Tips from the Techs has Moved…

In case you haven’t yet noticed the Tips from the Tech’s blog has moved to WordPress. Our previous few blog posts will stay on Blogger, but all future posts will be here on WordPress.

So why the switch to WordPress?

After doing some research we believe that WordPress will give our blog more exposure than Blogger could. There are many more services on the web that accept RSS feeds from WordPress that don’t work well with Blogger.

What will be featured in the blogs in the future?

Going forward we will continue to offer our helpful tips, tricks and advice concerning all your computing and tech needs. Originally we were posting more formal posts, but in the future we will be posting everyday tips and solutions for problems we experience with our customers computers everyday.

In addition to the blog posts here we are going to start posting videos on how to solve certain common computer problems, those will likely be posted to our You Tube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BrewCityPC

Don't Reuse Your Website Log-ins

In our last blog post I mentioned the importance of keeping your passwords safe from being hijacked by hackers. What I may have not have done is to put enough emphasis on the fact that it is just as important to have a wide variety in your passwords.

PC World Magazine recently printed in their April 2010 issue information stating that 73% of users in their study employed the same password for their online banking sites to access at least one other website. 65% also used the same user name in addition to the password. Hopefully you can see the inherent risk in going about your online life this way. If someone gets one of your passwords and spends some time searching online could gain access to other websites including financial websites using the same passwords.

The very safest solution to prevent the above from happening is to let Keepass software choose your password for you. This is the default password that shows when creating a new entry in the software. It will be a safe 112 bit encrypted strong password. However the downside to this is that if you don't have access to your copy of Keepass you would never know the password for your accounts. You can load Keepass on a USB thumb drive as a solution for this, but it is still somewhat inconvenient.

At the very minimum PC World and Brew City PC recommends that users should create a minimum of 3 separate log-ins. One for your financial sites, a second for any site holding sensitive information, and a third for websites that hold nothing of important value like Facebook for example.

Password Management

Today so many websites require that we sign up for an online account. There are some simple items that you can do to secure your passwords from getting into the wrong hands and protect your identity.

1. Password Management Program

As computer techs we have noticed a few bad habits that could potentially lead to identity theft if your passwords aren't secure. The first mistake is to use your internet browser to automatically store your passwords. This is because these browsers store your passwords in a clear text file that can easilly be cracked and opened if someone gets a hold of your computer. This includes viruses, and malware. Another common mistake is to store your passwords in a Microsoft Word document or simple text document. All of these methods leave you much to exposed. You need to start storing your passwords in an encrypted Password Manager. There are a lot of free programs out there that work great for this, keeping your passwords safe. They require that you create one Master password to open the database, and from there you can easily have the program copy / paste your account information in to the website your on.

There are two Free password management programs that Brew City PC recommends. Both are really easy to use, and you can rest easy that your passwords for banking, social websites, email and more are secure.

Recommendation #1: KeePass Password Safe
Download at: http://keepass.info/news/n090912_2.09.html

Recommendation #2: RoboForm
Download at: http://www.roboform.com/download.html

2. Choosing a Strong Password

In addition to having a password management program everyone needs to start using whats considered strong passwords. By strong we mean that they can not easily be guessed by someone or another computer quickly. Some simple guidelines to creating strong passwords are below.

• At least 7 characters in length
• Contains at least one or more capital letters
• Contains at least one or more lower case letters
• Contains at least one or more numbers or symbols like @#$%^!
• Does not contain your name or username in any way
• Does not include a common name

3. Use Unique Passwords

The last big security flaw many of us do is that we typically use the same password for multiple websites. The obviously issue with this is that if someone does get one of your passwords they can try common online accounts like many of use like Facebook, Twitter, gmail, etc. and find all your other accounts that you used that password with. When your using one of the Password Management programs mentioned above you no longer need to worry about memorizing all your passwords, so create many strong passwords, especially when dealing with your online banking.

Hopefully the tips above will help keep you safe from anyone other than yourself accessing your accounts.

Brew City PC's Picks from CES 2010

CES 2010 just recently wrapped up in Las Vegas last week. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Consumer Electronics Show, it is the largest tech trade trade show held every January where all the big and small tech manufacturers show off their newest products. With the thousands of products at the show, Brew City PC has come out with our top picks of the CES 2010 show. Check out our choices below.


