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Protect Your PC |
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Greetings from Polar's
E-Connections Team
We think
you'll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable
tool for enhancing your Internet experience. If, however, you'd prefer not to
receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE. |
Protect
Your PC - How To Get Free
Microsoft Security Updates For Your Computer
Protecting your computer
from viruses, worms, and other hacker attacks is an unfortunate part of life on
the Internet. Because Microsoft Corp. products have proven vulnerable to such
threats, the company helps its customers fight back with its security updates
system.
A list of Microsoft security updates, available at http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins
, is updated, when needed, on the second Tuesday of each month. If you use
Microsoft products (such as Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and MSN
Messenger, among others), we strongly recommend you visit this web page monthly
to download the critical software fixes (called "patches") listed
there. At this web page, you can sign up to receive e-mail, instant messaging,
or RSS alerts each time a major security update is released.
The Microsoft Windows Update website ( http://update.microsoft.com ) provides
another easy way to quickly install software fixes for Microsoft products. When
you visit this web page, your PC is automatically scanned for missing critical
software updates, providing you a list of updates that you can choose to
install.
It's important to remember that Microsoft will NEVER e-mail you software
updates or patches as e-mail attachments. Malicious hackers have been known to
send spoof e-mail messages that appear to come from Microsoft, urging you to
download the accompanying attachment to prevent infection by a virus or worm.
These attachments are actually worms or viruses themselves. If you are not
currently set up to automatically receive software updates from Microsoft,
ALWAYS be sure to go to Microsoft web pages to download Microsoft-related
patches and service packs rather than doing so via links e-mailed to you.
Of course, it is vitally important to use and regularly update your computer's
anti-virus software. Always scan file attachments of all incoming e-mail
messages, even messages from people you trust. Many viruses and worms are
spread over networks, through attachments, and by sharing storage media such as
diskettes, Zip disks, and CDs. You have the ultimate responsibility for
protecting your computer against these threats.
Want to save some time and
a stamp? Pay your Polar bill online with Polar's E-Statement! E-Statement is
easy to use and secure. Our E-Statement uses a secure SSL certificate with
authentication capable of 128-bit encryption. What does this mean for you? It
means that the information you type in will be encrypted as it is sent across
the web to Polar Communications. (With any e-commerce site you use...you should
check for the yellow padlock in the lower right corner of your browser window.
This is the certificate that is in place for security. You can double-click on
the padlock for more information.)
Using E-Statement doesn't mean you must pay your bill online. You can check
your bill, sort your calls and information, and more. Using Polar's E-statement
requires a username and password. If you are interested and/or would like to
obtain a username and password, please contact our billing department at
1-800-284-7222 or billing@polarcomm.com. Our billing
department is available Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM.
E-Statement is another great feature from your local provider...Polar
Communications!
Ask
The Help Desk - Is
There A Shortcut When Using Online Drop-Down Boxes?
Question: Sometimes when I'm using a
drop-down box while making a purchase online, it takes forever to scroll down
to the item I'm looking for. Is there a better way?
Answer: Yes, there is a better way. We'll illustrate how with an
example.
Let's say you're filling out an online shopping cart form that asks you to select
the item you intend to purchase from a drop-down box. The site's drop-down box
includes dozens of products (listed alphabetically) for you to choose from. If
you are purchasing an apron, you're all set since your product starts with the
letter "a" and will be listed towards the top. But what if you are
buying an umbrella? You'd have to scroll down through lots of products to get
to "umbrellas."
Here's a quicker way. When you get to a drop-down box, type in the first letter
of the item you're hunting for. You'll find that items beginning with that
letter start popping up in the box. So, for the example above, simply type in
the letter "u" and products starting with "u" (there can't
be many) will come up. No more scrolling!
Great
Sites To Check Out This Month
Photos Of Cats With
Stuff On Them
http://stuffonmycat.com -
It's exactly what it sounds like — lots of pictures of cats with stuff on them
... styrofoam packing peanuts, shower caps, post-it notes, empty pizza boxes,
celery sticks, headphones, jig saw puzzle pieces, loose change, etc. There are
some pretty funny pictures. Go check them out!
