Gloss How-To: Ditch Your Cable And Get TV From The Internet

Gloss How To: Ditch Your Cable And Get TV From The InternetHi, my name is Jennifer and I’ve been cable-free since January 1, 2010.

Since cutting out cable nine months ago, I’ve not only been able to keep up with my favorite TV programs, but I’ve saved more than $1000 to boot, thanks to a number of the digital innovations now available. But even without the ol’ cable box stand-by, TV diet rich in streaming video and online content can still be just as satisfying, and necessary for anyone who wants to enjoy their favorite shows and movies anytime, anywhere.

Despite a long and colorful history of fighting to suppress new devices and technology in the consumer market (Congressional hearings about the “savagery and the ravages of” the VCR ring a bell?), TV and film studios have finally relented to allow users to watch their content online… but with a few restrictions, of course, until they decide whether streaming services are friends or foes. Case in point: The newest seasons of HBO shows like “True Blood” aren’t even made available on Amazon or iTunes until after the DVDs are released, and some programs like live awards shows are downright impossible to find streaming (legally) online.

As to be expected, few things in life are truly free (or at least without some strings attached), so after rental fees, new equipment and the aforementioned strings, is making the switch really worth it? Check out the breakdown below and decide for yourself — you might discover a whole new way to watch your favorite TV shows, and save a few bucks while you’re at it!

Watch Your Favorite Shows Online


Free Service: Hulu

Has your roommate commandeered the TV to watch the “Rock of Love” marathon on VH1? Hulu’s got you covered. The streaming service offers same-day availability for your favorite NBC, FOX and ABC shows, as well as exclusives like behind-the-scenes clips and interviews, and even some original programming. Commercials are unavoidable but with Hulu, you at least have the option to watch a show with either limited commercial interruption, or a full-length 2-3 minute version beforehand. Click “yes” or “no” to tell Hulu whether a commercial is relevant to you or not – if you are forced

Only a handful of the most recent episodes are usually available for free, but for users who want access to the entire season, past and present, there’s Hulu Plus for only $10 a month.

One major caveat: While “30 Rock,” “Glee” and “Modern Family” fans will rejoice, “True Blood” and “Mad Men” addicts will be thoroughly disappointed.

Paid Services: Netflix, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand, Blockbuster On Demand

Screen shot 2010 09 28 at 7.57.14 AM Gloss How To: Ditch Your Cable And Get TV From The InternetTo complement Hulu’s free albeit somewhat limited service, I love Netflix‘s “Watch Instantly” video streaming. For only $8.99 a month, Netflix subscribers enjoy DVD rentals-by-mail, as well as unlimited hours of commercial-free streaming media on your computer, smartphone or Apple iPad. The newest episodes may not be immediately available, but with a huge library of over 17,000 titles, ”Watch Instantly” is perfect for catching up on past seasons, or TV shows you’ve been meaning to check out for some time. Interestingly, the service also offers a sizable collection of British comedies like “Keeping Up Appearances,” “The I.T. Crowd,” and original “The Office.” Bonus: Netflix “Watch Instantly” is poised to take on HBO and other premium channels after making a deal last month to stream more than 3,000 films from three major studios.

Priced at $1.99 each, $2.99 for HD, episodes on Amazon and iTunes aren’t as cheap as Netflix but there are savings if you buy full seasons at a time instead of individual episodes. Even with the slightly higher cost, it may be worth it depending on how eager you are to watch the newest episodes. And since these are purchased to buy and not just to rent, fans of “Mad Men” and “Entourage” will be able to watch each episode over and over again.

If you need to catch up on Showtimes series like “Weeds,” “Dexter” and “The Tudors,” Blockbuster On Demand offers $1.99 rentals for the entire season – yup, that’s less than $2 for all 542 scandalous minutes of “The Tudors” Season 2, a bargain in any book.

Network Websites

In the past, networks have been notoriously uncool about their shows being available online, but nowadays, network Websites can be a surprisingly decent resource for free content. The price is right but these sites are at most, just a complement to another service as only a handful of shows from select shows are usually available in full. Another drawback: Web-exclusive interactive features. I applaud MTV.com’s efforts to encourage audience participation, but for those of us who just want to watch “Jersey Shore” in secret, the real-time chat windows and “Like” options that flank the screen are annoying distractions.