#1: Skype coming to a HDTV near you

Panasonic and LG both announced at CES that their newest connected HDTVs will support Skype. With Skype already being one of the most popular free internet phone solutions, this will certainly take the service to the next level. Skype already allows users to talk and see live video "Skype to Skype" for free, but until this release was only available on your computer monitor. It seems that the video phone once only in the movies is coming to that 56" flat panel tv in your living room in 2010! See the release from Skype here: http://www.skype.com/allfeatures/tv/

#2: The Boxee Box

The Boxee Box by D-Link now allows you to bring all your favorite TV shows, netcasts, and movies from the Internet or your personal hard drive onto your TV without connecting your PC. This oddly shaped set top box simply connects to your homes WIFI network and allows you access your computers music, movies, photos to your tv. In addition all the internet channels for video from the big Primetime networks, You Tube, Netflix are now controlled by one Boxee remote control. As easy to hook up as a DVD player this box connects with a single HDMI cable. With a Netflix account you can also rent as many movies as you want, on demand, and stream them through the internet in HD on your tv. Just one more cool device in the revolution to bring your tv online. Chcek out more on this great product here: http://www.boxee.tv/box

#3 Intel's Wireless Display

Intel's Wireless Display technology will do just like it sounds, connect a laptop equipped wireless to your TV or projector with the push of a button. The only catch is you need a receiving adapter hooked up to your TV, however I expect if the technology continues to take off HDTV manufacturers will include this in their hardware in the near future. Check out more on this cool new technology here: http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/technology/wirelessdisplay.htm

#4 Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V Point and Shoot Camera

This camera is truely sweet. First of all the camera comes with a big 10X optical zoom in a compact camera. In addition to shooting pictures this camera records video in beautiful 1080i HD! This camera combines two devices into one making any need to run out and purchase a Flip HD camcorder a thing of the past. If that wasn't enough it comes with other great features like: GPS, Digital Compass, Sony's awesome Sweep Panorama mode and wireless file sharing right from the camera. Check out more on this camera here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/186045/ces_2010_new_sony_cybershots_full_of_surprises.html

#5 Samsung's LED LCD 9000 Ultra Slim 3D HDTV

This LED TV from Samsung is as thin as a pencil, no joke. It seems that all the hardware internal components are located within the TV's base. This base also doubles as a wall mount. Now in case you haven't heard all the TV manufacturers are implementing 3D into their TV's. This beauty of a HDTV is no exception, and is 3D enabled so once you hook up your 3D satellite box or watch a 3D Blu-Ray disc your good to go. This set also comes with a remote that has a LCD screen built in that you can use when you want to watch two programs at once. The price hasn't been released yet, but Samsung plans to start shipping this later this year. Check out more on this awesome TV here: http://techland.com/1-samsungs-led-lcd-9000/#ixzz0chdzRBYr

#6 HP's Slate (Tablet) PC

This year at CES, HP was showing off their new Slate tablet PC. Not a lot of details have been released yet, but it was on display at the show. Its believed that HP wanted to display the new Slate PC before the rumored Apple tablet is released at the end of January. The slate is running Microsoft Windows 7 and features a multi-touch display. Tablet PC's will likely replace the netbook craze of 2009. This one also runs the PC version of Amazon's Kindle software. For more info on HP's Slate click here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/06/the-hp-slate/


#7 Ford's My Ford Touch

For the past 2 years I have been telling people about Ford's SYNC by Microsoft technology in their line of cars and trucks. This technology is very cool by allowing you to control your bluetooth enabled phone and mp3 player by your voice. Well Ford has taken that technology to a whole new level with My Ford Touch displayed at CES 2010. Now cars equipped with MyFord will have (2) 4" LCDs, one located with the gauges and one mounted in the center dashboard. The center mounted screen will display audio, phone, and navigation where as the one by the gauge cluster will be for vehicle information. The next step up is MyFord Touch which puts 4" LCDs on both sides of the speedometer and a 8" LCD in the middle of the dash. These cars now will be implemented with Sirius Travel Link (Gas Prices, Weather info), HD Radio, Online Radio, and with a mobile broadband card turning the car into a WiFi hotspot. You can even surf the web using the 8" screen in the dash. In addition this new technology will read your text messages to you and you can dictate text messages to others, including sending messages on Twitter. There are many other cool features as well. You have to check out this link for more info and watch the video. Very Cool!: http://www.thefordstory.com/smart-technology/myford%E2%84%A2-defines-a-new-driver-experience/

