How I buy a Prepaid Cellular Phone without worrying!

Image via Wikipedia

"Will this matter a year from now?" -- Richard Carlson

Let's face it, sometimes I often wonder if buying a cell phone will survive a couple of years.   You really don't want to have to replace every year and thus you try to find that one cell phone that will stand the test of time.

You walk into any phone store or grocery store and you will find either phones or cards to put more money on the account.   That makes me worry how effective the cell phones are going to last and the quality.

Buying prepaid cell phones can be even more hassle because of not knowing which network they are on or the capabilities of the cell phone.   If you been looking at their online store say for instants Cricket Wireless, you will see that there are many phones but yet no important information.    It's is like they left stuff out intentionally that should be there.

Looking Under the Hood!

Sometimes when I am looking for a cell phone to buy, I start my process off going to a wide range of sites like:

• Amazon


• Ebay


• Cnet


• Google Search

Let's face it, if you know the phone you are most likely wanting to buy then you will at least know the model number and thus you can use that to find the information your looking for.  Although that will provide the significant amount of the information, there will still be a few things that they will be able to tell you.    Which Network is that Phone one?

Network Usability

Most carriers have a limited amount of coverage around the US and the World and thus can be quite confusing going to their website and trying to determine if you are under their coverage area.   Why do they make it so hard?   I can't answer that but I know how I solve that problem for me.    I'll share a trick that probably no one else has thought of.   Just let your fingers do the walking.   Is this some kind of Joke?

I've found that just calling the local providers let's you know if they are reliable or not, if your really search savvy you can find out what others are saying about that carrier your local area.   This can be a great tool to judge if that phone or carrier is going to be a head ache or a really jewel.    Most times carriers will try to hide some of this so you may have to dig down deep to get to the good stuff.

What are your steps to buying a Prepaid Cell phone?

Paul Sylvester

Shop at Amazon.com!

 Related articles

• Finding out which network carrier you are using with Pre-paid Cellular Companies! (paulstechtalk.com)


• How to get the most out of Straight Talk phones (Tips and Tricks) (paulstechtalk.com)

Finding your voice in sea of echo's!

Image by arneheijenga via Flickr

"Nothing ventured is nothing gained!"

If anything I have learned is that sometimes it doesn't always come easily.   I've had my share of up's and downs and that to say is something that I will always struggle with.    If your wondering if you can start blogging but aren't sure if any one will hear you.   You'll first want to answer a few questions and thus will help you understand your passion just that much more.   Blogging is somewhat of an art and thus everybody will have a difference of opinion and that can make a better blog than not!

We've all seen people talking about Technology but that doesn't mean that I don't have a unique perspective of it or that someone else could do a better job.   Blogging isn't just about blogging, it is the desire to fill people's lives by sharing my experiences and techniques.   I may not know everything about blog, I could use more college class time to learn write but that will only go so far.

It takes time!

If your wondering about those make money blogging promotions and hearing how you can earn money overnight, you might as well not even start blogging.   I've heard my share of making money overnight or those one click button software's.  I have learned that writing isn't always about being about money but about the people and the community.   If you care about your community and be loyal to them then you are more likely to succeed then if your just making money.   Blogging for money is hard and can result in some cash but I have learned that nothing comes easily.

It takes effort!

Writing isn't always going to be easy or even sometimes you can have writers block other's call it blog block.  I admit it, I occasionally have a hard time thinking of my next blog topic and thus can be hard to sit down and write.   I will say it has grown easier and I've learned techniques that let me get past that but it doesn't always work.   Knowing your strengths can help you become a better writer but that doesn't make your blog content better.   The only way you can make it better is engaging your audience and making them want to come to read your next post.

A blog is a tiny book!

My blog is really just a tiny book and if you think about that you will be much better off.   I never think if my blog as anything else because that is essentially what a blog is.   I like to write but also like to see how it does on the long run.   I'd hate to have to wait till the book is done to see what people say or who actually buys it.   This way I know everyday what people are thinking or doing and I can tweak how I do my blog accordingly.   This is why I love blogging, nothing is ever going to stay the same and thus I can always go off on tangents when I find something that really makes my blood flow.  These are just why I like to blog.   Others could have their reasons but mine is simple!  Community is the Key!

Paul Sylvester

Don't forget to Backup! I do!

 

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Finding out which network carrier you are using with Pre-paid Cellular Companies!

Image by radiofabrik via Flickr

Not all Carriers are the Same!

Hey Let's face it, you thought it would be so simple to have a prepaid cell phone account. You just can't figure out why your signal or speed is just so terrible. If your like me, when you create an account with Tracfone, Straight Talk, Jitterbug, Movidas, MetroPC and Cricket Wireless.

