Netbook Longest Battery Life

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Which is the best netbook with the longest battery life?

Many people looking to buy a netbook look to the battery life as being a key factor when determining which netbook to purchase.

Data used in this blog is from www.fantastic-netbooks.co.uk

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

If you are intending on taking the netbook with you wherever you go then a long battery life is obviously a vital requirement. If you are moving about the house or office and always near to an electrical point to charge up your netbook then battery life may not be such as important factor.

We have put together a ranking table below showing the netbooks with either their actual battery life as found in real tests or, if we have not yet collated that information, the battery life quoted by the manufacturers.

Of course, the best indicator is the actual battery life, which has been reached during real reviews from well respected magazines and websites such as Laptopmag, CNet, PC Advisor and PC Pro.

Longest Battery Life Netbooks Ranking
The netbooks with the longest battery life either measured by actual reviews and battery tests or quoted by manufacturers*

No. Netbook Battery Life Actual/Quoted Overall Score
1 MSI Wind U115 Hybrid Light Use – 10 hours
Heavy Use – 5.5 hours Actual 72.9%

2 Asus Eee PC 1000HE Light Use – 8 hours and 30 minutes
Normal Use – 7 hours and 3 minutes
Heavy Use – 5 hours and 14 minutes Actual 83.2%
3 Toshiba NB205 Light Use – 8 hours and 27 minutes Actual 82.4%

4 Toshiba NB305 8.5 hours Actual 81.6%

5 Asus Eee PC 1005P 8.5 hours Actual 81.5%

6 Asus Eee PC 1005PE 8.5 hours Actual 81.3%

7 Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 8.5 hours Quoted 86.5%

8 Asus Eee PC 1005HA 8.5 hours Quoted 80.9%

9 Asus Eee PC 1101HA 8.5 hours Quoted 76.5%

10 Asus Eee PC 1001P 8.25 hours Actual 76.6%

11 MSI Wind U123 8.25 hours Actual 76.0%

12 Samsung N120 Light Use – 7 hour and 57 minutes
Heavy Use – 5 hours and 21 minutes Actual 83.5%

13 Acer Aspire One 531 Light Use – 7 hours and 30 minutes
Normal Use – 4 hours and 52 minutes
Heavy Use – 3 hours and 57 minutes Actual 78.4%

14 Samsung NC20 Light Use – 6 hours and 42 minutes
Normal Use – 4 hours
Heavy Use – 3 hours and 3 minutes Actual 87.3%

15 Asus Eee PC 1000H 7 hours Quoted 84.1%

16 Samsung N210 7 hours Actual 75.%

17 Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 7 hours Actual 70.9%

18 MSI Wind U160 7 hours Actual 67.5%

19 Samsung N220 6.5 hours Actual 91.3%

20 Samsung N140 6.5 hours Actual 82.8%

21 Samsung NB30 6.5 hours Actual 70.0%

22 Packard Bell Dot S2 6 hours Actual 85.2%

23 HP Mini 5101 6 hours Actual 79.1%

24 Samsung NC10 6 hours Quoted 91.5%

25 Asus Eee PC 1008HA 6 hours Quoted 81.7%

26 Acer Aspire One AOD150 6 hours Quoted 75.5%

27 Samsung N110 6 hours Quoted 81.4%

28 Acer Aspire One AOD250 6 hours Quoted 78.4%

29 Asus Eee PC 1008P 6 hours Quoted 71.7%

30 HP Mini 2140 6 cell – 5 hours and 55 minutes
3 cell – 2 hours and 44 minutes Actual 81.0%

31 HP Mini 110 6 cell – 5 hours and 36 minutes
3 cell – 2 hour and 45 minutes Actual 75.0%

32 HP Mini 311 5.5 hours Quoted 76.2%

33 Acer Aspire One 532H 5.5 hours Actual 60.0%

34 Asus Eee PC S101 5.4 hours Quoted 78.4%

35 Asus Eee PC 901 5 hours Actual 84.6%

36 Asus Eee PC 904HD 5 hours Actual 81.0%

37 Asus Eee PC 1201N 5 hours Quoted 80.4%

38 Samsung N150 5 hours Actual 79.8%

39 HP Mini 210 5 hours Actual 75.8%

40 Lenovo IdeaPad S12 5 hours Quoted 71.4%

41 Acer Aspire One 751 5 hours Quoted 75.0%

42 Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3T 5 hours – heavy use (8 cell version) Actual 65.0%

