Registry Mechanic: Fixes Those Registry Problems

Well, I was looking for something to download. I love programs and I stumbled upon this regsitry cleaner called Registry Mechanic.

This thing is awesome!

I once downloaded a second rate registry cleaner and it told me that I had no problems.

But when you install, download, or use your computer over a while (mine is almost 2 years old) registry errors are bound to occur.

Regsitry Mechnic is a good solution to your registry problems. It scans for 12 different things:

• Custom Controls


• Software Locations


• Regsitry Integrity


• Windows Fonts


• Help And Resources


• Shared DLL's (Registered Version)


• Startup Programs (Registered Version)


• Add/Remove Programs (Registered Version)


• Virtual Devices (Registered Version)


• Program Shortcuts (Registered Version)


• File Extensions (Registered Version)


• Deep Scan (Registered Version)

You are able to fix certain problems with the free version, but you have to register and buy the product ($29.95) and then you are able to fix all of those problems.

On my first scan I found over 250 problems. So, you can just imagine how many are on your computer.

The interface is easy to follow and similar to Spyware Docter (made by the same company: PC Tools)

Registry Mechanic also automatically creates a restore point so in the event that something goes wrong you can restore the computer.

You can also choose to optimize your system, which improves your system's performance or compact and optimize your registry.

Registry Mechanic claims to be the most popular registry cleaner and highly trusted.
To date it has had over 15 million downloads.

With many options available Registry Mechanic is one powerful tool to cleaning your regsitry.

To download Registry Mechanic directly: http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/.

Technorati Tags:registry

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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Banned in Australia

The controversial game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, has now been banned in Australia.

The San Andreas came under a lot of fire because of downloads that allowed the game to show explicit content.

If this is the first you have heard of the game check out these posts:

In this one I discuss why Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was deemed too sexually explicit.

And in this one I discuss how Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had its rating changed from mature to adults only (R).

Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) had withdrawn its M-15 rating of the game because of it's explicit content.

It now can't be sold, or rented anywhere in the country.

So, what is all this explicit content?

Well, in the game, the character takes a woman on a date. If the date ends up going well the character then is able to have sex with the woman.

The player has control during over all sexual movements and his reward is dependant on how well the female responds to the sexual actions of the character.

That scene was not meant to be in the game, but was an original idea. Programmers found that all they had to do was unlock this section to make it playable.

You do that by downloading a Mod or Hack. So, now you know how an already controversial game got really controversial.

Clearly, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is not for children!

Technorati Tags:games

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Opera Web Browser Reviewed

Many of you probably use Internet Explorer as your default browser.

Many, though, have avoided Internet Explorer, because of the fact that it has been around for so long that hackers are able to find holes in the code and exploit them, leaving you in a very dangerous position.

That's why people have started using less known browsers, so they can navigate the Internet more securely.

Today we'll look at the Opera Web Browser.

Opera has some very unique features. Not only is it very stable, it's more secure. Hacker's aren't familiar with its code so you can navigate safely on the Internet.

Once you have downloaded and installed the web browser from www.opera.com you run the browser.

However, unlike other browsers which open a big window to your homepage, Opera has a little window that gives you several options:

• Continue from last time


• Continue from a saved session


• Start with your home page


• Start with no pages

Once you have selected the option a full screen window appears displaying the appropriate contents.

Multiple Pages

Don't you hate having 5 different windows open for 5 different web pages? I do.

Opera, though, can contain all these web pages in one window freeing the task bar for other programs.

There are tabs near the top of the window where you can switch from one web page to another. Below, I have opened up 3 web pages: Opera, Google, and my blog:



Downloading

Another thing I dislike about Internet Explorer is, for example, if you are downloading 3 different files from the Internet.

You see all these pretty little boxes that again take up room on your task bar.

As you begin each download in Opera you will be sent to the Transfers page (Tools > Transfers). There you can see downloads in progress and those already completed.



Opera again saves you from ugly clutter. After the download is complete a tooltip appears at the bottom left of the screen telling you of its completion.

Search

Say you want to search Google (and you don't have the toolbar) don't you hate typing 'google.com' into the address bar and then searching.

