The year 2008 definitely showed its benevolence for Internet scammers: they found a way to get paid for their illegal activity.
And that way includes wild distribution of fake security software via aggressive spamming on forums and blogs.

One example of such software is a notoriously known XP antivirus, also called Windows XP antivirus 2008. It is a classic rogue software that behaves quite differently from what it claims to do. So, instead of scanning for viruses and removing them, it ruins the system security by opening wide breaches, then installs Trojans and acts like any other spyware – but that's not all. XP antivirus scares the user into buying the full version of it! Of course, the paid version doesn't get any milder on the computer, but it reaches the goal – its creators get money for their evil work.

So how do you tell if your PC has been infected with XP anti virus?
There are signs that cannot go unnoticed:

Windows-like balloons inform about malware detected in the system;
A corrupt Windows security center recommends downloading antivirus software;
Pop-ups scare the user with all kinds of messages urging to get the protection NOW;
While visiting websites you may see annoying pop-ups offering free online scan.

A sad fact about this rogue software is that it stays unnoticed by antivirus programs. To get rid of XP antivirus, you can follow several simple manual steps:

1. unregister DLL-files related to XP antivirus or modified by it;
2. end malicious processes in the Task Manager;
3. remove relevant entries from the Windows registry;
4. locate and delete program files installed by the software.

There's nothing really complicated with the manual XP antivirus removal procedure; any intermediate PC user can do that.
However, if you don’t feel like playing with the system and registry (which is always risky), there are tools that can do the removal process for you for free.
Visit the hubpage in my resource box to find detailed instructions on how to get rid of XP antivirus.
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PayPal is becoming more and more prevalent as a means of doing business on the internet. Those who spend a lot of time on eBay are well aware of how PayPal works. Now that more and more websites are asking for PayPal payments, many consumers are left scratching their heads and wondering, What is PayPal? Is it safe? Is it easy?

PayPal is a means of making or receiving secure payments over the internet in the place of a credit card. Consumers must sign up for a PayPal account and link it to either a bank account or a credit card. When the time comes to pay for a purchase over the internet, the customer provides the merchant with their PayPal account information, the money is paid to the merchant (less a small transaction fee) and the linked bank account or credit card is charged appropriately.

Common uses for PayPal include sending and receiving money to or from friends and family online, requesting money for a charity drive and making online purchases. In addition, when requesting money, an invoice and detailed payment instructions can be generated.

Money can be sent to over fifty five countries in the following currencies: U.S. dollar, Canadian Dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling, Australian Dollar, and Yen.

Using PayPal is easy to use, safe and free for the purchaser. PayPal doesn't share financial information so the seller never sees bank account or credit account numbers. They have strict anti-fraud measures in place and protect buyers from unauthorized purchases.

In addition, for those who accept payments into their PayPal account, an ATM/debit card is available for easy access to funds. Otherwise, simply log into PayPal and request a transfer of funds back into the previously linked bank account.

With over 96 million PayPal accounts already set up worldwide, PayPal is clearly making friends.
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It provides with the legal evidence against different mishandlings and crimes related to computer. The use of computer forensics has made it possible to detect the exact crime area and also supports in the recovery of the lost or destroyed documents. Computer forensic specialists handle with care While conducting the forensic examination, the forensic specialist has to be very careful in handling the computer system altogether. Any misplacement or corruption of data or virus attack can damage the whole system. Computer forensics allows the forensic specialist to find out each and every file. Both the ordinary saved files and the password saved files are recovered through the forensic detection.