43 Samsung N130 4.75 hours Actual 67.4%

44 MSI Wind U120 4.5 hours Actual 68.7%

45 Asus Eee PC T91 4.5 hours Actual 81.3%

46 Gateway LT3103u 4.5 hours Actual 75.0%

47 MSI Wind U135 4.5 hours Actual 72.0%

48 Asus Eee PC 1201T 4 hours Actual 81.3%

49 Asus Eee PC 1201PN 4 hours Actual 72.0%

50 Sony Vaio M-Series 4 hours Actual 64.4%

51 Advent 4213 3.5 hours Quoted 74.9%

52 Lenovo S12 Ion 4 hours Quoted 65.0%

53 Dell Inspiron Mini 12 3.5 hours Quoted 66.5%

54 MSI Wind U230 3.5 hours Actual 66.5%

55 Lenovo S9e 3.5 hours Quoted n/a

56 Dell Inspiron Mini 9 3 hours and 21 minutes Actual 83.6%

57 Dell Inspiron Mini 10 3 hours Actual 74.0%

58 HP 1000 Mini-Note 3 hours Actual 75.4%

59 Acer Aspire One AOA150 3 hours Quoted 76.7%

60 Sony Vaio W Series 3 hours Actual 72.7%

61 Acer Aspire One 721 3 hours Actual 55.0%

62 HP Mini 700 2.5 hours Actual 68.5%

63 MSI Wind U100 2.5 hours Quoted 80.5%

64 Lenovo S10e 2.5 hours Quoted 72.8%

65 Samsung N310 2.5 hours Actual 69.0%

66 Advent 4211 2 hours Quoted 82.7%

67 HP 2133 Mini-Note 2 hours Actual 71.9%

Where we have completed a full netbook reviews roundup we have recorded all the battery life test results, separated them into whether they were a light use, normal use or heavy use test and then averaged those results to give us our final figure. If we do not yet have that information then we have use the manufacturers quoted battery life.

The MSI Wind U115 tops the table with an astonishing 10 hours in light use and still manages over 5 hours during heavy use. This is certainly a netbook that you could take out with you for the whole day.

There are another 6 netbooks that all manage over 8 hours use, which is still very impressive and all worthy of an extra mention. Those netbooks are the Asus Eee PC 1000HE, Toshiba NB205, Asus Eee PC 1005PE, Asus Eee PC 1005HA, Asus Eee PC 1101HA and MSI Wind U123.

So Asus and MSI really rule the best battery life rankings with the first Samsung coming in 8th with the N120 just missing out on the 8 hour mark.

Sneakiest phone scams

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Whether you have a landline phone or a mobile, make sure you watch out for these sneaky scams…

None of us like to get caught out by scams. Unfortunately, these days, however smart we think we are, it can still be easy to get sucked in on occasions.

Thanks to the internet, there are now numerous scams online. But it’s not just the internet you need to worry about. There are also plenty of ways to get caught out by scams using your landline or mobile phone.

Article written by Rachel Wait from lovemoney.com

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Here, we are going to highlight five of the sneakiest phone scams around.

1) A call from the taxman
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has recently warned that taxpayers need to be vigilant following reports that thieves are making phone calls pretending to be the taxman.

In summary, you receive a call informing you that you are due a tax rebate. You’re then asked to divulge your bank card details over the phone so the money can be paid into your account. But of course, what actually happens is that the fraudster tries to take money from your account using the details you’ve passed on.

This scam is similar to one which has also been happening via email. In the last three months, HMRC has shut down more than 180 websites that were responsible for sending out fake tax rebate emails.

Stay safe: If you are due a tax rebate, you’ll only ever be contacted in writing by post. If you receive a phone call that seems suspicious, don’t hand over any information and report the call to the police. If you receive an email claiming to be from HMRC, send it on to HMRC for investigation and then delete it.

2) You’ve won a holiday!
The phone rings and you answer it to hear a recorded message telling you you’ve won an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Barbados. However, to claim the holiday, you need to call back on a number that starts with 090.

This is a premium rate number and if you call it, it can cost you as much as £1.50 a minute. What’s more, if you want to hear the full details of what you’ve won, you’ll have to listen to the entire call which usually lasts around 10 minutes – so by the end of the call, you’ll have forked out £15.

If you do reach the end of the call, you’ll then find out you need to send away for the prize in writing – only to find out the holiday never even existed.

Alternatively, you may receive a call telling you that to collect your holiday prize, you’ll need to attend a presentation. However, at the presentation you’ll be persuaded to sign up to an exclusive club and pay a fee for the privilege. Once you’ve done this, you’ll discover you’ve bought little more than access to an internet booking service offering the same service you could find in your local travel agent.

Don’t be scammed! Emma Roberts reveals some dangerous scams that are circulating the web
Stay safe: If you’re told you’ve won a holiday, don’t return the call and don’t attend any presentations. If you haven’t entered a competition to win a holiday, it’s highly unlikely you will have won one!

3) Mobile phone insurance
Having recently bought a new mobile phone, you receive a call from the shop you bought it from, offering you an amazing insurance deal. If you accept, you’ll be asked to hand over your bank details. And if you do this, you’ll later discover your mobile phone isn’t insured after all, the person who phoned you wasn’t who he said he was, and your bank account is now looking a little empty.

Stay safe: Be very wary of any calls you receive like this. If you do receive a call and believe it might be genuine, hang up and call the company back. You can also check whether the company they claim to work for is legitimate by checking the FSA Register.

If you do want mobile phone insurance, you’re much better off simply shopping around for a deal yourself. Find out more in The big mobile phone insurance scam.

4) You’ve won a free phone!
You receive a text stating you’ve been selected for a completely free phone on a first come first served basis. All you have to do is call an 0800 number.

