6 Signs that you might have Malware...

Sometimes it's not so obvious that there may be something wrong.  You may see some signs, but are unsure as to what they mean.  Well, here are 6 of the most common things you may see that should raise a flag that your computer may have an infection.

1. Popup ads appear even when no browser is open. While not as common as they used to be, adware programs bombard their victims with advertisements. Sometimes they're ads for legitimate products, other times they contain links to malicious websites, sites that will attempt to drop more malware on your PC.

2. Browser navigation gets redirected. Not every site redirect is malicious, but if you find that trying to reach Google takes you to an unfamiliar search site, you've almost certainly got a problem. Sometimes the redirection is more subtle. For example, a banking Trojan might divert your browser to a fraudulent site that looks just like your bank's real site. In that case your only clue is the unfamiliar URL in the Address bar.

3. A security program you never installed pops up scary warnings. Creating and distributing fake antivirus programs is a lucrative business. The perpetrators use drive-by downloads or other sneaky techniques to get the fake antivirus onto your system, then display scary warnings about made-up threats. Naturally you have to register a payment before the fraudulent tool will "fix" the problem. And of course scanning for malware with the fake AV is super-fast, since it's not actually doing anything.

4. Posts you didn't write appear on your social media pages. Malware focused on Facebook and other social media sites propagates by generating fake posts. Typically these posts include an inflammatory statement of some kind, like "OMG were you really that drunk? Look at this picture!" Anyone who falls for the fake and clicks the link will become the next victim.

5. A program holds your PC for ransom. Some malware programs literally hold your PC or data for ransom. Overt ransomware threats may encrypt all your pictures and documents and demand that you pay to get them back. Others try to obscure what they're doing. For example, they may display a warning supposedly from the FBI stating that your computer was used to send spam and demanding that you pay a fine before you're allowed to use it again. Of course, even if you do pay, you may not get your system back.

6. Suddenly you can't use common system tools. A smart user, suspecting the presence of malware, might launch Task Manager to investigate, or check settings using Registry Editor. If you suddenly find that trying to use these or other system tools triggers a message saying your Administrator has disabled them, it may well be an attempt at self-defense by malware on your system.

Could it be that $1300 is a bit much for a web browser?

If sales of the Surface have been disappointing so far, then where does that leave sales of Google’s (GOOG) Chromebooks? Unnamed sources have told Digitimes that sales of Google Chromebooks have only totaled around 500,000 so far, which gives the Chrome OS less than a 1% share of the notebook market. Digitimes‘ sources also say that Chromebooks could struggle to gain any traction against Windows-based notebooks for at least the next two years because Google “will still need some time to integrate” Chrome and Android in order to broaden Chromebooks’ appeal for consumers. Google recently tried to generate more hype for Chromebooks by releasing its own Chromebook Pixel that features a 12.85-inch, 2560 x 1700-pixel touchscreen display and hefty $1,300 price tag.

So you hate Windows 8? Well at least take some of the cool features with you!

Improved file copying and moving

TeraCopy: Unassuming, yet oh-so-awesome.

Not to brand myself as a geek, but Windows 8’s file-copy dialog box may be its biggest desktop improvement. It brings all copying and moving processes into a single window, tosses in a pause button, deals with file conflicts more intelligently, and is just plain faster than before.

The file copier built into Windows 7 isn’t very good by comparison. In fact, while introducing Windows 8's file-copying tweaks, former Windows president Steven Sinofsky wrote that "most people do not have a great tool for high-volume copy jobs,” as so few users have a third-party file-copying tool installed on their Windows 7 systems. Yes, the Windows 7 file copier is just that meh.

You can improve file copying and moving without upgrading to Windows 8 by installing the utterly superb TeraCopy. This utility not only speeds up some file transfers, but it also allows you to pause transfers, a tremendously convenient improvement over Windows' default functionality.

That's not the only useful trick up TeraCopy's sleeve, though. Rather than halting transfers completely when an error occurs (as Windows 7 so frustratingly does), the program skips over problematic data and instead displays troubled files for your perusal at the end of a mass data migration. Even better, TeraCopy sports Windows shell integration, allowing you to completely replace Windows Explorer’s normal copy, paste, and move functions with TeraCopy's excellent alternatives.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 auto-install starts tomorrow

Microsoft today said it will start automatically pushing Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) to customers as a last-ditch move before it drops the original 2009 edition of Windows 7 from support next month.

Windows 7 RTM -- the latter stands for "release to manufacturing," Microsoft-speak for a launch edition -- will be retired from support, including security updates, after April 9, next month's regularly-scheduled Patch Tuesday.

Although Microsoft has made Windows 7 SP1 available via Automatic Updates -- Windows' default consumer update service -- for more than two years, customers were required to approve the new version before it installed.

As of tomorrow, any Windows RTM-powered consumer PC with Automatic Updates enabled will receive Windows 7 SP1, said Microsoft in a Monday blog.

Confirmation...Software to "Speed up" your computer are bunk!

This pretty much confirms what I already know, but still I get computers from people who install this crap on it with the hope that it will deliver what it promises.  

If you're a level 20 PC nerd, you'll go to extreme lengths to improve system performance. And if you have budget to spare, you'll probably first turn to hardware upgrades—an almost surefire way to get an old PC purring like a hot rod.

Sadly, though, throwing money down the hardware hole isn't always an option during our uncertain economic times, so free software tools that promise performance dividends become an enticing option. These utilities purport to cure a multitude of PC ills, and make grand claims of improved performance, faster boot times, and enhanced privacy. Some claim to help even with relatively new PCs running Windows 8.

Read the whole article here from PCWorld.

Kindle Fire HD costs a bit less now

Amazon fired a shot at rival cheap tablet makers Wednesday by dropping the price of its Kindle Fire HD 8.9” to $269 and up.

The permanent price drop applies to all versions of the 8.9-inch tablet. Here's a summary of the price changes:

• 16 GB model with Wi-Fi, was $299, now $269
• 32 GB model with Wi-Fi, was $369, now $299
• 32 GB model with 4G LTE, was $499, now $399
• 64 GB model with 4G LTE, was $599, now $499

The prices above are for the “With Special Offers” version of the tablet, which shows deals and advertisements on the lock screen. These ads can be removed for $15 extra.

Keep in mind also that the 4G LTE model does not include mobile broadband service. An introductory data plan from AT&T costs an extra $50 for one year, and includes 250 MB of data per month, plus 20 GB of Amazon cloud storage and a $10 app credit.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9” before. On Valentine's Day, the same discount prices applied to the Wi-Fi model, while the 4G LTE models were $50 more expensive than they are now. This price drop, however, isn't going away.