Wickford Computer Services

RIP Steve Jobs.

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:17:12 +0000

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

Tech Champions: 15 Geek Heroes from Movies and TV

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:59 +0000

Tech Champions: 15 Geek Heroes from Movies and TV.

Superior Alternatives to Crappy Windows Software

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:39:55 +0000

Whether it comes bundled with your computer, bundled with other software, or is just the go-to program for a specific task, the Windows ecosystem is rife with oft-used, yet craptastic software. We asked you what your most hated Windows apps are, and you gave us tons of shudder-inducing examples. We’ve compiled your answers into a list of our least favorite crapware, and the better programs you can use in their place.

Application to Avoid: Adobe Reader

Indictment: Slow as molasses, insecure, and runs annoying helper app at startup

Superior Alternative(s): We prefer SumatraPDF, though Foxit Reader and PDF-XChange Viewer are also popular alternatives

Notes: Adobe Reader isn’t great, but you may find that some PDFs—particularly those with watermarks, editable form fields, or other special features—work better in Adobe Reader than in other PDF readers. If you have to work with PDFs often, Adobe Reader might be unavoidable, but it’s a good idea to try something like Sumatra first just to make sure.

Application to Avoid: Adobe Flash

Indictment: Slows your computer, causes frequent browser crashes, hogs resources, drains battery, makes laptops heat up, and much more.

Superior Alternative(s): None, sadly.

Notes: It’s pretty hard to go without Flash these days. HTML5 is slowly replacing it in some cases, but a lot of sites still require Flash. The best solution is to install something like Flashblock, available for both Chrome and Firefox, which will let you load Flash only when you need it. Alternatively, you can uninstall the Flash plugin entirely and use Chrome’s self-contained version when you need it. This has the added advantage of loading HTML5 on some sites, like YouTube, when using Flashblock would just block the original Flash instead of serving the new HTML5 content.

Application to Avoid: Norton, McAfee, and other premium Antivirus suites

Indictment: Pricey, Slow, Bloated

Superior Alternative(s): Microsoft Security Essentials

Notes: Ever since Microsoft Security Essentials came out, you haven’t had much of a reason to use anything else. MSE is lightweight, good at catching viruses, and does all of its work in the background without bugging you. If you really don’t like MSE, though, you have a few other solid options.

Application to Avoid: Internet Explorer

Indictment: Always stuck in the past

Superior Alternative(s): Google Chrome Firefox, Opera

Notes: IE isn’t horrible (in fact, version 9 has made a few improvements), but it always seems behind the times compared to every other browser in existence. Unless it’s the only browser that can load a specific webapp, it’s not worth your time. Use IE to download a more extensible, feature-filled browser and forget about it.

Application(s) to Avoid: Browser Toolbars

Indictment: I don’t even know where to start. They’ll change your home page, track your browsing habits, take up space, and offer you features you don’t want in return.

Superior Alternative(s): Not installing toolbars.

Notes: There are a few exceptions to this rule, but in general, you want to avoid browser toolbars at all costs. Toolbars often come packaged with other software and hijack the crap out of your browser, so any time you see a checkbox with the words “Ask Toolbar” next to it, do whatever it takes to keep that thing off your system.

Application to Avoid: Windows Media Player

Indictment: Lack of format support, crappy interface

Superior Alternative(s): VLC, KMPlayer, Media Player Classic

Notes: Windows Media Player isn’t all bad, but rarely is it preferable over simpler video players like VLC and KMPlayer.

Application to Avoid: iTunes

Indictment: Slower than a turtle with dumbbells on its feet, comes with the annoying Apple Software Update and the unnecessary QuickTime

Superior Alternative(s): Winamp, Foobar2000, MediaMonkey, Spotify, and tons of others

Notes: If you have to sync an iOS device, you might be stuck with iTunes. However, you can always use iTunes solely for syncing and use something different for actually listening to your music, which’ll help you escape iTunes’ bloat for most of the day.

Application to Avoid: QuickTime

Indictment: Unnecessary, comes with the annoying Apple Software Update

Superior Alternative(s): VLC, KMPlayer, Media Player Classic

Notes: QuickTime isn’t nearly as bad as it used to be, and if you use iTunes, you have to have it on your system. If you’re not going to use iTunes, though, you can play QuickTime videos in VLC without a problem. VLC and Media Player Classic even come with a browser plugin on the off chance you come across a QuickTime-only format video embedded in a web page.

Application to Avoid: WinZip and WinRAR

Indictment: Pricey, Unnecessary

Superior Alternative(s): 7-Zip, among others

Notes: WinZip is completely unnecessary on modern Windows machines, since it has ZIP support built-in. On the rare occasion ZIP isn’t good enough, RARs provide great compression, but WinRAR is shareware, and RAR isn’t that much better than 7-Zip’s 7z format. For more information on file compression, check out our rundown of the best way to compress your files.

More at Lifehacker.com

First real-time view of Windows 8 in action

admin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:45:54 +0000

Skip to the 1:00 mark!

System Tool Virus Removal

admin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:42:43 +0000

System Tool is a malicious rogue malware virus that infects typically through a trojan a PC and pretends to be anti-virus on your PC telling you that you have viruses and other issues and request that you purchase the software to fix the issues. If you are getting this warning, do not give System Tool your credit card information, it is a scam and a malware virus.

linkback

9 Advanced Tricks for iTunes

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 01:14:16 +0000

Once upon a time, iTunes was a simple program for managing the music you put on your Apple MP3 player. Now, it’s a digital media management juggernaut that can be found on the hard disk drives of just about everyone who owns an iPod, iPad, or iPhone. As iTunes has grown up (we are on version 10.2), it’s become more powerful and, consequently, more complicated. Here are nine tricks that give you power you didn’t even know existed, from running iTunes on multiple PCs by sharing or synching files to creating your own customized iPhone ringtones to getting back your apps even after you’ve had to re-install iTunes on a computer. Share your favorite iTunes tricks in the comments as well, so we can all become media managers with mad skills.

Windows 8 Wish List

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:02:22 +0000

FTA: “Images purported to show Windows 8 are making the tech news rounds. Microsoft’s next OS release is still likely to be at least a year away, and you can be sure to find the first fact-based coverage on it here at PCMag.com when it becomes a reality confirmed by Microsoft. You can also read about the leaked views of Windows 8. We can think of a bunch of things that we’d like to see in the next version of Windows, and the Office “ribbon,” which features prominently in the supposedly leaked images, while nice, isn’t among the most important.”

Small Form Factor PCs for Tight Spaces

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:46:20 +0000

Small Form Factor (SFF) desktops are a thing of beauty; most, on average, measure no bigger than 7 by 9 by 11.5 inches (HWD) (like the AVADirect Nano Cude), yet are fully functional systems that offer enough power for day-to-day computing tasks and even support graphics cards if need be. Their compact form factor means they can be mounted to the back of your HDTV or monitor as an entertainment system, or used as a home or office PC without taking up precious space on your desk. For business-end users, from small to enterprise, there are also SFF options—like the Lenovo ThinkStation C20—that can act as ISV certified workstations and offer speed and easy serviceability by your IT staff. There are also the bare-bones business desktops, like the HP Compaq 4000 Pro, that leave more desk space and provide internals that are all work and no play.

Efficient Exteriors

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:40:45 +0000

Services provided: Web Design, Web Development, Email Setup, PPC Advertising and Hosting.

United Better Homes

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:37:03 +0000

Services Provided: Web Design, Web Development, Flash Animation, Custom Gallery, SEO, PPC, Hosting