How to Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus Software?

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    There are situations when you have to temporarily disable your antivirus software. For eg: when you are installing a new program, trying a virus removal tool, troubleshooting if something is working etc. Many people have a hard time finding out the option to disable the antivirus program. Here are some tips that will help you to disable your antivirus software

Warning:Disabling your antivirus program is like leaving the door of your house open and going for a vacation. There are hundreds of pieces of malware which are waiting for such a golden opportunity. So, remember to enable your antivirus as soon as you are done, disconnect your network if possible when the antivirus is disabled and never disable your antivirus just because your system is running slow (Many people do this).

         Your antivirus program always runs in the background. You can find all such background applications in your system tray which is in the lower right corner of your screen. So, look in the system tray and find out the icon for your antivirus program.

        If you don’t see the icon, then it may be just hidden. Click on the little arrow to expand and show the hidden icons.

       Hovering your mouse over each of them should show you the program name in a little tooltip.

        Once you have found it, double click on it to open the program. The option to disable antivirus varies according to each program. Look for any check box that says ‘Turn on autoprotect’, ‘Turn on AVG Resident Shield’, “Enable Resident Shield.”,”Disable real-time file system protection.”,“Temporarily disable Antivirus and antispyware protection.”, “Pause Protection.”, “”Disable Auto-Protect.” Etc.

        You may need to check or uncheck the checkbox depending on what it says. Once you are done, You usually get an alert from Windows security center that your antivirus is disabled. This is an indication that you have successfully turned it off .

        If you still can’t do it right, then search in Google with the name of your antivirus program. For example, search using the words ‘disable autoprotect Norton’,’ disable antivirus MacAfee’ etc. Include the full name of the product and the version number to get more specific results.

         Sometimes it happens that even though you disable your antivirus program, it might be still blocking things in your system. This is because an antivirus program also has other background services and drivers. Even though the real time protection is disabled, these services still run in the background. Well, you can stop services but you can’t mess with drivers; that is dangerous.

         But the best way to avoid these drivers and services interfering with what you are doing is to boot your computer to ‘safe mode’. If you need internet connection then you need to boot to ‘safe mode with networking’. To know how to start your system in ‘safe mode’ or ‘safe mode with networking’, refer the following page:  

                         http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial61.html

For technical tips and articles, visit  http://lockoutfixer.cz.cc

Written by Shanmugam Piramanayagam
Freelance writer, System administrator, programmer and web designer

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How TO Select The Best Ipod

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iPod Basics and Purchasing Guide

By Adekunle Gbelee

iPod Basics and Purchasing Guide

So, you are looking to purchase an iPod?  Please take the time to read this brief article which will at best help you get the most out of your new iPod, and at the least, help you avoid mistakes and misconceptions.  This article is written out of my personal experience with iPods.

1.  What is an iPod?   

An iPod is a MP4 player, not a MP3 player.  Basically, the MP4 format is a proprietary format only recognized by Apple products, such as iPods and QuickTime(TM).  In order for music to play on an iPod, it must be in MP4 format.  Apple’s music download site, iTunes(TM), offers music only in the MP4 format.  The iTunes(TM) software which comes with an iPod will convert MP3 music files to MP4 format, so they will play on your iPod.  An iPod will not play MP3 files, neither will Windows Media Player play MP4 files.  Both the Nano and Video iPod will store and display photos, but a video iPod is needed to play video files.

2.  What is iTunes?   

®  Apple hosts the world’s largest music download site called iTunes(TM).  As of March 2006, over 1 billion files have been downloaded for use in iPods.  Pretty amazing.  This site offers music files for 99 cents each, and  you need not download an entire album, but can select only the music files you want and download it into your computer.  The iTunes(TM) software in your computer is the vehicle by which files are loaded into the iPod. Simply place your iPod into its dock (which is attached via USB to your computer), start iTunes(TM) and your iPod is updated automatically with new music, playlists, Podcasts and so forth.  I have tried other music download sites and have not found any which I like as well as iTunes(TM), even though they may offer music cheaper than iTunes(TM).  A basic search will locate alternative music download sites.

