Even Santa can't escape the long arm of the government!

What are you waiting for?  Want to know where Santa is?   

Track Santa!

Or do it in 3D through Google Earth (must download Google Earth.  You can do it when you go to the site)

Track Santa in Google Earth!

Merry Christmas!

By the way, you tool!

AVG 9.0 has been released recently!  

Oh, by the way, if you installed AVG version 9.0 (with the toolbar) and you are a Firefox 3.5.x user and you have a "Firefox can not display toolbar, please reinstall" message at the top of your browser, don't.

1. Because you don't have to.  
2. Go to Tools --> Add-Ons.  
3. Click on the AVG Security Toolbar and choose 'Disable'.  
4. Restart Firefox
5. Repeat Step 2
6. Click on the AVG Security Toolbar and choose 'Enable'.
7. Repeat Step 4.
8. TADA!  

You should have your toolbar all nice and pretty for you.  Have a GREAT Christmas!

-eggBrain

Wave HI!

So eggBrain is reviewing this video by Google about the Google Wave.  Very very interesting.  An online conversation, collaboration tool that is available to help you with your projects.

It looks like this will help a lot of web workers with what they have to do without having to spend time on the road to go to meetings at clients and the conversation can continue without having to have all participants there at one time.  Nothing wrong with meetings, mind you, but if you read the following, you know why I say this.

It's the meeting everyone has been waiting for:  The meeting where you don't HAVE to be there the whole time. How many times have you gone to a meeting and asked yourself  "Why am I here, especially if I only have to contribute xyz?"  Or maybe, you're there, say your piece, give your deliverable and you leave (to the next meeting mayhaps?).

eggBrain has just received the invitation to try it out and will try it out with a few clients to see how it goes.

eggBrain will let you know.

Compute safely!

-eggBrain

The product has the potential of creating "critical interactions" (my quote). 

Firefox is SO popular, like yeah.

Firefox, over the the past few days, has surpassed IE6 as the most used browser according to this story.  All this time eggBrain has been using Firefox as its PRIMARY browser and has loved it ever since.  All the plug-ins and add-ons are incredible.  It's a very flexible awesome browser.  Don't have it?  Don't use it?   Download it here. 
In the meantime, what do you use as a browser?  If so, why?  eggBrain doesn't like the AOL browser....ever.

As far as business goes, eggBrain is going through a re-definition and realignment process to push ahead through 2010.  New services will be offered with value-pricing still in mind.  eggBrain is reviewing its core competencies and going through its marketing research.  eggBrain will emerge, in the New Year, as a better, faster and more dependable.  That's what the small business world needs.

-eggBrain

Technology and Gadgets

eggBrain isn't a gadget guy.  eggBrain doesn't have the latest phone, the hottest laptop, the best MP3 player (actually, I don't at all), and I don't have a watch that transports me to anywhere (although that'd be nice). 

eggBrain uses technology that applies to his business and his life.  eggBrain encourages everyone to do the same.  You'll save money.  I don't have a phone that takes picture or video or plays active video games because frankly, I need my phone to text and take calls.   I don't have an MP3 player because my lifestyle doesn't fit listening to music because I meet with clients, and do a LOT of work.  But wouldn't it be nice?  Sure, but it's not necessary.

Keep computing safe.  Update your antivirus (that's a NECESSARY technology). 

Keep an eye on this space.

-eggBrain

When it comes to technology, money is everything

Or is it?  Recently, there was a news story about a California Teen racking up a $22K phone bill after being added to his dad's plan.  What?  Of course, this is the payoff all cell companies have been waiting for, right?  NO! STOP!  They ran the story on a news channel so now Verizon is going to credit him the overages?  eggBrain wonders, if it wasn't a news story, would they have done it? 


eggBrain is stating this only because:  when you, as a company or household, are adding someone to use a technological piece, understand that there are costs involved.  If  you're adding a server, try to estimate the cost of maintenance, power, data storage, etc.  If you're adding a teen, think of what he or she will use it for, how long, and whether or not they'll lose it.

