Avoid Computer Repair On A Laptop With Five Tips

Having a reliable source of computer repair can be a great comfort when your laptop breaks down, but prevention is always the best medicine. Laptops are especially susceptible to problems because they are so mobile. Its mobility is its strength but it can also be its downfall. Exercise a bit of care in order to make yours last longer.

Here are 5 tips for keeping the machine healthy:

1) Invest in a padded case complete with a zipper or buckle. Make certain that there is adequate padding on both sides of the case and keep it closed up when not in use, in order to avoid dust and dirt seeping in. Toting the fragile laptop around in a backpack, or even worse, no container at all, is inviting damage.

2) Keep your machine away from extreme temperatures. Tossing it into the trunk of a car in mid-summer is not a good idea. Freezing temperatures and humidity can also be detrimental to the longevity of a notebook.

3) Close its lid and turn it off when not in use. Dust can settle quickly on the keyboard and enter the other openings, as well, creating havoc with the electrical system. Be sure to clean it off as necessary, but keeping it closed up and put away will greatly aid in keeping it spic and span and functioning properly.

4) Watch the food and drink. If you are sipping tea or soda and eating your lunch while working on your notebook, set yourself up to be as stable as possible. Arrange the items you are working on, including your computer and your food items, upon a solid surface such as a desk or table. This will offer optimum chance of successfully carrying out multi-tasking endeavors.

5) Take laptops to the beach with extreme care. The idea of doing your work or carrying out email correspondence while on vacation can be an inviting idea, but do so with extreme caution. Did you know that many digital cameras, electronic devices and computers die on the beach? Blowing sand can be the kiss of death to the fragile makeup of an electronic device. Sand is even worse than household dust because of its gritty nature. The beach’s sand knows how to mysteriously embed itself into everything that appears along its shoreline--shoes, hair, picnic lunches and most devastating of all – your computer.

Follow the above 5 tips and your laptop will last longer and serve you well. Avoid computer repair issues with some common sense as well as adequate TLC.

Email and Twitter Phishing – Computer Security Expert Offers Protection Tips

We hear the word “phishing” quite often nowadays. If you’ve never heard the term, chances are you or someone you know has encountered it in some form. Phishing is a computer security term that refers to the act of posing as an organization or company that is, in most cases, well known and trusted. Typically, there will be some type of request for personal information of some sort from the phony company. For instance, there may be a form you are required to fill out that asks for information such as your name and address. Likewise, you may be required to simply fill in a user name and password.

The most popular form of phishing would probably be email phishing. Several years ago, millions of people began receiving emails from what were believed to be well known companies such as eBay and PayPal. Phishing emails were also sent from scammers posing as other reputable companies such as popular gaming sites, banks, and stock trading companies.

However, the emails are not actually coming from the companies and organizations that they appear to be from. The email messages claim such things as ‘your account has been suspended’, or ‘your account information needs to be updated’. A common theme amongst phishing emails is their sense of urgency. The subject or message typically implies or warns that you must act quickly.

Unknowingly, many individuals complete these forms and have their information taken by the scammers and subsequently used for fraudulent and malicious purposes. Credit card information is routinely obtained as well as user names and passwords for various accounts to online websites. Unfortunately, these types of emails still exist and are received by thousands if not millions of people every day.

The most recent type of phishing scam that has caught people’s attention is Twitter phishing. One such case happened about a year ago when a CNN anchor had his Twitter account breached and someone began leaving messages with his account. Many other individuals, including celebrities, have had their accounts violated.

Twitter phishing is once again surfacing and at an amazing rate. Individuals have been receiving private messages which contain links. Notably, a message with the caption “This you?” has been circling the Twitter network and unknowing individuals are being tricked in to clicking on the link in the message. Ultimately, it leads you to a webpage that resembles a Twitter webpage. On this page, you are prompted to enter your user name and password. These malicious Tweets allow the perpetrator to gain access to your Twitter account. The Twitter social network is an easy target for scammers because it’s very easy to reach a large number of targets at once while remaining anonymous.

