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Kent
NextAdvisor Blog Headlines by Kent
May 16, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I am currently using a trial version of Carbonite on my iMac. Do I really need an online backup system since I have Time Machine? A: Time Machine is very fast and
May 12, 2011 -
SugarSync, one of our favorite online backup services, is currently offering an additional 15% off of its annual plans. Combined with its normal annual-plan discount, the discount comes out to 29%. That means 30GB of backup, syncing, and music streaming
May 11, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: My computer crashed and was taken by my kids to the local Data Doctor who has it running well, only Carbonite is turned off. How do I get it restarted? A: If
May 10, 2011 -
A recent survey by Consumer Reports has shown that Facebook has a bit of a problem with it's age control restrictions. The social networking site is technically restricted to individuals of age 13 or older, a rule that did not
May 9, 2011 -
Webroot is offering up a discount on its Antivirus with Spy Sweeper, giving customers 50% off for a low price of $19.95. While this is not as robust a package as the full Internet security suite that we reviewed, it's
May 9, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Mozy's monthly price is shown to be $5.10/month, yet when I tried to subscribe the price was about $10? Please advise. A: Mozy has two plans: One offers 125GB of storage and
May 9, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: If I need to fax a specific form with my company logo on it, can I scan it and use an Internet fax service to send it? A: Yes, absolutely. The easiest
May 6, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Tell me more about Internet fax service with VoIP plans. I am up for renewal with another VoIP company so I'm looking into features of VoIP and costs. A: Most business VoIP
May 5, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can you print locally from GoToMyPC? A: Yes, you can. If the file is on the host PC (i.e., the one you're controlling), it's no problem. You'll simply take control of the
May 3, 2011 -
What do Osama Bin Laden and Lady Gaga have in common? Both have been used in the last week to perpetuate video-based worms on social networking sites. A new Facebook virus is spreading via a message tempting users with a
May 3, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have Windows XP. Can Carbonite restore my files after I install Windows 7? A: Yes. Carbonite has built-in functionality to transfer files from one computer to another. The system change shouldn't
May 2, 2011 -
The Hostmonster discount has returned. The web host has lowered its prices, offering a year of hosting for just $3.95 per month. That's a 50% discount with no coupon required. Check out our review of Hostmonster, or head on over
May 2, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I just bought a new computer. How do I access my Carbonite account that was with my prior computer to use on this one? A: First, you need to log in to
April 29, 2011 -
Yahoo! has brought back its popular web hosting discount, offering 50% off for the first three months of service. Yahoo! web hosting excels in its stability and user-friendly interface. Plus, you get a free domain for as long as you
April 29, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How do I know whether an online people-search service that I pay for will not put my information (that I have to give to process a search request) into their own database for
April 28, 2011 -
Curious about a certain banned Lady Gaga video? Don't be. A Twitter worm is making its way around microblogging service Twitter, gobbling up passwords of unaware users with the message VIDEO PROHIBIDO LADY GAGA. The message is in just in
April 27, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: With VoIP, can you be online and talk on phone at the same time? What if you have problems? A: Yes, you can. The adapter provided by your VoIP company allows you to
April 26, 2011 -
Users of the Sony Playstation Qryocity service now have a new way to occupy their time during the outage of the popular gaming platform: changing their passwords and security questions across the web. Sony has released a statement warning users
April 25, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have a wireless internet conection with AT&T. It's their router and Belkin Battery thing. Can I just plug into their equipment? I assume VolP companies supply some interface. A: Yes, your
April 20, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I just wanted to know if anyone can find out about your background without your knowledge. Do they need your Social Security number for a background check? If so, can this be
April 15, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Does Norton Online Backup back up your Microsoft Word and Excel files? A: Yes, in fact those are just the kinds of files that Norton Online Backup is made to back up. Of
April 14, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question Q: Can you explain to me how the file sharing works with online backup and how we would be able to access it? A: Online backup services such as SugarSync, ElephantDrive, and Norton
April 13, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have a Mac computer. Can I use Nextiva Fax? If so, How does it work? In particular how does the 'web interface' work? A: Yes, because Nextiva Fax works entirely through
April 12, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How easy/appropriate a site is Ancestry.com for a 15-year-old just starting his research? What are the 15 Countries are covered in the World Deluxe membership? He'd need England, Ireland, France, Portugal and Spain
April 11, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Will Net Detective (or other services) search only my own state, or can it search other states? A: Yes, every background check service we reviewed will allow you to search in any
April 7, 2011 -
I've received no less than 4 emails from different companies notifying me about the breach of the Epsilon email database. Epsilon is a company that provides email marketing services for thousands of clients, including 7 of the Fortune 10 companies.
April 7, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I live in California and borrowed money from PayDayMax in November for $570 dollars. They are now asking me to pay $1984.63. Is there anything I can do to get out of
April 5, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How would the phone service work through a laptop? Is there any other equipment to attach or can you talk and hear through the laptop? A: Home VoIP services use the exact
March 31, 2011 -
An article over at ZDNET is raising privacy concerns about Amazon's new music-streaming Cloud Drive service. Writer Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols notes that Amazon's terms of use give the service carte blanche to access user files. Amazon.com's TOS (Terms of Service)
March 29, 2011 -
Today Amazon announced its new Cloud Drive and Cloud Player service, designed to give customers access to their music from any Internet-connected computer or Android phone. Paid plans start at $20.00 per year for 20 gigabytes of storage. A 50
March 29, 2011 -
The following is an user-submitted question: Q: What is the best mp3 player for downloading audiobooks? A: Good question, but first a little clarification: generally you do the actual downloading on your computer. Once you download it on to your
March 29, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Are these VoIP devices portable? That is, can I connect the VoIP adapter to my router in Boston, or my router in FL and have the same phone number? A: Yes, absolutely.
March 28, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have a Verizon hot spot MiFi 2200 for my Internet. Will VoIP phone service work with this unit? And will VoIP phone service use up substantial kilobytes? A: Verison's hot spot
March 24, 2011 -
According to the people at Amazon and Kindle, you can now shop for Audible audiobooks directly from the Kindle itself, provided you have the most recent wi-fi version of the reader. In the old days, i.e. yesterday, you had to
March 24, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Does Carbonite back up the programs as well as files? Is the entire hard drive "ghosted"? A: No, Carbonite just backs up documents such as word processing documents, spread sheets, photos, MP3s,
March 23, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: When sign up for Audible.com, I get one audiobook per month? The audio book then will basically cost me $7.49? A: Yes, when you sign up for Audible.com the first three months
March 17, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Are my files safe with an online backup service? A: Yes. With all of our top online backup service providers your files are encrypted before they leave your computer, and they're protected
March 14, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What does "cyberstalking" mean? A: As the name implies, "cyberstalking" is Internet-based stalking behavior. It's is a term that was coined in the last ten years to describe the act of using
March 10, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can I send a fax to someone who doesn't have a computer, only a fax machine? A: Yes, you can. The great thing about using an Internet fax service is that the
March 8, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Do you have to be legally separated to sign up for Match.com? A: Match.com's terms of service simply require you to be "at least eighteen (18) years of age and single or
March 7, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can you use a Kindle to download books on booksfree or other audiobook services? A: Currently the Kindle does not support direct downloading from any of the audiobook subscription sites we've reviewed.
March 3, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: As far as faxing a document scanned in, are there 2 steps – the first being to scan to pdf, the second being to attach, or is there 1 step consisting of
March 3, 2011 -
We're happy to announce the return of the Yahoo! Web Hosting discount. Get the first three months of hosting for only $4.98 per month. The price goes back to $9.99 afterwards, but it's one of the best web hosts we've
March 2, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have 2 Macs and a PC i would like to have back-up for. Would Mozy work for this purpose, or is there a better option? A: Mozy does work on Macs,
March 1, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What is the most affordable Internet Fax site to offer unlimited monthly faxes? A: There aren't any Internet fax companies that we know of that offer unlimited outgoing faxes. Since these companies
February 25, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can you explain the differences between Carbonite and SugarSync? A: This is a good question. Both have distinct advantages. SugarSync let's you back up multiple computers, but has certain set storage limits
February 22, 2011 -
SugarSync, one of our favorite online backup providers, is offering NextAdvisor visitors 33% off on its 100 gigabyte storage plans. That brings the cost down from $14.99 to $9.99 per month. It's an excellent deal on an online backup service
February 22, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have a laptop and 2 pc's and there are particular files on all of them that I want to backup. Can one account take my files from 3 different computers? A:
February 17, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Is there a free service that will give the phone number and perhaps the address of a person if you know the name and city that the person lives or works in?