When you make the call, you’ll be told you can have one of the latest mobile phones free of charge – in return for an 18 month contract with stacks of free minutes and texts. The contract will cost you £30 a month, but each quarter the company will deposit £90 into your bank account – so effectively you’ll be getting it all for free.

You’ll then have to hand over your bank details and credit card details, as well as your address so they can deliver the phone. And of course, the minute you do that, the minute the scammers will have access to everything they need.

Stay safe: Don’t agree to anything on the phone. If you receive a call, say you’ll phone back and then check out the company fully online to find out if they’re legitimate. If they want you to agree to a deal immediately, chances are it’s a scam.

5) You’re going to be disconnected
You receive a call from someone posing as a representative of a major telecom provider, such as BT. You’re told that either your account is in arrears, or your telephone line needs digital upgrade work. As a result, you’ll need to hand over your bank details to make a payment.

You’re then tricked into believing your phone line has temporarily been cut off – which leads you to think the call is genuine. However, in reality the fraudster stays on the line with the ‘mute’ button on, meaning you can’t make any calls.

Stay safe: BT says it never carries out disconnections over the phone and all employees will be able to give you their employee ID number and an 0800 number to call. So if you think the call is suspicious, ask for this and call the employee back.

Find out more about this scam at the website of telecoms regulator OFCOM.

If you receive any suspicious calls, you can report them to PhonepayPlus, the regulator of premium-rate telephone services. You can use its online complaints form or call 0800 500212. PhonepayPlus can investigate complaints and has the power to fine companies and stop them offering premium-rate numbers.

First mobile Trojan that sends SMS messages to premium rate numbers detected

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Warnings have been made of the first malicious program to be classified as a Trojan-SMS for smartphones.

Kaspersky Lab said that the attack runs on Google’s Android operating system and has already infected a number of mobile devices. It said that the program appears as a media player application and users are prompted to install a file of just over 13KB.

Once installed on the phone, the Trojan uses the system to begin sending SMS messages to premium rate numbers without the owner’s knowledge or consent, resulting in money passing from a user’s account to that of the cyber criminals.

Denis Maslennikov, mobile research group manager at Kaspersky Lab, said: “The IT market research and analysis organisation IDC has noted that those selling devices running Android are experiencing the highest growth in sales among smartphone manufacturers. As a result, we can expect to see a corresponding rise in the amount of malware targeting that platform.

“Kaspersky Lab is actively developing technologies and solutions to protect this operating system and plans to release Kaspersky Mobile Security for Android in early 2011.”

Simeon Coney, VP of business development and strategy at AdaptiveMobile, said that he had heard that the Trojan was masquerading as a media player and was sending out premium rate SMS messages.

He said: “This is interesting, it was a real uptake on J2ME on smartphones and we are seeing premium rate SMS as a good way of gaining illegal revenue. I was looking at the Kaspersky state of malware report and it said we will start to see a lot more malware for mobiles.

“They will do it in a way that they are hard to track down and use a third party who is a reseller of a reseller. We saw one instance where it started in the Arctic and directed to Cyprus, then on to Luxembourg and then on to New Zealand, so law enforcement cannot track them down.”

Asked if this could be the start of more mobile malware, Coney said: “I see the same setup as with PCs and the mobile space we are seeing a number of viruses and more variants and we see more things coming that work.”

Kaspersky Lab recommended users pay close attention to the services that an application requests access to when it is being installed. That includes access to premium rate services that charge to send SMS messages and make calls. When a user agrees to these functions during the installation of an application, the smartphone may then be able to make calls and send SMS messages without further authorisation.

New Business Website setup by freeindex

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

www.freeindex.co.uk have set us up a Business Website

Every business on FreeIndex now gets their own dedicated website address.

Please feel free to give us a Customer Review on this site.

To view our website page

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

The new scam that secretly steals your bank details

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Watch out for this new online phishing scam which uses ‘tab napping’ to attack your computer – and your finances…

Always check the URL is correct to make sure you haven’t been tab napped.

As internet users we’re all vulnerable to online scams. Unluckily for us, as soon as we become pretty good as spotting one type of attack, another more sophisticated version comes along in its place. In fact, technology company, Mozilla – which developed the Firefox web browser – has recently warned against a possible threat from a new scam known as ‘tab napping’ which takes phishing one step further.

What is tab napping?

Tab napping is essentially a new kind of phishing scam. Until now phishing has involved sending hoax emails in an attempt to steal your usernames, passwords and bank details. Often the sender will claim to be from your bank and will ask you to verify your bank details by clicking on a link contained in the email.

The link actually directs you to a fake website which looks just like your bank’s own website. Once you have typed in your login details they can be accessed by the criminals who set the fake site up.

But we’re beginning to wise up to phishing attacks like this, and many of us know we should be very wary of clicking URLs even if they appear to be in a legitimate email.

With awareness of phishing on the up, making it more difficult for scammers to succeed, tab napping could be the scam to watch out for next.

How does tab napping work?

Tab napping is more sophisticated than the phishing scams we’ve seen so far, and it no longer relies on persuading you to click on a dodgy link. Instead it targets internet users who open lots of tabs on their browser at the same time (for example, by pressing CTRL + T).

