TechSupportAlert

Zero-Day Exploits. Unpatched security holes. Security weaknesses that the hackers have discovered but haven’t revealed. These security problems are all too common and conventional anti-malware is no help. So what is the PC user to do? Here is some powerful free security software from Microsoft that can help. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Zero-Day Exploits. Unpatched security holes. Security weaknesses that the hackers have discovered but haven’t revealed. These security problems are all too common and conventional anti-malware is no help. So what is the PC user to do? Here is some powerful free security software from Microsoft that can help. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Are you unknowingly offending people or making a fool of yourself when online? Check Your Online Etiquette ( netiquette) at this free site. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

At Gizmo's Freeware we review the best free software for all the major operating systems not just Windows. If you are using Linux or a Mac check out these amazing compilations of freebies. I'll guarantee you'll come away with a bag full of goodies and a smile on your face: Best Free Software for Linux Best Free Software for Mac OS X

Want to give your Windows desktop a distinctive touch? Or maybe you have a web page that needs some sprucing up. How about adding a new look with some icons that are different? Although Windows comes with a substantial assortment of icons (listed in this previous tip), many PC users want even more and developers and artists have obliged by providing very large collections of icons. Many of these are free and here are some places to find entire libraries of free icons. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

You wake up in a dark alley, not knowing anything. What has happened? This is your struggle to find the truth and answers to your questions. Answers for the darkness and fear that is making your pulse race like violent blows against your head. What are "they"? Where do "they" come from? What the hell has happened around here? Are these the indulgences of insanity? Time's up. You can't stand there reading those SMS's forever. It's time to head down the pathways ahead and find your answers. But be ready to cry with fear! http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

A recent tip I gave described a utility that provided for very easy changing of the status of Windows services but the utility was not designed to give much detail. For those experienced PC users wishing to find out more about the services running on their computer, here is a free program that will give you a load of information not only about the services but also about the drivers on your system. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Finds of the Week is a list of web sites I've come across lately that are interesting, fun, or useful (or all three). I hope you enjoy them. - Rhiannon - Make Microsoft Word Always Paste in Plain Text - Free Service Helps Take Your Writing to the Next Level - The 21 Worst Tech Habits and How to Break Them - Great Guide to Windows Services, OS Installation Guides and More - 19 Thousand Search Engine Plugins for Your Browser! - The Best 180 Non-alcoholic Drink Recipes http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

This has simply got to be the best list on the web of high quality free Android Apps. With the latest update we now have 216 apps in 118 categories so why not go grab yourself a big bunch of nifty apps without spending a cent. http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-fr...

Think you don't need an antivirus app for your Android. Well you really do but not for the reason you might think. Android devices are very unlikely to get infected with viruses due to the inherently secure design of Android itself. However privacy protection is a serious problem and there are other security issues as well. That's what these antivirus apps do. So do check out these so called "antivirus" apps even if strictly speaking that is not what they are about. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

This weeks wallpaper is on the dark and brooding side. A dim forest with deep orange rays of the sun slanting through the forest. The forest is mirrored in a pool of water. Shades of red, orange and brown are the dominant colors. Desktop icons show up very well with this wallpaper. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

A year ago I mentioned a great free program for downloading content from Youtube. Since I wrote about it, there's been a handful of new versions and lots of additional features added, so I thought I'd mention it again. - Robert Schifreen, Hot Finds Editor http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

I've recently been trying out an interesting new security program called Bot Revolt. Fire it up and it'll keep you continually updated with all the connections that take place across the internet between your PC and other machines. The "Verified" column indicates that the IP address in question is not one of the billion or so that it deems unsafe. As a way of finding out just how many other systems on the internet your computer is continually talking to (such as auto-update systems, product activation servers etc), the Bot Revolt program is fascinating, and well worth trying out. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

I've recently been trying out an interesting new security program called Bot Revolt. Fire it up and it'll keep you continually updated with all the connections that take place across the internet between your PC and other machines. The "Verified" column indicates that the IP address in question is not one of the billion or so that it deems unsafe. As a way of finding out just how many other systems on the internet your computer is continually talking to (such as auto-update systems, product activation servers etc), the Bot Revolt program is fascinating, and well worth trying out. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Some of the mysteries for PC users are all those things called services that are running in the background of every Windows machine. Windows comes with MSConfig and the Services Console to manage services but their use is somewhat tedious. If you are an experienced user of Windows who likes to control which services are running, here is a small utility that will make it simpler to change settings. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Ever wanted to send a secret message to somebody that nobody could detect? Once such way is to hide it in a digital photo, a technique known as steganography. It's been around for ages but has been messy to implement. This free website makes it as easy as pie. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