There are a variety of other files available on iTunes(TM) called Podcasts.  These are audio or video files which include news broadcasts, informational programs, comedy programs and many others.  The great majority of Podcasts are free, and others are not.

3.  What You Get   

iPods come with the following:

iPod with battery

Earphones (called “earbuds”)

A generic pouch for the earbuds

A docking station (to transfer files and charge the iPod)

iTunes(TM) software CD

Instruction manual

That is all.

4.  What You will Need  

Every iPod user will need a case, and we strongly recommend a screen protector.

Both the iPod Nano and 5th generation (5G) Video iPod are susceptible to scratching, and the black units seem to show scratches worse than the white ones.  This is true of both the iPod housing AND the screen.  Nothing is worse than having your iPod blemished with unsightly scratches, especially when it is easily avoidable by using a case and screen protector.  Having your unprotected iPod floating around inside your purse or in your pocket will absolutely cause your iPod to quickly accumulate scratches both on the housing and on the screen.  Be warned!  This is not really a defect, but just the way it is.

5.  Using iPods in your Car   

Most people quickly realize that it would be great to be able to have their iPod play music through their car stereo.  No longer would they have to mess with CDs or tapes.  How many CDs would you have to carry to have your entire music library with you in the car?  You can take it all in the palm of your hand with an iPod.  So, how does one play music through their car stereo?  There are several options.

First, there are cables available for most car stereos which plug into the iPod and the other end of the cable plugs into a port on the back of the stereo.  Removal of the stereo is usually required to accomplish this task.  Also, the wire used to connect your iPod is exposed.  It does, however, sound great!  Some car stereos have a line input on the faceplate.  In this case, all one needs to do is use an adaptive cable from the headphone jack of the iPod to the input on the stereo.  In both of these scenarios, the iPod will run on its internal battery unless a car charger is used as well.

Second, (and by far the most popular) method, is to use an FM transmitter to transmit a signal from your iPod to your FM radio and play it as if it were a radio station.  There are a variety of FM transmitters from several manufacturers.  We recommend using a unit which is a dock and not a plug into the iPod port.  The plug-in units consume power from the iPod battery and seem to produce a weak signal resulting in poor audio quality.  A docking unit (such as the Griffin RoadTrip(TM)) holds your iPod in place, charges the iPod and produces a strong signal.  The RoadTrip(TM) also features a removable FM module which allows it to plug into your computer.  You can therefore listen to FM radio through your computer without having to install software.

6.  Using iPods at Home   

iPods can easily play through your home stereo.  One can simply use an adaptive cable which plugs into the headphone jack of the iPod and into the stereo input of your stereo.  In this setup, the iPod is operating on battery power unless the iPod is also plugged into a charger.Docking your iPod is the preferred method, and there are a variety of docking solutions available.  The iPod docks into a base which charges the iPod, and an output jack on the base connects the iPod to your stereo via a cable.  Some units offer remote controls for your iPod and others do not, but often these remotes are weak and have very limited range and field of reception.  We have found thsome television or stereo programmable remote control units can be programmed to work with certain iPod docking systems, while others work partially or not at all.   It is worth trying if you have a programmable remote.

Some docking units also have a video output for use with the 5G Video iPod, which allows one to watch videos or photos stored in the iPod on a television.  We have found that the picture quality is poor on large screen televisions, but ok on a smaller screen.  Using a dock with S-video output will provide a far superior picture than units using an RCA connector.  As of now, iPods do not support high definition.

There are speaker systems which contain their own amplifier and operate as a stand-alone unit with an iPod.  These are not all created equal.  Our testing has found that a high price does not always equal high quality.  We have found 0 systems which in our opinion sound significantly superior to 0 units.  It is best to listen to the various systems before making your selection; or if buying online, follow the recommendations of the seller IF they have tested the systems and can provide you with recommendations based on testing results.

