9/30/2012

Peachtree Complete Accounting 2010 Multi-User Review

Peachtree Complete Accounting 2010 Multi-User
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First off, I'm an IT professional. I handle computer system consulting for many customers. Lately, I've been doing work for a CPA firm who uses several versions of Lacerte, Quickbooks, and Peachtree Quantum. They also use Timeslips 2010. All of these programs are basically running simultaneously. They just got a new server with plenty of memory, a quad core zeon processor, and 3 new workstations, each with core 2 duo processors. There are 4 total workstations. The 4th workstation just got some upgrades such as a new, faster hard drive and memory. The server runs Windows Server 2008 and the workstations run Windows XP SP3.
All the other applications, such as Quickbooks, Lacerte, and Timeslips seem to be running just fine. They're using Peachtree 2008-2010. Most of their customers are in 2009 or being upgraded to 2010. But 2009 gets the most use. Both 2009 and 2010 run very very very very slow, i mean slllloooooooowwwwwwwww. We've called Peachtree tech support, followed their instructions, and it still runs slow. Called them again, had the trouble ticket escalated, and it still runs slow. Called them again, had their tech support log into all the machines and the server, they couldn't find anything wrong, and it still runs slow.
In the end, they say it "must be a network problem". They also suggested we uninstall our RAID card! For any IT tech out there, you know how big a deal it is to uninstall a RAID card. The RAID is supposed to be completely invisible to all software. Besides, why would Peachtree design software to run on a server, but not function on one with a RAID configuration? This is totally ridiculous. Also, remember all the other software runs fine, except for Peachtree.
I believe the problem lies with Peachtree. To me, it seems like their software is way too bloated and needs an overhaul. IF your going to install this on a network, I recommend you find something else to use until they get these bugs worked out. The time and money spent troubleshooting this software may not be worth it.

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Peachtree by Sage Complete Accounting 2010 Multi-User Value Pack provides access for 5 licensed, named users* with screen-level security to help improve productivity while providing control over who accesses data. It combines robust core accounting with features like job costing, time and billing, in-depth inventory capabilities, and analysis tools. Peachtree Complete Accounting 2010 Multi-User Value Pack provides 125+ customizable business reports and financial statements. (*See www.peachtree.com/disclosures for details.)


Product Features All of the features found in Peachtree Pro Accounting, plus:
Business Status Center
Multi-User Option* with Screen-Level Security
Audit Trails
New--Open Multiple Companies*
New--Customer Management Center
Improved--Employee Management
125+ Customizable Reports

(*See www.peachtree.com/disclosures for details.)

New and Improved Features for 2010
Transaction History

Easily and quickly view all history related to a particular customer or vendor transaction throughout the entire chain of events at any point in the sales or purchase process.
View forward from a purchase order to a payment or backwards from a receipt to a quote.
Save time getting to the information you need to take action!

Business Analytics*

See how your company is performing compared to other companies in your industry or geographic region with the new customizable company dashboard!
Get instant access to view up-to date key financial trends in order to compare items such as Total Revenue, Gross Margin %, Days Sales Outstanding, and much more.
Use this tool to help improve your business' financial health and make critical decisions.

* Internet access required. Service is embedded within Peachtree 2010, however is also available for Peachtree 2008 and 2009 products via a separate application download from www.peachtree.com.

Customer Management Center

Save time by viewing the details you need all in one place to better manage and service your customers without missing a beat.
Create a customizable dashboard view of your customers' information such as their converted and unconverted quotes, invoices, receipts, time tickets, aged balances, items and services sold, and much more. Drill down to the detail and quickly take action too.
Save time by looking up customers quickly based on their ID, phone number or any of their contact information, and filter further based on date ranges. Utilize the Recent Selections link to quickly pull up customers you have already viewed.
Easily export customer information to Microsoft Excel or PDF, or launch an e-mail from the Customer Management Center.

Open Multiple Companies*

Get your work done faster by being able to open and work in multiple companies within Peachtree at the same time!
Open all of your companies at the same time and toggle in just one click to the company you need without closing your current company.
If you would rather work in only one company at a time, now you can save time by not having to re-enter your login information when switching between companies. Enter your user id & password once and Peachtree will remember it until you close Peachtree.

* When opening more than one company, performance is not impacted; however, you will experience reduced product functionality in those companies opened after the first one.

Multiple Contacts*

Store a virtually unlimited number of contacts for every customer in Peachtree!
The new "Contacts" tab in the Customers screen allows you to keep track of many specific details you need to maintain your relationships for each of your customers.
Track more details like contacts' titles, phone numbers, e-mail address, and specify the ship-to addresses.
A new Notes field allows you to track unique information about each contact, like shipping instructions.

*There is a maximum of 20 ship to addresses and 1 billing address per customer. Only 2 contacts per customer can be synced with Outlook.

Employee Management

Save time and reduce errors by keeping track of employees' information all in one place!
Store additional employee data within Peachtree such as emergency contact, performance reviews, employment details like hiring date and I-9 verification, additional phone numbers and much more.
Easily stay on top of your employees' records by receiving alerts and reminders for key tasks coming up such as review dates.

Automatic Backup

No more hassles or worries about safeguarding data in Peachtree. Automate your backup process for any time that is convenient for you and your company!
With Peachtree Automatic Backup, set up your schedule once, and the rest is taken care of for you. Peachtree doesn't even have to be running to make the scheduled backup.
Notify users to log out, or automatically log them off in order to run your backup (Peachtree Quantum only).

Password Security

Secure your company's data from unauthorized access with increased password security options.
Strengthen your password security with new customizable options such as automatic password expiration, multiple incorrect password attempts lockout, no repeat passwords, and masking passwords from other users in Peachtree.
Maintenance is easier giving users the ability to change their own passwords without relying on the admin, and requiring strong password compliance.

In-Product Advisor

Learn the best way to work within Peachtree by leveraging our in-product user tips. These tips will help you discover functions or features that will assist you in learning other areas of the product quicker.
The Advisor will assist you in pointing out better ways to accomplish common tasks in the program, in areas such as Sales/Invoicing, Inventory, Vendors, Receipts and General Journal Entries.
Set your experience with Peachtree to maximize the effectiveness of assistance you might require, and set the length of time that each message will be displayed.

Inventory Enhancements

See what your customers are buying with the new Item Sales History by Customer onscreen view and report.
Now you don't need to know the official name of an item, or the number, to find it quickly. Search for items by words you've typed into other description or notes fields.
Streamline your data entry when setting up new items with the ability to set the Item Class default based on your most common inventory type such as Stock, Non-Stock, Service, etc.

Peachtree by Sage 2010 Product Family Feature Comparison Chart
Disclaimers: 1. Versions 2006-2009. Excludes conversion of QuickBooks individual payroll transactions. For additional information on conversion limitations, please visit www.peachtree.com/qb 2. Requires Microsoft Outlook 2002, 2003 or 2007; Outlook Express 5 or 6; other MAPI compliant e-mail programs. 3. Sage is not liable or responsible for any fines or penalties that may result from errors in your company accounting records. The Internal Accounting Review is not intended to uncover all questionable transactions. 4. Internet access required. Service is embedded within Peachtree 2010, however is also available for Peachtree 2008 and 2009 products via a separate application download from www.peachtree.com. 5. Requires Microsoft Excel, Word or Outlook 2002, 2003, or 2007. 6. Compliant tax forms and tax tables require a subscription to Peachtree Simple Payroll. For details see www.peachtreepayroll.com or call 877-231-3761. 7. There is a maximum of 20 ship to addresses and 1 billing address per customer. 8. Subject to approval and to Sage terms of service. Additional fees, internet access and checking account required. 9. UPS functionality is subject to UPS terms and conditions. Internet access required. 10. When opening more than one company, you will experience reduced product functionality in those companies opened after the first one. 11. Outlook Sync supported in Exchange 2000 SP2, 2003 and 2007. 12. Regulatory compliance requires paid subscription. Additional fees apply for more than 200 assets. 13. Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and Windows Server 2000 not supported. 14. Peachtree does not impose a hard limit on database capacity, however, individual performance will vary depending on actual number of transactions, database size, and number of concurrent users. Data management efficiencies are also realized in the Peachtree 2010 products. 15. The Peachtree Business Care Plan (which includes product upgrades, updates, and customer support) will be renewed automatically each year on the anniversary date of your purchase unless you terminate your agreement prior to that date. Renewal is not required to continued access to product updates for supported versions. 16. Multi User licenses available in of packs of 10, 15, 20 or 30. A maximum of 30 licensed, named users is allowed. Only the first 30 named users selected in the user maintenance screen are considered licensed, named users. 17. Support Specialists are available from 8:30 am until 8:30 pm ET Monday-Friday, and reserve the right to limit calls to 1 hour or 1 incident.




