JUNE 2012_Beverly Hills Times Mag. 6/25/12 1:15 PM Page 39
social networking • video games People always ask: “How do I protect myself and my computer from online threats and viruses.” Most aren!t aware that over 6,000 new computer viruses are released on average each month. Your virus protection needs to be updated frequently OR you are exposing your computer to threats that can wipe you out. Most of your computers are connected to the internet 24 hours a day. TRANSLATION: that exposes you to online threats and hackers more. One of the most important elements protecting you from hacks and viruses is your computer!s firewall. Basically like your computer “bodyguard” the firewall projects you 24/7 and blocks all entrances and exits to your computer keeping it safe and secure. Each virus targets something different; some have been around for more than 20 years. ONE NASTY VIRUS you need to be very aware of is SPYWARE. Spyware is vicious because it “self-installs” on your computer and is capable of retrieving all of your passwords and personal information.
With millions of people using online banking, etc., the best way to avoid a computer virus is by not downloading attachments from your email unless you know 100% its NOT a virus. • Be aware of what you click. • ALWAYS copy and paste the URL into the address bar. My Top Two Favorite Anti-virus Programs 1. Bitdefender.com Antivirus Plus ($29.99). 2. Malwarebytes.org ($24.99). These two anti-virus programs are much less expensive than others and work better. Each subscription is ONLY one year so make sure you continually upgrade to keep yourself safe. $20-30 is a small investment to keeping yourself and your personal information safe.
Buying a new computer? PC vs MAC—Whats the better choice? Over the years I!ve purchased and made many computers, both PC and MAC. People ask me to assist them in purchasing computers all the time because with so many options it can be confusing and you want the biggest bang for your buck. Let!s talk about PC hardware. The important element here is Memory/Ram. Mac computers come with a standard 1-4 GB of ram; most PC's have 2GB-8GB of ram. Ram is extremely important as it is a form of computer data storage. If your computer is running slow, the first thing people normally do is upgrade the ram. Apple runs extremely clean and is very stable. From years of experience, I see PC's crashing more than MAC's. Another GREAT advantage to Mac computers is you!ve got the option to run windows software; meaning you can run a PC from your MAC computer which offers tremendous benefits. MAC's are made by Apple and ONLY Apple. Parts, service, anything to do with a MAC must be serviced at a MAC center. Most Apple prices are the same anywhere you go, so you don't have the freedom to upgrade your computer where you want. It!s their price (higher price) or the highway! PC computers are very flexible to upgrades and repairs You can bring your PC to pretty much anywhere, or even fix it yourself. Apple products are MUCH more expensive than PC and cost $$$$$$$ to upgrade. All computers are built from the same parts, the BIG differences is the software. I recently purchased a new computer that I then custom built on frys.com and paid $900 for it. If I purchased the same one from Apple the cost would of been around $1400-$1600. My overall computer-buying recommendations from 15 years of experience... I would stick with a PC. If you want a combination of Mac and PC, I suggest that you purchase a MAC computer. Most of the programs that you find on a MAC computer can also be used on a PC,—you just need to find the correct version available.
THE WORLD OF VIDEO GAMES If you are into Video games and want to enjoy a nice friendly community then you need to check out a terrific gaming site: www.steamcommunity.com. STEAM is the worlds largest online gaming platform, offering over 1,800 games to choose from. The STEAM community has over 35 million active users and is open to more than 237 countries and 21 different languages. STEAM gives the freedom to play what you want to play and do what you want to do. Some of the biggest game titles in the world are released on STEAM and gives you the option to buy, then directly download the game of your choice without having to drive to your local game store to buy it. The STEAM client is very computer/game user friendly, but it!s also easy to use and work with. With STEAM you can play your favorite games, while building a group/community of regular players. STEAM makes it easy to play games because it automatically updates all your games and library, and offers special puffers and game discounts. STEAM was made by a company VALVE who made award-winning games like Half-Life, Counter-strike and Left For Dead. If you like video games, then download STEAM—a free service, offering free games like the award winning Team Fortress 2. Get ready for the game—Dota2—also on STEAM, and free to play. Valve makes high-quality games— and they made STEAM where an average of four million people go online at one time. Check out the new STEAM app also on all Android and iOS devices. Have fun and goodluck! !
NEXT ISSUE:
I will be covering the E 3 EXPO, the biggest electronic and technology convention on June 5-7, in the Los Angeles Convnetion Center. I’ll keep you posted....
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