But if you're tired of a high-cost plan that doesn't give you a lot of value, eggBrain just found a website called "Consumer Cellular".   Apparently, they offer low cost as low as $10.00/month...but it's still $.25 a minute.  WHAT?!  Well, it seems you can get a discount if you're a AAA or AARP member as well.  But by far, eggBrain uses Virgin Mobile which offers the most flexible plans (contract, no contract, etc.) available and at a great value.  Heck, if you DO choose to sign with them, use my number as a referring number.  Want it?  Then e-mail eggbrain@eggbrainworks.com.

Cost cost cost seems to drive most everything in this world, including climate change.  Changing the climate is going to take technology and we all know, there's no such thing as a free (maybe low-cost, but not freee)  lunch.  But don't we all appreciate a free lunch every once in awhile? 

eggBrain's question is: If it benefits humanity, why does it have to cost so much? 

Alright, that's it for the day.  Update your virus definitions, remove old programs and keep computing safely.

-eggBrain

Free McWifi! McWhat?

Ever wish you were at a McDonald's and just, after skarfing your food down, wanted to hang out online?  Well, McDonald's has done it.

Well, there you go.  A lot of the demographic (teens, young adults, corporate people on a per diem budget, etc.) will appreciate it with their internet enabled wireless devices.

As per the article, McDonald's hopes this makes them more like a "hang out" place as opposed to a fast food joint.  Personally, eggBrain's question then becomes, will they be ready as a hang out place?

Even better though, will this spawn a movement for free Wi-Fi in more places?  Is the "Free Internet" really coming to being?  Does this make McDonald's a valid competitor in the Wi-Fi market? Will becoming connected become more of a right than a privilege?

 

Update your Anti-Virus

eggBrain recently fixed a computer that had a corrupted System file.  No boot was possible because the folder was completely missing. No data was missing afterwards, but here's the kicker.

While eggBrain completed its service at the place of residence by setting up the machine again and updating any and all updates, the Anti-Virus program wasn't updated.  eggBrain ran the update (after I had recorded the XP keys with a Keyfinder product) and it found several bits of malware, which were promptly cleaned.  Later on during the week, eggBrain used the USB storage key (where the keyfinder program resides) on another machine and found that a Trojan/Backdoor had latched itself onto the key. I cleaned it right away.  And the only way eggBrain would NOT have found it was because it was inside a hidden file folder and if eggBrain's files weren't updated.

eggBrain strongly encourages you to update your Antivirus PROGRAMS AND DEFINITION FILES no matter which one you use.  Just beware of the rogues ones.

Compute safely

-eggBrain

Service Expansion and Customer Focus

eggBrain has recently expanded its services to provide:

1. Animated Flash Banners
2. Data removal and Recovery
3. Data preservation (through HDD extraction and preservation)
   
4. MySQL Database migration from Microsoft Access
5. Wordpress Blogs

Now what does this mean for small businesses in general?  Generally, if you expand your services, you have to be sure that you provide them satisfactorily to your clients.  As of now, eggBrain would like to think of it as a dragnet of sorts where you would publicize your services and catch what you can catch.  But is that the way to go?   eggBrain has read and heard a lot of other experts say that it's important to focus on your prospect profile, market segment and remember what customer are you trying to attract.  At the same time, the business owner/technician is always wondering:  is the business missing a vital customer base?  Isn't any aim of any business to attract ANY customer?

At some point, sure.  But at any given time, you want to qualify your customers.  If currently what you want are customers that have money and can pay and some of your customers aren't...time to find new customers.  Or at least change your services/products to find customers that will pay for what you have.