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9/29/2012

Ghostsurf Platinum 2006 Review

Ghostsurf Platinum 2006
Average Reviews:

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The lowest security setting works but take a lot longer to load web pages. The encrypted and anonymous settings dont work at all.

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FIFA Manager 11 Review

FIFA Manager 11
Average Reviews:

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The download does take awhile, but being a game that is larger than a gigabyte - this is to be expected. Gameplay runs fine, I haven't had any issues. Startup does seem to take a long time. The game is fun, but there are many quirks about the game that I don't understand, and unfortunately I don't have a user manual to reference. There is no "help" screen in-game. Other aspects of the game you just can't figure out.
I have contacted EA support and have been told there is no soft-copy of the instructions online anywhere, so I was out of luck. That's a shame, you'd think they'd include an online-copy of the owner's manual along with this game for download. If I buy this in the store I get a hard case, a disc, and the manual.
If I could do it over I'd probably just wait and buy it in the store. The user manual is absolutely crucial to understand all the facets of this game. It takes a lot of trial and error to learn how to play without the manual, but when you get the hang of things it is fun to play.

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9/28/2012

BitDefender Internet Security 2011 Value Edition - 3 PC/2 year Review

BitDefender Internet Security 2011 Value Edition - 3 PC/2 year
Average Reviews:

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So here's the deal. I've been using computers since the TI-994a (actually had one called a Timex Sinclair before that)and have been "online" since the Prodigy days and 300 baud modems. So I've been around the block when it comes to computers, internet and security software. I know how to install, uninstall and tweak my way through most issues without having to contact support...until this security suite.
I was previously using Norton 2011 and when this came up on Vine, I'm always looking to try new security suites. I fully removed Norton and during the BitDefender installation, it confirmed that no other security software is installed that would conflict with it (nice feature).I'm running a Windows 7 64bit Toshiba laptop with 3 GB memory and pentium processor so this shouldn't be a problem I thought. The installation went fine and I did a full system scan (took upwards of 6 hours), the product updated, requested a reboot and I thought we were off...
Unfortunately, although it initially recognized registration key, it appears to have lost that or not worked correctly. I can't get the services to start and I'm supposed to contact BitDefender support directly from within the program...well that's great IF the program will run. So off to the website, go through my account I was required to establish with BitDefender and have already left a tech support ticket within 12 hours of installation. I can't say as though I've ever had to do that.
I'm keeping my review 'neutral" at 3 until I hear back from support and determine if this is fixable. I'll keep you updated on any resolution they find.
**UPDATE** 9/22/10
Support contacted me within 36 hours asking me manually run a support tool that was to capture information and then I was to send the file off to them. I did all of that and while I've been waiting, I uninstalled and reinstalled. This time all went as before, but it took my account information for good. Maybe it was something you need to do first, actually create your account online, then install...not sure but it has worked fine since the reinstall. It's doing a full system scan which it estimates will be done in 2 hours +
**UPDATE** 9/29/10
So I thought I would take advantage of the additional licenses and install on my laptop upstairs and then use the "network" feature. This feature allows you to create the server and client pc and run all updates, scans etc from the server to the client. Sounds nice doesn't it. So, I installed the product upstairs, rebooted and went to my server laptop to begin. I enabled the network with a password (the client also has a password) and if you choose the same password for both, the server pc is "supposed" to recognize it and add it automatically...didn't happen. So I thought I would add it manually. It shows up in the network space, has the pc icon with the bitdefender icon on top of that which lets you know this computer can be added. Click on it and select and..."Can't add computer as it is not running BitDefender or can't be added"...Really?? Even after your program is telling me it sees that it is running BitDefender? So off to technical support again. I have to give them props as I have gotten very timely responses. This go around however, the list of items they wanted me to do (including stopping certain services within the product) just wasn't worth the effort. Shouldn't antivirus/network control truly be set it and forget it? My Norton 2011 was that way, and I've had to fiddle way too much with this program already.
All in all, I've been disappointed in the product and happy with tech response time. Not many people are willing to go through support ticket after support ticket just to get their virus protection working.
UPDATE 10/1/10
Well, I've gone back to Norton. Too many issues with BitDefender even with a 2 year license key. Particularly annoying was the fact that my pc kept registering problems with security (bitdefender out of date and antivirus scans) I just wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

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BitDefender Internet Security 2011 Value Edition provides 3 PCs with two years of protection against viruses, hackers, spam, and identity theft… without the slowdown! Includes: Firewall; iPhone-friendly Parental Controls, to monitor and control what websites your kids visit and who they IM with, 24/7; IM Encryption, for private chatting; QuickScan, to detect viruses in just 60 seconds; Video Tutorials, to keep you in the know about your security; a customizable dashboard that lets you choose how much or how little you want to see; Home Network Management; Laptop Mode, to prolong battery life; Gamer Mode; automatic hourly updates; and more!
Get advance warning of risky websites.

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9/27/2012

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 Review

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)

CS5 is Aaa...Mazing! It is light years ahead of its predecessors (including CS4). This new version of Photoshop has packed a number of exciting new features and enhancements that help make photo editing quicker, easier, and an absolute delight! With CS5, image editing tasks that used to be painstaking and meticulous work can be accomplished with incredible ease. I'll touch on just a few of these new features that I consider the most useful:
Edge Detection for Selections
-----------------------------
Edge Detection saves you time by helping you to easily make complex selections. CS5 has made major enhancements on the Refine Edge Tool (first introduced in CS3) by incorporating the new Edge Detection feature into it. Edge Detection lets you effortlessly and accurately refine your selection after you've made an initial rough selection, say, with the Quick Selection Tool.
> Feature In Action:
After a rough selection is made, click on Refine Edges on the toolbar. As in CS3 and CS4, this brings up the Refine Edge dialog box. CS5 has the new Edge Detection feature that helps you fine tune your selection. By using the new Touch Up Brush, you can "paint" over the edge of your selection and CS5 will almost magically remove any extraneous bits of selection and add to the selection areas you might have missed. If required, you can use the Decontaminate Colors (also a new feature) to remove any bits of background that might have spilled over into your selection.
> How well it works:
Edge Detection is one of the most, if not the most useful new feature in CS5. It works extremely well when there is a good contrast between the background and the subject to be removed. It makes selecting intricate regions such as the edges of hair or fur (which used to be a real pain) almost effortless. With some practice, Edge Detection can save you a lot of work _and_ time. It's no exaggeration to say that this feature alone is worth the upgrade!
Content-Aware Fill
------------------
Content-Aware Fill fills in a deleted subject with the background. Traditionally, after a subject is removed from the foreground, you have to fill in the deleted area by painting it with cloned pixels. But with Content-Aware Fill, CS5 does this job _for you_.
> Feature In Action:
After an area to be deleted is selected, press the delete key. This will bring up a dialog box that gives you the type of fill to use: Content-Aware, Foreground, Background, etc. With Content-Aware selected, click on OK. Presto! CS5 automatically fills in the deleted area with the background for you.
> How Well It Works:
Content-Aware Fill doesn't always realistically fill in a deleted area. It all depends on the type of background the removed subject is in front of. The Content-Aware Fill works best with landscape backgrounds like a beach or a meadow. It will probably NOT work very well in an urban area full of buildings, for example. With the "right" background, you can get away with deleting fairly large objects/subjects. For example, I was able to use Content-Aware Fill to successfully remove quite a bit of undesired foreground (mostly people and railings) in my shots of the Grand Canyon to produce convincing and natural-looking images.
Puppet Warp
-----------
Puppet Warp lets you place control points on a subject and warp it or move parts of it as though it were Play-Doh (Fun stuff!).
> Feature In Action:
From the edit menu, select Edit/Puppet Warp. You can then click to add control points to manipulate your subject, such as a person (which would have to had been extracted from a picture). You can then bend, stretch, or warp your subject by moving any of the control points. Alternatively you can press the Alt key to make a point act as a "pivot" point (or a "joint" of sorts).
> How Well It Works:
Puppet Warp may seem like a toy at first sight since many of the demos use this feature for moving or manipulating the limbs of a person or animal - but Puppet Warp can be used for much more. When used on a person or an animal, if your intent is to create a realistic image, moderation in the transformation is key. However, if your intent is to create a goofy looking picture (much as you would with the Liquefy Tool), you can do some really wacky transformations in Puppet Warp.
Puppet Warp has some serious applications too. It can be used to correct non-uniform distortions, which is a common problem in stitched panoramas. (For a demo, search for the "Puppet Warp Sneak Peek" video.) You can also use it to tweak the popular "smoke," "halo," or other layered effects that are commonly used on subjects in portrait photography. I personally find Puppet Warp an invaluable tool for this purpose.
Faux HDR
--------
Normal HDR requires 2 or more source images. CS5 lets you create a _faux_ HDR with just one image.
> Feature In Action:
Go to Image/Adjustments/HDR Toning. CS5 immediately applies a default set of settings, which you can change to suit your preferences. There is a lightening/darkening setting each for Shadows and Highlights. Other settings include color Vibrance and color Saturation, Exposure, Gamma, etc.
> How Well It Works:
The faux HDR is a great tool for salvaging photos where subjects are under-exposed because of backlighting. By using the tool to lighten the darker areas, you can make it seem as though you have a fill light on your subjects! However, lightening darker areas will inevitably introduce some noise. No matter, CS5 actually has a new noise reduction feature that does an amazing job. This HDR feature can really help you create surrealistic images.
Miscellaneous New Features & Enhancements
----------------------------------------
CS5 has many niceties such as improved layer pasting called Paste In Place (pastes layer in the same coordinates as the source image), Lens Correction (corrects distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting), Mixer Brush and Bristle Tips (tools for blending colors and painting on your picture/canvas - not quite as complete a suite of tools as Corel Painter, but very impressive nonetheless), Mini Adobe Bridge (a "mini" Bridge in-program), improved noise reduction, a new Workspace Switcher, on-screen color picker, and much more...
> Additional Notes
------------------
A lot of operations in CS5, such as Content-Aware Fill, is memory (RAM) intensive. Memory usage can easily run up in the GB range. On 32-bit systems, there is a limit on the amount of memory that Photoshop can use.
Here's information about RAM usage taken from the adobe site:
Photoshop Version / Windows Version / Maximum amount of RAM that Photoshop can use
32-bit / 32-bit / 1.7 GB
32-bit / 64-bit / 3.2 GB
64-bit / 64-bit / as much RAM as you can fit into your computer
I use Windows XP (32-bit) and ran into a problem where the area I selected for Content-Aware Fill was too large. I got the message "Could not fill because there is not enough memory (RAM)." If you are using a 64-bit system, insufficient memory will not be a problem. CS5 is optimized for systems that use 64-bit addressing.
---
In conclusion, the many new features and enhancements in CS5 will help you do more with your images to help you create great looking images in less time and with greater precision. There's no question in my mind that CS5 is well worth the upgrade.