Although you might of thought it wasn't going to be all that hard to figure out why.   It  could just be simply your wireless network that you are being leased or rented from.   Those prepaid companies don't really have any actually networks, some of them might work different in each region and you will only know by trying.

Finding out your Network

If your in a hurry, you can always go to whoismycarrier.com and have them text you your carrier information.   I however feel that might not be the best approach because of Privacy and there is no way to know what they do with the number once they have it in their database.   I prefer to find it out myself.   Here is How I find out which carrier I am on when I need to know!

Create an Account with Google Voice

 

After Setting up a Phone Number!

Tell Google Voice which number you want to forward to!

Once you Verify Cellular Phone Number.

Go into your Setup!

Just Click on the Sprocket and Settings!

Go to the Phones Tab

Edit Phone Number

Click check operator!

Once you update that, You will see which Carrier you are using!

That's It!

If you follow this tutorial, you will find out which network you are on.   You won't have to worry about spam from unwanted companies and thus.   It will however cost you minutes but if you don't mind spending a few minutes on your phone you will find out just as quickly as anyone else.   You may have to wait an hour or two before you can find out the carrier but mine was instant.   It will be different from carrier to carrier.

If you are using Straight Talk, please feel free to visit my other post and tell people what phone your using and which network you are using to better help others find out what to expect.

Paul Sylvester

Need Glassess? Try GlassesUSA!

Related articles

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• First Impressions of the Samsung T404g (paulstechtalk.com)

 

How to get the most out of Straight Talk phones (Tips and Tricks)

Image via Wikipedia

If your like me!

You will always want to get the most of your Straight Talk Phone (Affiliate link). I'm going to talk about how to get the most out of your prepaid phone and not have to worry about signal strength as much.   I know it can be difficult to figure out which one is right for you but I will discuss some of the things that you might need to know before buying your Straight Talk Phone.  It only takes a little research to find the answer to the next few questions.   Once you answer these questions you should be far better off.

The questions you need to answer are:

• Where will you use the phone primarily?


• What features are you looking for?


• Which carriers are more reliable in your area?


• Is it important to always receive phone calls? Can they go to Voice mail?

as you can see there are several things you need to consider when you about to buy a Straight Talk phone.   Phones are linked to different carriers from what I can see and understand.  That is the may reason why you might not have much success with one phone and have great success with another.

Do your Research!

This is the most vital thing you can do.   Even though most times doing the research will lead to nothing it is very important.  Some things to help you find your answers to those questions are just asking Google or your favorite search engine these question:

• What carrier is the (INSERT Straight Talk phone) on or Uses?


• What are people saying about (INSERT Straight Talk phone)?


• What is the coverage area for (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, ETC) in (Zipcode)?

Now doing that will provide several different results and each one is going to have to be considered before buying your phone.   However you know which carrier each phone uses than you are far better off with knowing if you will have great coverage or bad coverage.   This is the essential because you will not enjoy your phone if it does terrible.

Here is what I know!

I'm going to help you figure out some of what has been said in the mobile industry as to which carriers are using which phones.   I won't have a complete list because even I don't know all the phones but I will generalize some of these and let you decide which ones you might want to buy and use and maybe even help me by commenting and tell me your phone and what carrier.

• Straight Talk Android Phones(The Samsung Galaxy Precedent (Affiliate link) and LG Optimus Q (Affiliate link)) -- Will run on the Sprint Network


• Straight Talk Samsung T404G (Affiliate link) -- Runs off the At&T network.


• Straight Talk LG 620g (Affiliate link)-- Runs off the T-mobile Network.

These are the only ones that I have heard about but at least this will give you a starting place to look and use when you are looking for the best possible coverage for your prepaid cell phones.   If I find out more phones this will be updated but as for right now this is all I have and if you have more information on phones just make a comment and I'll will update the list.

Paul Sylvester

Need Glasses? Try Glassesusa! (Affiliate link)

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• Galaxy Nexus LTE Bug Is a Figment of Your Imagination (droidflash.wordpress.com)


• Verizon confirms Galaxy Nexus 'signal strength issue,' says a fix is in the works (engadget.com)


• First Impressions of the Samsung T404g (paulstechtalk.com)


• TracFone's Straight Talk adds second Android smartphone, LG Optimus Q (fiercewireless.com)


• Straight Talk Android Phones to Run on Sprint's Network (phonescoop.com)

Reviewing the LG 620g From Straight Talk!

The LG 620g!