February 17, 2011 -
Tick Tock is the newest suspense novel by the prolific James Patterson, whose previous books have included Along Came a Spider, 1st to Die, and Don't Blink. In this Michael Bennet mystery, Patteron's detective must confront three serial killers at
February 14, 2011 -
We're happy to announce that web hosting provider HostGator is offering an exclusive coupon code for NextAdvisor visitors. It's good for a 25% savings on your order. Just enter the promo code NEXTDISCOUNT on the domain selection page where you
February 14, 2011 -
What are the advantages of business VoIP? Business VoIP is cheaper and more convenient than traditional phone service. You'll generally pay one low monthly price for unlimited calling. You'll also have the freedom to add and change lines, employ advanced
February 10, 2011 -
The Cloud Advantage: How does VoIP work? A customer calls your number, just as they would if you had a traditional land line. The call is routed via your VoIP company to the phones of your choosing. Your VoIP provider
February 10, 2011 -
Why go with VoIP? It's been proven time and again that VoIP will not just save you money, but also streamline your business communications. The proof? In February 2006, Intel conducted a 6-month experiment, studying the efficiencies of using VoIP
February 10, 2011 -
Essential Business VoIP Features Need help figuring out which business VoIP features are important? VoIP is big on features, and often times it's difficult to know just what you'll need. So we've broken down the top features we think everyone
February 9, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What about the Norton 360 All-In-One-Security version 4.0 ? A: We really liked Norton 360 All-In-One Security when we tested it. In fact, here's our Norton 360 Review: [Editor's note: Norton is
February 8, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: A little over a month ago my purse was stolen. In this last week I have received several calls from creditors regarding old accounts. How do I find out if someone is
February 4, 2011 -
It's happened again: McAfee has brought back its 50% discount on McAfee Total Protection 2011, with no promo code or coupon code needed. It's a sweet deal that should appeal to new adopters and long-time McAfee fans ready for renewal.
January 31, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I'm wondering if I'm traveling abroad and not bringing my computer, can I use Carbonite to access files? A: Yes, you can access your files from any Internet-connected computer with a web
January 28, 2011 -
Our brand new People Search and Background Check reviews are hot off the digital presses. We developed this category after a number of NextAdvisor visitors asked for our opinions on background check services. So we took a look at the
January 21, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question Q: I've been searching for something that will let me back up ONLY my external hard drive. So far SpiderOak is all I've found. Any other suggestions? Actually, you can do this with
January 14, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: My son lost his driver's license tonite, how bad is this? What precautions can we take now? A: First: Don't panic. It's not a terribly uncommon situation, and there's always a chance
January 14, 2011 -
Oklahoma City police are looking for a white 13-inch Mac laptop that contains data from years of prostate cancer research. The laptop was stolen from the automobile of a couple who've spent their lives researching the disease which kills over
January 11, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Does SugarSync guarantee to backup external, fixed hard drives on both PC and Mac? A: Unfortunately this is not something that SugarSync is currently able to do, though according to their help
January 10, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How do i get rid of Antivirus Scan, Inc. (a.k.a. afantispy)? It is holding my computer hostage. Antivirus Scan, Inc is a nasty piece of malware. If you still are able to
January 6, 2011 -
SalesForce.com, one of the biggest names in cloud computing and CRM, has bought dimdim, one of our favorite online meeting providers. For current dimdim customers, this means their accounts will be active until March 15th, 2011. Current customers are advised
January 6, 2011 -
Yahoo! has posted an incredibly informative—and scary—video about just how easy it is for identity thieves to get your Social Security number using basic info gleaned from Facebook or online background check databases. Armed with your Social Security number, an
January 5, 2011 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I tried to sign up with Mozy, but they are charging me $103.95, not your discount of $88.36 for two years. Do you have a promo code I can use for Mozy?
January 3, 2011 -
Most New Year's resolutions take a lot of effort: quitting smoking, starting an exercise program, organizing your closets. Now, these are all worth doing, but why not take on a resolution that requires virtually no effort, and can save you
December 29, 2010 -
It used to be that Honda owners just had to worry about their cars being stolen. Now it seems that some of their personal information has been as well. It may or may not be related to the earlier breaches
December 28, 2010 -
Looking to download The Girl Who Played with Fire? The second book in Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy is proving just as popular as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Here's our rundown of your cheapest options for downloading the Scandinavian
December 21, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What if I don't want certain files backed up on Carbonite? A: Carbonite will accommodate you. The easiest way to remove a file from backup is to right-click on the document's icon,
December 17, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted Q: I have a portable hard drive attached to my computer to store photos and other information as my computer hard drive has limited space. Will Carbonite back up my portable hard drive as
December 16, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Do I have to have internet service to use VoIP? A: Yes, VoIP requires a broadband Internet connection to function, whether it's a cable, DSL, or satellite/wireless. VoIP stands for Voice over
December 14, 2010 -
Those looking to save on McAfee Total Protection 2011 are in luck. The popular Internet security software suite can now be had with a 50% discount, using the coupon code: nextadvisor50MTP. This is an exclusive NextAdvisor coupon code that you'll
December 13, 2010 -
The phenomenal hacking of the Gawker Media password database will have all kinds of repercussions, both for the company and individuals. Gawker lives to dress-down other companies for their failures, security and otherwise. The release of almost 1.25 million of
December 9, 2010 -
I recently read about a new kind of malware-enabled extortion scheme that makes the old scareware scams seem innocent by comparison. Ramsomware installs itself on a user's PC and locks the user out of their hard drive, encrypting the data
December 7, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can I get an audiobook gift card for my favorite audiobook lover? A: Unfortunately, Audible is no longer selling audiobook gift subscriptions. But that's ok, because there are other options in the
December 7, 2010 -
BitDefender, one of our top picks for Internet security software, has released some tips for safe online shopping this holiday season. While online shopping is convenient, it's not without its risks. Fortunately, it's possible to minimize those risks, and get
December 3, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I am a Carbonite customer, and can't remember if the backup process is automatic or if I need to initiate the process to backup files. A: The Carbonite backup process is automatic
December 2, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I am interested in finding a host for my affiliate marketing website. The problem is not being sure where to look for one. A: We would recommend looking at Yahoo! Small Business.
December 1, 2010 -
Yahoo!'s web hosting deal has returned, and NextAdvisor is one of the few sites able to offer it. During the month of December, Yahoo! will take 50% off the cost of the first three months of hosting. This will save
November 29, 2010 -
HostGator has extended its 50% Black Friday discount. That's 50% off your hosting fees. No coupon is needed, just follow any link to HostGator from NextAdvisor.com. This deal will end today, so take advantage of this great web hosting discount.
