Takeaway:  Many companies are not planning to upgrade when Microsoft ends support for Windows XP.

Many users are finding it difficult to adapt to the innovative Windows 8.  The update “Windows Blue” expected to be released before December 2013, has a possibility of restoring the Start button and initially boot to the traditional desktop.

Windows 7 is the most convincing route for upgrading from Windows XP.  Many features are similar to XP including the traditional boot-to-desktop and Start button.  For Windows 7 buyers, extended support until 2020 is offered.

Microsoft officially announced on April 10, 2012 that they will end extended support as of April 8, 2014 for Windows XP and Office 2003.  Although, the risk of vulnerabilities and the cost to limit exposure, XP is still hanging on.  

To protect and upgrade your home or business

 please contact us 856-745-9990

Summary: In case you didn’t get the memo — or CEO Steve Ballmer’s latest shareholder letter — Microsoft officially is a devices and services company now.

Microsoft really wants to make sure its shareholders, customers, partners and competitors realize it’s not just a big software company any more.

In an October 9 letter to shareholders, part of Microsoft’s just-released fiscal 2012 annual report, CEO Steve Ballmer repeated his new “devices and services company” mantra to drive it home.

Ballmer hasn’t (yet) chanted “devices, devices, devices” in front of any public or private audiences (that we know of, at least) in the way he once infamously chanted “developers, developers, developers.”

But Ballmer told The Seattle Times a few weeks back that Microsoft can and should be considered a devices and services company. The latest Ballmer shareholder letter re-emphasizes that message.

From the letter:

“Last year in this letter I said that over time, the full value of our software will be seen and felt in how people use devices and services at work and in their personal lives. This is a significant shift, both in what we do and how we see ourselves — as a devices and services company. It impacts how we run the company, how we develop new experiences, and how we take products to market for both consumers and businesses. The work we have accomplished in the past year and the roadmap in front of us brings this to life.”

The Ballmer shareholder letter also claimed again that Microsoft is still counting on its partners to produce business and consumer devices and hardware that customers want. But it’s clear Microsoft isn’t getting into the hardware game on a lark or just to incent its OEMs to make more well-designed products, as some company watchers and partners have said.

Ballmer noted that, going forward, Microsoft plans to continue to focus on the development of “new form factors that have increasingly natural ways to use them including touch, gestures and speech.”

Along with the Xbox, the Microsoft Surface — which Microsoft described as “a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices” in its latest proxy statement (also released today) — are here to stay and seemingly will include more products as part of the family.

Protect Your Data. Stay Connected. Save Time and Money.

Get ready to take your business to the next level. With Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard (SBS 2011 Standard) you can get business done faster, be more productive, and stay better connected. For a greater business capacity and a new competitive edge, the time for upgrading to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard is now.

Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade

Enjoy updated component technologies, increased data protection, and new tools to help you grow your business capacity.

1. Get a Comprehensive, All-in-One Solution:

Get the newest releases of all the SBS 2011 Standard technology components that are designed to deliver an optimal experience for small businesses in an affordable all-in-one solution. The solution suite includes Windows Server® 2008 R2 technologies, Microsoft® Exchange Server 2010 SP1, Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation 2010, and Windows Software Update Services. Also, Premium Add-on includes Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for Small Business.

2. Simplify IT Management:

Manage common IT tasks and address technology issues before they occur with a unified view of the health and security of your computers and servers in the network from one administrative console.

3. Run Line of Business Applications:

Get access to the large Windows Server 2008 R2 ecosystem of applications as the SBS 2011 Standard is built on Windows Server 2008 R2 code base.

4. Stay Connected to the Business:

Provide your users the freedom to securely access all of their communications—e-mail, voice mail, instant messaging, and more—from virtually any platform, Web-browser, or device to get more done wherever they are with the integrated Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft Outlook® Web Access (OWA) capabilities.

5. Access Business Information from Virtually Anywhere, Anytime:

Get direct, secure access to your files, calendars, tasks, and contacts through any common browser, from virtually anywhere.

6. Built-in document collaboration:

SBS 2011 Standard features Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation Services 2010 – the newest version of Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. It powers exciting new features and capabilities that help you collaborate securely online—no matter where you are.

7. Simplify IT Management:

Reduce the cost of deploying and maintaining your network with streamlined setup and deployment for both the server and clients

8. Easy Migration:

Easily migrate to the new platform with enhanced migration tools, extensive pre-migration checks, and prescriptive guidance.

