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Want to get up to speed and be more secure? Past editions of the ParetoLogic Online Safety and ParetoLogic Performance Solutions email newsletters are filled with interesting stories and great tips to enhance your computing experience and improve your PC’s performance and optimization. Now you can check out past issues through our archives and never miss another edition!
When you buy a new computer, it works great. Everything responds quickly. But over time, your computer can become sluggish and perform erratically.
Often times the culprit is the Windows registry. The registry is a large, hierarchical database that stores vast amounts of information your PC needs to perform. This data includes configuration settings and options.
As the Windows registry keeps track of so much, it can swell in size and become cluttered. When programs are uninstalled, entries can be left behind. This and such other issues as disabled drivers and remnants of removed spyware can take up space and possibly cause confusion. All of this can lead to poor and erratic performance.
RegCure Registry Cleaner can fix, clean and optimize your Windows registry. It scans for and solves problems associated with uninstalled entries, fonts, shared dlls (dynamic link library), Windows startup items, application paths, help file, file/path references, program shortcuts, and file associations.
This advanced software makes it easy to clean the Windows registry. You can just click Start Scan and then follow the clear prompts. RegCure Registry Cleaner leads you through the process. The program also comes with a Backup utility just to be safe.
Our team stands firmly behind RegCure Registry Cleaner. If you have any questions, our professional Technical Support Team is here to help you. They know the program thoroughly and can help address any of your concerns. As well, you will receive program updates for the length of your subscription.
To learn more about RegCure Registry Cleaner, please click on the Links above. Check out our Tips and Tricks section to learn how it can also manage your startup items to boost speeds when you boot up. Or check out our entire lineup of dependable security, optimization and utility products.
Tip of the Month
Use caution when browsing the world wide web. Research before committing to some purchase or installing something. Just as on the street it is up to you to look both ways before crossing a street, on the Internet it is up to you to keep your computer safe.
Q. In my business, I receive a lot of different types of files. I need something to help me open files extensions. What is the difference between ParetoLogic FileCure and the File Extension Manager in ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor?
Signed: "Curious"
A. Dear Curious:
Thanks for writing. That is a great question!
The File Extension Manager is one of PC Health Advisor's many great tools. After you type in a file extension, it provides information about the file type and lists – and can help you download – software to open it. PC Health Advisor is also jam packed with other great features like a registry cleaner, disk defragger, device driver update tool and many, many more.
ParetoLogic FileCure is an innovative program designed to solve your file extension problems. Like PC Health Advisor's File Extension Manager, you can enter a file extension to receive information and program download options. However, you can also drag files onto FileCure for it to analyze or have it scan your PC for unsupported file types. FileCure will also open if it sees you are having trouble opening a file.
As well, this program fixes file extension problems in the Windows registry. It also lets you easily change which programs are associated with certain file extensions. This means that when you double-click on a file, the software you want will launch. It also monitors your file associations and alerts you if any software tries to change them.
To learn more about ParetoLogic FileCure or PC Health Advisor, please click on the links above.
Viral video stars today, what happens tomorrow?
Video clips of kids being... well, kids get plenty of laughs and hits on sites such as YouTube. But, some worry about the ethical and privacy issues of youngsters becoming viral video stars thanks to such postings as "Charlie Bit My Finger," "Emerson – Mommy's Nose is Scary!" and "David After Dentist."
The latter video shows a seven-year-old boy dealing with the effects of anaesthesia after oral surgery. As of July 15, one posting of the two-year-old clip had been viewed more than 96 million times on YouTube and there are many more versions available. In a 2009 Globe and Mail article about the video, child psychiatrist Marshall Korenblum stated:
"This now has the potential to be replayed over and over again at different points in his life. Why would you inflict this on your child?"
One of the latest viral video youngsters is Emerson. His mom posted a video of the then five-month-old laughing and being scared as she blew her nose. His grandfather posted the video on the sootoday.com news website he works. After a week it had 17,000 hits and went to almost 13 million two weeks later.
I don't believe we crossed over any kind of line here," Dave Helwig, Emerson's grandfather, told the Canadian Press in an article published on March 31. "In a broader sense, I suppose there would be circumstances where a child could be shown doing something embarrassing and down the road that could cause harm. Common sense tells me that I don't think this will be too embarrassing to Emerson when he gets older."
Learn more: What happened to yesterday's viral video stars? »
Back to school: Time to think about computer security
It is almost time to head back to class. Before you – or your child – head off to high school or college, you should take some time to secure your computer and educate yourself about online security. From viruses and spyware to phishing schemes and cyberbullying, there are threats online that you should be concerned about.
- Be online savvy: The first line of defence against an online threat is you. Be careful about clicking links on Facebook and even Twitter. These could infect your computer with malware.
