Welcome to the Geek Choice Blog

By now you are probably starting to see people carrying these big pieces of plastic that have a shining light coming out of it, transfixing the owner into a world you wish you could enter. That piece of plastic is probably called an iPad, released last April as a new tool to access email, internet, play games, read books and periodicals, as well as listen to music. But now there is an increasing trend that has started to pick up speed as companies try to catch up to Apple once again.

Perhaps the most impressive alternative as well as the most unknown, is the Toshiba Libretto which sold out 48 hours after it was put on the market. People who were lucky enough got their hands on a Libretto from Amazon for a price of $1,100. The cool and innovative feature of the Libretto is in its Dual Screens, a multi-touch screen which enables you to use an entirely virtual keyboard on one screen while working on the other. You can still find them available on Conics.com.

Blackberry is trying to put its stamp on the tablet industry by coming out with the Playbook. Not expected to be released until early 2011, the Playbook offers front and backwards facing HD camera’s, allowing you to view images simultaneously. With 1 GB of RAM and 1 GHZ of dual core CPU, the Blackberry could very well take over the tablet market.

Another contender is called the Fusion Garage JooJoo. With a name like that what can go wrong? It is a custom built OS that is a low-costing tablet that will enable you to browse the web but also participate in video calls and multi-tasking.

The world of tablets is growing.

Ever since Apple came out with the iPad, the market has been on fire with these portable personal computers, and I have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of these things walking around. Just like how the iPod came out and destroyed any other portable music device, starting a trend of mp3 players that tried to beat out the trend-setter Apple, the iPad will soon be the normal device attached to people as they move through life replacing laptops and other portable devices.

Should you sign up for this trend and become another user of the tablet? It depends on how cool you want to be, and what you want to get done. First, everyone will take a second look at you, not at your new shoes or nice hair cut, but at the new device that they want for themselves. Second, having a tablet which is smaller than a laptop yet powerful enough to make up for the lack of size, is important. All the things that you can do on a little tiny phone with all those little apps you can do on a tablet, as well as on some make video calls. This is perfect if you are a traveling business man who always needs to be in a conference or a consultant who in order to be ahead of his competitors needs fast and easy ways to access information.

The tablet my friends, is here to stay.

What happened to that blue lower case ‘e’ that we all relied on to access the internet?

A beta test of Internet Explorer 9 came out to turn the heads of people who have looked the other way at other browsers like Mozilla and Google Chrome. But what more can a browser do that has not already been done? One questions the advancing technologies of today and how much is left out there that is original, fresh, and innovative enough to keep us entertained. Not much. If you want to compete you have to be the biggest, baddest, and fastest one out there. This is law in the internet world, and Internet Explorer broke it resulting in losing half of its users, in other words it died. Can IE come back?

In the Beginning…

IE 9 was released back in San Francisco on September 15, 2010. It has been over a month and what has changed? Nothing. People have completely lost faith in the browser that used to be on top of the internet, the standard mode of surfing the web, but how come? What happened to make people lose confidence in its ability to allow us to use the internet with ease and comfort that they find so readily available in Firefox or Chrome.

IE was born in 1995 when it was a part of the Plus! for Windows 95 package. It was the most widely used browser, reaching a peak of 95% of users in the world using Internet Explorer, but something happened. What goes up eventually comes down. While Microsoft keeps throwing money at it, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on improving the browser, it has been on the decline due to the competition of Firefox and recently, Chrome.

The answer to what happened is simple: Internet Explorer got slower and other browsers got faster. No one wants to wait for the page to load, they want it FAST and NOW. In the world today everything is coming at us with incredible speeds, and we need a good browser to make sure we get to see what is coming at us and enjoy it. Back in 2003 people became fed up with how slow IE was getting and how clunky it was making the computer. Word of mouth was a lot faster than the speed of download, blogs were everywhere voicing opinions on this issue, and the original king pin of internet browsers was dead.

Back From the Dead?

