Cyber Attacks Increasing Around the World

Cyber Attacks on the Rise around World

There's a new type of war being waged in the metropolitan areas of the digital world.  Just like the "war on terror," this war is also composed of highly unpredictable attacks by an unseen and unknown enemy. These attacks are called "cyber attacks," and they're carried out not just by the traditional "bad guy," but by anyone ambitious enough to learn how to get started in cyber crime.


Cyber attacks can be carried out in one of a few ways. The first is a DDOS attack. DDOS stands for Dynamic Denial-Of-Service. A DDOS attack is not an attack meant to damage the affected system, but to slow it down by increasing the strain put on the computer. It's the digital equivalent of causing a scene to distract a store's security while the perpetrator can scope out vulnerable areas for later entrance.

There have been a rash of DDOS attacks on American banks http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/fbi-briefs-bank-executives-on-ddos-attac/240154858 but they appear to have ceased for the time being. This could mean that a more vicious cyber attack could be in the works - one like the recent $45 million ATM heist http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/13/4326336/cyber-caper-behind-the-scenes-of-the-45-million-atm-heist in which cyber thieves made off with a record amount of cash through careful coordination between hackers and criminals in the physical world.

In addition to these private cyber attacks, countries may be starting to wage even colder wars in the world of cyberspace. There have been recent allegations that China and Russia have been stealing weapons and tech from the United States through cyber attacks, although this may just be the ritual stoking of the fire following even more news about cyber warfare from the Pentagon.
The Pentagon this week launched "Plan X," which is a five-year cyber warfare research project. The goal of Plan X is to create technology that allows the military to fight cyber attacks in cyberspace under the command of generals and other non-technically-competent military personnel. The "Plan X app" is reported to be a large touch-screen table that commanders can interact with to send virtual warriors into cyber warfare. According to DARPA's website http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/I2O/Programs/Plan_X.aspx "Cyberspace is now recognized as a critical domain of operations by the U.S. military and its protection is a national security issue."

So where does this leave the rest of us who aren’t multi-national banks, governments, huge businesses, or hackers? For the most part not much has changed – the threat is just growing stronger. That means it’s more important than ever to install and update your anti-virus software. If you don’t have one, download Microsoft Security Essentials. Hackers are able to pull off such large-scale attacks because they use computers infected with their viruses. If you don’t give them a foothold, there’s one less computer they can leverage for their nefarious purposes.

Xbox One Controversy Has Begun

Xbox One Controversy Starts Over Internet Connectivity

by Andrea Eldridge

On May 21, 2013, Microsoft revealed details of their highly anticipated new game console, the Xbox One, scheduled to be available for sale near the end of the year.  The first major hardware overhaul for the Xbox in over seven years, gamers have been eagerly awaiting details since rumors of the new console began to circulate last year.  Yet in the end, it’s what Microsoft isn’t saying that has many gamers up in arms.


With its new console, Microsoft aims to give users a more complete media experience.  It communicates with cable and satellite, allowing users to watch live TV on their Xbox.  At first this seemed a little strange – you use your gaming console to play games, right?  Actually, Xbox 360 users currently stream movies (though apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime) and TV (thorough apps like Hulu and HBO Go), they just can’t access content stored on their DVR or see live TV without navigating out of the Xbox console and to their cable or satellite menus.  The Xbox One eliminates this, allowing users to access TV and even watch their favorite shows waiting for a game to load or to be matched in a multiplayer game.

The Xbox One will ship with a Kinect sensor and the voice and motion control features were heavily touted in Microsoft’s live press demos.  The idea is that with its integration with your home theater, you can control your entertainment experience without a remote and without ever leaving the Xbox One interface.  Simply speak to turn on and navigate to games, Internet, TV, etc.  Facial recognition will automatically load your saved content so you can pick up where you left off.

However, there were some finer details that Microsoft has been less clear about.  They announced that game play will be tied to your online profile.  When you buy a game and load it in your Xbox, the game will be installed on your device and you’ll register with your Xbox Live profile, making the disk no longer necessary for game play.  If you take your disk to a friend’s house, you can install the content on his/her Xbox and log in with your Xbox Live profile to play.  How about when you’re done with the game and want to hand the disk off to your buddy?  No dice.  Your friend will be prompted to pay “a fee” (the amount remains undisclosed) to register and play, even if the game is loaded on their console.

Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has since clarified that they do plan to allow gamers to “trade in and resell games at retail,” presumably through partnerships with large second hand game distributors such as GameStop (and its affiliates).  Yet concerns linger for gamers who rent titles through services such as Gamefly or Blockbuster, or those who prefer to sell or trade games directly between friends and family.

