For a generation, children across the country were jealous of “The Beav.” A Mother’s day poll conducted by Harris Interactive found that June Cleaver from “Leave it to Beaver” is the TV mom most Americans would have liked to have growing up. Clair Huxtable from “The Cosby Show” and Carol Brady of “The Brady Bunch” rounded out the top three. Mrs. Cleaver was particularly popular with men; whereas, women tended to lean toward Mrs. Huxtable.

Harris Interactive surveyed 2,529 adults in an online poll from April 7 to 15. Responses were unprompted and participants were free to answer with any television mom they wished.

Demographically, June Cleaver was the popular answer for white baby-boomers and seniors; Clair Huxtable was admired by African-Americans and Hispanics as well as declared Democrats. Carol Brady was the favorite TV mom for Republicans and those between the ages of 32 and 43.

The list also included TV favorites like Mrs. C from “Happy Days,” Lucy Ricardo, “I Love Lucy” and even Roseanne Conner from “Roseanne.”

* Indicates a tie.

Find your favorite TV mom at HermanStreet.com, offering TV series by decade.

Happy Mother’s Day from TopTenREVIEWS!

By Christopher Preece

The weather’s improving; you can go outside without a sweater, so naturally your significant other is busy making the highly anticipated Spring Honeydo List. I personally look forward to receiving it every spring, just as I eagerly await the summer, fall, winter, and weekend honeydo lists. If I’m a really good lad I even get a list during the week, just so I know what to look forward to!

This Honeydo List is a special one. It has deliciously fun items like garage cleaning, attic reorganizing, and invariably, landscape work. I take solace in the fact that there are literally hundreds of thousands of guys out there with similar lists. Now I don’t mind cleaning and reorganizing so much, but sometimes the boss gives me a landscaping project that far exceeds my landscape design skill levels.

Here’s a sample:
-Enlarge deck so it wraps around the house
-Put 4 ft. high earthen berm in middle of backyard, place pretty trees on top
-Make kids’ playground larger – wasps need more sand

Yes dear, I love you too.

It’s not the physical labor, or the actual construction that daunts me, it’s the design. I want something that’ll look great, and last a long time, and before I shovel one ounce of sand I want to see what it will look like. Not being a talented artist or architect, I turned to Landscape Design software, and I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve even had fun. You heard it right: I had fun with Landscape Design software.

I’ve been using Realtime Landscaping PLUS, from IDEA Spectrum, and it’s nice. No, it’s not nice, it’s beautiful! Everything’s done in 3D, and the model quality makes it feel like you’re in a video game environment – something that appeals to me, as I do love video games.

So I’ve a tasty treat for all you TopTen Blog readers: not one, but TWO clips I made with Realtime Landscaping PLUS, showing what I was able to accomplish in about an hour’s work. The first clip is a rough approximation of my house and its yard in its present state. Clip two shows what I can do with this great piece of software from IDEA Spectrum. Remember, this took me about an hour to do, and most of that time was spent deciding the colors I wanted for my wooden deck, lawn chairs, and pretty trees.

Before using Realtime Landscaping PLUS

After Realtime Landscaping PLUS

So you can see the amount of detail available in Realtime Landscaping PLUS. It’s easy to use, and you don’t even have to go to the store to get it! Download it now from IDEA Spectrum, no excuse to procrastinate!

by Erin Monaghan, Reviewer

In recent news, Redbox announced they have confiscated a credit card skimmer from one of their popular kiosk machines in Arizona, and have found evidence of skimming attempts at two other locations in New Mexico.

Credit card skimming is a process in which you or someone else (namely a server or cashier) scan your credit card in to a device that then steals your number and subsequent information. This action is considered a type of identity theft in which the FTC estimates
9 million people have their identity stolen every year.

Although card skimming is nothing new, there are still technically savvy people, including yours truly, that are easily taken advantage of using this technology. On a trip to Ireland a few years ago, I and a group of friends had our credit cards skimmed at an ATM. We learned the hard way, that within a matter of hours your entire world could be turned upside down.

Where before a clerk or server might have been able to skim a few cards a day, technology has enabled thieves to target a larger audience by attaching legitimate looking scanner devices to trusted services like ATMs, and in this case Redbox.

These fraudulent devices attach to the real card scanner, enabling your credit card data to be stolen, sometimes they include a microscopic camera for snatching your PIN number. The data is then stored in the device or transmitted wirelessly to a nearby laptop. In the end the machine will still provide you with your cash, but now the thief has all the information necessary to make counterfeit cards or go directly to the Internet to rack up charges, leaving you none the wiser until your next statement.

