Welcome to the February 2012 Edition of Cyber News,

February is the month of romance.  Valentine's Day is a time when you express your love to the ones that you care for.  That, of course, should be done everyday, but this day is special.  Cards, candy, flowers, are all part of it, but it's your true feelings that really count.  Make this year's Valentine's Day better than the rest!

February is also Super Bowl month.  This year the big game takes place on the 5th in Indianapolis and is one of the most watched TV programs in the world.  It's Eli Manning (NY Giants) against Tom Brady (NE Patriots).  First year's American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, will sing the National Anthem and Madonna will furnish the half time entertainment.  Check out all the Super Bowl news here.

For the first time ever, the Super Bowl will feature a social-media command center.  A team of strategists, analysts and techies will monitor the digital fan conversation via Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms from a 2,800-square-foot space downtown. The station was set to open on Monday and run through Super Bowl XLVI on February 5.  The story from CNN Tech.

This year you'll be hearing about "Ultrabooks."  It's really the PC version of the really thin MacBook Air. The exciting thing about these machines is that they will boot almost instantly!  Will ultrabooks slow the tablet revolution?  Interesting reading from PC World.

Malicious programs disguising themselves as security applications have become possibly the biggest computer threat of today.  If something pops up on your screen informing you that you have multiple infected files; beware because it's probably a scam that will cost you time, money, frustration, and possibly illegal use of your credit card!  Read a full explanation on my Blog.

Use common sense when it comes to email.  Many types of emails will try to trick you into clicking on an attachment.  One example is an email from your bank asking you to update your banking information.  Just click on the attachment and fill in the required information.  No, no, no!  Just because you recognize the name in the "From" portion of the email doesn't necessarily mean that's who sent it.  To check on the authenticity, in the email, click File, Properties, and the details tab.  If you're using Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail, then click on the down arrow at the top left of the message.  If you want to go the extra mile, copy that information and take it to your bank so they can send it to their fraud department.  

This is a good time to remind you of my "Secrets to Safe Computing."  Accomplish just a couple of easy steps on a regular basis to prevent viruses, malware, spyware, scams, and a slow computer.  This is all outlined in detail here, and everything is free.

Facebook seems to be constantly in the news regarding security.  Identity thieves are using a new trick to impersonate Facebook’s security team and steal account information and credit card data from users of the world’s most popular social network.  Details from ZDNet.

Facebook's timeline is coming soon whether you like it or not.  Once this is inaugurated you will have 7 days to decide what Facebook publishes about you, which includes everything you have ever posted.  Read this and decide what you think.

I have mentioned before that Apple is an incredible marketing machine.  People have camped out, stood in line for hours just to get their hands on the latest iPhone or iPad.  I said I would never do that, but I did a couple months ago at our local Apple store.  I arrived before the store opened only to find about 30 people ahead of me and in minutes the line was quite long.  Once the doors were opened things happened very expeditiously and I had my new iPhone 4S in no time.  Things were much different recently in China where things got so out of hand that Apple temporarily suspended sales of the device.  Here's the story.

The Apple iPhone 4s was the star responsible for the companies all time best earnings.  Over 37 million were sold which took the company to net earnings of over 13 billion for the last quarter!  The complete story from CNET.

The latest Apple rumor is that the iPhone 5 will be released this summer with a 4" screen.  The down factor in all of this is that we just can't keep up, because of signing a two year contract. This may not bother everyone except tech nerds like me who like to have the latest.  Here's the rumor.

Take a minute to watch this guy shoot trick shots on a billiard table.  This is an amazing video and I don't think you want to challenge him in a game of 8 ball!

Ever had to sneeze while your mouth was full of food?  I'm having my favorite treat, Triscuits and Port Wine cheese while writing this and that's exactly what just happened.  Can you hand me a paper towel?

Do you own a Kindle?  If so, you may be interested in an easy way to transfer files from your PC to your Kindle with a free download.  Details from PC Magazine.

Winter here in Phoenix is awesome.  Sunny, most of the time, and temps in the 70s.  Some of you may be experiencing snow this week, and you know that driving can sometimes be a little scary.  Here's a short video showing the perils of winter driving.  Fasten your seat belt!

If you're interested in the future of technology, then the word "Optogenetics" will get your attention.  What is it?  It's a wireless, optical router for your brain.  I have thought for years that someday we would have a chip embedded behind our ear, and this may be the start of it.  Read about this from ExtremeTech and MIT.

Also in the near future, we may see "head up displays" on your automobile windshield, just like what pilots see flying today's jets. Also being called "Augmented Reality HUDs or AR Windshields, the display will greatly enhance the navigation experience while driving your car.  Here's the story of driving in the future.

Like puzzles?  If you do, you'll love this one.  Any age can do this from 1 to 100.  Just left mouse click on a piece of the puzzle and move it to the right place.  If you're right you'll hear a sound.  This is fun, give it a try.

Here's a video that will make you smile!  It's a compilation of some, of what they call, "Great Moments" of 2011.

Photo Tip of the Month:  Want to take better pictures?  If so you may want to sign up for Outdoor Photographer Magazine's "Tip of the Week."  It's free and will be emailed to you every Monday morning.

Check out my personal Photo Site.  You'll see almost 1,600 pictures in 38 galleries that I've taken from around the world.  We have had over 470,000 views on our Photo Site, thanks in part to Cyber News readers!  

If you think a friend or family member would enjoy Cyber News, don't hesitate to let them know about it.  An easy way to do this is to right click on  the web address in the address window of your browser and choose copy.  Open your email program and a new email.  Address it, and in the body of the message right click and choose paste.  That creates a link and when your friend receives the email he or she simply clicks on the link and it will take them directly to Cyber News.  Of course you can do that with any web page.

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"Live Life with Passion, in a Constant State of Joy, and with an Attitude of Gratitude!"  

Secrets to Safe Computing :  Read each point below and be sure to follow the advice as outlined.  Just a few minutes of work will go a long way in keeping your computer running smoothly!

• Make sure System Restore and Firewall are active.
• Follow guidelines in "Secrets to Safe Computing."
• Keep your Operating System Updated.
• Don't open Email from strangers.

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The contents of Cyber News may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author's name and contact information are included.  Cyber News is a free service of Stanley Computing and is published each month, originating from Stanley's Studio in Phoenix, Arizona.  

Disclaimer:  The information presented in Cyber News is researched and is believed to be accurate.  We cannot guarantee that all the information will work on your particular combination of hardware, software and user skills.  All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind.  Neither Stanley Computing nor its contributors are responsible for any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from your choosing to use any information presented on this web site.  Stanley Computing has not been compensated in any way for any product endorsement.

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