#8 Lenovo U1 Ideapad Hybrid

This laptop / tablet hybrid was probably the first device to make the news from CES this year. This is a typical Lenovo Core 2 laptop except the screen pops out and becomes a tablet PC running a Snapdragon processor. The tablet is what I think really made this such an impressive device at the show. The tablet actual is running an Linux operating system, but gives you the ability to surf the web, play music, watch videos etc. Once you are done with the tablet, just dock it into the lid and Windows 7 picks up right from where you left off on the tablet. Because you have a battery with the laptop and tablet you essentially double the battery life of the laptop. Also the laptop portion will charge the tablet. This is a very nice design because it opens up the amount of things you can do with one piece of hardware. I hope more manufacturers follow suit in the months to come. Check out more on this great product here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5DYuVN6nuY

Video Camcorder and Live Broadcasting for the Iphone with Ustream

Now recording video on the iPhone is nothing new if you recently purchased or own Apple's iPhone 3G "S". However millions of us already owned either the iPhone 1st Generation or the iPhone 3G. I personally own an iPhone 3G and don't know how I could ever go back to another phone. The only item I feel is lacking on my current iPhone 3G is the ability to record video. Like many of us I am in a contract with AT&T and can't get a 3G"S" affordably for another year.

I am happy to announce that finally my wait is over. A new addition to Apple's App Store is the Ustream app from Ustream.tv. This app will add the functionality of a camcorder to the two previous versions of the iPhone before the 3G"S". The UStream app will allow you to record video with your iPhone and either save it locally or broadcast it live on the internet. You can link this iPhone app to your YouTube and Facebook accounts so you can quickly take that funny video you just recorded and share it with all your friends. It will also automatically, if you wish, send out a tweet on Twitter with a link to your latest video or tell them your broadcasting LIVE from your iPhone! So the next time your at a concert, or any event and want to broadcast your experience live with all your Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube friends you can right from your iPhone. There truly is an app for that. Now the video quality is definitely not HD by any means, but for the simple quick video of something you don't need it to be. Certainly not for anything you intend on putting on the internet. The best part is that this app is completely FREE right now in Apple's app store!

All you need to do to get started is to download the UStream app, and create a new user account with their website. Both are completely FREE. Then setup a new "Channel" on their site to upload videos to or broadcast live from. Once you have the channel created on the UStream site, then link it to your various online accounts like Twitter and Facebook. When you open the app on your phone it will ask if you want to save the video locally or broadcast live.

I personally am loving this new app in Apple's App Store, and think that if you have an older iPhone you will too.

Link to the new app in the Apple Tunes Store: Click Here

Link to UStream's website for more details: Click Here

Please check out our other blogs at Brew City PC: Tips From the Techs at BrewCityPC.com

Which Internet Browser Should I Use??

Today we have a lot of choices when it comes to how we browse the internet. There are four major web browsers out there: Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google's Chrome, and Apple's Safari. The key to any good browser is the speed and security it provides. Any of them let you navigate the world wide web, but how does the average computer user choose the best one to use?

When it really comes down to it, personal preference will be the deciding factor. The good news is that all of these browser options are free of charge and you can download them and give them a try. Brew City PC rates the top four below to help you make some decisions on where to start.


Microsoft's Internet Explorer
Internet explorer is compatible with all older and modern websites. The newer IE8 does do a good job of protecting you from phishing and malware attacks. This browser by default is installed with all versions of Microsoft Windows. IE8 is a good solid basic browser, however lacks good options for customization, add-ons, and most of the helpful features available on browsers like Chrome and Firefox. A serious downfall to IE is that because of it being the most common browser used (because it is loaded with Windows) many viruses, malware and phishing sites are geared toward the IE user. All browsers have some security holes, but Internet Expolrer's are the ones exploited the most often. We feel for that reason , and that all the other browser options are free of charge you would be better off with one of the other options below.

