Saturday, December 4, 2010

Download Your Facebook Profile To Your Computer to save


Did you know that you can download your Facebook profile? Would you like to keep a record of what you have done on Facebook. Other peoples comments and messages to you, even all the pictures you have uploaded and shared. This information is readily available to you and all you have to do is download your Facebook profile.
In this tutorial I will show you how to download your entire Facebook profile to your computer and save it for later. Bare in mind that you will have to do this on a regular basis if you are continually updating your profile with new information.

Download Your Facebook Profile To Your Computer to save

1.  Go to your Facebook account and sign in.
2.  Click on the small drop down arrow next to the account link.
3.  A menu will appear. Choose account settings from the menu. See the screen shot below.
my facebook profile
4.  Now you are in your Facebook account settings.
5.  Make sure you are on the settings tab as shown below.
download your facebook profile
6.  Scroll down the page until you see a heading Download Your Information. See the screen shot below.
download your facebook profile
7.  The next page will appear. Click on the download button.
download your facebook profile to your computer
8.  A message will appear. You will receive an email when your archive is ready for download.
facebook profile
When you receive your email you can unzip the package and open a copy of your Facebook profile in an Internet browser window.

Source BY : tips4pc 

Thursday, December 2, 2010

How To Copy a DVD to a Computer Hard Drive

Digital copies of movies are the way to go now. There is little wonder why Blockbuster is struggling. Everyone would like to have a soft copy of their favorite movies on their computer hard drive. It makes it easy to browse your many movies when they are all on one small portable storage device. For you to copy or transfer a file, from a DVD to an electronic gadget, you must first copy the DVD onto your computer. We also want to let you know that we are in no way condoning the act of pirating DVDs. This guide is made for DVDs you own already.

Decrypting or Ripping the DVD

Unless you have a pirated copy, chances are that the DVD is protected. You will have to decrypt it. To decrypt it, you need software like AndyDVD. This software is not free though. If you don't want to spend money on this kind software, then you can achieve the same task with DVDRip, DVD43, or RipIt4Me. These are free but each individual software package may not work for all DVDs. In our experience, one of these software packages will be able to do the job though. After you have a DVD Decrypting software, it should be pretty easy to rip the DVD to the hard drive.

DVD Conversion

DVD43/DVDRip/RipIt4Me are only for decryption of the DVD. To convert the file to a good format, you will need another piece of software. One such software that we have found to be very useful is Handbrake. This software can help to convert files to suitable file types for iPods / iPhones, smartphones, and other portable devices. After you have the DVD decrypted and on the hard drive, you will want to start up Handbrake. From HandBrake, you can convert to many formats including AVI and mpeg-4. You can also shrink the file down to a smaller size as well which is helpful for many reasons.

The whole process of decrypting and transferring probably takes a decent amount of time, like 3 to 5 hours, give or take. This is dependant on your hardware. Another thing to keep in mind is that a ripped DVD will take up a lot of hard drive space. So, if you plan to rip your whole library, you will need a decent sized hard drive. Now you know how to copy from the DVD to the computer hard drive.

What to look for when buying a new computer

The time often comes when an old computer just isn't cutting it anymore and you need a new pc. The following guide will help you to answer the questions of what you need, what do I upgrade, and more. Also, you may be interested in reading our comprehensive guide to speed up your computer before purchasing a new PC if you would like save money and keep your current computer.

The first thing you need to consider is what you will be doing with the computer. Are you a gamer? Will you be running hardware intensive programs like autocad, animation/design programs that need to render, etc? Will you need to store a lot of video, pictures, and music? Will this be a media center PC? Or will this computer just be a basic email, websurfing, and word processing machine? Answers to all of these questions can help you decide what hardware you need.


Processor

This is the brain of your computer. The two most common brands are Intel and AMD right now. For most people, the processor an average new computer comes with is fine for you. However, if you will be gaming, rendering, or using your computer as a media pc, you may want to upgrade this processor. Right now, Intel makes a better processor for the price. I would recommend a higher speed, multi-core processor if you will be doing any of the cpu intense activities listed above.

Memory (RAM)

This is one area of the computer I would recommend upgrading no matter what you are planning to do with your pc. Many computer slow downs can be attributed to a lack of RAM. I would recommend at least 2 Gigs for Vista and Windows 7. If you can afford to go higher, this is one area I would suggest doing so. It will be worth it in the long run because it will keep your computer running faster longer. Also, before buying a new computer, you may want to ask yourself if a simple memory upgrade will solve your computer slowness.