And this is the dilemma eggBrain is facing.  Currently, eggBrain is has a skillset that satisfies all three of its services:  database, web and PC Support.  But how does it want to market itself?  B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-consumer)?  Or as a freelance service to anybody that will take them for a long project?  Or all?  If eggBrain isn't available a certain way, what does that mean?  Is it a benefit or a liability?

eggBrain's would then pose the following questions to various small businesses:  Have you ever found your business in this situation?  That you want as many types of customers as possible but found it wasn't beneficial?  Did you have to decide that how you conduct your business has to change because your revenues were lacking?  Do YOU think it's a liability to provide focus for one service when you're good at several?

I hope to get some posts on this at any time during the next few years (trust me, I've seen some old posts when searching other blogs that still get replies). 

Compute safe.

-eggBrain

No system is safe

Yes, Macs aren't safe either, but that's another story altogether. Today's post is about Ubuntu Malware found in screensavers and themes.

If you have the "waterfall" screensaver from gnome-look.org (an art sharing site), you can find the fix here. This affects any Debian based Operating Systems.

You can find the fix here also from Digitizor.

The "Ninja Black" theme also has the same malware.

So please beware.

Regards - eggBrain

It's been three months since you looked at me

Ok, so it's not quite the Bare Naked Ladies, but I never liked them anyway. In any case, what has been going on with eggBrain over the past three months you may ask?

Our strategic plan is CONSTANTLY morphing and every week, a little more progress has been made.

We now offer FLASH banners for any company that might need them.

Check out our website and follow our links to other small businesses we have encountered.

We've been bitten by the green bug, so our operations are striving to reduce the wasteful use of any kind of energy: gas, electricity, time. Yes, we said time. Time, like energy, once used, is converted into other things.

Who turned us on to green? Green Fox Energy Group.

Everyday we strive for efficiency so we focus our time in creating deliverables, improving our processes as well as increasing the type and number of services to our customers. Did you know that we now offer flash banners as well as secure data removal? Additionally, we provide customized PC education.

We are continuing to investigate social media and its effectiveness on the impact of improving a small business. Yes, there are TONS of articles regarding that it's a wonderful thing. If anything, eggBrain would agree to a certain degree. But can we have a better interface in creating these "social" media pages? Facebook alone is cumbersome. eggBrain has a professional opinion regarding social media shared in another post soon.

Windows 7 has happened! eggBrain has heard both gripes and likes about it. In the long run, eggBrain buys nothing from Microsoft unless it's been proven and prevalent. Throwing it on a machine based on a release...isn't exactly our idea of proven technology. But then again, Microsoft HAS been able to patch things up along the way. eggBrain just wonders if Microsoft is in touch with their customer base. Their commercials make it sound like they are.

This post has been random. No real excuse. Just like there is no real excuse that you should not have some kind of backup happening for YOUR PC or virus protection.

Be well.

-eggBrain

Facebook, Koobface, the other side

Kaspersky Lab Detects New Worms Attacking MySpace and Facebook

"Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content management systems, has detected two variants of a new worm, Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.a. and Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.b, which attack MySpace and Facebook respectively. As part of their malicious payload, the worms transform victim machines into zombie computers to form botnets.

Even though the worms are currently only infecting MySpace and Facebook users, Kaspersky Lab analysts are warning users that the worms are designed to upload additional malicious modules with other functionality via the Internet. It is highly probable that victim machines will not only be used for spreading links via these social networking sites, but the botnets will also be used for other malicious purposes."

This is the same as an infamous attack of last year. If anything, some blogs say they are rumors, others say they are fact.

This blog from mashable.com claims is it is a two part way of having you go to a site which loads malware by luring you with this scare. Some might call it social scareware at this point, as far as eggBrain is concerned.

Associatedcontent.com's post states: "Facebook users who added the Fan Check application may find themselves especially vulnerable. The Fan Check application tells you which of your friends are your biggest fans. It compiles data by accessing your wall and your news feed (already a bit creepy from a privacy standpoint, but Facebook users are aware of this when they add the application)."