9. Simplified Back-up for Business Data:

Help protect your vital business information from loss with automatic backups and recover accidentally deleted files in the event of disaster. With easy-to-use interfaces and backup capabilities, you or your IT consultant can gain better control of your data, PCs, and network.

10. Keep your Network Healthy and Up-to-Date:

Help ensure the health of your network and keep your PCs and servers current with easy-to-read “green check” reports that give you a quick view of PC and server status, antivirus status, Microsoft software updates, and backup progress.

Takeaway: On February 22, 2011, Microsoft released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 to the general public. Should you download and install it?

As of February 22, 2011, Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 is available to the general public from the Microsoft Service Pack Center. Windows 7 SP1 includes previously released security, performance, and stability updates, plus some improvements to features and services.

Microsoft suggests that individuals just let the normal Windows update system handle installation of the service pack. However, if you’d like to accelerate the process you can download the file and install it manually. The install will take around 30 minutes and you will have to reboot the PC during the process.

Depending on what method is used to install the service pack, you will need anywhere from 750MB to 7400MB of available disk space storage to complete the installation procedure, so plan accordingly. If you have a pre-release version of SP1 installed, you will have to uninstall it before you install the latest version.

Also note that some antivirus software will prevent SP1 from being installed properly, so you may want to temporarily turn off your antivirus while the installation takes place

To view the original article in it’s entirety Click Here

For those infatuated with the 11-inch MacBook Air’s svelte form factor but still tethered to Windows, I’ve got two nice alternatives that are worth considering: The Sony Vaio X1 and the Acer Timeline X. I’ve put together a gallery of unboxing and product photos of both machines, along with some comparison shots next to the 11-inch MacBook Air.

While the Sony Vaio X1 and the Acer Timeline X are both worthy competitors to the 11-inch MacBook Air, they are two very different machines that will appeal to different sets of users. Here’s my quick take on the two of them.

Sony Vaio X1

Sony is known for its stylish PC hardware, but it often comes at a premium price tag — similar to Apple. However, in this case, the 11-inch MacBook Air and the Sony Vaio X1 have similar price tags to the Acer Timeline X. All three systems have a base price of roughly $1000. At that price, the three of them have remarkably different hardware profiles.

The Sony Vaio is the lightest of the three machines, and it’s also the most lightly powered. It runs a 2.0GHz Intel Atom processor, the same one that powers many netbooks (compared to the speedier 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo that powers the 11-inch MacBook Air). Here are some of the additional specs of the model we tested (VPCX131KX/B):

•2GB of RAM
•11.1-inch display with LED backlight and 1366×768 resolution
•Integrated Intel graphics
•64GB of flash storage
•2 USB ports, VGA port, Ethernet port, SD card slot
•3 hours of battery life (standard battery) or 12 hours battery life (expanded battery)
•Weighs 1.6 pounds (with standard battery)

The Vaio X1 is even a little smaller than the 11-inch MacBook Air. A business professional could easily slip it into a padfolio. Its portability and weight (or lack thereof) are its greatest assets, and it’s a solid machine for email, Web, and basic business apps. The tradeoffs are that it’s not a very fast or powerful machine and it feels a little overpriced for what you get.

My other concern with this machine is durability. Unlike the MacBook Air, which is made almost entirely of aluminum, the Sony Vaio X1 is totally plastic and not an especially durable blend. That makes it light, but also makes it feel very flimsy. I had the sense that I could have almost broken it in half with my bare hands if I twisted it hard enough.

Still, if you’re not too concerned about performance and you need a super-portable system, then the Vaio X1 is pretty impressive and worth a look.

Acer Timeline X

The Acer Timeline X can’t match Sony or Apple for style or thinness, but it packs a lot more power under the hood. The model we tested (1830T-68U118) was running an Intel Core i7 processor (1.46GHz) and offered very zippy performance for just about any task. The rest of the specs for the Timeline X included:

•4GB of RAM
•11.6-inch display with LED backlight and 1366×768 resolution
•Integrated Intel graphics
•500 GB hard disk storage
•3 USB ports, VGA port, HDMI port, Ethernet port, SD card slot
•8 hours of battery life

The Timeline X can keep up with a lot of desktop machines. It’s that fast. This is the system for someone who needs to pack a lot of performance but wants to do it in as small a package as possible. The Timeline X is certainly a little more heavy and bulky than the MacBook Air of the Vaio X1, but it is far smaller than most of the other laptops in its power class.

