Cell Service At Summit of Mount Everest

A Nepalese company is soon going to make it possible for climbers to use their cell phones at the summit of Mount Everest. The company is constructing towers to create a 3g tower on Mount Everest so soon climbers are going to be able to check the weather forecast, check emails and call family and friends. This is interesting that even at the highest point in the world you are going to be able to be connected. This will be helpful for communication so climbers can get help in case of an accident. Climbers will just have to take cell phones instead of bulky satellite phones, which don't allow the features that cell phones have such as internet connectivity. I also wonder if this would take away from the whole "Everest experience" and the feeling of not being connected to the world. I suppose it will now be possible for climbers to post and tweet while climbing Everest. The company says that only one third of Nepal has cell reception and they want to change this with erecting more towers all over Nepal. This just probes that you can be connected in even the most remote places.

Halloween Malwater

There have been viruses circling lately that friends have been sending to scare other friends. After accidentally downloading the virus the user will be told that there computer is infected. These viruses come in a online greeting card or a link to the video. These viruses are just pranks and they don't actually cause any harm to your computer but if you don't know that these is a prank this can really scare you if you think you lost your precious data. The best way to avoid these viruses is not to open links if you suspect that whoever sent the email to you may want to scare you be sending you a prank virus. Never fear though if you get it it does go away after a while and causes you no harm there are just lots of windows that open up and will slow you down if you are in the middle of doing something. This prank virus can be described as the computer equivalent of toilet papering.

Worms

Worms are one of the fastest spreading computer infections. Worms are particularly nasty because they have the ability to self replicate without human interference. Worms can send themselves to other computers. Some worms do this by sending emails without knowing it to contacts in your address book and they can also send themselves through instant messaging. Worms are not always dependent on a user opening a file. This is true with the internet worms that scan the internet for vulnerable computers. These worms attempt to make contact with vulnerable computers and gain full access of them. Worms easily penetrate most firewalls and other networks security measure. Anti-virus software does attempt to battle worms but the success of this depends on your anti-virus and what worm is trying to infect your system. The best way to protect your computer against worms is to have anti-virus software that regularly updates itself and to not open suspicious emails. You should also be cautious when opening email attachments because even a word document can be infected with worms. Like any other infection if you get it there is always a chance that it may crash your computer.

Limewire No More

Today the popular music sharing network was ordered to shut down their file sharing network. Limewire has been fighting with the music industry for years and the music industry finally won. Now I'm sure there will be many more ITunes downloads, not like there wasn't millions before. I'm surprised that this case turned out the way it did and that Limewire was forced to shut down but then again the music industry would have more power over a relatively small software company. The Limewire website now has a notice saying that Limewire was forced to shut down because of a court order. Limewire being forced to shut down their file sharing network won't stop people from downloading free music though there is still many other file sharing networks out there. Limewire does say that this won't permanently put them out of business though and that they are working with the music industry and making the necessary changes. It will be interesting in the future if Limewire bounces back from this court order and what Limewire will be like if it comes back. 

Trojan Horse

Beast

a Trojan Horse program

Many people mistake Trojans as but they often don't spread from computer to computer. Trojans are spread by the user downloading a piece of software that looks legitimate before that install and looks like a legitimate piece of software but instead lets another user access to your computer. Some Trojans may change the user's desktop to display advertisements and some Trojans just install a toolbar in the web browser of the user. Other Trojan Horse infections the computer so person controlling the Trojan software can steal personal information, view the computer screen, download or upload files or log your keystrokes. Hackers don't have to be the person who distributes the virus they can scan a network to see if any computers have the Trojan installed so they can gain access to the computer. Some Trojans can be computer virus by asking a user on an instant messaging network to install the virus. There are Trojans that infect the computer and send messages to instant messenger contacts saying "here is a funny photo of you click on the link to see it" or something similar. Trojan type malware use is becoming more and popular and 83% of all viruses detected are Trojan-type malware. Luckily most times the Trojan infection is detected by anti-virus software before the software is installed so it can't cause any damage. If you suspect you accidently downloaded a Trojan and your anti-virus didn't detect it you should not open the file and have you have your anti-virus do a complete scan of your computer.

