Nathan’s Top 10 Tech Gifts For Christmas 2006

Well it’s hard to believe, but we are already in December. It’s time to start talking about our greedy little wishes for Christmas. If you are a tech geek like me, then your wish-list is already too long to ever become more then that, a wish-list.  If you have been a good boy or girl and are still on good terms with Santa you may want to consider asking him for the top 10 tech gifts of 2006, or at least one or two of them. We are not even going to mention the top two tech toys, the Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. If you haven’t already been begging for one of these since last year then you might as well forget it, because even Santa’s elves can’t keep up with the demand.

The Hunt for the Elusive Wii and PS3

PHOTO BY NATHAN HULL 2006
The line for the PS3 on release day included in no particular order Ed Hogan, Eric Hughes, Myrl Carr, Ronald McCarter, Stacey-Lee Gibson, Tina Lane, Tina Gosnell, Glenn Carr, and Cody Hughes. Portable game systems, cards, and books seemed to be the most popular form of entertainment while camping in line. Wal-Mart provided coffee for the determined customers.

10 Simple Tips to Keep Your Computer Safe

2006 has been an interesting year when it comes to security. There is nothing like standing in line at the airport for 2 hours while they do a full search of your great-grandma. I told her not to try and sneak that bottle of Metamucil on the plane. Just kidding of course but you see where I am coming from. With all the new threats to our security, I guess a random check of people makes sense to some. Security in the computer world has the same problems so it seems. Some security measures that have been implemented in the PC world has made huge differences while others seem to make about as much sense as buying up great quantities of duct tape and plastic sheeting (in case of biological attacks).

First the good news:

 Would You Set A Toilet Bowl On Your Desk?

A survey completed by the BBC concluded that the average personal computer contained “nearly 400 times more bacteria than your average toilet seat”.
How is that for a shock? I know that this may be a disgusting topic for a tech column but it is something that needs to be said none the less.In our age of technological advances the desktop or laptop computer has become a Mecca for programmers and developers trying to cash in on protecting your computer from the ever present threat of computer viruses, spy-ware, mal-ware, Trojans and more. There seems to be a never ending war between hackers and developers. In a surprising new twist, it is not only a battle for control of the internal circuitry of your machine but now there is an onslaught of airborne bacteria, viruses and organisms attempting to sabotage the actual hardware and circuitry.