Since Google is the largest used search engine, Opera has including a text box in its window where you can search in Google directly.



Or you can choose to search amazon.com , e-bay.com, or download.com

There are other things the Opera web browser can do, such as open e-mail accounts, check for mail, add contacts, add notes, and much more.

You can rely on Opera to deliver. Check it out at www.opera.com.

Technorati Tags:opera, browsers

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The iRiver iFP795T 512 MB MP3 Player.

The iRiver IFP795T is quite the mp3 player. It includes and mp3 player, and an AM and FM tuner!

How many songs can you put on this mp3 player. Well, the iRiver iFP795T has 512 MB of space. So if an average song is around 4MB, you could put on roughly 128 songs.

It's portability and small size is perfectly ideal for using it anywhere: while walking, jogging, running, or just about anywhere.

The great thing about the iRiver is you know that you are getting quality. It's not worth spending a small amount for a cheap mp3 player that will be useless in a couple of months.

The iRiver IFP790T is in the middle of the league - right where most people should buy their technology.

So what are the specs of this baby? Check them out:

Battery Life (Extra Important): 40 hours of continuous play.
Battery Required: 1 AA
Computer Interface: USB 2.0
Earbuds Included: Yes
Total Memory: 512 MB
Total weight: 37g
Track Search: Yes
Voice Recorder: Yes

Now how much does this baby cost? It runs for about $170 CAD.

If you are looking for something cheaper or you just don't need that much disk space be sure to check out the The iRiver iFP790T 256 MB mp3 player.

Hey, this baby looks good and you sure won't be disappointed by this mp3 player!

Technorati Tags:gadgets, music, mp3, iriver

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Play Video Games And Excercise At The Same Time With The BK-A6 From NexFit

You love playing video games and you need to exercise, but it's too boring. Well now you can exercise and play games all at the same time.

NexFit's BK-A6 is a exercise bike with a twist - it makes you play video games while you exercise.

Here's how it works:

You first have to install the software that comes with it when you buy it.

Then you need to hook up the bike to your computer.

Once you have done that you load the software and then load your game.

This technology works best with racing games. So let's say you're running Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2.

There is a joystick hooked up to the right handle bar of the bike. You use that to move the car in the direction you wish. The joystick's sensitivity is adjustable.

The pedals are used to actually move the car. The faster you pedal the faster the car goes. Pedal in reverse and the car reverses.

Kinda neat.

What's Hot

- Allows you to play video games while you excercise.
- Fun for all ages.
- Has customizable settings.
What's Not

- It is pricey (around $3000 CAD)
- The bike has to be connected to the computer (i.e. it's not wireless)
- It works great for racing games only. So you can't play a shooter game with this bike.

You can check out the BK-A6 exercise bike at http://www.nexfit.com/.

Technorati Tags:gadgets, games, excercise

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Put Some Ease On Your Eyes With the ClearType Setting for Windows XP

Many find that their eyes hurt because the fonts appear so pixelized. Well there is a solution that I found on the Microsoft website.

ClearType is a setting you can employ that smoothes out the font that you see on your computer.

That causes less strain on your eyes. I noticed an improvement right away.

Microsoft says that if you have an LCD panel you'll notice a bigger change.

How do you go about changing your setting?

1. Go to Your Desktop and Right-Click it. Select Properties.

2. Select The 'Appearences' Tab.

3. Select Effects.

4. Under the "Use the following methods to smooth edges of screen fonts" Slect ClearType.

And you're done. You should see the difference instantly.

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Microsoft Now Looking In Your Computer Before You Download or Upgrade

If you have visited the Microsoft website within the last year you likely noticed that you had the option of checking that your operating system was legit before downloading or to skip the test and download directly.

Well, today it has become mandatory. In a strong effort to squash those who have fraudulent Windows operating systems from getting access to downloads and upgrades, Microsoft is now making that test mandatory.

So, what does this mean? Well, Microsoft has lost billions of dollars due to illegal operating systems.

All of you who own one of these babies aren't going to get a thing anymore. I do agree with Microsoft. Why should you make them lose hundreds of dollars and expect upgrades and downloads at the tip of your fingers?

