Computer Support Blog

Recently, there has been a malicious browser extension discovered that is threatening the Internet security of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox users.  The browser extension has been hijacking users’ Facebook accounts and gaining access to many people’s personal information.  However, the extension doesn’t only access your information.  It also actively takes complete control of your Facebook account and performs multiple actions without your consent.

This Trojan, identified as Trojan:JS/Febipos.A, can perform many actions when it gains access to your Facebook profile.  These actions include liking pages, commenting on pages, sharing links, inviting friends to new groups and even directly chatting with your friends through Facebook Messenger.  The Trojan uses these capabilities make posts that link other Facebook users to malicious websites.  People have also reported this software as posting links to a website for automobile sales on infected users’ profiles.  Read more »

Most of us have experienced it at one point or another: you’ve finished your meal at a restaurant and its taking far too long for the servers simply to close out your bill.  Many have probably wondered if there was a way for recent advances in mobile technology, like smartphones and tablets, to improve this process.  TabbedOut sets out to do exactly that.  TabbedOut is an app found on both iOS and Android devices that allows patrons to check in to a restaurant and then pay their check when they are finished via their mobile device.  In theory, this could save both the customer and servers valuable time and improve the overall experience of eating out.  While there are many apps and services for purchasing take-out food, TabbedOut is unique in that it focuses on the experience of dining out.  However, if you have problems operating the mobile app, you should ask mobile support for help. Read more »

Many businesses use a number of online services in tandem for their operations.  However, a common problem many companies have encountered is the wasted time and productivity from having to input information into all of these services separately.  One example would be creating a lead in Salesforce manually for every HTML form filled out on Wufoo.  Even something as simple as manually uploading every e-mail attachment to a cloud service like Dropbox could become tedious for a small business after some time.  Wade Foster created Zapier as a solution for this dilemma.  Zapier is a tool that automatically integrates services together for you, taking tedious steps away from several processes.

Foster told Rescuecom that he came up with the concept for Zapier when he was working in marketing.  As he was working, he found himself repeatedly using the same integrations over and over again.  When he asked if there was a way to automate these processes, people told him to “go check out the API.”  Unfortunately, as a marketing employee, that was not very useful to Foster, who knew very little about programming code.  Foster then set out to hire his own coders and start Zapier in the hope of making service integrations easier for businesses. Read more »

Phishing attacks have become an increasing problem as of late both for everyday computer users and even major publications.  In the last month, there have been widespread phishing attacks aimed at both Apple and Twitter accounts.  These attacks come in the form of e-mails or web pages that seem as if they were from a service the recipient uses.  These e-mails trick recipients into giving over information, which then lets the cybercriminals access their accounts.

The phishing attacks aimed at Apple users mimicked an account verification page from Apple and prompted users to give their e-mail, credit card information, and account password.  This particular attack compromised over one hundred websites, which displayed the page that tricked Apple users into handing over their information.  Without proper Internet security service or software, it would be difficult to detect the attack for most people.  The intent of such attacks is to gain access to people’s Apple accounts.  Criminals will then sell the information or use it to compromise the accounts themselves. Read more »

Video conferencing and calls have become commonplace in the world today.  Video messenger services like Microsoft’s Skype, Apple’s Facetime and Google’s Hangouts have made what we used to see only in Science Fiction an everyday reality for consumers.  However, the developers of the Spreecast video Internet broadcasting service believe there is still untapped potential in the video conference concept.  With this service, users can make public “spreecasts” where other users can join in and drop out at any time.  Once in a spreecast, anyone can come in and interact via text chat while watching, but the host can approve any user to join through video as well.  Spreecast creates a public broadcasting forum where users can search for interactive video broadcasts the same way they access viral videos on Youtube.  If you have issues getting Spreecast to work on your browser, computer support is always available. Read more »

Both on-demand music streaming and Internet radio services seem to be taking the music industry by storm.  Many streaming service options have flooded the market, including Spotify, Rdio, and Rhapsody, among others.  However, these services don’t do much to distinguish themselves.  They all tend to offer mostly major-label music, and they split their services into a limited free option that includes many advertisements and a paid option that limits the devices on which you can stream your music.  Joey Flores, CEO of Earbits, believes in a different model for Internet music streaming.  Earbits.com offers both Internet radio and on-demand music streaming free of cost but focuses on new and independent artists as opposed to the usual major-label music you find elsewhere. Read more »

Google recently announced that they have integrated app activities into their desktop web search service.  This means that when Google users search for specific sites or services that use web apps—such as popular movie site Fandango—they will see aggregate information related to the web app.  For example, if you search for Fandango, promotional posters from popular movies among Google users at that time will appear to the right of your search results.  Clicking on one of these movie posters will link you directly to the film’s Fandango page.  If your search is more specific, the aggregate data will also be more specific.  Google means for the function to erase some steps when you’re searching for content in certain web apps.  Read more »

The rise of digital music on the Internet has made a mainstream conversation out of the conflict between business and art.  Musical artists have made a very public stand against music distribution methods that deprive them of their rightful royalties and income.  Many of the record labels have resisted endorsing digital music distribution channels that do not give the label a cut and the recording companies have been very litigious in protecting their interest.  Following the fall of Napster, iTunes and Amazon.com rose as primary channels of music distribution on the Internet.  But now, there is Spotify and given its success at generating interest, revenue, and industry support, it looks like Spotify may endure where other similar services have not.  Spotify is the vision of Daniel Ek. Read more »

Networking within a big business is becoming a pretty huge business in its own right.  The companies that are aiding big businesses with their internal communications have found a niche that they are very effectively filling.  The business networking companies continue to grow, despite the rapidly changing corporate and economic landscapes worldwide.  One of the most dynamic networking companies is Yammer.  Yammer continues to grow, in part, because of Dee Anna McPherson. Read more »

In the tech sector, businesses evolve or they die.  Given the rapid pace of technological development since the Internet became a mainstream communications platform, companies founded on the Internet seem to have even greater volatility; there are very few sites that remain cool and well-trafficked year after year.  YouTube.com is one the sites that has worked very hard to maintain its strong presence in the minds of Internet users.  Best known as a library of viral videos and videos that never achieved such renown, YouTube is working to reinvent itself by creating original programming in the form of regular web-based series’.  Working to make that vision a reality is Ivana Kirkbride. Read more »