Link Your House

News of Vizio's planned Internet connectivity has been leaking out ever since the company's intentions were announced at CES earlier this year. Now, Vizio's VIA service gets more than just a handful of content providers, and the list is fairly compelling.

In addition to previously announced content partners Rhapsody, Amazon on Demand, Blockbuster on Demand, Flickr, Pandora, and Netflix, Vizio has added Vudu, Showtime, Revision 3, Radiotime, and Rallypoint Sports, as well as eBay for shopping, and Facebook and Twitter for social networking.

Vizio VIA Connected HDTVs come with 802.11n Wi-Fi, as well as an Ethernet port. The TVs come with a universal remote that has a built-in keyboard for easy navigation, and is equipped with Bluetooth so you can type without having to worry about pointing the remote at the TV.

These Web-connected HDTVs will be available this fall. And, while the on-demand-ness of Netflix or Amazon might be appealing, you don't have to go out and buy an entirely new HDTV to experience those features- such services are on some Blu-ray players, on middle devices like the Roku Digital Video Player, and may be already available on your own TV and gaming consoles.

Sarah Jacobsson, PC World

With the recent spate of virus threats, it’s a good time to revisit your company’s virus and malware protection. While the only absolute defense is to totally unplug from the Internet, here are some tips that can lessen the odds of infection.

1. Delete unknown e-mails: Seems like a no-brainer, but people who make a career out of spreading viruses have become pretty sophisticated in disguising the e-mails they send. Bottom line: Delete all e-mails from unknown sources, and never download or open an attachment unless you are sure it’s from someone you know.
2. Update your software: Keep all of your software up-to-date, especially your Windows operating system. Keep Automated Updates turned on to download and install updates automatically.
3. Only install software from trusted sources: Stay away from downloads from unknown sites. If you are asked to install other programs to ensure another piece of software works, stop and do a bit more research. In many cases, additional programs contain spyware.
4. Run virus scans habitually: Set up a schedule for your computer to run anti-virus software. Do scans late at night or whenever you don’t use your computer, as it will run slower. Everyday scans are best, but at the very least do it once a week.
5. Back up your drives: CD-writers make it easy and relatively cheap to back-up your hard drives and network drives. Or, you can automate your back-ups with back-up software.
6. Activate your firewall: A firewall limits the ports on your network that are open to the public, so having one in place is critical. If you use a wireless router, make sure it has a built-in firewall. A software and hardware firewall is more effective than just having one or the other.
7. Lock your wireless network: Wireless routers usually have no security settings in place when you install them. You must log in and at the very least establish a basic, password-required security setting to prevent others from gaining access to your network.
8. Steer clear of P2P file sharing: Some people with savvy tech skills can download P2P files without incident, but if you aren’t careful you might end up downloading a file with a keystroke logger attached. Keystroke loggers can transfer anything you type on your computer to another computer, and are difficult to detect without a quality anti-virus or anti-spyware program in place.
9. Stay away from trashy Web sites: There’s no other way to say it. If you look at trashy Web sites, you will get a virus or spyware, period.
10. Install software that takes snapshots of your system: Regular snapshots of your system can help you analyze for infected files or changes in your system or drivers. It’s also a helpful tool to recall and recover all of your files in the event of a crash.