Changing over from one ISP (internet service provider, such as AT&T or Comcast) to another usually means leaving the vendor's email address behind. And a new vendor's email address domain (such as “@comcast.net” or @att.net) may also be left behind in the future due to yet another ISP change. So go ahead and switch NOW to free Google GMAIL accounts. Your new GMAIL account can be configured to pull in your existing ISP email until such time as that address is no longer valid. http://www.gmail.com
And, GMAIL can be setup to pull in email from multiple email accounts, so it’s the perfect basis to go with, even if in the future you add your own website and email domain name.
So, map out which email addresses you are using now, and plan for ONE conversion, which will last forever.
PS - Did I mention that free GMAIL accounts have excellent virus/spam filtering, and come with almost 8GB of inbox space? That's like over 5,000 floppy disks full of data!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Security software expiration email
Comcast and AT&T users who use their free McAfee Internet Security should IGNORE any renewal emails from McAfee (or Norton). You DON'T need to pay for renewal – you should be getting it free from AT&T or Comcast. This email notification may be about an old paid-for McAfee/Norton subscription or one which was included with a new computer. Take a look at your PC. Look for the McAfee icon in the lower right ‘system tray’. If it looks like this: 
and doesn’t have anything obscuring it like this: 
then your security subscription on the machine is probably OK.
To verify, double-left-click the McAfee icon in the lower-right system tray, and the McAfee Security Center should come up.
Mine is from Comcast, yours might say AT&T (depending on who your internet provider is). If your McAfee Security Center has your internet provider's name on it and you see the big green checkmark like above, that tells you you’re OK.
If the McAfee Security Center does NOT say AT&T (or Comcast), then it’s an original paid-for version from McAfee or Dell, which has indeed expired. But you should NOT pay to renew it! Instead, go to the Control Panel, Add/Remove programs, and REMOVE the expired McAfee. After restarting your PC, click here to download and install your free McAfee from AT&T. Comcast users click here to download and install your free McAfee from Comcast.
Comcast users will need an "@comcast.net" email address and password to authorize the download/install. AT&T users will need the PRIMARY users "@att.net", "@sbcglobal.net", or "@ameritech.net" email address and password to authorize the download/install.
Let me know if you have any questions.
and doesn’t have anything obscuring it like this: 
then your security subscription on the machine is probably OK.To verify, double-left-click the McAfee icon in the lower-right system tray, and the McAfee Security Center should come up.
Mine is from Comcast, yours might say AT&T (depending on who your internet provider is). If your McAfee Security Center has your internet provider's name on it and you see the big green checkmark like above, that tells you you’re OK.
If the McAfee Security Center does NOT say AT&T (or Comcast), then it’s an original paid-for version from McAfee or Dell, which has indeed expired. But you should NOT pay to renew it! Instead, go to the Control Panel, Add/Remove programs, and REMOVE the expired McAfee. After restarting your PC, click here to download and install your free McAfee from AT&T. Comcast users click here to download and install your free McAfee from Comcast.
Comcast users will need an "@comcast.net" email address and password to authorize the download/install. AT&T users will need the PRIMARY users "@att.net", "@sbcglobal.net", or "@ameritech.net" email address and password to authorize the download/install.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Does your DSL seem slow?
I recently came across a client who was having poor internet performance. His service was rated by AT&T as 6,016 Mbps download and 768 Mbps upload. But when we measured it with Speakeasy's Speedtest website (which usually shows about 80% of rated speed), it only showed 900/650 download and upload!
The client had had DSL for a while. Unlike cable internet, DSL shares the phone line with your house phone. When you first installed it, you were given a kit of DSL filters for wall and desk phones. In this case, the client had added both a cordless phone as well as an All-In-One printer with a FAX line, but neither had DSL filters. Once we added the appropriate filters, the speed bounced back to normal.
The Moral is: When DSL shares a line, EVERY PHONE AND FAX DEVICE NEEDS A FILTER!