How does it work? By replacing an inactive browser tab with a fake page set up specifically to obtain your personal data – without you even realising it has happened.

Believe it or not, fraudsters can actually detect when a tab has been left inactive for a while, and spy on your browser history to find out which websites you regularly visit, and therefore which pages to fake.

So, don’t assume that after you have opened a new tab and visited a web page, that web page will stay the same even if you don’t return to it for a time while you use other windows and tabs. Malicious code can replace the web page you opened with a fake version which looks virtually identical to the legitimate page you originally visited.
How might tab napping work in practice?

Imagine you open the login page for your online bank account, but then you open a new tab to visit another website for a few minutes, leaving the first tab unattended. When you return to your bank’s site the login page looks exactly how you left it. What you haven’t realised is that a fake page has taken its place, so when you type in your username and password, you have inadvertently given the fraudster easy access to your account.

Even if you have already logged into your bank account before opening another tab, when you return you might find you’re being asked to login again. This may not necessarily rouse any suspicion since you might simply assume your bank has logged you out because you left your account inactive for too long. You probably won’t even think twice before logging in for a second time. But this time round you have accidently inputted your security details into a fraudster’s fake page which have been sent back to their server.

Once you have done so, you can then be easily redirected to your bank’s genuine website since you never actually logged out in the first place, giving you the impression that all is well.

How can you protect yourself against tab napping?

This is pretty scary stuff but thankfully tab napping should be relatively easy to avoid. Here are five simple ways you can prevent yourself from falling victim:

• Make sure you always check the URL in the browser address page is correct before you enter any login
details. A fake tabbed page will have a different URL to the website you think you’re using.
• Always check the URL has a secure https:// address even if you don’t have tabs open on the browser.
• If the URL looks suspicious in any way, close the tab and reopen it by entering the correct URL again.
• Avoid leaving tabs open which require you to type in secure login details. Don’t open any tabs while doing
online banking – open new windows instead (CTL + N).
• Finally, take a look at Online banking: How to stay safe to find out other ways to protect yourself from online scams

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Windows 7 gets tablet makeover

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

At this Year’s COMPUTEX 2010 it was announced that the operating system is to be streamlined for use on tablet PCs

Microsoft is using this year’s Computex show in Taiwan to showcase Windows Embedded Compact 7, a slimline version of its latest operating system for tablets and potable media players.

Asus previewed the software on the Eee Pad EP101TC 10, reports The Inquirer. Computex also served as the venue for Asus’s Eee Pad’s unveiling.

Most of the details are still being kept under wraps, but it is expected that it will be made available to vendors in Q4.

SanDisk has 2TB SDXC card in the pipeline

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

SanDisk’s new line of SDXC flash cards will be capable of holding up to two terabytes of data.

Thursday, 27th May 2010 at 11:24 am

When asked during a recent interview with PCR Magazine, regional marketing manager Nikki Willcock stated that the devices were set to be the next big thing in the memory market, with end-users demanding more storage as they consume and create more digital content.

“The great thing about memory for retailers is that there is a need for it on almost every host device you can think of including, laptops, cameras, phones, printers, game consoles – the list just goes on,” said Willcock.

“There are even memory slots in some cars now. This means that whatever device a consumer is purchasing, there’s always a memory solution for them.”

VirginMedia email updates

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Recently VirginMedia have asked Blueyonder, ntlworld and Virgin email holders to change their email settings.

Their documentation we have found to be overly complicated and their auto tool has failed to work.

We have listed below an easy reference guide to those changes required.
We hope this is of use to you.

blueyonder Changes only listed
E-mail address you@blueyonder.co.uk (Copy)
User name ab013c3456 now you@blueyonder.co.uk (Paste)
Password (DO NOT CHANGE)

ntlworld Changes only listed
E-mail address you@ntlworld.co.uk (Copy)
User name you now you@ntlworld.co.uk (Paste)
Password (DO NOT CHANGE)

Virgin Changes only listed
E-mail address you@virgin.net (Copy)
User name you now you@virgin.net (Paste)
Password (DO NOT CHANGE)

Universal Changes (all three)
Click More settings then Outgoing Server
Tick My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication
make sure Use same settings as incoming mail server is selected
Click on Advanced tab
Tick This server requires encrypted connection (SSL)
Change incoming server (POP3) to 995
Tick 2nd This server requires encrypted connection (SSL) if displayed
Change Outgoing server (SMTP) to 465 then Click on OK
Then Click on Next
Then Click on Finish

Alert On Windows 7 Phone Scam

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Our advise is to always use a reputable retailer, online site or local company to purchase software and do not get caught off guard.
To book an in home or in office service today call ituk.biz Free on 0800-0407048 or 07411-149666.

We are warning all of our customers to beware of a new Phone Based Scam using Windows 7 as the hook. Sadly one of our customers who we visited recently to sort out the mess caused by the scam were badly stung and very distressed by their experience.

A London based company is phoning people asking them if they would like to Upgrade to Windows 7. Do not under any circumstances fall foul for this scam.

When this company phone, you are transferred to a Second Company to buy the Software and you are charged £180. The Licence No is sent back to the installing engineer. You are not advised of the Licence No and you do not receive a DVD complete with Licence in the post following the sale.

