wherever the employee finds an internet connection for their portable computer.

Geek Choice, a leader in on-site technical assistance, prides itself on educating the public about those advances that are relevant to the industry within which we continue to grow. If you have any questions about DirectAccess, never hesitate to call us.  Our technicians are here to assist you.

With the release of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system, many of the performance issues present in past installments of this PC mainstay have been addressed, showing a measurable improvement in areas that were once headaches for even the most capable machines. Still, despite what would appear to be Microsoft’s welcome response to the chorus of complaints about XP and Vista, the onset of problems is to be expected for even the latest release. No operating system is immune from the kind of error that results from any number of issues: viruses, spyware, negligence, etc.

Despite how it’s presently running, tomorrow could usher in a set of unanticipated problems, which is to be expected with even new machines.   Windows 7 (Vista, too) includes a robust set of tools – all included within one easily accessible menu — that the frustrated user can utilize when attempting to diagnose the source of a problem.

Accessing these tools is as easy as entering a command in the search box that’s located in the Start menu. Once you’ve entered “performance info,” you’ll be greeted by a window from where you can select Advanced tools.

After those tools are available, it becomes apparent that you have at your disposal an impressive assortment of diagnostic options that will – at the very least — aid you towards determining what lies at the source of your ailing system:

• Clear all Windows Experience Index scores and re-rate system
• View performance details in Event log
• Open Performance Monitor
• Open Resource Monitor
• Open Task Manager
• View advanced system details in System Information
• Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
• Open Disk Defragmenter
• Generate a system health report

One of the most informative tools you can use is Open Resource Monitor. Like Task Manager, Resource Monitor provides an overview of your system’s resources, allowing you to manage the available resources (RAM, storage, bandwidth) your system has to work with. Unlike Task Manager, which is somewhat vague in its detail, Resource Monitor works at the micro level – meaning, you’re given a degree of specificity that illuminates how an individual process or application figures into the overall allocation of resources.

Another helpful aid is the Generate a system health report. Akin to having a physical at the physician’s office, this will assess your system’s health, generating an analysis that may enlighten you on what areas you should address when experiencing issues with your computer’s performance.Taking just a few moments, the system analysis will return a report that details every critical facet of your system. Using this diagnostic analysis, you will be left with a clearer picture of how your computer is faring. For example, if there is a driver that’s hindering your ability to listen to sound, this report will highlight that conflict.

These are just the tools that are fairly self-explanatory in their use and interpretation. The more advanced tools – such as View performance details in Event log – are just as beneficial, but they require a level of expertise that your average user may be without.

For even the most accomplished technician, the poor performance of a system will remain a problem that never permanently subsides.  If you have questions about the use of these tools, or would like to know how to solve any problems they unearth, Geek Choice Is always on hand to provide you that assistance.

Whether you’ve just encountered a catastrophic error that results in a system crash or find yourself upgrading to the latest operating system, reformatting your hard drive is an extreme measure that’s often unavoidable over the course of your computer’s life.  When doing so, it’s of paramount concern that you’re able to retain the data stored on your computer.

While backing up certain data is as simple as transferring it to another form of storage, many of your applications will require re-installation, a process that can often be hindered by the sheer number of apps installed on your PC.

Mitigating this chore is a helpful website that keeps a tally of the applications installed on your computer, allowing you – when ready – to re-install those items with the click of your mouse.

The site is called AllMyApps.com

For now, the only issue I’ve found is that it limits applications to those which are free, excluding commercial software (Microsoft Office applications, i.e.). While understandable, given copyright concerns, this does leave you to install those programs individually. Still, despite that omission, this site logs every other free application that’s installed on your computer.

To the surprise of many, I’m sure, our computers are host to dozens of free applications that we’ve installed over time. Many of these facilitate what are now mundane activities, such as Adobe Flash or AIM. By using this site, after having reformatted your hard drive, you’re immediately returned to the previous composition of your computer – excluding, of course, those commercial applications.

The unavailability of commercial software aside, this is a novel idea that is long overdue.

Should you have any other questions related to preservation of data on your computer, especially you think your hard drive needs to be reformatted, we’re here to aid you.

When browsing the web, I’m sure you’ve encountered a website that’s little more than an interminable stream of pages connected by the “NEXT” hyperlink – especially when looking at a photo gallery.

While some people might have no problem subjecting themselves to the monotonous ritual of clicking “NEXT,” others would gladly welcome an alternative that cleverly groups those pages in a near seamless fashion.

Transforming that repetitive clicking into the mere scroll of your mouse, PageZipper merges every page into just one, substituting the scrollbar for the endless hyperlinks.

Here’s a demonstration:

PageZipper can be used as either a Firefox extension or a bookmarklet (an application stored as a bookmark in your web browser).

Completely free and easy to use, PageZipper can be downloaded here.

For those of you familiar with Microsoft’s Windows Operating System, you’re well aware of how critical it is to keep your system updated with the latest patches released by Microsoft. In addition to steeling you against any security breaches, these updates have been shown to significantly improve the performance of the operating system.

Once a feature that many either ignored or reluctantly used, Windows Update has seen significant gains in its design since the transition to Windows Vista and the recently unveiled Windows 7.