November 24, 2010 -
The Black Friday online discount announcements continue. Online backup service Mozy will be offering our readers a 20% discount on online backup plans beginning on Friday, November 26th and running through Monday, November 29th. This discount comes on top of
November 24, 2010 -
Two popular web hosts are offering Black Friday discounts. While most people won't be thinking about web hosting on the day after Thanksgiving, there's a tremendous opportunity to save big on a year's worth of web hosting: HostGator is offering
November 24, 2010 -
Kaspersky has begun their Black Friday sale early, it seems. As of now, you can get their full-featured Internet Security 2011 suite for only $39.95, that's 50% off the normal price of $79.95. There's no coupon code required; you just
November 23, 2010 -
McAfee has recently released a coupon code for its 2011 Total Protection suite, but if you go through NextAdvisor.com, you won't need it. Just follow any link to McAfee from NextAdvisor.com, and you'll automatically get that 50% discount, bringing the
November 22, 2010 -
Want to save $50.00 on a yearly subscription to Adobe Acrobat Connect, or any other Adobe product of $500.00 or more? The Adobe Black Friday coupon is here early. Simply enter the code BLKMON50 at the Adobe store to receive
November 15, 2010 -
So, you've decided you need a little control over the computers in your household. After all, the Internet is a wide open space with no minimum age limit. That's why parental control software was invented. Parental control software monitors and
November 10, 2010 -
The following blog post is part of an occasional series in which we review services that our employees use on a regular basis but that don't fit into our regular categories. Service Name: Mog Rating: Service type: Internet radio/music
November 9, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have two laptops, a desktop at my lady friend's, and a desktop at my son's. Can one 50GB account back up each of them? Can any user on one computer get
November 8, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Considering the recent security issues surrounding music share programs/clubs, how secure are the download programs for audio book clubs? A: The downloads from any of the audio book services we've reviewed here
November 3, 2010 -
Hot off the virtual presses: our new review of BitDefender Total Security 2011. It's a welcome refresh of a product that has historically excelled at fighting malware, but whose installation was marred by confusion. The new version demonstrated a clean
November 2, 2010 -
We still have three months left in 2010, but don't tell the Internet security software makers. It's actually been a slower roll-out this year than last, but we're starting to see the new 2011 products from Kaspersky, Symantec, and now:
October 28, 2010 -
I was doing some work today, when a friend I haven't heard from in five years sent me a message over Yahoo! Messenger. It went something like this: Her: heyy Me: hey there Her: i just took an IQ test
October 27, 2010 -
There's a new virus on the 'net, and it's spreading to Macs and PCs via social networking sites and emails. Its name is trojan.osx.boonana.a, and it's a big package of malware designed to steal your data. It's being reported that
October 26, 2010 -
Time and again we've recommended putting password protection on your iPhone. Well, a newly discovered hack makes that password a little less useful than it used to be (though it doesn't change our recommendation). This accidentally discovered hack can give
October 22, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can I download "Worth Dying For" audiobook for free? A: Lee Child's best-selling installment in his Jack Reacher thriller saga has been a hit in all forms. It's no surprise that people
October 21, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I already have a fax number. Can I keep that number? Is there a way to block faxes that you continuously receive but don't want? A: Great questions! In many cases your
October 18, 2010 -
Well, this is cute. A professor in Sweden had his laptop stolen, by a thief with a conscience. The unnamed professor had left his backpack hidden behind a door in a stairwell. When he came back the laptop was gone.
October 15, 2010 -
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Santa Clara police officer Clay H Rojas has been charged with providing DMV data to a member of the Hells Angels. There's no word yet on if the information was used, or what
October 14, 2010 -
IBackup, the only online backup service provider we know of that offers serious data protection aimed at businesses, has a pretty great promotion right now. Sign up before October 20th (or upgrade your service if you're a current member) and
October 12, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: If I subscribe to Carbonite and back up my PC, if I understand correctly, I will be able to access my files from my laptop. Is that correct? If I use Carbonite
October 11, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I saw your reviews on spyware products and I'm interested in Norton's 2011. How do I purchase this with the $20.00 discount you referred to? A: This is a deal exclusive to
October 7, 2010 -
Um, no, they haven't. Consider this a correction: Groucho Marx famously quipped, "I wouldn't want to be a part of any club that would have me as a member." If Groucho was on Facebook, however, he wouldn't have any choice.
October 6, 2010 -
We're happy today to announce the launch of our newest review category: virtual phone services. A virtual phone service allows you to set up a virtual phone number for your small business so you can receive and route calls to
October 4, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Is Webroot good software? I just had my lap top repaired. I had a worm and it crashed. The Geek Squad says it is. Let me know please. I was thinking about
October 1, 2010 -
Yahoo! has brought back its web hosting discount, offering 50%-off for the first three months of service. NextAdvisor is one of the few sites able to offer this exclusive discount. Yahoo!'s Small Business web hosting is great for beginners, and
September 30, 2010 -
According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 60 individuals in the United States and Eastern Europe have been arrested for allegedly participating in a massive cyber crime ring. The group used a virus called the Zeus trojan to spy
September 27, 2010 -
Nextiva Internet fax service has always been the least expensive Internet fax service, but now it's gotten even cheaper. If you go month-to-month, the no-commitment plan will be $8.95. Amazingly, with a year commitment it's only $4.95 per month, less
September 23, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Where may I find reviews about the Playaway digital audiobooks? A: You can try doing an Internet search for "Playaway digital audiobook reviews" but there aren't many reviews. We have not reviewed
September 22, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: When the services refer to a backing up a single computer, does that include additional drives that are attached at the time of backup? For example, I have a 2 terabyte external
September 17, 2010 -
Long-time Internet security favorite McAfee has brought back its famous 50% discount. Follow any links from NextAdvisor to McAfee and use the coupon code nextadvisor50 at checkout to get its Total Protection suite for $39.99. It's inexpensive protection for up
September 17, 2010 -
Oprah Winfrey has spoken, and her book club pick is Jonathan Franzen's Freedom. Want to join in on the Oprah phenomenon, but don't have time to read? Consider listening to it instead. Freedom is available from many of the audiobook
September 16, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I want to have my own website… Can you help me? A: It's really not such a daunting task, just take it one step at a time: The first step to having
September 14, 2010 -
You've got to hand it to Symantec, they're making an effort to make Internet security software exciting. Yes, Norton Internet Security 2011 comes with a dynamic real-world threat mapping system, but it may be Norton's new commercials which are generating
September 10, 2010 -
We've just finished our Norton Internet Security 2011 review. After spending some time with the program, we have to say we're pretty pleased. Norton has made some thoughtful additions to its popular security suite including a Facebook scanner, a malware
September 10, 2010 -
Symantec is tracking a new email-based worm that is causing problems all across the Internet. According to Symantec's site, the worm, also known as w32.imsolk.b@mm, spreads via infected email attachments: The threat arrives via e-mail asking the recipient to click
September 9, 2010 -
Wondering which audiobook service has the most of the current best sellers? Steig Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest again tops the New York Times Bestseller list, as well as Audible.com's audiobook bestseller list. If you're the type
September 3, 2010 -
Yesterday we looked at the privacy settings of Apple's new social networking product Ping. One thing that we didn't discuss is how Ping handles usernames. It turns out that it handles them somewhat badly. Your Ping username is tied to
September 2, 2010 -
It's "Facebook meets Twitter meets iTunes," that's how Steve Jobs explained Ping, Apple's new social networking addition to iTunes. When Jobs announced Ping yesterday, he made a big point about how easy the privacy is to manage. Having covered Facebook
August 31, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Do I have to leave my computer on for MagicJack to work? A: Yes, you do. Alas, the MagicJack is not really magic at all (though it is a jack, so they're
August 24, 2010 -
We've spent some time with Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, the first of our Internet security vendors to release an update. We installed it on two machines and ran scans, did some web surfing, and played around with its special features.