Any file once stored in the hard disk will be recovered as much as possible through the computer forensic detection mechanism. The hidden and the protected files along with their contents can be accessed through the forensic tool. The computer forensics also plays the role of a technical analyzer thereby investigating the most unreachable part of the disk. Technically, the unallocated parts of the computer disk can be accessed through computer forensics. The specialists in this field really do it with efficiency. If expert opinion is required the computer forensic specialist immediately opts for such views without delay. They know very well that any discrepancy in the data and delay in its recovery may damage the entire system. The computer forensic professionals do very much care for time. Real benefits in different professional fields Companies dealing with law, insurance and banking business make use of computer forensics to the most. The prosecutors dealing with criminal offences like theft and counterfeit, cases related to child pornography, drugs deals and financial forgery can take the help of legal evidences through computer forensics to prove the authenticity of the case. The law board accepts this evidence as the genuine source and the convict is punished. Civil cases related to domestic violence, sexual harassment and divorce also seek evidential proof through the computer forensics. The insurance companies use the computer forensics evidences in an alternative way. The forgery cases in insurance are always due to fake identities and information. A person might have never met with an accident but suddenly claims for compensation through insurance. Whether the person's claim is genuine or fake can be detected through computer forensics. Thus a simple investigatory application of computer can bring an end to crime at least at one level. This indeed sounds great.
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Dragons are a creature much revered. Whether protecting castles, fighting knights, parading in the Orient, or flying to a lair high atop a peak, this iconic figure has been heralded as a protector and feared as a monster. But regardless of the homage being paid, dragon tattoo designs are a part of mainstream tattoo repertoire because of the mystery that surrounds this oft fire-breathing beast.

Dragons have history and tradition in many societies, especially in those of Medieval Europe and those of ancient Oriental origins. In fact, both of these cultures have contributed much of the lore corresponding to the Eastern and Western dragon.


On one hand, the Eastern dragon is understood to represent the characteristics of courage, honor, and strength. Seen as divine protectors, Eastern dragons are also esteemed as bearers of essential life water and life sustainers. On the other hand, Western dragons are viewed as the evil counterpart of the Eastern dragon. Known for their savagery and brutality, the Western dragon is often associated with evil, and even the Devil.

The freedom of using dragon art for tattoo designs is beneficial for both the one who is getting a tattoo and the one who is inking the design. The sheer variety this beast offers is the primary reason its popularity has grown in recent years.

Dragons are a favorite design among tattoo artists because of the variety afforded to them. Design, detail, and coloration are all aesthetic liberties that the artist can take with dragon tattoos, and these tattoos also look great on the skin, wrapping around various parts of the body.

Dragon tattoos can be done as armbands, on the lower back, ankles, shoulders, chest, or just about anywhere else. Among the most requested dragon designs are tribal dragons, Japanese dragons, fire-breathing dragons, Jade dragons, Red dragons, and mythological dragons. Often these intricately created pieces of art become masterpieces of color and complexity.

Shrewd attention should be given by both the wearer and the tattooer to what type of dragon is being portrayed. Because of the literal and figurative differences between the Eastern and Western dragons, minute differences in detail of color, appearance, and motif can make huge differences in translation of meaning or portrayal of intention.

Among all the creatures and beasts tied to myth and fantastical belief, dragon tattoo designs are by far the greatest in demand. Winged or unwinged, Eastern or Western, feared or revered, dragon images faithfully adorn bodies all over the world.
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Traditionally if you want a pet, you could choose a dog, cat, fish, or hamsters, even birds, but in the 21st century the new craze is virtual pet adoption.
Most children love pets, and many people would love to add a pet as a member of their family, but unfortunately getting a pet is not always the practical thing to do. Fortunately today, you can opt for virtual pet adoption so that your kids can have a pet to play with. With virtual pet adoption, you have all the benefits of having a pet in the family, but with none of the drawbacks.

Just like a real pet, with virtual pet adoption your children can have fun playing with their pet, and taking care of it; they can even pick out a name for their new pet. While your kids can still have fun with their pet, a virtual pet adoption means that you will not have to deal with dog hair all over your carpet, or kitty litter boxes. Your children’s pet will be completely digital, and all its care will also be digital.

When looking into virtual pet adoption you should know that there are two types of virtual pets. One type is where you go through a virtual pet adoption online, and the pet exists online, where it lives, plays and must be taken care of. When your children play and take care of an online virtual pet, they must first be on the Internet and logged into the particular Internet site where you found your pet through virtual pet adoption.
Once your children logon to the site, they will find their pet exactly where they left it last time they were online. While logged in, your children will be able to play with their pet, feed it, teach it tricks, and send it to bed.
When searching for a virtual pet adoption, you can find all different types of pets, including everything from the traditional dog or cat, to a monster, and even an alien. In most cases the website where your virtual pet lives has a program where you can earn points in which you can actually spend at a virtual store.