From the Internet To Your 90″ Flatscreen


Even if you lose the monthly cable subscription, that doesn’t mean you’ll watch to ditch the new LCD flatscreen you splurged on this summer. Instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV including movies and shows, music playlists and more using any one of these Internet connected devices:

Game Consoles

Not only do they play games and DVDs, but the Playstation 3, Wii, and XBox 360 also stream thousands of HD movies and episodes from Netflix on your TV at the touch of a button.

Stand-Alone Boxes

Stand-alone boxes like the new Apple TV, Roku Streaming Player, TiVo Premiere, and the soon-to-be-released Google TV tap into specific services in order to stream content on your TV:

With the compact Apple TV, users can stream shows or movies from they’ve rented from iTunes and Netflix on their TV,  iPad, the new iPod Touch, iPhone, and Mac computer.

By connecting wirelessly to your high-speed Internet connection, Roku does not require a computer for streaming and works with existing subscriptions like Netflix or free and on-demand content like Amazon VOD. Roku is available in a few models ($60 – $100), including the XDS, which works with any TV up to 1080p for the biggest streaming experience you can get.

The TiVO Premiere ($299) is an all-in-one cable box, movie box, web box, and music box that connects to your cable service and offers full HD support. Users have access to a massive content library from TiVO partners including Netflix, Amazon VOD and Blockbuster On Demand, as well as shows on cable channels and over-the-air digital TV. Schedule recordings online or your mobile phone and record up to 45 hours of content – or 150 hours with the Premiere XL ($499).

Not much about the Google TV has been confirmed but as we told you earlier, reports say it will stream video from Netflix, free online content like YouTube and DISH Network for current subscribers.

In the market for a new TV or Blu-Ray player? A growing number of Internet connected TVs and Blu-Ray players are now pre-loaded with software tap into services likes Netflix, Amazon VOD and more.

Get Your TV Listings Online


Updated 09/28/10 12:35p EST: Ditching the cable doesn’t mean you have to lose those handy-dandy TV listings, too.  Online programming guide Clicker.com is easy to navigate, whether you’re looking for a new episode of “House” or browsing through Web-exclusive videos like Revision3′s “Totally Rad Show” (one of my favorites). Manage your “Clicker Playlist” or get your social networkin’ on by following friends to see what they’re watching. You can even check-in to favorite shows à la Foursquare to earn badges for show loyalty — that “Party Down” badge is so mine!

Turn Your Mac or PC Into a TV/DVR Combo


With a USB TV tuner like the EyeTV Hybrid by Elgato ($150), users can watch and record basic cable channels as well as free over-the-air digital TV on their Mac or PC — no fancy flatscreen TV required. Award-winning software lets you set up schedules to record favorite shows in HD, watch, pause or rewind live TV, edit out unwanted content like commercials, and even export to your iPod, iPhone or iPad. Score!

elgatoeyetv 300x177 Gloss How To: Ditch Your Cable And Get TV From The InternetThe EyeTV Hybrid by Elgato

Cutting Cable, By The Numbers

According to the Time Warner website, a year of digital cable including Choice Tier channels, HBO and Showtime On Demand, Movies Pass, an HD DVR Box and monthly service would cost me $1151.76, before taxes. What do I pay now? By sticking to Hulu, Netflix ($8.99 a month, and an array of Websites, my yearly cost is somewhere around $107. Even the occasional Amazon VOD purchase (one $1.99 episode every week) only bumps my grand yearly total to $203.40. As I have no fancy TV or “Mad Men” addiction to speak of, my costs may be significantly lower but even taking into account equipment costs and nightly purchases on Amazon or iTunes, you may be surprised to find how much money you can save.

What do you think about a cable-free existence? Would you make the switch?

Computers, Gadgets, Gloss How-To, How-To, Internet, Television, Video, Websites Shortlink

Gloss How-To: Watch Fashion Week Runway Shows Live Online

Main Image 300x214 Gloss How To: Watch Fashion Week Runway Shows Live OnlineEven if you can’t make it to New York Lincoln Center for Fashion Week, you can still get a front row seat to all the action as a growing number of designers opt to stream their shows live online.

Always on the cutting edge, designers been incorporating more and more technological elements to their shows. This Saturday, Alexander Wang will project a video of his SS11 collection onto buildings in fives in Lower Manhattan, while designers like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger will post footage for fans on their Facebook pages.

Watching online may not be as thrilling as the real thing but at least you won’t have to worry about what to wear.

Log on to these sites to catch all the fabulous action:

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week – Check out a full schedule of digital events including live streams for all the big shows including Derek Lam, Donna Karan, Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, and Tommy Hilfiger, among others.

First Comes Fashion – See live shows from 30 designers including Oscar de la Renta and Vivienne Tam, as well as exclusive backstage and postshow coverage.