But Microsoft is a big company, what is a couple of hundred dollars gonna do to them?

Well, you are not alone. Apparently, there are 100 million of you thinking the same thing. That 100 million turns into billions of dollars in lost revenue. (Last year alone they lost $41 billion).

So how does this operating system check work?

Well. once you initiate the test you computer will be searched for thing such as product keys, operating-system version and information on the flow of data that occurs between the windows operating system and other hardware.

Hey, I took the test and I thought I bought a legit copy of Windows. I've been unknowingly sold a piritated version of Windows!! What do I do?

Sadly, this stuff actually happens.

If you are one of those poor souls who have been tricked, Microsoft hasn't let you down.

Microsoft will give you a brand new version of Windows XP if you fill out a privacy statement, give them the proof of purchase, and hand them the pirated CD's.

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Could The Sims 2 Be The Next Target Over Nudity Hacks?

There has been much hubbub made about the explicit scenes in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

I discussed that matter in an earlier post.

This time US attorney Jack Thompson who advocates against sex and violence in video games has made some statements against The Sims 2 claiming it to be a "paedophile's paradise".

Thompson claims that The Sims 2 is the "latest dirty little secret". He alleges that the game "contains, according to videogame news sites, full frontal nudity, including nipples, penises, labia and pubic hair."

To avoid anyone getting offended private areas are blurred, but Thompson claims that a hack could 'unblur' those areas.

While no sex occurs in the game people could potentially walk around naked inlcuding children.
Thus, the reason he claims the Sims 2 to be a "paedophile's paradise".

An EA publisher though disputes the claims that Thompson is making. He alleges that even if someone were to remove the blurred pixels they actually wouldn't see any genetalia because they are created like Barbie dolls: Barbie and Ken don't actually have genatalia.

Thompson later complained that "Electronic Arts has done nothing about this," and that EA Games is "co-operating, gleefully, with the mod community to turn Sims 2 into a porn offering."

The ESRB, the board which decides on the appropriate age rating for games is not currently thinking of changing the rating for The Sims 2, but this whole fiasco has many turning on the gaming industry and the mod community.

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Are More People Downloading Music Legally?

Now with iTunes, Napster (revamped) and Rhapsody it has become very easy to download music legally.

Remember when Napster used to be all the rage.


Why my law teacher even signed up for high-speed because it offered a 3 month free package. In that time he downloaded all his favorite songs off of Napster and then promptly discontinued his Internet service.

Millions still use peer-to-peer networks to get their music. But surprisingly many have seemed to now be downloading legally.

In a previous post I discussed why downloading music legally helps both the consumer and the musician.

Looking at the recent statistics does show that more people are downloading music legally.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) stated that attitudes towards illegal music downloads seem to be changing as more and more people begin to favor legal downloads.

Here are some of the numbers:

There was 3% rise in the amount of illegal files on peer-to-peer networks.

There was also a 300% rise in the amount of legal downloads in the first half of 2005 over the whole year of 2004!

Also there was a tripling of websites that allowed legal music downloads: 300 in total.

Many, it seems, have gotten the message about not downloading illegal music.

Here's Why You Shouldn't Download Music Illegally

1. Your IP is logged - so the authorities are able to track you down.
2. A chance that the file is contaminated with a virus or worm.
3. A chance that you may have to pay legal fees and/or the amount for stolen music.

So, avoid that entire headache, spend 99 cents and get yourself that song!

Happy (Legal) Music Downloading!!

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Windows Next Operating System is Offically Named 'Vista'

Microsoft has announced that its newest operating system long called by its code name "Longhorn" is now offically named Vista.

The announcement was made by Brian Valentine and Kevin Johnson.

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A New Online Service: Order Digital Prints Online

Well, I just looked at a brochure my dad got from Shoppers Drug Mart (a Drugstore).

This drugstore also develops photos. But here is a new service. What if I told you that you could take pictures with your digital camera, put them on your computer, upload them to (in this case the drugstore's) website and

then do one of the following:

1. crop, enhance or customize your photo
2. choose from several print sizes
3. create your own personalized photo cards
4. design your very own 12-month photo calender with all of your favorit photos.