When choosing a website for virtual pet adoption, ensure that you know the terms and conditions of each site, and also be aware that some of the virtual pet adoption sites are not appropriate for children.
Another type of virtual pet adoption is where you can actually download your new pet to your computer. The biggest advantage to this type of virtual pet adoption is that you will not have to be connected to the Internet for your children to play with their new pet.

Whichever type of virtual pet adoption you choose, you can be sure that your children will love their new pet, and you can be happy knowing you don’t have an actual animal to take care of.

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Nintendo has released so many video game consoles on the market for the past years. Among all their launches, there's definitely one that stands out and makes a huge difference, and that's Nintendo Wii. This video game console has made a big name on the market for its undefeated high gross sales, since it was first launched. It has also made a remarkable trademark to those gamers for its innovative design and advanced features. Wii is the Nintendo's fifth home game console. Compared to the other previous video games they have released, Wii has a greatest impact to most game fanatics and those who are fond of collecting video game consoles. In fact, most gamers consider it as the coolest game console because of its unique accessories and compact design. The superb features of Wii are some of the good reasons why people from all ages get attracted and be amazed to it.

One of its distinguishing features is the wireless Wii Remote that can be used for pointing purposes and motion-sensing abilities. As a pointing device, this helps the player to be more comfortable in playing because they are no longer require to come near to the console just to choose or change a new game. In that case, it helps playing game more accessible to people. Wii Remote also makes playing game more exciting and fun, since the players do not need to use the classic controller. It also includes speaker and expansion ports intended for connecting additional input devices such as Nunchuk.

By connecting Nunchuk on the wireless wii remote, the players can detect the acceleration or movements of their characters that makes playing more enjoyable. Some gamers consider this Nunchuk as an ideal partner for Wii remote because they can use Nunchuk's analog stick to assist them in character movements and wii remote to perform a specific actions. Another distinct feature is the Nintendo DS Compatibility in which Wii system supports wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS. This allows the players to use some accessories of Nintendo DS such as Microphone and touch screen as inputs in Wii games without any additional accessories.

For this reason, it would be an advantage for those people who owned Nintendo DS console because they can able to use them again in playing Nintendo Wii. Online connectivity is another great feature of Nintendo Wii. This provides Wii to have an online connection from the Internet by using WiiConnect24 and Wi- Fi connection. Through WiiConnect24, it enables Wii to receive messages and updates from the Internet while the console is on the stand-by mode. By means of Wi-Fi Connection, the players can able to facilitate free Internet play of Wii games. Indeed, Wii is truly one of the greatest achievements of Nintendo Company. Its overall compact design and features are the main reasons why most people are encouraged to have their own Wii.

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They are the present and the future of the HDTV market: LCD and plasma televisions share some features which are all focused on providing the best images ever and letting people experience with a sort of “real life” environment while they’re at home sitting on the couch watching television. Any difference between LCD and plasma is not that huge, since both provide the best resolutions and best image adaptation depending on the light and other factors.

Plasma display technology is based on pixels, which rely on gas substances to perform their duties and images on LCD displays become visible thanks to electricity which is spread through the liquid crystals. Making a choice between them can be even harder since pros and cons arise mainly from the little details and precautions each LCD and plasma requires, and these details may or may not determine the customer’s purchase of one HDTV type rather than the other. No matter how much the customer spends on their purchase, paying attention to the features of the television is very important.

Despite recent models which are less subjected to the “burn-in” phenomena or ghosting, plasma televisions are at a disadvantage in this case. This is especially true if their usage is connected to the immobility of certain images, which usually is peculiar to video game consoles. LCD displays can suffer from stuck or dead pixels; it is advisable to check the LCD for this problem within the store’s return period or be sure to review the manufacturer warranty policy.