I had LG 620g Prepaid Slider Phone (Straight Talk) (Affiliate link) for quite some time.  So I know a lot about it and wanted to talk about it.   Before I start talking about it lets at least get the spec's out of the way:

• Stylish Slider Phone Design


• 1.3 Megapixel Camera and Video Recorder


• MP3 Player (cable and SD card not included)


• Mobile Web Services


• Bluetooth® Wireless Technology


• FM Radio


• MMS picture messaging


• Text Messaging


• Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) Rating: M3/T3


• Hands-free Speaker


• Voice Recorder


• Voicemail and Call Waiting


• Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock


• Phonebook with up to 1.000 entries


• Downloadable ringtones and graphics


• Vibration Alert


• Polyphonic Ringtones


• Battery Talk Time up to 5 hours


• Standby Time up to 9 days


• Includes Charger and Services Guide

The Break down of the Phone!

Pro's for the Phone:

• Hands-free Speaker -- I used this alot while driving and it worked pretty good when needed.  I had no problem talking to my family or friends .


• The sliding Phone design -- I like that it was slim and made it quite useful because it minimized the surface area of the phone when not in used.


• Alarm Clock -- Used this to help wake me up in the mornings and had no problems selecting the alarm type and when to go off.   Great morning wake up for me since I am a light sleeper anyways.


• Vibration alert -- This was also very useful when you have voicemail or text messages and don't want anyone to know you had a alert go off.


• Mobile Web Services -- Great plus because I good use all my Google accounts with the phone and check my emails and also use my Google voice service with the phone.


• Bluetooth --  Worked great with my bluetooth headset and you can use any blue tooth headset you have with it and not have any major problems.


• MicroSD card -- I used this with my 32 gb Micro SD card and it worked flawlessly to backup contacts and text messages to the SD card.   I can even play MP3 files on it.


• External Antenna --  I used the Wp-359921 cable to extend the  range of the antenna and not worry about antenna strength.   The antenna connector is located under the battery cover.   You don't have to take the batter y out to use an antenna with it.  It makes it just that much more useful.   You can also use the mobile web with an external antenna.

The Con's:

• Nine day standby time --  It claims to have a 9 standby time but I seriously doubt that.   I can't be for sure because I used it off and on but know it wouldn't last more than 3 days without needing to be charged while in use.


• Text Messaging -- Once you get to the 100% filled in text messages you just have to start deleting them but it should have a setting to delete the old messages first as new ones come in.   I don't know if this is something they could implement but It is a pain to go through you text messages and have to manually do it to everyone of them.


• MMS Picture Messaging  --  I loved having a decent camera but the bad part of it is that I couldn't send to anyone.   I don't know if I just did it wrong or not but it never really worked for me.

The Conclusion!

I had this phone but the screen broke.  I would recommend this phone to anyone who might need a cheap Straight Talk phone (Affiliate link).     I guess I should of kept better care of it.   I ordered a Straight Talk Samsung T404G (Affiliate link) and am waiting for it to come in the mail as we speak. I will give you a better overview of the new phone next month sometime.  I like that it can do everyone the 620g can do but also has a sliding keyboard for texting.

Paul Sylvester

Need Glasses?  Try GlassesUSA! (Affiliate link)

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Androids aren't immune because of people!

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Androids having viruses?

Really, I do not know who thinks android devices will be just as secure as an Apple product.  Now I know people have probably said that Androids are just as insecure as a Windows Machine.   I am not going to argue those points because they seem to be always floating to the surface every day from some unskilled computer user.   I’ve been asked by a few friends and even some family members who are concerned about a virus on their android device and thus want to buy Ipads more.  Even though Androids OS is an open sourced project the more the market share goes up for Android’s the more the evil guys will focus on creating applications and fraudulent software or games.   It is the nature of security and of the beast.   Nothing you can do to stop it.

Use Common sense!

This is something I tell my friends and family when buying an Application on the Market place from anywhere there is usually a bunch of reviews of it from various users and thus will help you determine if this application is worth the money or could be a problem.  When I want to add an application to my Android device, I will usually also see what others have said about the game or application and see the users ratings.   I will almost never buy an android application that has no comments but I am not novice when it comes Android.   I can always reset my android to factory defaults and restart the process.   So I know that is always my option when it comes to installing something that is unfavorable.   It however is not the end all save all for wiping a virus from your android device, if they want to get that virus on you device that would be the last place, I would put my application.   So it will clean most of the so called viruses off your device but until antivirus companies start getting the hint to make better applications for android the only true way to clean it is to erase and re-install but that is no option on your part especially if you have a phone or some proprietary device.

No Device is really safe!

