Brandon Dimmel

Leading security firm Sophos has revealed that Google's Android operating system (OS) -- and not Microsoft's Windows -- is now the favorite operating system for hackers to target. Sophos revealed that finding in its newly released 2013 Security ... Threat Report. The firm says that during a three-month time frame, one in every ten Android-based devices was the target of some kind of malware attack. By comparison, only six per cent of Windows devices were targeted by hackers and other purveyors of malware. (Source: forbes.com ) This is the first time since the 1990s that Windows has not been the ... (view more)

According to recent reports, the number of 'ransomware' scams being used to scare computer users into giving up some of their money is increasing. Security experts believe at least sixteen different organizations are using sophisticated schemes like ... this to extort money from people in Europe. The number of groups trying the same basic scam stateside also appears to be growing. A ransomware scam involves installing malicious software on a targeted computer and then blocking access to that computer until the victim agrees to pay a substantial sum of money. In many cases, victimized PC users ... (view more)

Let's get this out of the way: Microsoft's decision to drastically change the Windows interface for Windows 8 remains highly controversial. But there are benefits for users who make the switch to the new operating system (OS). Number one on that ... list: the all-new security features that Windows 8 offers. For one, Windows 8 includes Windows Defender (otherwise know as Security Essentials). This free antivirus and antimalware security program takes over and protects a user's computer automatically, and remains in operation until some other antivirus program is installed. While recent tests have ... (view more)

DNSDataView 1.41 DNSDataView is a free software tool for Windows that allows you to look up the DNS (Doman Name System) records for any Internet domain you wish to investigate. You can then use DNSDataView to save the revealed records in any of ... several different formats. http://www.nirsoft.net IEHistoryView 1.70 This free program will give you quick access to your Internet Explorer browser activity history. It will also make the process of clearing out this information very easy. IEHistoryView also allows users to instantly visit the sites recorded in their browser's history log. http://www. ... (view more)

Foxit Reader 5.4.4.1128 Foxit Reader is an easy-to-use and feature-laden PDF viewer for Windows computers that lets you open, view, and print any PDF files. Using Foxit Reader, you can add annotations to a PDF file, enter information into PDF forms, ... and share information with your Facebook and Twitter friends. http://www.foxitsoftware.com Downloads Context Menu 1.5 Using Downloads Context Menu you can quickly and easily access the Windows Explorer context menu immediately after you've completed downloading a file using Mozilla's Firefox browser. Put another way, this tool allows you to ... (view more)

On paper, Microsoft's upcoming Surface Pro tablet computer is a whole lot more enticing than the version of the Surface currently available in stores: it boasts more processing power, memory, and storage. It also runs the full version of Windows 8, ... whereas the current Surface uses only the less-impressive Windows RT operating system (OS). Up until recently, the only problem with the Surface Pro appeared to be its price: $899 and up. The current Surface sells for $499 and up. Twice the Price, Half the Battery Life But now there's another reason to worry about the Surface Pro's viability in the ... (view more)

Universal Media Server 2.1.2 Universal Media Server is a free software tool for Windows capable of streaming and transcoding most types of media file formats. In most cases, no configuration is required from the user. This program is written in Java ... and works with all major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. http://www.universalmediaserver.com Windows Media Player Plus! 2.5 Windows Media Player Plus! is a completely free plug-in utility for the standard Microsoft Windows Media Player platform. Once installed, it adds convenient user interface and playback options and ... (view more)

Google chief executive officer Eric Schmidt has offered a scathing assessment of Microsoft and its newest operating system (OS), Windows 8, in a recent interview. Talking with the Wall Street Journal, Google's CEO had this to say of Windows 8 (which ... launched October 26, 2012): "I have not used it, but I think that Microsoft has not emerged as a trendsetter in this new model yet." (Source: businessinsider.com ) Put another way, Schmidt seems to believe Microsoft and its products are offering far less of a challenge to Google than they once did. 'Microsoft No Longer a Key Player in Tech ... (view more)

A recent spin-off of the notorious The Pirate Bay website has been blocked by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United Kingdom. Its owners are upset because, unlike The Pirate Bay, the new site is reportedly not breaking any laws. 'The Promo ... Bay' is the name of the website spun-off from the Sweden-based ' The Pirate Bay ' file sharing website which for years has allegedly facilitated the illegal sharing of copyright-protected media files. Blocked Site Gave Indie Artists a Voice The Promo Bay, however, was created to help promote the work of indie musicians, artists, and filmmakers. ... (view more)

Facing slower than anticipated sales of its new Surface tablet, Microsoft is reportedly slashing orders from its Asian manufacturers of the device. According to a new report, the cutbacks are drastic, with orders being reduced from four million ... units to just two million units. Microsoft says the report isn't true and that it's pleased with Surface sales thus far. The same report indicates that disappointing sales of Microsoft's current version of the Surface -- which is equipped with an ARM-based processor supporting a slimmed-down version of Windows 8 called Windows RT -- have prompted the ... (view more)