The concept of unscrupulous individuals performing a confidence trick has been around since the dawn of civilisation. It appears as far as the internet is concerned nothing has changed except possibly the delivery.

The anonymity of the internet in the information age has afforded any confidence trickster (con-man) the ability to avoid detection and ultimately the responsibility of the loss suffered by their victims.

You've probably heard the saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". It reasons that if we don't learn from the mistakes we make when taken in by any scam then we perhaps deserve what we get.

Forewarned is forearmed! Check out this great website called Hoax-Slayer, designed and managed by Australian Brett Christensen who since 2003 has been helping to document this sort of internet activity. From the mission of Hoax-Slayer:

"Many users inadvertently compromise their online privacy and the security of their computer equipment because of poor computer security practices. Hoax-Slayer publishes information that makes users aware of email, Internet and computer security issues and what to do about them."

Well worth a look.

Computer Origins have sold Kaspersky products for many years because we know now, as we have known then how reliable and effective Kaspersky products are. Kaspersky is in stock; buy a copy and protect yourself today.

The Gyration Air Mouse Go Plus: The Media Centre Dream!

Computer Origins wishes all a very safe and enjoyable Holiday break!

We would also like to take this opportunity to outline the days Computer Origins will be trading during the Christmas/New Year period.

• Saturday, December 24 - OPEN (closing at 12pm);
• 25th, 26th, 27th December - Closed;
• 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st December - OPEN;
• Monday 1st to Tuesday 10th January 2012 - Closed;
• Wednesday 11th January - reopen for normal trade.

In case you missed it, we are closed from 2nd January to 11 January 2012. Yes closed for 10 days and we apologise for the convenience it may cause but we really need some time off!

Thank you for everybody's support and we hope we have done a good job for you in 2011. We look forward to the safe return of all our valued customers in 2012.

No doubt during the day to day use of your computer you have pondered the existence of of programs you never knew you had or ever remember installing. What probably brought this group of applications to your attention is the nagging requests for permission from you to install yet another update.

Before you head to the gun cabinet and consider putting a bullet through the computer screen, let's understand the meaning of two popular programs that you more than likely have installed and more importantly why they appear to update so much.

Java is a programming language used by developers to create of some of your favourite Computer, iPhone, and Android applications (amongst many other world uses). Without Java installed to manage these applications they simply couldn't run. One of the criticisms of Java according to Wikipedia, is the number of security vulnerabilities. This means someone with the ambition and means to do harm to you or your computer could potentially do it through a weakness in the Java programming code. This is one important reason the Java updater appears so often and why you should participate in the 2 minutes Java needs to update itself.

Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash) is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages you visit. Despite the versatility of Flash to provide an interactive experience to your web browsing, it also has it criticisms particularly its (over)use by advertisers which can feel intrusive or annoying. Fortunately the positives outweigh the negative aspects and 90%+ computer users globally have this technology installed displaying animation on their favourite websites.

Like Java however, Flash is prone to its own bugs and glitches and can be the target of hackers as a way of penetrating your computer for malicious intent. If you see it needing an update, it will be over quickly (maybe 1 minute or less) and is also recommended.

See? 3 minutes every now and then is not a big deal!

Microsoft's most successful operating system turns 10 today!

Celebrating how long an operating system has been in the market is not really what Microsoft intended. As far as they were concerned Windows XP should have been left by the wayside when Windows Vista was released in 2006; but most of us know how sour that tasted.

But here Windows XP still is 10 years on. Microsoft however will be ready to pull the proverbial life support plug in 2014 when all support, Windows Updates or otherwise will cease completely without further negotiation with it's current user base. (edit: Due to concerns voiced from customers on this point, allow me to mention you will be free to continue using Windows XP well after 2014; Microsoft will just pretend it never existed!).

It's ok though, Windows 7 (and I have a feeling Windows 8) is a fantastic operating system and well worth considering a computer upgrade for!

 I need to communicate better!!

Admit it; you love to Tweet and update Facebook, but how can you do this effectively with the keypad that came with your phone? You just can't... unless continually correcting mispelt words is something you enjoy?

What you need is a keyboard which has a larger typing area, can be easily carried and is wireless. Introducing our newest product, the mbeat Mini Bluetooth Keyboard.

The perfect companion for your iPhone and iPad and other mobiles, the Mini Bluetooth Keyboard makes typing, chatting, and gaming easier than ever! Click here for more information.