There was no funeral, everyone moved on to bigger and better browsers, but it seems that the old bugger is trying to make a come back. Internet Explorer 9 had big plans with all sorts of fun features that sounded innovative and exciting, perhaps this would be the day that everyone would realize they were wrong, delete Firefox, and go back to their old buddy IE.

It has been over a month since the release of the beta. The changes other than the appearance of the browser, a feature that allows you to pin your favorites on the taskbar, and the improved speed, are not much. Not enough I should say, to break out and scream to everyone that this is the one browser. Too late, that ship has sailed and sunk. Chrome is the fastest, Firefox is close to IE 9 in speed, but that does not matter anymore. What matters is the fact that there is nothing much more a browser can do, there is nothing left to explore, that kind of kills the whole idea of Internet Explorer.

If you have a PC, then you have a problem. It comes with the package when you first open up the box and plug in your computer. You cannot escape it, this inevitable attack on your privacy is something we all have to live with, but is there protection out there that will totally 100% stop thieves and hackers from messing with our computer?

Opinions vary on this issue, some think the idea preposterous and others are more sure of an anti-virus security that is able to protect the computer.

It all depends on what kind of security software you are using. Beware: just because a software like Norton or McAfee comes built-in and ready to go on a new computer does NOT mean that it is a good choice in protection. There have been a lot of complaint recently about this conundrum of having to deal with all these programs that are already installed on the computer, and cannot be removed. So what do can you do to find the right software?

Research. Read blogs like this one. Educate yourself, knowledge of which security programs work and which suck ultimately comes down to experience. In the case of internet and computer security, hearing about other people’s experiences with certain anti-virus software and how they either saved them or failed them is important information to people like you and me who might be clueless.

Let’s look at the record.

Firewall does not always protect your internet from being invaded by hackers, especially Windows firewall. In the past this has not worked, so check the record, for the future do not put your PC at risk by settling on a crappy firewall service. Firewall comes from the original lack of internet security back in the 80′s when the Morris Worm spread its way to thousands of computers shutting them down because there was unlimited access.

Firewall was introduced to restrict access. It acts as a traffic check, looking at all the communication coming into the computer and seeing if it matches with its own protocol. Web browsing, remote printing, email transmission, and file transfer are common forms of traffic that are stopped at the firewall. If it does not recognize the packet of information in the files coming in, it will ask you for permission to let it into your system.

For example: you just installed a business application that needs access to the internet in order to get updates. In order for this program to work properly, you need to give it the okay to access the internet, a box appears with yes or no. Firewall is very important in protecting your computer against attacks.

Best Anti-Virus Software

If you are cheap like me, then you are looking for the best anti-virus software that has the magical four lettered word attached to it: FREE. For this I choose Avira AntiVir Personal, where a lot of people chose this option based on its virus scan engine called “Luke Filewalker”. Very clever, they deserve a round of applause for that one! Unfortunately, as is the case with free programs, it lacks what you could get with the premium package. There is no email protection, parental controls, anti-spam, or firewall with the free program.

I recommend downloading Comodo’s Free Firewall to bolster the defenses along with Avira to make sure your computer is completely safe. To answer the debate about perfect protection? The answer lies in what steps you are willing to take against attackers by paying money for software or finding security programs that are free and can do what you need them to do so you can go along your way without worries.

By Sean Wilcoxson

About a year ago Windows 7 hit the computer world, offering a wide variety of new features, and in the past year it has showed everyone just how strong a Operating System it is. How else did it become the fastest selling OS in history?

Among the many things that make Windows 7 what it is, there are seven that stand out. Let’s take a look at what exactly is going on when we look out of the Windows 7:

The first one is a cool feature that allows you to customize your desktop wallpaper. Instead of just seeing the same old picture of a tree or the face of your baby, now you can put a slide-show that can be displayed in intervals on the background. I have tried it, it is a pretty neat seeing a whole trip I took change pictures on my desktop. The feature gives Windows 7 its true name: a window into exciting technology at our fingertips.