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Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended software helps you create the ultimate images for print, the web, and video. Enjoy all the state-of-the-art editing, compositing, and painting capabilities in industry-standard Photoshop CS5, and experience fast performance thanks to cross-platform 64-bit support. Also create 3D extrusions for logos, artwork, and motion graphics; edit 3D objects with advanced tools; and create and enhance motion-based content.

Create powerful images with the professional standard
3D extrusions Easily explore new creative directions: Create 3D logos and artwork with Adobe Repoussé technology. Twist, rotate, extrude, bevel, and inflate these designs, and then apply rich materials like chrome, glass, and cork.
Advanced 3D editing capabilities Push your creative boundaries with powerful 3D editing tools--even paint directly on 3D objects. Add 3D objects to your designs and create amazing composites. Illuminate your scene with real lighting, and animate your objects.
Motion content editing Paint, add text, and clone over multiple frames of an imported video sequence using your favorite Photoshop tools.
Easy access to core editing power Get just the tools you need--exactly when you need them--when performing common editing activities. Adjustments and Masks panels guide you in making precise edits.
Extraordinary creative tools Achieve realistic painting effects with the ability to mix colors on canvas and create natural brushstrokes. Merge multiple exposures into stunning high dynamic range (HDR) images. Move, remove, warp, or stretch any image element.
State-of-the-art photography Easily merge multiple exposures to extend the dynamic range with more power, precision, and fidelity than ever before. Convert to black-and-white in new ways. And use Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools that intelligently preserve color and tone details.
Image analysis Use measurement and counting tools to extract quantitative information from images. Record and export data for further analysis. Import DICOM files as frames or as a volume to directly analyze and edit your image data.
Industry-leading raw image processing Enjoy superior results when you convert raw images with the Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which offers support for over 275 camera models plus nondestructive editing so you can experiment without harming your original photo.
Automated compositing tools Easily create a single image from a series of shots that have different focal points, smoothly blending color and shading and extending your depth of field. And take advantage of accurate, automatic layer alignment.
Efficient media management Manage your media visually with Adobe Bridge CS5 software. Enjoy more flexible batch renaming plus the ability to access files in the context of your work using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel.
Powerful printing options Get outstanding prints in less time with automation, scripting, and a print dialog box that's easier to navigate.
Broad file format support Import and export hundreds of file formats, including PSD, AI, PDF, NEF, CRW, TIFF, BMP, Cineon, JPEG, JPEG2000, FXG, OpenEXR, PNG, Targa, DICOM, OBJ, KMZ, Collada, U3D, 3DS (import only), 3G, FLC, MOV, AVI, DV Stream, Image Sequence, MPEG-4, and FLV.
Extensibility Personalize Photoshop and extend its capabilities. Use developer-created custom panels to accomplish specific tasks. Visit the Adobe Photoshop Marketplace for third-party plug-ins and resources. And check out Adobe Community Help for tips and tricks.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom integration Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software (sold separately), easily moving files from Lightroom to Photoshop CS5 to create HDR images, panoramas, and multilayered Photoshop documents. Roundtrip your files back to Lightroom.
Top new features of Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended
Intelligent selection technology Photoshop CS5 takes the time and frustration out of making precise image selections and masks, providing you a faster way to extract subjects from their backgrounds and create realistic composites. New intelligent selection technology offers better edge detection and faster, more accurate masking results of complex subjects, like hair. Automatic color decontamination helps you eliminate background color around the edges of a selection, resulting in more seamless compositions when placing extracted subjects on new backgrounds.
Experienced Photoshop users know that the best selections are created by constantly adapting the selection technique for differences in the subject's edges--one method for hair and another for the edge of a building. With Photoshop CS5, you can produce highly accurate masks and selections faster and more simply than before with a set of new adaptive selection-edge modification controls. Smart Radius automatically matches the best selection approach with the subject's changing edge characteristics, and the extra view modes assist you in previewing the quality of your selections. The Refine Radius and Erase Refinements tools customize your masks and selections as you make them. These tools, in combination with the color decontamination settings, help eliminate any residual background color from around the edges of your selections.
Content‐Aware Fill One of the most exciting new features in Photoshop CS5 is the remarkable ability to remove an image element and magically replace it with details that match the lighting, tone, and noise of the surrounding area so that it looks like the content never existed. Now, you can make substantial changes to photo composition quickly and easily, as even large complex subjects can be seamlessly erased.
You can use Content-Aware Fill with the Spot Healing Brush or as an option of the Fill feature to replace content in an active selection. Selecting the Content-Aware setting with the Spot Healing brush changes the way the tool fills in the areas you paint. This retouching approach is designed to account more fully for the structure and detail of the image elements that surround the painted area, providing a near-invisible result when removing unwanted objects. Alternatively, you can select the object to be removed, and then replace the area with synthesized details from the area surrounding the selection, simply by using the Content-Aware option in the Fill dialog box.
HDR Pro for creativity and precision with the next generation of high dynamic range imaging With just a few clicks, you can go beyond the capture capabilities of your camera by combining multiple exposures into a single high dynamic range (HDR) photo that preserves the full tonal range of a scene with high contrast. Photoshop CS5 introduces HDR Pro for more control over the HDR merging process and greater adjustment power over the mapping of tones and the styling of HDR output, resulting in images that range from photorealistic to highly surreal.
HDR Pro offers extended controls, an enhanced dialog box, and improved image processing. New algorithms enable more accurate alignment of source files and automatically deghost any problem areas that occur when trying to merge source photos where subjects have moved during capture. You can even select a source file to be used as the sole reference for any ghosted areas or allow the feature to do this automatically for you.
New tone-mapping tools and adjustment controls give you the power to implement your own HDR vision, producing photos that range in style from fully textured images of high-contrast scenes to wildly hyper-realistic creations. Save your favorite styles as presets and apply them to multiple groups of source files to provide a common look and feel to your HDR photos. And for times when you don't have multiple source files, create the look of an HDR-processed image from a single photo with the new HDR Toning feature that allows you to mimic the tone-mapping results traditionally achieved in high dynamic range photos.
Together with the existing Photomerge feature (which allows for image stitching), the exposure-merging capabilities of HDR Pro can add up to high-bit-depth, 360-degree panoramas ideal for composite photography, video, and beyond.
The Auto Stack Panorama/HDR files option in Adobe Bridge CS5 and the new panelized Mini Bridge groups source files together into stacks for quicker creation of HDR images in Photoshop CS5. You can even start the creation of an HDR file by choosing Tools > Merge To HDR from the Mini Bridge panel inside Photoshop.
State-of-the-art raw-image processing The Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which ships with Photoshop CS5, now supports more than 275 camera models as it continues to provide you with the industry-leading conversion of raw files. In addition, the utility provides advanced, nondestructive image editing and enhancement for raw files, as well as for other standard formats, including JPEG and TIFF. Now you can remove noise, achieve better quality sharpening, and creatively apply new styles of vignettes and film-like grain.
You can now shoot at higher ISO settings with confidence, because the updated controls in the Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in remove the noise common in such high-ISO images (as well as in photos captured with long exposures and pictures from consumer cameras) while still preserving excellent color and detail.
New controls for adding grain and additional post-crop vignetting settings join many creative options already available in this utility, such as the Adjustment Brush and the Graduated Filter. For the first time, you can add grain-like texture to photos as part of your nondestructive editing workflow. Adjust amount, size, and roughness of grain to easily give composites a more natural, seamless appearance by matching levels of grain across all source images--or simply use the feature to make a digital photo look more organic or film-like.
