Thursday, November 19, 2009

Computer Eyeglasses - What Are They?

As computers become a more integral part of today's lifestyle and practices, new medical conditions are developing as a result of their usage. The most common to date is computer vision syndrome (CVS), with symptoms that include double vision, itching eyes, headaches, blurred vision, eye pain and irritation, tired and burning eyes, watering or dry eyes, eye fatigue, eye strain and soreness. One would never imagine that such a useful and innovative tool could cause so much physical discomfort! As a result of CVS, science professionals seized the opportunity to create computer eyeglasses to alleviate these common conditions and make computer usage less painful and more comfortable.

The symptoms of CVS affect adults as well as children. Although children normally have different requirements for near and distance vision glasses,computer eyeglasses can be used universally for both groups. Please note that near and distance vision glasses should not be used as replacements for computer glasses. They do not serve the same purpose, and in some cases will cause more harm than good. If you are experiencing other vision problems not related to computer usage, please see a specialist to get your eyes tested.

Computer eyeglasses can be purchased in most pharmacies and drug stores and are usually inexpensive. However, beware! Some manufacturers use inexpensive tinted lenses and market them as computer eyeglasses, so your best bet would be to get a pair of prescription glasses from your doctor. That way, you can get a pair of glasses tailored for computer usage, as well as for any other secondary need like reading or driving.

Getting computer eyeglasses with a light tint would also prove beneficial for your eyes. Although the main reason for symptoms of CVS is the fact that the eyes are constantly re-focusing, spending a lot of time in brightly lit offices also produces some of the same symptoms. By using lightly tinted computer glasses, your eyes will be better able to focus, while the lighting in the room is being adjusted to the correct level.

Not every computer user needs computer eyeglasses, but most people who use the computer frequently throughout the day will stand the chance of experiencing negative symptoms. We still recommend that you invest in a pair in case you fall into that category! Besides, computer eyeglasses can be beneficial in the long run by reducing excessive focusing demands on your eyes. They may also be useful in preventing or retarding development of any eye conditions that could result from computer usage.

Investing in a good pair of computer eyeglasses is using the proactive approach. Although the problems may not yet start to show their ugly heads, getting the eyeglasses will fix them before they actually start. After all, everybody wants to be able to witness the constant evolution of one of modern man's most impressive technological advancements to date.

To learn more about computer eyeglasses please visit: http://www.computerglassesdirect.com.

Monday, November 16, 2009

All You Need to Know About Computer Routers

Using a computer is entertaining, but it can also be aggravating at times. This is usually because your opinion of what would occur on the PC is not the same as what really happens when you are working on a computer. This is even more often the case when you are connecting to the internet or checking your email. One possible way to find the trouble with the computer and/or internet connection is to find a problem in the computer router.

These computer routers can be used in a variety of situations. For instance you can use these computer routers for home use, small businesses and for companies which need to manage the use of a multitude of computers.

While selecting computer routers for your internet connection you need to make sure that you go for the ones that are best suited to the work you are doing, regardless of the work environment. The options available to you now are wired or wireless for networking.

Both of these cases are alike, the PC routers connect the systems which are linked simultaneously to the internet. Here only one primary computer needs the initial internet connection. As soon as this computer has a working link to the Internet, getting the rest of the computers to also use this connection can be be quite simple.

When pricing computer routers you will find they are available in many different prices and options. You will also need to look into the aspects of installing wires for the computer routers to your workspace.

You'll get many nice features to use with the various kinds of computer routers. The first item that you need to be aware of is that while there are some installation procedures that you will be using, there are some great benefits to be looked into with the use of computer routers.

If you are using one computer, a wire connected router is perfect. Now you will no longer need to be concerned about using your computer in other locations when connected to the internet.

The use of wireless computer routers on the other hand provides you with the capability of using the internet in any location of your home or business. It is these facilities which make using computer routers an interesting option to look at.

As most of us know while getting onto this information highway is easy, there are instances when you want to do more than just look at the various internet sites. To get the fast connectivity and speedy downloads you can see about using different types and brands of computer routers.

Computer routers can be complicated. You can find simplified solutions and information about wireless computer routers, computer network routers and much more at http://www.computerrouterbasics.com

Friday, November 13, 2009

Buy Free Online Computer Games

Craze of computer games are increasing more among the kids. Most of the kids want to purchase computer only to play computer game. There are different types of games which children like most e.g. puzzles, shooting, fighting etc. but the most common game which are available on the computer is puzzles.