The second feature is the back-up tool that you can use to make sure your files will never be lost. By plugging in a flash drive or inserting a CD-R, the window pops up asking you if you would like to back-up your files. Once you do this, whenever you insert them in that same computer you can re-run that operation. It is an easy way to protect those important files you have stored.

The third feature is found in the taskbar, where your whole hard drive is at your fingertips with the search box. Type in that missing essay you wrote last week and need to edit, like magic it appears right before your eyes found in seconds. A common problem exists with iTunes when certain music files are moved around by accident, and when you try to play the song you have to locate it. Instead of trying to search your memory, search with the box and you will find what you are looking for.

The fourth feature is something that was anticipated by the makers of Windows 7, the inevitable clashing of OS like Windows XP(an older version). So Windows 7 includes a program that allows users to run XP from within Windows 7.  Not all programs run smoothly on Windows 7, so having this feature is vital to performance.

The fifth and final feature that makes Windows 7 a great system is the time it takes to boot up. In a test with Windows Vista, Windows 7 beat it out by 30 seconds, making it 20% faster than it’s competition. This time adds up, especially when you are in a hurry and need to get up and running as fast as possible to get on the web or get to your business.

Overall Windows 7 is definitely worth the upgrade. It has been open only a year, and guess what? Rumors around the computer world are whispering about a Windows 8 release in 2012. Can it get better than Windows 7? For now the best is in the number 7.

By Sean Wilcoxson

The world of Wi-Fi has come a long way since its inception 11 years ago. Today there are over 700 million users with 1 billion devices hooked up to it increasing at a rate of 8 million new devices a year. Stores everywhere offer the easy use of Wi-Fi with 750,00o hot spots around the globe; getting plugged in and surfing the net on your phone, laptop, iPod, and iPad makes business, communication, and life better.

Life keeps on getting better with the new concrete technology of Wi-Fi Direct.

Wi-Fi Direct offers peer-to-peer(P2P) connections between your devices without a traditional Wi-Fi access point or network. In other words, you can connect right to a friends portable game system like PSP and play a game real-time as long as you are within 200 yards of each other. Or you can send a picture from your camera that has Wi-Fi Direct to a digital picture frame or printer, instantaneously.

This is perfect for a businessman or a salesman who has a laptop or smartphone with Wi-Fi Direct enabled to publish a presentation right to the customer’s office without any wires or physical connections. How easy is that!

A little history of Wi-Fi:

The first ever wireless Internet network showed up at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh six years before it spread all over the world in 1999. Most colleges now how access to wireless networks.

The name Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity, like Hi-Fi or High Fidelity audio equipment, and does not mean anything at all. It is just a little catchier than the actual name: “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence”. It was coined by a company who worked for the W-Fi Alliance. People see the name Wi-Fi everywhere and it has become the standard for internet connectivity because of its interoperability. That means that two or more systems can exchange information, and with the use of Wi-Fi it is done simply over wireless networks.

What about security?

Wi-Fi Direct is so new that the drawbacks and glitches are yet to be discovered, a trial and error technology, but the advantages are vast. The makers behind the new technology say that Direct is saturated in security protocol and is protected enough to stop attacks. Others disagree, because any device can become and access point. You will just have to have faith since it is so new and coming out into the world. We shall see what happens in the future with this technology.

This is a technology that has unlimited possibilities for business, pleasure, and everything in between when it comes to access and communication. Imagine, no more will you have to suffer the music of Starbucks just to get to your email, or put up with limited access because of a weak connection.

By Sean Wilcoxson

Let’s say someone has been using their computer for five years. At first it runs smoothly for a couple years with no problems. But over time, and through no fault to the user, the place where operations run called the registry gets cluttered.

You do not want to buy a new computer, so what do you do? To go in to the registry on your own and try deleting a bunch of files thinking that it will make your computer run faster, is a fallacy. There are very sensitive files in the registry that if you delete by accident, even your computer’s basic functions will be compromised.

The best way to fix this problem is to go to a trusted source such as a program like Workstation Optimizer. This program will enable you to do what you cannot do for yourself, which is free up all that stuff that is cluttering your computer and make it run like it first did when you bought it.