You are then transferred to a third Company who take a further £180 before installation can take place. You are the returned to the original company who then carry out the installation on line. Please note that any programmes that you had no longer exists once this process is complete.

When the PC was restarted after the upgrade most devices did not work and the customer spent nearly 4 solid days talking with their help desk on a per minute chargeable basis to get the pc working.

After 4 days of frustration the customer called us and asked if we could sort out the major problems still outstanding.

After a 60 minute visit all problems had been resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

The customer told us that they had spent in excess of £800 because they were caught off guard by an impromptu phone call.

We have advised the customer to ring the Company back and obtain a valid Windows 7 Licence. If anything went wrong in the future we would need that Licence Number as part of the repair/reinstall procedure and without it the customer would have to buy another Licence

Safety on the Internet. After BBC Coverage on 16th Feb 2010

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Are you unsure or worried about Internet Access and how safe it really is.
We have listed below 10 Really useful Website Security Information Pages.

For a one to one consultancy on your security please ring Free on 0800-0407048 or 07411-149666 to arrange an appointment.

Please note the items listed below are by no means a definitive list of those available but have been vetted by us for you.

Child Safe
Click on link below for www.child-safe.org.uk
Child-Safe is a registered international charity which aims to encourage children and young people to participate in travel, sport, community groups and specific school programmes.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Child Net
Click on link below for www.childnet-int.org/kia
Welcome to Know IT All, Childnet’s multi award-winning suite of education resources designed to help educate parents, teachers and young people about safe and positive use of the internet.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Get Safe
Click on link below for www.getsafeonline.org
Get Safe Online with free expert advice.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Safe Surf
Click on link below for www.safesurf.com
The birthplace of the Internet’s voluntary rating standard.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Think UK Now
Click on link below for www.thinkuknow.co.uk
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

AVG
Click on link below for http://linkscanner.avg.com
Only AVG LinkScanner® can protect you from the Data Snatchers and raise your internet security to the next level . Use with Google and Bing Search Engines.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Comodo
Click on link below for www.snapfiles.com/get/comodo-verification-engine.html
Comodo Verification Engine is an anti-phishing add-on that works with all popular browsers and automatically verifies the identity of many commercial websites.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

McAfee
Click on link below for http://home.mcafee.com/store/freeservices.aspx
McAfee FREE SiteAdvisor™, a plug-in for Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers, tests, analyzes and rates websites in detail for unsafe or annoying practices such as dangerous downloads, spamming, misuse of personal information and browser hijacking.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Norton
Click on link below for www.safeweb.norton.com
Norton Online Website Safety Tester.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Zone Labs
Click on link below for http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-gb/spyblocker-download.htm
Detect and Block Spy Websites While You Browse the Internet Use with Ask Search Engine.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Free Laptops from the Government

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Dear Michael, I’ve been reading about a Government scheme to offer free laptops to low-income families. Can you tell me more about the scheme and how to apply?

Stan, via email on 05 January 2010

extract from www.broadbandchoices.co.uk

www.broadbandchoices.co.uk Broadband Expert says…

An estimated 1.4 million children in England still do not have the internet at home, putting many at a disadvantage when it comes to schoolwork and studying at home.

The benefits of home internet access are huge, and Niel McLean, executive director, Schools and Families, at the government agency Becta, said: “Recent evidence suggests that young people with a computer at home could get a B, rather than a D, at GCSE.”

This is why the Government launched its Home Access scheme, which goes live across England next week, to provide low-income families with grants to purchase a computer, get at least a year’s home broadband, or both.

Pilot scheme
A pilot scheme was launched at the beginning of 2009 in Oldham and Suffolk, offering grants to thousands of families.

The scheme itself is part of a £300m investment to get every child in England online at home.

Who is eligible?
Families receiving income support or unemployment benefits will be able to apply for a Home Access grant which they can use to purchase a computer or broadband package from an approved supplier.

Most people who meet the criteria for free school meals will be eligible to apply.

At launch, children aged 7-14, in school years 3-9, will be eligible, but the programme is aiming to work towards universal home access for all school age children by 2011.

How to apply
Funding is available for around 270,000 households and you can apply by calling 0333 200 1004 for an application form.

If your application is approved, you will receive a prepaid Barclaycard, which is valid for three months, and which you can use at approved retailers.

Free laptop broadband packages
If you’re not eligible for a free laptop as part of the Home Access scheme, you could still sign up to a mobile broadband package to receive a “free laptop”

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

. While the laptops aren’t strictly free – you will end up paying for your computer over the course of your contract – these deals do help to spread the cost of buying a new PC outright.

However, if you do sign up to a mobile broadband package, make sure that you monitor your downloads to make sure that you don’t exceed your limit, as additional data costs can soon add up. Install our free Broadband Download Monitor

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

to keep an eye on how much you’ve downloaded and set alarms so that you never exceed your limit.

The Birth of a Multiple Search Engine WebSite

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

From Concept to Completion and Beyond
Plus Advertise your Small UK Business for FREE

With the help of Club Entrepreneur.
At the beginning of 2008 I attended a Club Entrepreneur meeting in the Arora Hotel Crawley where we were asked to think up an idea to bring back to the next months afternoon session “Ideas into action”.