Now when I go to buy a operating system, I already have that in my mind.   Nothing I have bought is ever going to truly be secured and thus I always go into this with an open mind and not worry about which one is the most secure.   I look for the one that is going to help me do what I want to do and not be restrained by any company.   I can view Netflix on Android just like I can view it on an Ipad.   I can take it anywhere I like just like my Ipad, it can be smaller for my convenience and cheaper.  Apple has their perks but then you pay for it, that is why I love Android because of the openness of the system.   I can do anything in the sun I want to do to the device and not worry about warranties and keeping it cheap.

If you understand this principle of mine then you will be FAR better than most people when it comes to buying applications on the device or installing applications from unknown websites.   As long as you know when you install an unknown application from an untrustworthy source you setting yourself up for problems.   Follow the path that has more security and don’t install anything without consulting some technology person and find out the risks and benefits of a program or application.

 

Paul Sylvester

Need Glasses try GlassesUSA!

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With Linux, All you Really need is Google!

Linux can keep you sane!

I don't say that lightly because today, I was going to use Linux and all of the sudden I couldn't get past the Kubuntu splash screen.   It would just hang their not doing anything else.   I didn't know what was going on, if you have seen the look on my face you would of know I was scratching my head.   The obvious question though is what happened, that I was asking myself.   This isn't something that I am new at, but it was something I've never dealt with because when I was using Linux in the past it was always for leisure and not something that I used regularly.   Now that being said, I have begun to use KDE and Ubuntu more and more.   I find the open source community really intriguing and I am wanting to learn.

Keywords are the key!

When you have a problem with Linux, all you really need to put the right description of the problem into Google,  and you'll find the answer eventually.  Now I won't say this hasn't been a learning experience, because recently I bought a book to better help me to learn more about Kubuntu and Ubuntu called "Beginning Ubuntu Linux", So I will be reading up on how to handle the operating system more and more and being able in the future to help others with the same problem.   If you haven't gotten a book, I'd start there like I am.   I will do a review of the book later on when I get done reading it from cover to cover but for right now it will be a handy tool.

Solution to my Problem!

This solution that I will be talking about might not work with you but at least it will point you in the right if doesn't work.  I first searched several different forums, the Ubuntu Forum and the Kubuntu Forums for the answer using Google I might say.  After much searching I found a topic about updating and Graphics stop working and talking about the xorg not starting.  Which in turns lead me into the other topic Just Updated, Graphics have stopped working and thus lead me it how to fix my problem without having to wait till I could get a Pendrive from my house to fix the problem.  If you are looking for the solution here it is:

Go into Recover Mode

Go into the Terminal -- I couldn't even boot into the GUI safe mode
apt-get remove xorg-driver-fglrx

That wasn't all I did, I also did

apt-get autoremove

This was just in case I missed something.

I was messing around with fixing the KDE4D bug where it would freeze up everytime I would disconnect from the VPN and so I edited the

sudo nano /usr/share/kde4/services/kded/networkstatus.desktop

I then changed the true to the false

X-KDE-Kded-autoload=false
X-KDE-Kded-load-on-demand=false

I thought that might also be the problem so I changed that back to true.   Any ways, after I did all that, I got my Kubuntu to come back to life.   I don't know necessary understand what happened but I did fix it.   I did however find a good work around for that bug for the time being.   Just install KNetworkManager and it will automatically remove the plasma-widget-networkmanagement. So Now I don't have to worry about the system locking up and not being able to do anything.   I do hope they fix the Plasma problem in the coming updates but I will just have to wait see.

Go Linux

Paul Sylvester

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Will blog for money! How to make money blogging.

Image by piterart via Flickr

Everyone wants to make money Blogging

I bet everyone is looking to make money online. It isn't always easy to blog or even what you want to blog about.  If your anything like me you want to make some kind of money for your hard work.    It depends on a lot of things to go right or at least to go in your favor.   I am here to talk about some of the more stuff than having a keyword or a niche per say.   I want to talk about other ways to draw your crowds to your site and why it isn't just about the niche market but how your present it!

This is not going to be about just making money, because there are more than that to have to do to keep the revenue coming your way.   I intend to talk about what is important and why it is important.   Just because you have a blog and you can blog doesn't necessary mean you will make money but it does give you one step closer!

It's All About Presentation!

I say that because I know that just because you are blogging will not bring in money, but you have to get a high level of readers to want to help you succeed at making money.  When I talk about readers, I am talking about those who either link to your site or want to click your links to support your hard work.     These are the type of followers that can make or break your blog experience.  Just because you have followers doesn't necessarily make for a great blog.   So what are the ways to make money, you might be asking?

Connect with your readers

I know on my other blog I have discuss time and time again.  In my experience you can make some money from just blogging but it depends on more than just blogging about money.   It isn't always the easiest thing to do because more and more readers are quite picky on which blogs they will support and which ones they will not support.