If you are lazy or your computer is so full of crap that downloading anything will break its back, there are tools on your computer which will clean up disk space, thus allowing for smooth sailing. The Disk Cleanup tool that exists in Windows 7, XP, and Vista can work wonders for your computer.

You can use Disk Cleanup to:

• Remove temporary Internet files.
• Remove downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets).
• Empty the Recycle Bin.
• Remove Windows temporary files such as error reports.
• Remove optional Windows components that you don’t use.
• Remove installed programs that you no longer use.
• Remove unused restore points and shadow copies from System Restore.

Another way to make your PC run better is to go to your Control Panel from the Start Menu, and click on Add/Remove Programs. Once in here you will see a list of programs that are most commonly used, like you internet, your anti-virus, and your work applications. But you will also find many programs that are not being used or that snuck in by downloads.

These extra programs take up that valuable space you need for work or play, regardless of why you use it, no one wants a slow retarded computer.

Check your start-up folder. Somehow a lot of random programs sneak into this folder and jump on you as soon as your computer boots. Most of these do not even tell you what they are doing, so they are invisible taking up CPU space if you do not take action. To solve this, go to your start up, click on All Programs, and you will see a folder called Startup. If there is anything in there that you did not intentionally put it in, delete it.

PC’s come with problems, so do these simple steps to eliminate these problems and turn them into costless solutions.

by Sean Wilcoxson

A new PC utility enables users to slim up there computer and cut down on all those programs you do not need which fills up disk space.

“Bloatware”, or software bloat, is a term that is used to describe the unnecessary features that are not being used but takes up valuable space on your computer. In the beginning, back in the 1970’s, every byte was accounted for because disk space was like gold not to be wasted. It seems in today’s world the reverse is the normal: pack in the useless nonsense!

With all the new operating systems, browsers, protocols, and storage formats, no wonder your computer is fat and farting! For example, a program that once could only save in text format is now demanded to save in HTML, XML, XLS, CSV, PDF, DOC, and other formats.

In comes SlimComputer software from SlimWare Utilities, a useful tool that collects user ratings of programs that ship with that PC you ordered and aggregates them to make it easy to decide which ones to delete, and which ones to keep.

“As more users participate, we get more data. As we get more data, the better the ratings are,” said Chris Cope, CEO of Slimware, based in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Looking at these ratings, you might still be skeptical at whether or not certain programs are valuable or not. The tool will identify and remove programs that many users don’t want, like the free games that come with many PCs, and also list nonessential toolbars, startup items and shortcuts. Basically the SlimComputer eliminates all those annoying programs that take up all the space that you could be using to store all those “movies”.

Why Is Bloatware Bad?

How does it feel to be bloated? Not good. That is what your computer feels, and it will go a lot slower than usual because it is too busy farting. Software companies often pay PC makers to include trial versions in the computer so you will get a nice variety of nothing!

This software can slow boot times, drag on performance, and take up disk space. Other examples of bloated software are trial productivity tools and accounting. So what can you do to get your PC up and running full speed?

With Slimware the main goal is to not interfere with important programs that are used to help the computer function properly. That would screw things up big time, no, what this program does is make it so that when you get a new computer or have an existing one, based on user ratings of how important a program is you can decide for yourself which ones to get rid of.

This is a valuable tool in this day and age of endless content that never ceases to fill up your screen with useless nonsense. Get rid of all that crap with slimware.

Microsoft, iTunes, and other applications like NERO burning ROM have been accused of being bloated. They come with all sorts of ridiculous add-ons and downloads that look great, but actually are just there to slow you down.

Here is a tip: if you feel your computer is bloated and is not as fast as you would like? Instead of buying a new expensive Sony laptop, download this free program and see how much money you can save by freeing up space.

By Sean Wilcoxson

Adobe is releasing a new version called Reader X. Another name for that might be Adobe “Bait-for-Hackers”. With the release of this new product which enables users to open PDF files and view them with even more content types, and expanded PDF access to mobile devices.