Then, once you are done doing that you order you prints, choose the closest location to your home and then just pick them up.

I though that was cool. Not only is it the next and newest online service (unless its already out there . . .I could be mistaken) but I think this service makes the whole digital process easier.

Instead of messing around with memory cards you can do everything with a click of a mouse and so much more.

Or what about if you have digital pictures on your computer that you'd love to develop. This service makes it all very easy.

If you have a Shoppers Drug Mart store near you or you just wanna check out how it works visit: http://www.blogger.com/.

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New Firefox Fix Issued

Mozilla releases its newest fix: Firefox 1.0.6.

This fix was mainly a stability fix.


If restore API compatibility for extensions and web applications that didn't work correctly in the previous version of Firefox.

For more information on the fix go to: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/releases/1.0.6.html#issues

To download the fix directly from the Mozilla website go to: http://www.mozilla.org/ and click on Free Download.

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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Now For Adults Only

After much pressure from Senator Hillary Clinton, the National Institute on the Media and the Family, and many others the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) that gives ratings to video games gave the newest in the lineup of GTA games an adults only label.

This means that you won't be seeing this game at retail stores where minors could have access to them.

Wednesday's decision was due to the fact that independant programmers found a explicit scene in the game which Rockstar Games says was not meant to be part of the game in the first place.

Patricia Vance, the president of the ESRB, said that this was the first time the board had ever changed the rating of a game that had already been released.

Rockstar Games' spokesman, Rodney Walker, explains how this whole situation occured:

"An artist makes a painting, then doesn't like the first version and paints over the canvas with a new painting, right? That's what happened here. Hackers on the Internet made a program that scratches the canvas to reveal an earlier draft of the game."

Players are able to unlock this hidden scene by downloading a program from the internet (called a MOD).

In a way I can't really feel sorry for them because they are creating violent and explicit video games.

On the other hand though, Rockstar Games will most likely pay by lost sales in the time their product is taken off the shelves, for a situation that they didn't intentionally want to occur.

Rockstar Games is now reporting that it will stop the manufacturing of the current game and release a newer version as soon as possible.

Retail stores have taken the game off the shelves but Walmart will bring it back on the market when the new version is available.

Two-two, the company which owns Rockstar Games was seeking legal action against those who modified and changed the game.

This is sure to a significant ripple in the game industry. I think game makers will have to make their game very difficult to modify or even make it illegal.

I think it should be illegal considering the fact that the game is the property of the company, one should not be able to change or modify the game unless they are allowed.

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Memorex TravelDrive 1GB USB Drive An Amazing Device

This portable USB Flash Drive is very fast and protable device from Memorex.

This device is great if you want to store images, music(MP3), or files and then transfer them to another location such as another computer at home, school or work.

What makes this USB drive so amazing is that Memorex TravelDrive boasts a 8MB per second read speed. That's up to 50% faster than other USB drives.

The price is also very decent. At only $129.99 (Canadian) it's a total steal.

Here are some of the specs:

Capacity (Drive Space): 1GB
Dimensions: 6.9 cm (W) x 3.1 cm (H) x 1.0(D) cm
Maximum Data Transfer Rate: 8MB/s
PC/Mac: Both
Weight: 130g
System Requirements: Windows 98/ME/200/XP and Mac

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How to Create a Good Password

Many of us face the problem of passwords. We have them for accounts on the internet, online bank accounts, or for our jobs. But how do we create a good, strong, hack-proof (well nothing is totally hack proof) password that will keep a hacker busy for a long time?


Well, the first thing to do is not to make you password, "password". A lot of people to this. IBM stated that 40% of all computer users use the word password as their password.

Secondly, never name your password after your pet, wife, husband, child, birthday, or any personal information. Why?

Well, anyone can get access to that information. Think about it. If I was trying to get into your account at work and I knew you those would be the first entries that I would put in - after password.

Here are some tips on creating a good password:

Add Numbers and Symbols in Your Password

I think I read somewhere that just adding a single number after the word in your number throws off a hacker for seven years. So add a number like 9 or a symbol (&).

The more the better. For example "TechGuru1" would be an easier password to hack then "T3chG!r!34".

