Q+A: How Can I Tell What Temperature My Computer Is Running At ? A.K.A: How Hot Is My PC Running ?

Dear Readers,

RR V2.0

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

I have for the longest time been getting e-mails about computers and how you can find out your computers temperature rating. So here is yet another Q+A..

Q: How Can I Tell What Temperature My Computer Is Running At ? A.K.A: How Hot Is My PC Running ?

A: There is a very simple and easy solution. There is a program and free at that called SPEEDFAN it mearsures all the diffrent internal temperatures HARD-DRIVE (internal only) CPU and so on. It is very very useful and a must have tool for PC’s  as well as Laptops.

Here is the link:

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

Then click on the blue highlighted part that says SpeedFan 4.39 and it will ask you do save it or run it. Then your done very small program so no worries dial-up Internet users.

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

Blog Update #77 – Mozilla FireFox (3.5.2) Full Review & Episode #5 Of “WTF” Feature All Coming This Week

Dear Readers,

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

This week Computer Savvy Weblog will bring you a full Mozilla FireFox (3.5.2) review. As well there will be episode #5 of the new WTF feature from Ding Dong Danny that received over 500 hits/views from you guys.

Later days,

Remy “Se7en”

Q+A: Do You Know Anyone Who Won Any Of Survey Spot’s Contests ?

Dear Readers,

(Last Update Aug 29, 2009 @ 8:08 pm EST) 

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

Here is yet another Q+A inspired by the of e-mails I have been getting regarding AVG….

Q: Do You Know Anyone Who Won Any Of Survey Spot’s Contests ?

A: Nope, and that is what concerned me I have been with them 7 or 8 years and no one in my group has won anything, Nor have I heard anyone out side our group win anything. Thou it is a contest with huge odds against that happening but I feel I should of heard of someone winning something. So I full heartily believe Survey Spot Sweepstakes are probably dishonest.

** Please by all means people prove me wrong, by proving to me you have won any of Survey Spot’s contests. You can contact me via Comment or e-mail @ computer.savvy@hotmail.com.

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

Q+A: Will AVG 8.5 Free Anti-Virus Speed Up My Computer ?

Dear Readers,

(Last Update Aug 28, 2009 @ 9:03 pm EST) RR V2.0

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

Here is yet another Q+A inspired by the of e-mails I have been getting regarding AVG….

Q: Will AVG 8.5 Free Anti-Virus Speed Up My Computer ?

A: Nope, it is very very unlikely for that to happen. Don’t get me wrong you get rid of enough viruses or Adware/Spyware and your computer may appear to be a little faster. But that is about the extent of it…sorry people

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

MP3 Rocket (5.3.1) – Free P2P Software Review

Dear Readers,

DISCLAIMER: KNOW THE LAWS WERE YOU LIVE BECAUSE DOWNLOADING IS ILLEGAL IN SOME PLACES and both Computer Savvy & Internet Savvy does not condone illegal downloading or Uploading of any kind.

SORRY ABOUT THAT…LEGALLY I HAVE TO SAY THAT….. NOW TO THE REVIEW

Con’s

- Full of viruses (not even easy to pick up till it is to late)

- Pretty much every search will end up with both junk files and porn like titles

- Not very effective when downloading more then 3 or 6 files at a time

- Very very slow searches as well as the program it self is really sluggish (You want to say come on because MP3 Rocket  it is not even hard on your CPU or Ram. So there is no reason it should take so long to load up)

- Asks you to download shift IE add-on to watch  programs or watch TV

- Has internal media player sound issues

Pro’s

- Free

- Ton’s of features

- Somewhat simple to use

- Very slick/appealing interface

- Very light on resources (Both Ram and CPU)

- Great search engine

- Great sourcing

- Very decent download speed

- Can find pretty much song you could ever want

- Also can be used as a torrent downloader (Not Recommended)

- It has WHAT IS POPULAR TO DOWNLOAD SECTION (Very Kewl)

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Overall I give MP3 Rocket a 3 out of 5 – You can find pretty much any type of music you are looking for. But be aware that this is a very slow program in almost ever faucet. Also note the download add-on they ask you do use to watch the programs in WATCH TV or RADIO sends up some serious red flags during my Adware/Spyware scans.

