PC Mag's Holiday "How To" Guide

from PC Magazine:

You finally got that gift you always wanted--a new PC, digital video camcorder, phone, etc. Now you're thinking, "This is great, but I wonder how I can keep my PC safe, create a visually pleasing home movie with my new camcorder, get the best shots out of my digital camera? In our special How-To Help Center we've collected some of our best how to stories and tips to help you find the answers to your technology questions and problems. For more, click here.

So, You got a new computer for the holidays...

...and you're itching to start using it? Before you do,
check out PCMagazine's advice on how to turn your new
system into the one you really want (which is not
necessarily the one the vendor thinks you should have).

Read the steps here:
http://ct.enews.pcmag.com/rd/cts?d=184-3687-5-55-358407-460730-0-0-0-1

Competition Coming for Cable Companies (finally!)

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted Thursday to make it easier and faster for telephone companies to enter markets with television services, clearing the way for a showdown with cable companies for the right to deliver bundles of products into consumers' homes.

What does this mean for the homes and businesses of Cache Valley? Simply better and cheaper phone, cable, and high speed internet services.

How to speed up your PC’s performance (5 quick tips)

If you’ve noticed that your PC isn’t running as fast as it did when you first brought it home, the following 5 suggestions may help you regain some of that performance. Follow the steps outlined below at least once a month to keep your PC in tip-top shape.

1. Spyware and Adware Removal - remove unwanted and possibly harmful programs
2. Virus Removal - detect and remove viruses
3. Startup Programs - stop unnecessary programs from running
4. Run Defrag and Scandisk - simple tools to keep your hard drive running smoothly
5. Update Windows and Drivers - keep your operating system up to date

Microsoft Office 2007 Overview

The latest release of Office is redesigned to make it easier for the end user to find and use the tools they need to accomplish their tasks. The new Office 2007 design goal is for the new user interface is to make it easier for people to find and use the full range of features the applications provide. It is also designed to preserve an uncluttered workspace that reduces distraction for users. Office 2007 offers many new features:

Galleries
Galleries provide users with a set of clear results to choose from when working on their document, spreadsheet, presentation, or Access database. Galleries simplify many operations by presenting a set of results that users can simply select to achieve the desired results.

Live Preview
Live Preview shows the results of applying an editing or formatting change as the user moves the pointer over the results presented in a Gallery. This new, dynamic capability streamlines the process of laying out, editing, and formatting so users can create excellent results with less time and effort.

Mini Toolbar
The Mini toolbar pops up near the selected text whenever some text is selected and provides easy access to most used formatting commands. When the mouse pointer is away from it, the toolbar becomes semi-transparent but when the mouse pointer moves over it, it becomes ready for use.

The Ribbon
The traditional menus and toolbars have been replaced by the Ribbon, a new device that presents commands organized into a set of tabs. The tabs on the Ribbon display the commands that are most relevant for each of the task areas in the applications.

Web Based Applications - The Future

Advances in design and functionality have lead to a newfound popularity in web-based applications, such as word-processors, spreadsheet/presentation design, and complete office suites.

The appeal is that they are, or course, free, but in addition they can be used anywhere. Web-based software applications, just like any web-page, can be accessed from any computer, and many now provide the same features and user-friendly environment of more expensive office suites.

There are hundreds available online, but for starters, test-drive the top two:

1. gOFFICE: http://www.goffice.com/
2. Google Doc's & Spreadsheets: http://www.docs.google.com

Freeware Grab-Bag

Many people will be buying a new computer this Christmas season, and as most of us have experienced, out of the box, a new machine often lacks the software needed to truly enjoy a home PC. Before you purchase a bundled software package from the retail stores, check out some of the freeware (meaning exactly that: Free!) programs available for download in the links below:

Cd Burning/Copying: Deep Burner
MP3 Converting: WAVtoMP3
Photo Editing: Picassa
Spyware/Malware Protection: SuperAntiSpyware

Symantec to Offer On Site Services in 2007

Symantec (Norton Internet Securities) plans to formally launch on Wednesday two ways for businesses to tap its data protection and antivirus management services.

Under Symantec Operational Services, customers pay the company to handle their IT security functions, such as data protection work, under a service-level agreement. The services can use Symantec or third-party technology and can be provided at the customer's location, delivered remotely, or a combination of both.

The Symantec Residency Services program, meanwhile, supplies security consultants to businesses on a fee basis. These consultants, who operate as part of the customer's internal IT team, can focus on areas such as the backup and recovery of data; assessment of data protection readiness; and evaluation of the client's ability to respond to emergencies.

Data protection under both the Operational Services and the Residency Service schemes are already available worldwide, Symantec said. Symantec Antivirus Residency Services are also already up and running. Other functions will be launched in 2007, the company added.

Both service models come under the umbrella of Symantec Global Services.