There are alarm clock radios (such as iHome(TM)) which allow you to go to sleep listening to your iPod and wake up to it as well.  We have tested the iHome(TM) and others, and found iHome(TM) to be our unit of choice.

7.  Loading Movies into Your 5G Video iPod   

When the Video iPod first came out, I gave it a high ranking on the “Dumb-O-Meter.”  Who wants to watch a movie on a 2.5 inch screen?  However, after having used one, I have recanted my original opinion.  It is now my iPod of choice.  Unfortunately, iTunes(TM) and other MP4 download sites usually have little to offer in the way of legal movies which are formatted to play on an iPod.  ITunes(TM) does have some short films, music videos and television shows, but not much else.

An easy solution for this is to convert your own DVDs into a format that the iPod can play.  This can be accomplished by means of a software product called a DVD to iPod converter, such as Cucusoft, Lenogo and others.  It is a simple process.  Put a DVD in your computer, start the converter program and let it convert the movie to iPod format.  Then, move the converted file into your iTunes(TM) video list.  The next time you dock your iPod to your computer, it will load into your iPod.  Some converter programs will also convert AVI, MPEG, MPG, WMV and other computer video formats for use on an iPod.  This can allow you to convert your family videos and view them on your ipod. IPod movies are great for entertaining children on the road, for the business traveler stranded at an airport or for long airplane trips. DVD converters we recommend are available here.

8.  iPods and your PC   

The music files for your iPod are stored in two places:  in your PC in the iTunes(TM) program, and in your iPod.  If your PC crashes and you loose your hard drive or have to reformat, you will loose EVERYTHING contained in your iTunes(TM) folder, including all of the songs you have purchased from iTunes(TM).  Furthermore, iTunes(TM) does not offer the means to re-download songs you have purchased for free.  You will have to buy them again.  Neither does the iPod come with a means to load files into a computer.  Fortunately, there are software programs which allow you to copy the contents of your iPod into a PC or from one iPod to another.  These programs are usually titled “iPod to PC”, or something similar.  If your computer crashes, you will kick yourself for not having this program to restore your music files back into your computer.

Written by adekunle

Apple Ipad 2 vs Motorola Xoom

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On one hand, we have the Motorola XOOM that’s backed with the overhauled Android 3.0 Honeycomb experience, and bevy of next-generation hardware to keep it up with the times for a while. And of course, there is the iPad 2, which uniquely modified our perception with its intricate razor thin profile – while still making some moderate improvements over its predecessor. Precisely on schedule, these two juggernauts in the tablet arena will undoubtedly capture the attention of the world right now, but which one will keep you interested in the long run?

Design:

Unsurprisingly, the iPad 2 obliterates all prior notions of what tablet design should follow since it literally blew off the front cover with its amazingly thin razor profile. Even though we might think that the Motorola XOOM’s 0.50” thickness is respectable, the 0.34” thickness of the iPad 2 makes for an instant jaw dropping realization – especially when Apple touts that its battery life is unchanged. Even more for the iPad 2, we prefer its brushed aluminum casing seeing that it’s better equipped at repelling scratches, debris, and fingerprints. Unfortunately for the XOOM, its metallic rear casing is awfully prone to retaining dirt and is rather difficult to clean as well. Give any individual a choice between the two, the attention grabber easily goes to the iPad 2 nine out of ten times.

The Apple iPad 2 (left) is thinner than the Motorola XOOM (right)

Barely considered a major difference, the Motorola XOOM sports the larger of the two screens with its sizeable 10.1” LCD display versus the 9.7” IPS display of the iPad 2. Even though the XOOM boasts a higher resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, it doesn’t drastically offer any better clarity or detail over the iPad 2’s resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. However, it’s obvious that the iPad 2 produces richer looking colors since darker colors, like black, appear to look smokey in tone on the XOOM. Moreover, the viewing angles on the iPad 2 are superb which make it supremely better to view in outdoor settings. Lastly, the oleophobic coating on the iPad 2’s display makes it very easy to clean versus the XOOM.