My beefs with the Timeline X are mostly qualitative. The touchpad is just too small to be very useful. The 11-inch MacBook Air is literally about three times the size of the Timeline X — and although I’m not a fan of touchpads in general, the one on the Air is one of the few that are useful in a pinch. With the Timeline X, make sure you have a good notebook mouse and plan to use it most of the time. On a related note, the keyboard on the Timeline X is not great either. The keys are huge but they are very close together, which makes it easy to hit the wrong key. The keys are also stiff and shallow, which isn’t very friendly for typing. This is one of the main areas where the Timeline X doesn’t match up very well with the MacBook Air, and to a lesser extent, the Sony Vaio X1.

However, if you want a lot of power in a small package and you want it to run Windows, the Timeline X is one of your best bets.

To view the original article in it’s entirety, Click Here

What Is Rogue Anti-virus Software?

It is almost unheard of in this day and age to be online without using anti-spyware and anti-virus software to safeguard your computer against viruses and other malicious code. It’s not surprising to see the prevalence of rogue anti-virus software.

Also called scareware, or rogue security software, or smitfraud, this type of software is also most commonly defined as malware—it is designed specifically to damage or disrupt your computer system. In this case, not only is the software going to disrupt your system, it’s going to try and trick you into making an unsecure credit card purchase.
Rogue anti-virus programs usually appears in the form of a fake Windows warning on your computer system that reads something like, you have a specific number of viruses on your computer (usually in the hundreds) and that this software has detected those viruses. To get rid of these viruses, you’re prompted to buy the full-version of the antivirus software (which is really rogue antivirus software).

The good news is that you probably do not have a computer that is infested with hundreds of viruses as the rouge software claims. The bad news is that the rogue antivirus software itself is on your computer and you must remove it. Removal is hindered as rouge software can lock the control panel and the the Add/Remove Programs function to prevent you from removing it easily.

Other things that may be disrupted by the rogue software include being unable to visit reputable and valid anti-virus and malware Web sites, being able to install legitimate antivirus software and also being unable to access your desktop.

The rogue software wants to stop users from removing the program and proceeding with the purchase instead. It’s important to remember that by purchasing the “claimed full version to remove the viruses” you will be submitting your personal information to unscrupulous persons and may also end up being a victim of credit card or identity theft.

Common names of rogue antivirus software include; AntiVirus (2007, 2008, and 2009), MS-Antispyware, XP AntiVirus (2007, 2008, and 2009), Home Antivirus 2009, SpyWareGuard, Malware Cleaner, Extra Antivirus, AV AntiSpyware, SpywareProtect2009, WinPC Defender as well as many other names.

How Does a Computer Get Infected with Rogue Antivirus Programs?
The reason these rogue anti-virus programs are successful (for the malicious coders) is because the warning screens very closely resemble legitimate Windows warning screens, plus the rouge software program names closely resemble or sound like legitimate antivirus programs.

When you load an infected Web site you might see a warning screen pop up and think that it is a legitimate Windows warning. Users unknowingly are tricked into downloading the software because they believe the warning to be a legitimate Windows messages.

You might also be on a Web site trying to view a video and a screen may pop-up telling you that you need to download a codec to view the file. The window prompting you to download the codec looks legitimate, however you are not going to download a codec—instead you will receive one of the many rogue antivirus software programs.

In April of this year, it was also reported that systems that had been previously infected with Conficker, found this worm had began installing rogue antivirus programs on infected machines. In the early cases this turned out to be a rogue application called SpywareProtect2009. Kaspersky researchers reported this was a typical rogue program that offered to clean the computer for $49.95.

Lastly, if you use file sharing networks you also risk downloading a rogue antivirus as it can be easily hidden inside a legitimate program—that you may or may not be legitimately downloading.
How to Spot Rogue Antivirus Warnings

For the most part, you need to look at the windows that are popping up and the name of the program being shown. If you know the program name of the antivirus and spyware software you use, then seeing a different name in the warning window is the first clue. Also, Windows itself doesn’t warn you of a virus. Legitimate warnings on your system would come from the anti-virus program you have installed, not a random Windows operating system style pop-up window. A great resource for learning how to spot these malicious programs through fake warning messages can be found on bleepingcomputer.com. This page lists the text of some of the more common false warning screens, including the following:

Malware Cleaner: Trojan detected! A piece of malicious code was found in your system that can replicate itself if no action is taken. Click here to have your system cleaned by Malware Cleaner.