Many are upset by rumors that the console will require near constant access to the Internet to enable gameplay.  While Microsoft has yet to clearly confirm or deny, one can assume that playing a game – even one you’ve installed on your hard drive – may require online authentication of your Xbox Live profile to play.  This will make gaming more challenging for users without stable broadband Internet.

Hot on Microsoft’s heels, Sony held a press conference on May 20^th to announce sparse details of its anticipated new console, the PS4.  While showing only the controller, they have not disclosed any information about the hardware or what it will be capable of.  Perhaps Sony will use the controversy stirred up by Xbox One to fine tune the details of its own device.

Get the Most out of Travel Booking Websites - Part 2

Tips for Using Travel Booking Websites - Part 2

by Andrea Eldridge

Over the last few weeks we’ve been exploring online tools to plan a great summer vacation.  From finding the best deals to doing Disney to cruising, the Internet offers a wealth of resources to get you where you want to go with fewer headaches.  Now that we’ve covered deciding where and when to go, we wrap up our travel series with sites that can help stretch your travel dollars.

Twitter (https://twitter.com/) has become the place for travel companies to announce insider sales that seem too good to be true.  Followers receive first-dibs on fare cuts before they hit the web, most often for last-minute getaways.  For example, Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) recently offered tickets from Washington, D.C. to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for $54 each way.  JetBlue (@JetBlueCheeps) is known to offer noteworthy deals on its airfare.  Hotel specialist Quickbook (@Quickbook) informs followers of discounts on hotel stays in major cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago.  Follow your favorite airline or hotel to get first crack at special offers.


Wondering if the best time to book your getaway is now or if you should wait a few weeks?  Nothing saps the glee from finally booking your trip like seeing the price drop significantly a week later.  Bing (www.bing.com/travel) search results include a "price predictor" that tells you whether the price is likely to increase, stay the same, or decrease depending on how fares are trending.  Keep in mind that the hotel "rate indicator," which tells you whether a rate you've been quoted is typical for the hotel, is limited to certain cities in the U.S.

After hours of scouring the net for the best flight deal, there are few things more frustrating than discovering that the flight that saves you $40 adds six hours to your travel time.  Hipmunk (www.hipmunk.com) searches return a list of air and train travel options by cost, duration, departure and arrival times, showing results on a quick-scan graph.  But we love the included "agony factor."  Hipmunk sorts trips so the best options for both price and your sanity appear at the top of the list, moving the most painful flights (like red-eyes and those with multiple or long layovers) to the bottom.

Car rental prices fluctuate constantly, but who has the time to keep searching for deals in the weeks leading up to your trip?  Reserve your rental through AutoSlash (www.autoslash.com) and they'll continuously check prices after you book.  If the price drops, your rental will be automatically re-booked for free, with the confirmation details sent to your email.  Sometimes you can even garner a free upgrade from a smaller to a larger car.

If you're trying to decide whether to fly or drive, or determine if it’s worth it to drive farther to an airport with a cheaper flight, AAA can help.  Before you try to calculate the combination of distance + fuel costs + number of people driving (and possibly hurt your brain with the higher math), check out their "cost to drive" calculator at http://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/.  Simply enter the starting and ending cities and some details about your car, and it'll do the math for you.

A few notes about bundle deals and consolidators:

Shop each component separately so you can price compare with the combined price.  Some hotels and airlines save the best deals for those who book directly with their site and making changes to reservations can be easier than when you’ve booked through a third party.

Some airlines (like Southwest) don't list their tickets with the big bundle sites like Travelocity and Orbitz, so make sure you check “discount airlines” separately.

Don't forget to include those pesky baggage fees when comparing prices.  The $100 you save on a cheap ticket may be outweighed by the charge for checking bags.

Flights by low-cost foreign airlines such as EasyJet (based in the UK) don't show up on Expedia either.  Book a ticket to a hub like Paris or Rome on a major carrier, then use Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) or Momondo (www.momondo.com) to reserve the low-fare airline to a smaller city abroad.  You can save a bundle flying like the locals.

If you’re buying airline tickets for the whole family, consider purchasing tickets individually.  When you buy tickets together, the airline reservation system sells everyone in your party the same highest price tickets, even if there are individual tickets available for less.  If you end up seated separately you may be able to call ahead to consolidate seats or rearrange seating when you get to the airport.

Happy trails!