What also comes with the release of Adobe Reader X and other Acrobat X applications is the susceptibility of hacks and security issues that comes with the ongoing threat of malicious campaigns against programs such as these.

Even the chief security executive for Adobe said that there will be a bull’s-eye on this product once it is released in 30 days.

Adobe is taking the hackers into the sandbox.

To explain, a sandbox in the world of computers is a way of isolating running programs. This security mechanism restricts the ability of untested codes and third party programs to enter and see the network access and the host systems. In other words it makes the world of computers a better place because it plays nice and makes sure your computer isn’t running around the playground kissing every kid and telling about it.

While the sandbox protect mode will not stop attacks, it will at least stem them to a point where they are manageable. Hackers want bragging rights, so the first one to break into Adobe Reader X is a hero, and then it is off and running for them to cause chaos with your information and money.

Hackers can get into this program and exploit it by running the program with the looks and feel of the real thing. So when you put your credit card in to upgrading to full service or when you send money, although you think it is going to a legitimate company, it is really going to some fat over-weight asshole who needs your money to fuel his Twinkie addiction.

Sandbox is another word for isolation chamber.

Applets, which are self-contained programs that run in your operating system, are common in web browsers; they use the mechanism to safely execute untrusted code embedded in web pages. Java is a common one you might be familiar with. When it asks for your permission to run a program, that is an example of a sandbox doing its job.

The one major important job of the sandbox for Adobe and for your system is that is prevents viruses and Trojans from infecting you. If you do not want to get sick and lose all your memory and work that you have done for years on your favorite computer, make sure you have a sandbox application running. A common one is Sandboxie, which is a great tool for isolating the virtual processes in a controlled environment to allow for testing before it is sent out over the web and into your machine.

Adobe against the Hackers

The programmers at Adobe want to make sure that they come out on top over the hackers. A daunting task, but with 13,000 lines of code making it the most popular program to get this much attention, anyone trying to get into this sandbox will be tested to the fullest extent.

If you are downloading the new Adobe and are unsure about whether it is safe or not, remember the days of playing in the sandbox, and you should not have any more worries. The internet playground is a better place with a sandbox in it.

Today Microsoft Office is on over a billion PC’s around the world. If you work in business or any company, chances are pretty good that email is involved, and Office is perfect for organization and ease of use.

Chris Capossela , who is the Senior Vice President of the Microsoft Office Division, has this to say on a new product that might interest users of Microsoft Office, and businessman who either own a small business or work in one.

“This is just the beginning; Office 365 allows us to take the Office suite and all the servers that go along with it, and move those to the Cloud with a world class productivity service. That really will define the next generation of productivity,” said  Capossela.

It looks like the world of computers and internet is improving for the better. Major factors involved include ease of use, how fast it is, and results. Microsoft Office 365 delivers every day of the year, hence the name.

“No other online service can provide the rich productivity capabilities of Office 365, the ease of use and depth of services, combined with the communication and collaboration of Exchange Online, SharePoint online, and Lync Online, deliver incredible benefits for organizations of all sizes,” said Betsy Webb, who is the General Manager for the Microsoft Office Division.

Small businesses that do not have formal IT staff but have big business needs for communication and collaboration will find a home here. Office 365 provides services for small businesses who want to get up and running in minutes.

You can share your work right with others with the broadcast capabilities of Powerpoint. Make a presentation on your laptop at the office and have that sent to the people who cannot make the meeting.

Sharepoint Online  allows every employee of your company to have their own website, a sort of Facebook that allows each employee and employer to find each other and connect in ways they could not before.

Certain abilities like PC to PC communication are great for small businesses. Employees are able to work across distances with audio and video conversations, Microsoft Office 365 creates an easy living world in your business.

Here is a look at the specifics.