Again, if you are a facebook user and you have this app, please try to remove it promptly. In addition, there are signatures written for the Koobface virus by various antivirus companies, such as Kapersky and Norton/Symantec. (This link contains information about the virus and it's latest certification as late as Sept 4, 2009.

All in all, in eggBrain's honest AND professional opinion, UPDATE your antivirus, DISCONNECT your machine from the internet, and SCAN your computer with a Full detailed scan. The software that we recommend, AVG Antivirus, does have a signature written for it so you SHOULD be protected.

Reconnect after you are SURE any and all malware has been removed.

If you STILL have the virus and any other malware that may have come along because of it, you may need to have an expert, such as eggBrain, to take a look at your machine.

Feel free to post your progress here or e-mail eggBrain.

Regards,
eggBrain

Facebook, Fan Check Virus

To all users of Facebook, please check out this article:

FaceBook Fan Check Virus Already Infected A Lot Of Users

and here is a quote:

"Yeah, you should know that FaceBook is full of viruses, malware and phishing scams among others, but you can protect yourselves. FaceBook Fan Check is apparently an app which checks your number of friends, then gives users the possibility to create a RSS feed to post it on your FaceBook page.

All is good until here as this is nothing more than a virus. When users try to access the FaceBook Fan Check app they’ll get a message that says the app is down because the developer is adding new features, and new capacity, and that it could take days to finish them. IT says that you should become a fan on FaceBook of the update, but in fact it will infect your FaceBook account, and it will send an email to all of your friends to become a fan, but it will infect them too."

Please be aware. No antivirus has been able to detect it yet, and at the same time, if you can, disconnect your line from the network OR disconnect your wireless in the meantime. A solution for this may be coming soon, or at least a workaround. Please stay posted.

And don't download anything that says it can exclusively remove it.

Regards,

eggBrain

Seeking help?

eggBrain has released a website for those in need of help with addictions. Please visit:

Addiction Connections Resource

to see how you can help the cause:

The co-founders joined together because of a common experience, the devastation of addiction, and determination to make a difference in their community. The decision was made to form ACR, Inc. in the belief that ACR could give hope to families and addicts and help prevent others from ever experiencing addiction.

Thank you.

-eggBrain

MidnightJewels.com - re-designed

MidnightJewels.com has hired eggBrain to do a re-design of their logo and revamping of their site. The first stage has been released at http://www.midnightjewels.com! More changes are to come, so if you enjoy high quality jewelry and a value price, go to midnightjewels.com and see what they have to offer!

Cows Gone Wild!

Staffordangus.com is now up and running. Stafford angus beef is premium, hormone-free, grain-fed beef in Cecil Co. Maryland. You'll find it has the best marbling simply by the way they treat their Black Angus Steers, free-roaming, fresh air and fresh food.

Visit the site now at http://www.staffordangus.com!

Another friendly site, provided by eggBrain.

Security issue - Click Through Fraud

On June 30, 2009, The Washington Post posted an article regarding a new malicious piece of software that makes an effort to install a Trojan Horse on your machine when you're visiting certain websites. Basically, it takes advantage of Google's program of AdSense. Certain sites were hacked and seeded with code:

"Earlier this month, security experts at Websense warned that some 40,000 Web sites were hacked and seeded with code that bombards a visitor's PC with a virtual kitchen sink worth of browser exploits, all in an effort to install a Trojan horse program. Websense named this mass compromise "Nine-Ball," and the Trojan dropped on victimized PCs was thought to install a range of malicious software."

Slashdot has followed up to this article on their blog.

eggBrain is NOT one of those sites and is making an effort to review all the sites it has developed to ensure YOUR safety online.

In the meantime, please make sure you have the latest of what anti-malware software you are using to protect your PC. If at any point your subscription has expired, contact eggBrain for help!

-eggBrain

AVG 7.5 - AVG Ends support for AVG v7.5

End of 7.5 version support

Support for AVG 7.5 products ended on April 30, 2009. This support covers all home and SMB/enterprise solutions, and includes all updates and 24/7 technical and sales support.