Don't Trash it: Use a Monitor to Watch TV

Use a Monitor to Watch TV

by Andrea Eldridge

Anyone with a monitor in their closet gathering dust has probably thought the same thing: “Why can’t I just use this to watch TV?”  You can!  As more people transition to mobile devices or upgrade their screen when replacing their PC, there are decent monitors taking up room in storage cabinets everywhere.  Before you retire your old monitor to the landfill, consider repurposing it.

You don't need a computer for the monitor to work; it can connect to a cable or satellite receiver, tuner box or movie player using the same inputs as a standard TV.  A decently sized LCD monitor (24”-32”) can make a great option for the bedroom or the kids’ play area.  Repurposing it will save you money and a trip to the local recycling depot (monitors contain toxic chemicals that are bad for the environment so they must be properly disposed of).  Even an old CRT or flat-panel monitor can be converted to receive TV signal; the age and quality of the monitor just may make the modification cost-prohibitive for the picture quality (see below for tuner box cost).

When shopping for a new monitor to use as a TV, look for one that supports HDMI input.   If you want to be able to watch HD content received over-the-air or Blu-Ray, make sure it’s HDCP Compliant.  High Definition Content Protection is like the DRM encoded into digital music.  High definition video content has similar protocols to deter piracy and your screen needs to be capable of decoding the content protection for you to be able to view it on a monitor.

Satellite and cable receiver boxes act as tuners, receiving signal, decoding HD content protections, putting video in a format that your monitor can process and sending audio to your home theater.  Users without a satellite or cable box will need an external TV tuner box in order to change channels – look for one that includes a remote control.  A TV tuner box also sends audio to external speakers or your home theater system and offers additional connection options if your monitor’s inputs don’t match your cable, satellite, antennae or DVD player’s output.

There are two basic types of TV tuner boxes on the market: digital and analog. Check the connections available on your monitor because that determines the type you need.  If you have an older CRT monitor or don’t intend to watch HD content, check out Sabrent’s Stand Alone TV Tuner (www.sabrent.com/category/video-converters/TV-LCDHR/ , about $35).  It supports a VGA connection (which most older monitors require) and is fairly easy to install.

If you have a newer monitor that is HDCP Compliant with HDMI input but don’t have a cable or satellite tuner box, consider the Channel Master CM-7001 HDTV Antenna and Cable Tuner (www.channelmasterstore.com/HD_Antenna_Tuner_CM_7001_p/cm-7001.htm, about $130).  Those who live in an area that broadcasts HD channels over-air may even save some money on cable or satellite by using the built-in HDTV antenna.

There are several ways to connect a TV tuner box to the video output from your cable, satellite, DVD player or antennae, in descending order of preference: HDMI (if available), S-Video connection, composite video or RF coaxial cable.  You could plug the raw feed from your analog cable TV or antennae directly into the RF coaxial input on the TV tuner, but you likely won't receive as many channels.  Most TV tuner boxes allow you to connect to multiple sources, so you could connect to a source for TV, a source for movies (DVD or BluRay), and perhaps a game console.

For a thorough walk through detailing how to connect an external TV tuner to your monitor, review CNet’s Digital Home DIY “Turn a computer monitor into a TV”: http://www.cnet.com/computer-monitor-to-tv/

The Next Xbox: Xbox One

Microsoft's Xbox One Introduces Impressive Technology

Microsoft today announced the release of the newest version of the flagship video game console, the Xbox. The new version is christened the Xbox One, and it boasts the usual regimen of hardware upgrades along with a fair measure of new features that send the game back to their competition, the Sony Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Wii U.


Microsoft's singularity-focused approach to the Xbox One featured advanced computer systems including artificial intelligence and better cloud connectivity. In addition, the Kinect sensor can now track 3D rotations and users' heartbeats. The Xbox One uses the upgraded sensor to personalize your gestures, meaning it learns how you use it and responds. If you don't want to even have to move to use your Xbox, the Xbox One has natural-language voice commands to switch from watching the new Halo television series to playing the new Halo game. The design of the Xbox One dashboard also features Microsoft's Metro interface, introduced in Windows 8.

After shelving their Zune brand, Microsoft has also re-purposed the Xbox One to be a full-featured home entertainment center, including Skype calls and DVR functionality. Users can use the Xbox One to make phone calls while watching television or playing video games, and can use the device's 500 gigabyte hard drive to store their favorite TV shows.

One somewhat embarrassing announcement was the addition of a Blu-Ray drive, after the Microsoft-backed HD-DVD failure of a few years ago. However, the Xbox One promises to rely less on optical disks for games and more for cloud storage and retrieval.

The new controller features an upgraded rumble system, which allows for more precise tactile feedback when players are affected in the video games.