Milk Made and AOL Stylist – Watch webcasts of shows from hip, up-and-coming designers as well as more established names like Erin Fetherston, Peter Som and Preen.

Style.com – The online fashion mecca will live-stream about 15 shows including Proenza Schouler and 3.1 Phillip Lim.

Fashion, Gloss How-To, How-To, Tips, Video, Websites Shortlink

Gloss How-To: Use Apple’s “Ping” Social Network on iTunes

itunes101 300x280 Gloss How To: Use Apples Ping Social Network on iTunesSteve Jobs’ bare neck wasn’t the only major unveiling at yesterday’s Apple media event. Revamped iPods, updates for iOS 4.1, an iTunes overhaul and the long-rumored Apple TV were also announced but for me, the presentation for Ping, Apple’s new social network for music, was the most exciting. (Jobs’ missing turtleneck, a close second.)

With Ping, music-lovers can follow their friends and favorite artists to discover what music people are talking about, listening to, and downloading. Users can listen to music recommended by their favorite artists and friends, watch exclusive artist videos, create customized Top 10 playlists and access to more than 17,000 concert listings.

A music-centric “Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes” (as described by Jobs) that updates my feeds with cool music instead people’s Farmville status, and lets you follow your friends and favorite artists? Sounds cool, no? So how do you get started?

MORE on GLOSS: An Overview of the Apple Keynote Event: New iPods, Apple TV, iTunes Social Network

Get iTunes 10

First, you’ll have to install the new iTunes 10 – download it for free at apple.com/itunes. The music service got a huge overhaul with this latest update so don’t be shocked if the new iTunes almost looks unrecognizable. Not only has the iTunes  logo been changed, but your library now includes Hybrid View, a feature that shows album artwork within your playlist. (For some, I’m sure this is a cool add-on but since I lack album art, the feature is more annoying and obtrusive than anything.)

Once iTunes 10 has been installed, open iTunes and find the new Ping link that’s right above your Playlists. If you double click on the link, Ping will pop-out as a separate window, which is helpful if you’re on Ping but want to do stuff in your iTunes library. You’ll be prompted to sign-in using an Apple ID or AOL account – if you don’t have either, you can easily set up an Apple ID for free.

After logging in, you can upload a profile photo and fill-in the basic “About Me” section. To help Ping get a better sense of your musical tastes, click the “Genres I Like” button to choose your top 3 favorites. Your playlists, downloads and songs played in iTunes or on your iPhone/iPod Touch will also be used to help make artist and album recommendations. (This feature will get better once there’s more user content.)

Privacy Settings

Scroll down and you’ll find these privacy settings options:

1. Allow people to follow me. Your activity (including music purchases) would be visible to everyone and anyone can follow you.

1.5. If you allow people to follow, you can choose this option: Require approval to follow me. Your name, photo and where you live will be visible to everyone. Only people you approve will be able to follow you and see complete profile information and activity (including music purchases.)

2. Don’t allow people to follow me. You can follow others but no one can follow you. Your name and photo will appear for some actions, such as writing reviews or adding comments.

You can also scroll down and specify how you want ‘Music I Like’ to be displayed on your profile. Ping is available now on your desktop with iTunes, as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Find Favorite Artists and Friends to Follow

Like Twitter, following your favorite artists and friends on Ping is easy. In iTunes, open ‘Ping’ to see the artists that have been recommended for you follow, based on your playlists and listening habits in iTunes or on your iPhone/iPod Touch. You can also see your favorite artist’s status updates, photos, exclusive videos and even check out what songs they’re listening to lately.

ping Gloss How To: Use Apples Ping Social Network on iTunes

If you know someone already on Ping, use the ‘Search For People or Artists’ function located at the top of the Ping homepage to search for them by name. Invite more friends to Ping by sending email invites, or by connecting to your Facebook account.

Stay Up to Date on Who, What, When and Where with the ’Recent Activity’ Feed

Stay connected with the ‘Recent Activity’ feed, a list of updates showing what friends, artists, and celebrities are up to on iTunes that can be found on your Ping homepage. Find out what others are listening to, who they’re talking about, and what their favorite artists have been up to lately, all on one page. If you want to check up on a specific person, just click on their name to view their recent activities.

Preview 30-second clips of songs recommended by your friends and if you like it, you can download the full version with just a click. Any song or music video on iTunes can also be sent to a friend as a gift, added to your wishlist, or shared on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. To further expand your music tastes and library, you can click on an album to see what other fans are listening to.