I want to Connect with my readers again!

You've heard me right, I wanting to make that essential connection with my readers.    It isn't going to be easy because of this being a new domain.   Some of my old readers have probably forgotten me or don't even know that I have a new blog up and running.   Although it can't be for me not trying to tell them.    That is why I am asking my current readers to tell your friends and family and let the ones that might of found me before through you.   So they can come back and comment about posts and become a regular visitor on my blog.   If you want this blog to become better, that is one way to do that.   Invite people, and tell family and friends about this blog.   You never know what will happen.   I also made it easier to book mark posts or recommend them to friends and family.   There is a new book marking tool at the top and bottom of each post, so you can recommend my site through email, and Facebook and other ways.   I do ask that you find a good post and click the Facebook like button.   This will also help people find my site and as always thank you for being a regular guest on my blog posts.

Paul Sylvester

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5 things to do when You get scammed and burned!!

I usually don’t like to talk about this but I was recently scammed by a scam artist who tried to make me believe they are Police Men and they were court appointed “Lead Investigators“. Suffice it to say that I found out two or three days later from friends and family that this was not right. After Googling the Number “1-877-499-9473“. Which if you are like me quite confused but thankfully I had other resources like what my Credit Card said and they said it was “CHECK MANAGEMENT SERVICES 716-6942500 NY“. Anyway I have already talked about one scam when it comes to cash checking.  I also want to talk about how you can tell if it is scam, some of the more common things t hat I find are:

 

• Must Pay Now — These are scams that say that you can get something for really cheap, if you pay now.   This should always be the first flag.


• Scare Tactics –  These are scams that try to scare you into buying a product or giving them money because something is about happen.   They try to confuse you into paying.   This is also one of the RED Flags.


• Free products –   Here is another that I find because you have to read the fine print and see that you aren’t really getting it for free but trial and that you will be charged for the product after a certain amount of time.   This is another RED Flag, in my opinion.


• Pressure Tactics -- This can be anything from constantly calling you to making radical claims about product.   If you have any doubts.   Always ask yourself “Could this be to GOOD to be TRUE??“

I know I will have missed a few key ones but these are the ones that I see all the time. I know want to talk about what you should do:

1. Call your Local Police Department and File a Complaint–  This is a must because most banks and credit card companies require proof that there was a crime committed.   By doing this you are fighting back against the scam and showing them you will fight for your rights.


2. Call Your Bank or Credit Card Company — Now since you made the complaint you should now have your bank or Credit Card company reverse the charges so you can get your money back. You will have proof that this was illegal and the bank/Credit Card will comply with all Local or State laws. This seems a sure way to get your money back.


3. File a Complaint with the BBB — This one can be tricky if you don’t know who the company is but if you look at your credit card information and Google it you might get an idea to where look


4. File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission — This is one of those that you have a choice in how your proceed but this will help out when all else fails. They might even be able to give you more information about the company and help you get your money back. This is however just a guess but it is a good way of fighting scammers.


5. Tell you Family and Friends about the Scam — This is also important because most of the time these scammers find you by talking to your family or friends. So warning them can keep them from getting to close. Although it will not always work, it does provide a little protection down the road.

I intend to file my complaints to all the above plus more to fight this particular scam so I can get my money back. I am sure this isn’t over by a long shot but I do Hope this has helped you in a small way like it help me. If you have come here trying to find out information about the number and haven’t paid them, don’t do it. Call you local Police and report them and still report them to as many places as possible to help those who have been scammed or could be scammed. If you know anyone who has been scammed maybe it is time to show them this article so they can find out how to get their money back.

Have a Good Wednesday, See you Friday!!

I get my glasses from GlassesUSA. They have a Satisfaction Guarantee and even Prescription Sunglasess for when your out doors. Give them a try, and I know you'll like them!

List of malware sites for Sept 1, 2009

Well with it being the end of the month it was to be expected here is a long list of sites.   So please read these carefully.