You can check your rated DSL speed by looking at your AT&T phone bill, or by logging onto you network's DSL modem (one of these should work):
AT&T DSL Modem
AT&T 2WIRE Router (new)
AT&T 2WIRE Router (old)
AT&T 2WIRE Router (old-alternate)
Here are some other Internet Speed Test websites:
AT&T Yahoo! Speed Test
Comcast Speed Test
Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test
The client had had DSL for a while. Unlike cable internet, DSL shares the phone line with your house phone. When you first installed it, you were given a kit of DSL filters for wall and desk phones. In this case, the client had added both a cordless phone as well as an All-In-One printer with a FAX line, but neither had DSL filters. Once we added the appropriate filters, the speed bounced back to normal.
The Moral is: When DSL shares a line, EVERY PHONE AND FAX DEVICE NEEDS A FILTER!
You can check your rated DSL speed by looking at your AT&T phone bill, or by logging onto you network's DSL modem (one of these should work):
AT&T DSL Modem
AT&T 2WIRE Router (new)
AT&T 2WIRE Router (old)
AT&T 2WIRE Router (old-alternate)
Here are some other Internet Speed Test websites:
AT&T Yahoo! Speed Test
Comcast Speed Test
Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test
Update your software!
Computerworld: Attacks show Google runs Microsoft's IE
The Atlantic: Chinese hackers attacked Google via older Internet Explorer v6
This recent hack into Google corporate data shows the vulnerability of unpatched software. According to Microsoft, many Google machines still hadn't upgraded from Internet Explorer v6 to v7 or v8, and the v6 machines were exploited. Of course if you run an alternate browser such as Mozilla Firefox, that would have stopped this attack as well. The message?
When requested, APPLY UPDATES TO SOFTWARE UPDATES FROM MICROSOFT, ADOBE, SUN, as well as your computer and printer manufacturer (ie Dell, HP, etc).
Microsoft Windows
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe Flash Player
SUN's Java website plumbing
Install Mozilla Firefox
The Atlantic: Chinese hackers attacked Google via older Internet Explorer v6
This recent hack into Google corporate data shows the vulnerability of unpatched software. According to Microsoft, many Google machines still hadn't upgraded from Internet Explorer v6 to v7 or v8, and the v6 machines were exploited. Of course if you run an alternate browser such as Mozilla Firefox, that would have stopped this attack as well. The message?
When requested, APPLY UPDATES TO SOFTWARE UPDATES FROM MICROSOFT, ADOBE, SUN, as well as your computer and printer manufacturer (ie Dell, HP, etc).
Microsoft Windows
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe Flash Player
SUN's Java website plumbing
Install Mozilla Firefox
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New MagicJack Femtocell at CES
A femtocell is a very small cellular tower for the home. I’ve been watching and waiting for affordable femtocell technology for some time. Magic Jack's offering requires a broadband connection and a GSM-compatible phone. The consumer's smartphone should also be internet WiFi capable, and they should also have at least in-home WiFi-G wireless internet.
http://wap.cbsnews.com/site?sid=cbsnews&pid=sections.detail&catId=TOP&storyId=6071300
“U.S. carriers have been selling and experimenting with devices that act similarly to the wireless magicJack. They're called "femtocells." Like the magicJack, they use the carrier's licensed spectrum to connect to a phone, then route the calls over a home broadband connection. They improve coverage inside the home and offload capacity from the carrier's towers.”
So, users of phones with GSM for voice may now have improved signal strength inside their home, and free daytime cellular “minutes” when their GSM phone is routed thru the MagicJack Femtocell device. However, experience and experimentation is needed to show what this means for data. Of course, if the user’s GSM device is a smartphone with WiFi capability, in-home WiFi will take care of the internet browsing portion.
There will probably be legal challenges for YMax/MagicJack, in that the new device uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses. YMax says the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don't extend into the home. OK, that’s home users. What about business offices? We don’t know yet.
