PCTechNotes :: PC Tips, Tricks and Tweaks » Featured

Starcraft II Released!…Finally!

slavezero — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:37:43 +0000

Wow! finally after years or should I say a decade of waiting the StarCraft is finally available! it is scheduled to be released on July 27, 2010 simultaneously in different countries around the world, including the Philippines.

I am a die hard fan of Blizzard games, I hardly believe that they are the best in creating games especially with Action-RPG, Real-Time strategy and MMORPG. The new StarCraft promises new strategy and innovative gameplay mechanics and of course a superb Graphics. The original race are still there, the Zerg, Terran, and Protoss.

The retail copy will be sold for $60 (about P2,760) and $100 (about P4,600) For hardcore gamers and game collectors.

PC Minimum System Requirements:

Windows® XP/Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 (Updated with the latest Service Packs) with DirectX® 9.0c
2.6 GHz Pentium® IV or equivalent AMD Athlon® processor
128 MB PCIe NVIDIA® GeForce® 6600 GT or ATI Radeon® 9800 PRO video card or better
12 GB available HD space
1 GB RAM (1.5 GB required for Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 users)
DVD-ROM drive
Broadband Internet connection
1024X720 minimum display resolution

PC Recommended Specifications:

Windows Vista®/Windows® 7
Dual Core 2.4Ghz Processor
2 GB RAM
512 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 GTX or ATI Radeon® HD 3870 or better

500 Worst Passwords

slavezero — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:26:15 +0000

I was exploring some cool, funny and interesting pictures on the web, when I stumbled on this “500 worst password” image on Flickr. After reading the list of passwords It made me think because although this is hilarious it is also a serious matter. Some internet users today usually use some of the passwords that are listed on the image. Using unsafe passwords will make your account vulnerable for any attacks. I posted an article a year ago on how you can make a good password.

I actually admit that I have a passwords that are on that list but those are only for test my accounts. I have 123456, password, 12345, 12345678, pass, and dragon?? no I don’t use that. But seriously avoid using any password that are on that list unless you don’t intend to use that account for your important transactions, subscriptions and membership.

Fresh Start – Welcome Back… To me

slavezero — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:53:22 +0000

First I would like to apologize for being out for such a very long time, not updating this blog and also not attending to your questions and computer problems. The reason is I’ve chosen to concentrate more on my day job duties and new clients came pouring in. This time I will be back for sure… but… It will be a fresh start with a new domain name. Yes, you read it right a new domain name, PCRemiX.com will now be PCTechNotes.com. Aside from the domain name change, PCTechNotes will also be using a new theme, fit for a fresh start.

To all my valuable readers and visitors please update your bookmark, links, twitter, RSS and email subscriptions.

Protecting Your Online Account

cathonline — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:55:51 +0000

Nowadays, technology is a part of every aspect of our lives. No matter where you go, a developing country uses an improving technology. We use technology for more than just accessing information. We use it for easy banking, bill paying, filing personal information and sending information to others. It makes our life a lot easier, but at the same time risky.

In order to be safe in using technology we rely on passwords to protect our identities and accounts. One simple “password” is all that it takes to safeguard our personal files against a possible huge headache if it is cracked by a hacker gaining access to it. A weak password is better than no password at all, but still not a good idea. It might deter a hacker for sometimes, but not for too long.

Though we can’t do anything with the hackers, extra security measures can be used to make cracking more difficult. It is by using a complex password. A complex password is critical to online security. It is different from a regular password because it uses more keyboard numbers, symbols and letters. A complex password is a strong password that is much more secure.

In creating a strong complex password you can think of a phrase or a sentence, to use as a clue to your password. Example: ” My female cat Meow has 2 blue eyes” Then the password could be MfcMh2be. This is a strong complex password and it won’t be as hard to remember since it is connected to a sentence. Mix capital letters with numbers. Adding symbols would make it more complex like **_MfcMh2be_** or –_MfcMh2be_-. Avoid using your name or screen name as your password. The length of the password should be from 10-14 letters and symbols. The more symbols the higher the security strength. Do not use passwords that are dictionary words, names, phone numbers and dates even words that are connected to you like your sports and favorites.

Using different passwords in your different accounts is a big thing. This way if someone tried to crack your password, they won’t have the access in your every account. Do not use shared computers to access your accounts. These include computers that are open to the public like internet cafes, kiosks, schools and libraries.
Laptop computers may be less secure as you use them in different places, so make sure your laptop has strong passwords.

Password protection is very important. Most security experts agree that you should never write down your password boldly and keep the information in an easily accessible area. If you must write down your passwords then write it using initials, clues, or drawings then store the information in a very safe place with your other valuables… do not write anything that would make it an obvious password. Another idea is to develop a code that will jar your memory so you can remember the password. This way the password in code won’t make any sense to anyone but you. Always keep your passwords secret and change them ever 30-60 days. Always keep track of your banking accounts and monitor them regularly for changes you did not make.