Ryan Purita, forensic examiner and security specialist for Sherlock Forensics states “there are several identifiable traits that can help you to spot phishing scams.” Mr. Purita lists several red flags that we can look out for to help protect ourselves from scammers. “Some subtle things to look out for would be the grammar and spelling of the messages and whether or not the message is personalized or generic.” In many cases, emails and messages are addressed to ‘member’, ‘sir’, or simply ‘hello’. This is because the messages are typically sent to thousands of individuals at one time and the person sending it generally doesn’t know the names of all the individuals they are sending the message to.

Mr. Purita further claims that, “another sign that a webpage might be malicious is that the URL does not match.” You should be able to look at the URL in your search bar to determine whether it’s a phony website. For instance, if you believe you are entering information into an eBay or PayPal webpage, the titles eBay or PayPal should be directly left of the top level domain. That is, whatever name appears before the last dot or period in the domain. A malicious site may read something like ‘ebay.funding.com’ as opposed to ‘ebay.com’. Mr. Purita cautions, “never click on a link in an email or message. Rather, you should type the address of the website in to your browser.” Otherwise, you can simply type the domain in to your web browser.

In general, phishing and other scams will continue to wreak havoc on the internet for probably as long as the internet exists. Surely scammers will develop new techniques to trick individuals but, if we are careful and aware, we can learn to spot the signs and protect ourselves.

Top 5 mini laptops: What's your pick?

This younger sibling to notebooks is successfully gripping its stand in the markets. These laptops are not only compact and portable, but also the prices are exceptionally nominal. Let’s throw some light on some innovative mini laptops, which you can opt for your computing purposes. Here’s a list of 5 netbooks available in India to pick from:

Dell Latitude 2100: U.S based company, Dell has been designed a compact machine keeping in mind the needs of students and professionals. Dell Latitude 2100 is powered with the Intel Atom N270 processor and Intel 945 GS Express with an optional DVD+/-RW. User can opt the machine either in a three-cell and a six-cell lithium ion battery.

Eye catching feature of the laptop is its stylish looks and compact design. Its hard drive is replaceable with a solid-state drive. With support for Windows XP Home, Windows Vista Home Basic and Linux Ubuntu version 8.10, it includes three-in-one memory card reader and VGA port for connectivity. The Latitude 2100 is available at the starting price of Rs. 23,000.

Lenovo S10: Lenovo is not a new name in laptop arena. Lenovo S10 is a good option for the customers looking for an affordable, yet good looking machine. The laptop features Intel Atom processor N270 (1.60 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 512 KB L2 cache), 160GB Hard Disk, 1GB DDR2 667MHz, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB Ports and 3 in 1 Media Reader. The machine runs on Windows Vista Home Basic. It lets users pick between 80GB and 160GB hard drive. The machine is worth just Rs. 14,000.

Samsung N120: World's largest conglomerate introduced a highly portable 1.27 Kgs Samsung N120 with 10.1-inch Widescreen SuperBright WSVGA LED display. Astounding features of the laptop includes 1.6 GHz Intel Atom ULV Processor N270 that is specifically designed for low-power devices; graphics are maintained by Intel GMA 950 Graphics chipset. The laptop features WiFi 802.11b/g wireless LAN and Bluetooth +EDR connections, 160-GB 2.5-inch internal hard drive along with integrated 1.3 MP webcam, three USB ports, VGA resolution webcam, 3-in-1 Media Card Reader supporting SD, SDHC and Multimedia Card (MMC), 10/100 Mbit Ethernet LAN connection, 56kbps Modem/Fax connection and 2.1 channel speaker system with 1.5W subwoofers. The N120 runs on Microsoft Windows XP Home. 7.4 volts battery offers up to 8 hours of battery life. The price is fixed as Rs. 24,177.

Acer Aspire One: Next in the list is a very economic mini laptop by Acer, a Taiwan-based multinational electronics manufacturer. The machine embraces features like Intel Atom processor, 8.9-inch LCD screen, built-in webcam, 1 GB RAM, up to 160 GB of HDD, easy-to-use Mail software application suite and battery life up to 3 hours. The laptop is a good combination of looks and functionality and available in Sapphire Blue, Brown, Black, Pink and White colors. Acer Aspire One laptop is available in India for an estimated price of Rs. 21,999 (Windows XP) and Rs. 19,999 with Linux base.