August 24, 2010 -
Many iTunes customers are finding their PayPal accounts suddenly drained of cash due to unauthorized charges. No one knows the cause, but that doesn't stop people from guessing. Some blame Apple (because people love blaming Apple), some blame a Microsoft
August 23, 2010 -
Q: I am interested in having yahoo host my website. I am currently using Homestead, or Intuit. Can you advise me? A: We think Yahoo! is a great choice for web hosting. If you're coming from Intuit, you'll be right
August 20, 2010 -
Parental control software allows parents to monitor the Internet activity of their kids, set online time limits, as well as institute blocking policies for forbidden content. Not all parental control software is created equal, of course, and our rigorous review
August 19, 2010 -
Facebook is entering the location-sharing game to compete with the likes of Foursquare, meaning you can now add your location to the list of things you're oversharing. But as with all Facebook features, the devil is in the details. Because
August 18, 2010 -
Q:I had to uninstall Carbonite, so I was not connected for a day. Will this cause an issue with Carbonite when I reinstall? A: It shouldn't make any difference to Carbonite. When you reinstall, you will likely need to enter
August 18, 2010 -
We've just completed our review of HostNine web hosting, and we're pretty impressed. In many ways it's not too different from other web hosts we've reviewed. It uses cPanel and Fantastico scripts to run things. It offers unlimited storage and
August 17, 2010 -
School is just about starting for millions of college students across the country. We would guess that most of those students aren't thinking much about identity theft. But that doesn't mean that they shouldn't. Identity theft among college students is
August 12, 2010 -
Lisa Kudrow, who rose to fame playing Phoebe Buffay on Friends, will be doing something decidedly different on TV this Friday night: she'll be tracing her family history with the help of Ancestry.com. Kudrow's genealogical journey promises to be a
August 11, 2010 -
Internet security software provider McAfee has brought back its 50% discount, but only for a limited time. This brings the total price for McAfee Total Protection down to $39.99, a pretty good deal. Just follow any link to McAfee from
August 11, 2010 -
Apple has updated the iPhone operating system to fix the problem that would have allowed malicious hackers to jailbreak your iPhone via a PDF exploit. Tt's an important fix given the potential damage from the vulnerability (i.e., giving access to
August 10, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have purchased this new computer and need to transfer my Carbonite backup account to this computer. How do I do it? A: Thanks for the question. Subscription-based services like Carbonite are
August 4, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I'm looking for the audio book called Mr. Smith by James Patterson. Where can I find it? A: Your mystery had us stumped, but we think we've found the solution. While we
August 4, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How does bsecure work? A: In our experience, it doesn't work very well at all. But we realize, that's not quite you're asking. You want to know how it functions. Bsecure, like
August 3, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: My Domain name was registered by a company and they did not register it in my name but in their company name. How do I get it back? A: If your domain
August 3, 2010 -
Jailbreaking your iPhone means gaining the ability to use apps that aren't approved by Apple's App Store. It's been around since the first generation of iPhone, but it's always been the providence of the hardcore enthusiast. It required a special
August 2, 2010 -
Yahoo! has brought back their popular three-month 50% discount for NextAdvisor visitors. The discount brings the first three months down to $4.98, putting the rest of the year at $9.95 per month. While a bit more expensive than some web
July 29, 2010 -
Security enthusiast Ron Bowes has harvested 171 million Facebook profiles, compiled the data, and made it available for download via bit torrent. Any Facebook news makes a big splash. I heard it on the BBC last night. My first thought
July 27, 2010 -
The phenomenon of oversharing—to divulge excessive personal information, as in a blog or broadcast interview, prompting reactions ranging from alarmed discomfort to approval—is not a new thing at all. Sure, the word was added Webster's dictionary in 2008, but as
July 16, 2010 -
NextAdvisor is proud to announce its newest review category: Genealogy Research Sites. We put 5 popular genealogy research sites to the test, looking for the best site for researching one's family history, from family tree building to DNA testing. By
July 16, 2010 -
An Internet meme has come from the sad and strange case of Jessi Slaughter, a 11-year-old girl who has been cyberbullied and cyberstalked, so much so that her dad got involved, threatening his daughter's tormentors on a YouTube video. As
July 15, 2010 -
In June, Norton teamed up with Iron Man to warn users about digital dangers. Now the Internet security software company has an even more unlikely ally in the fight against online dangers: Lindsay Lohan. As the starlet prepares for her
July 14, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: If an iPhone is stolen, and it's password protected, with all these people that are hacking these days, is there any way they can access the files and apps on the phone?
July 13, 2010 -
Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has captivated audiences on the page, in the movie theater, and through headphones. Yup, the Swedish detective thriller has become a hot mover on audiobook download sites. Listening to an audio sample
July 8, 2010 -
For some reason, someone has decided to make a movie about Facebook. Probably because they thought it would be the apotheosis of oversharing to have a bunch of people updating their statuses about how they're seeing the movie about the
July 6, 2010 -
This weekend, a small but undisclosed number of iTunes accounts were hacked by a developer whose rogue ebooks inexplicably captured 42 of the top 50 best seller slots on the iTunes App Store this weekend. It seems that purchases through
July 6, 2010 -
1&1 Web Hosting has brought back their summer special that gives new customers one year of free web hosting with a two-year contract. That means that new users only pay a nominal $4.99 setup fee for the first year of
July 1, 2010 -
Yahoo! is giving NextAdvisor visitors an exclusive discount on its Small Business web hosting. Until July 31st, your first three months will be $6.47, 35% off the normal price of $9.99. Yahoo! Small Business web hosting is one of our
June 21, 2010 -
The vuvuzela: it's annoying at soccer games, but it's also becoming a nuisance online. First, Webroot reported that a company was selling a bogus anti-Vuvuzela MP3 file that would reportedly cancel out the noise (it's a waste of money, and
June 21, 2010 -
A friend of mine had his laptop stolen this weekend. He was using it in a public place. Laptop theft is a common crime. In the neighborhood I live in, criminals make a habit of scanning coffee shops for unattended
June 17, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What contingency plans do online backup services have in case their servers crash or are destroyed? A: For an answer to this question, we looked at a blog post written on Carbonite's
June 15, 2010 -
No, this is not a rerun. But with AT&T it's déjà vu all over again. Less than a week after it was revealed that a (relatively minor) AT&T security breach leaked 144,000 email addresses, the company has allegedly had a
June 14, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can online backup be used as a primary storage device as you would use your computer? A: This is an interesting idea, but it's not really what online backup is meant to
June 9, 2010 -
A group of activist-hackers has disclosed a security breach that revealed the email addresses and subscriber authentication sim card IDs (known as ICC-IDs) of 144,000 iPad 3G owners. Gawker is reporting that a French hacking outfit called Goatse Security made
June 9, 2010 -
Time and again we recommend that users keep their operating systems updated with the latest security patches. In the world of Microsoft, this happens every first Tuesday of the month. Well, in the past few months it's become a pretty
June 7, 2010 -
Fans of Avast! have reason to celebrate. The Internet security softare provider is offering a two-year subscription for the price of one. At $59.95 for one year, that brings the cost to just about $30 per year, a really great
June 4, 2010 -
Until June 9th, online backup service iBackup is offering double the online storage for new customers and renewals. While iBackup ranks a bit lower in our reviews for everyday users, it does stand out for its enhanced plans which offer
June 3, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can I use Internet fax services with my Gmail account? A: Yes, there's no reason why you couldn't used your Gmail account to send or receive an Internet fax. Email faxes are
June 2, 2010 -
A lot has changed since we posted our original Facebook Identity Theft Protection Guide. But one thing that hasn't changed is the potential for identity thieves, cyber stalkers, marketers, and other unsavory types to learn about you on Facebook. Now,
June 1, 2010 -
We're not sure if this is related to Internet Safety Month or not, but Kaspersky is offering a $30.00 discount on its Internet Security 20101 suite. This is a really good deal for a top-notch Internet security product, bringing it
May 27, 2010 -
There's a new type of phishing attack and it's been discovered, not by a hacker (at least as far as we know), but by a Firefox developer. Aza Raskin posted the technique on his blog—so if hackers didn't know about
May 26, 2010 -
In a blog post today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg did a kind of explanation-cum-mia-culpa on the social network's privacy settings. In the process he announced new, simplified privacy controls that should clear up confusion about just who has access to
May 26, 2010 -
Eset is offering deep discounts on its popular Smart Security 4. Right now, NextAdvisor readers can receive additional savings on multi-year, multi-PC plans. A 2-year, 3-PC license comes in at $104.99, a savings of almost $30.00. Check out the full
May 24, 2010 -
Lifehacker, a Gawker Media blog which reports on ways users can improve their online lives, has ranked its top 5 favorite personal web hosts. We are happy to see that four of the five they list we also reviewed, and
May 20, 2010 -
Concerned about your Facebook privacy? ReclaimPrivacy.org has developed a bookmark applet that will scan your Facebook profile and let you know how vulnerable your privacy is on Facebook—at least as far as your personal settings go. Just drag the bookmark
May 18, 2010 -
Today, online backup service Mozy launches version 2.0 of its backup manager. We're glad to see Mozy continue to make a great product even better. When it comes to the software, Mozy already takes the cake, but Mozy 2.0 greatly
May 17, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How many email addresses are inluded in the listed hosting price for most of these sites? Back in the day, when this all started, the number of email addresses allowed for free
May 13, 2010 -
Here's an interesting bit from gadget blog Gizmodo: Germans to get fined for not securing wi-fi networks. Or that's the headline, at least. It conjures images of laptop-toting polizei running from block to block looking for leaky networks. In truth,
May 12, 2010 -
A user recently wrote asking how she could create password-protected areas of a website "to which individual clients (no more than 50 people) can login and retrieve their lab reports and other such information." We suggested a HIPAA-compliant web host.
