Password security is a necessary inconvenience these days due to various sites being hacked…

It sure has been an event filled weekend regarding security! Several high profile sites have been hacked…  The largest is the Gawker controlled sites, Gawker, Gizmodo, Lifehacker and a slew of others where it is estimated that as many as 1.5 million usernames and passwords may have been compromised. Supposedly, the Gawker passwords also allowed Facebook to be used for …

Secure IT Alert: Apple QuickTime for Mac & Windows Vulnerable – Time to Update!

Secure IT Alert for Thursday, December 09, 2010 Apple has released a security update that addresses 15 media handling vulnerabilities in Apple QuickTime player on both the Mac and Windows operating systems. These vulnerabilities are similar in nature… If attacker can coax a user to open a malicious media file, such as an image or a video, the holes can …

Silly Science Trick: Super-Cooling & Snap Freezing Experiment #137

While most people whine and complain about the cold weather, I look forward to it for many reasons. I don’t dig the heat, or the humidity at all, which is really funny because have opted to live in the South! What’s to look forward to? Snow, ice, seeing your breath, doing donuts in your car in the snow (uhmmm or …

Cloud computing: Is Microsoft Aurora / BPOS right for your small business?

Today you can hardly have a conversation with IT professionals without the buzz words, “cloud computing”, “in the cloud”, “cloud solutions”, etc popping up. What do these terms mean? To over-simplify the definition, it means that something is not stored at your location. It is stored “in the cloud”, or on a remote server, and accessed via the internet. The …

Trend Micro Personal Security Products Going End of Life December, 31 2010

It’s that time of the year again where we must say goodbye to support for previous generation  personal security products from Trend Micro. Trend Micro will continue to provide support for your current version until the “End of Support” date. If you have a current and active subscription with a supported operating system, then you can always upgrade for free …

Microsoft Office 2007 reaches end of sales cycle December 31, 2010 – Seneca Data / Nexlink

One of our preferred computer vendors, Seneca Data, the manufacturer of Nexlink branded business computers will discontinue sales of Microsoft Office 2007 starting on December 31, 2010. Private label sales will follow shortly afterward. This does not mean the end of support from Microsoft, only the end of sales. Mainstream Support for the product will continue through April 10, 2012, …

Upstate storms underscore need for computer backup solutions and UPS

Last night was scary for some people here in the Upstate of SC. Easley was hit hard in the business area of Main Street and Pendleton Street and residences along 135 by the passing storms. As I watched the news and saw the video footage of damage, I felt horrible for the business and home owners affected. We turned on …

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When buying a Microsoft Windows 7 Computer do you need 64-bit or 32-bit?

If the time has come to replace or upgrade your aging desktop or laptop computer, you may find yourself looking at offerings from the major manufacturers and wondering if you need to get a 32 bit or 64 bit system now that the price difference is no longer a factor. At first it seems that a 64 bit computer would …