Here are a few tips about how to identify a credit card skimmer and the best ways to avoid becoming a victim.

1. Watch for unusual plastic additions to the card reader. This is especially important if it is a place that you frequent. The skimmers usually look legitimate, but most of the time something will feel unusual, either the plastic seems cheap or the card doesn’t run through smoothly. If you have any questions or concerns don’t use the machine and contact the company that owns it immediately.
2. Only use ATM machines attached to or inside of banks. All banks have some kind of security that watches for fraud. This is especially important if you are traveling.
3. When using an ATM cover your PIN code with your other hand. Even if the thief makes a copy of your card or uses the Internet they are forced to use credit, which takes several days to clear. If they have your PIN number they can make a counterfeit card and go to several other ATMs, withdrawing the maximum amount at each one.
4. Always keep an eye on your card. If you have to hand your card to someone else, like at a restaurant, keep a close eye on where it goes; or if you really need to, follow the server to the register. This might make the cashier uncomfortable, but it will give you peace of mind.

The best way to watch for credit card skimming is to check your bank and credit card statements frequently. It’s best to catch the problem as soon as possible.

If you happen to become a victim of card skimming, immediately notify your card company, file a police report, contact the three major credit bureaus Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; and file a complaint with the FTC.

The FTC’s website for identity theft http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

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by Leslie Meredith, Reviewer

There’s a good chance you are part of the 72% of Americans who play video games, and if you are, you probably prefer PC online gaming like 90% of your fellow gamers according to a report just released by the NPD Group. Online gaming has increased by 8% over last year’s participation figures, and the number is expected to climb.

TopTenREVIEWS serves this growing community with comprehensive reviews on video games, game copy software, sophisticated gaming computers and MMORPG services for our World of Warcraft fans. And yes, we’ve got quite a few WOW fans in the office, so many in fact, the site has been banned during work hours.

The MMORPG Services review was pushed up in the schedule because of comments from MMORPG players—we listened. And we’d like more. Bring it on. Got a favorite? Added one to your blacklist? Tell us. Share experiences you have had with these companies, the good as well as the bad.

Be sure to include the following:

• MMORPG Service name
• Game Name
• Server/Realm and/or faction (if applicable)
• Service Requested
• Result

Send feedback to blog@toptenreviews.com

In the meantime, we’ve pulled together some tips to help make your gaming experience more secure. See the Identity Theft and Online Gaming article on our new MMORPG Services review.

by Brian Thomas, Reviewer

Anyone who has used a GPS device knows how much fun they can be. A GPS receiver can be used to pinpoint your current location anywhere on the globe. It can tell you how fast you’re going and where you’re going. If you get lost, it can tell you how to get back. You can mark favorite places you’ve been so you can always go back.

For a while, I used my Garmin Etrex Vista and was quite happy doing so. My GPS can be connected to my laptop, and with the right software, will provide me with turn by turn directions, not just to pre-programmed points-of-interest, but any of the waypoints that I created. I would go geocaching (a global treasure hunting game) and I would even use it on my mountain bike to track distance traveled, average speed and such.

Being a tech junkie and someone who likes to pretend to mountain bike, I was naturally excited when Garmin introduced their newest line of GPS devices. The Edge series is designed specifically for cycling. In addition to doing all the neat things that a normal GPS can do, the Edge 305 adds some pretty cool features, such as a heart rate monitor, and a speed/cadence sensor.

Now, with my Edge 305, not only can I download my distance traveled, but I can see what my total elevation gain was, and how hard I had to work to do it. It is easy to view elevation change on a graph next to heart rate, and to top it off, it will even tell you how fast you were pedaling at any given time on the ride.

My Garmin Edge 305 also incorporates some pretty cool training features as well. I can take any one of my previous ride times and race against myself. The display will even display two icons, one representing me, and the other representing myself as the opponent. It will continually tell me how far ahead, or behind (which is usually the case) I am.

Another cool feature not found on the average GPS device is the heart rate monitor. This is really useful as it allows me to program workouts based on heart rate. When I need to train for speed, I can set it up one way. If I need to train for endurance, I program it to keep my heart rate in the desired zone. An alarm will sound if I work too hard on those all important recovery days (these are the days you look forward to while training!), where you are supposed to keep it easy and slow.