Keyboard, joystick and mouse are required to play computer games. You can also add speakers and headphone to get the sound effect. Computer games are exciting games and the best way to spend spare time. If you want to download any game on your computer, make sure that you computer fulfill the entire requirement which is needed for game. You should check the RAM, hard disk, operating system and many more. If you have these entire thing in your PC than you can smoothly install game without any hassle or error. Improved version always need faster processor or improved graphic cards.

The first requirement of any computer game is hardware; your PC should be able to fulfill the minimum requirement of game. You will find computer at every home and everyone love to play it. Computer game developers are developing more excited games which you can purchase from the market.

Computer games are a great source of entertainment and everyone enjoys it. You can buy a CD or DVD of any game. Another source of getting computer games is online games websites. It is the best source for computer games and you can find your favorite game on the internet. There are several websites which are available on the search engine which offers various computer games. Some website offer free computer games which is very beneficial for you.

Hover is one of the website who offers free computer games. So if you love to play computer games then what are you waiting for; visit any of the reliable games website and download your favorite computer game without paying a single penny.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Computer Graphics Introduction - How Can I Use Them?

Images are all around us. They can be found in magazines, books, on television, and in movies. Once upon a time, these images had to be created by hand. But advances in technology, especially in the last 20 years, have made computer graphics easy to make.

First of all, what is a computer graphic? Put simply, a computer graphic is any image that has been created or modified using a computer. Some techniques used in computer graphics have been around for a long time, and are simply a computerized way of doing things that have been done by hand. Other techniques are fairly complicated to do by hand, but a computer makes them much easier to do.

One of the most common uses for computer graphics today is retouching photographs. Using a computer, you can do any number of things, from removing blemishes to taking things out of a picture that you don't want in there. With computer graphics, you can cut out part of one image to stand alone or to put in another image. Don't like the color of a shirt? You can change it. Another fun trick is to make the photo a black and white, but with one part of the image in full color. With a good program, you are only limited by your imagination in changing a photo.

As fun as changing photos is, you can do so much more with computer graphics. You can use computer graphics to create headlines that stand out. You can create titles for books, magazines, or even web pages with ease on the computer. Computer graphics allows you to do a lot of things with text, including making them appear 3 dimensional.

Some people like to use computer graphics to "paint" a picture. Computer graphics can be used to make any kind of picture you want, including cartoons and various kinds of art. Using the computer can allow the digital painter to blend colors in ways that are difficult, if not impossible, to do in real life.

One of the most exciting areas of computer graphics in the last decade has to be that of 3D graphics. Now, I'm not talking about making images appear to be 3D like you can with some paint tools. In 3D graphics, you create a 3 dimensional model of the object you want to make, give it texture and color, and render it into an image. Rendering is taking a 3D model and turning it into a graphic image that can be used in various ways.

Why is 3d computer graphics so exciting right now? If you've been to a movie in the last couple of years, particularly a blockbuster, chances are that you've seen computer graphics in action. The images are getting more realistic. That's making it harder to tell what is computer generated and what isn't.

With computer graphics today, you can do just about anything. It takes a lot of time and training to get good, but it can be worth the effort. The great thing is that even learning just the basics you can start impressing your friends. Using computer graphics can make your web pages, posters, and presentations more exciting and visually stimulating.

Would you like to learn more about computer graphics? Do you want to learn what programs are used to do them and how to use those programs? Check out Computer Graphics Resources

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Home Computer Repair Business - Starting Tips

You're a good candidate for a home computer repair business if you have above average skills in this area. Considering the continuous growth of this industry, and the increasing demand for repair services, you should take advantage of this opportunity. A word of caution: don't be like many home business entrepreneurs that fail because they don't take the time to prepare the ground for a successful start.

Home Computer Business Opportunity

Did you know that sales of computer services this year are expected to exceed $47 billion and most of that amount will be on repair services? In today's world, almost everyone you'll encounter either has a computer at home or at work. Most of them would benefit from your services because they don't know how to repair a computer, and don't have the time or desire to solve their computer problems.

When starting a computer repair business, some of the services you can provide include: repairs, parts, maintenance, upgrades and software.

Work from Home Computer Business Steps

Competition Comparison - Whether you do full time or part time computer work, first you need to get as much information as you can about your competition. The range of services they provide, rates, availability, how do they advertise, etc. The more you know, the easier will be for you to develop your services and outperform your competitors.

