Risks, rewards with Bitcoin payments

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Bitcoins have earned big press lately. And why not? They are a virtual way for people and businesses to pay one another on the Internet. As Entrepreneur Magazine explains in a recent story, these virtual coins are traded between individuals online without any trace being created. These virtual coins also don’t go through any banks or financial institutions. And that raises the question: Should your business accept Bitcoin payments? Here, according to Entrepreneur, are the big questions you’re likely to have regarding this virtual currency.

Is it real money?

Individuals purchase Bitcoins with real money. Then they use these virtual coins to purchase goods and services from online companies. A lot of companies that deal with Bitcoins aren’t quite legal. Nevertheless, many others are. Entrepreneur states that such online vendors as Etsy, WordPress and Reddit accept Bitcoins.

How safe is it?

Like all online transactions, there are safety risks with taking Bitcoins. These transactions are protected through a process known as public key cryptography encryption. That doesn’t mean clever criminals can’t hack these transactions. Businesses should be wary of malware that steals Bitcoins.

Why take them?

Along with risk, there are some potential benefits to Bitcoins. For starters, it’s a growing trend. Your small business may be required to accept Bitcoins to do business with certain online vendors. Secondly, Bitcoins don’t incorporate any fees or charges from banks or other financial institutions. Additionally they aren’t taxed.

Keep the power with these battery packs

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What’s more frustrating than seeing your smartphone or laptop slowly but steadily run out of power as you travel? Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with this. That’s because external battery packs let you plug just about any tablet, smartphone or laptop into them. The battery packs power your dying devices. But which external battery pack to pick? The Lifehacker Web site asked its readers to rank their preferred battery packs. Here’s what the readers had to say.

Anker Astro

The Anker Astro tops Lifehacker’s list because of the immense power it holds, with the 3E, E4 and Pro versions each supplying some serious oomph. Lifehacker readers pointed to these models’ portability, small size and reasonable price points.

New Trent

New Trent’s external battery packs – the iCarrier and iGeek – both scored high with Lifehacker readers, too. These models, too, hold a lot of power, and the devices offer an easy-to-read indicator light that lets you know easily how much charge the battery pack has.

Energizer XP

Energizer is a big name in batteries, so it’s little surprise that its XP series of external battery packs ranks so high among Lifehacker readers. One of the greatest selling points? These units include a wide variety of tips and cables that permit you to charge practically any phone available, even older models.

Bad press notwithstanding, Windows still top OS

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Quick: Name the most effective desktop operating system available today. Did you say Windows 8? If not, PC World writer Brad Chacos would like to debate you. He just recently wrote that Windows 8, despite its well-publicized problems, ranks as the best desktop OS today. This goes against the trend, obviously, with a long line of critics slamming Windows 8 regularly in the tech press. Is Chacos right? Is Windows 8 unfairly criticized? Have a look at several positive Windows 8 features that Chacos highlights.

More Software

What’s the biggest reason for this love? Chacos points to the enormous library of software that accompanies Windows 8. No other operating system supplies the variety and range of software that accompanies Windows operating systems.

Syncing Matters

Apple’s iCloud service has generated rave reviews. But Chacos writes that Microsoft ought to get more praise for the syncing abilities built into Windows 8. As Chacos writes, you just need a Microsoft online account to immediately sync files, videos, photos and reports to any other computer running Windows 8. You can also immediately synch everything from browser specifications to desktop preferences. This syncing ability very easily outpaces iCloud and the syncing capabilities of any other operating system, Chacos writes.

The Browser

It may seem odd to include Internet Explorer in a list of positives about Windows 8. But the browser has in fact improved hugely in response to Firefox’s popularity. Chacos writes that today Internet Explorer ranks as the top browser natively available on a desktop operating system. And Internet Explorer actually ranks as one of the most secure browsers available according to Symantec.

Does your business have a cybersecurity plan?

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Here’s a statistic that should frighten the owners of small businesses. As outlined by a recent story by Entrepreneur Magazine – the magazine cited data from tech security company Symantec – small businesses with one to 250 employees were the victim of 30 percent of all cyber crimes in 2012. What makes this statistic important? It offers proof that small businesses who don’t create a cybersecurity plan are putting themselves at risk of suffering their very own cyber attacks.

Keeping Viruses at Bay

Luckily for us, the cybersecurity plan that Entrepreneur offers is a simple one to implement. First, the magazine advises that you immediately install anti-virus software on your business’ computers. No anti-virus software will stop every virus. But computers left unprotected are especially easy targets for cyber criminals.

E-mail Skills

Many hacks begin with employees unintentionally opening suspicious e-mail messages. Because of this, Entrepreneur suggests that small business owners constantly remind their employees to delete any suspicious e-mail messages, even when they are supposedly originating from people they know. Businesses need to remind employees, too, to not click links they find after opening suspicious e-mail messages.

