Computer Tips

Google Chrome Privacy

Google Chrome is arguable the fastest web browser. People love it for its shear speed and also the simple and clean user interface.

However do you know that there is an issue related with your privacy when you use Google Chrome. Are you aware that Google Chrome is using a client_id variable which is unique for every Chrome user, which can be used to create exact user profiles of a user’s actions while using Google Chrome.

Let’s look what Google says about it in its Privacy Policy announcement.

• The installation ID (IID) is created at install time to remove duplicate installation reports from Google servers

. This is necessary to accurately count the number of successful installations of Google Chrome that have occurred. The IID is generated randomly (not based on any other information) and is deleted in the next update check after first run.

• The client ID is used for the user metrics service. This is an opt-in service that lets users send usage statistics to Google so that we can learn how Google Chrome is being used for the sake of making improvements. It helps us answer questions like, “Are people using the back button?” and “How common is it that people click the back button repeatedly?” Users can always update their preference about sending usage statistics.

Pretty interesting.

But, when you look this information, coupled with the fact that Google has a chilling amount of information about our online activities, then it becomes a serious privacy concern.

Even with the trust-worthy track record of somebody like Google, it is enough to create restlessness among some of us, who are really concerned about their online privacy.

If you are among them, then you can use a freeware called Chrome Privacy Protector, which automatically deletes the unique Client ID before each run of Google Chrome. And you can be pretty sure about your privacy.

This is a guest post by Silki Garg. You like to visit her latest posts on Block malicious website access and Network Security Checks are interesting reads.

 

Windows 7: What’s Wrong with It?

It’s Better than you Think!

For once, I have more ‘pros’ than ‘cons’ with a Windows version and edition. It almost makes me start to like Microsoft.

Apparently, Microsoft has learned some hard lessons after issuing Windows Vista. So did consumers and, around the same time, Apple Mac’s were leading in computer sales. People just got sick of always “trying to make Windows run right.” Windows Vista was also costly—and sometimes catastrophic—to consumers with constantly updating drivers and hardware, installing patches, and occasionally losing data bases through these processes.

Ta-da! Enter Windows 7.

Microsoft just may have finally gotten it right with this newest version of Windows.

I have been running Windows 7 for about 6 months now and I’m very hard-pressed to find anything wrong with it. It feels like a cross between Windows XP functionality with Vista’s eye candy tossed in. And it certainly isn’t draining or overtaxing my computer For more see...Windows 7: What’s Wrong with It?

 

Do You Tweet on Twitter?

October 13th, 2009
What is Twitter? What is ‘Tweeting’? What is “Following” on Twitter?

Twitter is social networking…minimized.

When you tweet on Twitter, you have less than 140 characters to put the word out on ‘what you’re doing at the moment’.

A tweet on Twitter keeps other “Twitterers” informed about new things you’re doing or what new things you have discovered. Much faster than typing out a long email, Twitter let’s you get your point across quickly—and others read your notes quickly without reading a novel-length email.

To tweet on Twitter is an incredible time-saver and you do have control over who watches your ‘tweets’ and whose ‘tweets’ you watch. As with Gmail, ‘following on Twitter’ can be automatically granted to you with permission to follow (many advertisers set this option up automatically).

Others whom you choose to follow on Twitter may require additional information from you, about you, before they let you into their ‘tweet’ circle and follow them.

In order to tweet on Twitter, you first need to sign up for a free Twitter account; Twitter is free and there are no monetary strings attached to usage, no matter how much you tweet on Twitter.

This easy ‘tweeting guide’ will give you some of the basics so that you can have fun on Twitter!

Advantages to Tweeting on Twitter

There are many advantages to tweeting on Twitter. As previously discussed, when you tweet on Twitter, it is an incredible time-saver versus sending email- especially bulk email for advertising purposes.

For Moree See...Do You Tweet on Twitter?

Using Magnets to Organize Your USB Cables and Stuffs

August 12th, 2009

Magnets are incredibly handy.  Using the same rare-earth magnets from my article about making a magnetic Palm Pre, I just slapped a few on the side of my desk. 

The result: no more USB cables all over the place.  If you’re like me, you probably have USB cables for all sorts of stuff like your phone, camera, MP3 player, and more.  It gets annoying sorting through the clutter time after time again.

I also use the same magnets to hold batteries to my TV stand in case an Xbox 360 controller needs its batteries replaced.

It’s time to get creative with these handy little things.  Have other useful uses of strong magnets?  Share ‘em with us!