|
Home Page |
Main Article Index | FREE
XP Newsletter
October 2004
-
UpdateXP.com
Newsletter...
Subscriber List: 25,112
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.updatexp.com
Making Windows XP a little easier...
-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE note that this is an "opt-in" newsletter. The
ONLY way to
receive it is to complete the online form and reply to the
verification email I send out.
Therefore you are receiving this email because you asked to... If
you no longer wish to please use the subscription management tools
at the end of this newsletter.
ATTENTION AOL USERS:
Please add us to your address book so you have no trouble receiving
future issues!
This Newsletter's Contents:
...Introduction
1. YOU Downloaded By The Thousands!
2. Can I Have YOUR Help?
3. Microsoft Release FREE Photo Software!
4. TODAY My Firewall & AntiVirus Failed Me...
5. Google Quick Tip 1
6. Are Using The Microsoft Online Community?
7. Slipstreaming XP Service Pack 2...
8. FREE XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility
9. Google Quick Tip 2
10. Infopackets Newsletter
11. InterVideo Update DVD Plugin For WMP10
12. STOP Your Internet Dial Up Number Changing
13. Google's Advance Searching But NOT At Google!
14. Can New Worm Turn Off Windows FireWall?
15. Got An XP Article?
16. New Links Page... What Sites can YOU Recommend?
17. Keep Your Files, MP3 And Photo's Safe...
18. TEN Digital Media Products For The Price Of ONE!
19. Think YOU Really Know XP - Take The Test!
20. Media Center Edition 2005 Is Here!
-----------------------------
...Introduction
-----------------------------
A few days late but here is the
October 2004
newsletter!
Well over 1/2 a million visits to the site in October 2004
so I guess UpdateXP.com is providing a popular service?
I always welcome ideas and suggestions from newsletter
subscribers and so when a few of you asked if I could add
PDF files to ALL my articles, who was I to say NO!
So now you will see a PDF download link on each new article,
one click and you can have any article copied to your PC -
complete with active links.
Also, coming very soon to the site is a review of the new
Portable Media Center (PMC).... Microsoft sent me a review
machine a few weeks ago and I have been putting it
through it's paces ever since.
-----------------------------------------------------
1. YOU Downloaded By The Thousands!
-----------------------------------------------------
In the last email I sent out I mentioned a great piece
of software that I use on all my PC's and Laptop's...
WinTasks 5 Professional.
Well It seems many of YOU agreed it was worth a look at
and so downloaded the FREE 15 day fully functional trial.
After all what did you have to lose?
However a few emails came in wanting to know a bit more
about the software, so....
I have now placed an article on my site that gives some
more details about the benefits of the software:
http://www.updatexp.com/wintasks-5-professional.html
I also got a few emails asking about the Windows XP Task
Manager and any tips I might have about its use..
So....
I have placed an article about that on my site too!
http://www.updatexp.com/windows-xp-task-manager.html
---------------------------------------------------
2. Can I Have YOUR Help?...
---------------------------------------------------
...Can you help me out?
I need to know what version of Windows
*YOU*
are using...
This will allow me to write the kind of articles that
you will find the most helpful.
PLEASE visit the main page of my website and complete
the online POLL, it would be a huge help to me.
www.updatexp.com
(Towards the bottom of the page...)
I shall share the results of the poll in the November 2004
newsletter.
Thanks!
---------------------------------------------------
3. Microsoft Release FREE Photo Software!
---------------------------------------------------
Fantastic news...
With the release of Microsoft Photo Story 3 *YOU* can now
animate your photos automatically, create your own effects
with pan and zoom options, add transitions, captions, and
titles to give your story a professional look!
The following "review" and " video samples" spills the beans
on this wonderful FREE software from Microsoft.
http://www.updatexp.com/microsoft-photo-story-3.html
Check it out and make sure you grab YOUR copy!
---------------------------------------------------
4. TODAY My Firewall & AntiVirus Failed Me...
---------------------------------------------------
Ever get SPAM emails?
Sure you do, we ALL do!
But unlike many I welcome the ones that have some sort of
scam involved..... Crazy, well erm...
No.
You see I like to investigate them... honest.
You can "track" many of these emails back to where they
came from - if you know how.
Now, the other day I was doing this on a "test" laptop
that I use for this sort of thing.
After a heavy session of "Spam Tracking" I ran Wintasks
5 Professional and spotted something VERY ODD!
There was an active process coming from the Registry...
Immediately I knew this had to be some kind of "Spyware".
So I ran a complete sweep of the laptop using the powerful
utility SpySweeper ver 3.0
What I saw "alarmed" me....
It was worse than Spyware! This was a "KeyLogger!"