In addition, video game nerds were excited to learn that Microsoft is producing a live-action Halo Television show created by Steven Spielberg.

Image from Microsoft

Get the Most out of Travel Booking Websites

Tips for Using Travel Booking Websites

Hopefully you've set aside time this summer for a nice vacation in between summer school and the kids’ band camp.  Many of us have already started perusing various travel sites, on the lookout for the perfect get-away.  How do you know you're getting the best deal on the vacation of your dreams?  This week we'll explore ways to stretch your travel dollars and avoid some of the common pitfalls to booking travel online.

A few years ago, my sister and I were looking up flights on Hawaiian Airlines together, planning a family vacation.  We found a flight we were interested in, but weren't ready to book the tickets yet.  The next day when we logged in, we saw that the price had jumped by $40 per ticket.  Whoa!


At first we thought the cheaper tickets for that flight were simply selling out, until we logged in from a different computer and discovered that the lower price was back.  Hmmm.  Turns out, some travel sites (even Travelocity) will store a cookie on your machine to track your browsing history.  Then, they raise the prices on the particular trip you've been keeping your eye on.  You think tickets are selling out fast and you rush to buy them quickly before the price goes up even further.  Meanwhile, the airline's just made a few extra bucks.

Has the price of your trip increased while you shopped around?  After completing your research and just before you book, clear your browser history and delete your cookies.  If that doesn't work, try booking your travel from another computer – one that you haven’t used to peruse travel deals.

Take advantage of the "flexible dates" option when you're searching for flights.  Often, flying a day before or a day after your goal dates can save you a bundle since certain days of the week are less popular travel days.  According to a study done by Fare Compare (www.farecompare.com), the cheapest days to fly domestically are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday (with Friday and Sunday being the most expensive).  Internationally, Monday through Thursday is cheaper than Friday through Sunday.  The cheapest time to fly is the first flight out in the morning.  Yes, this means waking up at 4 AM or catching the red-eye, but it may be worth it if you save a couple hundred dollars on your flight.

Don’t overlook the "search surrounding airports" option.  I've found some serious deals when I was willing to fly into a larger airport an hour or two away from my ultimate destination. Adjusting your travel itinerary to fly through an airline's "hub" airport can also make your flight less expensive due to the larger number of flights going in and out of that airport.  Wikipedia has a list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_hub) of all major airline hubs around the world.  If your departure or final destination isn't near a hub, you can still garner some savings by flying through one, or driving to or from the hub.

When you buy is also pivotal.  You may think buying your airline tickets a year in advance is a good idea, but you may actually pay more than booking closer to your departure date.  Additionally, tickets bought within 14 days of travel are typically the most expensive because the travel industry gets to gouge business travelers flying last minute.  Airlines don't begin actively "managing" their prices until three or four months prior to a departure for domestic flights and five to six months for international.  Buy tickets sooner than that and you'll likely pay too much.

Most travel experts agree that booking airline tickets early in the week will yield the best fares.  Specifically, Tuesday at 3 PM Eastern time is your best bet.  Why?  Major airlines announce their fare sales late Monday, other airlines scramble to join them so they stay competitive and the price matching and fare wars are generally complete by Tuesday afternoon.  These fares tend to be removed by Thursday night in preparation for the price-gouging that generally occurs over the weekend (a really bad time to buy).

Stay tuned for next week when we discuss the nitty-gritty details of booking your trip.

Choose a Monitor Part 3: Touch-Screen Monitors

Is the Touch-Screen Monitor Age Here?

In this, the last of my three-part series on choosing the right computer monitor, we get to the fun part: touch-screen and 3-D technology. Is it worth paying more to get your hands on the newest technology?

Touch-screen technology is everywhere — from mobile devices to kids’ toys. As consumers start to expect all screens to respond to touch, monitors that integrate touch-screen technology are becoming more prevalent. The increased demand has started to drive down price, but you should still expect to pay a premium. A 22-inch touch-screen monitor starts at around $275, while a comparably sized LCD monitor without touch ability will cost about $100. A 27-inch touch-screen monitor will likely set you back $500 or more.


Before the release of Windows 8, I would have cautioned buyers away from touch-screen monitors for a desktop setup. Previous generations of Windows do not seamlessly integrate with touch technology, and using a touch-screen monitor with Windows 7 or Windows XP is typically a clunky, frustrating experience.

However, Windows 8 was designed to be used on touch-screen devices. If you already plan to use Windows 8 (either you’re ready to upgrade or are in the market for a new PC that will come with Windows 8 preinstalled), a touch-screen monitor makes sense.

