Microsoft Safety Scanner

Microsoft has debuted a new tool to fight malware on your computer.  If you think you may have malware, you can go to their website and download the free tool that will scan your computer with the latest software to detect any malware infection.  It is always up to date because the download expires in 10 days.  After 10 days, you have to re-download the scanner and run again.  This ensures that you are scanning with the latest updated scanner.  It is free for all versions of Windows, including XP.  Try it out.

Blackberry Playbook tablet now available with one problem....

Some blame it on the rush to compete with the iphone, others say mere incompetence, but the new Blackberry Playbook has shipped missing one big function.  The ability to sync with Blackberry phones.  You would think that a Blackberry tablet syncing with a Blackberry phone would be a native feature, but no.  Much of the usability of the tablet is dependent on a connection with a Blackberry.  This being the case, it seems foolish to release a product before it is complete, especially if it is your first product in a line.  AT& T and RIM both indicate that they are working on the Blackberry Bridge app that would allow the syncing between the devices.  When that will be available, who knows.  For those who bought the promising tablet, it is essentially a paper weight for now.  Apple must be smiling...

Home computer sales down this year.

Research firm, IDC, released first quarter computer sales numbers for the major manufacturers and the news isn't good.  Sales overall are down over 10% over last year.  The biggest loser was Acer, as their sales dived over 42%, with Dell at 11.8%.  Anybody improve?  Apple and Toshiba.  Many see the iPad as the main culprit for the declines as millions are buying it, instead of a desktop computer.  What do you think?

Any Secret Regrets? Get it out now

Off the tech track, but fun nevertheless, is a website called secretregrets.com.  Here you can read the secret regrets others have about their lives.  You can post your own regret anonymously.  Interesting reading about what people have learned about themselves and their lives.  

This message will self-destruct in 5...4....3...

If you are old enough, you remember that familiar line from Mission Impossbile.  Well, it is coming to your computer hard drive sometime in the near future.  Toshiba has announced the creation of self-destructing hard drives.  The way it works is if the hard drive detects that it is present in an unfamiliar computer (ie.  stolen computer, thief takes the hard drive out and installs it in another pc or hard drive enclosure), the drive will detect it and either deletes all data on it or locks down the data forever that is on it.  Pretty cool and helpful for all those government agencies and corporations that keep losing laptops with valuable information on it.

Tax Day, so where does the money go?

Of course I have an answer for you.  In February, the good folks at Google launched a project.  The offered a cash reward for any developer who could develop an online application to best demonstrate how the government spends your tax dollars.  The winner was Anil Kandangath for his website, www.wheredidmytaxdollarsgo.com.  Simply plug in your income amount and filing status and it will provide you with a pie chart breakdown to where your tax dollars were spent. 

Second place went to a site that provides you with a clock and tells you how many hours you work each day that goes to the government for taxes.  Not as interesting, but insightful nevertheless.