The Absolute Best PC Games in Every Genre

Folks, a few of you may find this guide of interest.

* The Absolute Best PC Games in Every Genre

“Whether you’re a fan of critically acclaimed indies or big-budget blockbusters, there’s a PC game for you. Check our list of the 81 best games right now.” Read more..

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Today’s quote: “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~ William James

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Old computer ….

One or two of you might get a kick out of these pictures

The other day I got a call asking me to pick up some “old computers and stuff” for secure data deletion and green recycling (see, Proper Disposal of Old Computer Gear– eWaste). When I got there, I learned what she meant by “old”.. I would have said “prehistoric”!

This unit dates back to the first PC’s.. circa 1990 (actually, toward the end of the first gen era, as it actually has a hard drive [800KHz, 1 MB of RAM, and a 20 MB HHD. That’s right. “Kilo” and “Mega”]) and is a fully working Macintosh SE.

“Welcome to Macintosh”

and roughly two minutes later…

I did shred the user’s data, but this is the unit that basically completes my Apple wing at the Tech Paul Museum. (And it has a darts game that’s kind addicting..)

This Mac SE is easily the oldest unit I’ve ever been asked to recycle. (For those wondering, yes – I plugged it in and it booted right up.)(And no, it’s not the oldest Apple Desktop PC in my museum.)

Remember folks, simply deleting something by dragging it to the Trash (or, Recycle Bin) does not really erase your files. If you want something gone gone, (aka “unrecoverable”) you need to actually write over them (several times) using a “secure delete” tool, such as can be found in Apple’s Disk Utility, or physically destroy the drive.

Today’s quote: “If we listened to our intellect, we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go into business, because we’d be cynical. Well, that’s nonsense. You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.” ~ Ray Bradbury

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

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Are you shopping for a tablet, notebook, or desktop?

Folks, I don’t usually ‘plug’ a particular store, but this sale has some deals worth considering.. if you’re in the market.

Click on image if interested..

The store is TigerDirect (who I use rather frequently) and to see this “100” items, click here. While you’re there, you might want to check their other clearance sale as well …

Note: There are Windows 7 units in there..

(And did you see the 23″ monitor deal?)

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

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Rrruff! (video tutorial)

Okay. I admit. That is a weird title for a tech article. Maybe too weird?

Unless, maybe, you know who Scotty is.

Today, an “oldie but a goodie”! It has been a while since I have mentioned one of my favorite little free computer protection apps – WinPatrol.

Clean up your Taskbar, ActiveX, Brower and Startup programs. WinPatrol monitors and exposes adware, keyloggers, spyware, worms, cookies, and other malicious software. This program puts you back in control of your computer with no need for constant updates.

I not only have been using WinPatrol forever, highly recommend it, count it as one of those few apps and programs that is fersher worth the small fee to “go Pro” (aka “paid version”), but I like the author.

You do not need to be “computer savvy” to benefit from having WinPatrol on your PC, but Über Geeks will find plenty to fiddle with (aka “good, advanced, tools”). Improve performance and enhance your online safety. That’s a “win”.

Today I have a video ‘demonstration’ of WinPatrol, made by a fellow blogger.. which will give you an idea of what it does (and why you want it).  Again, you do not have to be as savvy as is shown, or open all those menus — he’s trying to show all that it can do.

Today’s free download: Download WinPatrol (Window XP, Vista, Windows 7 – includes 64 bit support. There’s a “portable” version as well.)

Today’s Bonus: Five things you should know before trying to fix a smartphone or tablet

“Bill Detwiler shares essential advice for everyone who wants to repair a cracked iPad screen or broken smartphone.” watch video..

Today’s quotable quote: “The thoughts of Plato and Machiavelli… don’t seem quite enough armor for a world beset with splitting the atoms, urban guerrillas, nineteen varieties of psychotherapists, amplified guitars, napalm, computers, astronauts, and an atmosphere polluted simultaneously with auto exhaust and TV commercials.” ~ John Fischer

Copyright 2007-2012 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

What? More Facebook? | Inside Your PC

Yes, folks. A bit more on Facebook…

• Facebook: What happens to active users when jobs come back?

“There may be an inverse relationship between jobs and Facebook growth. In other words, more jobs may mean less Facebook time.” Read more..

(I like that optimism.)

Really busy again today, so how about a quick repost of a good article you may have missed.

What The Inside Looks Like…

Today’s article is going to be just a little bit different, and it will be ‘short and sweet’. On several recent onsite repair jobs, I have opened the computer’s side panel and heard the client exclaim, “that’s all that’s in there? I was expecting more.. more.. stuff.” I am always bemused by people’s reactions when they look inside a PC for the first time.
(Yes, there’s a lot of open space inside a desktop PC. Laptop’s are different, and every nook is filled.)