For some time I had been playing with the idea of a special search engine but was not sure how to progress the idea. The concept of “ideas into action” was to take an idea from feasibility study stage to actual product whilst checking
1 Is it marketable?
2 Why will it work?
3 Why will it not work?
4 How can I promote it?

With this in mind I drew up the mock up idea and set about creating a web site that I could show to others for feedback. By the time of the next meeting I had already got a working model of the website that although very basic tested out the concept.

By the end of the meeting it was obvious from the response of fellow club members that the concept could take off for the following reasons.
1 It will be very easy to spread the word through local networking associations that I have links with
2 It is very simple and user friendly
3 There are no set up or marketing costs involved
4 It can be promoted by making it the home page of all my IT clients and by using ecademy.com marketplace. As I am already a member this would not cost me anything.

Encouraged by the feedback from the Club Entrepreneur “Ideas into Action” afternoon session I decided to launch the website.

Nearly Two Years later with additional features being added I have now exceeded 220,000 visits and those clients who use it would not now go back to Google or Yahoo etc.

The growth has been created by Viral Marketing at no cost whatsoever. This was achieved by making it the home page of clients whose Husbands, Wives, Children etc spread the word. The site is now achieving 10,000 visits a month and this figure is growing month on month.

Prime space is available for rent on the main page and additional advertising is available within the one stop link shop which contains 20 categories and at the moment over 100 websites. I am not aware of any other product that offers 12 search engines and over 100 dedicated websites in one place.

The site works by offering you “THE ULTIMATE SEARCH” where you have 12 search engines to choose from. If the search bar is left empty clicking on a search name takes you to their home page. If data is entered in the search bar then by clicking on any search engine your search will take place. If you cannot find what you are looking for just use the left arrow in IE8 for example and it takes you back to the search engine choice page retaining the requested data in the search bar. This search can be referred to at a later date just by putting in the first few characters of the search.
For more information

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

As the site has now passed 250,000 hits we are for a limited time only offering Small UK Businesses especially those in the FSB or Chamber of Commerce the chance to advertise for FREE in any one of the 150 Categories listed in the One Stop Link Shop.

We will of course be selling advertising space (Subject to Approval) in any of the 150 categories. Discount will be available for multiple category advertising.

To advertise click on the link in any of the 150 categories email on info@yoursearchfor.co.uk

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Have you ever thought of having a cheap Computer to go with your existing Windows Network?

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Netbooks are just small Laptops without CD/DVD Drives. (Not a Problem)

The biggest complaint about Netbooks is the fact that you cannot install additional software due to a lack of CD/DVD Drive.

Although this is technically correct, by using your Wi-Fi Home network, you can share the DCD/DVD Drive on your Main PC.

If the network is configured correctly the Netbook can Map a Drive on the Main PC and therefore recognise that Drive as being part of its own PC allowing installation of whatever Software is required.

In the same way the Printer on the Main PC can be shared allowing the Netbook to connect wirelessly straight to the Printer (The Main PC must of course be turned on.)

As far as backup is concerned most Netbook have an SD Slot which will allow up to 32Gig of Backup which is sufficient for most People’s requirements.

For software compatibility and ease of setup the Windows XP based Netbooks are the best option as long as they have a hard drive of 8gig and above.

We specialise in setting up Networks for Windows based PC’s and can help you if so required.

Please contact us Free on 0800-0407048 or 07411-149666 to make a booking

The Importance of a Health Check

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

We have been monitoring our jobs carried out since the beginning of the latest recession and our findings are quite disturbing.

The results of the monitoring are as follows.

PC’s that go wrong that have not had regular Health Checks tend have repair costs between 50% and 250% greater than if they would had regular Health Checks. This is mainly because they will require greater time spent to be spent on them and in many cases they need to be fully restored ie. backup down , full system re-install and data restore.

This cost does not include DOWN TIME incurred by the customer because of system failure.

A Health Check includes removal of unwanted files and makes sure that all Windows Updates are completed and your PC Security is sufficient and up to date.

Before the recession many of our clients had regular 6 monthly Health Checks where actions were taken to remove unwanted files and make sure that all Windows Updates were completed and Security was sufficient and up to date. Regretfully this is no longer the case and most clients have cut out Health Checks to save money and only call in an engineer in for an emergency.

As we appear to be coming slowly out of the Recession we would ask all our clients to seriously reconsider introducing a 6 monthly Health Check.

At ituk.biz we offer two types of Health Check

The basic one hour Health Check where we remove unwanted files and check the hardware

The full two hour Health Check where we do all the above plus update or install security protection and Windows Updates.

When scanning a PC for problems it is not unusual to find 10 times the number of files installed than was originally supplied when the PC was purchased this must inevitably effect the performance of the PC and slow it down.

Several years ago Memory for PC’s was very expensive so only the minimum required was installed, prices have dropped dramatically and a cheap way of improving the PC’s performance is to install the Maximum Memory for the motherboard on your PC. In many cases this could mean that your PC may be capable of running the new Windows 7 Software.

