Security
Ccleaner - best tool to Clean your registry and temp files
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
This tool cleans temporary files from windows as well as most common programs. This is including your Internet browser which can amass a lot of junk
This tool will also clean your registry with any cobwebs from old programs you un-installed long ago. Speaking of that this program will also do a better job of un-installing programs then windows does.
Cost, Nothing
Open source to boot
Best Free antivirus - Security Essentials
Windows Security Essentials
What more can i say it's free, it works well, and it's easy. If your looking for a free antivirus software stop here and collect $50 (avg cost of subscribtion AV software)
CarrierIQ scandal: Is everyone spying on your phone usage?
You may have heard in the news of a dangerous virus that is installed on every mobile device and could be stealing everything about you. It might even be in your microwave steeling your food and in your car driving it when your not watching. The news agencies are hyping this one to be the unblinking eye of Mordor. All kidding aside, it's definitely a little scary, but I woudn't start freaking out. I wouldn't stop using your mobile phone any time soon, but read this article and make sure you're aware of the information. The problem with this story is not that companies are tracking your phone usage, it's the fact they are doing it without your explicit knowledge. Almost all companies track their products to know metrics of how to make it better, cell phone manufacturer and data providers are no different. The GPS on your phone is available to EMS and google maps, but at least you know that fact, when you install the application. The type of information tracked and what is done with that information should be made aware to the customer up front. The user should have the ability to opt out or control that information.
I have compiled a guide to CarrierIQ. You can read more in depth but hopefully this will give you the intel to find out how you can be affected and to possibly prevent any future privacy concerns.
What is CarrierIQ?
Taken from their website:
Carrier IQ is the leading provider of Mobile Service Intelligence Solutions to the Wireless Industry. As the only embedded analytics company to support millions of devices simultaneously, we give Wireless Carriers and Handset Manufacturers unprecedented insight into their customers' mobile experience.
Carrier IQs statement on their security models
In providing our products and services, Carrier IQ enables our customers to gather information on Mobile User Experiences. Carrier IQ's products were developed from inception to respect and protect user privacy and security. We have established "Best Practices" approach to privacy and security. Our products are designed and configured to work within the privacy policies of our end customers and include functions such as anonymization and encryption. When Carrier IQ's products are deployed, data gathering is done in a way where the end user is informed or involved.
Carrier IQ software, which consists of embedded software on mobile devices and server-side analytics applications, enables mobile operators and device OEMs to understand in detail a wide range of performance and usage characteristics of mobile services and devices. These include both network-facing services such as core voice and data offerings, as well as non-network-facing capabilities such as music players, cameras and other side loaded media, in order to assist with product and service development and roll-out. (From http://www.carrieriq.com/company/PR.CIQ-SeriesC.2009-01-27.pdf )
In a nutshell CarrierIQ's software enables phone providers to gather any information they want, it's then up to the developer to secure that data and use that data responsibly. CarrierIQ provides an ability for them to facilitate security and responsibility, but we will learn that companies may not be using it. User traking software is usually not a problem and are in 99% of all software out there. The problem here is the fact that phone manufacturers or carriers do not provide a great way for you to opt out, or tell you where your information is going. They are either taking the provided feature out of CarrierIQ or CarrierIQ is not including it. Now this isn't the case in ALL instances, but more on that later.
If you want to get technical, check out more at Android security test
Richard Dreyfuss dramatic reading of User aggrements.
Like most people I have never read most if not all of the User aggrements I agree to. If there were all recited with this dramaticly I may listen to a lot more, maybe 1 out of 10. Hearing Richard Dreyfuss portray apple's agreement as dramatically as Shakespeare was worth a chuckle.
Richard Dreyfuss is a successful actor that has had many dramatic roles. He is also a successive boradway star, since the 1960s.
Hopefully this can perk up your Monday.
Please read, Your responsibility, Damages, Effective until
http://www.cnet.com/8301-30976_1-20068778-10348864.html
Thank you CNET
File Hippo Update Checker
FileHippo.com has been a repository for available programs for awhile now. A lot of companies have been using it has an extra facility to distribute there software. They just realeased a peice of sotware that scans your computer and finds the version of every peice of software that matches one in there repository. Then it displays a nice interface to download every program it finds. I've been using it for a couple days and its really easy. You can customize it to check when you login and to then close. You can also set it to ignore certain programs.