Keyloggers capture details about your passwords etc. and
then pass them back to the culprit who put the small piece
of software on your PC!!!
Yep, ALL your online banking passwords, PayPal account etc.
Scary eh?
Now I am glad SpySweeper 3.0 detected this KeyLogger, and I
would have expected nothing less from this wonderful software.
BUT, what about my Firewall and AntiVirus Software? Well it
seems this is the case for many KeyLoggers... *YOU* need to
have additional protection against them!
So why not check YOUR PC now with SpySweeper 3.0
You can use it FREE for 30 days!
Just remember to update the "definitions" FIRST to ensure
you have the latest database installed.
Grab your copy here:
http://www.updatexp.com/spysweeper-trial
You might just be SURPRISED at what you find!
---------------------------------------------------
5. Google Quick Tip 1
---------------------------------------------------
Here is a feature of Google that you might use.
Suppose you wish to search just ONE website with a keyword.
Well one option is to use Google's index of that website.
An example?
Suppose I wanted to search www.cnn.com for the search term:
Al Gore
What I would type into Google's search box would be:
Al Gore site:cnn.com
...that would then list all the refernces to Al Gore on
www.cnn.com
Perhaps I wanted to search the BBC website for Britney
Spears?
You guessed it:
Britney Spears site:bbc.co.uk
Now supposed I wanted a picture of Britney Spears from the
BBC website? (...This is just an illustration!)
Well I would type the same again, but this time into the
"Images" search at Google.
So as you can see the search syntax:
site:
can be useful...
---------------------------------------------------
6. Are Using The Microsoft Online Community?
---------------------------------------------------
Over the last 18 months Microsoft have made a real
effort to setup a better "community" area online.
Microsoft "communities" provide opportunities to
interact with Microsoft employees, experts, and your peers
in order to share knowledge and news about Microsoft
products and related technologies.
If you have not had an opportunity to use this resource
check it out now at:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/default.mspx
You may even meet me in one of the newsgroups!
---------------------------------------------------
7. Slipstreaming XP Service Pack 2...
---------------------------------------------------
If you have an original Windows XP CD and a download
of XP Service Pack 2...
Why not "combine" them together on ONE CD?
This is known as "slipstreaming" and is a popular
technique amongst IT professionals.
Paul Thurrott has an excellent article on his website
that shows you how to do this step by step:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp
---------------------------------------------------
8. FREE XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility
---------------------------------------------------
Microsoft have released a "Video Decoder Checkup" tool.
This utility indicates whether an MPEG-2 decoder is
compatible with the synchronization feature of Windows
Media Player 10 or whether an MPEG-2 decoder is compatible
with the recorded TV playback feature of Windows XP
Media Center Edition.
It is available here:
http://www.updatexp.com/videoutility
Of course it is free...
---------------------------------------------------
9. Google Quick Tip 2
---------------------------------------------------
Another syntax tip for using with Google.com
define:
If I am given a word and I am not sure it means I look
it up at Google.com
e.g.
define:RAM
This would look up at Google the definition of RAM
define:avogadro
This would look up at Google the definition of avogadro
and so on....
Why not check it out for yourself sometime?
---------------------------------------------------
10. Infopackets Newsletter
---------------------------------------------------
Infopackets.com has been established online since 2001
and is run by Dennis Fass.
He sends out a newsletter aimed at "new and intermediate"
computer users and if you fit into this category, you
may want to check his newsletter out:
http://www.infopackets.com
---------------------------------------------------
11. InterVideo Update DVD Plugin For WMP10
---------------------------------------------------
InterVideo have updated their extremely popular DVD Plugin
for Windows Media Player.
It now works with all the additional features of WMP10 and
is fully compatible with WMP9 and WMP XP (8).
If you have been looking for an inexpensive way to view
DVD's on your PC then this is the software you require:
http://www.updatexp.com/wmp-dvd-plugin
---------------------------------------------------
12. STOP Your Internet Dial Up Number Changing
---------------------------------------------------
A friend of mine, who uses a dial-up connection, emailed
me last week about his concerns regarding "premium rate"
numbers being used to connect to the internet - without
the user knowing...
Well he did some research on the subject and found
a little utility that *BLOCKS* the change of your
Dial Up connection telephone number.
This is a handy little tool that can give you
confidence online!
Find it at:
http://www.updatexp.com/dial-guard
---------------------------------------------------
13. Google's Advance Searching But NOT At Google!
---------------------------------------------------
www.soople.com
A site that "softens" all the fantastic (advanced) functions
Google.com offers.
This site is great for all those who are not yet familiar with
all the functions and required syntaxes to perform advance
searches at the worlds most popular search engine.