May 10, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I would like to design and build a website for my small business that will mainly provide information to my existing clients. Some of this information is private medical information, so I
May 7, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Does Yahoo! Small Business web hosting allow add-on domains? A: Yes they do. I just got off the phone with the helpful sales reps at Yahoo! Small Business web hosting to verify.
May 4, 2010 -
Yahoo! has just released a new discount for NextAdvisor users, raising the discount on the first three months of service from 35% to 50% off. Yahoo!'s web hosting is one of the best we tested. In fact, there's no web
May 4, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: What mistakes should a person choosing a web host avoid? What are the benefits? A: When selecting a web host, the biggest mistake anyone can make is choosing a web host that
April 27, 2010 -
Those familiar with comic books will know that one of the grandest traditions in the medium is the team-up. Batman and Superman, Green Arrow and Green Lantern, Havoc and Wolverine, Nick Fury and Wolverine, Spider-Man and Wolverine (EVERYONE and Wolverine),
April 26, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I'm looking for a computer back up service but am concerned about HIPAA compliance. Are you certified for HIPAA protection and could you provide documentation? A: Thanks for the question. First, we
April 15, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: How does internet security software affect the performance of my computer? Any extra piece of software is going to affect the performance of a computer. Internet security software is no exception. It
April 13, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Does Vonage bypass/operate independently of your Personal Computer? Example: With 'Magic Jack' if the PC is setup for auto updates and reboots after update, phone service is shut down until you log
April 9, 2010 -
Our previous iPad security guide dealt with iPad security for those that are on-the-go. However, some people buy iPads for casual use around the house: e-reader, cookbook, web browser, video viewer, photo album, video game machine, music player, guest computer.
April 8, 2010 -
We've been playing with Apple's iPad this week. Beyond checking out its glossy screen, unibody construction, and book-like reading interface, we thought it would be interesting to check out its basic security options. If ever there was a product designed
April 8, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Can I run Norton 360 on my Toshiba NB 305 Netbook? I currently have Norton Internet Security and it doesn't offer idendity theft protection. I had one Norton tech person tell me
April 6, 2010 -
Norton has simplified the discount process for our exclusive deal on Norton Internet Security 2010. The 15% discount on the award-winning Internet security software can be had without a coupon code by simply following any Norton link from NextAdvisor.com. The
April 5, 2010 -
The following is an actual-user submitted question: Q: I have never designed a website. Is Host Monster easy for a beginner to set up a basic site? How many web pages are available for its basic plan? A: Hostmonster is
April 2, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: I have McAfee Security; I ran a Webroot scan and it indicated I have a virus Mal/FakeAV-CO but have to subscribe to clean it out. If I have this why doesn't Mcafee find it?
March 31, 2010 -
SugarSync has extended their exclusive 15% discounts on its 60GB and 100GB plans until May 31st. SugarSync is a fun and feature-rich service that's particularly useful for those with smart phones. It does not, by default, back up as many files as Mozy or Carbonite
March 30, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: If I sign up for Carbonite now, 4/2010, and decide to cancel my subscription in 4/2011, what happens to my backed up items? A: If you cancel Carbonite you will lose remote
March 23, 2010 -
Symantec has just released Norton 360 Premiere Edition v. 4.0. T the suite is a pretty impressive deal at $99.99 per year, it may seem steep, but it combines a lot of useful, even essential, applications into one product. Until March
March 22, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: My wife established a domain name a few years ago. She has since passed away and the group no longer exists. I want to discontinue the domain name. According to the nice
March 19, 2010 -
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," said George Santayana. Nowhere is this more true than in Kennewick, Washington where a 17-year-old burglar was apprehended because he logged in to to his MySpace account at the
March 18, 2010 -
Mozy, one of our favorite online backup services, is offering 20% off until the end of March. This Saint Patrick's Day inspired coupon code is GOLD. Just enter that code in at checkout to receive 20% off; this comes on
March 16, 2010 -
Norton has brought back its 15% discount, this time with the coupon code: CNEXTNIS. Just enter that code in at checkout and it brings the price of the award-winning Internet security software down to $59.49 for the year. We think
March 16, 2010 -
The following is an actual user submitted question: Q: I am considering buying Carbonite and would like to know if I still need GoToMyPC remote access program if Carbonite allows for remote access? Does the Carbonite remote access feature allow
March 11, 2010 -
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Are Webroot and Trend Micro the same? Is it harmful to have them on at the same time? Or is it a waste of money, and am I doing double security? A:
March 11, 2010 -
We reviewed SugarSync for Business on Monday. Today we're reporting that the online backup service is offering exclusive 15% discounts on its 60GB and 100GB plans. It's a limited time offer; in fact customers have until March 31st. We really liked
March 9, 2010 -
We really liked SugarSync's personal backup service when we tested it, so we were eager to see how its SugarSync for Business plan differs. Strangely, the biggest difference seems to be in the price, and not the functionality; from a
March 5, 2010 -
Credit report monitoring company myFICO is turning nine years old, and they're giving you a present. Until March 31st you can get 30% off of any of their services including Score Watch, Suze Orman's FICO Kit Platinum, FICO Quarterly Monitoring,
March 4, 2010 -
The following is an actual reader submitted question: Q: Does Carbonite back up my computer software programs and all my data, documents, and video files? A: With unlimited online backup storage, Carbonite can back up everything on your computer including
March 3, 2010 -
The following is an actual reader submitted question: Q:I received a Windows security alert and it directed me to have a scan of my computer which alerted me to numerous Trojan and viruses and worms. Now I am not able
March 1, 2010 -
During the month of March, Yahoo! is upping the three-month discount on its web hosting from 25% to 35%. That's three months at $6.47 per month, with the rest of the year at $9.95 per month. While Yahoo! is a
March 1, 2010 -
The following is an actual user submitted question: Q: What is an ID vault? A: Many Internet security software products offer features related to identity theft protection. The best ones allow you to securely store personal information such as logins,
February 24, 2010 -
Q: If I have magicJack in one of my USB ports can I still use the Vonage system? A: You certainly can. Vonage plugs into your Internet connection, but still allows regular traffic to and from your computer. With magicJack, voice
February 22, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question: Q: What web hosting provider would you recommend for a website that has a lot of video uploading/downloading or something similar to video conferencing? For a
February 18, 2010 -
Well, we've reviewed Skype. We gave the popular Internet-based service a thorough evaluation. We looked at the Skype Unlimited World plan coupled with a Skype-compatible cordless phone. This is not the free computer-to-computer service, but a monthly subscription plan that
February 18, 2010 -
We've blogged before about how it's a bad idea to twitter your vacation plans. Well, three computer science students from the Netherlands are taking social networks, and their users, to task for the willy-nilly sharing of location data. The site,
February 16, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question: Q: We are looking for less expensive way to use Blackberry from New Zealand to US. Can you use VOIP from New Zealand to US on
February 12, 2010 -
February 14th is Valentine's Day and antivirus pros Trend Micro want to remind you that an E-card can bring more than tidings of love. They can be bearers of viruses and other malware: "Last year, the notorious Win32/Waledac Trojan made
February 11, 2010 -
Who's Dave Kiely? Dave Kiely is an employee at Australia's MacQuarie bank who's become a minor web laughing stock after he was shown looking at nearly-nude photos of a Victoria's Secret model on live TV. How did it happen? It
February 10, 2010 -
It seems that Californians have another reason to be angry with their government. On February 1st, the Department of California Health Care Services sent out 49,352 letters that mistakenly listed the recipient's name and Social Security number on the envelope.