Updated post-crop vignetting options offer more creative control over the corner darkening and lightening process, and your favorite vignette effects can be saved as presets for quick application across multiple files.
Upgraded sharpening options produce clearer photos with fewer artifacts while providing better control over key details, especially when working with high-resolution pictures produced by multi-megapixel cameras.
Extraordinary painting effects With a new Mixer Brush, a Bristle Tips feature, and a new mechanism for blending colors, Photoshop CS5 redefines the way you paint. You can take advantage of more natural and realistic painting effects, making it easy to take your imagery and designs in new artistic directions.
The Mixer Brush lets you define multiple colors on a single tip, and then mix and blend them with the underlying hues on your canvas, achieving creative results that rival traditional painting media. When starting with a photo original, you can use a dry, empty brush to blend the existing colors while at the same time adding a painterly effect to the image. Mixer Brush settings provide extensive control over the wetness of the canvas colors, the load rate that determines amount of paint loaded on the brush, the mixing rate between brush and canvas colors, and whether the brush is refilled, cleaned, or both after each painting stroke.
In conjunction with these new mixing features, Photoshop CS5 incorporates unprecedented control over stroke characteristics of its painting tools with Bristle Tips. Bristle Qualities define key bristle properties such as shape, length, stiffness, thickness, angle, and spacing, which affect how the color is laid on the image as you paint.
The Bristle Brush Preview feature provides a visual representation of these changes, and you can save your tip configurations for future use, allowing you to build a customized collection of Bristle Tips to experiment with when using Photoshop brush tools.
Puppet Warp Puppet Warp gives you more freedom when pushing and pulling elements within an image. The feature lets you recompose an image to make it more appealing, or to fit a specific layout, by allowing the precise repositioning of any element within a Photoshop document, or selection, by simply clicking and dragging. After you reposition an object, Photoshop adjusts the rest of the image to account for the shifted pixels.
After choosing Edit > Puppet Warp, click on your image to drop pins establishing anchor points where you want image parts not to move, and handles that you can use for warping. Then drag any of the pins to reposition the picture elements. Use Puppet Warp to swing a raised arm to a person's side, warp and stretch text to create new effects, or reposition intrusive objects in a photo to create a more pleasing composition.
Automated lens correction The Lens Correction features in Photoshop CS5 create better quality captures by removing or correcting the three most common lens-based errors: geometric distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting. This means you can use a wider range of lenses with the confidence of producing images of the highest quality. With the aid of the Adobe Lens Profile Creator (available separately as a free download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce custom profiles characterizing the optical aberrations of your camera lenses. When installed and selected in the Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5, the profile automatically removes or corrects the three types of distortion.
The Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5 is redesigned to include manual adjustment controls under the Custom tab, and settings for locating and applying custom Lens Correction Profiles (LCP files) under a new Auto Correction tab. Installed profiles that match your camera and lens combination are used to apply precise distortion corrections to your photos. Suitable profiles can be located easily based on the EXIF data automatically recorded with the image, and if a suitable profile is not present in the Lens Correction filter, then with a single click within the dialog box, you can search online for the correct profile to meet your needs.
Individual error types can be selected in the filter's settings, as can options for handling any transparent areas that surround the corrected image.
Easy 3D extrusions with Adobe Repoussé (Photoshop CS5 Extended only) Repoussé is an ancient metalworking technique for embossing artwork on the surface of metals such as gold, silver, copper, tin, and bronze. Photoshop Extended offers a powerful new feature, inspired by this traditional technique, for creating eye-catching 3D artwork.
Use Adobe Repoussé to easily convert 2D artwork into 3D objects and then create depth by altering the extrusion properties of the 3D model. Easily extrude text to create logos and 3D artwork for use in websites, video frames, or layouts.
Starting with a text layer, a path, a selection, or a layer mask, you can convert the content to 3D with the Create New 3D Object section of the 3D panel. After the conversion is complete, you can alter the look of your 3D model by manipulating its key extrusion properties--depth, scale, bend, shear, inflate, or twist--in the Repoussé dialog box.
In addition to manipulating these properties, you can inflate the front or back of the extrusion and/or apply a custom bevel. Sections of objects (internal subpaths) can also be inflated by creating a selection first and then adjusting the Internal Constraints settings in the Repoussé dialog box. The 3D Axis widget allows on canvas rotation of the of the model
Enhanced 3D realism and rich materials (Photoshop CS5 Extended only) Bring your 3D creations to life with the materials that ship with Photoshop CS5 Extended. You can select materials from the library of included presets, download additional materials by choosing 3D > Browse 3D Content, create your own, or even edit existing materials to customize them for your needs (in the materials section of the 3D panel). Test a variety of looks for your 3D models and extruded designs by adding different materials or textures to their surfaces. Materials that feature reflection or refraction properties can be rendered with the new Adobe Ray Tracer engine. The Repoussé dialog box, and the Materials section of the 3D panel, both contain options for applying a single material to all surfaces—as well as choosing different treatments--for individual sections and surfaces of your models
Use the 3D Material Drop tool and the Material Load tool to easily load a material and drop it into different meshes, allowing you to sample and apply materials interactively. New overlay controls provide instant feedback about where specific materials and meshes are located in your model, and the updated 3D axis widget now works with lights and cameras as well as 3D objects.
With the Shadow Catcher feature, you can now easily generate a shadow on the ground plane of a scene, and then adjust how the shadow interacts with image content of other layers by altering its opacity and its softness. To further enhance realism, you can use an HDR image to light your scene, or re-create traditional depth-of-field effects in your rendered scene by adjusting the zone of sharpness with the new Distance and Blur controls.
Better 3D performance and workflow (Photoshop CS5 Extended only) Take advantage of better performance and immediate rendering feedback thanks to the improved Adobe Ray Tracer (ART) engine in Photoshop CS5 Extended. ART 2.0 brings substantial improvements in performance when you interact with and edit 3D models. ART 2.0 progressively renders 3D scenes with an option to re-render after a pause, or even perform selective renderings, all while providing more immediate feedback and dramatically reducing the time it takes to preview key areas in high quality.
You also get faster previews and more responsive interaction thanks to changes made in the OpenGL engine, which now fast-tracks the delivery of complex 3D geometry to the video card. Overall workflow performance has been optimized with improved import, interaction speeds, and better merging of 3D objects into a single scene. To aid with fine-tuning and adjustment of these performance features, there is a new 3D section in Preferences.
User-inspired productivity enhancements Photoshop CS5 helps boost productivity and creativity throughout the editing workflow with dozens of enhancements inspired by Photoshop users. Some of these include:
A neutral-density preset for the Gradient tool
The ability to save 16-bit Photoshop documents in 8-bit JPEG format in a single step
An option for reversing the clone source using the flip buttons in the Clone Source panel
A Don't Show This Message Again option when saving files with maximum compatibility
Default value for Shadows/Highlights changed from 50% to 35%
The ability to move a selection while the active layer is hidden
An on/off option for trackpad gesture support on Mac and in Microsoft Windows 7
A new layer command for deleting all empty layers via scripts
A Straighten button on the Ruler tool options bar
A Close All Open Images Without Saving option
A Save As option for always defaulting to the folder to which you last saved an image
The ability to drag and drop a file onto an open Photoshop document to create a new layer
Multiple improvements in Lens Correction filter options, including:
Grid Display is off by default
Show Grid, Grid Size, and Grid Color settings are now sticky
Default grid size is increased from 16 to 64 pixels
Decimal point adjustments are allowed as values for the Chromatic Aberration sliders
A third Chromatic Aberration slider enables the correction of green/magenta fringing
The Background Color Edge setting is replaced with the Black Color entry
A White Color option is available in the Edge menu
Reset options are changed so that only the calibration settings are reset, not the Grid options