So today – for those of you who have never seen the insides of a computer – I provide two simple photos: inside a desktop, and inside a laptop. (Your configuration will have some differences..)

Fairly high-end desktop (aka “loaded”), yours may not have so much in there..

Inside a laptop

Today’s quote: “Remember, men need laughter sometimes more than food.” ~ Anna Fellows Johnston

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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New Computer? Decrapify it! (A How To)

If you are one of those lucky people and you now have a shiny new Laptop or Desktop computer, congratulations! There are several things one needs to do with a brand-new computer: the first will be to visit Windows Update, and get the machine ‘patched’ with the latest security Updates. (Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.)

Then of course, you will spend some time “personalizing” the system — say, giving it your favorite “wallpaper” (or Theme), and installing your favorite programs. And then you want to de-crap-ify your machine.

What I mean by that, is remove (aka “uninstall”) the “trial” programs, and Polar Penguins Bowling games, and “Connect to AOL” crud that the computer manufacturers insist on loading onto the units they sell. This software “free trial” stuff can cause that new machine to slow to a crawl, and sooner or later, fill your screen with annoying pop-ups! (trial is over, buy now!)

Every year I tell you guys that the tool for that is the wonderful PCDecrapifier utility. This little tool gives you a simple and easy way to sweep away all that junk in one action, which saves you from the normal, one-at-a-time, method of Control Panel > Programs and features > Uninstall a program.

Click on image to read PC Decrapifier's "How It Works"

This year, I am also going to tell you that instead of re-inventing the wheel, I will refer you to an illustrated How To on a rival site (How To Clean Up your New Computer With PC Decrapifier). Which means even those of you with not a lot of confidence in your abilities can (read+follow) use this tool.
And I highly recommend you do.

And, if you have simply never gotten around to cleaning that trialware off of your not-so-new machine, well.. it’s not to late.

Today’s (other) reading reco: 2011: A year in review

“The year 2011 saw Android and Apple battling for mobile domination, with patents rivaling technology as the weapon of choice. We watched HP’s soap opera, RIM’s decline, and Netflix’s crash. We said goodbye to Steve Jobs. And the answer to most every question continued to be “the Cloud.” Read more..

Today’s quote: “The more sympathy you give, the less you need.” ~ Malcolm S. Forbes

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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Alert – Phone Scammers Target PC Users With Phony Virus Reports

Folks, here is a headline news story you should be aware of, and – also tell your friends and family about (heck, tell everyone at the office, too) — don’t let them become a victim of this “scare scam”.

• Phone scammers target PC users with phony virus reports

“Online con artists are targeting PC users worldwide in a brazen scam. It starts with a phone call from a “tech support specialist” who warns that your computer is infected with a virus.” Read more..

Please.. if you read just one tech story this week, let it be that one. (This, or similar to this, has already been tried on several readers.. so be aware!)

• Loyal readers of Tech – for Everyone are probably aware that I receive dozens of requests from folks who want me to review their product and/or service — far too many requests for me to honor them all, actually. However, I would like to bring one recent one to your attention: there’s a new “engine” in town.

Findthebest.com, a unique comparison engine, allows consumers to make quick and informed decisions on all sorts of topics.

When it comes to shopping for hot new tech-products, their  electronics category is great for comparing smartphones, laptops, and tablets, based on the specs you care most about.

Findthebest.com allows you to:
•       Start with a comprehensive list of models and narrow down by brand, technical specifications, operating systems, network, manufacturer, price, and more
•       Compare with simple and easy to use side-by-side interface
•       Obtain unbiased ratings and detailed product specs

This site impressed me because they link to the manufacturer (or source) and any prices listed are MSRP — this isn’t about finding the best online price (you can use Shopzilla for that) but about making informed decisions.. or simply “finding out more”.
(Though I used tech devices as my example, you’ll find that’s  just one small ‘area’ of the site.) Take a look at Findthebest.com.

• It has been a while since the never-ending “browser wars” has come up here.. or I have been asked “which one’s faster?” In spite of the hype, I think we have settled into our choice. But, what the hey. I could be wrong. So here’s the latest “shootout”.

The BIG browser benchmark! Chrome 15 vs Opera 11 vs IE9 vs Firefox 8 vs Safari 5

“Chrome 15 vs Opera 11 vs IE9 vs Firefox 8 vs Safari 5 … which browser will be triumphant?” Read more..

• Four Destructive Myths Most Companies Still Live By

“Myth #1: Multitasking is critical in a world of infinite demand. This myth is based on the assumption that human beings are capable of doing two cognitive tasks at the same time.” Read more..

My plate is full, and much to do. Have to run…

Today’s quote: “Today the world changes so quickly that in growing up we take leave not just of youth but of the world we were young in.” ~ Peter Medawar

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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