February 9, 2010 -
We are very happy to bring back the exclusive 15%-off Mozy promo code. This brings the price of this excellent online backup service down to $4.21 per month. Put that together with Mozy's yearly discounts and you can receive a
February 4, 2010 -
Apple has very quietly, almost too quietly, release a software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The 3.1.3 update was released on Tuesday, and seemed to be pretty inconsequential at first: a fix for the battery meter, some remedies for
February 2, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question: Q: I want to own my website address-my time is near for renewal with my hosting company but I don't feel comfortable with them paying for
January 26, 2010 -
A new study from Experian concludes that adults over the age of 45 share too much information online. The credit score reporting company completed a study of 1,052 men and women, analyzing their behavior on social networks. The study found
January 22, 2010 -
Norton has brought back its 20%-off discount coupon, bringing the price of its award-winning Internet security suite down to $55.99. Users just need to use the coupon SYMTOP20OFF at checkout. We really liked Norton Internet Security 2010 when we tested
January 21, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question: Q: I have a question becaue I have been using a public computer which i know isn't safe but I am wondering why your privacy cannot
January 21, 2010 -
MagicJack has generated a number of questions from NextAdvisor visitors and it's piqued our interest as well. We've seen the little money-saving device on infomercials, and even while in line at the drugstore, leading us to wonder if it's the
January 19, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question: Q: Do you have VoIP service in Vietnam? A: All the VoIP services that we review are sold in the United States or Canada only. However
January 19, 2010 -
We've just launched our newest review category: Audiobook Download and Rental Services. We took a look at the five leading services that allow you to shop for audiobooks online. Some services are subscription services that allow you to download a
January 14, 2010 -
CBS News is reporting that scammers and cybercriminals have wasted no time in exploiting the earthquake in Haiti. People using Internet search engines to look for information on Haiti earthquake charities are being redirected to sites containing malware. And of
January 14, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: I have a possible virus on my desktop. How will the McAfee process work and what will I have to do? I am not abreast
January 12, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: Does either the AVG Free Antivirus program or the Avira Free edition have firewalls? A: According to both websites, they do not. AVG Free Antivirus
January 12, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: How do I know my computer is infected? A: There are many signs that can point to a possible infection: slow PC performance, numerous unwanted
January 7, 2010 -
We've added a new feature to our Web Hosting Reviews: it's our new NextAdvisor Web Hosting Report Card. This chart breaks down our review criteria into a virtual report card of observations and performance metrics that we looked at in our
January 7, 2010 -
Internet security software experts at McAfee are making some predictions for threats in the year 2010. McAfee expects that Windows exploits will become less common as hackers switch their interest to products made by Adobe. Apparently Windows has gotten a
January 5, 2010 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: Are the backup services vulnerable to hackers? A: With the usual warning that anything is possible, online backup services are pretty secure. Of the many,
December 30, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: If windows is 64 bit, does antivirus software have to be 64 bit also? A: That is a very good question. According to Microsoft, the
December 29, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: I live in Florida for 6 months, and go home to Canada for 6 months. Can I take VoIP service with me? A: Yes, you
December 23, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: I purchased Webhostingpad.com's (WHP)3yr hosting plan for a godaddy registered domain and a few months later I asked WHP about domain registration if they continue
December 22, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: I have a message that my Carbonite is paused. It gives me two choices.Dismiss or unpause. I click on unpause with no results. Why is
December 21, 2009 -
Norton has launched a new coupon for its award-winning Internet Security 2010. The new coupon code, 20OFFCNEXT2010, will get you 20% off of Norton's already discounted price of 59.99. The final price comes in at $47.99. Norton has been racking
December 18, 2009 -
Independent antivirus testing firm AV-Test has released its latest scores for Internet security software and Kaspersky and Symantec have come out on top. The three-month test found Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2010 caught 98% of what the company calls zero-day
December 17, 2009 -
Last month, someone asked a question about file corruption. They wondered if their online backup service could restore working versions of files that had become corrupted on their hard drive. I suggested that "versioning" or "file history" might come to
December 15, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. Q: How can you tell if it is safe to download antivirus software? A: Funny you should mention this. I was just reading an article on
December 15, 2009 -
Social network application provider RockYou! suffered a major security breach which allowed hackers to uncover and post sensitive user data. TechCrunch has detailed the whole terrible affair that seems to be the result of multiple security holes, bad no data
December 10, 2009 -
NextAdvisor is proud to announce that it has added Internet fax reviews services to its portfolio of online reviews. Internet fax services allow individuals to send and receive faxes from just about any computer with Internet access. Technologies like email
December 10, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: Do you know anything about an
December 9, 2009 -
You might want to be especially cautious about emails that purport to come from your web host. A new phishing scheme is underway, and it's targeting customers of popular web hosting services. The bait is an email that says the
December 8, 2009 -
Think twice before clicking on a video that purports to show the Tiger Woods car accident (humorously dubbed a 'Caddy Smack' by the San Francisco Chronicle). No such video exists, but like other hot celeb stories that have come before,
December 3, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I am a carbonite subscriber. My
December 3, 2009 -
Avast! is fighting viruses for less with a 25% discount. Avast! is highly rated by both AV-Comparatives (earning Advanced+ and Advanced ratings in malware detection and removal, respectively) and the Virus Bulletin 100 (passing all of its 2009 tests). We
December 1, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: Can I install 2 antivirus at
December 1, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I have a free website with
November 25, 2009 -
Mozy is making dramatic price cuts on its annual online backup storage plans for Black Friday. Until November 30th you can save $15.00 off of the single year plan, and $20.00 off of the two-year plan. That brings the prices
November 24, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. What happens if my files are corrupted
November 24, 2009 -
Lunarpages, the web host of ever-changing discount codes, is knocking 50% off of the total cost of your order in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. The coupon code is: Thanks. It's actually a tremendous deal, bringing the cost of a
November 23, 2009 -
At the moment, Symantec is offering Norton Internet Security 2010 for $53.99. That's a discount of 23% off of the regular price of $69.99. 23% is the final discount, when you apply their current 10% off coupon (SYM2010NEW) to their
November 20, 2009 -
Internet security software provider McAfee has made a significant, limited time price reduction on its total Total Protection product. This brings the price down to $39.99, a pretty good deal. No coupon is needed, just follow any link to McAfee's
November 19, 2009 -
If you've signed up for web hosting, or spent any time looking into it, you've probably noticed that just about everyone offers Google and/or Yahoo! ad credits. Usually you're offered $50 worth of the former, and sometimes $25 worth of
November 19, 2009 -
Kaspersky has added a compelling offer to its Internet security suite, bundling 10GB of online SugarSync storage. We really loved SugarSync when we reviewed it. Kaspersky was one of the first Internet security software products to go 2010. Since that
November 19, 2009 -
VoIP favorite Phone Power has added a little bonus to its monthly unlimited plan: 60 minutes of free international calling per month. This includes calling to over 70 countries. This applies to both new and old Phone Power plans (those
November 17, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. I need to download new antivirus protection
November 17, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: Will Norton Internet Security 2010 software
November 13, 2009 -
Lunarpages is one of our favorite web hosts, a solid performer with a great site builder and control panel. For one weekend only they're offering 50% off of their one- and two-year plans. That puts two years at just under
November 12, 2009 -
Does the world seem a little less anxious than it did six months ago? A study released this week indicates a "15% improvement in the levels of anxiety that people feel." People seem to be feeling especially comfortable about "Internet
November 12, 2009 -
When you use an online backup service like Mozy or Carbonite, your data is encrypted before it leaves your computer. This makes your data essentially indecipherable to hackers, should they somehow be monitoring your Internet connection. The software itself manages
November 10, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: Can I backup my operating system?