Article written by Cath author of cathonline.com

How Safe Is Your Child From The Internet?

slavezero — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:29:33 +0000

I used to own an internet cafe. And some of my customers are kids playing online games and some researching for projects or assignments. Sometimes, I wonder if they are safe using the internet… so I provide some restrictions in sites that they can visit.

Nowadays, Almost each household now has a computer and has access on the Internet and almost every child knows to use the computer. The Internet can be a great place of resources for children. They can employ it to seek school reports, to communicate with professors and, friends and other children, and to play the interactive games. Any child who is enough old to punch in some letters on the keyboard can literally reach the world. But this access can also pose dangers with your children. For example, your 8 years could open a session with a Search Engine and seize the word “Lego”. But with Just a striking missed keystroke, him or she can enter the word “legs”, and is directed towards thousands of Web sites with contents focus on legs – some of which can contain the pornographic material. This is why it is important to realize of what your children see and hear on the Internet, of they meet, and what they divide about themselves online. Just like any exit of safety, it is an good idea of speaking with your children about your concern, benefiting from the resources to protect them from potential dangers, and to keep a narrow eye on their activities.

Web content ‘disturbing children’

Three out of four children have seen images on the internet that disturbed them, an NSPCC poll suggests.

The charity is renewing its call for computer manufacturers and retailers to install security to stop children finding violent or sexual content.

The NSPCC, which polled visitors to its children’s website There4me.com, said it was “alarmed” by the accessibility of potentially disturbing material.

Some 377 of 497 votes cast claimed to have been disturbed by internet images.

One child posted a comment on a There4me message board saying: “I’ve seen violent images I didn’t search for. I was freaked out.”

Another said his eight-year-old sister’s search for “pictures of animals” generated pornography adverts.

The NSPCC wants social networking and video hosting sites to remove offensive material within hours of finding it.

Policy adviser Zoe Hilton said the NSPCC was “alarmed” by how easy it was for children to access “disturbing internet material”.

She said: “Children are just a few clicks away from innocently stumbling across upsetting or even dangerous pictures and films such as adult sex scenes, violent dog fights, people self-harming and children being assaulted.”

‘More effort’

Ms Hilton said that every child should be using a computer with child protection software.

“High-security parental controls installed in their computers would help shield them.

“Currently computer manufacturers and retailers leave it to parents to find and install software that filters out material unsuitable for children. This can be a complicated process for customers.”

The charity wants retailers to ensure the software is installed before selling computers, and also manufacturers to start building such controls into their products.

She added: “Social networking sites must also put more effort and resources into patrolling their sites for harmful and offensive material and ensure their public complaints systems are clearly marked, easy-to-use and child-friendly.

“We would also recommend they give information on their sites about sources of help and advice, such as Childline, for children who have been affected by what they have seen.”

[source]

Hot and Cool Wallpapers

slavezero — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:16:03 +0000

Here are some of my top wallpaper picks from DigiWallpaper. I have picked some of my favorite wallpapers from different categories. Enough of the talk here they are ^_^.

Disclaimer:All images on this particular post are for entertainment and personal use only. I do not take credit on any of the images above. If you are the owner of any of the wallpapers found in this page and can prove it, please do not hesitate to contact me and I’ll put your deserved credits under the proper wallpapers or remove them at your request.

What is a UPS and Why Do We Need Them?

slavezero — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:21:22 +0000

First, let me explain what is a UPS. UPS are battery backups, it stands for Uninterruptible power supply. UPS are typically used to protect computers and other other electrical equipments and appliances.

A UPS is a device that is connected between your main electricity supply and your Computer . UPS has two main functions:

1. It filters the mains supply to remove spikes which can cause failures. Spikes can be a thousand volts or more that last for a small amount of time. These spikes can cause real damage to your computer.

2. It takes over your computer power supply when then main electricity fails or worse goes into a state known as a brown out. This is where the supply falls to an unacceptably low level and this may cause your computer to crash and can lost or corrupted data.

Recently a friend of mine experienced a momentary power failure he complained that all of his work was lost. Those lost of work can be prevented by frequently saving your work. But Most people often forgot to do this. UPS can easily save from this happening again. I know that is a small issue to convince you to buy a UPS but what if that sudden power supply caused your computer to crash? and your computer’s main component motherboard, cpu ram got damaged? well, those are highly possible I experienced it myself back in the days I don’t know about UPS.

