Question: Kendrick asks, "Can smartphones get viruses or spyware?"
Answer: Kendrick, thanks for the question. The simple answer is, "Yes, they can". The real question at this point is whether or not there are any such viruses. Smartphones present challenges to malware writers in that unlike computers, smartphones have no really clear leader. I mean, Windows is on most computers, and is thus the most low-hanging of fruit. In the smartphone arena, the Apple iPhone is dominating and so I suspect will be the first one infected. The other challenge for malware writers is that a smartphone's operating system is in firmware, making it harder to infect in the first place. Also, it's not difficult to completely reset a phone to its factory defaults. And, since a smartphone usually synchronizes with a computer, this can often be done with little or no data loss. What this means is that almost any malware infection could be cleared in just a few minutes or so. So, while they can get viruses, and probably will in the future, I don't think it's a big threat today.
Cool Site: GiveawayOfTheDay: Ya like free stuff? I do too, and while I hate to repeat myself, this one bears it. For a site where you can download free, legal, full versions of commercially produced software, try giveawayoftheday.com. On Giveawayoftheday.com you'll find one commercial software package. You have twenty-four hours to download and activate it. If you don't, you just missed it. It's free, but you've got to get it when it's available, that's the only catch.
Cool Gadget: Joby Gorillamobile: This week's gadget has a silly name, but is still pretty cool if you have an iPod Touch. This is a tripod for your iPod Touch, but it's no ordinary tripod. It has knobby, flexible legs that you can wrap around things, or shape however you want. That way, if you're watching a movie on your iPod Touch, you can set it up so you don't have to hold it the whole time. If you're sitting in the back seat, you can wrap the Gorillamobile's legs around the headrest in front of you for movie watching. It retails for $39.95, and they have models for iPhones, and PlayStation Portables or other handheld devices as well. Check out Joby's website. We'll have a link in the show notes for this little guy.
It's All "Geek" To Me: Cold Start: Starting the computer by turning the power on. When you turn the power off and then back on again, you'll bring the computer up from absolutely nothing. I've seen situations where you have to wait a bit after turning the computer off before turning it back on so that the capacitors can discharge. There's a trick you can do, though. If you turn your computer off, then unplug the power cord (pull the battery, too if it's a laptop) and push the power button like you're trying to turn it on; you'll notice the lights blink on, then off while the computer uses the power in the capacitors to try to boot. Then plug it all back up, reinserting the battery if it's a laptop, and when you turn it on, everything will have been fully reset.