“Like” and “Post”

If you do find something cool, share it with your friends and followers by clicking ‘Like.’ You can also recommend a song, album, or friend’s status update – and add comments – with the ‘Post’ button. The ‘Like’ and ‘Post’ options appear in iTunes right below the album image, and on people’s profile page under the Ping menu near the upper left corner,  as well as with the posts and status updates in your Recent Activity feed.

With Ping, the whole artist/fan interaction is pretty cool. For example, one my favorite bands Weezer liked an album by another favorite band — I was able to ‘Like’ it, too, right on their page. Totally silly but also slightly validating… Fans can also leave comments on an artist’s status update, photos or videos. (Once more content is added, this feature will get better!)

Screen shot 2010 09 02 at 7.31.05 AM Gloss How To: Use Apples Ping Social Network on iTunes

Music purchases or reviews that you’ve written will automatically be shared on your feed with everyone who follows you. When you browse the iTunes store, you’ll also be able to see if any of your friends have purchased a song or written a review for the particular album you’re looking at. Another interesting function is “Charts,” which will pull up a brief list of top songs and albums that have been purchased by the people you follow.

Keep in mind that anything you ‘Like,’ ‘Post’ or purchase will show up in your Recent Activity feed for others to see unless you’ve set your profile to be private. (More on this below.)

Find Upcoming Concerts

Whenever you follow an artist, Ping will automatically recommend any upcoming concerts from that artist, and will even tell you which of your friends are planning to go, too. If you want to look for shows for specific artist, click ‘Concerts’ from their artist page in the iTunes Store — 17,000+ have already been posted!

gaga concerts1 Gloss How To: Use Apples Ping Social Network on iTunes

One More Thing…

After installing iTunes 10, I spent a little time on Ping to check it out.  Since it launched yesterday evening, I haven’t accumulated any followers yet but thanks to my usual listening habits, this what my Recent Activity feed would have sent to them if I had any:

Screen shot 2010 09 02 at 2.46.08 AM Gloss How To: Use Apples Ping Social Network on iTunes

I still maintain that Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” is nothing short of awesome but since Ping’s default settings broadcast every ‘Like,’ ‘Post,’ (more on those below) and download to friends and followers, a public mocking would be inevitable, considering the other less meme-y songs on my playlist. So, for those of us who indulge in music’s uh, guiltier pleasures, I’d suggest restricting your profile, being careful when submitting album reviews, and the fact that you own all four of Kajagoogoo’s studio albums - may be best to keep that to yourself…

‘Ping’ Overall

There are a few lackluster elements such as awkward page navigation and a limited number of artists with Ping profiles currently signed up (this will hopefully change though), but once more people join and there’s more user content, Ping could mean major competition for networks like Facebook and Twitter – with or without geo-location services. (Ping currently does not support any location-based services.)

According to Jobs, when Ping launched last night, the service was immediately available to more than 160 million iTunes users in 23 countries! But even with a huge built-in customer base, who knows if it will catch on? (Right, Google Buzz?)

It’s too early to tell since the cooler features of the service require more user content but I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that Ping will be a big success!

Will you be using Ping or have you tried it yet? Ping users: Think this will replace your other social network accounts or will it just be another one on your list? What’s the most embarrassing “guilty pleasure” song you can think of?

Tech questions, ideas or suggestions? E-mail us at geekgloss@mygloss.com!

Apple, How-To, iPhone, iTunes Shortlink

Gloss How-To: Make Phone Calls From Gmail

Google Voicex large 300x200 Gloss How To: Make Phone Calls From GmailUPDATED: Telephone calls to your Inbox? Announced earlier today, Google is launching a Web-based feature that will allow users to place phone calls through their Gmail inboxes.

Working in conjunction with the company’s call forwarding and voicemail service, Google Voice, the phone feature would allow users to make calls to the U.S. and Canada free for at least the rest of the year, and other countries at rates starting at two cents a minute.

With Google Voice users can forward calls to multiple numbers, as well as a computer, set to “ring” for incoming calls. To make a call, click “Call Phone,” in the Chat tab of Gmail. Dial the number on the telephone keypad that will appear and speak using the computer’s microphone. You’ll need to download the voice and video plug-in for it to work.

MORE on GLOSS: How-To Handle Voicemail Like a Pro With Google Voice

The new calling feature doesn’t require a Google Voice number but a voice account will let you answer incoming calls from within Gmail, forward calls and to make your computer “ring.” Google’s calling option should be a lifesaver for people with poor cell phone reception at home.

