Tag: web safety

  • Winamp is BACK again, and our 3 best Windows media player recommendations

    Winamp is BACK again, and our 3 best Windows media player recommendations

    If you came of age in the 90’s to early 2000’s then you probably have fond memories of Winamp (short for Windows Advanced Multimedia Products).

    Released in 1997 it was the dominant music player for a while on PC, having 3 million downloads by 1998. With fun features such as music visualization and the ability to change “skins” it was one of the most downloaded software for Windows devices for a few years.

    Winamp in 2022
    Winamp looks the same today as it did 20 years.

    Skins and visualizations were just two of the popular “plugin” modules that could be downloaded, it could also be used as a media library and had the ability to add album art to help you sort your music. Remember having a plethora of MP3s on your PC before services like Spotify and Apple Music existed?

    Winamp has passed through a number of owners over the years, with updates stopping in 2013 under parent company AOL as streaming music rose in popularity. It’s now owned by Radionomy and it’s first update in 4 years has just been released to the public.

    Whether it sees success riding a wave of nostalgia during a time when 90s era clothing and branding seems to be making a comeback is yet to be seen, but we were excited to give it a try. Their new website is sleek and modern but we’re happy to report the application still feels the “same as it ever was” (another throwback for you guys).

    If you clicked on this article, you may be wondering what’s available for media players on Windows besides the default – Groove music for well, music and Windows Media Player for video.

    As no muss no fuss options those are fine but there are media players out there that will expand your capabilities, allowing you to stream the same content across multiple devices – even your TV.

    Here are our top 3 picks:

    1. Plex – Plex not only allows you to stream your own media for free across devices, including TV, PC, Android and Apple, they also have on demand content and even live TV.
    2. VLC Media Player – Open source and cross device, this lightweight media player often has support for file types the others fail to play, especially useful for playing subtitles in a variety of languages.
    3. Kodi – Another free media player option, this one is unique in that it works on Raspberry Pi devices, making it a good choice for helping you set up an inexpensive media playing platform for your television even if it’s not a “smart” tv.
    Click to grab the full size version.

    While this topic falls outside our normal wheelhouse we wanted to touch on it and offer our advice on safe picks for media players. It’s always a good idea to do your research when downloading any software. Here is our three-step guide for what you should do with any newly downloaded executable file:While Valley Techlogic can’t help you with your media playing setup at home, we can help you navigate software choices for your business. Set up a consultation with us today to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

  • As we feared, Ukraine-Russia crisis leads to a surge in cyber attacks

    As we feared, Ukraine-Russia crisis leads to a surge in cyber attacks

    As we’re nearing a month into the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine, cyber warfare between the two countries is reaching an all time peak. We covered the topic of Ukraine’s “IT Army” recently in this blog, and we mentioned growing concerns we’ve seen from users that there may be a spill over effect when it comes to cyber threats.

    Cyberwarfare was inevitable as conflicts on the ground continue on, and as Russian hackers feel the “pinch” of the effects of sanctions imposed against Russia, we may see an uptick in financial scams. Especially as both countries have turned to cryptocurrency which can often be used as a safe haven for financial transactions taking place outside the public eye. In the case of Russia it’s being used to try and liquidate funds out of the country and in the case of the Ukraine they’re using crypto to bolster support for their economy.

    We have created this chart for the types of financial scams we think may increase in the coming days (though it should be noted, financial scams were already up 70% in 2021).

    Cyber Financial Scams Chart
    Click to download the full size version.

    However, hackers have also represented a beacon in the war of information currently happening between Russia and the Ukraine. Ukraine’s “IT Army” is now over 400,000 people strong, with hackers from all over the world lending their support digitally in Ukraine’s effort to protect their democracy.

    DDoS attacks on government sites with Russian origins as well as document leaks – which includes a 360k file data dump from a Russian federal agency – are continuing to happen regularly. It’s estimate that over 90% of exposed Russian cloud databases have been compromised at this point.

    Also, with access being restricted to sites like Twitter and other social media platforms being restricted in Russia, Squad303 is a website that was created by a group of Polish programmers that can help foreigners relay information to Russian citizens. The website founders say that over 7 million text messages and 2 million emails have been sent through the site so far.

    We again want to say we don’t know what the outcome of this conflict will be, but it seems clear that consumers and businesses should be wary of the ripple effects that will occur throughout the cyber sector, possibly for years to come.

    Business owners who still believe they’re “too small” to be a target should be wary that proceeding with out cybersecurity protections may make them the low hanging fruit for hackers reacting to a state of desperation. Cybersecurity protections are a worthwhile investment in your future and the peace of mind in questionable times is priceless.

    At Valley Techlogic, we’re experts in the field of cybersecurity. We can perform an evaluation of your business and tell you where you are now and where you need to be to not worry that your business is “ripe for picking”. Schedule a consultation today to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.