You Need Firewalls

Entrepreneur also recommends that companies use firewalls to secure their inbound and outbound network traffic. Firewalls can prevent hackers from tapping into a small business’ network. Firewalls can also stop employees from accessing potentially dangerous Web sites.

They’re not kidding: A MacBook named the best Windows laptop

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Poor Microsoft. The company has already been struggling with the bomb that is Windows 8. Now, according to PC services company Soluto, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, manufactured by chief rival Apple, is the best-performing Windows laptop. Ouch.

The Study

Tech Web site CNET recently documented on Soluto’s findings. The company conducted what it terms “frustration analytics” on laptops that run Windows software. Established PC makers were found lacking by the MacBook Pro.

Clean Installation

Soluto researchers learned that Windows programs were simply less buggy when they were installed and run on a MacBook Pro. And, yes, this ought to be embarrassing for Microsoft. Traditional PC makers such as Acer and Dell ranked behind the MacBook Pro.

Fewer Crashes

To reach its conclusions, Soluto studied the number of crashes per week that Windows laptops suffered, how many hang-ups they went through and the average boot time of the computers. The study also considered how frequent Blue Screens — also known as Blue Screens of Death — were on top-selling Windows laptops.

What’s wrong with Microsoft’s new logos?

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Poor Microsoft. The company can’t do anything whatsoever without generating criticism. Microsoft has already been recoiling from the PR disaster that has been Windows 8. A few critics are even crediting the new operating system with hastening the demise of desktop personal computers. Now critics are even targeting the logos that Microsoft has introduced to identify its programs on Windows 8. Yes, critics are actually claiming that Microsoft isn’t artistic enough.

Too Simple?

A user on the Quora knowledge-sharing site just recently gave a negative assessment to the new logos that Microsoft released with its Windows 8 and Office 2013 launches. The logos identify the programs that users can select from, everything from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Word to Microsoft Excel. The Quora user claimed that Microsoft’s graphic designers took the easiest way out with these admittedly simplified logos. Creating these images, the user suggested, must have taken Microsoft all of 5 minutes.

The argument

Quora is a site that promotes debate. And debate quickly followed . A small army of Quora users contended that Microsoft’s new logos – including ones for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Office – are actually rather stunning in their simplicity. Some others argued that just because a logo is simple doesn’t mean that it didn’t require as much thought and planning as more complex designs. In fact, the predominant theme of the counterargument is that sometimes simplicity is best. And when it comes to computer graphics, sleek, simple logos in many cases are the best.

A Growing Trend?

It’s tough to argue with this last point. Microsoft’s new logos do look sleek. And you can instantly tell which logo goes with which Microsoft program and that, of course, is the job of a logo. You can criticize Microsoft for a number of things – especially for Windows 8 – but when it comes to logos, the company remains on the cutting edge.

Are you sloppy with your online passwords? It’s time to change your habits

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Are you guilty of one of the worst bad technology habits possible? Do you ever use the exact same password and login name for dozens of online sites? If so, you might be putting yourself at serious risk. Clever hackers might be able to crack your password. When they do, what’s to stop them from using that password to access all of your favorite online sites – including, possibly, your online bank – while pretending to be you?

A LivingSocial.com breach

According to the story, LivingSocial.com — which offers users daily bargains on everything from restaurants and spas to amusement parks and museums — recently suffered a enormous security breach. The breach exposed the names, e-mail addresses and password information for up to 50 million LivingSocial users, according to ars technica.

Too Little, Too Late?

According to ars technica, Tim O’Shaugnessy, the chief executive officer of LivingSocial, quickly reacted by advising users to change their LivingSocial passwords. O’Shaugnessy took the extra step of advising the site’s users to change any other passwords that are similar to or the identical to the ones they use at LivingSocial. That’s good advice. It remains to be seen, though, how many LivingSocial users will take this step.

A Hassle, But Important

It’s bad enough if a hacker nabs your password at one site. But what if you use this same password at other sites? What if you use this same password at your online bank or credit union? You could be in a world of hurt as this hacker quickly uses your universal password to break into dozens of your favorite or most sensitive online sites. Yes, it’s not a lot of fun trying to recall the dozens of passwords you need as you make your way across the Internet. Nevertheless, make the effort. It’s even less fun to realize that a cyber criminal has used your password to empty your online bank account.

How many of these bad tech habits are you guilty of?

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You might look at yourself a tech-savvy sort, one that would not fall victim to a few of the bad tech habits that raise your chances of being hacked or having your smart phone stolen. But you might be shocked at how many of the worst tech habits that you practice. Fortunately, PCWorld recently ran a list of many of the most dangerous tech habits. Study this list, make the needed changes and guard yourself from hackers and computer failures.