A momentary failure happened to me way years back and my motherboard failed, I did bought another motherboard which is doubled the price of a regular UPS. After that incident I never trust our power supply I bought a UPS and always advice on my friends and clients to invest on a UPS whenever they purchase a computer because that will enable them to save more in the long run.

If you ask me if UPS devices are expensive? the answer is No, A regular UPS only cause more or less a hundred dollars. Worth every penny when I hear the bleep, bleep, bleep.

How to Easily Translate Website Contents

slavezero — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:19:28 +0000

Ever encountered a site where contents are too much for you to understand or in a different language? I myself usually stumbled into foreign sites and one of my problems is understanding it’s content or understanding a single word. Fortunately for me I found a great piece of plugin available for Firefox and Internet Explorer that can easily help me understand every alien word for me. I share to you Babylon Translator.

Babylon Translator gives you good results from trusted dictionaries, encyclopedias and information sources in different languages. It will not only translate a word it will also provide you with meaning and examples.

To start translating click on the Translate button on your Babylon toolbar.

It will then give you this window on how to translate a word.

Right after you press the translate keys it will give you the results

Translation from different languages

DOWNLOAD BABYLON TRANSLATOR

Why Static Electricity Can Kill Your PC

slavezero — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:00:15 +0000

There are electronics that are highly sensitive to static electricity; computers and laptops are one of them. Try rubbing a balloon in your hair and then stick it to the wall. You will notice that it will stick to the wall. This is due to the massive build up of charges around the rubbed part of the balloon, producing a high voltage.

This high voltage when put near any electronics, metal cases, and any conductor may cause spark called Electrostatic Discharge or ESD. You may notice some warnings in your electronics about their static sensitivity.

As a computer user and technician, I know about the risk and effect of static electricity on computers. I am here to share with you some tips that can help you save your computers from being damage because of static electricity.

First, we have to know the possible source of static electricity and how to prevent it from building up.

Carpets and Clothes

Most carpets and clothes have a natural proneness for building static charges. Most of the time, they are made of materials that is a poor conductors of electricity. These materials exchange charges when rubbed against another non-conducting materials.

So walking or accidentally rubbing on carpets can produce static electricity. And its not only the carpet that get charge, but yourself as well.And when you purposely or accidentally touch any wires or metals in your computer, you get a spark.

This doesn’t mean that you should throw away the carpets in your house or refrain from wearing clothes. But you have to keep your computers away from carpet area. Be sure to touch any other metal before you start using your computer.

Dry Ambient

A dry ambient is a perfect spark for static buildup. Try putting some plants inside the room to help humidify the room. You can also buy humidifier if you don’t want to put in plants.

Always remember that static electricity may sound simple but it can destroy your electronic appliances.

So make sure, you are static electricity free before touching your laptops and computers.

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Bid At Your Own Risk

slavezero — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:47:48 +0000

If you are fond of shopping and internet, then most probably you know the site Ebay. Ebay is actually the most popular marketplace on the internet. It is a place where both used and new can be found. It is a place where you can go shopping without even going to malls and department stores. Launched in 1995, ebay already made it the top and is now being used by people all over the world to buy and sell almost anything. With their organize categores and site features, spotting the item that you are looking for has never been that easy. In purchasing the items you want, there are two ways: you can bid to get the item or if the item has a buy it now button, youn can click on that, and paiy the buy it price.

The payment service they have, which is Paypal, makes it a safe place to trade worldwide. Although the payment exchange option is left to the buyer, Ebay still find ways to protect both the seller and the buyer. But if you choose Paypal, you get more security. Paypal allows the paying party to know, if the user is verified or not. If the user is verified, that means that there is bank account or credit card attached to the Paypal account. They also offer a protection program for claims with items not received which may result to chargeback and reversal.If you are new to Ebay, then I would suggest to pay using Paypal for a safe buying.Never pay using instant cash, since thetr5e is no protection with that.

Ebay wants its users to trade with confidence. They have placed a feedback system which allows other users to track the past transactions made by the other users.It is important that you check the feedback of the seller to see the comments of the users who had past transactions with him. This will help you see what kind of seller you will be dealing with. The higher the positive rating and numbers of transactions, the better.

Another thing that you should consider, is to know the condition of the item you want to bid or buy. You can ask the seller before bidding to avoid problems. Read the description carefully. And if all is fine with you, you can go ahead and bid or buy.

If you will be bidding and you can’t keep monitoring it until the end, you can set the maximum price you are willing to bid. Ebay will then place the bid for you, one step higher than the other bidder until it reaches your maximum price. As soon as another bidder place a higher amount than your maximum price, you will be outbid. If this is the case, don’t take it personally. You can always watch out for the similar item listed by other users.

Always remember that scammers do exist no matter how ebay enforce safety trading in the marketplace so take extra precaution.