computer

Tue
07
Oct
Dennis Faas's picture

Why run Windows 10 Preview as a Virtual Machine?

Infopackets Reader Fred S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I was very much intrigued by your article on Windows 10 Technical Preview . I understand this is a beta operating system and it most likely contains a lot of bugs. At the same time, I'm also very ... excited to try it. In your previous article, you mentioned I could run Windows 10 as a virtual machine . I don't have much knowledge or experience with virtual machines, and was wondering if you could elaborate a bit more on the subject? " My Response: Certainly. You can think of a virtual machine as a computer within a computer. For ... (view more)

Mon
06
Oct
Brandon Dimmel's picture

BadUSB Attack: Now in The Wild; Exploits to Follow

Security researchers have purposely unleashed tools that could help hackers use USB drives to secretly spread malware on computers, including mobile devices with USB ports. The goal in releasing such tools is to coerce USB drive manufacturers into ... doing more to protect consumers against such attacks. The attack vector was initially reported in early August of this year, and until now was only theoretical. The tools were released by security researchers Adam Caudill and Brandon Wilson. Their campaign is inspired by the unveiling of " BadUSB ," a type of attack that uses a USB thumb ... (view more)

Thu
02
Oct
Dennis Faas's picture

Computer Keeps Powering Off, Unstable, Intermittent?

Infopackets Reader 'rbruner' writes: " Dear Dennis, I have an older, but still viable Systemax XP computer that was upgraded to Windows 7 . The problem is that the unit powers down within a few minutes of powering on. I have already replaced the ... motherboard and power supply , kept the CPU (an AMD 4400+, circa Q4 2008). When I boot into safe mode, the unit is operational, but but if I boot up Windows 7 normally or insert a Ubuntu Linux Live CD, my PC will crash. Should I try another CPU? " My response: Based on what you're telling me, the issue might be hardware-related, ... (view more)

Mon
14
Jul
Brandon Dimmel's picture

FTC Files Lawsuit Over Amazon Purchases by Kids

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) thinks Amazon.com should be on the hook for unauthorized purchases made by children while using apps on their smartphones, tablets, and even computers. In a recent complaint filed in a U.S. court, the ... FTC says parents whose children made unauthorized purchases should receive refunds from Amazon. The problem surrounds free-to-play games that are easily downloaded onto mobile devices; such games typically start out with a basic character and story, but then require players to make expensive (though easy to complete) 'purchases' in order to see ... (view more)

Tue
18
Feb
John Lister's picture

New Tech Pairs Cellphone, Sound for Secure Logins

If Google's latest acquisition is any indication, sound could be the key to enhanced login security. Set up by former members of the Israeli military, SlickLogin is based around high-frequency tones, virtually inaudible to the human ear. In theory ... the system could be used as the main way to log in to a site, but Google seems more likely to use it for two-factor authentication. The idea of two-factor authentication is to combine two different types of security measure: something you know, and something you have. With the system Google already uses, the 'something you know' is your ... (view more)

Mon
29
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

Google Chromecast Brings Internet Video to Your TV

Google has unveiled a $35 plug-in device that brings online video to your television. It's intended to provide an alternative to expensive set-top boxes and video game consoles. The Chromecast works with a range of online services -- such as YouTube ... and Netflix -- but will also play any video you can access through a web browser. The device is only a couple of inches long and has no buttons. It plugs into an HDMI port on your television and has a small USB socket for supplying power. The Chromecast also has built-in WiFi that connects to your Internet router. You can then control it through ... (view more)

Thu
13
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Scientists: First Known Web Page Discovered

Researchers at the organization where the world wide web was first created have a good idea about what was on the first-ever web page. But now they've taken another step closer to finding the oldest surviving version of that page. The web was ... created by Sir Tim Berners-Lee while working at CERN, the physics research centre that currently houses the Large Hadron Collider. While the Internet (a global "network of networks") existed before Berners-Lee, there was no easy way to navigate to a particular document on a particular machine. Berners-Lee developed the idea of the web using hypertext ... (view more)

Mon
15
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 10 Review

Special note from Dennis: Save up to 60% off WinOptimizer 10! Deal ends on May 1st, 2013 @ 11:59PM EST. Proceeds support our website, staff, and writers. You can click here to go straight to the offer . Otherwise, continue reading below. Have you ... ever wondered why your PC, laptop, or netbook isn't as fast as it was when you used it for the very first time? If you've owned a computer for any length of time, you have inevitably downloaded, installed, and later gotten rid of program after program. What you may not realize, though, is that adding and removing programs oftentimes leaves you with ... (view more)

Tue
02
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

Roadrunner Supercomputer Switched Off to Save Power

In 2008, IBM's Roadrunner was crowned the fastest computer in the world. Just five years later it's being scrapped. Roadrunner is based at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where staff work on several projects, including the U.S. ... nuclear weapons program. The computer has some impressive specifications. To put things into context, a new desktop might have the equivalent of two or four processors, perhaps one terabyte (a thousand gigabytes) of hard drive space and four gigabytes of memory. Computer Performance Second-to-None Roadrunner has almost 20,000 different processors. It ... (view more)

Thu
28
Mar
Dennis Faas's picture

Congress Wants Longer Jail Sentences for Hackers

Members of Congress have published proposals that could result in longer prison sentences for hackers. The move has shocked some commentators who say existing laws are already too draconian. The House Judiciary committee is looking to expand the ... Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), an anti-hacking bill dating back to 1984. Under the new proposals, damaging a computer after accessing it without authorization would carry a maximum 10-year prison term, double the current punishment. "Trafficking" passwords would also carry a 10-year penalty. Hacking and damaging a "critical infrastructure ... (view more)

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