Video Card

Most average computers don't come with a video card and just come with an onboard graphics card. These are fine for most users. However, if you are a gamer, you will want a video card for sure. New video cards change often and the top of the line cards are very expensive. I would recommend getting something in the middle unless money is not an option. Usually the best price for performance will be in the 150-250 dollar range. Make sure you read reviews of the card before deciding which one to go with.

Hard Disk

The speed of most hard drives is comparable across the board. There are higher end hard drives that are faster, but I have not found these to be worth the price for most people. One exception is if you are planning on running a server. For most people, only the hard disk size is any issue. If you do a lot of multi-media stuff such as taking pictures, downloading or taking video, storing music, etc, you will want to consider a larger hard drive or even a second hard drive. Also, if your new computer is going to be a media pc, you will also want a large hard disk. The reason for this is because recording TV, especially HDTV, takes up a whole lot of hard drive space. You can also check out our hard drive buying guide for more detailed information.

Popular Computer Companies

For most people a basic Dell, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, or HP will be fine. If you are really into design and art, an Apple may be good for you. Dell and Alienware make great gaming computers if you are looking for that. Also, another option is to build a computer yourself. I would only recommend doing this if you know what you are doing and you need a higher end computer. It is not worth building a computer just to check email and browse the web.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Security Tips

How to Protect Your Computer From Viruses

With millions of computer users browsing the web at any given time, there are plenty of targets for malicious coders. While computer experts don’t always know why coders choose to build harmful computer programs, the fact is that it happens all the time. Computer viruses can steal personal information, interfere with normal operations, attract spam and even shut down your computer’s hard drive. Protecting your computer is critical for browsing success.

Start With the Basics

Most computer systems come with security features already in place. For example, the Windows operating system is packaged with Microsoft Windows Security Center. When you first open, boot up and register a new computer, you should make sure that this program is functioning. It will give basic protection against spyware, viruses and malware. In addition, a basic firewall is built into this program, providing additional protection and stops for potentially harmful programs. Upon activation, don’t be surprised if your security system needs immediate updating. Software that protects your computer needs regular and consistent updating to stay useful. Viruses are constantly being generated and the several-month lag between when your computer was made and when you first started using it can mean that the database the security system is loaded with is severely out-of-date.

Upgrade to Meet Your Needs

Many people operate computers for a long time with only basic protection in place. However, heavy computer users or those who have risky browsing habits can sometimes benefit from upgrading their virus, spyware and malware protection, as well as using a fuller-featured firewall; this is especially important if you use a networked computer system. Basic or free virus protection will still scan and update for viruses. Paid programs, however, offer more features, including ease-of-use and convenience features. The most important thing is to verify the publisher and make sure you are getting what is promised. Most well-known virus protection programs, such as AVG and Norton Security, have reviews available to help you make your choice.

Learn About Spyware Risks

Spyware creates risks that many computer users are not aware of. If you are only protecting against viruses, you could be leaving your computer open to damage. Most people are familiar with spyware that initiates and attracts annoying ad programs. Spyware, however, can be much more malicious as well. Your shopping habits can be tracked by spyware. While not exactly harmful, some people consider this a breach of privacy. The worst spyware programs interfere with normal operations and can even track what you type, sending personal information to people who want to steal your identity. Some spyware redirects your browser to different web addresses, increasing your risks of virus infection and fraud.

How Viruses Work

The main difference between spyware and viruses is how they are spread. A virus reproduces itself and attaches to any document that the computer sends, while spyware can be stored as a cookie or tracking code. A virus is most often found traveling with a piece of computer software, such as a document, picture or piece of music. When dealing with email, it is necessary to open an attachment to become infected, indicating that, in most cases, the computer user must somehow invite the malicious software to replicate on their system. Of course, most people have no idea it is there or what is happening. Some of the sneakiest and most harmful viruses actually masquerade as virus protection software, making them extremely hard to detect. Because of this, it’s crucial to be familiar with your particular virus protection program and know what it looks like and what the normal scripts and prompts are during operation. Viruses do some of the same things that spyware does; they just accomplish it differently. An active virus can steal personal information, generate ads or shut down your system, including the very virus protection programs that can fix the issue.

Take Steps For Protection

Like anything, the best way to protect against viruses is to be educated. Become familiar with what malicious software may look like. If you get an email or are asked to download a file that you don’t recognize or looks suspicious, do your homework. Research virus protection, spyware, malware and firewall programs and use them to their fullest capacity. Set the software to update and scan automatically to make sure that the system is constantly monitored. In addition, regularly check on the databases published by various virus protection services; many will provide lists of symptoms and risks, as well as the standard way the file gains access for no cost to the public.