Yes, it may seem like a mess, but if you have something to protect make sure you do it well.

Make Your Word An Acronym of A Sentence

This makes it even harder for a hacker because the password isn't a word, but a bunch of seemingly random letters.

Pick a sentence that has numbers and symbols (See above).

For example: Johhny rode his bike @ 3 o'clock today.

That becomes: Jrhb@3ot.

Try cracking that! It makes it very easy to remember, because each letter represents a word.

Make one up for yourself and use it!

Change Your Password Often

That pretty much says everything. Change it often. The more often the better. And make sure those passwords are strong.

In the end, no password can realistically be hackproof, but doing your part will make the hacker's game harder and longer.

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iTunes Passes 500 Million Downloads - A New Era of Better Music?

Yesterday, iTunes had it's 500 millionth download. Does this bode well for legal music downloads? I think it does. I see it as a win-win situation.

Ever since music was able to be illegaly downloaded myriads have flocked to those springs of free illegal music. However, it is obvious that this can't continue.

If it does, we may not lose artists now, but we may lose the ones that are up and coming.

Now, I'm not going to go into the ethics of downloading illegal music is. . . don't worry I think we've (including myself) all have been guilty of it sometimes, but I think that this new era of downloading from your computer is excellent news for music fans.

"And why is that?", you ask. Well here it is: I and millions of other people don't like to pay $18-25 (Canadian) for a cd only to really like 2,3, maybe 4 songs.

The rest is just filler or borderline garbage that Ii don't want to listen to. If you don't think people agree with me then why else do people download illegaly?

Yes, it's free, but it gives the downloader freedom to choose what songs to download instead of being forced to pay for crap he'll never listen in his life again.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are artists out there who put out killer albums and those are the great musicians, however, there are artists who put an album out with like 2 hit songs.

So, where does all this legal downloads play in. Well, you see it forces the musician to make quality music. Why? Because if he makes a crappy song who's gonna buy it (besides some who have poor music quality) - NO ONE!!

You, see this new era forces a musician to make better music and we reap the benefits of good music while the musician starts to rake in the money.

Of course, this can only be possible if the only way to download music is legally.

Looking farther into the future . . .could this be the way we can download our favorite tv shows?

All in all I'm embracing this new era and hope you are too.

Technorati tags: music,download

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The Barcode Clock. The Whaa?

Well, this is great for anybody who loves shopping or loves technology. Sometimes technology creates some interesting and unique objects. This is one of them.

It look exactly like a barcode as you can see to the right. Isn't it neat?

This is how it works: There are the numbers 1 through 12 on the bottom along with the corresponding LED lights. 10 is currently shining.

Then we have the digital minute value given there as 45. So . . . the time is 10:45.

The clock is made of plastic and uses 3 AA batteries. It sells for $35 at the Signals Website.

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A Whole New World in Age Of Empires III

Age of Empires III will be a whole new world. It is by far the most anticipated role playing game of 2005. The three reasons why I think you should play this game is the plot, graphics, and real time physics.

Plot
The object of Age of Empires III is totally new: to explore the New World. You have a home city back in Europe (a new concept) where supplies and military can be sent across the ocean.

An ocean away you begin your colony. Make alliances with different Native tribes by accomplishing what they want. You do that and you have control of that tribe as well (i.e. you expand your military). Meanwhile, your opponent is doing the exact same thing.

As you play more games you get the choice of upgrading parts of your home city, such as military, artillery, buildings or unlocking brand new types of the aforementioned.

Graphics

The graphics in this game set the bar higher for any strategy game out there. If you've seen the screenshots you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen the screenshots check them out.

I was stunned when I saw them. The water is so real: it foams near the shoreline, it shows the shadow of a ship on top of it, or the shadow of an overhanging cliff. Ensemble Studios set aside a whole programmer for water and it shows.

Everything is more detailed: people, buildings, surroundings, and animals all look real.

Real Time Physics

Here is the really fun part. In Age of Empires II destruction looked the same, and any projectile just crashed into the building and dissappeared, or into people and killed them instantly.

Well, say good-bye to that. In Age of Empires III real time physics is used. That means that cannonballs don't just hit a target and disappear, no it means they bounce and richochet.