Added Value - Try to be creative and think about some extra services you can offer your customers at little or no cost to you. You need to create added value in the eyes of your clients.

Develop Your Own Niche - You also need to determine what computer services have most demand so you can specialize in a particular field and have an edge over your competition. If you plan to remain a one-person operation, the residential market may suit you best.

License, etc. - Once you decide to start your computer based work at home, you need to get a business name, a business license and liability insurance.

Keep Up to Date - The computer industry evolves rapidly, so you need to schedule time for continued education and training. If your knowledge becomes obsolete, your competition will push you aside. Visit websites such as CNET and ZDNET to get updates on new software applications and new technology seminars being offered.

Home Based Computer Business Plan

Regardless of the business you wish to start, you need a business plan to keep you focused. If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail. For a general business plan read "Home Business Start Up Basics". Among the computer repair books, I highly recommend "Spyware and Virus Removal Business". It gives you a step by step blueprint to build a solid and thriving business doing computer repair work. To download this book visit: Legitimate-Home-Businesses

Remember that people are entrusting you with their important and personal files stored in their computers. Treat them with care and professionalism as if they were yours. With the necessary information and a good business plan you'll be able to enjoy the benefits and potential of a work at home computer job.

WARNING! - 95% of the online business opportunities are scams. Don't be the next victim! Get free information on how to avoid scams and choose the best legitimate business opportunity. For more articles, tools and resources to help you succeed in your home business, visit:

I'm offering a FREE book "The Netwriting Masters Course". Do you want to sell more on the Net? This book covers the power of words, and shows how anyone can join the 2% who succeed on the Net. Click on the following for your FREE e-book! How to Start a Business from Home

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Securing Your Computer

The moment your computer connects to the Internet, you're leaving your computer to be exploited by viruses, hackers, and all sorts of malware, even if the computer is unattended! For any computer connected to the Internet, security is a must to defend against online threats.

A good first step is protecting your surfing experience by upgrading or switching your web browser. Always check to see if your web browser has a new version available. A newer version of a browser usually protects fixes the security flaws of a previous version and can add new functionality to increase your web experience. Sometimes, switching to another web browser can offer a better return in security than upgrading it. Switching from Internet Explorer to Firefox is an example. Internet explorer is an extremely popular web browser: over 80% of computer users run this software to browse the Internet. Internet Explorer's popularity is what makes the browser an also popular target for malicious websites and programs to exploit. What makes Internet Explorer and Firefox so different if both just browse the net? Their differences lie all "under the hood" of how the software runs and how tight the code is from flaws and bugs. This is why a security hole can apply in one browser but not in another. Download Firefox free at firefox.com and secure you web surfing. Firefox will take minute or two to download depending on your connection and setting it up is a breeze!

A web browser is a makes up the first level of defense when you're online browsing but what about when you're not browsing? Windows has hundreds of communication ports that deal with internet traffic. You're web browser only deals with a few when its in use. Whats watching over the other ports? Hopefully, you have a firewall because an unprotected port is vulnerable to outside attacks. The reality of this happening to you is very high: a person, without much hacking know-how, can easily sweep a small country for unprotected computers in a few days using special programs and steal and corrupt you data. A firewall closes communication ports not in use; and, for all other open ports, the firewall uses logic to reject traffic from a questionable source. Windows XP comes with its own built-in firewall to protect you from inbound attacks but not from outbound from inside your computer if its already compromised by malware. Luckily you can prevent the latter by simply avoiding websites and downloads known for packing malware. You can complement or even replace your Windows firewall with another dedicated commercial firewall that can protect you from both inbound and outbound attacks.You can research a bit on what each firewall provides and their licenses they give to the end-user to see what appeals to you. With a computer protected by a secure web browser, a powerful firewall, and a careful user, the need for an anti-virus is optional. Just remember a firewall can prevent online attacks, but can't stop infections.