The app is only available in the U.S and according to USA Today, will roll out over the course of the next few days.

google voice 226x300 Gloss How To: Make Phone Calls From GmailUpdate:

Google announced that over the next few weeks, red Google phone booths will pop up on college campuses around the US so people can demo the new Google Voice/Gmail feature.

Also, we mentioned earlier that calls to the US and Canadian landlines will be free through the end of the year, and international calling rates will start at 2 cents a minute — check out Google’s full list of rates here. Credits can be purchased in blocks of $10 to start, with increments of $20 and $50 available soon, and will continue to roll over month to month for a year before expiring.

Gloss How-To, Google, How-To, Technology Shortlink

Gloss How-To: Avoid Making A PowerPoint Presentation Of Death

sliderocket s1 300x239 Gloss How To: Avoid Making A PowerPoint Presentation Of DeathA slideshow presentation: a helpful visual aid or work-sanctioned torture? The jury’s still out but ever since Microsoft’s PowerPoint vertically wiped onto the scene over 20 years ago, people have had a love/hate relationship with the slideshow presentation. But thanks to the cool, new software from SlideRocket, there’s proof that presentations don’t have to suck out your life force.

As a platform that lets users create, manage, and share presentations online, SlideRocket is taking a revolutionary approach to the ‘traditional’ slide presentation — they were even selected as the official presentation provider at this year’s SXSW festival, the emerging tech-film-music conference in Austin, Texas.

SlideRocket is completely Web-based so you can conveniently access it from any computer or Internet-enabled mobile device. Users can also quickly and easily create presentations that actually won’t make you want to punch yourself. Integrate Flickr and YouTube, add Flash animation or sound and you’ll create a very cool, modern presentation — all without a single piece of drooling kid or stick person clipart in sight.

MORE on GLOSS: For Your Presentation – The Samsung SP-H03 PICO Projector

The receiving end of a presentation can be agony but being the presenter doesn’t make the experience any easier or less painful. So, how can we avoid the pitfalls of a Slide Presentation of Death? SlideRocket’s May Allen shares a few expert tips:

Avoid Text Overload

A presentation’s deadliest sin? “Too much text,” says SlideRocket’s May Allen. And it’s the easiest mistake to avoid. When it comes to the written word, less is more. The text and image aren’t always in harmony either, May points out.

ProfessionalAuthoring 300x213 Gloss How To: Avoid Making A PowerPoint Presentation Of DeathGo Visual (but don’t go crazy)

Choosing a poor color combination is a serious offense. Neon colors meant to grab attention will only blind your audience and make them bitter. May says, “Create a color palette and stick to it.” With SlideRocket, you can easily integrate images from Flickr. ”Sometimes the best slides have no text at all. When you use images effectively, your presentation will sing,” Need some help? Check out this color palette generator.

Of course, avoid the usual suspects like too much animation or tiny font that’s impossible to read. Also opt out of using ridiculous wipes and screen transitions (this isn’t “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”).

Don’t Ignore the Backchannel

When you’re giving a presentation and you notice everyone’s head is down, busily texting away on their phones — you’re not being paranoid. There’s a good chance they’re talking about you on a “backchannel.” Resist the urge to call them out. “Don’t ignore the Twitter backchannel during your presentation. If you do, you’re missing out on an opportunity to engage your audience,” May says. Use the opportunity to spark some conversation and keep them engaged early on. Dish out 140 character sound bites, she suggests. “Tweetable content makes an idea more contagious.”

Stop Wasting Time

Do you really need to spend hours obsessively surfing the Web looking for the perfect image to reinforce your point? ”Team up!” May says. “Stop emailing PowerPoint presentations back and forth and start collaborating in real time.” SlideRocket’s Synchronize and Share functions will help you “save time and easily access the latest and greatest ideas from your team.”

***

SlideRocket is trying to change the way we do presentations but it might be a while before the PowerPoint abuse stops. “300 million people use PowerPoint and most of them use it poorly,” says Ron Galloway, director of the new documentary Rethinking PowerPoint: Conversations About Slide Design & Presenting. In the film, Galloway set out to interview leading experts including Peter Norvig, head of research at Google, and Nancy Duarte, who designed Al Gore’s slides for An Inconvenient Truth, to try and figure out “why PowerPoint doesn’t work.”

Who knows exactly? But in the meantime, it might be best to just stick to SlideRocket.

For more information about SlideRocket and their services, visit their website here.