IMHO this is a ‘disruptive’ new technology which means opportunity for others to capitalize on in 2010+ At the very least, competition from YMax/MagicJack should alter the business models of the cellular carriers to some extent. Meanwhile, I’m planning that my next Smartphone be GSM-compatible world phone (not just a Verizon CDMA/TDMA type) – just in case.
Thought you’d be interested.
http://wap.cbsnews.com/site?sid=cbsnews&pid=sections.detail&catId=TOP&storyId=6071300
“U.S. carriers have been selling and experimenting with devices that act similarly to the wireless magicJack. They're called "femtocells." Like the magicJack, they use the carrier's licensed spectrum to connect to a phone, then route the calls over a home broadband connection. They improve coverage inside the home and offload capacity from the carrier's towers.”
So, users of phones with GSM for voice may now have improved signal strength inside their home, and free daytime cellular “minutes” when their GSM phone is routed thru the MagicJack Femtocell device. However, experience and experimentation is needed to show what this means for data. Of course, if the user’s GSM device is a smartphone with WiFi capability, in-home WiFi will take care of the internet browsing portion.
There will probably be legal challenges for YMax/MagicJack, in that the new device uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses. YMax says the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don't extend into the home. OK, that’s home users. What about business offices? We don’t know yet.
IMHO this is a ‘disruptive’ new technology which means opportunity for others to capitalize on in 2010+ At the very least, competition from YMax/MagicJack should alter the business models of the cellular carriers to some extent. Meanwhile, I’m planning that my next Smartphone be GSM-compatible world phone (not just a Verizon CDMA/TDMA type) – just in case.
Thought you’d be interested.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Windows 7 is coming October 22nd !
Windows 7 is coming OCTOBER 22nd
If for some reason you haven't heard, Microsoft will be releasing on October 22nd the new version of Windows - Windows 7, to replace Windows Vista (and Windows XP).
According to a recent article by PC World Magazine, the new Windows 7 from Microsoft is only marginally faster than Windows Vista on standard 32-bit machines. However on the new generation of 64-bit hardware, Windows 7 adds much-needed improvement.
Even if you purchase a Windows Vista machine now, after submitting proof of purchase to the manufacturer, you'll be sent a free upgrade to Windows 7 as soon as it is released.
Should users upgrade existing XP machines to Windows 7? In short, NO -- because you'll still be working with less-powerful hardware. Upgrading newer Vista machines is OK, but your best bet for flexibility is to look for 64-bit hardware PCs with Vista Business installed and a free downgrade to XP Professional. These machines will also be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 7 Professional -- when you and your other networked PCs are ready to make the change together.
If you're not sure and you need to replace a PC that you want to last a long time, get 64-bit hardware, a machine with a downgrade to XP for compatibility, and you'll automatically get the free Windows 7 upgrade for flexibility.
If for some reason you haven't heard, Microsoft will be releasing on October 22nd the new version of Windows - Windows 7, to replace Windows Vista (and Windows XP).
According to a recent article by PC World Magazine, the new Windows 7 from Microsoft is only marginally faster than Windows Vista on standard 32-bit machines. However on the new generation of 64-bit hardware, Windows 7 adds much-needed improvement.
Even if you purchase a Windows Vista machine now, after submitting proof of purchase to the manufacturer, you'll be sent a free upgrade to Windows 7 as soon as it is released.
Should users upgrade existing XP machines to Windows 7? In short, NO -- because you'll still be working with less-powerful hardware. Upgrading newer Vista machines is OK, but your best bet for flexibility is to look for 64-bit hardware PCs with Vista Business installed and a free downgrade to XP Professional. These machines will also be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 7 Professional -- when you and your other networked PCs are ready to make the change together.
If you're not sure and you need to replace a PC that you want to last a long time, get 64-bit hardware, a machine with a downgrade to XP for compatibility, and you'll automatically get the free Windows 7 upgrade for flexibility.
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