The following MyAnswers solution 2302 is now available:
Opera error message: Error initializing Opera: module 13 (logdoc)
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
The following MyAnswers solution 2300 is now available:
When I go to download the Kindle app for Windows 8 I'm forced to use the Windows Store. I didn't have to previously use the Windows store for the Kindle app. What should I do?
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
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The following MyAnswers solution 2301 is now available:
How to get free content from the Kindle Store to your Kindle E-Reader without having to provide credit card details.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
The news that Randi Zuckerberg was not happy with a private photo being shared is a reminder to everyone that when you post a photo on any site you should expect it can become public. It almost appears that on the internet the only rule is there are no rules when it comes to the internet. In the past no one would ever think to pass on a photo of another person without their permission. Now it is done millions of times a day.
I regularly hear of people being unhappy that someone else has shared a photo of them on the internet. They take a photo of a group, go home and without any permission by anyone in the photo, post it for their friends and possibly the world to see.
Remember if you can see a photo on the internet it is easy to copy and paste the photo and pass it on. Even if the site doesn’t allow you to copy a photo you can always screen capture the photo.
Randi Zuckerberg stung by Facebook privacy settings in photo flap... Read More
The only advice I can offer is if you don’t want a photo to be made public, don’t put it on the internet. If a friend takes a photo of you ask them politely not to share it on the internet and I’d be pretty sure most people are decent enough not to, and if they do, well perhaps it is time to reconsider who your real friends are. Good friends will always consider your feelings.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Assisting residents and businesses in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and surrounding suburbs.
Regards,
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
The following MyAnswers solution 2299 is now available:
I updated a client's web site and when they checked the site they said they couldn't see the changes.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
The ATO appears to be the target of scams with the email I received this morning. This is the second scam relating to the ATO in two days. Unfortunately when I say the ATO appears to be the target, the real target are people. The following is the email I received this morning.
Date 19 december 2012
Our Ref. S/11445/12
Your Ref. 18B/492/12
NOTICE OF TAX RETURN FOR YEAR 2011
Dear Taxpayer,
I am sending this email to announce: After the last annual calculation of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax return of:
$248.83
To receive your return, Click here
For more info on government services go to www.ato.gov.au
The link sends the user to a site which isn’t the ATO and I suspect the aim is to collect information.
You should delete these emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Regards,
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
The following MyAnswers solution 2298 is now available:
I keep receiving "Do you know" emails from Facebook. How do I stop these messages?
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
I regularly find Mac users bragging to others around them that the Mac platform does not get viruses. When time permits I then take them aside and suggest they search for malware on the internet for their platform. There have been a number of infections including the recent Flashback Trojan which infected over 500,000 Mac computers worldwide.
Apple quietly added antivirus software to the Mac platform and with no major announcement, the illusion that malware was not an issue for Mac users has continued.
The reality is malware affects most platforms (I say most whereas I would like to say all, but I can’t prove every platform has been targeted by malware writers). Until recently Mac had a relatively small market share meaning it made more sense to target Windows users as they represented over 90% of the market. As the Mac market share increases so does the return on investment for malware writers. In addition malware writers may have more success by being very specific with who they target.
If Mac users continue to spread the incorrect belief they are immune to malware all they really do is to provide Mac users with an unrealistic and dangerous expectation. When I blogged about Apple users targeted a while ago with the $50 gift voucher, my logs showed Mac users coming to my site increased from 5-10% up to 30%. Thousands of Apple Mac users were seeking to find out about the gift voucher. Luckily the attack was malware targeted at Windows users. Had it been targeted at Apple users it could easily have done much more damage.
The following is a recently reported incident of Mac malware.
First Mac OS X fake installer pops up, racks up your mobe bill... Read More
Also if you hear Linux users bragging about having a safer environment they aren’t safe either. Linux users tend to only consider the core operating system but a working system includes many other packages. A great number of infected sites on the internet that have been hijacked run on Linux based systems. The majority of infections for Windows users is via installed software such as Java and Flash. Windows users don’t differentiate between the operating system and the installed software. Malware is malware and it really doesn’t matter what weakness it takes advantage of to infect your computer. The end result is still the same.