Toshiba NB200: Recently, Toshiba has introduced range of compact notebooks. The NB200 is a good machine for every category of users. The 10.1-inch screen is coated in a glossy finish. The NB200 is built around an Atom N280 processor and 1GB of RAM along with three USB ports.

An astounding feature of the laptop is that has used a shock-proof hard drive that adds an extra level of protection for your data. It comes with a Full-size QWERTY keyboard, Touchpad, 3D Motion Sensor, LED Backlit Display and Integrated Web Camera. The netbook is available in two colors namely; Satin Brown Color with Pleats & Cosmic Black with Fusion Stripe. The new Toshiba NB200B-A1712 Netbook is available in India at price of Rs.25, 500.

So, what’s your pick?

Basic Nine Tips to Speed up Windows 7 Performance

The new Microsoft operating system - Windows 7 is awarded with the word "impressive" by the masses, but it still gets complaints from early adopters on the web. Having spent couples of days in forums and communities full of discussion about Windows 7, I find that Windows 7 can easily slow down due to various issues just as its predecessors, Windows XP or Vista.

Well, there is no rose without a thorn. For enjoying the non-compromised features of Windows 7 and keeping its freshness as long as possible, you can take the following top 9 tips to speed up Windows 7 performance, and save your time, money as well as get full control of your PC!

Tip 1 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Cleanup Hard Disk
Windows temporary files, internet cache, cookies, invalid shortcuts and unused files and programs can take up much room on your hard disks. Even you have just upgraded to Windows 7, those junk files can soon accumulate and eat up hard disk space. So regular disk cleanup should be part of your daily work to keep Windows 7 running fast.

Windows 7, as its predecessors, has a built-in Disk Cleanup program, you can find it in Start>Accessaries>System Tools>Disk Cleanup. But this built-in tool takes quite a long time to scan your hard disk and is able to clean very limited junk files. So a third-party disk cleaner is recommended to use to save your time and perform a more complete disk cleaning job.

Tip 2 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Boost Windows 7 Boot Speed
The more programs run automatically when you start your computer, the slower your PC boot. Often when you install a program, it will ask you whether it should start as soon as you boot up your computer, but some malicious programs simply add themselves to that auto-start folder without your permission.

Open Run, input “msconfig”, then select “Boot”, you will see a list of programs in that auto-start folder. You can manage them there.

Tip 3 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Defrag Hard Disk
Your hard drive can be full of fragmentation with time, which dramatically slows down Windows running. Microsoft OS including Windows 7 provides the built-in Disk Defragmenter tool, which lets you remove empty patches, pack pieces of files together, and thus occupy contiguous storage locations, increase the speed of reading and writing files to/from hard disk.
Frequency: Disk defragmentation should be performed every two or three months, because frequent disk defragmentation can decrease the span of hard disk.

Tip 4 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Scan & Repair Registry
Registry is the central database of Windows which stores the necessary information and settings for software and hardware running smoothly. Even you have uninstalled a program, respective information is saved there. Windows registry can be full of errors that cause the main system crashes, error messages, freezes and slowdown. You will be amazed when you view how many errors exist in your registry.

Microsoft experts never suggest people to manually change their registry, since any improper operation to registry can cause serious damage. Instead of taking that risk, using a third-party safe registry cleaner/optimizer might be better. Here is a free registry cleaner review for your reference.

Tip 5 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Defragment Windows 7 Registry
Just like hard drive needs defrag, registry needs too. Registry defrag is to remove fragmentations and creates a linear registry, which can speed up registry access and program response. Some defrag programs also compact your registry to a smaller size, thus it can take up less memory and make room for other programs running fast. There is a free registry defrag software which can safely defrag registry in two minutes for most Windows systems.

Tip 6 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Uninstall Unused Programs
Uninstalling programs that you seldom use is better than just removing them from your hard drive., because simple deletion can cause Windows errors. Some programs have the built-in uninstall app while others don't. Then you can go to the control panel and uninstall them. For those malicious programs that don’t allow you to uninstall, you can make use of a third-party uninstall manager (known as built in Wondershare Registry Optimizer) to get rid of them.
Note: cleanup registry is necessary after the uninstallation. Detail is given in the following part.

Tip 7 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Update Anti-Spyware Program
Use an antivirus program to protect your computer from the attacks of spyware, virus, trojan and other malware, and regularly update the program. If your spyware removal or anti-virus software offers an automatic update option, then it's good. If not, you'd better update them manually.