November 10, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I have a Windows XP machine
November 5, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: You state how many computers McAfee
November 5, 2009 -
I thought I was using hyperbole on Tuesday when I used the headline "Another day, another Facebook attack." Or maybe I should have just saved it for today. While Tuesday's news concerned a phishing attack, today's attack is far more
November 4, 2009 -
There's a new coupon code for web-hosting favorite Lunarpages. "Fall24" will save you $24 off two-years of web hosting. Lunarpages is one of our favorite web hosts that we tested. While more expensive than FatCow or Hostmonster, it's a high-quality
November 3, 2009 -
Internet security company Symantec is warning Facebook users about a pair of malicious email attacks that claim to come from Facebook. Both use similar messages, informing users they need to change their passwords. Originally Symantec reported that the emails contained
October 30, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I purchased your product about a
October 29, 2009 -
One of our favorite top-quality web hosts, Lunarpages, is celebrating the spooky season with a discount on its two-year plans. Normally, if you want their $4.95-per-month price, you have to go for a five-year plan. Currently, the discount code "Halloween"
October 27, 2009 -
ZoneAlarm is offering a deal that almost seems to good to be true. ZoneAlarm is taking 50% off of the regular price of its Internet Security Suite which comes with one-year of Identity Guard's Good Start identity theft protection. At
October 27, 2009 -
In the relatively short history of the web, GeoCities is a bit of a marker. The service has been providing beginning web publishers with free web hosting since 1994. That is, up until yesterday when Yahoo! finally shuttered the site.
October 22, 2009 -
Windows 7 launched today to generally positive reviews. As you decide whether or not to upgrade, you might be wondering about your favorite Internet security software. The 2010 versions are all made to work with Windows 7. We've added this
October 21, 2009 -
AVG Internet Security has two competing discounts right now. They are mutually exclusive, so here's how they compare: Offer #1: AVG is offering two years of Internet Security 9.0 for $54.99. This seems to be their standard offer, and it's
October 20, 2009 -
It's been a big week in web hosting. Last week we launched four more hosting reviews: iPage, BlueHost, Register.com, and Dreamhost. Both BlueHost and iPage shake out at the cheaper end of things. Register.com, the stalwart domain registrar also offers
October 20, 2009 -
I guess it's fitting that in a month of costumes and masks we spend some time thinking about identity theft. The week of October 17th is National Protect Your Identity Week. A program of the Better Business Bureau, PYIW seeks
October 16, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I purchased Carbonite and see no
October 15, 2009 -
Back when I was in school, I had Norton Antivirus installed on my laptop. It was pretty much the only choice. Now there are a dozen or so major Internet security solutions offering to protect you from online baddies. We
October 15, 2009 -
Weight Watchers subscribers who own iPhones now have an additional tool to help them keep track of their diets: their very own iPhone app. The Weight Watchers app, free to the diet plan's subscribers, packs in a number of useful
October 13, 2009 -
The official word was that Yahoo!'s great $4.99-per-month web hosting discount was supposed to end last Thursday. But it seems like the deal is still going strong. We have no idea for how long you'll still be able to get
October 13, 2009 -
Internet security experts Symantec have release a video showing how shortened URLs (such as those used on Twitter) can lead to malware. We've long talked about the danger posed by shortened URLs. Here's what it looks like: Does this mean
October 8, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: We are buying a new computer.
October 8, 2009 -
One of the nice things about testing online services is that sometimes they really come in handy while you're testing them. Over the last few weeks I've had some friends in town from Germany. They were so captivated by California
October 6, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I was considering Carbonite after reading
October 2, 2009 -
VoIP provider Lingo has a new offer, and we thought we should let you know what's changed. They're clearly taking aim at Vonage's World Unlimited plan, undercutting them by a dollar and offering to serve more locations. Lingo lists over
October 1, 2009 -
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and the big question is: How will you celebrate? The Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance want you to learn how to keep yourself safe online. According to their
September 29, 2009 -
We've just added another review to our online backup service comparisons. SugarSync is a novel entry to the field, a product that really moves online backup to the next level. Sporting a variety of innovative features, SugarSync is actually fun
September 29, 2009 -
McAfee has extended their discount with us to cover McAfee VirusScan Plus, bringing their basic Internet security software down to $29.99. In our review, we looked at McAfee's Internet Security suite ($44.99 after discount). VirusScan Plus has the same highly-rated
September 24, 2009 -
There's a new weight-loss method in town (if your town happens to be Long Beach, California). Dr. Nikolas Chugay's tongue miracle patch seems more reminiscent of medieval torture than anything that should come out of a medical office, but ten
September 24, 2009 -
One week after visitors to the New York Times website encountered ad-based malware, a similar attack befell popular websites such as the Drudge Report and Horoscope.com. The trojans were pdf-based and were delivered via ad networks such as Google's DoubleClick.
September 22, 2009 -
Note to criminals: when you've broken into someone's house and stolen two diamond rings, do not use their computer to check your Facebook page. And if you really are that much of a Facebook addict, at least remember to log
September 22, 2009 -
Online backup provider Mozy has introduced a new discount for NextAdvisor visitors. Using the Mozy coupon code NEXT you can get 15% off the cost of their backup services. The discounts really compound when you take into account the annual
September 17, 2009 -
When we reviewed remote access (a.k.a. remote desktop) software we listed a number of benefits the service provides, but here's one we never anticipated: Using it to get your stolen computer back. According to an article in PCWorld, that's exactly
September 17, 2009 -
A recent report from Websense, a provider of corporate Internet security solutions, estimates that "95% of comments to blogs, chat rooms and message boards are spam or malicious." It's an impossible-sounding statistic at first, and it may just make you
September 15, 2009 -
According to the Seattle Times, a sales associate at a JC Penny store in Seattle, Washington came face-to-face with a woman who stole her identity. Michelle Cambridge, an employee at the department store, knew her identity had been stolen, and
September 15, 2009 -
We've posted stories before about the black market for stolen identities. Internet security service provider Symantec has launched an online tool that calculates how much you could be worth to a cybercriminal. A quick questionnaire will reveal your dollar amount.
September 10, 2009 -
Norton Internet Security 2010 has just been released, joining the crowd of next-generation security products. Like others in the current crop, Norton is betting on more than just virus definitions. Realizing that once a virus has been discovered it's already
September 10, 2009 -
Yahoo! Small Business Web Hosting has dropped a nice little surprise discount by offering the first year of its web hosting package for $4.99 per month. That comes in at 50%-off of their normal price of $9.95 per month. This
September 8, 2009 -
Highly rated web hosting provider Lunarpages is offering a $50 coupon which essentially cuts the cost of a year's hosting in half. We're not sure how long this will last (the coupon code is LABORDAY, after all), but it works
September 8, 2009 -
Rumors abound that a Facebook app called Fan Check is a nasty piece of malware. While the jury is still out on whether this app is actually dangerous, viruses are still being spread because of it. It seems that makers
September 3, 2009 -
We are please today to announce the newest review category here at NextAdvisor: Remote Desktop Services (known interchangeably as Remote Access or Remote Desktop Access). Remote Desktop is a technology that allows users to access one PC with another. Once
September 3, 2009 -
PCWorld has released their Internet Security Trends Update which details the biggest threats in cyberspace. Among the trends which seem to dominate: financial crisis scams, social media exploits, fake anti-virus software (or "scareware"), malware, phishing, the list goes on and
September 1, 2009 -
Trend Micro is celebrating the release of its 2010 Internet security software suite with a 10%-off coupon. We've just finished reviewing the 2010 version of its Internet Security product and we are very impressed. The 2010 product blocked phishing and
August 28, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. This question comes as a follow-up to
August 27, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I have a question about online
August 25, 2009 -
Kaspersky's Internet Security 2010 has just been released stateside, and we've reviewed it. Among its new features are a URL blocker and a Safe Run mode which allows you to run risky software in an isolated part of your hard
August 25, 2009 -
Internet security software provider McAfee has identified Jessica Biel as "the most dangerous celebrity to search in cyberspace." Biel takes this dubious honor from last year's winner, Brad Pitt. What makes a celebrity "dangerous to search"? Every year McAfee ranks
August 25, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: Your comparison chart and program details
August 20, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. I am trying to order Carbonite backup
August 20, 2009 -
It's a good time for consumers looking to save on their Internet security software. Symantec has just released a 10% off coupon (code: nis0910off) for its Norton Internet Security 2009, bringing its already discounted price down to $53.99. Norton is
August 18, 2009 -
A good friend informed me that a friend of hers twittered her the url of a weight-loss site. At first, we couldn't believe how tactless and offensive it was. Then we did some research. It turns out that a lot
August 18, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I have two external hard drives
August 18, 2009 -
The US Department of Justice has indicted Albert Gonzalez for his part in a massive ID theft hacking operation. Maybe you know him by his other names: segvec, j4guar17, or soupnazi, but you probably don't. However, chances are that you've
August 13, 2009 -
Visitors who've been shopping for online backup services may notice that Webroot's online backup service has changed. In fact it's been rolled up into its Internet Security Essentials. Webroot's security suite offers virus protection and 2 GB of free online
August 13, 2009 -
Let's say you registered a domain last month with Register.com. Now, let's say you want to transfer that registration to another registrar, maybe to a web host that you found while reading our reviews. If you did try, you'd find
August 11, 2009 -
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way. Q: I have Cable TV, Cable Internet
August 11, 2009 -
The world of web hosting can be a confusing place. On the one hand, all web hosts do pretty much the same thing: they allow you to publish a website on the Internet. But, as our reviews show, there are
August 6, 2009 -
Summer, it seems, is for phishing. Internet Security Software maker Symantec posted a report on the state of phishing, finding a 52% increase in July. Incredibly, 63% of the urls identified were created using phishing toolkits. Syamantec defines phishing toolkits
August 6, 2009 -
Couldn't find out what Ashton Kutcher was having for breakfast this morning? Blame a denial of service attack on popular social-media/micro-blogging site Twitter. While service has now been restored, the attack knocked the service offline for about three hours (according
August 4, 2009 -
When I was in school, back-to-school shopping involved buying pencils, erasers, and Trapper Keepers of ever-increasing complexity. That was in the last century. Today, it's a different world, which is why McAfee wants to send us back to school with
August 4, 2009 -
P2P.com is a website that started out in 1997, before the term P2P became known as peer-to-peer (a type of file sharing popularized by Napster). Back in 1997 it was the website of Port to Print, an online printing firm.