Mac or PC

People always debate if Macs or PCs are better. The truth is they are very similar, after all how different can computers be. Many people do have a preference of operating system. Some people prefer to have a Mac for many reasons.A benefitof having a Mac is that they aren't as virus prone as PCs because there are less Mac users. The lesser number of Mac users can also be a disadvantage because of some programs that aren't compatible with Macs. This is not as big of a deal any more now that there are more Mac users there are more compatible software you often just have to look harder than if you were buying software for a PC. If you want to buy a Mac you should also expect to pay more than if you were buying a PC. Macs do also boast to be more user friendly than PCs. I did find that apple tries to stick by there products being self explanatory when I got my IPod touch and there was only a small pamphlet outlining some of the futures of my IPod touch and there not being a users manual. Some people argue that PCs crash more than Macs but the truth is all computers can and do have problems.More have PCs so there may be some compatibility issues when creating a program on a Mac and then opening it up on a PC. Macs and PCs are very similar and it is there are less compatibility issues with Macs with more Mac users. 

Computer Infections

Most people who own a computer connected to the Internet have most likely experienced the frustration of getting a computer infection. Depending on the infection it can wreak havoc on your computer and possibly corrupt your operating system files so your operating system has to be reinstalled. Some viruses can just be more of an annoyance than anything others can crash your computer and steal your personal information. In this blog a use the phrase "computer infection" because not all infections are considered viruses in order for an infection to be considered a virus it has to spread from the infected computer to another and not all infections do this. An example computer infection that is not considered a virus is the Trojan Horse infection because it is spread by one user and is not spread from the infected computer to other computers. There are ways to prevent against viruses one of these ways is to download anti-virus software another way is to only download programs and files from reputable sources. This week each day I am going to write about computer infections and there effects and how to avoid them.

Great Blogging App

It was hard finding a blogging app so I could easily blog on the go, but after searching the app store for a while a finally found a great blogging app called blog booster. I had a hard time finding a free blog app because many you have to pay for or didn't have all the features I was looking for. Many apps didn't have landscape keyboard feature or didn't sync with your blog to show drafts that you already started. The blogbooster app have these features though it does sync with your blog and has you can use the keyboard in landscape and is also great because you can choose not to save the draft on your blog so you can even work on your blog if you aren't connected to Wi-Fi. Another great feature is you can upload pictures that you saved in your photos, but you have to be connected to Wi-Fi in order to do this. This app does support multiple blog providers but in the free version you can only have one blog provider at a time. You can choose to delete a blog and add your other one but it will only store one at a time. This app is great for blogging on the go so you have other options to write your blog other than going on the computer.

Netbook or Laptop

Netbooks were released about a year and have been increasing in popularity since. Netbooks don't have all the features a laptop or desktop computer has and are mainly meant to be used as a web device. There are some things about Netbooks that are disadvantages though. Due to their small size they aren't very ergonomic. Some examples of this is the do have smaller screen size, 5 inches or smaller, and smaller keyboards so it can be harder to type depending on your hand size. Someone who is deciding between a netbook and a laptop has to think about what they are going to be using it for. If they want to just surf the internet and occasionally do word processing than a netbook would be a good choice. If someone wants to use it mainly for word processing and be able to burn and use CDs than they would want to buy a laptop. Another plus about netbooks is they are cheaper than laptops but then again they don't have all the features of laptops. Netbooks are great but they probably won't replace your desktop or laptop computer.

GPS Tracking Apps on Cell Phones

Quite while ago google released an app so you can track your friends and they can track you. This app is quite amazing it uses either GPS, Wi-Fi or cell tower technology to determine location. This app works on google android, Blackberry, IPod touch and IPhone. You do have to sign up with google to use this app.The app does give you the option whether to show your location and how detailed the location data is like if you just want the city your in displayed. Many cell phone companies have tracking applications for parents to track there children. The ability for parents to track their children may even encourage parents to get cell phones for their children. There is definitely a lot of potential with phone tracking applications and I'm sure it will get even more popular.