In our experience, there are rare instances when we would accidentally press the virtual buttons of the Motorola XOOM. Still, the springy home button of the iPad 2 soundly eliminates any hint of potentially pressing it by accident.

Placed in a familiar location, the dedicated power button of the iPad 2 still retains that prominence which is equally complemented by its solid tactile feel.  Uncharacteristically, the XOOM’s recessed power button is located in the back of the tablet, however, it perfectly lines up with our index finger as we hold it in landscape.

Without a doubt, the volume rocker of the iPad 2 is exponentially better than the tiny and rather stiff felling volume buttons with the XOOM. In addition to that, we find the silence switch of the iPad 2 to come in handy for quickly turning off its speaker.

Since the iPad 2 carries over the same single speaker, it’s nice to see that the XOOM employs two speakers, left and right, which enables it to deliver stereo sound. However, the speaker grill with the iPad 2 is placed more at an angle which aids it in better dispersing audio.

And if you want to easily share content, you’ll probably adore the list of traditional ports on the Motorola XOOM – like its microUSB and microHDMI ports. Specifically, you can output the XOOM’s display to your high-definition television by simply connecting it with an HDMI cable. But if you want to do the same thing with the iPad 2, you’ll need to purchase its optional digital HDMI adapter that snaps into the proprietary 30-pin port.

Power buttons

Speakers

Ports

The Apple iPad 2 (top) and the Motorola XOOM (bottom)

When it comes down to cameras, the XOOM manhandles the iPad 2 in this category since it features a front-facing 2.0-megapixel camera and a rear 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with dual-LED flash. Comparing it to the iPad 2’s paltry 0.3-megapixel front facing camera and less than 0.7-megapixel rear camera, it’s already giving away a good indication as to which one will provide the better quality.

On the front

On the back

The backs of the tablets

Cameras of the Apple iPad 2 (top) and the Motorola XOOM (bottom)

Despite not having easy access to their batteries, it’s nice to see that you can increase the storage capacity of the XOOM thanks to its microSD card slot. At the same time, it enables you to quickly share content – whereas on the iPad 2, you’ll need to connect its USB cable to get things transferred.

The sides of the Apple iPad 2 (top) and the Motorola XOOM (bottom)

Finally, the XOOM still has one ace up its sleeve that has yet to show itself that will give it faster data speeds than the iPad 2. Down the road, the XOOM will be retrofitted with a 4G LTE modem that will provide next-generation data speeds – which will outperform the 3G speeds found with the iPad 2.

Written by Tarun Rajput
Writing is my hobby

Ipad 1 Vs. Ipad 2

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…just one moment IPad 1 owners, IPad 2 has arrived but is it really worth upgrading yet?

Some will or have upgraded to the IPad 2 already though rumor has it Ipad 3 will be released by FALL 2011. The rumor could be true or just a manifestation in an attempt to drive sales downward. Whichever the case when it comes to the likes of Apple their schedule usually looks like this: iPhones in summer, iPods in fall, and iPads in spring.

If it does release on the rumor date though and you have the IPad 1 already don’t upgrade just yet. IPad1 has been old technology since it was released! I’m pretty sure Apple had a hold of IPad 2 technology long before the first Ipad came out yet in order to drive sales/ make a bigger profit delayed certain specifications to the IPad 2. The same could be said in the likes of the release of the IPad 3. Ipad 3 technology has already been masterminded by Apple and will be soon released .. save your money for the next release !

Reasons NOT to upgrade to the IPad 2:

1. If you won’t be using the Ipad for its camera features.

2. You will be using it as an e-book reader. The ipad 1 does the job as well as the Ipad 2 so theres no real need to upgrade for this feature. Also for those that like to use the typical Apps here and there like Netflix, iBooks, Kindle or Safari Mobile there is no real need to upgrade as the ipad 1 works very well..

Reasons TO upgrade to IPad 2:

1. You have money to waste

2. You will be using it for gaming

3. You NEED the camera features

if you bought the Ipad 2 already, Congrats ! your set probably for the next two years.

Basically the iPad 2 is the same as the iPad 1, except for a few updates.