The only complaint I have about the Edge 305? No color display. That is soon changing, as Garmin has announced the release of the Edge 605 and 705, both with color displays. I guess that will be one more of those little tech gadgets that I’ll have to have.

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by Erin Monaghan, Reviewer

With the looming digital switch, we at TopTenREVIEWS have been discussing what we can do with our old television sets once the country goes entirely digital. Like most of America, most of us have a cable or satellite connection and don’t really need to throw out our old TVs, but hey, we’re using the switch as a fancy excuse to buy one of those new fangled HDTVs.

According to the EPA it is estimated that 20 million standard CRT televisions were thrown into landfills in 2005. We don’t like the idea of filling landfills with old TV sets. So, here’s TopTenREVIEWS TopTen ways to recycle that old analog set. We know some ideas are sillier than others.

**We’d also like to warn readers that some of these suggestions can be dangerous. When dismantling your old TV be extremely careful as even unplugged televisions store electricity. Hit the Net for the proper way to disassemble a tube television or take it to a local TV service shop for help.**

1. Recycle- Televisions can contain lead, mercury, cadmium and other dangerous materials and if disposed of improperly these materials will leak into the soil. This may seem like an obvious option but many people don’t even know that television recycling exists. Even if you decide to keep the TV and just remove its guts look for a proper way to recycle the insides. Most major retailers and manufactures are working to increase television recycling awareness. Go to Earth 911 or Plug-in to eCycling for recycling locations and more information.

2. Donate- Schools especially could use the extra TV love. Most schools have televisions in class rooms on closed circuits or use them to show movies and National Geographic specials. Old TVs will still work with DVD players and VCRs.

3. Give it to the Kids- How many times can you stand to watch Disney DVDs? Put the old set in the kids’ room and let them watch their favorite DVDs and you can have a few moments of peace and quiet.

4. Make an Aquarium- You know you’ve always wanted to make your television into a fish tank. Now is your chance.

5. Use it as an End Table- Those with really old sets that have large wooden enclosures know exactly what this means.

6. Make Art- If people made toilets into art, who’s to say that an old television set can’t be made into art? Use your imagination people.

7. Build a Coffee Table- Turn your television on its back, stabilize, place a piece of glass over top and voila´ you have a coffee table. Hey, you could even hook up a DVD player and have movies play or picture slide shows.

8. Build a Tesla Coil- Take extreme caution if attempting this task. As a matter of fact, forget we ever suggested building a Tesla Coil. They are dangerous and this should only be attempted by professionals.

9. Build a Video Game Machine- For those that like to combine construction and technology you can build an old arcade type console and hook up an old Nintendo or Sega. Pac-Man rules!

10. Make a Planter- Yeah, that’s right, carefully gut the television and make a fun flower planter.

Admittedly, some of these suggestions are strange, silly and some dangerous, but it goes to show with a little imagination we can still salvage and recycle a piece of electronics history that has served us well.

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by Dustin Checketts, Reviewer

Solid state drives will revolutionize the data storage industry as we know it, bringing speeds up to 250 times that of current hard disk drives.

A Solid State Drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. Easily capable of replacing current hard-disk drives, solid state drives have appeared in recent hardware such as Apple’s MacBook Air, as well as their iPhone and iPod Touch hardware. With the absence of moving parts, these new drives will run more quietly and are capable of enduring extreme shock, temperatures, altitudes and vibrations.

Although current drives are limited to 64GB in size, capacities are expected to increase rapidly. BiTMICRO Networks announced in January that their 832GB solid state drive will be available for consumers in Q3 2008. Pricing has yet to be determined.

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Welcome to TopTenREVIEW’s new blog. TopTenREVIEW’s main focus is to provide reviews in Technology and Entertainment. We all use technology to consume entertainment and as time progresses the two are converging more and more every day. We live in a fast-paced world, and our role is to provide the research to help you make fast decisions on how to use and select technology and entertainment. Our editorial staff is always coming across interesting little tidbits that just don’t fit inside our formal reviews. We plan to share those little gold nuggets as part of our blog. We also plan to share product First Looks, new happenings at TopTenREVIEWS, and new partnerships and announcements. We are not bashful at TopTenREVIEWS, in fact, some would say we have very strong opinions. Therefore, we plan to share a few of those opinions about what is happening in the industry, both the good and the bad. Let us know how we are doing.

by Jerry Ropelato, CEO

by Bradley Allen, Reviewer

So, what is a “Firesale”? According to our friends that made Die Hard 4, it is an all out attack on the infrastructure of the United States. Attacks against everything from water and sewage plants, Internet infrastructure, to our power infrastructure could be included in a Firesale. The difference between this and the attacks that happen every day is that these attacks are coordinated to be completed in a way that will bring the support and service structure of the United States, or whatever country is attacked, to its knees. The alphabet soup of government agencies will be slow to respond or may not be able to respond at all due to limited communications and power.