When you get Windows 8, you are faced with the equivalent of a brand new operating system. Nothing seems to be where it used to be and the new Start screen filled with big tiles looks nothing like the Windows desktop we are so accustomed to. Very little in the way of introductory help comes with Windows 8. There is a very rudimentary feature but it falls woefully short of explaining how to use the new system. There have been various attempts to fill the void with some helpful video tutorials (for example, here). Now there is a new offering from the Microsoft UK Higher Education Blog that users of Windows 8 should find helpful in learning about the strange new world of tiles and charms. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Uninstalling unnecessary or unneeded programs from your PC can really help speed it up. And on most PCs there are plenty of possible programs you could remove. So many that it is really a daunting task to work out what each program does and whether to remove it or not. This website makes the job much easy by proving a whole bundle of tools that make the task of deciding what to remove far more manageable. So give your PC a Spring clean and enjoy the extra speed this usually brings. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Many of Gizmo’s readers are keenly interested in Internet security and I thought it worthwhile to pass along some results from a new article on the cracking of passwords . It discusses some of the sophisticated methods that hackers use and relates what happened when three cracking experts had a go at a collection of over 16000 hashed passwords. After reading this many of you will discover that the clever passwords you thought were safe can be cracked with ease. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Finds of the Week is a list of web sites I've come across lately that are interesting, fun, or useful (or all three). I hope you enjoy them. -Rhiannon - 25 Outstanding Google Fonts for Web Design - Make Your Own Windows 8 Installation Disk or bootable USB drive - How to Backup Your Evernote Notebooks (Just in Case) - Download Official Windows 8 End User Training Brochure - Guide To Laptops - Dealing with the Recycle Bin. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Like many industries, IT developer training is rapidly moving to an online model. One of the leading players in this area is Pluralsight, which bills itself as providing "hardcore developer training" has started to create some online courses for children, which cover various aspects of programming in a child-focused fun way. They're all free to access, once you've registered. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

This weeks wallpaper falls under the "Steampunk" category. Done in varying shades of textured brown and yellow the image features gears, chains and a time piece. It's a refreshing change from the usual wallpapers and very pleasing to the eye as well. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Editor George.J has just given our list of the best free PC games a major overhaul. It now includes 172 items in 40 categories so there is something here for everybody regardless of your age and game genre preferences. Many hours of fun and challenge without spending a cent. http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-fr...

PDF files with malicious JavaScript embedded in them are a common way to spread malware. One way to defend against such malware is to disable JavaScript in the reader you use unless you need it for a trusted PDF. Here is how to disable JavaScript in the most commonly used free PDF readers. If JavaScript is ever needed, re-enabling it is straightforward in all cases. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

One of the largest sources of malware infections is PDF files with scripts buried in them. The embedded JavaScripts have instructions to download and install various types of malware. The Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat are the major targets for this kind of attack. Although Adobe seems to issue an unending stream of updates, many PC users still get infected. Here is a tip to help avoid malicious PDF files. From its antimalware products, Microsoft gathers data about the source of malware infections. The Microsoft MSDN blog has just given a list of common infected PDF files that have been detected. I suspect that many readers of Gizmo’s have scripting disabled in their PDF reader but to be on the safe side here is the list from Microsoft. If you see any of the eight files listed in this article, do not open them but delete them permanently. http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Windows 8 doesn’t have a Start menu but it does have an abbreviated menu with some commonly used functions. It is variously called the 'Power User Menu', the 'Power Tasks Menu', or sometimes the 'Quick Access Menu' (Microsoft seems to have a problem with consistency of names in Windows 8). In this tip, I’ll point out a free program that gives a quick and easy way to customize this menu to suit your own needs and usage patterns. - Vic Laurie, Tips Editor http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

Windows 7 introduced a new way to organize files called "Libraries", which was carried over to Windows 8. Libraries are virtual folders that can centralize related items from multiple locations and can be very handy. However, their benefits are lost on many PC users who find their organization and use to be confusing or annoying. If you would like an easier way to take advantage of Libraries, here is something to try: http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...

You may not have noticed but we have been quietly assembling a list of the the best free apps from the Windows store that you can run on your Windows 8 PC or mobile device. Already the list has 75 applications in 58 categories so there are plenty of free goodies for you to play with. Check it out, despite all the negative press abour Windows 8, I wouldn't be surprised if you found some really useful apps in this impressive list. http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-fr...

"Today I Found Out" is a site whose focus is on learning something new every day. There is a large array of quick facts, articles, infographics etc. that should satisfy the mildest to most intensely curious of souls. The Today In History category is full of interesting tidbits, while the Articles section has several categories for your enjoyment such as animals, entertainment, history, language, people, science, miscellaneous and myths. The Stumble Upon link will take you to the best of "Today I Found Out." http://www.techsupportalert.com/content...