You should treat all platforms as equally exposed to malware. Be vigilant and you improve your chances of not being infected. Don’t be sold on the idea that one platform is more secure than another. Being tricked into providing your credit card details on any platform still has the same result.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Received an email today with the subject “Tax Agent Report - Delayed Tax Returns”. This email has an attachment “TaxAgentReport.xls.zip” which contains malware. You should delete this emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
For helpful information regarding viruses and malware check the MyAnswers virus solution page.
The following MyAnswers solution 2297 is now available:
Two issues I found with the Microsoft Surface with Windows RT Touch cover keyboard.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
I received a couple of emails pretending to be from TPG for equipment ordered. These emails contain an attached file which is malware.
You should delete these emails. Most antivirus software packages do not pick up the latest malware. The only thing stopping you from infecting your computer is you.
Treat all unsolicited emails with caution. The MyAnswers solution 2293 documents the approach I use to check email attachments.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Today I dropped into the local Harvey Norman today to check out the Microsoft Surface Windows RT table. No tablet in sight. I asked a sales rep when they’d receive their stock but he wasn’t certain. We struck up a conversation and I checked out the ASUS Windows RT tablet. For me Windows RT is too limited but I wanted to check out how the tablet felt. The sales rep said they had exclusive retail rights to the tablet. I thought that was unusual as I’d read in the press that JB HiFi would also be selling the Windows RT tablet.
A short while later I dropped into the JB HiFi store in the same shopping centre and there was the Microsoft Surface Windows RT tablet on display. It was good to get an opportunity to use the tablet even for a short while. I didn’t really like the touch cover/keyboard. I also wanted to see if it really clicked like it does in the ads and I can say it does. The ad also shows it has a great display outside but I really suspect that has more to do with editing or angles rather than the tablet itself. Until I can test a tablet outside I really won’t know.
Windows RT to me is restricted software which means I can’t run most of my Windows applications (such as Microsoft Access) so it doesn’t suit my needs, but I did want to get a feel for what it meant to use Desktop mode and I was pleasantly surprised. I could open File Explorer and move around the folders. At last a tablet that gives you built-in access to your files and folders. This is a world apart from Android and Apple offerings and once the Windows 8 Surface Pro tablet arrives the tablet game could change significantly. Of course it all depends on what you want from your tablet. I don’t think Microsoft has got it right (can’t fathom why they did’t include GPS) but a tablet that can run most of your Windows applications (which doesn’t include Windows RT tablets) means you don’t have to scrap everything you’ve invested in and start again. That’s a game changer to me.
My main interest today in seeing the tablet was to test whether or not people would be able to install the preferred Australian English spelling in Internet Explorer 10 on the Windows Surface RT tablet and from what I can see it should be easy to do. To confirm of course I’ll have to perform a test but so far it is looking good. Microsoft’s tablets will then be the only tablets capable of providing the preferred Australian English spelling and for many that is a point of difference.
So if you’re looking to check out a Microsoft Windows RT Surface tablet you can find them at JB HiFi and you should also shortly be able to find them at Harvey Norman as well.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Assisting residents and businesses in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding suburbs.
Google have now released their map app and it is now available in the Apple iTunes store. Click here using your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad to go direct to the app in the App store.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Assisting residents and businesses in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
The following MyAnswers solution 2294 is now available:
I'd like to display the telephone number on my web page as a link so if a person is using an iPhone they can press on the number and they can then call the number easily.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
The other day I wrote a post about how Apple maps were directing travellers into a remote location 70km away from the desired location of Mildura. The location has now been fixed and was reportedly a second entry for Mildura. To be fair I felt it appropriate to also pass on the warning by Australian police with regards to an issue using Google maps.