Computers, Gloss How-To, How-To, Software, Technology Shortlink

Gloss How-To: Keep Your Computer Safe From Hackers

hacker 1472339c 300x231 Gloss How To: Keep Your Computer Safe From HackersWith the recent news of a sophisticated and undetectable computer virus infecting systems and draining bank accounts, computer users are once again reminded that Internet security is paramount.

For some expertise on ways to keep your computer safe from hackers, I went right to the source and asked “hacker for hire” Renee Chronister, Founder and Owner of Parameter Security, a St. Louis-based IT security company and ethical hacking firm.

As Certified Ethical Hackers, Renee and her team are hired to use the same knowledge and tools as malicious hackers to ‘attack’ their client’s network in order to test security and identify weaknesses in the system. To win, you must know your enemy…

But how do you keep your data safe from attack? And can the “average” computer user even do anything to protect themselves from ultra tech-savvy hackers? While Renee stresses that nothing is hacker-proof and 100% secure, there are a few simple steps you can take to decrease your risks of being hacked.

1. Be smart when using public Wi-Fi.

According to Renee, there are varying levels of security when using public Wi-Fi but always make sure you have a firewall on and both anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on your system (more on that below). “There is always a possibility that someone can access your system,” she says, so the best precautionary measure is to simply only access Wi-Fi networks that you trust.

If you have a Wi-Fi account at home or even the office, make sure you have wireless security enabled and change the router’s default password. Also, don’t give your wireless connection a name that’s too descriptive – e.g. “Smith Family” – so avoid using your name, the name of your company, house/apartment number, etc. Renee also suggests that users refrain from sharing too much personal information online, such as home address, phone number, kids’ names, and place of business. The less they know, the better!


2. Forget passwords — use a passphrase.

Passphrases are easier for you to remember but more difficult for a hacker to crack, says Renee. “Maryhadalittlelamb is easier to recall than @$Mary24!” She also advises to add special characters and spaces whenever possible, for example:

M@ry [space] h@d [space] a [space] little [space] l@mb

Also, you should never use the same password for multiple accounts and never, ever use the same password for your bank account and your profiles on social networking sites, since the latter tend to be more susceptible to attacks. After all, who doesn’t know someone who’s had their Facebook account hacked?

Storing Passwords

But with all these new passwords and passphrases, what if you forget which one goes with which account? “It’s not a sin to write them down,” Renee says, “but make sure they are stored in a secure place and not under your keyboard or in desk drawers etc.” A home safe or lockbox at a bank are good places to keep a written list of passwords but make sure you can easily access them when you need to.

And of course: Do not share your password with anyone! (Seriously.)

3. Your firewall has to be ‘ON’.

“You won’t believe how many people say, ‘Yeah, I have a firewall’ and then discover it wasn’t turned on,” Renee says. A firewall, the part of a system or network designed to block unauthorized access, is key to your computer’s overall security. ”Make sure you have a firewall and make sure your firewall is turned on.”

Renee also recommends having both anti-virus software and anti-spyware installed but make sure it’s current, otherwise you increase your risk of being hacked — so always download the software updates when prompted.


4.  Avoid the unknown.

Even with a firewall and anti-virus software in place, she says that users still need to exercise caution and should just avoid anything unfamiliar. “You wouldn’t let a perfect stranger in your house so why would you online,” Renee argues.

*Never visit unfamiliar websites or use URLs you are unsure of.

*Never open emails from people you do not recognize or know. Delete immediately.

*Never open emails that are obviously jokes, mp3 files, pictures, etc. – even if you know the sender, as the files could carry malware (malicious software). Delete immediately.

*Never accept Friend Requests from people you don’t know.

Malicious hackers have a number of tricks up their sleeves: using ‘spoofed’ i.e. fake sites that masquerade as legitimate sites, ‘cloaked’ URLs that appear genuine while concealing the actual address, and slightly altered URLs, just to name a few. Renee adds that even landing on an unfamiliar site without clicking anything can lead to a security breach, if the site is set up to run malicious scripts and programs automatically.

Bottom line? When it comes to anything unknown, be wary — very wary. ”Better to be safe than sorry,” Renee says.


parameter security Gloss How To: Keep Your Computer Safe From HackersFor additional information about Renee and her team of “ethical hackers” or to read their article on Facebook privacy “from a hacker’s point of view”, visit parametersecurity.com. Learn more about Certified Ethical Hackers at eccouncil.org.



Top Photo: Angelina Jolie, hacker extraordinaire, in the 1995 film “Hackers”

Computers, Education, How-To, Internet Shortlink