Tech – for Everyone

Tech Tips and Tricks & Advice – written in plain English.

Best Antivirus | Goggle’s Free Wi Fi | Windows 8| More

(Wow. It’s Thursday already.) Here are some “informations” I think you’ll find helpful and/or interesting.

Yesterday, I reminded you that in today’s world, all your Internet-capable devices need to have an antivirus/security product. But which one? Are some better than others? Oh, yes. (And, last year’s top pick may be this year’s dud.) I no longer have time to do my own testing, but for years I have relied on Neil Rubenking at PC Magazine to do that heavy lifting for me. He has just published his Choose the Best Antivirus in 2013

We put just about every antivirus product through rigorous testing to help you choose the one that will suit you best. We award the Editor’s Choice designation to those that we consider to be top-of-the-line in one way or another, but if your criteria are different from ours you can get details from our reviews of all of the available choices.” Read more..

Seems it’s (past) time for me to reevaluate my personal rankings of the free AV’s category…

Another article of his caught my attention as well. Why You Shouldn’t Trust Google’s Free WiFi Network

Last week, Google unveiled plans to build a free wireless Internet zone in Chelsea, a New York City neighborhood. Pretty much every news report and social media conversation focused on how the free Wi-Fi would give people in the area easy access to the Internet.Read more..

[Giving away free Internet. Hmm.. aside from TNSTAAFL.. how about cui bono?]

Also, Deb Shinder is writing a series those of you with Windows 8 may find very helpful. Talking Tech: Getting Your Favorite Features Back in Windows 8: Windows Media Center

Last month, I started this series on how Windows 8 users can get back some of the features that were removed, beginning with the Start button/menu. My plan was to tell you, this month, how to install Windows Media Center. It’s good that I waited, because the process I would have described a month ago seems to no longer work. You can still get Windows 8 back, but you might have to pay for it – even though Microsoft says it’s free until January 31. Here’s a little background and the story of my recent experiences.Read more..

Oh, there’s more I’d like to share with you today, but I’m out of time. Have a great day everybody!

IMG_0464

“You can use a Chromebook to find videos of cats on YouTube. This proves it meets the needs of 99.9% of internet users worldwide.”
(Not only is he probably correct, but that says a lot about us.)

Okay. I found a minute, so here’s one more Reading reco: The Chromebook — it’s like an iPad, but with a keyboard

I wasn’t expecting to like it, but in the end I loved it. The Chromebook could be the perfect post-PC device that has a keyboard.Read more..

Today’s quote:A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” ~ James Dent

(Okay. So? I’m ready for warmer weather.)

Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.


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January 17, 2013 - Posted by | advice, antivirus, computers, consumer electronics, Google, Internet, mobile, security, software, tech | , , , , , , , , , , ,

11 Comments »

  1. Excellent article techpaul….

    Like

    Comment by jotoku | January 17, 2013 | Reply

    • jotoku,
      Thank you. It’s good to see your name here again.

      Like

      Comment by techpaul | January 17, 2013 | Reply

  2. Hi Paul, How about some discussion on AV availability for smart phones, especially the new Windows phone I got during the holidays.

    Like

    Comment by Jay | January 18, 2013 | Reply

    • Jay,
      Well.. smartphones and tablets (not being real computers [my semantics]) are not my area of expertise; but I have discussed that in the past, (and posted 15 Mobile Security Tools (smart phones/tablets) in my Blogroll links) but it has been a while.

      I do not use iGadgets, so I don’t know what is available for iOS in the iStore. Same goes for the Windows Phone. But I use Lookout on my (Android) phone and am trying Norton Mobile on my (Android) tablet (both are free). And I have no complaints with either. (And I believe they have versions for the other mobiles.)
      I haven’t looked to see if anyone has posted any efficacy tests recently, but your comment/question has prompted me to make a mental note to research that.

      Like

      Comment by techpaul | January 18, 2013 | Reply

  3. […] Best Antivirus | Goggle’s Free Wi Fi | Windows 8| More […]

    Like

    Pingback by MediaFire App Now Available For Android « What's On My PC | January 18, 2013 | Reply

  4. Hi Paul,

    Think I am going back to AVG for this year, anyway. I used AVG years ago until it got bloated and wanted to be the twin “Swiss army knife” of the anti virus set. As you well know, if you don’t keep up(as MSE has not), the consumer will go elsewhere.

    Yep think I will get a Chromebook so I can participate in posting pics on “Caturday” on Google Plus. NOT!

    Like

    Comment by delenn13 | January 20, 2013 | Reply

  5. Forgot to ask..Should I remove MSE with AppRemover..or does MS have a special app?

    Like

    Comment by delenn13 | January 20, 2013 | Reply

    • delenn13,
      Because I have never had cause (MSSE uninstall issues) to look for one, I do not think there is a special remover.. let me check. (brb) Oops, there is both a “manual removal instructions” and a “Fix it” button for removing MSSE when Add/Remove Programs fails, here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2483120.

      (Plus, I like MSSE fine in the ‘passive’, secondary, role.)

      Like

      Comment by techpaul | January 20, 2013 | Reply

      • Thanks for checking for me. Yes, I could have looked but thought you might have had some experience in removing it.

        Hmm, and thanks for the idea. I may do that also. Sounds like a great idea.

        Like

        Comment by delenn13 | January 20, 2013 | Reply

        • delenn13,
          I have unistalled MSSE many dozens of times, and never had any cause to look for a more effective remover than the usual Control Panel method. Also, with it’s ability to schedule a scan, and it’s track record of finding things others have missed, I sometimes include it as my 2nd malware (passive). Because of things I witnessed with the first version, I never trusted enough to use MSSE as my primary (active) defense, preferring Avast!’s shields (of the free). But I think I’ll be looking at AVG very soon.

          Like

          Comment by techpaul | January 20, 2013 | Reply


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