Days after Australian police warn about Apple Maps, they lodge a similar complaint against Google.... Read More
My own experience when travelling in Western Australia is there was one section where the GPS did not update for 20-30km. I just used the map as I would a printed map so it wasn’t an issue. Some intersections were quite out of date with lights instead of a roundabout in one case and another made it appear I’d reach a T intersection when in fact the road I was on didn’t change at all and a road came in from the left. Quite disconcerting.
For me however the mapping features of modern mobile are very handy. I remember the days of having the Melway open and it often sliding off the seat. The modern mobile phone/GPS feels much safer if used appropriately.
One recommendation is I’d never use a mobile phone to measure your driving speed. They rarely match the speedo due to the time they take to catch up. When looking for roads that blue dot is handy, but if you wait until it reaches the street you want you’ll have sailed on past the street.
Still though it is pretty neat technology. The sign of success is when one technology replaces another and the mobile phone/GPS has certainly replaced the Melways for me. In the past a Melways was a regular Christmas present for someone. I can’t recall when a Melways was last on the Christmas list. Full credit to Melways however as it served us well.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
The following MyAnswers solution 2293 is now available:
How I check a suspicious email attachment for malware.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
The following MyAnswers solution 2292 is now available:
The client when replying to emails or forwarding emails kept getting the message "551 5.7.6 Message rejected as spam (CM)". The client had their own business site hosting and uses Optus as their ISP.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
For those interested in the Microsoft Surface RT tablet the media has reported it will be available from Harvey Norman from Friday. This is a good indication that Microsoft’s go it alone strategy hasn’t worked and now aims to move the Surface RT tablet through selected retailers.
This isn’t a recommendation for the Surface RT tablet but it does provide a good opportunity to gain hands on experience with the tablet. You should review this device carefully against your requirements.
To me the Surface RT is a very restricted device and if people aren’t aware of the limitations they could easily be disappointed. To put this in context I consider the iPad and Android tablets to be restricted devices. The Windows Surface Pro tablet due in January will provide a more complete experience for Windows users, albeit at a price and reduced battery hours between charges.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Assisting residents and businesses in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
The following MyAnswers solution 2291 is now available:
How to add the desktop version of Internet Explorer 10 to the Start screen in Windows 8.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
I’ve received a number of malware emails today. Notably targeted at Jetstar (which I’ve documented previously) and also Qantas. The subject of the email is “Seat Selection Fee Receipt”.
Attached to the email is a zip file which contains malware. The malware file is designed to appear as a PDF but is actually an executable file. The attached zip file is named Qantas Personal Information ref 127434.zip where the number would most likely be randomly generated.
This malware is not currently detected by the majority of antivirus software.
If you receive this type of email you should delete it.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you required computer support.
Assisting businesses and residents in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
The following MyAnswers solution 2289 is now available:
How do I add a tile to the Windows 8 Start screen. I'd like to put my Microsoft Access application as a tile on the Start screen and also the common programs I use in Windows such as the calculator and Notepad.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
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The following MyAnswers solution 2288 is now available:
Microsoft Windows 8 Phone Internet Explorer browser fails simple test which means people should review whether the mobile phone is suitable for their needs or not.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Microsoft in the States has now released pricing of the Surface Windows Pro and confirmed availability for January 2013.
The 64GB (SSD – Solid State Drive) model will be priced at $899 and the 128GB model at $999. Based on the pricing of the current Surface RT devices in Australia this may correspond to prices of around $999 and $1,109, but I’d almost expect the more expensive model to be price at $1,099 to make the price appear better.
These are the prices I’d expected but I really was hoping for better.
One thing recently concerned me, is yesterday I started reading a few articles based on information released by Microsoft, and it feels like Microsoft is starting to lower people’s expectation in terms of battery life. It is expected the battery life will be half that of the Surface RT model, possibly giving 4-5 hours on a single charge.
