The Top Computer and Internet Security Issues in 2011

Published January 18, 2012

First of all, 2011 will be probably remembered as the year that laid the groundwork for the successor of the notorious Stuxnet computer worm. Furthermore 2011 will be remembered as the year of the mobile devices threat, and the movement of malware for mobile devices. Finally, it is likely that 2011 has been associated in the minds of everyone as the year of targeted attacks, in which involved a large number of false digital certificates.

We believe these major problems that occurred during 2011 will continue to grow and throughout 2012. Let’s take a deeper look at each of them.

A recent survey by Symantec for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) has shown that companies have dealt less with CIP projects this year compared to last year. Indeed, only 37% of companies have dealt fairly or entirely with these programs as opposed to 56% in 2010. It is therefore not surprising that the readiness CIP worldwide fell by an average of eight points.

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A Guide in Choosing between a Laptop and a Desktop

Published January 16, 2012

If you are reading this, then you most likely are trying to choose between a laptop and a desktop for your next computer purchase. Well, I am going to share with you the thought process I went through when coming across that decision for myself not too long ago.

The information I am about to share stems from my research, as well as my experience. It is not meant to be an article of authority from a computer genius, just someone who has just been in your shoes recently, with an unbiased opinion.

What it’s going to boil down to is what your specific needs are, as well as your budget. The two have played a role in this decision for many of us over the years. However, the gap is closing on having to make such a specific decision, as the machines themselves are changing drastically as well.

Performance over Portability

It used to be that you would have to give up one, or the other. Not so much anymore, at least not for performance. A laptop’s performance level has improved, while the cost has come down to a much better and realistic price point.

While desktops still enjoy a reputation for better performance and price ratio, that gap is closing. So, while they hold a slight lead for performance, the laptop leaves them in the dust as to portability.

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Samsung Series 7 Chronos Review

Published January 11, 2012

When it comes to full-featured portable machines, the Samsung Series 7 Chronos has quite a lot going for it. While mobile computing may be the fad of the day, there still remains a need for laptops. For professionals who need a high-powered machine to take to work or for students who need a portable computer for school, the Samsung Series 7 Chronos would appear to be a good choice.

Look and Feel

The Series 7 Chronos is about 15 inches in length, in a dark pewter shade of aluminum that almost looks like stainless steel without the weight. The machine isn’t very visibly branded, though unsightly little ATI, Intel and Windows stickers are affixed below the keyboard.

The chrome power button is to the upper right of the keyboard, and the 1.3 MP webcam is centered above the screen. On the right side, there is a DVD-RW drive and a USB 2.0 port. On the left, there is a mini-VGA, 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks, an Ethernet port, an RJ45 connector, an HDMI and two USB ports. The machine also has an SD slot on the front.

It’s about 5 pounds and is just under an inch thin. However, other build qualities issues abound. In addition to cheap looking plastic on the bottom of the machine poorly affixed to the brushed aluminum, there are small gaps between where the display bezel and the laptop lid meet. The keyboard deck is not quite flush with the bottom of the machine, making for a somewhat haphazard appearance.

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Tips for Installing and Using Computers in Cars

Published January 7, 2012

If you are interested in installing a computer in your car, you will need time and patience.  This article is meant as a guide to anyone wanting to try this endeavor.  For the record, if you find yourself lost during the project, please enlist the services of a professional.  Do not risk messing up the electronics in your car.

Before you start your quest

Before installing a computer in your car, you must first ask, what do you want your computer to perform? How do want to interact with the computer? Always take into account power and size issues.

It is recommended when installing a computer in your car that you stick to the mini-itx form factor, especially when planning to set it in the front seatarea of your car.  Keep in mind that you will have to do a little work in order to make it fit. If it is a trunk-mounted computer you want, it will prove a little easier because if it fits and you have enough power to run it, you will be fine.

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Mac Vs. PC’s

Published January 2, 2012

Macs and PC’s each have their pros and their cons. As someone who has used (and worked) with both, I can say that I am now firmly in the Mac camp. For a little bit of my personal history, I grew up with PC’s at home and Apple computers at school. I was never really a fan of Mac’s when I was younger…and then Windows Vista happened.

My current laptop was dying and I needed a new machine – but any machine that I bought would run Windows Vista, and I had heard awful things about the OS. So I decided to buy an Apple machine instead.

After getting used to the new interface and the way that Mac’s work, I really have few complaints, but I am also not a big gamer (though I do have a Steam account) nor am I a programmer.

As noted in a Popular Mechanics article from a few years back that compared the two – the stereotypes of the relative power of these computing systems doesn’t really hold any water anymore – the “guts” of the machines are pretty similar these days; it’s the user interface and the operating system design (as well as the actual designing of the machine) that separates them.

The same article came to the conclusion that Apple products were better for things like load/install time as well as relative battery life and various run times. But note that at this point Windows was still running Vista and Macs were Leopard.

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