- You should be wary about emails asking for your passwords or other confidential information. These might seem to be official, such as coming from a bank or your university's help desk, but really they are phishing schemes. Cybercriminals use these emails to try to dupe you into giving them confidential information that they can use for identity theft, fraud or to drain your bank account.
- Stay up to date: Homework is not the only thing students need to keep up to date with. Programs such as iTunes, Flash and Java and your Windows operating system are updated on a regular basis to patch vulnerabilities and improve the software. By updating, you will not only get a better performing program, but a safer one as well.
- Use a security solution: In a survey of U.S. Internet users, which was commissioned by GFI Software, 77 per cent of teenagers said they were very or somewhat confident their computers would not be infected by a virus. However, 65 per cent of parents said their computers had been infected! You need to have a firewall and virus or spyware protection. ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS finds and removes malware as well as blocking threats that try to download to your machine. It also features an innovative Game Mode that won't slow you down when you are gaming or doing other tasks. XoftSpySE Anti-Spyware scans quickly to seek and destroy malware and doesn't hog resources.
Learn more: How to deal with cyberbullies »
Technological advances help keep us healthy
We are used to having technology help us in all facets of life - work, play, relaxation... Healthcare is certainly no different. Lately some media stories about technology and health care have been getting attention.
Monitor your mole: Now you can use your iPhone to get an idea of how much you should be worried about your mole. WABC TV in New York reported on its website on July 6 about Mel-app, which is short for melanoma app. This iPhone app lets you take a picture of your mole. Then it checks how likely the mole is melanoma by using mathematical algorithms and by comparing it to a John Hopkins University image database.
Your teeth are on the printer: Currently most people need to wait a few weeks for their dentist to make dental implants or replacement crowns. Iranian mechanical engineers, in the International Journal of Manufacturing report that that practice could one day be behind us thanks to a technology called rapid prototyping. It uses a 3D image to control a laser that makes powdered or liquid polymer into complex shapes. So, at the dentist office, your jaw would be scanned and the implant would be created using a 3D printer, according to a July 14 Cnet.com article.
Take your meds, make a call: Everyone likes to use technology, so health care workers in Nicaragua are using it to give people an incentive to take their medication. The workers were having a hard time getting Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients to take their medication. They suggested that mobile phone top-ups be offered. The Innovations in International Health team, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, designed test strips that, after use, reveal, a code that patients can text to receive additional phone minutes according to July 14 BBC website article.
Learn more: How cell phones can help »
Company Awards
ParetoLogic is proud to have received numerous awards and honours over the years. These have recognized products, the company's leadership, different teams, ParetoLogic's innovation and its exponential growth. The honours have come from international companies, such as Ernest & Young; respected Canadian entities, like Profit magazine and the Branham Group; and local institutions, including the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre (VIATeC).
Visit our Awards page for a complete list of company and product honours.
Inclusion Award
ParetoLogic's dedication to its staff was recognized with the Inclusion Award. Presented by WCG International HR Solutions, the award honours the company for being accommodating to people with disabilities and for including them in the workplace.
Product of the Year
ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor was named the Product of the Year at the annual VIATeC awards. The honour recognized ParetoLogic for its success in commercializing an innovative technology product, in this case the all-in-one PC performance solution.
PROFIT 200
ParetoLogic earned a spot on the PROFIT 200. The software company ranked 51st on the prestigious list of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies published by PROFIT Magazine. The PROFIT 200 ranks Canadian companies by five-year revenue growth.
Product of the Year Finalist
ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor – the all-in-one PC performance solution – has been selected as a finalist for the 2011 VIATeC Product of the Year award. The Victoria Advanced Technology Council presents the award annually to a Greater Victoria company that has achieved success with the commercialization of an innovative product.
Affiliate Summit West 2011
At the Affiliate Summit West 2011, ParetoLogic representatives were pleased to be able to spend time with many of their long-time trusted affiliate partners. During the Jan. 9-11 Las Vegas event company members, including Co-Founder, President, and CEO Elton Pereira, also enjoyed getting to make new friends as well. Around the event, ParetoLogic announced a new contest for affiliates.
What awaits you online?
Malware Diaries gives you an inside look at what is going on in the world of spyware and malware and how to secure your computer and yourself from new and emerging threats.
Sound Advice - Open Mic with Malware Diaries' bloggers
Members of ParetoLogic's Spyware Analysis Team (S.W.A.T.) were guests of The Computer Information Show featured on C-FAX 1070 radio station. Our Computer Security specialists discussed malware, spyware and viruses with host Bill McCarter. Click to listen to the show's MP3 excerpts as the S.W.A.T. team gives advice and field questions from the listening audience...