The Plasma television has a unique advantage when it comes to contrast ratios and back levels and for energy savings and an absence of radiation the advantage goes to LCD. Generally LCD TVs are thinner when compared to Plasma and Plasma TVs have better viewing angles.

When it comes to the ease of installation, plasma televisions are quite heavy and a professional is often called for its installation. LCD in this case is lighter and their installation is a lot easier. The consumer may be able to take care of everything alone, without having to use a professional for the installation. There is not a huge difference of the product life span between the two television technologies. This is because both should be up to 60,000 hours, and as always, it also depends on the usage and from the care of the user.

The choice between plasma and LCD is not that easy. When going through the purchase, a good piece of advice is to compare several different models before making a choice.
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The world of technology has changed so fast that most people have not been able to keep pace with it. Just when you get the hang of how to log on to the Internet and start chatting on instant messenger, they come up with upgraded versions where you can speak on the headphones too. And then as soon as you get used to that there comes the web camera that allows the other person to see you. And this is not the case only with one aspect of the Internet but with each and everything that is going around.

It is actually ironical that even today most of the people working on computers use only a fraction of the applications that are available. For example, an average businessman or executive would probably be using Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint and may use the Internet for some information searches.

Another interesting aspect of the whole situation is that teenagers catch on to newer technology and can make use of it much faster than the older generation. Take webcasting fro example! I had not heard the term before I saw a program about Internet crime. To my utter disgust, I found that a teenage girl was using the concept of live webcasting to show the various girls doing the rounds. And this was being done among here own friends without their knowledge and all to earn some cash.

Sad though it might be technology has its bad and good side. The good side is that live webcasting can actually save corporates a lot of cost because now they can conduct meetings across the world using live webcasting. Documents can be shared and shown on screen and the people can converse as if they were all sitting round a table. If you actually dim the lights in the room you may actually fee that you are sitting in a meeting room.

The other benefit of live webcasting is that it can be used to chat up with friends and family across the world. It does not have to be as mundane as typing away furiously on the instant messenger and neither does it have to be only a voice chat. You can sit in front of the computer and chat with your friends and family as if they were actually there. The only thing you may not be able to do is to give them a hug. But I will not be surprised if some new technology can handle this aspect also.

If you want to know more about live webcasting and how you can use your webcam you should log onto the Internet and conduct some information search. You are sure to find a plethora of information and all that you are looking for.
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Are you a gamer? A gamer being someone who plays video games excessively to the point where they must have the latest video systems. They obsessively stand in line for days waiting for the newest release. They are particular about what televisions are in their house. After all, they must have the highest quality of TV for their video games.

An LCD flat screen is the answer to their prayers. Sure the price may be a little steep, but anything to enhance their gaming experience. So, if you are a gamer and must have the best TV to showcase your gaming system, then pay attention to the details and you will be the envy of all your video gaming buddies.

A huge flat screen television is a great way to enjoy the gaming experience. Most new LCD flat screen TVs offer a decided advantage when compared to older televisions. When plugging in DVD players, VCRs or gaming systems, you must have AV cords that come with the equipment.

The AV cords plug into the AV inputs. Stereo televisions have three of these inputs that combine to allow the sound and picture signals to travel from the gaming device to the television. Some older models, specifically the non-stereo versions, may only have one set of ports.

An LCD flat screen TV is a great plus for gaming. Besides picture quality and sound, most feature several AV ports into which you can plug gaming systems and other miscellaneous electronic equipment. You no longer have to choose what items you wish to plug in at one time. This is a huge advantage over the older models of boob tubes which may have forced you to only use one or two electronics at one time.

The size of the flat screen television used is entirely up to you. A larger screen does impress the friends. It is not going to impress your wallet. You are looking at paying over $8000 for a 52 inch flat screen television. Is it worth it? Should you go with the LCD flat screen over a standard big screen television?

Without a doubt you should always go for the LCD over the big screen. Big screen televisions distort the picture and are not worth the price. A further disadvantage is that they take up a huge amount of floor space. If you can afford the LCD, then go for it. You will not regret the gaming experience it offers.
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