The Internet The New Frontier

Many people describe the Internet as the new frontier because of the lack of laws that govern it and the fact that no one owns the internet. Many countries also have varying laws so someone doing something illegal in Canada or the U.S. can't be prosecuted if it isn't illegal in the country the person resides. One issue with the Internet is copyright laws. Copyright laws have recently been affecting YouTube a lot lately. TV networks often take down videos from TV shows and music labels take down videos that people have made that have copyrighted music in them. There is also lots of issues with music sharing and if it's illegal. The arguments that music sharers have is that it's not illegal to lend someone a CD so why is it illegal to get music off programs like limewire. When people share music though they aren't just renting and if you are sharing music it is likely that more than one person is downloading it. Many people are also watching and downloading pirated movies which the film industry is trying to deter by having warning messages on DVDs. The music and film industry is pressuring governments to have stricter laws and prohibit music and video sharing. France has in the past year have made more laws so ISPs can view what their customers are doing so they can detect when someone is downloading illegal content so they can be prosecuted. Many other governments are not doing this because it is not a high priority. After all the music and film industry aren't suffering. For governments to be more concerned the music and film industry will have to be in financial trouble. For as much music sharing there is ITunes is still having millions of music and video downloads every day.

Bluetooth

Blue Tooth has been getting more and more popular lately due to laws in many states and provinces prohibiting talking on your cell phone while driving unless it is connected to a hands free system. Bluetooth has also become more popular because IPod touches now are Bluetooth enabled and can now wireless stream music. There are also other mp3 players that are Bluetooth enabled like the ZuneHD and the Sony X-Series Walkman. IPod touches and other Bluetooth enabled mp3 players can connect to Bluetooth enabled car stereos and head phones. There are also Bluetooth enabled laptops so things such as keyboards and printers can be connected wirelessly. Bluetooth is making it easier to connect devices and is great because you don't have to worry about cords that you would otherwise need to connect devices. I am sure in the future more devices that don't already have Bluetooth will have it. It would be great if one day DVD players, satellite receivers and cable boxes would be Bluetooth enabled so there wouldn't be a mess of cables behind televisions.

Are We Too Connected?

With many social networks we can be connected to many people. It can be beneficial because you able to stay in touch with people that live far away. It can be annoying though hearing everything that people do. Some celebrities constantly tweet about where there eating and what they are doing and other details about their lives. This interests some people that are celebrity crazed and want to know what celebrities are doing every minute. The only benefit that I can think of for following a celebrity is finding out about concerts or what movies there are going to be in. I do admit though much rather hear about celebrities fantastic lives and travelling around the world though then one of my facebook friends posting some boring everyday activity like eating lunch. There are benefits and negatives of being connected but probably more benefits, after all why would people choose to be part of social networking sites like facebook, twitter and MySpace if there weren't benefits. In this connected world you just have to watch what you post and the pictures that others upload of you because a lot of things can't be easily deleted. 

3D Movies and 3D TV

Over the past few years there has been more and more 3D movies at the theaters. Now it seems now every other kids movie is in 3D. For me at least 3D movies aren't as thrilling as they used to be because of seeing so many and it isn't a big deal when a 3D movie is released because so many are being released. 3D effects are not as thrilling. The 3D is definitely used more used in kids movies but more adult movies are taking advantage of this technology. Many movies look great in 3D such as Avatar which was a box office hit due to the amazing effects in the movie. Watching Avatar at the theaters you felt as if you were in the movie flying through Pandora. Many 3D movies are released on DVD in 3D but this does not have the same effect as when you see a 3D movie at the theaters. 3D at home does work better if you have a bigger TV but there is still not the same 3D effects present.

 

Companies are taking advantage of at home 3D movies not having near the 3D effects of seeing a 3D movie at the theater. This TVs are very expensive a lot of them are at least two times as more as a 2D TV of the same size. The glasses that you have to buy for the 3D TV are often at least $100 too. These 3D movies don't just have 3D features for a 3D movies, you can watch anything you watch on TV in 3D, or there is also a 2D mode. This is pretty amazing but it is too bad these TVs are so expensive but with all new electronics the price goes down as the technology ages. The future is definitely bright for 3D with so many 3D movies being released and the release of 3D TVs.

Great Music Video App For IPod and IPhone Touch

With copywrite laws many music videos on youtube, even the ones posted by record companies won't play on IPod touch. I found a solution for this problem when I was looking to watch a music video a few days. I found this great app called Vevo. Click on the logo below to download app.

