support

Regulators shut down global PC 'tech support' scam

Regulators from five countries joined together in an operation to crack down on a series of companies they say orchestrated one of the most widespread Internet scams of the decade.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other international regulatory authorities today said they shut down a global criminal network that allegedly bilked tens of thousands of consumers by pretending to be tech support providers.

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, speaking during a press conference with a Microsoft executive and regulators from Australia and Canada, said 14 companies and 17 individuals were targeted in the investigation. In the course of … Read more

Carrier support a must for Windows Phone 8 success

Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 devices will hit stores this fall. And support from carriers like Verizon Wireless will be crucial if the company stands a chance of competing with smartphone giants, Apple and Google.

Microsoft today took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the next iteration of its mobile software for smartphones. Device makers Nokia, Huawei, Samsung and HTC have all committed to building Windows Phone 8 devices, Microsoft said. So far all four major wireless carriers, including Verizon Wireless, are onboard as well, which is good news for Microsoft. The big question now is how much support … Read more

Facebook illustrates the rabbit hole of user reports

Ever wondered what happens when unwanted activity is reported on Facebook, such as explicit photos, hate speech, or hacked accounts?

Facebook is aiming to make it easier for users to understand what it does when user reports are filed by publishing the "Reporting Guide" infographic today (see above).

"With a community of over 901 million people, Facebook maintains a robust reporting infrastructure made up of dedicated teams all over the world and innovative technology systems," the social network writes on the infographic.

Looking to help users who may be contemplating suicide or others who feel like … Read more

Dad thinks he's the family's tech guy, family says 'Hah'

Being a father involves copious amounts of self-confidence.

Sometimes, though, that self-confidence can merge with other traits, such as arrogance and bloated self-regard.

I mention this, on Father's Day weekend, merely because a fine and erudite survey has revealed the Grand Canyon between dads' view of their tech prowess and their family's views of dad's tech prowess.

The survey, conducted on behalf of TeamViewer -- a company that stunningly provides helpful remote control software -- reveals that 93 percent of dads think they are the family's go-to guy for tech.

You will be stunned into solitary … Read more

Cosmos: A Windows utility mashup

Introducing Cosmos, Support.com's brand-new suite of system care tools that's meant to clean, optimize, and secure your Windows PC.

As is typical with Support.com products, much of the functionality of Cosmos is wrapped in a single, comprehensive dashboard. There are a few tabs and panels, but no exhaustive drop-down menus (thank goodness). Overall, this design seems to suit Cosmos quite well, as it makes the program more visual and easier to use.

Everything Cosmos has to offer is broken down in the tabs along the left side of the interface: Security and Privacy, Backup and Recovery, … Read more

iTunes users griping about Apple's security questions

A handful of iTunes users aren't too happy about the security questions being thrown at them to verify their accounts.

Apple recently ramped up stricter security measures for iTunes and iOS users in an attempt to prevent accounts from being abused or compromised. Beyond just entering a password, some users are now being asked to choose three security questions and a backup e-mail address when they try to download content.

But it's the selection of questions themselves that appear to be upsetting some of the Apple faithful, according to The Register.

Users are being asked to choose from … Read more

Mozilla readies Firefox 3.6 for the grave

Mozilla has announced that after more than two years of support, Firefox 3.6 will no longer receive updates as of April 24. The legacy version of the browser is notable for being the final version before the company embarked on a radically different production path in 2011 with Firefox 4.

Barring any last-minute security patches, last month's Firefox 3.6.28 will be the final update that the 3.6-branch receives. Organizations like businesses and universities are being encouraged by Mozilla to switch to the Firefox Extended Support Release, which will allow them to update annually. The current … Read more

Share your computer screen the easy way with ScreenLeap

A lot of instant messaging or tech-help software includes a feature for sharing your screen with other people. Unfortunately, not everyone uses the same applications, which requires one or more parties to download something in order to see the shared computer screen. Instead of worrying about creating new accounts or downloading software, ScreenLeap offers a super easy way to share your screen to any device, or look at someone else's shared screen. 

Note: This service requires Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which most users will already have. If not, it's a free download that is useful for other … Read more

Apple loses appeal in Italian AppleCare issue

Apple today lost part of its appeal in Italy involving the sale and promotion of its AppleCare service in the country.

Per Italian news site Repubblica.it (via The Next Web), Apple today lost part of its appeal, and must make changes to its localized AppleCare Web site as a result.

In December, Apple was hit with a 900,000 Euros ($1.2 million) fine for allegedly encouraging customers to purchase AppleCare, its technical support and extended warranty service. Under Italian law, the country requires companies to offer two years of technical support to product buyers, which is the same … Read more

How to fix Wi-Fi issues on the new iPad

The problem is a simple one to encounter. You should have Wi-Fi but for some reason the reception just isn't there. That's exactly what struck OS X Daily, just after it got a new iPad from Apple.

And the guys from OS X Daily are not alone. Threads on support sites including the Apple Support Communities report the same issue, where Wi-Fi is not able to connect during setup. If your experience is similar to either case, there are quite a few trick to try before demanding a refund or writing Tim Cook.

The solution, according to OS … Read more