.AVI – Audio/Video Interleave: This is the most common type of file for PC and can include almost all audio and video formats. The most common are DiVX and Xvid for video and MP3 and WAV for audio.

.MKV – Matroska (Matroska Video) -  This type of open code file is being used very often mainly because, on the contrary of others, this file format supports multiple channels of audio and subtitles in only one file

.MPEG2 – Moving Picture Experts Group 2 – This is one of the most used type of files. It is the codification used in every DVD disks and also by station that broadcast with digital signal.

.TS – Transport Stream – This type of file is part of the standard MPEG2 and is used in TV station broadcasts.

.DIVX – This format was created by DiVX Inc., the company that created the original DiVX format also known as MP4 or MPEG 4. This was the first format to offer a good relation between compression and image quality.

.MOV – Standard video file from Macintosh, that can be read by Quicktime from Apple.

.WMV – Windows Media Video – This format was created by Microsoft to replace the .AVI that offers more capabilities, for instance compression capabilities as well as high definition signal us.

.H264 – This is the format adopted for the broadcast of high definition signal and also for Blu-ray. It preserves the image quality and at the same time a very good compression rate.

.VOB – Video Object – These files are present in every DVD Video disks. Inside them there are the Mpeg2 video, the audio and subtitles.

.FLV – Flash Video – Coded files to be used in web pages that use Adobe Flash technology. The most famous application of this files is You Tube and all the other sites that offer video in the Internet.

I’ll post about the audio file extensions soon.

If you need to compress or self-extract Zip files you usually use Windows, but what if you receive a RAR or a GZig file? Now you can manage those formats with a free software: 7-Zip. This software support a wide range of compression formats and you can also compress files in 5 different standard formats.

So it works, does the job and it’s free!! Why buy a software when we can have one for free.

I wish I could remember which Trojan I had on my computer but unfortunately I don’t, but it was a bad one, one of those that no Anti-Virus I tried could eliminate. I searched for days on the internet for information about how I could remove the spyware, I tried several solutions but without any positive results. I ended up in a forum where there was a link to SuperAntispyware and I said to myself…let’s try it. And it worked.

One month ago I had a Malware and it was Superantispyware that removed it. I run it at least once every two weeks, I have my regular anti-virus but I know that if something real bad shows up on my computer I can count on the “bug program”. I call it “bug program because the icon on the taskbar is a yellowish bug.

SUPERAntiSpyware can be downloaded for free. I don’t find it necessary to purchase the whole version, for me the Free Edition has been enough and it’s free!

If you are sure that you want to erase all traces from some computer files you have good results with Eraser. The Eraser free computer software is a file destruction tool. Once installed in your computer you will have the eraser option available on the context menu of Windows Explorer and in the recycle bin menu.

Eraser Features are:

Works with Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP (32/64),Vista (32/64), Windows Server 2003 and DOS. It works with any drive including IDE, SCSI and RAID, and CD-RW’s.
Uses the Guttmann (Default), Pseudorandom Data and US DoD 5220-22.M methods.
Erases Files and Folders.
Erases Files/Folders that were only previously ‘deleted’.
Erases all hard drives using ‘Darik’s Boot and Nuke’ method.
Erases Index.dat on Reboot
Erases Encrypted Files and Drives.
Erases FreeSpace on 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP and DOS.
Erases contents of the Recycle Bin.
Erases Compressed Files and Drives.
Erases Network Files, Floppy Disks, CD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW.
Erases Windows Temporary Files.
Erases Internet Cookies.
Erases Paging (swap) file.
Erases Internet Cache.
Appears as an ‘Erase’ option on the Context Menu of Windows Explorer and Recycle Bin.
Comes with an Eraser Scheduler that allows you to create user-defined tasks.
Defeats File Recovery software applications Hardware tools.
Supports FAT32 and NTFS Files Systems.
Eraser is easy to use and comes with a dedicated support network.

Be careful, remember that using Eraser your files will be erased forever, you can’t recover them even with Recuva program.

Eraser software is FREE.

On Christmas Eve my husband bought PC Guide magazine (portuguese version) and while I was checking the magazine I realized that it mentioned an easy recover program – Recuva - that was able to recover files from hard disks, digital cameras and MP3. I thought to myself: I’ve got nothing to lose so let’s try it!

I entered directly on the Recuva site, downloaded the free application and installed it.  I inserted the memory card on the Laptop slot and ran the Recuva application.  The first scan came out negative, no files had been found, I was disappointed. Than there was the option of Deep Scan that would take some minutes. Once again I thought: let’s do it!! And I did, after a few minutes of looking at an empty scan some .avi files appeared

and I instantly received my Christmas present: all the movies I had done. I was so thrilled.

I know there are other applications that can do this job but Recuva did it very well. Recuva is signed by Periform, it is very easy to use and fast in the process of locating erased files. You can select from the first menu the type of files you want to recover or you can select to recover every file. You then have the chance to visualize each file that the program detects and decide if that’s the one you want to recover.

Definitely this is an application I’m going to keep on my computer to be used when…I erase something by mistake.

Available at www.microsoft.com

Companies are trying to reduce the amount of printing to a minimum. This is not primarily because of environmental concerns but because of economics. Printing a color page, or even using a color copier, is expensive. What is often overlooked is the impact printers have on the environment.

The cost issue is being addressed by companies like Xerox who have programs wherein they supply printers free of cost and charge only a minimal amount per color page printed. This charge is as low a $0.08 per page, which makes printing under this program the cheapest option available. With the costs reduced offices can now print as much as operational efficiencies require. But these increased print volumes do not have a negative environmental impact if the printers are using Solid Ink Technology.

