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Tech News & Commentary
Charlotte in Erie, Pennsylvania asked us: “I seem to have a virus on my computer, at some point I heard about a website to go onto to figure out what was on your computer and remove everything that is bad. Right now things are opening on my computer that I never told to opened up. Right now I have something that says Optimize Click Finder and now WW Blinks Video, that I never told to open. I’m very confused.”
Charlotte, Those don’t sound like viruses as much as they sound like malware, or browser hijacking toolbars. The method of removing them will vary a bit, depending on which web browser you’re using.
Assuming that you’re using Windows, if it’s malware (a term meaning “malicious software”), the best solution is to download the free-for-personal-use on-demand scanner from Malwarebytes.org.
It gets a little technical here. You’ll want to install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your computer, run the Update feature so it has the latest database, and then restart your computer in “Safe Mode” before running the scan. That gives you the best chance of finding any malware.
To restart your computer in Safe Mode, click Start, then type MSCONFIG in the search box and press enter. When the MSCONFIG utility loads, select the Boot tab, tick the check box for Safe boot, then click OK and let it restart your computer. To exit Safe Mode later, load MSCONFIG in the same way, but under the General tab click the radio button for Normal startup, and again click OK and let it restart your computer.
Now what about your browser? If you’re using Internet Explorer, click the Gear icon, choose Internet Options, then the Advanced tab, and click the Reset button at the bottom of that window. That restores everything to the default setting and disables all extensions and toolbars. You may want to review which of them to re-enable later, you do that by clicking the Gear icon and choosing Manage add-ons.
The approach is different if you’re using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, so if that’s the browser you have, call back and let us know, and we’ll give you more specific instructions. It’s really hard to hijack those browsers, however, so if you’re using Chrome or Firefox, it is more than likely that these are simply pages being loaded automatically at startup, and you can easily delete those using the Settings or Preferences command of your browser.
We’re sure it feels like we just threw a lot of stuff at you. We’re sorry, but sometimes the answers about technology are a bit technical. If you’re not confident about doing these sorts of things on your own, it might be wise to seek the help of a more computer-savvy friend or family member. Let us know how things turn out!
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
“This Week in Tech History” Weekly Feature with Chris Graveline
Facebook Participation:
What web browser(s) do you use (Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, IE) and why?
Here are some of the answers that we got:
Ravi from overseas in Ahmedabad, India shares Chrome most of the time.
Michael said Chrome, works well for me and fully integrated Google/Android experience.
Nelson stated Chrome. It came on my phone..
Shawn shared I use IE at work due to plug in compatibility for the software that is written for our customers. I use Chrome at home because I have a Chromecast and everything Google (Gmail, Google+, Keep, Docs, etc.)
Stuart stated IE/Chrome at work, because not everything I do works with Chrome. Chrome at home. Didn’t Paul Simon have a song in the early 70s….”Homeachrome”?
George said I use ‘Comodo Ice Dragon’ it is stable and far more better than internet explorer.
Richard said Only chrome! Especially on my trusty c720 chromebook
Sarah from up north Sheboygan, WI shared IE on my laptop and Safari on my phone. And basically it’s cuz that’s how they came set up. Haha!
Scott in Ladysmith, WI stated Firefox & Safari
Tony from Tigard, Oregon said Firefox, clean uncluttered layout.
Guest Segment:
Samuel PofcherandStephen Lamarre, Co-Founders – StreetSmart Brand
CEA Update with Danielle Cassagnol
Your personal health and fitness is about more than treadmills and gym memberships. Now there are all kinds of consumer electronics to help you measure, manage and track your progress while you work out. Danielle Cassagnol from the Consumer Electronics Association has the latest…in this week’s CEA Update.
Mike in Princeton, Texas calling via the App about the listener with duplicate contacts on her Android phone.
Thank you, Mike.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
Tom in Ohio listens via the Kindle App asked us: “If you mostly use your digital camera for things like family and vacation photos, developed into a typical size like 5×7 or shown on a computer, does it really matter if the camera is 12 megapixel or 20?”
Tom, Easy answer… absolutely not. It is hard to find a camera or phone in todays market that has less than 5 or 6 megapixels, which is all you need to produce a crisp 12×18 photo.Sharpness of the photo depends more on your photography skills than the amount of megapixels. We’ve have seen beautifully shot photos blown up to 30 inches from a 5 Megapixel camera.
Photography is more about composition and lighting than it is equipment. More megapixels, or in Apple’s case bigger pixels, doesn’t always equate to a better picture. Image stabilization and low light compensation are cool features, but they tend to make pictures that are “softer” in appearance. If you’re looking for bright, bold, vivid pictures that look almost 3D, then you need plenty of light.
If you’re shooting family and vacation photos outside, you will likely be satisfied with the results. Sunlight is awesome for photos. It’s those indoor shots where your equipment will be tested.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
Ben in Delta Junction, Alaska listening on 970 AM KFBX asked us: “I want to get a new digital camera with a high powered zoom and wondering which you think is the best.”
Ben, You have many, many options, and they mainly depend on your budget.
If you’re interested in top quality, you can get a nice SLR, a multi-thousand dollar lens and you’ll be very happy with the quality of the pictures you’ll get, and unburdened by an excess of money, but assuming you want something a little more on the affordable size, you can also look at point and shoot large zoom cameras. The Nikon Coolpix S9500 sports a nice 22x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, and the Nikon name pretty much ensures that you’re getting quality optics for the $250 you’ll be paying for it.
The Canon Powershot SX510 should match the quality of the lens, but with a 30x optical zoom, and a 4x digital zoom for about $50 less. If that’s not enough for you, for $400 you can buy a Sony DSC-HX300 with a 50x optical and 100x digital zoom, that should be plenty for most people’s needs.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Joanne Black: Autographed copies of her book “Pick up the damn phone”
Hydreon:Fake TV – Burglary Deterrent Device
iolo: Copies of System Mechanic – Tune-up your PC to increase performance and reliability.
Tylt: ALIN Screen Protectors for the iPad Air
“Into Tomorrow”: Microfiber Screen Cleaning Cloths with Dave’s cartoon on them, for all your smartphones, tablets, TVs, camera lenses and computer screens!