Here Is The Link To Download Mp3 Rocket: http://download.cnet.com/MP3-Rocket/3000-2196_4-10505292.html?tag=mncol

Later Dayz,

Remy “Se7en”

Q+A: Avira Free Anti-Virus Always Shows A Few Warning After Each Scan Run Scan -Should I Be Worried- ?

Dear Readers,

(Last Updated Aug 27, 2009 @ 4:34 pm EST) RR V2.0

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

Q: Avira Free Anti-Virus Always Shows A Few Warning After Each Scan Run Scan -Should I Be Worried- ?

A: Avira Free Anti-Virus is lets not say the sharpest tool in the shed. So when ever there is a separate hard drive. Lets just say an external hard drive E:/ and it is not connected or turned on. AVIRA will read it as a warning. The other warning I see a lot is C:\pagefile.sys and it is nothing to worry about. Some other warnings you may encounter if there is a DVD or CD in your drive disk drive and it is not active (NOT PLAYING I MEAN) like when I left the DVD movie Perfect Creatures in the DVD drive. So when AVIRA’s the automatic scan runs and it reads it is a warning.

** That being  said AVIRA is still better the AVG and way easier to set-up an AUTOMATIC SCAN compared to AVAST….

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

AVG Free Anti-Virus Version (8.5.409) – Full Review

(Last Updated Aug 26, 2009 @ 4:47 pm EST) 

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

THE FOLLOWING ARE TESTS, THAT HAVE BEEN DONE AND THE  RESULTS….

Results breakdown:

Passed – Did well in all the tests

Acceptable – Could go ether way…but in most cases it passed

Failed – Did not work or only worked 1 out of 10 times…the tests were run

——————————————————————————————–

- Stability of Program – Acceptable – Still seems to have  issues  some of which defy explanation.

- Number of times the program has been compromised by Hacker or Virus - Passed - AVG Free Anti-Virus has not had any direct attacks by ether hacker nor virus

- Speed of Scan – Acceptable – Has improved since last update but still far away from AVIRA or AVAST

- Does AVG do automatic updates by itself with out issue - Passed – Only once did I have issue and the issue was related to Windows core update as well as a complete power failure. So not in the least AVG Free Anti-Virus fault.  

- Residential shield test – Failed – Detection rate has clearly gotten worse

- Internet Browser Cookie detection and removal test – Failed – AVG still does not auto-detect most Internet cookies with the AVG Free default settings,  AVG picks up 3 out of every 10 Internet cookies I tested it with. AVG Free still fails to catch the ever popular WEBTRENDS cookie from Google. Now even with AVG Free setting changed to catch Internet cookies it will only very slightly change the detection rate form 3 to out of 4 or 5 out of every 10 Internet cookies (Now you need to change the default setting to pick up more Internet Cookies)

-  Spyware/Adware – Failed – Seems to miss every types of Spyware or Adware I tested it with such as 180souloutions, weatherbug, Zango and many many more…

- Root Kit detection Rate -Failed – This was very sad not even one detection. Even with a over 10 diffrent Root Kit multiplier virus tested.

- Vista / XP Virus detection rate test – VISTA Acceptable / XP Acceptable -  XP seems for some reason to have a a little bit of a better detection rate then Vista but only slightly….

- Link Scanner/ Safe Search – Acceptable – Don’t hold your breath that this will help you in all circumstances. It still gives a lot of false positives and your gonna miss out on a lot of good websites just because they have not been rated yet.