[intlink id="4403" type="post"]Personal Antivirus Scareware Site and How to Remove them:[/intlink]

• live-virus-scanner9.com


• tryantivirusscan.com


• antispyware-scanner2.com


• bewareofvirusattacks2.com


• antivirus-scanner6.com


• valueantivirusshop1.com

[ad][intlink id="4217" type="post"]Internet Antivirus Pro Scareware[/intlink]*SUPERAntispyware gets rid of these too*

• adjudg.info


• atwain.info


• caretz.info


• gaudad.info


• krapen.info


• nevils.info


• outliv.info


• penvie.info


• stampo.info


• ticedu.info


• unwept.info


• gelded.info


• dolchi.info


• figgle.info


• botled.info

[intlink id="3977" type="post"]Rogue Antivirus scareware sites[/intlink]:

• securepcshield.com


• myprotectedzone.net

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[ad#SUPERAntiSpyware]

List of Fake AV sites for Aug 22, 2009

If you know anything about the Malware writers they are always registering new domains and here is the newest ones they are using:

[intlink id="3607" type="post"]Personal Antivirus Scareware Site[/intlink]:

• antispywarebestscanner.com
[ad]

• professionalvirusscanv3.com


• professionalcomputerscanv2.com


• scan-your-pc-now.com


• professionalspywarescanv8.com

[intlink id="4217" type="post"]Internet Antivirus Pro Scareware[/intlink]:

• hopest.info


• suffic.info


• cressy.info


• unowed.info


• inclin.info

[intlink id="3977" type="post"]Rogue Antivirus scareware sites[/intlink]:

• securitytoolsite.com (Fake Scanner)


• webscansecurepc.com (Fake Scanner)

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Twitter Spam attempt: "See the NSFW pics twitter deleted from my profile here"

Looks like this might have been a improper adult content or maybe a Malware attack:


[ad#cricket-right-ez]If people are wonder what NSFW means:

Not suitable/safe for work (NSFW), not work-suitable/safe (NWS), or not school-suitable (NSS) is Internet slang or shorthand. Typically, the NSFW tag is used in E-mail, movies (such as on Youtube) and on interactive discussion areas (such as internet forums, blogs and community websites) to mark URLs or hyperlinks which may be sexually explicit or include audio containing profanity, helping the reader avoid potentially objectionable content.
[via Wikipedia]

It looks like this was done with using Tinyurl and has been flagged for either Spam, Fraud, Malware, or Any other use that is illegal. I am glad Tinyurl did catch this and stop it. If you see something that say NSFW in your twitter account your best bet is to delete it and go on with your life. I am sure it is something your should not go to probably because it was a malicious way to get your to go to the link. If you want to preview the urls that are used by Tinyurl, just visit the preview feature. If anyone else hears of some kind of Twitter attempt let me know and I'll blog about it. This would be the best time to install [intlink id="2205" type="page"]Free Anti-virus and Free Firewalls[/intlink] to help prevent from getting Viruses or Malware.

Microsoft released April Patch list for Patch Tuesday

To see what systems are affected please see the bulletin for further details.   Some of the updates have to do with IE 6 and IE 7, maybe it is time to update to IE 8.  It looks like if you update to IE 8 you will not have to worry about the Remote Code Execution.  There also seems to be a remote code execution for DirectX 9.0A, B, and C.  This however doesn't affect DirectX 10 and if you have a Vista machine please consider updating to DirectX 10.

[ad#cricket-right-ez]

The other one is a MSDTC program that has a vulnerability of Elevation of Privileges that needs to be fixed.  There will of course be more than this for April but these are the ones that Microsoft has determined to be release for Tuesday.  There are going to be at least 8 Different patches for Windows XP, and some For Vista.  Some will be only for XP and others will be for XP and Vista.

Then Microsoft Internet Security andAcceleration server will have an update to prevent a Denial of Service attack.  This will be needed to patch on the server side as soon as possible.  Then there is the Excel Remote Code execution that needs to be fixed.  It looks like CVE-2009-0238 is the one that this is being patched for but this is only a guess.

Now is the best time to get [intlink id="2883" type="post"]Autopatcher[/intlink] ready for this update because this will be quite a big update.  You should also update your [intlink id="2205" type="page"]anti-virus software and Firewall[/intlink].

Just Google Conficker and you'd be surprise

Countdown to March First is on it's way or already depending on your location and People have been sending tweets about the 60 Minutes coverage of the Conficker:

As you can tell over the last week Google trends is showing a mountain of people looking for this information.  I am so glad the media has talked about this but it has mad a hysteria or frenzy of people trying to find information on this little worm or some are calling a virus.

[ad#cricket-right-ez]

Now I must remind you that [intlink id="2715" type="post"]Conficker.a[/intlink], [intlink id="2754" type="post"]Conflicker.B[/intlink], [intlink id="3214" type="post"]Conficker.C[/intlink], and [intlink id="3236" type="post"]Conficker.D[/intlink] are the only worms or viruses out there and that you should really [intlink id="2205" type="page"]protect yourself from every virus[/intlink] because there are more viruses or worms out there than this one.

There are several Free Anti-virus options Available:

• Clamwin -- I've been trying this one out over the past month and it seems to work just as good as the others.