In other words you could fire a cannonball at a building, and the ball goes through the building bounces and then kills more people on the other side. Pretty neat!

And when cannonballs hit people they'll go flying. If your lucky you could send them going over a cliff.

Also no building is destroyed the same way twice. The destruction also interacts with the surroundings. Let's say you hit a tower off a building it then falls into the water, which in turn ripples.

You will never be tired of this game, with its stunning realism, real time phyisics and unique destruction. Age of Empires III has brought its game to a whole new level so you can explore a whole new world!

More info on the game and screenshots go to Age of Empires III Official Website.
Technorati tags: games

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Virus Alert: Lebreat!

A brand new virus has surfaced on the scene: Lebreat. It is sent to you as an e-mail attachment pretending to be 'Breatle AntiVirus v1.0'. Once installed the virus begins looking on the victim's computer for other e-mail addresses and sends them e-mails containing the virus.

The worm uses multiple subject lines, body messages, and attachment names. One for example reads this way:

"Your credit card was charged for $500 USD. For additional information see the attachment."

At the same time, the virus also exploits a flaw in the Window's component: Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS).

Microsoft issued a patch last year when another worm, Sasser, hijacked that flaw as well.

So, how do you stear clear of this worm. Always be wary of opening e-mail attachments, make sure you have updated patches for programs and networks, and keep your anti-virus program up-to-date.

Technorati tags: virus,worm

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What Computer Should I Buy?

Today, I'm going to help people out there choose what type of computer they want to buy without all the tech mumbo jumbo. We are going to look at 3 different types: a notebook (laptop), a standard personal computer(PC) or a "top of the line" personal computer.
Let's start.

A Laptop
Laptops are great because you can bring them with you anywhere, anytime. So if you need to have information with you away from your office a laptop seems like the best choice for you.

This would also be your choice if you are not running programs that need high quality graphics such as games or if all you are doing is homework or running applications you use in your job.

Remember: Laptops are great for carrying data around or doing work and aren't the best for playing games.

You can buy laptops from Dell, MDG, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Copmpaq and so on.

A Standard Personal Computer
Most of us have one of these in your office or in your home. If you are more interested in doing work on this computer and don't need to have your information mobile than this is the computer for you.

It also is great for kids because it let's them play most of the games (95%) you can buy at a store.

Remember: Great for family, office, or home where information doesn't need to go mobile.

You don't have to go far to get a good pc. Dell, Apple, MDG, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Copmpaq and others carry very reasonably priced computers.

A "Top of the Line" Personal Computer
Now were talking high-end stuff. If you are a heavy gamer this computer is for you.

It does everything we discussed previous to this but it's dedicated to graphics and has built in technologies that make it perfect for high end gaming.

Remember: This baby can play any game any time, but comes with a heafty price tag.

So I hope that covers everything. Tommorrow we'll discuss some computer lingo for those who don't understand it.

Technorati tags: computer

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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Deemed Too Sexually Excplicit

The newest in the line of Grand Theft Auto (GTA), a game in which the character is a criminal who commits crimes for money or for the fun of it, has been deemed too sexually explicit by a group.

The game becomes even more explicit when independant programmers (those not involved in the making of the game) change or hack parts of it. By downloading and installing these hacks the game can have the capability to contain explicit sex scenes. That, as you can imagine, has parents scrambling.

David Walsh, founder of the National Institute on the Media and the Family, stated,
"While San Andreas is already full of violent behavior and sexual themes, the pornographic sex scenes push it over the edge,".

An investigation, trying to find who is/are responsible for the explicit hacks is currently in progress.

GTA: San Andreas has been rated M from mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. That means that you have to be 17 years or older to play the game.

However, a recent study by the National Institute on the Media and the Family found that 50% of boys between the ages of 7 to 14 could buy games rated mature.

Now, we should take this with a grain of salt as this is coming from a source that has its biases, but within the study is a truth: minors can get their hands on explicit material.

Minors have the ability to access the Internet and potentially download these explicit hacks. So, it remains the responsibility of the parents to ensure the games their children are watching are not sexually explicit.

Technorati tags: games,sex

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