This is big news. According to TechCrunch, Google has been the victim of a targeted attack against it’s infrastructure. Even more alarming, the intruders seem to be going after the information of human rights activists in China.
Google has made the bold move to deploy an uncensored version of it’s browser, which has been willingly censored by Google to comply with Chinese government regulations since 2006.
Should the Chinese government find the new uncensored browser illegal (Which is highly likely), then Google may have to stop Chinese operations completely.
This is a big time move by Google to stop the censorship of it’s browser even though it faces losing the Chinese market of over 1.25 billion.
For those not familiar with Opera, it is one of the most innovative browsers available on the market. The newest version 10 of Opera introduces a number of new features that make it even better. First, the code used to build the browser is very clean and will not bog down your system.
You will also notice the speed when loading websites that were slower to respond on other browsers such as Internet Explorer. Other browsers such as Firefox have implemented numerous features that Opera pioneered first.
Give Opera a try and see what you think. It is also available for mobile browsing on portable devices.
Download Opera 10 for your system.
This article will talk about protecting yourself from dangerous sites online using the wonderful add-on “Web of Trust” for Internet Explorer and Firefox.
The WOT, or “Web of Trust” add on is a free open source software that is updated continuously by the millions of members already using the software.
You as the user, can rank and comment on sites that you felt safe browsing and didn’t present any problems to you. If you come across a site that seems fishy or dangerous to you, you can mark the site as “red” and then other users of the WOT software will be informed when they reach the site that it may be dangerous to them.
This is a great way to keep yourself safe browsing when a window comes up before visiting a site warning you of a potential threat seen by other users.
Here is an image of the warning page generated by WOT when you type in a site rated with a poor reputation
Web of Trust
I recommend that everyone install WOT onto their computers to avoid shady sites that may try to install viruses or malware onto your system. This can be particularly effective at keeping beginning or uninformed users such as the elderly or small children safe from any harmful sites.
Google is expected to announce that it is currently developing a PC operating system to challenge Microsoft Windows in a press conference tomorrow, July 8th.
The OS will be based off of Google’s current Chrome internet browser.
This is quite exciting, as nobody has seriously challenged Microsoft for decades on the PC operating system front.
More on the google pc operating sytem from MSNBNC.
Official Google Blog discussing release of PC OS
We have all paid for name brand software at some point such as: (Microsoft Office, Roxio DVD Creator, Microsoft Outlook, Winzip, etc…)
But did you know that there are free software solutions out there being built by development communities?
These are known as open source software. The difference between an open source program and a free program is the open source allows you to view the source code. Either way, both are still free to you or your business.
My favorite example of open source is OpenOffice. This is an office suite that offers all the functionality of Microsoft office at no cost to you (Although you are encouraged to donate, which helps with some of their costs). Even business use is license free! You can import and export word, excel, and powerpoint files in OpenOffice. There is also a database program similar to access, but I have found some compatibility problems. This is truly a great piece of software that everyone should try at least once.
CDburnerXp is a great free program that burns CD/DVD/Blu-Ray, create audio CD’s, and burn ISO files. I have used this program and prefer it over paid software such as Roxio and Nero.
7Zip is an open source software that can do everything winzip and winrar can do at no cost to you.
The final open source solution I’m going to talk about in this article is Thunderbird. This can be used to replace Microsoft Outlook at home or in the workplace.
Here is a list of the programs and techniques I have used for years to keep business and personal computers running smoothly. The big problem in today’s world is the large amount of spyware and adware that is left on your system. Malware is a term that includes all types of software that can harm or slow your computer including spyware and adware along with: viruses, worms, trojan horses, and rootkits.
Spyware usually comes bundled with another software package which you will unknowingly install. Adware is similar to spyware in that it is usually installed unknowingly to the user. If you have random popups or strange ads appearing out of nowhere on your computer, you have adware.
And now for the list of programs (All are either free or open-source):
- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – Malware removal software. Even the nastiest malware can usually be removed by this fabulous program and is my top choice
- Spybot Search & Destroy – Another malware removal software that used in conjunction with Malwarebytes, will give you excellent protection and removal of malware.
- CCleaner – Removes cookies, temp files, and other unwanted files that are slowing your system
- Clamwin Antivirus – Virus scanner that is updated reguraly
All of these programs should be installed on your system and run at least once every week if not more. Stay tuned for another article describing my favorite open source programs that are as good if not better than the name brand software we all know: (Microsoft Office, Roxio DVD Creator, Microsoft Outlook, Winzip)
Yesterday Apple released a new iPhone with a myriad of added features such as:
Faster hardware
Digital Compass
MMS Messaging
It’s amazing how many functions the iPhone is capable of through it’s software. You can use the iPhone in your business or personal life to perform many tasks including:
GPS – No need for a standalone unit when the iPhone has you covered.
True Internet Browsing – See full size sites the same way you would on a computer.
Photos – 3 megapixel shots with autofocus on the go.
Email and Documents – View email and office documents the same way you would on a computer.
Having this much power on the go gives you the advantage of responding to emails quicker, or viewing website updates and Internet news faster. In today’s information on demand world, having an iPhone or similar device gives you the ability to respond to clients faster and stay in the loop from anywhere you go.
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Cloud Computing is a term we are hearing more and more of these days in the computer world. The easiest way to describe this term is to think of having all your applications such as word, excel, quickbooks, outlook, etc.. all stored on a remote computer acessible only by using the internet. You would log onto a site and load all your documents off a webpage such as google docs and google apps. Computing in the cloud requires no software applications locally stored on your computer which frees up space and processing power.
Google apps provides businesses with the ability to share data by logging in from any computer, anywhere in the world at any time. Share calendars and chat on IM, share excel or word documents that you are collaborating on. With cloud computing, life is made simplier and productivity increases.
Give it a try by setting up a google docs account and importing one of your spreadsheets or word documents. Once you have your data in google docs, you can use any computer with internet access to edit your document. You will find this to be very helpful if you use multiple computers, or are in situations where you share computers.
Kmantech is now offering a complete business setup with company domain name, employee email, and website. The deluxe business package also implements a custom company blog similar to the one you are currently reading from.
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