Looking Forward to 2012

It’s the last week of the year, but 2011 is far from over.

Whether you’ve followed the political revolutions or the economic reformations, the events of this year will resonate for the rest of this decade, if not longer.

Where technology is concerned, this year has been pivotal. This will forever be the year the world lost Steve Jobs, possibly the greatest innovator of commercial technology since Thomas Edison. However Mr. Jobs did not part this world before we had all realized what he already knew: the future of the personal computer is mobility, agility and simplicity. In years to come 2011 may mark the beginning of the end of a second generation of users, still chained by mouse and keyboard to hulking PCs, still tethered to wall sockets, to draw sustenance of both power and information.

Why You Don’t Need to Regularly Reinstall Windows

One of the most persistent myths about Windows is that you need to reinstall the operating system regularly to keep it running at top performance. Let’s take a look at the real problem and how to fix it.

Let’s talk a little bit about “Windows rot” and how to solve the problem. Windows doesn’t slow down or “rot” if you were to just take care of your PC a little more. Follow these tips, and you won’t have to waste your precious time spend hours backing up data, installing from disc, and re-installing your essential applications.

Registry 101 & Why Your Registry Cleaner is Useless

10 Q&A’s about Your PC’s Registry & Registry Cleaners

Backstory

When I first came to Reimage, I had a lot to learn. I had no knowledge or experience in computer repair, being merely a content writer. My first few months working at Reimage, I had nothing but questions. One thing that completely mystified me was the topic of a computer’s registry and the role of registry cleaners in the PC repair market. I’d used them before on my own computer, in the effort to speed up PC performance and was convinced it was the be-all and end-all of home computer maintenance.

4 Ways to Keep the Ghouls & Goblins Away From Your PC

The Ghouls – Internet Hackers

“Hackers are attacking PCs with Internet access every 39 seconds.”

- Hackers Attack Every 39 Seconds – James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland

The Goblins – Free Downloads

Based on last month’s poll results, it’s pretty clear that the majority of voters, that is, 58% of you wait for feedback from trusted sources before you update your browser. But how do you decide if a “trusted source” is to be trusted? What should you look for?

Anti-Virus Programs Only Do Half the Job

Once your computer has been infected with a virus, it’s no longer your computer. After removing it with your trusty anti-virus software, you’re often left with lingering side-effects. The symptoms vary, but the bottom line is the same: Your computer doesn’t work the way it used to.  Your favorite programs crash frequently, your registry entries are a mess and even your “Cute Kittens of the Month” desktop wallpaper is mysteriously missing.

Why did this happen? You’ve already removed the virus. Shouldn’t the havoc it caused go away, along with it? What about the damage caused to your system? Isn’t it simply erased, along with the malware that caused it?

What You Should Use to Fix Your PC: Registry Cleaners vs. Anti-Virus

If you’re computer is crashing and freezing all the time and some funny looking blue screen pops up every once in awhile, you may have some problems with your PC. Even if you don’t think you have problems with your PC, you probably still do. When your Internet Explorer shuts down every once in awhile while you’re browsing or you get an error message when you try to run a program, something is wrong with your PC. At this point, you have a couple options. You may want to choose a registry cleaner or you might want to use an anti-virus service. What happens if you need both or something completely different? Let’s clear up some confusion, in case there is any.

New Coalition Formed to Fight Malware

Three groups set up “Chain of Trust” initiative… read more.

New Malware Targets Small Businesses

Computers that are not connected to the Web are also in danger… read more.

This Week’s Industry News

• Conficker Disguised as Antivirus Software
• Ford’s Name Used to Spread Malicious Software
• Multi Malware Attacks on Twitter
• Report: Malware Rates Reach New High in 2008
• Finjan: 1.9 Million Computers Controlled by Single Botnet

Industry News by Reimage.com

To keep everyone in touch with latest trends relating to the PC repair industry, cybercrime, viruses and malware we have launched a new “articles” section. You can subscribe to each category by an RSS feed. We hope you enjoy them!