Tech Thoughts Daily Net News – November 8, 2009

5 ways to overclock a netbook (really!) – Didn’t think hardware this tiny could be tweaked? We explore five ways to turn netbooks up to 11.

How to Turn an Old PC into a Media Centre – Even though PC noise & boot times will be issues, XBMC can be a very capable cross-platform, open source application that will meet all of your media center needs. Here’s the step by step instructions for doing so.

Must-have utilities for your Windows toolkit – We’ve rounded up seven freeware utilities that help keep your Windows computer running smoothly.

A Techies’ Sneak Peek Preview to Black Friday Ads – Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving and is the kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Merchants offer deep discounts on a wide variety of products in an effort to bait consumers into the stores. This year, Black Friday falls on Friday November 27th 2009.

TuneUp Utilities: Enjoy your PC – This week TuneUp launched the latest version of its award-winning series of PC optimization software, TuneUp Utilities 2010. One of the key updates to the 2010 version is its compatibility with Windows 7–maximizing the new operating system’s performance. The 2010 version still supports the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows XP and Vista.

On-line Backup Strategies – Your hard drive will eventually fail. So you need to backup your files. Why not do it for free?

Microsoft Windows 7 – Expert analysis, reviews, tips and news for Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system.

Mozilla fixes Firefox crash bug – A week after releasing security update, it patches regression bug that crashed Windows browser.

Little-Known Hole Lets Attacker Hit Main Website Domain Via Its Subdomains – Proof-of-concept demonstrates how exploits on Google, Expedia, Chase Manhattan subdomains could lead to compromises of their main sites

A Tool For Investigating Suspicious Activity – Dealing with malware-infected computer systems can be time-consuming. If the compromised system has sensitive information, then often digital forensics will be employed to see whether the data was or could have been accessed by the malware. With the hit-or-miss performance of antivirus solutions and craftiness of malware authors, determining whether a computer system is infected is getting harder. (Note: This tool is for very high level users).

Off Topic:

Top 10 Clever Fixes for Your Broken Stuff – Buying a replacement at Target isn’t always the necessary solution when your stuff goes on the fritz. Fix common problems or altogether broken gear with these clever repair methods.

Got friends? Now you can thank Facebook – A study released this week found that people who use social networks like Facebook and MySpace tend to socialize more with neighbors and friends when away from the computer screen.

10 Terrible Tips for Longer Battery Life – Nowadays, everything comes with a rechargeable battery, but who knew that getting long battery life could get soooo confusing? Here are 10 expert-backed tips to keep you from running low on the juice.

Spamvertizing Social Networks and Why Legitimate Money Will Help Clean Them Up – Dennis Yu provides an experienced insider’s perspective on ad networks’ social networking monetization process. Fascinating details of major players within the ad networks and their practices. It’s amazing how difficult it can be to make money in a legitimate way online.

Is Facebook a paradise for scammers? – Every day tens of millions of people log on to Facebook, the popular social-network site, and spend time playing goofy online games. But watch out. Some people playing these games are getting fleeced by scammers, tricked into signing up for products and services they didn’t want.

Today’s Quote:

“I am certain there is too much certainty in the world”.

- Michael Crichton

Today’s Free Downloads:

Media Center Studio – Media Center Studio is a free application for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that enables you to customize Windows Media Center. It is the successor of MC Menu Mender, bringing it up to date for Windows 7 and adding support for theme application and editing.

Pandora Recovery 2.1.1 – File recovery has never been easier thanks to Pandora Recovery. The program’s wizard-like approach to finding and retrieving lost files will appeal to all users.

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