A new Cache Tile Size control in the Performance section of the Preferences dialog box
Zoom in and out with the new scrubby zoom tool
Presets for setting Cache Tile Size and Cache Levels simultaneously
The ability to use keystrokes to set values in the Adjustments panel text fields
Performance increases of up to 50% when importing OBJ files
Sample colors faster using the new on screen color ring built into the eyedropper tool
Customizable default values for Layer styles
New creative resources, including actions, tools, presets, brushes, swatches, shapes, gradients, styles, and tool presets
Window and Door shapes added to list of meshes that can be created from a layer
An option for changing the opacity of multiple selected layers
The ability to create a mask from the transparent areas of a layer
Pick colors faster using the new on-screen color HUD
Print settings saved with the image file, allowing one-button printing with user-selected values
Selecting a printer automatically lists the profiles installed for that printer at the top of the profile list
Printer-specific profiles are selected automatically when choosing a printer
Customized print settings can be recorded as part of a Photoshop Action
An overlay grid can be displayed when using the Crop tool
Layer groups can be nested more than five levels deep
New Paste Outside and Paste Inside commands, along with the previously existing Paste In Place option, are included in a new Edit > Paste Special menu

Streamlined creative reviews through integration with Adobe CS ReviewCollaborate with colleagues and seek client comment quickly and easily with Adobe CS Review, a new CS Live online service* designed to simplify and accelerate the design review process.
With CS Review, you can avoid the hassles of large email attachments, logon problems with FTP servers, and time-consuming next-day air deliveries usually associated with client reviews by instead initiating a secure, shared review. Comments are displayed in near-real time and in context, providing convenient feedback on your images and designs. You can access the CS Review service from within Photoshop CS5.
Faster performance with cross-platform native 64-bit support Tight deadlines and large file sizes make performance a high priority for many Photoshop users. Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended deliver cross-platform 64-bit support, allowing you to perform day-to-day imaging tasks up to 10 times faster. Video and photo professionals, especially, benefit from the extra performance, as gains are even greater if you regularly work with very large files, where processing can be up to ten times faster when you take advantage of higher addressable RAM amounts--limited only by what your hardware accommodates.
To help you tweak the performance of your setup, Photoshop CS5 lets you adjust history, tile, and cache controls in combination.
Greater access to key resources via flexible custom panels Photoshop CS5 offers easy ways to integrate and extend your workspace with customized panels. With the aid of the Configurator 2.0 panel utility (available separately as a download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce your own panels, bringing together your most used tools and menu selections and incorporating your favorite web feeds or video tutorials.
Stay connected to the greater Photoshop community and all facets of your digital life directly from within Photoshop CS5 by using panels you create or those produced and distributed by other users. You can access anything that lives on the web--favorite blogs, video content, even your email--with these integrated panels. You can even expand content beyond a panel's standard viewing area when you need a magnified view.
Easier interface management with Live Workspaces and Workspace Switcher Creating dedicated, task-specific workspaces that mimic your individual workflow increases productivity and efficiency by hiding the features you don't use and exposing the ones you do. New Live Workspaces auto-save any changes you make to a task-specific workspace, so that if you switch to a different workspace and then back again during an editing session, your panels remain exactly where you left them. The number of entries displayed in the collapsible Workspace Switcher can be altered, and the position of each workspace can be rearranged. This provides quicker navigation between frequently used setups.
Superior black-and-white conversion Photoshop CS5 continues to support the tradition of producing finely crafted monochrome photos with the inclusion of new ways to explore an endless variety of black-and-white looks. You can use the integrated Lab Black & White Technique action, located in the Default Actions group of the Actions panel, for an easy and interactive way to convert color images. Create gorgeous HDR black-and-whites with greater ease and speed by taking advantage of the new and updated features in HDR Pro. Take your monochrome creations in new directions with conversion presets in the Black & White panel.

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Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 1yr/1user/3PC Review

Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 1yr/1user/3PC
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 is one of the most obnoxious computer security programs I have ever had the misfortune of using. I couldn't get it off my machine fast enough.
[*Note: the help file refers to both 2009 and 2010 as the name of the this product being reviewed, so I am not sure which version actually came on the disk. Most likely it is a hybrid of both.]
Subscription-based paid-to-use "premium" security products are fighting a battle they may not be able to win. Many of the services and features such software products used to solely offer, can now be found for free in the operating system itself, or for free as a downloaded program. Case in point, Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 has a feature to control when Windows user accounts access the internet via a time schedule. Versions of Microsoft Windows, after XP, offer that set of tools for free right in the OS, as "parental controls." They don't work the exact same way, but they are close enough for most parents. In the case of the OS provided controls, the computer itself cannot be used outside of the time limits. In the case of the Trend Micro product, just the internet is disabled outside of the time limits. But, for kids these days, 90% of the time if they want to be on the computer, they want to be online. For the rest of that 10% of the time they need to be typing up school work, that is what parental control overrides are for, should the need arise.
[Note, my comments in square brackets, like these, are optional. You may skip them without missing any important information.]
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EXECUTIVE REVIEW FOR THE IMPATIENT:
Installation Process: ...........................2/5
Malicious Code ("Virus") Protection: .......4/5
Resource Use & Computer Slow Down: ...3/5
Firewall Protection: ............................4/5
Internet/Child Controls: ......................3/5
Network Map/Management: .................2/5
Irritation level/User Friendliness: ..........1/5
Overall: ...........................................2/5
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[Note: throughout this review I will be using the word "virus" in quotes. That is because I consider that word to be a media invented label for malicious computer software/code which is used to scare people into behaving irrationally. (I have actually been called out to look at employee PCs to diagnose slowness/lag only to find an insane number of redundant security programs running by people who have been frightened into thinking "viruses" are just lurking around everywhere, trying to get into their computers -- security programs tend to be very resource hungry -- they slow computers down, see the screen shots I am posting with this review). A virus, in biology, is a microorganism you can "catch" if you are exposed to it, no matter what safety precautions you might be taking. A computer "virus" doesn't work the same way. If you practice safe computing practices, your odds of your computer being compromised by malicious computer code (AKA a "virus") are very small. Yes, the bad guys are working on new and improved ways of figuring out how to get their malicious code onto your computer, and they are most certainly getting more inventive. But, the fact still remains that if you take the proper steps and follow the proper procedures, your risk of your computer being compromised is very small. At the end of this review I will list some basic steps you can follow (for free) to secure your computer.]
[Note: the computer used to test this product is a 3.2GHz, dual core processor, with 2GB of RAM, running Windows XP SP3 running Spybot Search & Destroy, and PC Tools' Free Firewall and no other security software]
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TREND MICRO INTERNET SECURITY 2010:
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INSTALLATION PROCESS:
Unlike Norton 360 and McAfee Family Protection 2010 3-User, which I have also reviewed, this product INSISTS on you removing all other security programs it can detect. The full list can be found here: [...]
If you leave them installed and ignore their warnings, the installation program will automatically run their uninstall programs anyway, when it detects them. Among the programs that Trend Micro objects to you having installed: Spybot Search & Destroy, anything from Norton, anything from McAfee, most 3rd party firewall and security suites (although not PC Tools, which I am currently using -- go figure). Norton and McAfee might complain about you having other security software installed, but that is it. Trend Micro will just flat out refuse to install if you refuse to cooperate. See uploaded screen shots from install process which I am adding with this review.
[Interestingly enough, Spybot recognizes what Trend Micro's program is trying to do, and calls them on it. The uninstall program has a list of options for when you are uninstalling, and one of them is, "forced to uninstall by Trend Micro product due to alleged incompatibilities." It lets you know that they cannot reproduce these supposed incompatibilities, and that you can re-install Spybot once you are done installing the Trend Micro product. Seems to me that Trend Micro (and the rest of the companies listed in Spybot's list) are up to some shady business practices. I don't like this strong arm tactic of Trend Micro's at all. It is one thing to advise me that there might be problems, it is another thing ENTIRELY to refuse to install unless all other competing products have been uninstalled. It just so happens that Spybot has a nifty "Windows Start Up" editing tool which I find quite useful to purge the junk that software will try to put into my startup process. I don't know if the Trend Micro product will contain this functionality or not, but I DO know I am going to re-install Spybot right after I am done installing this thing. Minus 1 star right here, Trend Micro, and I haven't even finished installing the dang thing yet! (Note: I did re-add Spybot soon after I wrote this part of the review, and as I predicted, it conflicted with nothing, also note the Trend Micro product DOES NOT include the same functions Spybot most especially the "Windows Start Up" editing tools.)]
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MALICIOUS CODE ("VIRUS") PROTECTION:
I ran the standard battery of tests on their "virus" & spyware protection functions. Arguably, this is the main function of the software, so one would expect it to perform the best, and it came through pretty well.
Detecting old/known "viruses": Succeeded. As a security and computer professional, I have quite a few old/quarantined "virus" files in the archives. I peppered a few of them through the test system, including some non-Windows ones, and the product found all of them on the first scan it ran during installation.
Detecting/Protecting against "zero day" (brand new) "viruses": Succeeded. Visited a well known cyber criminal "hang out" and downloaded code for the "latest and greatest" "virus" being worked on. (Modified the code so it wouldn't do any actual harm to the target PC), compiled it and ran it. The program's threat detection noted the behavior of the program trying to run, and blocked it. It may not be able to detect everything right away, but it knows about basic "threat behavior" -- specifically attempts to insert sneaky start-up code, attempts to modify the master boot record, and attempts to overwrite existing, legitimate program executables.
Detecting/Protecting against website threats: Succeeded. Visited known insecure websites, and all such visits in all major browsers (MIE, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome), was blocked. However, you cannot simply check a box, or push a button that says, "I know the risks, override," like many other security products. Instead, you have to physically go into the filters and white list something manually. Making it a chore, instead of a quick and easy fix.
Only complaint: unlike Norton 360, Trend Micro's Internet Security 2010 doesn't download updates nearly as often. Norton's 360 downloads updates roughly every 15 minutes. Trend Micro's product does so roughly once or twice a day. This leaves a larger opening for "zero day" threats to land. Perhaps Trend Micro is stealthily checking in the background and I am not aware that it is checking, but I only see notices of updates being checked for/downloaded about once/twice a day. Whereas with Norton's 360, it was all the time.
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RESOURCE USE & COMPUTER SLOW DOWN:
All computer security software that does any sort of "scanning" is going to take up resources, both RAM and CPU. There is just no avoiding that with the modern approach to scanning methods. Trend Micro's product claims that it has a, "20% faster scan time." They do not elaborate what, specifically, it is 20% faster than, but I am going to assume previous versions. The scanning process is rather fast. Even the "deep" scans didn't take that long. However, they still do take up to 40-50% of the CPU resources. RAM use is relatively low, CPU use is rather high while it is scanning. It runs two levels of scans, one is a process called "tsc.exe" which is part of their spyware, etc. detection and removal tools. The other is called "SfCtlCom.exe" and it is the standard "virus" scanning and removal...Read more›

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Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 provides easy-to-use protection for your home network, identity, and online activities from the present and future web threats.

Smart Protection for Your Family
Easy-to-use security for your home Trend Micro Internet Security protects you and your family against cybercriminals and inappropriate content without slowing down your computer.
Surf the web with confidence With easy-to-use security features, Trend Micro Internet Security protects your personal information when you email or surf the web:
20% smaller file size, 20% faster scan time
Detects and removes viruses, spyware, and other malicious threats from your computer, email, instant messages, and downloads
Proven leadership in anti-spam technology, including email and image spam
Finds and blocks untrustworthy links in email and instant messages
Stops websites from installing dangerous downloads on your computer
Quick Scan allows you to quickly find and remove most malware when you are running short on time.

Protect your children online Enhanced parental controls help you to protect your children from inappropriate content when they go online.
Block websites with inappropriate content based on specific categories
Choose when and for how long your children are allowed to go online
Monitor online activity reports to fine-tune your controls if necessary

Enjoy smart features tailored to your activities Trend Micro Internet Security safeguards your computer and personal information against the latest threats:
Prevent unauthorized software from changing your critical applications, without impacting your PC performance
Pause security updates or scans when you give presentations, watch movies, or play games
Automatically prevent suspicious software on USB devices from opening.
Helps you to easily manage all the devices connected to your home network

Security made easy Protect your personal information with easy-to-use Trend Micro Internet Security.Surf the Internet without slowing down your computer.
Key Features of Trend Micro Internet Security
Get Essential Protection
Protects against current and future viruses An award-winning anti-virus engine protects against computer viruses, worms, Trojan horse programs, and related security threats. Automatic updates immunize you against new computer virus outbreaks for the full duration of your subscription.
Defends your personal information with anti-spyware technology Powerful anti-spyware technology guards your personal information and privacy against spyware, rootkits, and other malicious software.
Safeguards against attacks with a personal firewall Prevent your computer from exchanging data without your approval and defend against attacks from the Internet.
Prevents unauthorized changes Improved security policies find and stop unwanted attempts to change your operating system and critical software.
Offers customizable security warnings Decide how often you want to receive warnings about security threats.
Safeguards Multiple Computers Install Trend Micro Internet Security on up to three PCs per household.
Surf the Web Safely
Protects against web threats Steer clear of online phishing scams that try to steal your credit card or bank account numbers. Continuous updates identify the newest risky websites.
Secure Web surfing Find and block malicious or untrustworthy hyperlinks in email, websites, or instant messages.
Blocks image spam Stop seeing spam that tries to evade filters by delivering images instead of just text.
Device Access Control Automatically prevent suspicious software on USB devices from opening.
Protect Your Children Online
Enhanced Parental Controls Take charge of when and where your children go on the Internet. Block websites with inappropriate content, prevent access at specific times, and even stop them from entering personal information onto web pages.
Smart Features for Your Online Activities
Home Network Map See the computers and other devices connected to your network at a glance, manage the security of other computers remotely, and block wireless home network intruders from accessing yours.
Security Activity Dashboard Get a comprehensive and customizable snapshot of all the security activities on your computer through easy-to-use charts and graphs.
State Aware Work on your presentations, watch movies, or play games without security updates or scans getting in the way.