Look for monitors that bear the words “Windows 8 Certified.” Microsoft’s certification process ensures that the monitor will be able to react to five simultaneous touch points, have firmware that is upgradeable by the user (a big advantage over having to send it back to the manufacturer if it’s incompatible with another piece of equipment) and will work over USB without requiring that you install a separate driver program.

Acer’s T232HL 23-inch touch monitor ($549 suggested retail price) is an IPS 10-point touch-screen with edge-to-edge glass (making it pretty), wide viewing angles and lots of connectivity options. It’s responsive enough for gaming and even supports NVIDIA 3-D LightBoost technology. It’s also currently available while a lot of next-generation touch-screen monitors (like Samsung’s much-anticipated Series 7 Touch) haven’t yet been released to the general market.

Another monitor buzzword is 3-D. Frankly, unless you plan to play 3-D-rendered games or watch 3-D movies on your computer, you’re likely wasting your money splurging on a 3-D-capable monitor. If you do plan to watch 3-D media, make sure your video card can render 3-D; the manufacturer will make it pretty clear if it can.

The primary benefit of a 3-D monitor is its higher pixel refresh rate (120Hz vs. 60Hz in a typical LCD monitor). There’s debate over whether there’s any real-world benefit to the increased refresh rate. Many argue that the LCD pixels aren’t capable of responding quickly enough to take full advantage of a faster refresh rate, and then there’s the question of how many frames per second the human eye can perceive. That said, the majority of field testers report that 3-D monitors render images with better clarity and are more smooth and responsive, even when performing basic functions like navigating among programs or icons on your desktop.

The Asus VG278H ($550 from Asus) is a 27-inch 3-D monitor that supports NVIDIA 3-D LightBoost and comes with two pairs of 3-D glasses. You’ll get excellent color and 3-D imagery for the $550 price tag. For 3-D capability without breaking the bank, the Acer GD235HZ ($235 from Amazon) is a 23-inch 3-D monitor that offers a solid gaming experience with lots of color customization to achieve the perfect image.

Google IO Conference Keynote Rolls out Amazing New Features

Google IO Conference Keynote Speech Reveals Amazing Tech

Remember watching Star Trek, where the crew members could just speak to their computer and it would instantly know what they were referring to and provide them with that information? Well, nerds are ahead of schedule on developing that computer, and they work at Google.


Google kicked off their sixth annual three-day IO conference for software developers today with a three-hour keynote talk announcing new developments. The tech behemoth has already announced some groundbreaking improvements to not only their flagship search product but to many of their other products as well. We've rounded up some of the big ones for you here:

The biggest change, of course, is the "Star Trek Computer," a phrase used multiple times during the keynote. This change comes practically through an upgrade to Google's new search feature as well as to their Chrome browser on both desktop and phone. While logged into the browser, users can simply say "Ok Google," and then make their search. But instead of searching for things like you normally do, the new search is conversational. After searching for a place to go, you can simply say "Ok Google, how far is that from here?" and Search will automatically detect what "it" refers to and where "here" is, and provide you with your immediate answer (in minutes) as well as links to driving directions and other info. There are a lot of other upgrades to search as well to make it more conversational like being able to say "Ok Google, show me pictures of x" and it will automatically pull up images instead of the standard search results.

All of these changes are integrated into another of Google's new Maps app. The app has been totally overhauled from its previous version and shifts its focus again to a more personalized approach. In addition to a completely new look and new back-end features, the app allows you to use the map in the way that you think of the world, instead of as a map. When you're logged in, it will show you reviews from your friends, places you've visited, and contextual information based on where you've been and what you like. It also shows you results for your search like "sushi restaurant" directly on the map instead of as a sidebar.

One of the changes that probably won't get as much attention, but is still significant, is the upgrade to Google+. The social networking site is getting a facelift to be more congruent with other Google services, but also has a host of impressive features that blow Facebook out of the water - at least to the few people who use it regularly. The new Google+ will automatically pick the best photos from your albums, and allows you to edit your photos with a simple interface that doesn't require complex technical knowledge. New features will be rolling out today and over the next few days.

And the biggest business change that rolls out today is the announcement of Google Play's All Access service. This service allows users to stream music from Google Play's massive database, create radio stations, and save music for later listening - all for $9.99 a month. The service poses a major threat to Spotify, which has most of the features of Google's service for the same price, but with less integration into a huge app ecosystem like Google has.

As you can see, us nerds are incredibly excited about the future of what Google has to offer. Stay tuned for more announcements from this year's Google IO!