Please contact us if you would like to book a Health Check Free on 0800-0407048 or 07411-149666.

Windows 7 Review

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

We have been testing Windows 7 for some time and would like to give you some of our findings.

Our Review
If you compare the performance of XP with Vista XP is considerably Faster.

For instance an XP PC with 1 gig of Memory is equivalent to a 4 gig Vista PC with all the other hardware identical.

With the PC’s using 32bit Software the Maximum usable is 3.25 gig. Out of 4 gig Memory installed.

If however 4 gig was used in an XP PC (3.25gig usable) this would be equivalent to a 13 gig Vista PC in performance which only 3.25gig would be usable.

Therefore an XP PC will always outperform a Vista PC.
(In our tests Windows 7 performed as well as if not better than XP)

Windows 7 however is built round the performance and speed capabilities of XP and is therefore much more powerful than Vista.

Because of the speed issues with Vista anyone purchasing an Upgrade will have to do a fresh install of Windows 7. This is because Microsoft do not wish to port the speed problems from Vista into Windows 7 and damage the reputation of Windows 7.

WARNING Before you carry out an update of Vista or XP to Windows 7 you must have a full backup of all your data, Photos, Music, documents, emails or you WILL lose it during the install.

All other programmes and devices like Office and Printers will have to be reinstalled after Windows 7 is installed.

It is worthwhile you checking all your devices i.e. printers, webcams etc with the manufacturers that they are Windows 7 compatible and download and save any suggested drivers prior to installing Windows 7

Independent Review: Source: thinkdigit.com
Microsoft proves that seven is indeed a lucky and magical number. It would be too, for a company which decided to skip a version 13 for their Office suite to avoid bad luck.

Despite the criticism and negative publicity, Windows Vista was a significant Windows release, and a step forward in the evolution of the Windows operating system. Yet in the evolution of Windows, Windows Vista was akin to a horse which grew wings, but couldn’t fly, an incompetent beast with hundreds of gallbladders and appendices ready to burst. With Windows 7 the unnecessary organs have been surgically removed, and finally we have lift-off.

Windows 7 is a marked improvement over Vista all around, and its new features and improvements make it a strong competitor for Windows XP as well.

Ironically, Windows 7, isn’t even Windows 7.0! It runs a slightly improved kernel of Windows Vista with a version number of 6.1 much like Windows XP ran an improved Windows 2000 kernel with a version of 5.1 (Windows 2000 was 5.0). However as Microsoft has painfully pointed out on several occasions, this makes Windows 7 no less significant.

While the new Windows taskbar interface, the new window management features etc, could go either way and gain great acclaim, or great criticism from the users, the bloat reduction is sure to be appreciated by all, and is the one thing Windows 7 has going for it from the start. After all, every version of Windows has been criticized for being more bloated than its predecessor, and for once people will have to think up of something better than just that.

However the large similarities between Windows Vista and Windows 7, and the fact, that Windows 7 is something that was entirely possible 3 years go when Windows Vista came out, is something which bound to make Vista users even more disappointed that they invested money in such an OS. In computer software it is otherwise unthinkable that people would prefer and eight year-old software such as Windows XP. Looking at computing a decade ago, this would be much like choosing Windows 3.1 over Windows 95. While features introduced in Windows Vista, such as Aero, indexing etc were unfeasible when Windows XP came out, all or most of Windows 7′s features could have easily come in Vista, an operating system which people waited much longer for. It would appear that even after 6 years Microsoft released a beta operating system, which took another three years to release as Windows 7.

Yet even so, Windows 7 has been mostly corrections to Windows, and those needed to come sometime or the other. For someone purchasing a new operating system, going for Windows 7 should require no thought. It will run on all current computers, as well as any computer released during Windows Vista’s reign.

Windows 7 is an OS which manages to stand out in itself, over and above its predecessors. While its massive changes in user interaction design are sure to be jarring to some, the changes are something that are much needed, and people are sure to benefit by adapting themselves now.

More so than its mobile OS, Windows 7 has adapted changes in its design which allow it to be used better on touch screen computers, whether it be the new taskbar design or the multitouch support, Windows has come to terms with the present.

Windows 7 is a much needed upgrade, and a necessary one to bring millions of computers to date with current technologies. Despite all its flaws, Vista was an operating system of the present, and with Windows 7, the world of Windows can finally move forward.

One of the most important things about Windows 7 has been its open development, while nowhere near that of open source software and operating systems, the approach taken with Windows 7 with public beta releases and an open feedback system, represents an evolution of thought which was as needed as the evolution of the operating system itself.

Yes, Windows 7 is a significant release, one of the most significant releases in Windows history, being the first one to break many traditions. A true operating system of the future, and a highly recommended upgrade for both Windows Vista and Windows XP users.