IPAD 1 has the following features:

9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCDBattery Life – 10 hrsScreen Resolution – 1024×768A4 single core processorNo camera1.5 poundsBluetooth 2.1+EDRRegular Cover256 MB RAMNo gyroscopeWIFI capable

while IPAD 2 :

9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCDBattery Life – 10 hrsScreen Resolution – 1024×768A5 dual core processor  PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics processor 2 cameras (front view and rear view)1.3 pounds Bluetooth 2.1+EDRSmart Cover512 MB RAM3 axis gyroscopeWIFI capable

     To conclude, If you are a first time buyer, the iPad 2 will be an excellent investment. However, if you already own an iPad 1, it might be advisable to wait for a newer release. In any case if you have 600 dollars to spend on each release be my guest. In summary,the iPad 2 offers greater speed and greater gaming capabilities. iPad 2 is thinner and lighter (reduced in weight by .3 pounds), has a 1GHz dual core A5 processor for better performance (dealing with multitasking and reducing lag time), includes a front and back facing camera for FaceTime video chat as well as Skype, yahoo IM etc, and the graphics speed is nine times faster than the iPad 1. The Ipad 2 also comes with  a gyroscope.Gyroscopes have been used in compasses, aircrafts, and computer pointing devices and helps with the orientation in 3d devices. In another outlook, the Ipad 2 brings a cool looking “smart cover” (a magnetic cover which hugs your ipad) that comes in different colors with a great textured feel to it.

If your choosing to wait and buy the IPAD 3 here are some of the many specifications that have been rumored for its release:

Telephone capabilities (highly doubt it though since that is not the purpose of the IPads function)

IPS technology

Support for 4G

SD card slot

Written by Cindy Sheen
Freelance Writer

Read Home Theater Reviews

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When contemplating the purchase of an at home theater system you might want to do something more than just jump into the purchase.  You might actually want to some research using a few different home theater reviews.  What reviews can do for you goes far beyond just telling you what products are good and which products to avoid—while that is useful information.  Home theater reviews can also assist you in many of the decisions you make regarding your new home theater.  Let’s look at some of the great features you can find within these reviews.

The first aspect of home theater reviews is that they will give you more insight towards different products.  Whether it’s which product is better or which setup will work with your needs.  You can find home theater reviews on specific topics, too.  For example, you can find many different reviews on how many hertz you’ll need from your speakers for a room that’s X square feet.  Such information will be useful to you because you won’t have to try product after product from the stores.

In addition to giving you specific information on the various products you’ll need for a home theater, home theater reviews can also give you great information about which rooms are the best for a home theater setup and why those rooms are the best.  You might even be able to find home theater reviews that discuss how to convert a bedroom into a home theater.  You’ll discover home theater reviews that discuss methods that worked and methods that failed.  This is great information if you’re planning on converting a room into a home theater.

You’ll also need to find home theater reviews on different products like furniture, televisions, DVD players, projectors and screens, etc.  Because there are so many aspects to a home theater there are going to be various types of home theater reviews.  You’ll even find reviews on how best to setup the devices you do have in an arrangement that allows everyone to see the screen clearly—just like in a real movie theater.

Unlike most product reviews, the majority of these reviews will be written by home theater design experts who will have tried various methods for creating a home theater.  These people are experts for a reason and you can trust the words they give you in home theater reviews.

While you may have an idea of what you want for a home theater you might want to consider reading a few home theater reviews just so you can find products and a setup that best fits your home.  Having a sound system that compliments the layout and acoustics of your home plus the right sized screen for your home movie theater is harder if you attempt to accomplish the task on your own.  However, with home theater reviews you’ll learn what products are the best and what works best for your home. 

Written by ja_schmidt

The Ervin Family home theater. Featuring 106″ Elite fixed projector screen, Epson Powerlite Pro Cinema 7500 UB Projector, Onkyo 7.1 THX Rated Home Theater System, Sony BDP-S500 Blu-Ray Disk Player, Logitech 1100 Harmony Universal Remote
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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