_______________________________________________________________

Was updating my security suite and found this tidbit of information. Sorry I didn't post it sooner. If you do still currently have v7.5, contact eggBrain and we'll be happy to upgrade you!

AVG is currently running version 8.5.


Regards,

-eggBrain

Beef, it's what's for dinner!

Online soon: StaffordAngus.com

This beef provider has a long history of owning and growing their own Angus Steers to perfection. Visit the site when it goes live! Watch this space to see when!

New Site Released! Peaceful Waters

New Site has been Released!

eggBrain has just went live with another website: Peaceful Waters Services. Here's what they are about (as per their website):

"Peaceful Waters is a transitional housing program for women coming from recovery programs, the legal system, or other referral sources. We are a faith-based organization that believes that substance abuse addiction is a disease that can be treated with the help of counseling and behavioral changes. Within our caring and supportive structure, women grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically to become fully the person they want to become; active within their community, linked to a place of worship, and supportive to her family."

Check it out!

-eggBrain

BING! BONG?

It was in light of somebody asking me if I was able to see the new search engine by Microsoft called BING!

My first question is, "Why Bing?". Does it have to do with the abstract sounding "Wii" from Nintendo?

I tried it out and it was pretty interesting. It many ways it's a lot like Google in the layout save for the graphic banner residing at the top. The image search is interesting, no description at the bottom unless you mouse over the pic itself. Unfortunately, there's no "Remove this Frame".

I clicked on shopping, then took the tour, but there's no way to get back to bing.com itself from there.

Another interesting thing is the history of searches on the left hand side. I find that very useful because sometimes, you just want to go back to that last search that you thought was more effective than the one you just did.

Maps is interesting as well as Travel (it takes you straight to booking a flight). They have features from ORBITZ, but I'm wondering if they still have expedia.com underneath it all?

All in all, it seems that Microsoft is trying to consolidate all of its services in one large portal. Will they have developer tools too in light of all this? I wonder if some of the components are also developed in Silverlight?

In any case, try Bing.com for yourself and tell me what you think.

-eggBrain

HDMI 1.4 Spec to be released, June 30th

Are you an HD fanatic? Love your HDMI 1.3 yet? Think you know everything about HDMI? Well, the new specs are coming out and they are set to confuse you just a bit more, according to Sean P. Aune, author of an article at http://tech.blorge.com (article here).

If you have an v1.3 HDTV, then it may be "obsolete" come June 30th, or at least, when the new HDMI connectors arrive on the televisions themselves. Maybe somebody will come up with an adapter, like they always seem to, instead of having to buy a whole new set to get the new confusing HDMI v1.4.

That's just the trust in technology that eggBrain has.

-eggBrain

eggBrain: Growth. Business. Technology

Are you a small business? eggBrain wants to become your premier IT Service Provider in the areas of:

• Microsoft Access Database Development
• Web Site Design, Development and Hosting
• PC Support Services
  

This is a new launch for this blogspace. Updated at the minimum: weekly.

What you'll find here are tips to help you get around Windows, news about new technologies, opinions of new and technology issues as well as announcements of new services, etc.

Our vision is that eggBrain is the premier IT provider to small businesses that are just starting out, are about three years into running their business or small businesses looking to reinvent themselves by breaking into new technologies, revamping their website, or enhancing their current hardware structure.


eggBrain provides technology solutions by looking for value in your current technology operations, use and presentation. We then provide cost-effective solutions to help you continue to not only maintain your business but help it grow. We believe technology not only involves computer hardware, but it also involves people and processes that use technology tools to increase productivity and results.


Visit us at http://www.eggbrainworks.com to get more information on how we can help with:


* Microsoft Access Database Development
* Web Site Design, Development and Hosting
* PC Support Services

Or you can e-mail us at: eggbrain@eggbrainworks.com.

We can't wait to hear from you.

-eggBrain
Growth. Business. Technology