Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Access Your PC From The Road

by: Jim Edwards
© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
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Have you ever sat in front of your computer and wished you could show someone else what appeared on your screen?

Maybe you were experiencing a problem, or couldn't figure out how to make something work, but you knew if someone else could see what was happening on your screen, they could help you fix the problem immediately.

Ever had a phone conversation with someone about a particular business topic, but you just couldn't "connect" with your ideas because it was too hard to explain over the phone?

Now, visualize jumping on the phone with that same person and literally sharing your computer's desktop to collaborate, discuss, and create virtually anything together, even if you are separated by thousands of miles.

Though this may sound like an episode of Star Trek, remote computer sharing is actually a daily business reality.

Imagine you need to take a trip and you either don't want to or can't take your computer.

The thought of emails piling up for days makes you crazy and you also need to monitor some things on your pc.

Instead of trying to lug your laptop (or fit your desktop into your suitcase), you can use "remote desktop" software that allows you to access your computer through the Internet from any other computer in the world.

One of the most common remote desktop services is GoToMyPC.com, which provides a safe and secure way for you to go down to the local internet café, log on, and access your office or home computer just like sitting at your own desk.

Now, before you panic and think anyone can access your computer, let me explain security.

First, you log in to the GoToMyPC.com website with a username and password.

Once logged in, you then click a link to log onto your PC, which will then ask you for another password.

GoToMyPC.com has even thought of a solution for those of you worried about people looking over your shoulder as you enter your passwords on a public computer or if the computer you use might carry a keystroke logger.

Before leaving home, you can program in a series of up to 99 passwords that only work one time.

This means even if someone watches you log into your computer or records your keystrokes, the password you used won't work again.

If a would-be thief tries to access your computer too many times, GoToMyPC.com will shut down all access attempts to your PC.

The benefits of remotely accessing your PC from the road are numerous, but the bottom line is that it enables you to use your computer from the road like you never left home.

For example: while traveling to a conference this weekend, my wife (and business partner) accessed our office computer from my laptop and, instead of the usual pile of 4,000 emails that would normally await after 5 days away, we just picked up this morning like we'd never been gone.

The same company that offers GoToMyPC.com also offers a service called GoToMeeting.com which allows you to remotely host a meeting where multiple users can share and collaborate on a single computer desktop.

This service makes it super simple to provide online training, do software demos, and even make complete sales presentations.

I personally use both of these services and find them easy, reliable and well worth the price.


About the author:
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com


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A Basic Introduction To Spyware

by: Philippa Smith
Spyware is the most troublesome software to appear on the
Internet in recent times. When spyware infects a computer
system, it may be relatively harmless or it may be
devastating.

Spyware like coolwebsearch and new.net are capable of
paralyzing a computer system. Laws to regulate spyware are
pending in many states and may take years to enforce.

What Is Spyware?

Spyware is any software that collects information about
computer usage and/or the computer user. It is installed on
one computer and sends information to another computer.
Some spywares like the Weather Bug, Bear Share and Kazaa
are knowingly downloaded and installed by users. Other
spyware is installed without the knowledge or permission of
the user.

How Does Spyware Affect A Computer?

Symptoms of spyware infection includes:

* Very slow system performance while browsing the Internet.
* Your homepage changing mysteriously on its own.
* Excessive appearance of pop-ups, on sites likes Google,
Yahoo and MSN, which don't use them.
* You can only get your browser to visit sites, which are
trying to dupe you into buying spy ware removal software.

Many spyware detection and elimination programs are easily
available for free on the Internet.

How Does One Deal With Spyware?

There are many tools and catalogues available to deal with
spyware. One of these tools is Spybot Search and Destroy.
It scans computers for spyware and harmful programs. It
shows a list of problem areas to the user and allows him to
delete any or all of them.

A user can leave legitimate programs installed by him.
These may include peer-to-peer file sharing software or
software installed to monitor the on-line activities of
children.

A Comprehensive Solution

It may be a good idea for most computer owners to get a
comprehensive PC security solution as a bundle. Norton and
McAfee, now offer a complete security suite consisting of
anti-virus, personal firewall, anti-spam and privacy
offerings, and anti-spy ware.

They are quite easy to install and allow parents to monitor
children who use the computer. There are many threats on
the Internet, from which these suites can protect your
computer.
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Click to find a daily updated blog of articles and news
about spyware ! Get advice and information about how to
protect your computer from attack, and disinfect it.. Click
http://www.spyware-101.com/

About the author:
Philippa Smith runs a home business in los angeles. The
constant attacks on here computer caused her to learn all
about spyware & viruses, and how to deal with them.


