Viruses / malware / scams

Computer security scams, and how to test your antivirus software

“Your PC needs a tune-up – click HERE to begin!” “Make your PC go faster for FREE!” “You’re being spied on – protect yourself NOW!” What do these sentences have in common, apart from the gratuitous capitalization and pointless exclamation marks? That’s right – they’re Internet ads that most everyone is exposed to. I get […]

Free and commercial spyware, adware, and virus protection and removal software

Not long ago, sick computers gave us little warning. The problem may have been physical, like a bad hard drive. Or there could’ve been software causing problems. Whatever the cause, the result was dramatic and obvious. You’d have a complete system freeze, perhaps accompanied by the legendary Microsoft “blue screen of death”. Today’s computers give […]

Sony’s XCP Rootkit Music CDs are bad business

Your house is locked and secure. Now imagine a ninja, covered in black from head to toe, stealthily picking the lock on your front door. The ninja slides into your house. By the time you realize anything is amiss, the ninja uses his cool ninja magic and turns invisible. He’s still in your house, but […]

Who wants a longer-lasting battery? How much would you pay?

When keeping an eye out for scams, it’s easy to scoff at the blatant lies and ignore anything that sounds fishy. But what about products that support their claims with well-respected organizations? What if the product must be used in such a way that testing standards are extremely difficult or time-consuming to perform? Sneaky companies […]

Antenna booster stickers fail to impress

(Also see Andy’s full booster sticker analysis, photos, and detailed expert interview.) I don’t get mad easily. Being a computer-gadgety guy, dealing with temperamental hardware and glitchy software, I’m naturally patient. I can count slowly to one hundred with the best Shaolin Kung-Fu master. But I can still get cranked the wrong way, as when advanced […]

Cellphone antenna booster sticker test and analysis: Reader responses

This page contains the reader responses to the cellphone antenna booster sticker test article. See the original article for detail, or keep reading for good reader questions and debate. Greg is an electrical engineer, and compliments the testing while adding more information about true signal boosting antennas: Those that actually plug in to something! I really […]

Cellphone antenna booster sticker test and analysis

Introduction: What are cellphone antenna booster stickers? You may have seen them: Little high-tech-looking stickers, something you stick on or near your cellphone’s antenna. Antenna booster stickers are supposed to improve your cellphone’s reception, leading to clearer conversations and fewer dropped calls. Here’s a photo of a package of one sticker brand (this is the […]

Fighting Online Fraud and Scams

Some online retailers operate by carefully nudging the line of the law. Others step over that line, waving their arms and laughing maniacally. Know your options if you’re targeted, and know the methods the bad guys use, since their sole purpose is to make your money disappear faster than food in Fat Albert’s lunchbox. Warning […]

Pirated TV DVD scams: Protect yourself

DVDAvenue.tv: See this page to read more user experiences with DVDAvenue, or report a problem. DVDDonkey.com: See this page to read more user experiences with DVDDonkey.com, or report a problem. A reader has a big problem with a recent DVD scam: I found a site called “DVDAVENUE.TV”. They advertised various TV shows on their site and I […]