Nerds On Call Reviews Summer Travel Websites: Save Precious Vacation Time

Summer Travel Websites for Saving You Time

Summer vacations hold a special appeal to me, harking back to the excitement heralded by the final bell on the last day of the school year, so many years ago.  But now that I’m grown up and have to do the leg-work to plan the trip, I’m often exhausted before I get out the door.  The wealth of online resources dedicated to travel planning can make it hard for me to make a decision.  How do I know when I’ve found the best use of my vacation dollars?

Over the next three weeks, we’ll explore some great online resources to simplify your travel planning (no, really!), as well as tips for how to make sure you get the best price and fewest headaches when booking travel online.


Before you dedicate a week to checking every travel deal site on the net, these consolidators scour the web for the best deals so that you don’t have to.

When you don’t have a specific location or travel date set, using the Internet to find a good deal or a great resort can be particularly overwhelming.  One way to get inspired: keep an eye on Travelzoo’s Weekly Top 20 (www.travelzoo.com/top20/ ). It’s a collection of the best deals from airlines, hotels, cruise lines and travel consolidators like Travelocity, Cheap Caribbean, and many more.  They sort through all the travel deals posted to the net each week and then present the “best of the best,” all in one place.

The drawback is that the best deals can sell out fast, so if you know you’ve found what you’re looking for don’t delay.  You can sign up for the Weekly Top 20 to be emailed to you when it’s released if you want to be sure not to miss out.

If you already know where you want to go, Kayak (www.kayak.com) does a quick search across hundreds of airline and travel agent options for your specific trip needs.  You’re then presented with a list of results tailored to your specific trip that Kayak has filtered to put the best deals first.  If you want to be sure that you have done a thorough scouring of the net, Kayak offers a one-click simultaneous search across competitor travel sites like Expedia, Travelocity, Bookit and more, so you can compare the best offers all at once.

Planning to do Disney?  Believe it or not, there are ways to save if you know the insider info.  Check out Mousesavers (www.mousesavers.com) for a collection of the best deals on all things Disney.  In addition to tips on how to get the best price on tickets, dining, and special Disney experiences, discover where to book to get the best rates on hotels, what you can expect on Disney cruises, even what’s planned for upcoming park, resort and ship improvements.

Current discounts and promotions are highlighted on the front page and updated regularly – from how to get the most out of a Disney Visa card discount program to coupon codes and special offers that would otherwise be tough to ferret out.  You’ll find up-to-date info about shows, freebies, and tips to make the most of your trip, including how to spend less time in line and more time enjoying your trip.

Before you make plans to embark on a cruise, check out Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com) for reviews of cruise lines (by editors and site users) and tips to help you decide the best cruise before you book.  The “Deals” tab collects the top bargains by destination, cruise type or departure port.  Explore the “How to Cruise” tab for detailed guides and expert advice on how to choose, book, and finalize your trip, including things you need to know before you go and how to make the most of shore excursions.  Find the best deals, including the best seasons to book by destination, and tips to ensure you set sail on the cruise that best fits your needs and style.

Finally, before you book, submit specific details of the trip you’re considering to Cruise Compete (www.cruisecompete.com) to give travel agents the opportunity to find you a better deal.  Simply create an account, submit a request for a quote, and travel agent’s offers will be submitted online with no obligation and without revealing your contact info.

Stay tuned next week for easy ways to ensure you get the best price without sacrificing your sanity when using online resources to book your summer get away.

 

Sharing a Computer: How to Live in Harmony

Sharing a Computer and Retaining your Sanity

Sharing a computer can be tricky.  Whether it's the kids vying for screen time or summer house guests looking to check their email, following some easy tips can save your sanity.

First, create separate user accounts for each family member and one for “Guest.”  This allows each user a sense of individuality as they can set customized backgrounds, desktop icons and folders.  Establishing individual passwords allows everyone some privacy, while your administrator access lets you maintain ultimate control.  Separating users also helps reduce the impact of your kid’s activities on your productivity – no one wants to come home to discover a new default browser or that your work project has been “lost.”


Windows 7 users should head to Control Panel – User Accounts and Family Safety – “Add or remove user accounts.”  Mac OS X Lion users can follow the walkthrough on Apple’s support forum: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4600

I recommend that you limit user privilege and allow only the administrator to install or remove programs.  This reduces the likelihood that a user will unknowingly install a virus and restricts their ability to install applications you don’t want clogging up your PC.  It also stops them from installing an alternate browser to circumvent plug-ins or parental controls.