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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

5 Sure-Fire Tips for Buying a New Computer

by: John Lenaghan

So you're thinking of buying a new computer...

Where do you start? There are so many brands and models of computers available, and it can all be a little overwhelming when you start to look around.

How do you decide what type of computer you need? And perhaps more importantly, how do you decide what the best value is?

I have sold computers professionally for almost 20 years, and there are certain "tricks of the trade" that most computer stores and salespeople use. Knowing these secrets can make your decision easier and will help you buy the right computer for your needs.

1. Buy What You Need, Maybe a Little More

One of the most important things you can do when buying a new computer is make a list of the things that you will be using it for. There are so many different models - with different capabilities - that you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if you don't.

If this is your first computer, this can be a little tougher. Until you've used a computer, it's hard to know exactly what you might want to do with it beyond the obvious, like connecting to the internet.

Regardless, you should think about some of the things you might want to do. Some possibilities include:

- Connect to the internet
- Play games
- Digital photography
- Digital video
- Type documents
- Accounting
- Design websites
- Programming
- Digital scrapbooking
- Geneology

Some of these things need more power than others. For example, connecting to the internet really doesn't need a lot of power. Even the most basic computer available will probably work just fine.

Digital video and many games need a lot more power. If you don't get a fast enough computer with enough memory, you'll be disappointed with the performance.

Knowing what you're going to be using your computer for will help your salesperson, whether they're on the phone, the internet or standing in front of you, recommend the best system for your needs.

As a general rule you're always better off buying more power than you need rather than less, but buying too much can be a waste of money.

2. Warranty Considerations

Computer warranties are one of the most confusing and obscure parts of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut back on their customer service to the point where poor service has become a given.

The three most common options are onsite, carry-in or manufacturer's depot service.

Onsite service can be helpful, but think about whether you want to have to be available for a technician to come and diagnose your computer, and possibly have to come back with parts at another time.

Carry in service is a good option, but find out whether the service center is factory authorized for warranty repairs, as well as whether the technicians are all certified.

Shipping your computer to a factory service center can take a long time - sometimes a number of weeks. It also creates risk that your computer will be damaged or even lost in shipping. In some cases, the manufacturer will even replace your computer with another unit and ship it back to you, rather than repairing it. This can result in your losing any information that was on your system and having to reload all your software.

Another aspect of the warranty to find out about is technical support. Find out if the computer manufacturer offers a toll-free phone number and what the quality of service is like.

The better computer salespeople will be honest about this and tell you if a company's service leaves something to be desired. You can also do some research on the internet - most of the computer magazines like PC Magazine and PC World have annual customer service comparisons that rate the larger computer companies.

Always find out how the warranty is handled before making your decision. Even if it doesn't influence your choice, knowing what to expect if something does go wrong will save some nasty surprises down the road.

3. Can You Negotiate the Price Down?

A computer is a relatively large investment - anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many computer buyers expect that there is a significant amount of "wiggle room" on the price.

The reality is that most computer hardware - the physical pieces like the computer, monitor and printer - is sold at very low profit margins. Often, computer systems are even sold at or below the dealer cost. When you're buying a computer, it never hurts to ask for a better deal, but don't be surprised if you only get a few dollars off, if anything.

Over the close to 20 years I've sold computers, I watched the profit margins go from over 40% to less than 5%. It's almost embarassing to offer a $20 discount on a $2500 computer system, but that could mean the difference between making and losing money on the sale.

What you can do to get the best price is to do some comparison shopping. Most computer stores offer price-matching guarantees, so if you find your computer for less at another store, most dealers will match or beat that price, even if it means they lose money.

4. How Do Computer Stores Make Any Money?

You might be wondering how these computer stores make any money if they're selling computer for so little profit.

Their money is made on add-on items. The highest profit areas in most computer stores are cables and "consumable" products such as printer ink and paper.

Printer ink is a huge money-maker for most computer stores (even more so for the printer manufacturers). Why is this? Once you've bought a printer, you're going to have to replace your ink at some point, and continue to replace it as it runs out.

Most chain computer stores and office supply stores that carry a large selection of ink cartridges make more from ink than they do from the computers themselves.

Cables also have huge markups. A cable that costs the store $2-3 will often sell for $20-30. That's ten times their cost!