*****************************************************************************************************

If you are interested in upgrading or installing Windows 7 or would like a quote on a new Windows 7 PC please call us free on 0800-0407048 or 07411-149666

Connectify WiFi Hotspot on your Windows 7 Laptop

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Turn your Windows 7 laptop into a WiFi Hotspot to share the Internet with friends, co-workers, and mobile devices

Software-based Wireless Router
Take any Internet connection and share it wirelessly with no additional hardware

Connect with Mobile Devices
Easy connect any number of WiFi enabled devices to your mobile network

Built for Windows 7
Built for the next generation of Windows machines, in both 32 and 64 bit versions

FREE Version now available for download

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

HOAX eMail

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

BEWARE OF THIS UPDATE. IT IS FRAUDULENT. DO NOT CLICK ON LINK

THIS HAS BEEN PICKED UP AS SPAM AND COULD BE POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS
21/10/2009 @15:44

Update for Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express (KB910721)
Brief Description
Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express. This update is critical and provides you with the latest version of the Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express and offers the highest level of security and stability.
Instructions
• To install Update for Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express (KB910721) please visit Microsoft Update Center:

http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftofficeupdate/KB910737/default.aspx?ln=en-us&email=a@a.co.uk&id=65725446450142901755806160917905721700719190309508220566294

Quick Details
• File Name: officexp-KB910721-FullFile-ENU.exe
• Version: 1.5
• Date Published: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:44:25 -0300
• Language: English
• File Size: 100 KB
System Requirements
• Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000; Windows 98; Windows ME; Windows NT; Windows Server 2003; Windows XP; Windows Vista
• This update applies to the following product: Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express
Contact Us
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Contact Us |Terms of Use |Trademarks |Privacy Statement

Confirmation of this Fraudulent email can be found on the Microsoft Website using the following link

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

Update for Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express (KB910721)

I am writing to you on an important technical issue, namely the latest Internet HOAX, which YOU MUST AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

The email that you will receive looks to all intents and purposes like an email from the Microsoft update centre – but it is not! It is a HOAX designed to make you download a file called officexp-KB910737-FullFile-ENU.exe – but this contains a Trojan Horse! Once downloaded, the file will take on its role as a Universal Data Thief and steal your passwords, whether typed in via your keyboard of stored in your browser.

If you search for this file on Microsoft or in Google, you will be directed to a Webroot article entitled “Outlook “Patch” Spam Leads to Keyloggers” – this warns about the hoax and offers more detailed information on the damage it can do. To read the file,

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

The threat is very real and very new – Webroot’s article was only published on the 21st October 2009.

In conclusion, I would advise that you DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS FILE. In fact, do not download or take note of any email you receive from an unknown source and this applies particularly to those emails that ask you to share the information they provide with everybody you know, i.e. NEVER pass on an email that says “Pass this on” – these are always a Hoax.

I hope this email will save some of you from the havoc that this and other hoaxes can wreak.

AOL, Tiscali & TalkTalk Merge Networks

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

When TalkTalk merged with AOL there were service issues with both TalkTalk and AOL customers during the transfer period.

It is possible that the same is about to happen with Tiscali so all customers of Tiscali, TalkTalk and AOL may well suffer with connection problems during this changeover period

Below is a letter sent out to Tiscali Members recently by TalkTalk.

As you may have heard, theTalkTalk Group recently bought Tiscali – and I’m writing to personally welcome you. I’d also like to explain what’s going to happen over the next few months.

Our first commitment is to maintain your current service. So rest assured that your existing connection, phone number and email address (if you have one) will stay the same. Your username and password will also remain unchanged – and if you need to contact the support teams you will call the same numbers as always.
Things are about to get brighter.
We’ll begin moving your service from Tiscali onto the TalkTalk network and brand over the coming months - so you’ll soon start to experience the benefits of being part of Britain’s leading value phone and broadband provider. We’ve invested hundreds of millions of pounds to create our own Next Generation Network – now Britain’s largest – to ensure a quick and reliable service for our customers. We also know that customer service is very important to you, and we’re dedicated to providing you with the best support, online and by phone. What will stay the same:
• Your current Tiscali service
• Your existing connection
• Your phone number and email address
• Your username and password
• Your customer support phone numbers
You don’t need to do anything to benefit from being part of TalkTalk, Britain’s leading broadband company and we promise to continue to keep you updated regularly.
Yours sincerely,

Charles Dunstone
TalkTalk Group

Cisco Network Router/Switch/Modem Security Warning

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

There are new security warning(s)
TCP State Manipulation Denial of Service Vulnerabilities in Multiple Cisco Products.

What does it affect?: Network Router/Switch/Modem

What does it do?: Description of Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerabilities that manipulate the state of Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) connections in Cisco products.

How do I fix it?: Update your copy of the software with the download available from the supplier.

Details of Underlying Problem(s):For more technical information about this warning visit:

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

.Date modified: 11/09/2009

Source: HM Government (CPNI)

Mobile Phone Fraud

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Geoff Williamson

Forward on to anyone you know with a Mobile

If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that he or she is a company engineer, or telling that they’re checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number, end this call immediately without pressing any numbers.

There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your ‘SIM’ card and make calls at your expense.

Forward this message to as many colleagues, relatives and friends as you can, to stop it.

Many thanks for your time regarding this matter, take care and regards.

Phil Corris
Police Constable/Crime Prevention Officer
Ext 496696 (Internal)
01524 596696 (External)
Email PhilCorris@lancashire.pnn<mailto:PhilCorris@lancashire.pnn