July 30, 2009 -
It seems like just this morning we were writing that people were clicking on false virus warnings propagated by the conficker worm. Now we learn of a Carnegie Mellon study that says that people ignore warnings all-together, even the genuine
July 30, 2009 -
Remember the conficker worm? Last April Internet security experts were monitoring a bit of malware that was set to do something on April 1st, but no one knew what. Now details are starting to emerge. One things it's doing is
July 28, 2009 -
Microsoft will be releasing new Windows security patches today. No, this is not a reprint of an old story. Additional vulnerabilities were discovered, prompting Microsoft to take the unusual step of asking its researchers not to discuss them until the
July 28, 2009 -
When you register a domain with a web host, you're asked for your name, address, and telephone number. And, as we've pointed out before, this becomes part of the public record (which is why we talk about domain privacy in
July 24, 2009 -
Internet security software provider Kaspersky has released a report on the methods and effectiveness of botnets. They've outlined their findings here. A botnet is a group of zombie computers, machines that have been infected by a virus that gives the
July 23, 2009 -
Think that your cell phone records are private? The Washington Post says they're not. Nope, not one bit. There are information brokers out there who have access to cell phone records and offer them for sale. Unfortunately, no one's sure
July 23, 2009 -
We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about identity theft and other scams. While it's unfortunate that there are people who spend their lives thinking of ways to take our money, there's also something fascinating about these
July 21, 2009 -
If you've perused our Internet security software comparisons, you've probably noticed that we have two offers which look similar: Identity Guard with free Zone Alarm internet security software, and Zone Alarm with a free year of Identity Guard Good Start
July 16, 2009 -
How do you know if an email is really from the person or company you think it's from? Email spoofing is a big problem these days. Just about everyone has received an email purporting to come from a trusted entity
July 16, 2009 -
Any conversation about spam usually comes down to this assertion: that spam is so obviously fraudulent that no one could ever fall for it, right? I worked for five years hunting spam for one of the web's big three search
July 15, 2009 -
Web hosting is a service that allows you to put content (such as a blog, website, photo album) on the Internet, at a specific domain that you own. Sounds simple enough, but what does that actually look like? Once you
July 14, 2009 -
Yahoo! Small Business has extended their web hosting promo, which gives new customers 35% off of the regular $9.95 monthly charge for three months (which comes out to $9.08 per month for the year if you like averages, which is
July 14, 2009 -
Online backup service BeInSync ceased operations on June 1st, 2009. We'd reviewed BeInSync, and while we hadn't found it to be as good as Carbonite, Mozy, or ElephantDrive, it still came out ahead of some of the competition. The natural
July 10, 2009 -
One thing we talk a lot about in web hosting is domain privacy. If you're considering web hosting, or even if you already have web hosting, it's something to think about. First, we'll explain what it is: When you register
July 10, 2009 -
With the recent launch of our web hosting reviews, we thought we'd spend a little time talking about costs. Visiting the websites of a dozen web hosting companies is like walking down a carnival thoroughfare: you hear a lot of
July 10, 2009 -
We are pleased to announce a new category in Next Advisor reviews: web hosting. If you don't know, web hosting is the fundamental service that allows you to put a website at a registered domain. Maybe you registered a domain,
July 9, 2009 -
The web is abuzz with Google's announcement that it's developing an operating system that will not be susceptible to malicious code. The operating system (or OS), is the basic software that makes your computer run. Google is touting its as-yet-unreleased
July 9, 2009 -
Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation, has made a list of ten things you shouldn't put on your credit card. Why? Because credit card companies may start to see you as a risk if, for instance, you're charging your
July 2, 2009 -
The iPhone and other smart phones are proving popular with the least coveted of all demographics: pickpockets and muggers. This article from Reuters points out that in New York City, while petty crime is not on the rise, the theft
July 2, 2009 -
You've heard of the dangers of phishing (a method that hackers use to gain access to personal info through facsimile websites) but how good are you at spotting it? We've posted a number of pieces on the importance of looking
June 30, 2009 -
Infamous hacker Max Ray Vision, a.k.a. "Iceman", a.k.a Max Butler pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud charges. Wired Magazine reports that he "stole nearly 2 million credit card numbers from banks, businesses and other hackers, which were used to rack
June 30, 2009 -
We should never laugh at identity theft, but a recent case from Arlington, Washington does put a humorous spin on an old excuse. A woman allegedly started using her ex-husband's checks to pay for some of her expenses. When police
June 25, 2009 -
When President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act into law, a number of credit card companies went on the defensive, predicting annual fees, diminished grace-periods, and other customer-focused expenses. Enter two doctoral candidates at Harvard, Ryan
June 25, 2009 -
Trend Micro, a provider of online security, has alerted the web to a false email purporting to come from Microsoft, alerting users to a "Critical Update" to Outlook (Microsoft's email client). Their Malware Blog reports that: All the links in
June 23, 2009 -
Robert Siciliano's blog piece on ATM card skimming probably had a lot of people checking their ATMs for tiny cameras above the keypads and card-skimmers attached to the card slot. This month, New Scientist is reporting on a method for
June 19, 2009 -
Yesterday, we reported on Thomas Parkins who dressed as his deceased mother in order to claim her Social Security checks. But this was not the only fraud this week that left us scratching our heads: Rebecca Beshausen abused the kindness
June 18, 2009 -
It's pretty hard to avoid the news that Apple has released a new operating system for its popular iPhone. The 3.0 OS adds a host of much-touted features, such as copy-and-paste functionality, a phone-wide search capability, and an optional 'Find
June 18, 2009 -
Not all victims of identity theft are among the living. The AP has reported that a New York man is charged with grand larceny and criminal impersonation after it was revealed that he was dressing as his long-deceased mother. For
June 17, 2009 -
A: A malicious .exe file. Father's Day is coming up, and web-connected children everywhere will be sending their fathers ecards instead of the paper variety. Electronic cards are quicker, easier, cheaper, and don't pose the risk of paper cuts. Actually,
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