Sound Advice - Speaking out on behalf of children and PGsurfer
ParetoLogic's Communications Director was a guest of The Computer Information Show featured on C-FAX 1070 radio station. Amanda and host Bill McCarter discussed Internet security and the safety benefits for families and children using the free PGsurfer software. Click to listen to the show's MP3 excerpts as our resident authority gives sound advice and fields question from the listening audience...
What is Tips and Tricks?
Ever wonder what a ParetoLogic product feature does? Looking for tricks to make your computing life easier? You have come to the right place! Each month we will report on a tip, trick or maybe just something cool associated with a featured ParetoLogic product.
Manage Startup with RegCure
Does it take your PC a long time to startup? When you turn on your computer, various programs and processes try to start. If there are too many trying to use system resources at once, you will experience long startup times.
However, you don't have to! Many of the processes that try to start when you boot up are not needed. They could be programs that you do not need until later or even ones that you don't use regularly. Why have these launch and hog resources?
You can stop these from launching automatically by:
- In RegCure Registry Cleaner, click on Manage Startup on the left-hand side.
- Pick which startup item (program) you would like to disable and click on its names.
- Click Disable Selected
- You can also click the respective buttons to Enable All and Disable All. As well, you can remove an item from the startup list by clicking on its name and then clicking Remove Selected. Once a program is removed, it cannot be re-entered.
Does it all sound Greek to you?
Don't fear! Each month we explain a word or phrase connected to computers. As well as giving you a better understanding of PCs, you will also be able to astound people with your newfound knowledge.
Spear Phishing
While regular phishing schemes send out mass emails in the hopes of catching an unsuspecting victim in its net, spear phishing perpetrators target a specific individual or group. The cyber criminals use intelligence they have gathered about the user to make the request appear more legitimate and personal. With spear phishing, the would-be victim receives an email message that looks legitimate, thanks to the use of data that has already been gathered. The email tries to get the user to provide more information, such as banking credentials, often by using a link to take them to a website.
Trojan Downloader
A Trojan downloader is a security threat which has a specific purpose of downloading malware onto your machine. It gains access to your PC, often because you have been deceived into downloading it, and appears to be a normal program. Once installed, it downloads malicious files onto your computer. These could include spyware to collect your personal data or a program that bombards you with advertisements.
ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS is an effective defence against Trojan downloaders. It scans deeply to find and remove any malware on your machine. Our security analysts are continually updating our signature database so that you are protected against the latest threats. As well, ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS uses heuristic detection to identify programs that are acting maliciously. ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS also protects you by blocking unauthorized downloads.
"Data Recovery Pro just helped me recover 97% of my photos which I had deleted directly from my SD memory. I am very grateful."
Dieudonne
Learn more: about ParetoLogic Data Recovery Pro
"It improved my laptop immediately. Using all the resources of PC Health Advisor turned a rather ho hum performer into a superstar. Most of all it was logical and very simple to apply. The software built in support is like having a mentor by my side. Thanks ParetoLogic for making this fab product."
Christopher
Learn more: about ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor
"The spyware detector, XoftSpySE, is great. It has removed a lot of spyware from my computers. It was great they reduced the price for a second computer. Thanks!"
Tony
Learn more: about XoftSpySE Anti-Spyware
Here is your chance to learn more about a member of Team Pareto!
Each month we highlight a different member of ParetoLogic's standout team. You get some insight into their work life as well as their likes and dislikes.
Mikhail is a customer support technician who loves to help ParetoLogic customers on remote assistance sessions. No matter what kind of computer issue a customer is facing, he enjoys digging into it and will not give up until it is solved.
"The best part is when I am about to log out of a completed remote assistance session and I see the computer running like it should - the same computer that an hour ago could barely connect to me," Mikhail said. "It is a feeling of accomplishment and happiness for the customer who can enjoy their machine once again."
Mikhail spent some of his childhood in his native Russia. He has even had the opportunity to help ParetoLogic's customers in his first language.
The well-known nice guy came to the computer field pretty naturally. His father is a system administrator so he grew up around computers. Mikhail later studied computer networking. As for his position with ParetoLogic's Technical Support Team, Mikhail said he just enjoys helping people.
"I enjoy being able to make someone's problems disappear. The job in support also gives me the chance to speak with a variety of different people in different locations with different backgrounds that I would have never gotten a chance to speak with under normal circumstances."
Mikhail Plays The Question Game:
What book do you want to read again? Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin
Song you can listen to over and over and ...? "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" by Usher featuring Pitbull
Movie you don't want to ever see again? Sucker Punch
Bike, hike or yoga mat? Hiking
Where Mikhail Plays:
A proud Canadian, Mikhail enjoys reading, going to the beach, playing guitar and staying fit. When he gets a chance to go online, he enjoys checking out YouTube. Check out Mikhail's Internet Security Tip of the Month on the left sidebar.