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9/26/2012

Cities XL 2011 Review

Cities XL 2011
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
*This is from my review of the downloadable version*
* I haven't encountered any crashing bugs so far. I went through the forums and looked at what some are having trouble with. So I'm reviewing and informing at the same time.
*** Just a Reminder*** If you have the original Cities XL ('09) you can get CXL '11 for half the price. All you need is your serial number. Go to Citiesxl.com. ***
**Update** There is a patch now available**So after a year since CXL was released by Monte Cristo, Focus Interactive releases Cities XL 2011. They promised some changes and a transit system complete with buses and trains (subway and elevated). The next generation city simulator gets a makeover with these much needed features. I liked CXL and was annoyed that Monte Cristo went bankrupt before it could implement its new ideas ie. G.E.M.'s Transit expansion, and a host of others. When Focus Interactive took over CXL, it seemed like a breath of fresh air and a new chapter for the city building genre.
Unfortunately, some (and for others, many) bugs from the original CXL and some new ones have marred it to the point where the forums are lit up by frustrated people. Focus has been quiet although they did fix a bug for steam users. I recently saw a post that Focus has no patches in place because they are working on releasing CXL '11 for other languages. It could be a while before we get any type of patch. They are also very quiet concerning CXL '11 and it's future. From my point of view, it seems like they are going to crunch numbers and see if it's viable to continue. Hopefully, they will. There has been no attempt at creating a city-building game after Simcity Societies (not including CXL). Simcity Societies was dreadful.
If you are familiar with Cities XL, buying the game online has your serial number emailed to you; and online activation. The download was pretty fast but bare in mind, I am using FIOS. Previously, Monte Cristo told me that I can load CXL on as many computers as I like, no limits. Focus doesn't mention it. I heard that Starforce DRM is on it but I didn't see it while going through installation. I've had Starforce before and it usually says, "loading Starforce." If anyone who has this, had seen, it, I'll change this sentence, but like I said, I didn't see it. I went through the files as well. For people who had CXL, you have the opportunity to buy CXL 2011 for half the price if you have your serial number for CXL. If you forgot it or lost it, emailing Focus Interactive Tech support is the way to go..You have to provide your username, password and email you used to sign up CXL.
There is no online aspect of the game. Previously in CXL, you had the planet mode. online mode is completely left out in CXL 2011. You can trade with each of YOUR cities or Don Madoff of Omnicorp, but no one else. It's fairly simple. Like a point and click. You have a "earth" screen that will show where the trades are going but it doesn't show your road network like Simcity 4. In the earth screen, you can also see the available areas to build a city. It doesn't truly represent what you will see when you pick that spot unlike in Simcity 4, you see what land you are getting; including all the physical features. A wishlist here would be when you are searching for an area to create your city, it would be nice to get a feel of what you are getting. You cannot change the land. You can terraform AFTER you pick your spot and name your city. Terraforming is very expensive and a little frustrating. Simcity 4 was much easier when it came to terraforming.
The same premise is back. You can build a city on the CXL "planet," picking a spot with different physical features ie. peninsula, volcano, lakes on a plain, fertile plains, tropical island, and more. Also, keep in mind what type of resources that each "plot" has ie. oil, water, holiday, water, farm. You give your city a name and go through a quick tutorial of where to place your first road, city hall, and early power/garbage zone. The tutorials at the very beginning (before you pick where you want your city) are good enough to give you the know-how of the basics. Again, you cannot terraform the land after you pick it and name it. I found one bug. I chose a peninsula and I was creating my city when I saved and closed it. When I came back to it, all of a sudden, my city became a island with peninsula qualities.
Many people are having problems installing the game, starting it, and playing it. Steam was the worst but I think a patch, fixed that. I haven't had this trouble at all. Also, people have been reporting slow frame rates early in the game. Usually the frame rates decrease when you have a sizable city. This is true. I loaded my city that I exported from CXL and yes, it was slow. Not too terrible though. It was like your large city in Simcity 4. You would think in 2010, almost 2011, the multi-core support and increased framerates for a city-building genre would be there.
The graphics are gorgeous. The people in CXL '11 are just like the original; not very realistic but better than others. There is no comparison concerning graphics between Simcity 4, CXL '11, and Simcity Societies. This one is by far better!
One thing new, you can tax different types of zones. In Industry, you can tax separately; heavy industry, office buildings, high tech etc. In CXL '11 you have industry, commercial, and residential zones. Building have been added as well as packs ie: coastal homes on stilts, Asian style homes, European....
One of the best things done in CXL is the idea of allowing us to create our own bus lines; up to 20 lines. The maps show your worst traffic and how your lines are being utilized. You can;t go crazy or else you will go bankrupt quickly. The best thing is that the bus stops are placed along your roads; they don't take up a tile as in Simcity 4. Perfect, since every bit of real estate is needed. The Metro (train) works the same way as the buses except, the station needs to be placed near a road. you can create many lines depending on the size of your depot (just like the buses; small or large). What is great, concerning the Metro, you can run your lines along side or under your lines placed already. The belief in the CXL universe is that the tracks go under the track already placed. A roundabout was added in the roads section however, it really has no use at this time. Expressways are now highways. One bug that had carried over from the earlier CXL is the way traffic moves. On a multiple lane road, cars in the left lane turn right and cars in the right lane turn left (besides going straight). The traffic lights, again are not animated. These 2 things too me are glowing issues especially since we are in 2010 and this game pushes city building realism. I'm also a realism nut :) The way cars and trucks turn is unnatural. People waiting at the bus stop looks nice, however, when the bus arrives, they mysteriously get out of the bus and get on. The windows on the bus look like the windows on the buildings. I wish we were able to change the physical features of the land we choose to put our city, otherwise, it's very expensive to terraform.
For those looking to buy Cities XL 2011, just be on the lookout concerning the bugs; there seems to be more in this one that the previous one. In the previous Cities Xl, Ive only experienced one lockup but in this one, none. Like I said, I haven't come across the crashing and error messages that others have gotten. Most people reporting the issues have decent systems. Check the forum. You need a decent video card because this one will wake up your video card. But again, the bigger the city, the game lags. Not terrible, but it's noticeable as in Simcity 4. The game was rumored to have multi-core support but it doesn't.
Besides all the bugs being reported, what makes me nervous is the way the developer is very quiet. Contacting them gets a very slow response. Sometimes, it seems like you get a generic response also. For those who remember, Cities XL '09, Monte Cristo was quick to respond and always had their news updated. Even when nothing new was reported, they seem to update their website. When emailing tech support, they responded quickly and seemed more personable. They even took the time to let you know that they've logged your issue and will send it to the development team. In other words, at least they responded. When I couldn't find my serial number from CXL '09, it took more than a few days for Focus Interactive to email me back and even their response was kind of cryptic. You had to read it a few times to realize what they were asking. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blasting Focus Interactive. I'm happy that they've added some things to CXL 2011 and cleaned up the resource trade screen. It just would be nice if they kept us, those who bought the game in the loop ie a patch will be coming, updates will be coming soon. It's like pulling teeth! Not good customer service. I feel bad for those who are looking to buy this game or have it on their wish lists but are afraid to take a chance because they might feel, "what if I get those bugs and/or crashes."
All and all, what is surprising is the amount of bugs being reported. If you don't experience the bugs, you will enjoy this game. It really requires you to thin what type of city you want to build, where, and how big. You have to keep an eye on your finances. In Simcity 4, it was easy to zone and expand quickly without any problems. In CXL '11, you can't expand quickly. When things become available, sometimes it's best not to immediately place them because it will put you in the red quickly. The passage of time in CXL '11 is by cycle, not month/day/year like in Simcity. I happen to like CXL way of passage of time. By default, the...Read more›

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9/25/2012

Football Manager 2011 Review

Football Manager 2011
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As a longtime FIFA player and avid Premier League follower, I felt I knew the game as well as anybody. I had heard about this game, enormously popular in Europe, called Football Manager 11. A friend told me it was the "ultimate football sim", in his words. I didn't believe the hype. "I can't control the players?" I asked, and he nodded his head. He promised I would be more satisfied, with this game than almost every other.
So, after a few nudges, I downloaded the trial from Steam. Then I bought the game. And now, like millions of others across the world, I am hopelessly addicted to a football simulator. So much so that I had to write this review simply to clue in more people about the best way to destroy hours of your life.
Introductory points on Football Manager 11:
* You play the role of a football manager in a day to day, turn based system. Pick your team and hit continue and watch the options unfold.
* "Playing" the game primarily consists of several key actions: Buying / selling players, setting training schedules, setting formations, and interacting with the players and press.
* After you pick your Starting 11 + subs and motivate them to play their little hearts out, a match simulator begins with a 3d engine. Each of your players 40 "traits" or "stats" come into play as the match unfolds. From the sideline you can bark orders and at halftime you can encourage, praise, or insult your players, based on performance.
* This "hands off" nature of the game provides great satisfaction. When your 19 year old defender scores 4 goals, all headers from set pieces, you can sit there praising your own foresight in training his heading skill up to 16.
* Almost every league in the world is available to play. This includes La Liga, MLS, Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga, K-League, Mexican Premiera Division, etc. All divisions have their fun and playing in the lower leagues might be more enjoyable than the top ones!
* This game is endlessly replayable. You will love it, your girlfriend will hate it.
Now I don't just believe the hype, I promote it. Pick up this game if you want to see if you can be a better manager than any of the greats or better than that current deadbeat in your favorite team. When the game starts throwing snarky comments about how addicted you are, take them with a grain of salt: They are probably right. So don't forget about that pizza in the oven or your laundry, play this game.


