Welcome to the November 2009 Edition of Cyber News, an ad free, spam free online magazine emanating from Stanley's Studio in Phoenix, Arizona. In Cyber News we'll try to pass along some useful tips and information about your computer, the Internet, computer products, digital photography, other related topics, and some stuff that's not related at all. If just one thing you read here can help you in your computing life then it's all worthwhile. October 22nd was the debut of Windows 7. If you are planning to purchase a new computer with Windows 7 in the near future, there are things to consider regarding your old machine. Regardless if you sell it, give it away or junk it you will want to delete any personal files that you created. Old computers are a gold mine for identity thieves! Proper guidelines for accomplishing this are offered by the Data Doctors. By far the simplest way to step up to Windows 7 is to purchase a new computer. If you upgrade your present machine there are some things to consider as explained again by the Data Doctor on CNN.
I will be purchasing a new Windows 7 desktop computer soon, and will give you a full report in January's Cyber News. I will also update my laptop and other computers in my office to Win 7. Since there is no email client included in the new operating system, consideration will have to be given as to what mail client to use. Some people will probably opt to use web mail, but there are other choices such as Windows Live Mail, and Mozilla's Thunderbird. Mozilla is the company that makes the popular Fire Fox browser. There are other choices besides those two and you can find them by typing "Windows 7 email clients" into Google search. Last month two of my favorite programs have been upgraded to new versions. The free version of AVG has updated to version 9.0 and Ad-aware has updated to version 8.1.1. The big improvement of Ad-aware is that after installation you can forget it as it will work in "Simple Mode," updating itself and defending you from malware, and spyware totally in the background. Be cautious with both installations as they will want to install third party software which you don't need. Both programs can be found at www.filehippo.com.
Don't you wonder how we ever functioned without cell phones? I mentioned last month that I stepped up to the new Iphone 3Gs, and I couldn't be happier. I was absolutely amazed how that phone helped me while on the road. Being able to send and receive email, text messaging, checking weather conditions, taking pictures and movies, finding the best gas prices, I could go on and on. With 85,000 applications available you can be as "nerdy" as you like. That little piece of technology enables me to do almost as much as using my laptop! If you are a cell phone nut, here are the top 5 as listed by CNET. I love talking about and thinking about future technology. As I mention in my seminars, the mind of man has not even yet conceived where we'll be even five years from now. Here's a fascinating video of what your hotel room might look like and function in the coming years!
It's no secret that women love to shop. Girls, imagine yourself in a store trying on dozens of outfits. How how long that would take? Well, things will change when you shop in the store of the future. Now this is fun! A palindrome reads the same backwards as forwards. This is something I don't think I've ever seen before. This video was submitted in a contest by a 20 year old and sponsored by AARP. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a moment and watch it. Some celebrities are memorialized in death as was James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson for example. The "King of Pop" probably never thought that squirrels would be dancing to his music! Microsoft is hopping on the bandwagon with Apple in opening stores which will feature software and hardware products. The first one opened October 22nd in Scottsdale, Arizona. That, of course, was the same day as the launch of Windows 7. Guess I'll have to pay them a visit as it's only a stone's throw from my house. We're not ready for new year's resolutions yet, but why not get an early start. There are things that we need to pay attention to now, and we are all guilty of one or more of them. Here are five habits to break before it's too late! Take a look at each area, determine how you stack up, and then make the fix today!
Check out my photos that I've taken from around the world. You'll find over 1,100 pictures in 38 different galleries. Galleries updated this month are: Portraits, Family & Friends, and Misc Outdoor Shots. We have had thousands of views on our Photo Site, thanks in part to Cyber News readers! Check out my blog. There you will find thoughts on many subjects and occasionally find supplements to Cyber News such as Virus alerts or other computer information that I think might be important to you. The latest entry talks about our October adventure. Last month I wrote about Facebook and how I vacillated on any benefits for me. After giving it a try for quite some time I have cancelled my account due to a lack of interest. Blog Are
your favorites, data files, music, photos and address book, backed
up? Don't be sorry! Remember you can read previous editions of Cyber News by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. You can also search previous editions of Cyber News by typing key words into the search box. If you would like to be added to our mailing list (absolutely not shared with anyone) just click here. You will be notified when each new edition is posted. Since spam filters seem to be getting stricter our notification may end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check that occasionally for any important email that may have ended up there. Cyber News is a permanent web site, so you can put it in your "Favorites" and refer to it anytime. Secrets of Safe Computing are outlined below. Please don't ignore them. Read each point and be sure to follow the advice as outlined in System Maintenance. Just a few minutes of work each month will go a long way in keeping your computer running smoothly. Thought for today: "Heal the Past, Live the Present, and Dream the Future!" "Live life with passion, in a constant state of joy, and with an attitude of gratitude!"
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. |
One
thing to watch for if you're upgrading to Windows 7 is what version to
purchase. I have noticed that some stores have computers with
Windows 7 Basic and I wouldn't advise that version. It's so basic
that Microsoft doesn't even list it in their comparison charts.
Most all home users will want the Premium Edition. Compare
editions 
We
received more than the usual requests to be added to our Cyber News list
last month. That most likely was the result of a TV appearance
I made in the Quad Cities. The fact that the month of October was
rather hectic I didn't get a chance to respond to everyone, so please
accept my apology. On the show we talked about the Secrets of Safe
Computing so I'll repeat what I stated last month the fact that no
matter what operating system you are using, you must do certain things
to keep your computer running smoothly. You can find the details 
Computer
terminology will change in the next few years. In the nineties
we discussed memory and hard drives in megabytes. The last few
years it's been gigabytes, and recently terabytes. What's
next? Get ready for petabytes, exabytes, zettabytes, and yottabytes!
Let's examine what we're in for. 1 petabyte = 20 million four
drawer filing cabinets filled with text or 13.3 years of High Definition
TV video! You take it from there.
Photo
Tip of the Month: In photographs, sometimes less is
more. What I mean by that is that often times cropping distracting
things from a picture will let it tell a more interesting story.
Most of the time, there is always a picture within a picture. Take advantage of this simple editing technique for
a more unique
photo. More from 
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.