AV AntiSpyware: Spyware Alert! Your computer is infected with spyware. It could damage your critical files or expose your private data on the Internet. Click here to register your copy of AV AntiSpyware and remove spyware threats from your PC.
How Do I Get Rid of Rogue Antivirus Programs?

It can be a difficult task to get rogue anti-virus programs off your computer. To complicate the matter, there are many variations of this malicious program and not all variants can be removed in the same way. This is not something that novice computer users may be able to deal with on their own.

Also, due to the popularity of these infections and people searching for answers on how to remove the program a number of scam programs also exist that lead users to believe it will remove the infection. Yes, these programs that claim to rid your system of Antivirus 2009 (or whichever variant you have been infected with) will scan your system and then prompt you for a credit card number so you can download a full version to remove the infection. Sound familiar? It should. This is a vicious cycle that users can unwittingly become trapped in.

Still, the good news is that in many instances you can get rid of the rouge antivirus program without wiping and formatting your hard drive. If you are already infected and you cannot access legitimate security related Web sites, you will need to download the following programs from a second computer and burn them to CD to run on the infected computer.

WARNING: Before running any of the following programs, you should turn off System Restore (you won’t be able to use System Restore as this deletes all restore points). If you don’t turn it off, the programs may not be able to access those system files to clean them. If you are infected the System Restore is not going to return you to an earlier uninfected date anyway. You can turn it back on after you have successfully removed the rouge antivirus program.

The quickest way, and first thing to try is to download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to get rid of the rogue antivirus. On it’s own this will usually rid your computer of the problem. If Malwarebytes didn’t have the desired results, or you simply want to do a total and complete system clean, you will want to use a combination of CCleaner, Malwarebytes, Asquared, and SpyBot Search and Destroy. These programs all offer freeware versions.

NOTE: In some cases, the rogue anti-virus may block one or more of these legitimate programs. If this is the case, you will need to open the folder where you installed the program on your hard drive and rename the executable file (.exe) to anything other than the program’s name. (e.g. rename mbam.exe to aaa.exe).

Once you have run all the programs, be sure to go back and run CCleaner a final time to get rid of dead registry links from having the rouge antivirus removed. Continue to run the registry option of this program until no problems are found.

Here are additional removal resources:
bleepingcomputer.com: How to remove Extra Antivirus
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove AV AntiSpyware
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove WiniBlueSoft
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove HomeAntivirus 2009
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove Antivirus 2009 (Antivirus 09)
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove PAntispyware09
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove Virus Sweeper
bleepingcomputer.com: How to uninstall and remove WinPC Antivirus
Kaspersky Technical Support and Knowledge Base: How to disinfect rogue spyware

DID YOU KNOW…
In December 2008 it was reported that a Google sponsored link pointed to a malicious Web site where users were redirected to a spoofed CNET Download.com site with offers to download a “spyware free” copy of Winrar. This file included the rogue antivirus program “AntiSpyware2008” (Source)

CCleaner
Optimization and Cleaning

Features
CCleaner is a free SJT recommended system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it’s fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!

Cleans the following:

Internet Explorer
Temporary files, history, cookies, Autocomplete form history, index.dat.

Firefox
Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.

Google Chrome
Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.

Opera
Temporary files, history, cookies.

Safari
Temporary files, history, cookies, form history.

Windows
Recycle Bin, Recent Documents, Temporary files and Log files.

Registry Cleaner
Advanced features to remove unused and old entries, including File Extensions, ActiveX Controls, ClassIDs, ProgIDs, Uninstallers, Shared DLLs, Fonts, Help Files, Application Paths, Icons, Invalid Shortcuts and more… also comes with a comprehensive backup feature.

Third-party applications
Removes temp files and recent file lists (MRUs) from many apps including Media Player, eMule, Google Toolbar, Netscape, Microsoft Office, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, WinRAR, WinAce, WinZip and many more…

100% Spyware FREE
This software does NOT contain any Spyware, Adware or Viruses.

To download your free copy of this software Click Here