After a web browser and a firewall, an anti-virus program can make up your third layer of defense in fighting an online threat before it can infect your computer. Modern anti-virus programs come with real-time scanning engines to delete a virus once it enters your computer's memory. If you've been using a computer for a while and never ran an anti-virus scan, you may be infected and don't even know it. Some commercial anti-virus companies offer a free diagnoses of your computer through their website and remedies. Its important to know if you're computer is "clean" before trying any computer-safety practices mentioned in this article, or what ever you do won't go as planned. If your computer comes out clean, just have a firewall on and be careful on how you surf the web; you don't have to have a anti-virus and save on computer resources unless you want to! If you're computer is always exposed to questionable files or used by people who aren't as security-savvy as you, then an anti-virus is another must. Take for example if a person is ferrying their work with a flash drive from your computer to a computer at school and back again. School computers are notorious for being virus-ridden because of the many students that recklessly use the computer. If you have people sharing the computer, you should put up an anti-virus to protect the computer from the possibly unsafe surfing habits.Remember though that no anti-virus software can possible catch every virus created. Hundreds are made every month and anti-virus programs can only catch the most common ones. In last ditch efforts in dealing with a virus not detected by an anti-virus, you'll need to back up and scan your important files, reformat your hard drive, and reinstall your operating system. This fact about viruses doesn't put you in immediate danger yet; your computer's chances of catching a rare or a brand-new virus is proportionally small. Follow safe computer practices!

Finally, your last defense is your operating system. Generally, it is the weakest and pretty much the target of hackers and malware but it does give some protection that is well complemented with firewall and anti-virus protection. For example, Windows XP prevents important system files from being changed or deleted to an extent and can disable permissions of regular accounts to edit system settings. Such features can only be found in new versions of Windows. Older versions such as Windows 98 and Windows ME don't benefit from the same security features as Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. Upgrading to a new stable version of Windows is a good thing.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Computer Forensics Files - The Little Dame That Wouldn't - Real CSI Cases from Burgess Forensics #14

The stories are true; the names and places have been changed to protect the potentially guilty.

A dame, a rich guy, and an email account: what more do you need for a story?

I was in my office one fine spring day in Marin studying the benefits of Eastern philosophy, engaged in my special snoring meditation, when the buzzing of the telephone dragged me back to the present. It was Sam & Dave - not the Soul Men, but the lawyers in the Valley. They had a situation. A computer expert was heading over to their offices to make a copy of their client's computer - the dame's laptop - to try to prove that she sent endearing emails to a scorned male - the rich guy...Mr. Silicon Valley.

See, rich guy had not been so rich until some computer hardware of his design had been snapped up by a big player in the computer world for a hefty sum. Newly rich Mr. Silicon decided to try his hand at picture books - picture books of natural looking young ladies in their native birthday attire. The hook was that they would be all natural - no silicone for Mr. Silicon.

One day, Mr. S was driving through the Rockies when he espied a liberated young lady. Liberated in the sense that she was 17, but living on her own. S offered to liberate her from a deadend waitress job if she would come live in his Valley mansion. It would all be very Platonic - they'd each have their own end of the mansion - and she would work with the picture book office staff.

But as our young lady reached adulthood, Mr. S became enamored enough to make our lovely waif a bit uncomfortable. She thought he was acting like a creep. She wanted out - out of the office and out of the mansion. The word "harassment" strikes fear into the heart of many an employer, and Sam & Dave were looking for a settlement to enrich all involved. But Mr. S was not to give up so easily. He maintained that the lovely Miss had been sending him endearing loveletters from her America OnLine account. Sure enough, her account had sent those letters - but had she been the one to send them? AOL has a setting that allows a user to sign in automatically - that is, to sign in without having to type in a password. This setting is nearly always a mistake, unless no one else is ever near your computer. I always recommend to my clients that they take the extra 5 seconds out of their busy schedules to type an actual password. You might have guessed that her AOL was set to automatically login.

But the letters had been sent after she had already left the office. That meant that if she had sent them, she must have drafted them on her laptop from home. A deal was made. Mr. S hired a computer expert to do some digital discovery. He'd make an identical copy of the hard disk from her laptop, while sitting in Sam & Dave's conference room. This is where I entered the picture. S & D wanted me to make sure that the hired thugs … er, experts … would not pull any funny stuff. I went to observe on the day of the copying.

Just a short half hour or so after their scheduled arrival, the other experts arrived. They were decked out in full company regalia. Their bright jackets, hats, and business cards announced their offices in New York, Tokyo, London, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. These guys were apparently internationally jetting big shots. As it turned out, only one was the bigshot - the other guy was the gofer. Bigshot sat in a chair and bragged about his exploits while Gofer unloaded their equipment. A large, high-powered desktop computer, with external drives hooked up through an Adaptec SCSI host adapter appeared on the tabletop. A briefcase full of secret computer forensic software was opened to reveal its treasures. The golden floppy disk was removed from the briefcase. Bigshot examined the laptop, and announced, "We can't do this copy - there's no floppy drive."