This important feature is now accessible via the search bar located in the Start menu.

As you’ll see, the new Windows Update process has been streamlined, making it easier to manage and assign those updates where needed.

With this Windows Update manager, you can also view all of the updates for MS Products, saving you the time of checking them individually.

If you find yourself questioning just what you’re installing on your computer, you can click the link specified below, which will bring you to a more detailed explanation.

In the past, the installation of some updates has conflicted with the use of certain applications, which can lead to the instability of your system.  Should such a conflict occur, the incompatible update can be removed by simply selecting it from the Uninstall window.

For what you need, many of the updates will be unnecessary, yet you’ll still find them included in the list of updates to install. For those updates you consider needless, right-clicking on them will summon a window from which you’re able to select “Hide updates.”

Keeping your Windows Updates current is just one of a number of ways for you to ensure that your system is properly functioning.

If you have any questions about what else can be done, feel free to give us a call.

When you’re the standard, it’s normal to become comfortable, the popularity of your product trumping the need to introduce changes that are more than just cosmetic. However, popularity is often the result of the familiarity of your product taking precedence over its reliability. In every market, consumers exhibit a tendency to stay with the standard out of habit, excusing glaring flaws that become acceptable in the face of the unknown.

One such example is Acrobat Reader, an application commonly used to read PDF files. PDF (Portable Document Format) is the file format created by Adobe Systems for the exchange of documents. Independent of the usual variables that are attendant to the compatibility of a file format (software, hardware, and operating system), PDF files are self-contained documents of a two-dimensional nature. Until just recently, Acrobat Reader — also created by Adobe Systems — was the the only application that one could use to view a PDF file. A little over a year ago, Adobe released the format as an open format, making it possible to read the file with other solutions.

Acrobat Reader, like all popular products that suffer from the aforementioned complacency, has seen its evolution stunted by a lack of attention given to its performance. Though primarily used for just viewing files, its bloat is obvious, the application consuming approximately 30MB of space. While Acrobat Reader has features that haven’t yet been adopted by competing software, there are a number of alternatives that offer its core functionality without the excess baggage.

One option is Evince. Evince is notable for its simplicity, its name accompanied by a tagline that reads, “Simply a document viewer.” That’s exactly what Evince is, its unassuming interface underscored by the speed that you’d naturally expect from what is nothing more than a document viewer.  A neat addition to Evince is its “Presentation Mode,” which handles the PDF file as if it were a slideshow. In this mode, each page is treated as a slide. Originally written for use with Linux, there is a Windows version that offers the same features.

Another great alternative is SumatraPDF. For those who simply want to view and print PDF files, SumatraPDF does so without any of the lag one notices when using Acrobat Reader. While plain in appearance, not unlike Evince, its functionality is readily gleaned from the easily navigable interface. With just a few buttons, you can avail yourself of this tool for the functions that are most used by those viewing a PDF: open, page-jump, search. Though its use is limited to just those fundamental tasks we associate with Acrobat Reader, it moves at an impressive speed, with a minimalistic design that spares you the needless trimmings.

Lastly, there’s Foxit Reader, an alternative with a feature set that’s comparable to Acrobat Reader’s . Free and available for Windows, Foxit Reader is regarded by many to be the most satisfying choice for those who’ve sought a competent substitute for Acrobat Reader. One reason for its popularity is the impressive feature set: email the PDF while viewing it, highlight part of the screen and save it as an image, and convert the PDF to text.  Those features come with the free version, with even more impressive options included in the Foxit Reader Pro Pack, should you opt to purchase it – chiefly, the ability to edit your PDF files.

In the case of Acrobat Reader, this is but one of many instances where you’ll find that the most popular software isn’t necessarily the best solution. Acrobat Reader is certainly no slouch, coming from the company from which the PDF originated, but there’s no denying that it can stand to shed much of the weight that its present form is dragging. Until that’s done, the alternatives mentioned above should be more than enough to fulfill your needs where viewing PDF files are concerned.

Evince - SumutraPDF - Foxit Reader

Often praised for its functionality, with a feature set that has made it more popular than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, a persistent criticism of Firefox has been its speed.  Despite its intuitive accessibility and powerfully customizable interface, the performance of this browser – even for systems on which such issues are a rarity — has been problematic.

When several tabs are opened, Firefox has become notorious for using an inordinate amount of memory.  On systems with a minimal amount of ram, being forced to quit the application altogether is not an uncommon recourse.

These issues are most prevalent on those computers that either need to be upgraded or haven’t been properly optimized.  We understand that not everyone can go out and outfit their computer with a lot of ram, particularly in this age where budgetary concerns remain paramount. Taking that into consideration, it should be noted that there does exist an effective means of improving the performance of Firefox with the use a simple utility created for just that purpose.

Coming from TotalIdea, Firetune is a quick solution for augmenting your experience with Firefox. Giving particular attention to the speed  of your internet connection and that of  your computer’s processor, Firetune adjusts several internal settings of Firefox for increased performance.

Firetune works with Mozilla Firefox versions: 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x

Firetune can be downloaded here.

Browser speed is but one of several areas of concern when taking stock of your computer’s performance. For questions on the effective optimization of a computer, we may have the answers you’re looking for.