Since there are many types and variations of viruses, spyware that can infect your computer and revise your system settings, regular update to ensure that you have the latest threat signatures and regular scan to secure your computer.

By the way, Wondershare Spyware Removal is now free for six months, that you can get the free registration code as soon as you submit your email address. With this registration code you can update & get technical support without limitation for 6 months, after that you can renew it with 50% off.

Tip 8 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Boost Performance by Adjusting Registry Parameters
This step is to change registry parameters designed to boost Windows 7 system performance, such as automatically end hung applications, optimize internet connection, speed up loading web pages, speed up Windows shutdown, etc.

There are many online tips talking about how to manually revise registry settings for better system performance, but manual revisement fits more for computer expert than for beginners. Beginners has better use a system optimizing utility (known as built in Wondershare Registry Optimizer) to have this done in single 1 mouse click.

Tip 9 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Turn off Part of Win7 Graphics
Windows 7 has been added many eye candy visual effects, which are recourse hog, especially when, what you expect from Windows 7 is more performance. So you can disable some unwanted visual effects of Windows 7 to enjoy the maxim of Windows 7 speed and performance.

To disable unwanted visual effects: Right click on "Computer" and select "Properties" from the context menu, click "Advanced System Settings", then under "Performance" click "Settings". Choose the "Custom:" option. Then you can select which effects to keep and which to disable. Actually you are recommended to untick all the options, and select only the last four options to apply.

Slow windows startup? - Wondershare Resgistry Optimizer Can help you

Most of us experience slow windows startup after having used a computer for a long time. And for me, half a year is enough to get accustomed to leaving my computer alone after I press the start button, and probably, having a cup of coffee.

Despite the hardware factor (people seldom consider expensive hardware upgrades simply because computer starts up slowly), Windows starts with many other services and applications installed on our computer. And that's why our PC makes us wait until it gets ready with all those known or unknown programs started. Then, where do those programs that automatically start come from?

Where do those auto-start programs come from?
Take an example, when we download and install software, we follow the installation wizard and do what it asks us to do. We just keep clicking Next and Next, and wish that tiring installation process would finish soon. And in that very moment, a piece of prompt just escapes from our eyes and the application succeeds in hiding itself into auto-start programs. After that, whenever we boot computer, that little program just automatically start without greetings!

Things can be worse when some other malicious programs simply set themselves into startup program list without asking for our permission.

Then, here comes the problem: how to remove unneeded start-up applications from Windows and thus, speed up PC boot?

Here two easy methods are recommended. Both of them can help you to change Windows startup programs and optimize system startup in less than ONE minute.

Solution one: optimize Windows startup with the command of “msconfig”
Click Start > Run > type in “msconfig”, select “Startup” in the pop-up window. Then the programs in your Windows start-up appear. Just select unnecessary programs and click “Apply”.
Cons: many applications can really hide deeply in your Windows startup programs that it is difficult to find them using this command. For example, there are seven programs automatically start when I boot my computer. But the command could only be able to find four of them.

Solution two: optimize Windows startup with Windows Startup Manager
Windows Startup Manager is a simple tool that helps users to manage their startup programs, either in Windows XP, Vista or in Windows 7, 2000, etc. Many system optimizing utilities have this little but practical tool built in their applications, such as Wondershare Registry Optimizer, for Windows startup optimization can contribute to the overall speedup of PC.

Step 1: Launch Wondershare Registry Optimizer software
Step 2: Select Startup Manager under the System Tools menu.
Step 3: Select those unnecessary auto-start programs in the list and click “Save” or “Delete Entry”.

Tips of Windows startup optimization
Regularly check and optimize Windows startup programs of your computer would be better, because we always install or uninstall programs when we use our computers.
Windows startup optimization helps speed up PC boot. But for the overall acceleration of system performance, a lot more work need to be done. Click to learn more about speeding up computer.

Keep the number of your Windows startup programs as small as possible, and that’s the basic way of speeding up PC boot. As to the optimization of slow running computer, cleanup of system and registry junks, optimize system settings, and registry defragmentation are dispensable. Taking advantage of a registry cleaner & system optimizer will definitely saves you tons of time and work.