Microsoft Exchange Online is designed for organizations who want to get the benefits of cloud-based email without sacrificing the business-class capabilities that Exchange Server has been providing for decades. Built on the same technology as Exchange Server 2010, Exchange Online provides organizations with the latest capabilities including built-in archiving, optional Conversation View, and MailTips, along with powerful web-based tools for managing online deployments.  With Exchange Online, Microsoft handles the ongoing maintenance, patches, and upgrades of the Exchange infrastructure while providing IT administrators the control and flexibility they require.

With SharePoint Online the services are there for you to make life easier. Manage and share personal documents and insights with colleagues using ‘MySites’, a great feature like Facebook. Keep teams in sync with shared document libraries, task lists and calendars with Team Sites. SharePoint allows you to stay up to date on company news, events and business updates with Intranet Sites. Another good feature is the ability share documents and insights securely with partners and customers using Extranet Sites.

The last feature is called Lync Online. It is a next-generation cloud communications service that connects people in new ways, anytime, from anywhere. Lync Online provides intuitive communications capabilities across presence, instant messaging, audio/video calling and a rich online meeting experience including PC-audio, video and web conferencing. Transform your interactions with colleagues, customers and partners from today’s hit-and-miss communication to a more collaborative, engaging, and effective experience.

All in all, if you have a small business and already use Office 2007, the upgrade to Cloud could mean increases in productivity and results. Personally I have not checked out this Cloud business, as it is only in Beta form right now. It looks promising, with the future of communication happening today, I would check it out.

By Sean Wilcoxson

In this world of computers, technology, and the internet where information flows all around us there exist two types of people: surfers and sharks.

These are dangerous waters. Just last year there were 2.6 million threats in the form of Trojan and other viruses sent out all over the internet. How are we to keep safe when most of us do not even know what a virus looks like, and what is more, how to stop one.

The answer is in the password. There are many different techniques to stop hackers from getting into your computer, this one is crucial to prevention.

You might be asking: “Why do I need to change my password?”

First, let’s take a look at just what a malicious attacker can do with your password.

Recently a hacker masquerading as your friend Bob sent you an email asking for help with money or some other problem and to help him all he requires is your sensitive personal information. Hacker skills are vast in finding ways into your friend Bob’s email account. One way is through malicious software that simply records the information as he types it in, like taking candy from a Bob the hackers now have his sign-in data and can use that for whatever they wish.

Poor Bob did not change his password, left it at boob69, and now has to answer to a friend who lost a thousand dollars because he thought Bob was in trouble from an email he sent. This can happen to anyone.

Sometimes all it takes for a hacker to get your password is to guess. “You use a password that’s easy to guess, like your first or last name plus your birth date (‘Laura1968′), or you provide an answer to a secret question that’s common and therefore easy to guess, like ‘pizza’ for ‘What is your favorite food?,’” wrote Priya Navak, Google’s online operations strategist. Be creative with your password.

Gmail is a common target along with Hotmail, Yahoo, and social networking site Facebook for sharks to base their attack on surfers’ privacy.

There is so much information out there it is easy for hackers to grab whatever they want simply by reaching out there hand. To put this in perspective, 247 billion emails are sent out per day, 81% of which are spam emails. That means that every day there are about 200 billion attempts at scams, viruses, and other malicious attacks on you.

This happened to me, and I almost cashed a check written out to me from a businessman who actually used a job finding website to mask as an employer. He wanted me to send him via email my name, address, email address, and my age. It seemed like harmless info, so I obliged, not knowing that this “employer” was a scammer who wanted me to cash a bad check.

Now you might be asking: “How do I protect myself from these bad people?” Answer: Change your password twice a year and never reuse the same one.

Here are some other ways to protect you in the computer world.

1)      Watch out for messages that ask for your username and/or password. Secure sites will not ask you for this information.

2)      Never give out your password if you opened a link that you think is trusted on an email. Hackers are crafty little crackers; they can disguise a trusted site like Amazon or Google and have your information easy.

3)      Always sign-out when you are finished using your email. Don’t leave the door open for hackers and viruses to get in.

There are also some good, free programs like LastPass and Keepass to help with protection. Don’t get bit by a computer shark while surfing the net!