Establish clearly divided work and storage areas around the computer.  If space permits, install cubbies near the computer so everyone can have a place to stash their personal gadgets and gear.  Otherwise it’s all too easy for your thumb drive to get commandeered, or the desk overrun with the kids’ game disks.  Consider establishing the ground rule that everyone clears the desk of personal things upon logging off to reduce clutter.

It’s common for family members to fight over whose “turn” it is when two people want to get on at the same time.  Assign every family member a set amount of screen time, inclusive of TV time and mobile device use.  Allow everyone to participate in the discussion; decide whether to allow a set amount of time per day or rather allot each person a pool of minutes for the week so minutes can roll over from day to day.  The latter is more challenging to monitor, but can allow for more flexibility if someone has a favorite show they want to save up for.

The quickest way to enforce time management is to post a clock prominently near the computer.  This works best if you’ve decided to assign time blocks to each user.  A timer that makes an audible beeping also works well as it’s harder for your child to fight with the timer than it is to argue with you for “five more minutes.”

There are options built into Windows for limiting when each user account can log on to the computer, either by setting approved times of day or by giving a daily time allotment to each user account.  Visit the Windows support site for details, or watch their video here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/control-when-children-can-use-the-computer

Finally, remember that a wide variety of mobile devices can handle basic web searching, email and gaming.  Installing a wireless router, even if you don’t have multiple computers, allows family members to reserve computer use for activities that can’t be done on other devices and guests to use a tablet or smartphone to get online.

[caption id="attachment_16199" align="alignleft" width="300"] Share a computer with the Mini X G4[/caption]

Even if your budget doesn’t allow for another computer, you may be able to siphon off some of the usage overlap to an inexpensive tablet such as Amazon’s 7” Kindle Fire (www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-Amazon-tablet/dp/B0083Q04IQ, starting at $159 for new or $129 for refurbished).  If you have an extra HDMI-capable monitor, USB hub, keyboard and mouse, consider a “computer on a stick” such as the MiniX Neo G4(www.minix.us/products/NEO-G4.html, $65) or attach it to your TV to do basic web activities in your living room.

Cyberbullying Infographic: The Facts & Statistics About Online Bullying

We've covered cyberbullying in previous articles, but it can be difficult to slog through technical talk on the subject. Here are some numbers and facts that make the subject easy to comprehend, as hard as it may be to understand. Learn what you can do to protect your child from bullies.

Helping Mom Out With Mother's Day Tech

Help Mom With Mother's Day Tech

The best Mother's Day gifts are often those that don't come wrapped with a pretty bow.  It's great when you're able to buy Mom the latest new gadget, but she may not know the first thing about setting it up or operating it.  What better way to show Mom your love than to spend a few hours together helping her to get comfortable with her new toy?  You will both love the one-on-one time.  Just don't forget to take her out to brunch when you're done.


Mom wants a new laptop.  Instead of sending her off to the store on her own, tag along to help her pick out the one that’s right for her.  You know Mom doesn’t need a gigantic hard drive and upgraded video card, but she’ll enjoy the faster boot up time of a solid state hard drive and lots of RAM.  It may even make sense to consider a touchscreen or tablet if she won’t be using it for work of a lot of typing.

Don’t just send her home with a box and a kiss.  Plan to spend a few hours helping her to get it set up and get familiar with her new equipment.  Start her off with the basics while you’re there, and then leave her with teaching tools such as Help pages and Tutorial Videos.  Both Microsoft and Apple have them so bookmark links and show her how to navigate to them.

If Mom sprung for a Mac or iOS device, Apple has a support community she can join to pose questions to the community (questions are often answered by repair or tech support professionals) or scroll through previously-asked questions to get some help.

Remote support is a lifesaver in those times when you just can't figure out why your printer isn't printing.  Many computer repair companies offer to login to your computer remotely to fix something, install an application, or show you how to do something that has you flummoxed.  If you aren’t comfortable being Mom’s sole tech support, find a reputable company that offers remote support and get her set up with an account and/or any software they require.

"Send your parents a Tech Support care package" by Google (www.teachparentstech.org) lets you send Mom a little tutorial video (or multiple videos), in a cute little message format.  It works great for subjects like "how to copy-paste" or "how to attach a file to an email."

Another idea for a really personal touch is to make your own tutorials that Mom can refer back to whenever she needs them, for specific issues you know she's been having.  Most people are visual learners so video is an optimal format.  Start a YouTube channel with all your how-to videos and share the link with Mom.  You can also write out the step-by-step details for tasks she needs to perform.  Make sure your instructions describe the task visually: "left-click on the Windows icon in the lower left-hand corner of your screen" rather than "click on the Start Menu," as Mom might not know what the "Start Menu" is.