I have had some fun checking out this site and if "power"
searching is your thing, give this site a go sometime.
Try it out at:
http://www.soople.com
---------------------------------------------------
14. Can New Worm Turn Off Windows FireWall?
---------------------------------------------------
Antivirus vendors are warning of a new variant of the
Bagle worm discovered today, that can turn off the
firewall in Windows XP.
Bagle-AT, also known as Bagle-BB, -AU, and -BC, -BD,
spreads as an attachment in an email with simple
subject lines such as:
RE: Thanks ;-)
and an attachment with the filename:
Price or Joke and a variety of extensions.
If run, the worm copies itself locally and edits
the Windows XP Registry so that it starts automatically
when the computer is booted up.
It harvests the disk drive for email addresses and
installs an email proxy server to send itself on to
these addresses, while avoiding domains of well-known
antivirus companies.
This can also be used for the subsequent mailing of
spam!
It also copies itself to folders used on file-sharing
networks, attempts to connect to a number of websites
and download the file G.JPG, and opens port 81 to
listen for remote commands.
Trend Micro is reporting that the worm also has the
ability to disable the Internet Connection Firewall
(ICF), Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and Security
Center Service in Windows XP.
If you HAVE NOT updated your anti-virus software DO IT
NOW!
No AntiVirus software installed?
Get some now... EVEN one of the FREE ones at:
http://www.updatexp.com/free.html
---------------------------------------------------
15. Got An XP Article?
---------------------------------------------------
Fancy yourself as an IT writer?
Why not send in an article related to Windows XP, or
a software review?
If it is good enough I will publish it on my website
and of course give you a link back to your site
if you have one.
If this is something you would be interested in them
drop me a line via the website contact form:
http://www.updatexp.com/contact.html
---------------------------------------------------
16. New Links Page... What Sites can YOU Recommend?
---------------------------------------------------
After many emails from newsletter subscribers I am
now setting up a "Links" page...
However, I want to make this a links page that is
based on *YOUR* recommendations!
So....
Got a Windows XP website you like, then why not share
it with the rest of us?
Do you have an IT related website? Why not get it
listed too?
Drop me a line via the website contact form at:
http://www.updatexp.com/contact.html
---------------------------------------------------
17. Keep Your Files, MP3 And Photo's Safe...
---------------------------------------------------
As we get older we seem to accumulate more and more
digital pictures, MP3 music files etc...
But what do we do about backing them up?
What do we do about sharing them securely?
Well one solution, that is growing in popularity, is
the use of "Online Storage" solutions.
Unlike regular web hosting you do NOT have a "bandwidth"
restriction, so sharing large files becomes less troublesome.
Companies like "X-Drive" even give you Risk Free Trial.
No commitment. Cancel anytime!
Find out more about this offer at:
http://www.updatexp.com/online-data-storage.html
---------------------------------------------------
18. TEN Digital Media Products For The Price Of ONE!
---------------------------------------------------
Also in the news this week....
CyberLink have just announced a new offer in time for the
Christmas market.
The Ultimate Burning and Creativity Suite!
Essentially *YOU* get TEN digital media products in ONE...
DVD Burning & Creativity Just Got Better!
http://www.updatexp.com/Ultimate-DVD-Burning-and-Creativity-Suite
---------------------------------------------------
19. Think YOU Really Know XP - Take The Test!
---------------------------------------------------
Microsoft recently rolled out its' Assessment Tools
online.
Are YOU up to the challenge of taking the Windows XP
assessment to see what your REALLY know about it?
Go on, surprise yourself...
http://www.updatexp.com/microsoft-skills-assessment
---------------------------------------------------
20. Media Center Edition 2005 Is Here!
---------------------------------------------------
This coming Thursday I am at Microsoft UK for the day.
One of the things I am looking forward too, is playing
around with the new MCE 2005 (Media Center Edition 2005).
TV, DVD, Music, Photo's etc.. ALL on ONE machine that can
then share the content around the house....
Find Out more at:
http://www.updatexp.com/media-center-edition-2005
----------------------------------------------------
I hope you found this newsletter useful?
Until next time!
Don't forget to tell your friends about us!
Kind Regards
Marc Liron
Microsoft MVP - Digital Media
Sign Up For This
FREE
XP Newsletter Here!
NB - I am
currently changing to a "new look" for this website, some pages may
still be in the old style
The views on this website are
my own and
NOT that of Microsoft!
I am not responsible for the content of any sites linked to.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be
the trademarks of their respective owners.
This page was last updated
30th October 2004
Home Page |
Privacy Policy
| Windows XP
Tips | About Me
|
Contact Me
|