If you're buying a new computer, you will likely need to buy some cables. Some items - printers, for example - don't often include the cables needed to hook them up.

Many printers also come with "starter" ink cartridges that are only half-full. You might also want to pick up some extra ink cartridges.

This is where you should be able to negotiate a better price. Don't expect the salesperson to throw them in for nothing, but they should be willing to offer you a better price. After all, if you're happy with their service, you'll probably continue to buy your ink, paper and other products from that store in the future.

5. What Software is Included?

The last secret of buying a new computer has to do with the software that is included. Most new computer systems include quite a few programs and sometimes the value of the software can be quite high.

Something to watch out for when looking at the included software is "trial versions" or "limited editions".

Many programs that are preloaded are either crippled versions that don't have all the features of the full program, or trial versions that will only run for a certain amount of time before they expire.

Computer are often sold with trial versions of the following types of software:

- antivirus
- firewall
- MS Office or other office suites
- Accounting - both business and personal

The computer manufacturers generally don't make it easy to tell whether the software on their systems are trial versions or limited versions. This is a question that you should specifically ask if you can't find the answer in their promotional information.

If you're buying a new computer with trial versions of the software, keep in mind that you will need to pay to continue using it after the trial period is over. This is an added cost that you need to consider as part of your overall budget.

These five "secrets" of buying a new computer are fairly common sense, but they are not always made clear up front. Knowing what to ask will help you in two ways. First, you can be sure you are getting the right computer for your needs.

Second, if the salesperson or company that you're dealing with explains these things to you without being asked, you'll know you're dealing with someone who is honest and upfront.

Knowing you can trust the people you're dealing with is an invaluable feature of your new computer system.

About the author:
John Lenaghan offers easy-to-understand advice at the Computer Help Squad website. Sign up for our newsletter and receive your free report "5 Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet" at http://www.computer-help-squad.com/5steps

3 Summer Computer Tips

by: Sharron Senter


Written By: Sharron Senter

#1 – Summer Computer Travel
Holiday travelers should be on alert when arriving home from long weekends, such as the Fourth of July, a popular time for computer viruses to spread.

Most computer users have a tendency to turn off their computers when away on trips, which means you're not getting newly-released anti-virus patches or anti-spyware updates; the two most common areas that cause computers problems. We recommend you update anti-virus and anti-spyware scans before opening e-mail or going online after an extended absence.

We consistently see an increase in calls for virus related problems immediately following long weekends. Avoid the problems altogether by updating your security software before using your computer. For a free listing of viruses, spyware threats and trends, visit: www.VisitingGeeks.com/downloads.htm

#2 -- Should You Leave Your Computer Running?
One question we hear frequently is, "Should I leave my desktop computer on or turn it off?"

There are 2 schools of thought…
Turning it on and off numerous times during the day subjects the microcircuits to flexing and fatigue due to change in temperatures. Over time this could lead to a break in the circuitry and result in system failure.

Leaving the computer on all the time puts excess wear on the mechanical components (the hard drive spindle motor and cooling fans).

Best compromise. First user in the morning turns it on; last user turns it off.

We leave our desktops on all the time allowing for scheduled utility tasks to run during overnight hours. We also restart the systems (to flush the RAM and reset the operating system) on a regular basis and routinely remove the case covers to clean out any dust that may have accumulated, especially around the fans and screens.

#3 -- Stop Popups!
Never click inside the window of a popup. Instead, close it by clicking on the X in the upper right corner. Many people are fooled into installing spyware applications by popups that promise to clean their system. If you receive a message saying it can help, assume it's spyware and don't click!

About the author:
About the Author
Sharron Senter is co-founder of http://www.VisitingGeeks.com- an on site computer repair, security and networking company serving north of Boston, Southern NH and Maine. Visiting Geeks' technicians are crackerjacks at squashing viruses, popups and securing and making computers perform faster. Learn more about Sharron at http://www.SharronSenter.com

3 Simple Ways To Save A Bunch Of Money When Buying A New Computer!

by: Kris Bickell

Looking to buy a new computer?

Overwhelmed by all of the options available to you?

Stressed by the high cost of computers today?

For most people, buying a new computer does not have to be as stressful as buying a new car. Nor does it have to be as expensive. If you're like most people, and you have a limited budget for buying a computer, then you need to try to get as much computer for your money as possible.

Here are 3 simple ways anyone can save money when buying a new computer:

1) Shop around for best deal.