For me the three key features which interests me with the Microsoft tablet are:
1. Compatibility with Windows
2. Extended battery life compared to my ageing netbook
3. Portability
Based on point one I have little interest in the Surface RT model. I’ve mentioned in another post that to me the Surface RT is a product I generally wouldn’t recommend to customers unless they research it well and it meets their requirements. Personally I expect many people will purchase the Surface RT tablet only to realise later all the limitations. However I expect the Surface with Windows Pro will be compatible (largely) with my existing Windows applications and data.
The battery life of the Surface with Windows Pro is now a niggling concern. I don’t expect to achieve more than 4-5 hours of use between recharging. Certainly nowhere near as good as other tablets providing 8 hours or more. The battery life has now put a real dampener on my hopes for the new Surface. That battery life barely matches new lightweight notebooks.
The third is portability. In general the Surface with Windows Pro will meet but not exceed my expectation. It has only become apparent to me just how heavy the tablet is, or perhaps I should say, it isn’t going to be as light as I’d hoped.
A few years ago (about three) I moved my work to a netbook (running Windows XP) which has served me really well. Light compared to notebooks, fast enough for my needs (but now getting a little slow), but the battery life was the biggest limitation at around two hours. Including the netbook in my travel kit was easy. Now the promise of a lighter device with a longer battery life and better performance is appealing.
I decided to weigh my netbook today to see how the weight compared to the new Surface with Windows Pro. The netbook weighed 1190g. The new Surface with Windows Pro is 907g is an improvement, but not quite as much as I’d expected.
Had the Apple iPad Mini been released for $299 for me it would have been an impulse buy. The iPad Mini would never have achieved Windows compatibility, but in time, I’d rewrite my applications and I’d go down a new path with technology. I felt Apple this time had over priced their Mini and the lack of GPS in the entry level model put me off. The Surface RT is like getting an iPad. Both really are not compatible with my Windows applications and both are quite restricted in their design with the ultimate aim being to lock me in as a user. The Surface with Windows Pro gives me Windows compatibility and almost the same level of openness as Windows does today. Some apps just don’t work unless you have a Microsoft account.
I can live with the shorter tablet battery life. The real problem then is the price . This is not an impulse buy. For me I’d question if the 64GB has sufficient space (given Surface RT feedback shows Windows using 20GB to start with) so I’d probably be bumped to the 128GB model. I could get away without the cover/keyboard as there are lots of other options available, but if I decided on the Surface Touch Cover the price is $139.99 and the Type cover is $149.99.
With the Surface with Windows Pro price in Australia I expect the price to be close to $1,099. Add $139.99 for the Touch Cover and that means a cost expected to be around $1,239. To me that’s a very expensive tablet and harder to justify.
Microsoft for me have pushed the price to the point where you need to very seriously consider your options. The question is “have they pushed too far?”
In the end it will probably boil down to Windows compatibility, longer battery life and portability. The premium for Windows compatibility is high. If people can avoid Windows compatibility (getting easier as mobile devices displace desktop usage) Microsoft’s tablet strategy may be in tatters. I’ll pay a premium for Windows compatibility and live with an average battery life, but I’m not sure I can quite justify the premium Microsoft is asking.
What will be really interesting is to see what other manufacturers bring to market. If other manufacturers come out with better pricing then as they say, it is game on.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
I’m pretty excited to announce I’m now making available the preferred Australian English spelling file for Internet Explorer 10 running on Windows 8.
Internet Explorer 10 has Australian English spellchecking built in, but like Microsoft’s Office products, the spellchecker accepts thousands of secondary spelling variations such as words with “ize”, American spelt words such as “mom” and some errors. The preferred Australian English spelling file corrects these issues.
If written communication matters to you the preferred Australian English spelling file is a must have. If you’re a student, applying for jobs, or write reports or sales material, the preferred Australian English spelling file is a must have.
You can find the preferred Australian English spelling file for Internet Explorer 10 at www.Australian-Dictionary.com.au.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
The creator of the preferred Australian English spelling dictionary.