-  E-mail scanner – Acceptable – I still feel the e-mail scanner is way more of a hassle, then being useful. But both Ghost and Ding Dong Danny 2 of my blog members expressed to me. That they would not feel safe without AVG Free Anti-Virus E-mail Scanner Active. So that pushed the E-mail scanner form the usual FAILED status to Acceptable Status…

**Like always the results speak for itself. But as always I leave the final test up to you guys….

Over All Rating: 2 Passed, 6 Acceptable, 4 Failed (Total # of tests done 12)

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

SpeedFan 4.40 Beta 5 – Available to Download @ Almico.com

Dear Readers,

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

I just went to see if there was a new SpeedFan available and there was one available. But unfortunately it is still in beta. So just a heads up to my readers you can download the beta release right now at the following Website Link: http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php …

Till My Next Post,

Remy “Se7en”

Scam Watch: Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam

Dear Readers,

(Last Updated Dec 18, 2009 @ 3:26 pm EST)

Now You Can Follow The Computer Savvy Weblog Via Twitter: http://twitter.com/Computer_Savvy

Hello everyone… I’m back and this time with a really common off line scam called the “Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam“

What is the “Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam” ?- This scam starts off like any regular purchase with your Credit or debit card you would make at a gas station or grocery store. So you hand over your credit or debit card over to the cashier like you have a million and one times before. But only this time your Credit/Debit card disappears behind the counter where your card is doubled swiped once in the legit mobile merchanted credit/debit machine then again in a Credit/debit information copying device or “E.I.C.D” (Electronic Information Capture Device or Electronic Identity Capture Device) Which will steal your information stored on the cards magnetic strip. (The Black STRIP on the back of your card) Some times even digital images are taken of your Credit Or Debit Card to obtain the last 4 digits of your card or EMBEDDED SECURITY PIN NUMBERS.

Now, this scam is very very common mostly among gas stations and ATM’s/BTM’s. Why are they so common among these to main places ? Two reasons one no one worries about handing their Credit Or Debit Card to gas station attended to swipe for them. The other reason for gas stations is because of the increased security of some gas station with glass between you and the cash register. So then regardless you have to hand your card over to swipe it or at the pump itself, that often will not work anyways.The second location is your ATM/BTM and that is because you already swipe your card there so the scammers are bound to grab a large number of people and very people know that the place where they swipe there card should only be slightly larger then the card it is made for. So if the swipe part of the ATM/BTM is 2 card lengths, then you should refrain from using it and see if all the ATM’s/BTM’s are similar.

Ways to prevent getting caught in this scam:

- Try not to hand your card over to just anyone

- Watch your card like a hawk (If it takes a little to long to swipe your card take notice and ask to see the card swipper or do it yourself)

- Take notice if the merchant swipes your card 2 or 3 times in a row with out showing you the computer screen or receipts where it says failed transaction.

- Always take a real close look at all your statements (Look for unfamiliar locations or several clustered purchases)

- Always as for all your receipts regardless of location or store (You’ll be asked for them as proof of wrong doing in court as well as wrong doing against a certain employer or employee)

If you guys have any question regarding this or any similar scam. Please to hesitate to comment or e-mail us @ computer.savvy@hotmail.com

———————————————————————————-

Later Dayz,

Remy “Se7en”

FrostWire (4.18.1) – Free P2P Software Review

Dear Readers,

DISCLAIMER: KNOW THE LAWS WERE YOU LIVE BECAUSE DOWNLOADING IS ILLEGAL IN SOME PLACES and both Computer Savvy & Internet Savvy does not condone illegal Downloading or Uploading of any kind.

SORRY ABOUT THAT…LEGALLY I HAVE TO SAY THAT….. NOW TO THE REVIEW

Con’s

- Full of viruses (not even easy to pick up till it is to late)

- Pretty much every search will end up with both junk files and porn like titles

- Not very effective when downloading more then 5 or 6 files at a time

- No  really effective when searching for anything then music

Pro’s

- Free

- Simple to use

- Very slick/appealing interface

- Very light on resources (Both Ram and CPU)

- Great search engine

- Great sourcing

- Very decent download speed

- Can find pretty much song you could ever want

- Great internal media play integration

—————————————————————

Overall I give FrostWire a 3.5 out of 5 – You can find pretty much any type of music you are looking for. But be very careful this program is full of virus off all types. FrostWire is clearly better then Limewire this time around..

Here Is The Link To Download FrostWire: http://download.cnet.com/FrostWire/3000-2196_4-10627624.html?tag=contentBody;mostPopTwoColWrap

Later Dayz,

Remy “Se7en”