Google Testing Self Driving Cars

Google has been testing self driving cars lately in California. The cars are never totally unmanned though there is always a back up driver in the car who monitors the software and is ready to take over at any time. The cars have been tested on many roads and even hard to navigate curvy roads and even on the cliff-hugging Pacific Coast Highway. Google says the want to 'help prevent traffic' accidents, increase the efficiency of cars and free up people's time. The cars use video camera, radar sensors and a laser range finder to detect other traffic and navigate cars using detailed maps which are created from information collected by manual cars. The cars have logged a lot of mileage, so far the cars have logged over 225, 308 kilometers (140, 000 miles) and an impressive 1, 600 kilometers (994 miles) without a human touching the controls. Only one accident has occurred with the self driven cars and it was due to a car being rear-ended. This is definitely very exciting news. Similar technologies have also recently been appearing in Lexus cars. The technology in these cars automatically stops the car if the vehicle in front of you abruptly stops but this is nothing like the self driving cars Google is testing. Only time will tell if this technology will become commercially available.

Never Fear More Rural Internet Solutions

As little as 5km out of town it can be very difficult to be able to get high speed. You call all the internet providers you know of but no luck. You try the internet provider you had in town and they say that high speed will be coming to your area in 3 months. You wait and call in three months but they say in another three months. Broadband never comes to your area. After this you give up hope and figure you'll have to just have dial-up and wait twenty minutes for a three minute video to load. You miss any calls you get when you are on the internet and waiting ten minutes for graphics to load on sites such as the apple home site. Never fear though there are more rural internet providers they often just take a lot of research to find.

1. Hubs

In Canada Bell and Rogers have hubs that use the 3g network (mobile internet) to provide you with internet service. This is what I have for internet and I have it through Rogers and it is pretty fast. This is great if you have a good cell phone signal where you live. Through Rogers or Bell it is $150 to buy the hub and $400 not on contract. There is a data usage plan which isn't particularly great so the amount you pay a month depends on how much data you use. The data usage plan is in tires the first is $35, the second is $45 and the third is $60. The data use plan is stricter than broad band internet in town.  A plus for the hub though is that up to 10 computers or other devices can connect wirelessly and there are also four Ethernet cables in the back.

2. Internet Stick

This is not the most ideal home solution but it will work well if you don't use a lot of data. There is usually no start up fees but the monthly plans aren't good if you use the internet a lot. The plans are very most services have the first tier of their plan only allowing you to have 500mb of data for $30 or $35 a month. The speed depends on your cell phone reception but if you do have good cell phone reception it can be a fast connection.

3. Wireless Broadband
There is quite a few companies that are investing in wireless broadband. In some areas there are local services that provide wireless broadband. The speed of the service does vary; some services only provide less than a megabyte. Most services do have quite an expensive start up fee, at least $150.

4. Satellite
If nothing else works or is available this may be a good solution. Well this is often less than a megabyte in speed it is still faster than dial-up. Satellite internet is usually quite expensive though and a big start up fee.

Note: A lot of times even if you are with the same ISP as before watch to see if the new service uses mobile internet. If it does use mobile internet a lot of times you will have to change your email if you had an email address with your internet provider before.

  

Instant Movies Netflix and Pay-per-view

More and more people are choosing not to make the trek to the video store to rent a movie. Many people choose to order movies instantly using Net Flix or ordering pay per view movies via satellite receiver or cable box. There are more and more devices that this is possible on for example now after getting a Netflix disc for the Wii you can order Netflix movies any time using a Wii tha is connected to the internet. Netflix is also available on play station 3, soon the XBOX 360, IPod touch, IPhone, on new HD TVs that can connect to the internet and on the computer. The popularity of pay-view movies and instantly being able to watch movies hasn't been good for video stores now many are going out of business. Now with some services such as renting movies from apple you can watch the movie for up to 48 hours or with a Netflix account, which is slightly more than renting a movie, you can rent movies as much as you want. With pay-per-view you also don't have to worry about late fees or there not being any copies of the video being available. There are also more options than a video store for many pay-per-view and other services. The world is coming more and more instantaneous with pay-per-view and Netflix and other services video stores are going to have to lower their prices and have more specials and deals to compete.