Most Moms these days love to see your Facebook status updates about the grandkids or your latest vacation pictures.  Make sure Mom is getting the full experience.  If she's not on Facebook yet, help her create an account, post a nice profile picture, customize her privacy settings and send out preliminary friend requests to connect with family and friends.

Even established Facebook users may appreciate a tutorial.  Last year, I had Mom write down all the questions she had about her computer, email, and Facebook over the course of a week.  Then we sat down and I walked her through them.  She loved it and it was great for me to be able to help her feel more comfortable with her technology.

If Mom hasn't gotten on the computer bandwagon yet (and you're pretty sure she's not ready), maybe she shouldn't.  There are plenty of devices that fill in quite nicely for a computer, like an iPad or Kindle Fire.  They’re intuitive and much less complicated and can probably do just about everything she'd need a computer to do.  There are even external keyboards available if she doesn't like typing on the touchscreen.

Before you hand Mom some new tech bling, just make sure it comes with a bit of set up time from you.

 

The Best Way to Choose a Computer Monitor Part 2

Choose a Computer Monitor to Fit Your Needs - Part 2

While your monitor has a huge impact on your computing experience, the multitude of performance indicators can be confusing.  Last week I reviewed some of the primary factors that you should consider when shopping for a new display, including screen size, components effecting clarity and pairing with the right graphics card. If you missed it, check it out here: www.callnerds.com/choose-a-computer-monitor-part-1/


Yet there are even more factors that cause one monitor to cost $150 while another is $900.  While I can’t stress strongly enough the benefits of seeing first-hand how a monitor performs and produces images before you buy it, if you have to purchase sight-unseen it’s important to know what the technical specifications mean and how they’re likely to impact your visual experience.

There are two main display types you’ll likely choose between: LED (light emitting diode) and LCD (liquid crystal display).  LCD crystals require light be passed through them to display images so the entire backside of the panel is lit.  LED is actually an LCD panel, but with a different kind of light source.  LED diodes transmit light more efficiently so they’re typically edge-lit (LED lights run around the edge of the panel).

LEDs offer better color contrast (blacker blacks and whiter whites) than LCDs.  They are easier on the eyes than a fully back-lit LCD, require less power, run cooler and are usually lighter and thinner.  Expect to pay $40-$50 more for LED than a comparably sized LCD.

There are three main types of monitors, each with strengths and weaknesses.

Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are the most common and least expensive.  They have the highest refresh rates, an important consideration for online gaming.  However, narrow viewing angles cause colors to appear washed-out if you're looking at them from any other angle than straight-on and details can be washed out, particularly when outside the relatively small optimum viewing area.  Prices start at about $150 for a basic 24” TN monitor.

Multi-domain Vertical Alignment (MVA) and Patterned Vertical Alignment (PVA) are the more mid-grade options when it comes to price, starting at around $275 for a 23” screen.  They have significantly better color reproduction than TN monitors, meaning they offer higher maximum brightness and lower black levels – an important consideration for graphic design and photo or video editing.  Viewing angles are significantly better than TN technology.  Unfortunately, their response time is slower and they tend to be thicker dimensionally than a TN display.

In-Plane-Switching (IPS) displays are considered to be the high-end of the monitor spectrum and carry the highest price points, although small screens can be quite reasonable.  Tablet PCs typically incorporate IPS display technology.  Color reproduction and supported viewing angles are excellent - colors remain accurate and don’t change or shift even when viewing from an odd angle, so they're ideal for graphic designers.  Besides higher price, the primary drawback is that they often suffer from slow response time and can lag when images are displayed - a deal breaker for an online gamer.

To give you an idea of price variance, the ASUS VS239H-P 23” IPS monitor (http://usa.asus.com/Display/LCD_Monitors/VS239HP/) is about $170 while Dell’s UltraSharp U2713HM 27” monitor (www.dell.com/ed/business/p/dell-u2713hm/pd) is a higher-end LED IPS display that will set you back about $700.

Samsung recently developed a new panel technology, Plane-to-line Switching (PLS), that marries the wider viewing angle supported by IPS monitors with the higher brightness and color contrast offered by MVA and PVA displays.  They still display slower than TN panels, but their power consumption is low and production cost is cheaper than IPS. Samsung’s 27” SyncMaster S27A850D (www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/computer-peripherals/monitors/commercial/LS27A850DS/XK?subsubtype=sa650-and-sa850-led) starts at around $800.

Stay tuned next week for the newest monitor bells and whistles: 3-D and touchscreen.