Easy Target

Your tablets and smart phones are valuable. So don’t make it so easy for thieves to grab them. A lot of people practice the bad tech habit of leaving their devices unattended at a coffee shop or restaurant booth when they take off to get refills or another cookie. While they’re gone, thieves can simply snatch their devices off the table and speedily leave the restaurant. There are also those people that practice the bad habit of staring so intently into their smart phone screens that they don’t spare any attention for their surroundings. It’s simple for crooks to sneak up next to these distracted folks, sock them and then escape with their smart phones or tablets.

Bad Health

Some of the bad habits noted by PCWorld will make you sick. You can damage your back or develop carpal tunnel syndrome if you slump over in your chair while typing on your keyboard. You could damage your vision or get headaches if you stare too long into your screens every day. And if you don’t allow yourself to take breaks from your screens while on the job you can suffer from anything from back aches to eye strain to general fatigue. Stop these three bad habits by requiring yourself to take at least short breaks from your screens while at work.

Lost Data, Personal Information

Some of PCWorld’s bad tech habits can leave you lacking your most crucial files or expose your personal details to hackers. Do you use the same password for multiple Web sites? You may be in serious trouble, then, if a hacker cracks that password and gains access to the private data you have stored at these websites. Do you make the serious oversight of not backing up your important files? If your computer’s hard drive should crash, you might lose all of them.

You might be surprised which mobile device is hacked the most

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Mobile devices have been looked at as safer. Desktop and laptop computers, the theory goes, are far more vulnerable to hackers and cyber criminals. That’s true to a certain degree. But hackers are advanced enough today to compromise tablets and smartphones, as well. And there’s one particular mobile device that gets hacked a lot more often than any other. According to a recent story by Business Insider, it’s the iPhone that is the most hackable mobile device.

Targeted iPhone

Business Insider reports on the recent study “25 Years of Vulnerabilities” by Web security firm SourceFire. The report tracks the number of Critical Vulnerabilities – also known as CREs – experienced by a variety of devices and software. When it came to mobile devices, Apple’s iPhone line had experienced way more hacks than does every other. The SourceFire report found 210 CVE reports on iPhone devices. In comparison, it found just 24 for Android devices.

Why?

What’s behind the disparity? Why does the iPhone suffer so many more hack attacks? There isn’t any one simple answer. Business Insider, though, questions whether the ongoing popularity of the iPhone is behind the higher numbers. Naturally, it seems sensible that hackers would like to target the most popular mobile devices. There’s a fault with this argument, though. Last year, the buzz and market share of Android-powered mobile devices soared. But even though this happened, the number of CVE reports on Android devices actually fell. So as the devices became more popular, they actually suffered fewer attacks.

Another explanation?

In an interview with the ZDNet Web site, the author of the SourceFire report marvels if hackers don’t target the iPhone more frequently because it’s more of a challenge. Since of course, Android relies on an open platform. As a result it’s relatively easy for criminals and scammers to create malicious apps for this platform. Users could then download them to their phones by themselves. Hacking the iPhone, which does not use an open platform, might be more challenging. Which may inspire the nation’s best hackers.

Time to buy a computer monitor? Do your research

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It’s time for you to purchase a new LCD computer monitor. Your first notion is to head right down to the local electronics or department store to get the biggest monitor you can locate at the most reasonable price. That seems like a good idea. But there’s actually more to choosing a computer monitor than price and size. Manufacturers provide a number of monitor types. And not all types are ideal for you. The message here? Don’t rush out and buy the first LCD monitor you see. Research before you buy and find the monitor that best fits your needs.

What matters

As the Lifehacker Web site says, before you buy a computer monitor, you need to know just how you use your computer. Do you devote long hours playing video games? Perhaps you like to watch your favorite tv shows and movies using your pc. Or perhaps you just use your computer to search the Web and answer e-mail . However you use your computer, there’s a monitor that is ideal for you, says Lifehacker. You just need to find it.

Types

The Coding Horror blog, by writer Jeff Atwood, states that most monitors sold these days are TN models. This is because these monitors are less expensive. They also have screens that respond swiftly. But TN monitors aren’t perfect. Coding Horror ranks their viewing angles and color reproduction capabilities as only average. Computer users can also choose from IPS monitors, which boast excellent color reproduction and excellent viewing angles. Their response times are solid, though not as quick as those of TN monitors. The downside? They are the most expensive monitors in the marketplace.

The affordable choice

VA monitors are also well-liked. Coding Horror ranks them between IPS and TN monitors. These monitors feature better color reproduction and viewing angles than TN monitors. But they also feature slower screen-response times compared to TN monitors. They are more costly than TN monitors are but less expensive than IPS versions.