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Hawking NETWORK CAMERA 11M WIRELESS ( NC320W ) Review

Hawking NETWORK CAMERA 11M WIRELESS ( NC320W )
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Update: 28 March 2005: Comparing two web cameras. I originally bought the Linksys WVC54G and now have the Hawkings NC320W. Both are very good for senior monitoring purposes. I now prefer web cameras which use Java applets (NC320W) instead of ActiveX (WVC54G). There are situations and browsers that simply can't use ActiveX and thus can't display images. The quality of both web cams is suitable for senior monitoring. Expect image quality to fall off in low light. The WVC54G has a wider field of view. This can be important in situations where you'll have to buy two NC320W to see everything whereas only one WVC54G is needed. I am now using three NC320W and viewing using Firefox browser. Warning: setting up a router to handle multiple web cameras needs a near router expert. The NC320W may soon become obsoleted by the newer and cheaper HNC230G (not released as of this date). I recommend setting up the cameras using static IP addresses so power outages won't cause new addresses to be reassigned.
True Story. Everyday I check on mom to make sure she's ok. While on vacation in Australia, I tuned in at the very moment she fell off the couch in Chicago. Using Skype, I called the senior home to have someone help her get up. Although she could have slid over to the phone and called for assistance, the important thing is that I learned she falls and can't get up by herself, and she hasn't been telling us. The WVC54G works well for this application. I can even see which DVD she's watching. I had to open port 1024 to get it working so it's not plug and play. Once running, it has never gone down, very important. My only complaint is that the auto white balance isn't true. Colors and lighting are somewhat off.

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9/24/2012

Unreal Tournament III Review

Unreal Tournament III
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Before I start I'm going to admit that this game is very fun and very intense. No doubt that it contains way more action than it's predecessors. The only problem is.. it's not finished. And what I mean by that is that this game needs some serious patching updates before I'd even consider it a full fledged product release. Some players have embraced it's flaws with hopes of fixes (like myself), but some people need to understand what they're getting in to before they get disappointed.
When Epic released the UT3 demo back in October it was released with GREAT anticipation. FINALLY a glimpse at an Unreal game that contained lifelike characters with bigger and badder action like never before. Created with the Unreal Engine 3, the characters and environments alike are definitely sweet eye candy.. which leads me to believe that the last several years this game has been in development have been merely to make it look good. The Beta contained a LOT of bugs, which is normal considering its a "Beta Demo," but when it was announced that UT3 had gone gold in a matter of weeks many had their doubts that the bugs that plagued the Beta Demo would be fixed in the retail version. Many of the bugs had remained. One such bug has the players viewpoint very close to the ground. It's like playing UT3 with little people instead of the proper height of the character models.
Much of what made UT2k4 and UT99 so great have been stripped from UT3. If you're a fan of the movement styles of 2k4 then you'll be greatly disappointed as the jump dodge has been removed. Jumping in itself is bad enough because some obsticles just aren't low enough for the character to jump over even with double jump. Fans of both eras will notice that the colors are washed with 100 types of gray and brown. The absense of bright colors (on players and environments) tend to make the game depressing and grundgey. Only a few levels even contain color and even so they're just lights. The game is also drowns in bloom and distance fog. Sure, the bloom and fog give the game more realism, but they also hinder sight when playing the game. At one point a players screen can get so bright (due to power ups coloring the screen) that it makes it even more difficult to see anything.
The User Interface (menu system) is very consolized and not PC friendly. Because the game is coming out for the PS3 and 360, Epic decided to give PC users a very consolized looking menu. Many areas do not have tabs or drop down menus for easy navigation. You find yourself going menu after menu then going back to a previous menu only to go forward again. It's a real hassle. Deep customization is gone from this game. PC users cannot control many of the graphic settings they could control in previous Unreal Tournament games. It's either all or nothing by sliding "World Detials" and "Texture Details" 1 through 5 with 5 being the max detail settings. If you REALLY want Unreal Tournament 3 to be truly customized you would have to go into the game's .ini files and edit the code by hand. And even when you do so, your game still needs to connect to the internet where Epic and/or Gamespy have servers that SAVE your .ini files. Yes, Epic and/or Gamespy have servers that store your game's .ini files on their servers. The mothership does call. Sometimes your changes stick and sometimes they don't.
Epic chose Gamespy, much to the "delite" (sarcasm) of UT players everywhere, as their choice of software for finding game browsers online. The browser in both the beta and retail have not changed. You MUST create an online profile for yourself in order to play online. Sometimes, when you want to play offline, the game still asks you to connect to the internet. It's very annoying. One problem is that when browsing for specific games (like having the option to not show empty servers or full servers), you finalize your decision and then when the game list shows up.. it didn't even filter out what you're looking for. So you have to go back, redo everything and try again. There are no favorites tab, you cannot see who's playing on any of the servers, and you cannot spectate any server.
The single player campaign in itself is a fun addition to those who just want to play offline. There is a story that goes along with many many battles. You play all the gametypes (except duel) with your team (Ronin). The bot AI on the enemy team is very good... but I can't say the same about any bot AI on your own team. You'll have to experience that one for yourself.
Warfare is a fun addition to the game along with the other classic gametypes. It's one big game of capture the flag mixed with Onslaught (a gametype from UT2k4) with a ball. My only gripe is that Warfare has a LOT of maps, while gametypes like CTF and vCTF (Vehicle Capture the Flag) have a handful. A small handful.
Character customization is not as deep as it could have been and there aren't as many characters to choose from. You have to play through single player mode to unlock new characters such as the Necris.
There are many problems that plague this "final" release of the game that are currently being fixed in beta patches that are being privately tested as I write this. What's disappointing is that the game should have been finished when it was released, not patched heavily within a short time. If you're that picky about it then maybe you should wait for an official patch.
Nonetheless, if you can look beyond the flaws and want a game where you can run and gun, blow things up with vehicles and lay some smack down to your friend across the country.. then this game is for you.

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9/23/2012

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Review

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
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A well done FPS!.
This game is set in the future, with a plot that begins around the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It is a game of intense action, atmosphere and involves some strategy and choices.
As with any game there are positives and negatives...let me explain
The Pros:
1.)A great selection of weapons and ammo (with the better ones becoming available as you proceed in the game). Some are better than others and some are quite heavy (you have a limit to how much you can carry).
2.)Different armor is also available at different points in the game.
3.)Realistic "fog of war" occurrences; weapons jam (with increasing frequency as they become worn); your player tires and gets hungry affecting his ability to perform.
4.)Great atmosphere; spooky ambient lighting in dark halls and tunnels, in the outdoors you have rain, lightening and night time; and then there are always the unexpected attacks (anywhere) by an assortment of men, animals and mutants.
5.)Enemy AI that is realistic: their guns need reloading and occasionally jam; they hide behind objects when shot at; they sneak up from the unseen side; animals attack in packs and from behind while one or two distract you from the front. All in all an enemy that appears to "think" about what it's doing instead of just standing there and blasting away at you.
6.)Although the game requires you to the complete main missions to proceed in the game, you can roam around the country side unrestricted. As a bonus, however, there are several side missions that you can do (these are optional and not required to finish the game but may give you substantial rewards in money or items)
7.)Easy save and load feature.
8.)3 different endings, depending on the choices you make near the end of the game.
9.)Some re-playability; you may want to try different endings, side missions and other weapons and armor.
10.)Many hours of intense, hectic game play.
Cons:
1.)You'll need fairly good hardware and lots of RAM to run this game as it was meant to be played.
2.)No vehicles to ride for battle or transportation purposes. (and annoyingly, towards the end, you must walk back almost to the starting point to get an important piece of info) or you can't get into the last 2 endings.
3.)Maybe, just maybe a little too hard even on novice (especially towards the latter part of the game).
4.)You'll need at least 9GB of disc space to load this game.
5.)I found there were occasional crashes or freeze ups after long periods of play.
Suggestions; (SPOILER)
1.)Early on, go to "Dark Valley"; this will give you a chance to
a.)obtain a sniper scope (useful a little later) and
b.)while here, do a side mission that requires you to "rescue a fighter's friend" (here you'll find, in the same building as the "friend" (but in another room), a piece of great armor and many useful and powerful "artifacts".
2.)Take every bandage you find; medkits will heal wounds but do not stop bleeding (and if you don't stop bleeding, well...you bleed to death).
Conclusion:
This was a game that I really enjoyed (even though the novice level could be a real challenge at times); it featured my favorite type of game, that being, a FPS with some RPG upgrades. If you liked such games as Deus Ex, System Shock or Dark Messiah, I'm sure you'll pleased with this game. 5 Stars. R. Nicholson


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