• Avast Home Edition — AVG does better than this one but people seem to like this so I have to add this for people who like this better than the others.


• AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5.283 — This is another free one that can remove viruses really easily. Download this and you don’t have to worry to much.


• Avira Antivirus — This is a free anti virus software that some people like.  I like AVG myself, it’s all user preference on which one you want to use.

As you can tell I have sever options available in my [intlink id="2205" type="page"]Malware Resource page[/intlink] for you to use this is just a few that can be helpful when trying to protect your system.  With Conflicker disabling your windows update and if you have a lot of systems you need to update your patches, I'd go with [intlink id="2883" type="post"]Autopatche[/intlink]r this little program will help install the necessary Windows updates.  You should follow Microsoft advice when you are trying to fix the your system with regards to the Conflicker.    Remember this is not the only computer threat out on the internet but be vigilant with where you go and what you.   You are the last line of defense when it comes to protecting your money, your identity, and you computer.

Although if you have a lot of systems that your are worried has the conflicker worm, Arstechnica released information on easily detecting this worm.  This looks like a positive step in stoping this worm.

Hotmail accounts get compromised!!

I received an email on a list and wanted to warn people:
[ad]

Dear friend,
i would like to introduce a good company who trades mainly in electornic products. Now the company is under sales promotion, all the products are sold nearly at its cost. They provide the best service to customers,they provide you with original products of good quality,and what is more,the price is a surprising happiness to you! It is realy a good chance for shopping.just grasp the opportunity,Now or never!
The web address: http://www.nekcn.com

Seems this is being sent from Hotmail accounts. There are a number of ways someone could be getting a hold of your email address. According to Microsoft forums this seems to delete your email contacts and also send out this in the same time. This seems to be a new spam campaign for this one company. I would guess someone bought advertising from this company and the advertiser is doing some really unmoral things.

There are several ways someone hotmail account could be sending out these emails. It could be a [intlink id="2650" type="post"]phishing attempt like they did with Twitte[/intlink]r. They could of done a dictionary attack on each account to find the password, that I why [intlink id="2646" type="post"]I suggest having a password generator[/intlink]. It could of been a virus, and if that is the case you would need to [intlink id="2205" type="page"]check your system out for the virus[/intlink]. I would guess it is the first two, because I am unsure of if you can have pop3 account or not. I don't use Hotmail but people seem to be using it.

If you recieve this email, I'd email the account responsible to let them know that they have sent this.  I would also like to know if it was a virus or how they account got compromised.   Remember only you can prevent from getting a virus, nothing else works better than yourself.

Are You and Your Friends Fine -- Virus Spam

Logged into my Google Email and was checking my spam to see what I see and this one draws my attention:



I think I know where this is leading me but I click the link and this website with the Reuters logo pops up:

Now as you can tell this looks authentic but when I did go to this site, AVG detected some trojan.  It blocked it, but  the file that it is downloaded called "save.exe" and I have talked about [intlink id="2991" type="post" target="_blank"]flash player fake updates[/intlink].  I have seen other blogs talking about dirty bomb news report leads to malware.  I don't know about you but if I wanted to update my flash player, I go to the source and not use any links.  It is wise not to download any programs or files and run them without properly checking them out for viruses and Trojans.  You should have a fiewall and anti-virus running at all times and that will help but it is your actions that help your prevent from getting viruses or Trojans.

Malicious Spammers target Bank of America

I've saw two different security firms talking about Bank of America and I wanted to share with you:

Picture from F-secure

[ad#cricket-right-ez]The two sites are F-secure and Pandalabs who are talking about Bank of America and how they try to get you to install malware.  With Adobe having just sent out the new updates last month it looks like spammers are using this to get people to install Malware.

It is also been known to be floating around in Facebook this spam.  So if you get a link going to a site you don't know about to see a video and it says you need a codec or the Adobe update you should turn right around and leave site. You should always type in the url of Your Bank and not go there through links.

From what they are saying it monitors Network traffic and Steals ICQ, POP3, and IMAP passwords.  If you find network traffic going to Hong Kong IP, then it is time to check to make sure all your Virus definitions are up to date and you've installed an Anti-virus and Firewall.  I would encourage  users to report it to Phishtank so that any other unsuspecting user or person going to that site will be warned.

Is Google the ultimate news source?

As you know We had a big problem Monday Night and All day Tuesday. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you would of noticed either a 503 or lag. It was due to an article that I released late Monday night about the PIFTS.EXE and the so call conspiracy.

At the time, I was wondering and quite disturbed about what Norton Symantec was doing to the forums. So I blogged about this and wouldn't you know my site was Held Hostage by Google. I kid you not, I had so many people come to my site in under an hour it wasn't even funny.

