TechBytes Weekly

Heat and computers don't mix well. Quick! Touch the PC or mobile device that you're reading this article on. Does it feel warm to you? All computing devices generate heat while they are running, so some warmth is normal. But, if your device actually feels hot, you may have a problem. There are a number of steps you can take to prevent your device from overheating and damaging the components. Melanie Pinola discusses some good ideas in this Lifewire article . These include turning your devices off when they get too warm, keeping them out of extreme temperature ranges, and using laptop cooling pads. Performing regular hardware maintenance and cleaning or installing new fans can also help to keep your device running cool. Supporting Web Links The 140mm Slim Tower CPU Cooler Roundup: Thin & Light Done Just Right A Guide to Intake/Exhaust Fans and Airflow for Your Desktop Computer The seven best laptop cooling pads to keep your laptop extra cool Video: How

What will you do with a Raspberry Pi? The Raspberry Pi is a neat little gizmo. For about $35, you can buy the 3rd generation Raspberry Pi 3, a single board computer or SBC. Essentially, it consists of a motherboard, CPU, memory, and ports (Ethernet, USB, HDMI). However, it doesn't come with a case, hard drive, or power source. In this TechRepublic article, Nick Heath reports that UK-based Premier Farnell, the manufacturer of Raspberry Pi, has just released the components necessary to convert the Pi into a small, but versatile, desktop computer. Sold under the element 14 brand name, the Pi Desktop includes a case, a solid-state drive (SSD) interface, a heat sink (to protect the CPU) and a power switch, and costs approximately $50. The Raspberry Pi can run Linux from an SD card, but can also be connected to an external SSD. For less than $100 you can experience the fun of building your own computer. While it isn't as powerful as a high-end computer, there ar

Sweet stuff may be a thing of the past. Google already has two operating systems - sleek and shiny Chrome for desktops and laptops, and several sweetly named Android versions for mobile devices. But now, news is spreading about a new, colorful operating system Google is working on. Code-named Fuchsia, the operating system is still in its early days, so there's no telling what Google's long-term plans might be. Jef Cozza of CIO Today reports on what we now know about Fuchsia . One of the most newsworthy items is that Fuchsia is based on a kernel developed by Google named Magenta. Both Chrome and Android use a Linux kernel, so this is a considerable departure for Google. It also appears that Fuchsia may be cross-platform. This will permit developers to create apps that will run on both Android and iOS, eliminating the need to develop two separate apps. Supporting Web Links Here's the new Google software that may one day replace Android Fuchsia OS isn

A side-by-side look at Windows and Linux. If the recent cyberattacks have you worried about using a Windows computer and Macs are just too expensive, you might be thinking about moving to a Linux operating system. But, how do you know if Linux will be right for you? In this article Adam Shepherd, of ITPro in the U.K., pits the mighty Microsoft Windows operating system against the open-source Linux operating system. Shepherd explains some of the basics about Linux, such as the various distributions, or "distros", and measures the two operating systems in seven different categories. Shepherd compares installations, security, software availability, user-friendliness, and other important aspects of the two systems. Ultimately, there is no clear-cut answer - both operating systems have their pros and cons, and the right system depends upon your needs and abilities. Supporting Web Links Windows vs. Linux: Here’s What They Have in Common Consider Linux as You

Ironically, the cure is the same as the disease. Ransomware, malicious software that attacks your computer and encrypts all your data, has been in the news more and more often. The recent attack by the "WannaCry" ransomware which hit computers all over the world last week, including hospitals in England, has many people concerned. Encryption software can be a double-edged sword. It can be used for good or for evil, as shown by the WannaCry attack. Ransomware uses encryption software to lock up data and try to extort money from its victims. But, smart computer users who have already deployed their own encryption software can protect their devices from these attacks, as well as from unwanted snooping. James Crace of Cloudwards provides step-by-step instructions for encrypting your hard drive , whether you are using a Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system. Supporting Web Links Video: Researcher Accidentally Thwarts 'WannaCry' Ransomware The Best E

It's time to say goodbye to an old standard. As the world transitioned from vinyl and CDs, it seemed that MP3s were everywhere. The MP3 file format quickly became synonymous with digital music. While there have always been other audio file formats, many people learned to rip CDs to the MP3 format because the compression algorithm was so good at reducing file sizes. It's been a long time since MP3s took the music world by storm and now the organization that is credited with inventing and developing MP3s has announced that they will no longer be licensing MP3 software and patents. NPR's Andrew Flanagan reports on NPR's interview with Bernhard Grill, one of the people involved in MP3 development and discusses how MP3s became so popular and what's next for audio files. Supporting Web Links Video: Developers of the MP3 Have Officially Killed It The MP3 Is Dead: Here's A Brief History Of MP3 How MP3 Files Work Understanding the MP3 Format How

Google isn't always the answer.  If you're using Google or Bing or Yahoo! to search the Web, you may only be scratching the surface of what's available. Google, and similar search engines, only access what's known as the Surface Web. But, as the folks from Panda Security explain , there's a lot more out there if you know how and where to look. The Surface Web contains an estimated one billion documents. But there are many other items out there that Google can't find - in fact, it's estimated as many as 550 billion non-indexed documents exist on what's known as the Deep Web. The Deep Web is often confused with the Dark Web. In reality, the Dark Web is a smaller, more private subset of the Deep Web that requires a special browser, like Tor. The Deep Web consists of items that typically can't be found using a search engine, but you don't need a special browser to find them, you just need to know the URL. Most Deep Web sites are

Does the Internet help or hurt the creative process? Name a topic and you are sure to find controversy on the Internet if you look hard enough. One topic that periodically comes up for debate is whether the Internet is ruining our creativity. Are you a creative person? How often do you write, draw, paint, compose, or otherwise exercise your creative muscles? Are you spending less time creating and more time surfing the web? That's the sort of thing The Atlantic's Rosa Inocencio Smith explores in her recent post (scroll down to get to the main article). She posted the question - is the Internet helpful or hurtful to human creativity? - to an online discussion forum and then reveals some of the answers. Not surprisingly, the answers were as different as the individuals responding to the questions. Supporting Web Links I write on the internet. I'm sorry. Does the Internet Breed Creativity or Destroy It? Is The Internet Interfering With Our Creativity? Pro

Digital devices might be harming your eyes. How much time do you spend looking at a computer screen or your mobile device? A recent study conducted by Visionworks revealed that 82 percent of Americans use these devices every day and the average worker spends seven hours on their computer. Zach Hillstrom of the Pueblo Chieftain reports that this increasing use of digital devices is a concern to the professionals caring for our eyes. In fact, the American Optometric Association thinks it is so important, they've designated the month of March as Save Your Vision Month. There are a host of problems that can arise from digital eye strain, often known as computer vision syndrome, ranging from headaches and blurred vision to dry eyes or even retinal damage. March may have passed, but the need to take care of our eyes continues to be important. Supporting Web Links How to protect your eyes if you stare at screens all day Computer Vision Syndrome Blue Light Exposur