I was a little dumbfounded. Surely these guys had all of the computer forensic equipment known to mankind. "I have EnCase and ByteBack," he said, "but I need to boot from a floppy drive to make a copy." This was at least half accurate. Whenever a drive is operated in a Windows environment, Windows writes bits and pieces of data to the drive. Under such circumstances, the data is changed and is not a true identical, "bit-for-bit" copy. It's not a forensic image. But when the system is booted from a DOS diskette, nothing gets written to the hard disks. This is what the fellow was looking to do.

I suggested he remove the hard disk from the laptop, and hook it up through a write-blocker to his desktop computer. "What's a write-blocker?" he asked. "Gofer, do we have any write blockers?" Gofer's look of befuddlement answered for him. I explained to Bigshot International that a write blocker is a device that can be hooked up between the hard disk and the cable it is attached to, or between an external enclosure holding the hard disk and the USB cable leading to the computer. The MyKey NoWrite FPU is one of my favorites. The Tableau works well. The Disk Jockey Forensic wasn't around then. The DriveDock & others would have been fine. But he didn't have any by anyone.

Still, removing the hard disk, attaching it to his system and booting the system from his floppy diskette should have been fine. I suggested as much. "How do you take out the hard disk?" he asked. Apparently laptops are different in London and Hong Kong and those other places he had offices.

I asked S & D's secretary for a little Phillips screwdriver, and removed the hard disk for Our Man. "It doesn't hook up to my IDE cable," he said. You see, laptop IDE hard disks and desktop IDE hard disks are different sizes. Most in laptops are 2.5" and most in desktops are 3.5" and never the twain shall meet - at least, not on the same cable. The 40-pin connector on the laptop is, unsurprisingly, smaller in size. "How about an adapter?" I said. "Have you a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter?"

"Have we got one, Gofer?" Befuddlement answered wordlessly again. I suggested a quick run to the local computer store. I even volunteered to go, for the Mensa-level technical skill was getting to me a little at that point.

Twenty minutes later, we had an adapter from a local Mom & Pop computer shop. Some adapters for laptop drives hook up the opposite way from what is intuitive. Once I warned against hooking the laptop drive up backwards, Bigshot got everything set up right, the computer booted, and a good copy seemed like it was only minutes away. That is, until I heard, "My target disk drive isn't big enough." Well, I didn't want him to have to go all the way to Tokyo or New York for another. I suggested hooking up additional drives from his special briefcase to the SCSI bus, then changing the image size. Many computer forensic programs allow one to acquire a large drive as several or many contiguous images of a smaller size. By changing his configuration, Mr. B could make many successive CD-sized images of about 650 MB each, instead of one giant one that wouldn't fit in the available space in any one of his hard drives.

With the copy proceeding apace, I asked S&D what I should do next. We saw the estimated time of completion was about five hours away! I wondered if sitting waiting for electrons to move was the best use of my time and their money, and they seemed to think it was not. I explained what to look out for - any cables being unplugged, any keyboards being typed on, any utterances of "oops" or "oh no!" from the Dynamic Duo making the copies. The job should be mostly babysitting until the copy was completed. I headed back to the airport, and to my office at Burgess Forensics to finish my interrupted meditation.

How did it all turn out? There were no loving emails drafted on the laptop. The computer she had used at the office was being used to send bogus emails from her auto logon AOL account. Mr. S was ready to settle… after just one more meeting.

As part of the settlement, Mr. S & our lovely Miss had one last lunch together. They met at an outdoor café. It might have been romantic, but Miss sat well out of reach, her lawyer sat just out of earshot a couple of tables to the West. The attorney for S sat just out of earshot a couple of tables to the North. Everybody ate lunch. S paid the bill - three bills, actually - one for lunches, one for the lawyers, and one settlement for the lovely lady. She then walked away and never looked back.

While I never met the lady, I was alerted to look for her on a fashion show. There she was, on the TV, looking like the waif models are apparently supposed to resemble. I couldn't tell if she looked any richer, but I hoped she would spend some of the settlement on a few more lunches - she could have filled out a little and looked a bit more…natural. But that's outside my area of expertise. A nutritionist I'm not - I do computers.

This is just one of the many "CSI* - Computer Forensics Files: Real Cases from Burgess Forensics" cases in the file. Stay tuned for more stories of deceit uncovered by science.

*The (online) Free Dictionary lists more than 160 definitions for CSI - for us it's Computer Scene Investigation.