Sounds pretty obvious. But many people don't realize they don't need the fastest, most expensive computer with the most "extras". In fact, if you are already using an older computer, even the least expensive new computer will be a big upgrade. If you don't know a lot about computers, you can learn a lot by shopping around. Ask lots of questions, compare prices, compare features, then find the best price. Shop at your local electronics store, and look for the best deals online. You'll be surprised at how much money you can save by shopping around!

2) Install your own "extras"

Many computers you will find in a store have a lot of extra software already installed. While this is convenient, it is not always the best way for you to save money. Also, while many of these extras sound good, you don't always need them. You can often find better deals by shopping around separately for your own software extras (such as a word processor, anti-virus, popup blocker, spyware removal, games, etc). And some of these you can get for free. So before you buy the "fully loaded" computer, ask yourself if you really need all the extras, then shop around to see if you can buy a scaled down computer - and get the extras yourself for much less!

3) Don't buy extended warranty

If you are not a computer "techie", the extended warranties offered by the computer retailers often sound like a good idea. After all, who wants to be bothered paying for service on a computer after you buy it. But keep in mind that most computers come with a warranty, and most computer problems will either happen at the beginning (when you still have the warranty in effect) or much later (when it might be cheaper to buy a new computer). Technology changes very quickly these days. So consider whether or not it's worth the inflated price of the extended warranty. And, if you really feel you need the extended warranty, then ask to purchase it at a lower price. Not all retailers will negotiate on the warranty, but some will. And whether you buy the extended warranty or not, make sure you back up all your files periodically, just in case!

If you have an unlimited budget, consider yourself lucky. And if you do business on the computer, make sure you get what you need, while trying to keep the price down. At any price, buying something that does not fit your needs is not a good deal.

Hope you find these tips helpful, and happy computer shopping!

About the author:
Kris Bickell is the owner of Hi-Speed-Internet.com, a helpful site for consumers comparing high speed internet services. For information on high speed DSL, Cable, and Wireless Internet, visit: http://www.Hi-Speed-Internet.com,and sign up for the free email course "5 Simple Ways To Increase Your Computer Speed". © 2005 Hi-Speed-Internet.com


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2 Lesser Known Ways To Brainstorm For Internet Home Business Keywords

by: Joel Teo
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) doctrine states that you should always find a keyword that has little to no competition and that has high demand so that you can rise to the top of the search engine results and dominate that particular keyword. The problem with the internet home business area is that many people online are creating new websites with the typical keywords like “work from home” and “home business” so as a result it is almost impossible to rise to the top of the search engines or risking having to pay lots of money for pay per click advertising.

Instead of trying to compete with long established websites in the internet home business niche or high paying pay per click advertisers, this article suggests two ways you can think outside of the box and think of new keywords to promote your internet home business and its products.

Motivations and the internet business opportunity

It has been said that if you figure out someone’s motivations well enough, you can determine what he could do. Instead of hitting the “work at home” keyword when promoting your internet business opportunity, why not instead start thinking of reasons why people would join an internet home business. Reasons such as early retirement, starting part time income, quitting the rat race, getting out of debt come to mind. So if you target the reasons why someone would be interested in an internet business opportunity you are in effect targeting your actual online target audience.

So what you could do is write articles on these topics, optimize your websites to these topics with links to your internet home business which fit in with these motivations rather than the run of the mill work at home business websites.

Another way to generate more internet business signups is to hang out at website forums that discuss such things and offer some constructive advice and have a signature that leads to your internet home business website. If people trust your advice on the forums, they are more likely to trust the internet home business that you promote.

Solve health problems

Many internet home businesses have as their products health supplements. The reason for this is that such products are consumable and can be consumed monthly. As a result of this, nearly every internet home business owner selling vitamins either floods the Google Adwords with ads promoting vitamins or builds websites promoting vitamins.

One way around this problem is to find keywords targeting the problem rather than the solution. E.g. Heart attack if you are trying to promote antioxidants. Do some research into the area you are talking about and then either build a website that tells people more information about their health problems or advertise your product via Google Adwords as the solution to such a problem. Your competition may be significantly lower than if you had targeted “Vitamins” directly. So the lower the competition, the potential more money you might make with regards to product sales.

In conclusion, always aim to find these niches and once you do, spend time on Search Engine Optimization in addition to PayperClick advertising and you will find that in the longer run you will make more money online that you would have dreamed with your internet home business.

About the author:
Joel Teo is the successful owner of several successful internet business ventures and he recommends that you visit http://www.massive-profits-online.com/to learn how you can start your own internet business today.

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