Do-It-Yourself Appliance Repair
http://Appliance411.com -
This site offers free repair help for do-it-yourselfers when it comes to fixing
broken washing machines, dryers, microwaves, garbage disposals, humidifiers,
dishwashers, stoves, trash compactors, water filters, refrigerators, freezers,
air conditioners, and more. Looking for an owner's manual for your make and
model? Appliance411.com can help. Looking for the model number on your
appliance but can't locate it? You've come to the right place!
See Our Nation's Fall Foliage By Rail
http://amtrak.com -
Autumn is a great time of the year to travel the states to see the many colors
of nature. Why not leave the driving to someone else this fall and travel by
train? AMTRAK operates the U.S.'s national passenger rail service and offers a
variety of scenic tours throughout our beautiful country. AMTRAK's website
provides information on schedules, fares and reservations, station locations,
and on their "Small Groups Save Big" travel savings program.
Learning Science Can Be Fun
http://ars.usda.gov/is/kids -
This site is an interesting learning resource targeted toward kids ages 8-13.
(Adults can learn a lot here too!) The website is sponsored by the United
States Department of Agriculture and was developed by the Agricultural Research
Service information staff in Beltsville, Maryland. Topics reviewed include
"Tastes Like Chicken" (edible bugs), "Vinegar: More Than Just A
Salad Dressing," "Powerful Plants Meet Tough Tanks," and
"What's Good About Sewer Bacteria."
The World's Largest Balloonfest
http://balloonfiesta.com -
The end of this month marks the beginning of the largest hot air balloon
festival in the world. Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosts this annual event which
this year runs from September 30th through October 9th. Over 700 balloonists
participate in simultaneous liftoffs and a variety of flying accuracy
competitions. Balloons with special shapes (i.e. piggy bank, stagecoach, cow)
are also a part of the event agenda. Check out the site for a huge picture
gallery and more event details.
Short
Tutorial - Opening And
Saving Received vCard Information
Last month we provided
tutorials on how to create and send vCards via e-mail. Remember, vCards are
digital business cards that can be attached to outgoing e-mail messages. The
vCards usually contain text-based information (such as address, phone, and fax
numbers) and appear as attachments that have a ".vcf" file extension
name.
The tutorials below show you how to open and then save information contained
within received vCards to then be placed into your address book.
Opening/Saving a vCard in Outlook Express When Using Windows XP:
- When receiving a vCard attachment from a friend or a
business associate, first save the vCard attachment to your desktop.
- Open your address book by clicking your cursor arrow on
its icon in the Outlook Express tool bar or by going to the Outlook
Express "Tools" menu and clicking on "Address Book"
from the drop-down menu.
- When the Address Book Window opens, click on the
"File" menu and drop down to "Import." Click on
"Business Card (vCard)" from the resulting submenu.
- When the "Import Business Card (vCard)"
window opens, navigate to the saved vCard on your desktop and click on it to
select it.
- Click on the "Open" button.
- The vCard properties window will open. Click
"Okay" to save and close. The vCard information will now be
saved onto your Outlook Express address book.
Opening/Saving
a vCard in Entourage When Using Macintosh OS X:
- Double click your cursor arrow on the vCard attachment.
- The vCard will open in its own window.
- Click on the "Save" button on the vCard's
button bar. The vCard information will be saved to your Entourage address
book.
Opening/Saving
a vCard in Mail.app When Using Macintosh OS X:
Double click your cursor arrow on the vCard that you were sent. Your address
book will open automatically and display the information that was in the vCard.
Opening/Saving a vCard When Using Mozilla-based E-mail Programs:
While the Mozilla based e-mail software programs (i.e. Netscape 7.2 and
Thunderbird 1.0) can send vCard attachments, they don't allow you to import the
contact information directly into your address book. However, the information
shows up in the preview window so you can simply copy and paste the information
into a new address book entry.
We hope you found this
newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the
happenings at our shop. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these
bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE.
Thanks for your business!
Best regards,
The E-Connections
Team
Polar E-Connections
Polar Communications
800-284-7222
(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information
published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all
liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such
errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)
©2005
Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are
trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective owners.