It is interesting to see how people of different generations make use of today’s technology. I plan to include a random “technology profile” showing how technology is incorporated into the daily lives of others.
Today’s technology profile is focused on a teen social gamer, or TSG. This is your typical teen who likes to game and regularly meets up with their friends online. In addition to playing games, they chat, hang out on social network sites and text one another.
A TSG usually operates three or four main components of equipment including a desktop computer, a netbook, an iPod touch and a gaming console. The most popular of the latter are an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3.
All of these items can surf the Net, play games, connect to social networks and stream music and videos. The beauty of it all is how each aspect is used in combination with the others to make the TSG’s social time enjoyable and efficient.
The scenario: Simultaneously, a TSG uses a desktop computer or gaming console to play games. The computer is also connected to Skype so they can chat to their friends. The iPod is on the side tending to the music and texting chores. The netbook, usually for on the go fun or after hours surfing, is assigned to surfing and social networking duties. It also charges the TSG’s iPod and provides an Internet connection for the Xbox 360.
Microsoft released 12 security patches to fix flaws in their software for their February security updates. Among those three were rated critical and the others were rated important.
Programs affected by the flaws include all currently supported versions of Microsoft Windows XP/Windows Server 2003, 2008 and 2008 R2/Vista/Windows 7; Microsoft Visio 2002 SP2, Microsoft Visio 2003 SP3 and Microsoft Visio 2007 SP 2; and Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8.
Read more at www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms11-feb.mspx.
Users’ e-mails that were located in personal folders were successfully restored. Those e-mails were placed in a Recovered Mail folder in the user’s account. However, users suffered a permanent loss of all calendar events added between December 2010 up to Jan. 24, 2011.
Learn more about this situation and find detailed instructions on how to get your AOL folders reorganized at http://help.aol.com/help/microsites/microsite.do?cmd=displayKCPopup&docType=kc&externalId=56279.
** Pre-orders for the iPhone 4 on the Verizon network began last week. After a record first day pre-order sale, Verizon had to end the pre-sale. The iPhone 4 is scheduled to arrive at Verizon online Wednesday and at select retail stores — Apple, Verizon and Best Buy — Thursday. Those who pre-ordered may have received them as early as yesterday. Learn more about Verizon’s iPhone 4 at www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/iphone.jsp.
** Hotmail now is offering free alias e-mail accounts to its users. The accounts are meant to be throwaway e-mail accounts for usage on Web sites or wherever you need a legitimate e-mail address for signup or whatever. The alias account enables the user to keep their personal e-mail free of the random spam usually associated when signing up for things online. Learn more about Hotmail’s alias accounts at http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2011/02/03/hotmail-delivers-aliases-to-help-you-manage-and-secure-your-email-account.aspx.
E-mail me at sheila@amnews.com; fax me at (859) 236-9566; or write me snail mail at The Advocate-Messenger, P.O. Box 149, Danville, KY 40423-0149.