A conventional laser printer uses toner or ink to print on a page. A color laser printer is actually four printers in one. To produce color images the printer needs to be able to combine Black, Yellow, Magenta and Cyan. This means four separate toner cartridges. And once the cartridge is empty it is junk. The cartridges are not biodegradable so they become pure waste.

Solid ink technology uses a wax based stick of solid ink instead of a toner in a cartridge. The wax melts and is used for printing. Once the ink stick is used up, there is no case or container to dispose of – another stick just has to be inserted in the printer. So no solid waste is produced. Solid ink printers do not produce ozone to pollute the air, like Phaser printers do.

Don’t think that because solid ink technology printers are environmentally friendly, they are less efficient than other printers. A printer like the like the Phaser 8560 can churn out 30 pages per minute of top quality color pages. In fact, Xerox says the solid ink produces more brilliant colors than toner based printers.

Solid ink printers are not just environmentally better, they are more economical to use than other printers, especially if a free printer program is opted for and are heavy use multifunction devices.

Author, Ryan Perry, has been in the printer/copier market for 12+ years as a reseller for a number of manufactures including HP, Samsung and Xerox. Today Ryan owns and operates Go2printgreen.com, educating businesses on the environmental advantages of solid ink technology.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Perry
http://EzineArticles.com/?Eco-Friendly-Printers&id=1647999

Spyware is placed on a computer to monitor the activity of that computer. The activity report is transmitted through the internet conection and allows you to verify if other people is or have been trying to download certain documents or programs from your computer. It also detects whether or not your computer has a virus.

If you are trying to enter a site that may cause problems on your computer or a website that the spyware does not recognize, then you will be asked if you are sure that you want to enter the site, and you will also receive a notification of the risk of entering. If you are searching for a certain site or subject on the internet, then this will also be monitored by spyware. Many company offices have this system installed on their computers that are used only for professional use, so that online games, non-work related photos and inappropriate websites can not be viewed at work.

The company that has issued the software for the computer will get the results of the information the spyware has tracked. Then, the information may be sold to other companies for marketing purposes. For instance, if you are a golf fan, and are visiting a lot of golf-related websites often, then the spyware on your computer will send this information to your computer’s manufacturer and you may start to receive pop-up adds promoting golf goods stores that you can order from online.

In order to eliminate this, you may have to get a pop-up blocker installed on your computer, so that you won’t have to deal with pop-up ads anymore and to protect your privacy while you’re on the computer. The programs for anti-virus installation can be found at a number of electronic stores in your area, so check out places like Radio Shack, Circuit City, and Best Buy to find programs that will help you to protect your computer.

If you are not sure about computer terms or you need to gather more information about spyware before buying any more computers, then you should visit sites like www.spyware.info or www.microsoft.com and get updated information on how to keep companies and individuals away from viewing your private information you have stored on your computer.

All cell phones now include email programs, Microsoft email is probably one of the easiest stand alone email software clients there is and it is remarkably easy to use as long as you access to an exchange email server.

Online email clients such as Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail do not require much information in order to set them up and get them ready to send and receive emails. The mail server software system is called Outlook and Outlook Express, and they do require you to enter a little more information, but it is not that difficult to create if you know what each of the terms mean and can keep track of the information.

When you set up to send emails and receive emails, you need to know two crucial information: you need to know your Pop3 mail server both outgoing and incoming. This is the path that your email program uses to download and send emails to the server. In some cases, such as with a local internet provider, you may need to know your ISP mail server if you are using their email service. They should provide this information to you when you sign up and some of them even do all the work for you through an executable little program.

When you first open up Outlook, it will direct you through the process of setting up your email. There will be a place to put your name and contact information. Next a box will pop up that requires the Pop3 mail server information. You should have been provided this information by your administrator if you are using something other than one of Microsoft’s email programs, such as Hotmail or own email server.

Once you have the correct information, all you have to do to enjoy Microsoft email is to fill in the text boxes with the correct information. If you still cannot send or receive emails after you have entered the information, then you may want to check that you do not have the information on the text boxe (reversed). Just one little mistake can mean the difference between having email and writing stuff by snail mail.

However, many people don’t know about the absolutely amazing enhancements which can be made to your digital pictures, with photo software. There are tons of fabulous photo editors out there, so how do you know which package to choose, that will meet your needs? You may not want to shell out a couple of hundred bucks – or more – when you have no idea what to do with it, or if the whole package might be way out of your skill set.

Well, here’s some great news! Before you go out and spend your hard-earned cash on photo software that may or may not suit your needs, try some of the many excellent Free Photo Software downloads. So how do you find these gems? Easy. Just Google ‘photo software free download’ and wade through some of the thousands of sites at your disposal.

You’ll first want to get a basic photo editor, also known as an image editor. This is your basic workhorse, which allows you to manipulate your images in dozens of ways. Most include an array of special effects, such as altering colors, contrast, or sharpening or softening the image. Rotating, resizing and introducing layers and transparencies are other common features.

While you’re looking, keep in mind what features will be truly useful to you. For example, if your thing is landscape photos, you may want to look for a photo software package that provides lighting effects. With this feature, you can make a sunset a little more luminous, or even change the color entirely.

Be aware that many of these downloads are only available in the .exe format, so when the download dialog box comes up on your screen, be sure to click the ‘save to disk’ option and save the download in a directory of your choice.

Fool around with a few of these editors to find out what photo software technology has to offer. Once you see what you can do with a photo editor, you’ll want to look into photo software utilities to perform specialized tasks, such as merging photos, instant color matching or creating digital sketches from your kid’s photos!

You’ll be surprised to see how intuitive photo software is to use. There’s no big learning curve. You’ll be up and running in no time. Once you’re familiar with this type of software, you’ll know what you need from photo software and the money you spend will not be wasted. Your pics will be like the pros! More on Computer Software and Searcheslive.

Make your digital photos spectacular with free photo software!