[ad#cricket-right-ez]So I sit here, asking a really good question is Google the News? I don't know exactly when but according to Wikipedia Google was formed in 1998. The Google Motto is Don't Be Evil, and I guess it makes them look like a news source. When did they get past the news site? I would hazard a guess that it was in late 2004 they started when they when Google gave people the first chance to own the stock on August 19, 2004, when Google became a publicly held company.

I got hit hard by Slashdot, Reddit.com, and Google.  In truthfulness, It was more of searches and people coming from Google than anywhere else. I would say Google was the 90% and and Slashdot and Redidit was 8% and the rest was from other websites for this one article. Now don't get me wrong the 2% of people was my normal amount of people for the day. So you can imagine how many people actually came to my site over this fiasco.

I call this a fiasco because basically it was one that really made me worry about the server going down. People seemed to try to find out about this program and some of them didn't even do any more research than to come to my site? Although I do know a little, I have always considered myself to be a BLUE COLLAR Tech Blogger. So you can just call me "The Blue Collar Tech Blogger" when it comes to things like this. I will never proclaim I know everything and I am still learning every day I blog I learn something new.

So this leaves me with a question on how did Blogs become the news also?  Did we step into the roll of news?  I know there are many blogs out there that are telling the news and are almost as if they are the news.  Is that where this has become Web 2.0?  I throw these questions out to see what type of comment.  I just thought this was a good topic for today to talk about.

Thinking back to PIFTS.EXE.

Thinking to this very incident looks to something out of the movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events".  I won't go into much detail but here is what I want answers to about the PIFTS.EXE.  You see after I have read a great article talking in detail about this, I have also come to the conclusion something isn't right.

[ad#cricket-right-ez]The blog owner known as Anshar in the forums on the Symantec points out some key events. He wanted to point out that the users who were posting were not violating the TOS and was posting questions that look to asking about this file. See screen capture of what I took. This one picture doesn't prove his theory in whole, but does bring up some suspicions. This actually might be them trying to find a 'scapegoat' so to speak. He also talks about what others are asking? What is PIFTS.EXE? People seem to still have not be answered that question.

Although, in Norton's defense there seems to be a lot of information that they have to sort through. I'll admit this information people are asking should be really simple to find in the Symantec Databases somewhere. I will not say they are hiding anything major but I do think something is going on that we are not aware of. Here's some other thoughts to considers? If Norton needed to find out who was using Windows 7, couldn't they of asked or even made a simple site redirect to find that information, after all anytime you visit a site you have that information sent to the stats. I could in theory find out how many visitors are visiting from Macs and how many are on older systems. That would be very easy to do with Google Analytics.

Now with that said let's talk about Why it took almost a whole day for them to release a public statement about what happened.  I might be wrong but if I was a stockholder, I'd of demanded them to send that out ASAP instead of waiting 20 to 24 hours.  Although I'm not trying to make any more conspiracy theories, I do think the Streisand effect came into effect and people are feeling like Norton did something they shouldn't have.  In which case, Norton probably made "A fail whale" attempt of making it better when they started to delete the post.

I've been watching the Norton forums trying to make sense of all this, and I do know that Norton have lost people's faith in them and people are removing their product off there systems if Norton doesn't start answering questions that need to be answered.

Norton has released the information of PIFTS.EXE and what it does. Although I am sure people are going to argue about what it does or doesn't. I wanted to post this for people to check out and consider for yourself.

Fake Scareware Sites Popup after the Pifts.EXE Conspiracy

There Seems to Be a Fake site that are popping up today right after what happened with PIFTS.EXE. I just happen to Google it to see what people are talking about and this appears on the front page.



As you can see this leads to a server in Poland and once you go to it you see:

I will be reporting this to Phishtank. This is scareware which means  there is no real VIRUS because and you
Should never believe the screens when you see something like this. According to Wikipedia:

[ad#ad2-right]Some websites display pop-up advertisement windows or banners with text such as: "Your computer may be infected with harmful spyware programs. Immediate removal may be required. To scan, click 'Yes' below." These websites go as far as saying that a user's job, career, or marriage would be at risk. Products using advertisements such as these are often considered scareware. serious scareware applications qualify as Rogue software.
[Via Wikipedia]

So if you are worried you have a virus or think you have a virus I would advise you to download one of the free Many anti-virus software and firewall. This is nothing new with the companies who are doing this but don't buy anything because people are trying to scare you into thinking you have a virus. That rarely is a valid software and you should use the ones that you trust. If you find a site like that please report them to Phishtank and other sites that way we can protect everyone who goes there.