Download Link: Internet Explorer

Mozilla's Firefox - BREW CITY PC RECOMMENDED

Firefox is an award winning web browser that with its recent updates is faster, more secure, completely customizable to suit your busy online use. Take a minute and check out the thousands of add-ons available for almost anything by clicking here. To borrow the phrase from Apple, "There's a Add-On for that". This browser is very fast, reliable and safe to use. If you have been using Internet Explorer for a while now, it will import all of your settings, and bookmarks. Some of the features we like about Firefox are: Improved Tab Browsing, Spell Checking, Search Suggestions, Session Restore, Web Feeds (RSS), Integrated Search Box, Integrated Video, Pop Up Blocker, Phishing Protection, Spyware Protection and Automatic Updating.

Download Link: Mozilla Firefox

Apple's Safari
If your a Mac or iPhone user already, Safari is nothing new to you. It is the default browser for all Mac's, iPhone's and iPod Touch. Safari is also available for Microsoft Windows. Some nice features of this browser are: Super Fast Performance, Elegant User Interface, Tabbed Browsing, Forms AutoFill, RSS Manager, SnapBack, Phishing and Malware protection, and the coolest features are Top Sites and Cover Flow. Top Sites is a 3-D like view of your most commonly visited websites in a screenshot format and Cover Flow allows you to view these screenshots and scroll through them. Expect this functionality to show up soon in Firefox, Chrome, and possibly IE in the future.

Download Link: Apple Safari

Google's Chrome
The latest browser to join the race is Google's Chrome. This browser can compete with the best of the browsers above. It is very fast, reliable, and easy to use. This browser does allow for choosing themes for color, but that is about all the customization that it currently available. One of the largest advantages of Chrome is that has a multiprocess architecture, which protects the user from having a webpage or web application crash the browser. Every tab runs in its own environment, so if one tab has a problem the rest won't close on you. This browser has all the main features of IE, Firefox, and Safari. Its very fast also. Brew City PC considers Google Chrome its Runner Up to Firefox when if comes to browser reccomendations.

Download Link: Google Chrome

Please take a moment and post your browser recomendations

www.brewcitypc.com

Are You Safe If Your Hard Drive Crashes?

This week I personally experienced a hard drive crash on one of my families desktop computers. One second all of our pictures, home movies, and music was there, the next it was gone.

Thankfully we have been backing up all our important files for years so all we had to do was purchase a new hard drive and copy our files back over.

I know a lot of people however that aren't as prepared as we were. Keeping all your important information safe is simple as long as backup your files locally and offsite.

Getting a local backup setup can be done by first finding a storage device to backup everything to, and secondly installing a program to automatically backup the files you choose to on a schedule. For most backing up all your photos, music, videos, and documents is a large enough task that you will need an external hard drive. The good news is that these are relatively cheap and available at most any electronics store. Just plug your new external hard drive into your computer using the USB cable.

The second part is getting a program to automatically manage your backup. I use SyncBack by 2BrightSparks to easilly handle backing up my files. The basic software is completely free and available at http://www.2brightsparks.com/. Just download and install the Freeware version and follow the setup guide to finally rest easy that your files are safe. In addition to the SyncBack software I have sucessfully setup backups using B-Cup and Microsoft Windows built in backup features.

Once you have a local backup configured your safe against having a hard drive failure, but what if there is a flood, fire, or your laptop is stolen? That is why offsite backups are equally as important. There are many online services such as Carbonite, I-Drive, or Mozy that will handle your offsite backup for you, just like your local backup. However all of them do it for a price, if your data isn't that critical to pay for a service like this you likely can do it for free. All computers today come with CD or even DVD disc burners, you just need to burn all your important files to CD or DVD a few times a year. Then find a friend or family member to hold on to it for you just in case you ever need it.

By backing up locally and offisite no matter what happens to your computer your files are safe. I have seen too many times where someone lost all their digital pictures or business files because they never backed up. Please dont let this happen to you, as you can see above, it can be done for little or no cost and you cant put a price all of your memories.

If you need help setting up your backups, don't hesitate to call us at Brew City PC or visit us online at BrewCityPC.com. You can chat with us right on the website and we will help set you up.