While the explosions, mass amounts of gunfire and cars knocking helicopters out of the sky in Die Hard 4 are most likely not part of the real life equivalent of a Firesale, the overall implications are somewhat close. The potential for disruptions of electricity to large areas and the failure of city infrastructures are only a start to a large scale attack. This is where a type of software called SCADA comes into play.

SCADA and what it is…

SCADA (Scary sounding huh?) is a type of software used to control various parts of the world infrastructure. Things like power plants, public transportation, water and gas plants and many other things are all controlled using this type of software.

The problem with all of this is many of the SCADA systems are being put into the public domain. Every time one of these systems is connected to the Internet it is put at risk. When developed, many SCADA systems were not hardened sufficiently for exposure to the Internet.

Simple attacks can bring many of these systems under the control of a malicious hacker over a small amount of time. There have been several reports of nuclear power plants, water and sewage treatment plants and even public transportation systems having been cracked without much trouble over the last decade or so.

And what can we do about it?

Keeping your personal computer secure is one step in the larger race to avoid many of these problems. Many attacks on our national infrastructure have been propagated using viruses that attack these systems either by design, or by accident. As many of us over the years have been witness to, viruses can spread quickly using home computers, office computers and servers on the Internet.

The easiest way to keep you computer secure is to follow these simple steps.

1. Keep your operating system up to date. Simply downloading and installing the latest security updates while using Windows, Mac OS X or Linux are a simple way of staying secure. Most systems offer a helper application that will download and install these updates for you, or at very least alert you if updates are available.
2. Make sure you have updated antivirus or internet security software installed at the very least. Whether you use Windows, Mac OS X or Linux, you have the capability to get and pass on viruses. Having a good, updated virus scanner installed and running at all times can prevent your computer from becoming a pawn in a much larger attack on the world infrastructure. If you need help finding information about Internet security suites you can visit the TopTenREVIEWS Internet security suite review site.
3. Education is always the next step in security. Make sure you have a basic understanding about how your computer works and what types of things to avoid. In case you weren’t expecting it, this is the part of the article where I tell you not to open email attachments or download programs from sites you don’t know. Yes, this includes pretty screensavers and desktop backgrounds; regardless of the “cuteness” level of the included puppies, kittens, or small children doing things that small children do.

While there is never any guarantee that your computer will remain safe and unharmed, using the steps above is a start. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Especially when a super secret organization full of malicious hackers and bad guys in general which recently split from the NSA (or whoever) is ultimately trying to screw up your weekend push for level 70 in World of Warcraft.

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by Dustin Checketts, Reviewer

Lasers and televisions have joined forces, making a stunning appearance at 2008’s Consumer Electronics Show in sunny Las Vegas. Laser televisions claim to be cheaper, lighter, longer-lasting, more energy efficient, and most notably, provide much more vivid colors than that of current HDTV televisions. Current televisions are capable of reproducing 30-40% of the colors the human eye is able to see, while laser televisions can reproduce up to 90%. Impressed by current HDTV’s, it almost requires a personal side-by-side comparison of the same picture, as shown in these images, to formulate one’s own conclusions.

Measuring near 10-inches thick, the laser televisions are capable of being hung on a wall like its plasma and LCD competitors. How a 10-inch protrusion from your wall can be made to look good is anybody’s guess, but the materials are lightweight enough to do so if you so choose.

Production costs are expected to remain high initially as Mitsubishi is currently the only manufacturer to embrace laser television technologies. Many factories have just been outfitted to accommodate LCD technologies, and other manufacturers will be slow to invest so heavily in a new technology requiring all-new factories for production.

Analysts predict that laser televisions will replace plasma and DLP technologies altogether, taking over the 42-inches and larger HDTV space, while LCD gets comfortable in the 42-inch and smaller space.
Mitsubishi, with the help of Novalux and Texas Instruments, will introduce both 50 and 65-inch version to market sometime in 2008. A Mitsubishi rep was quoted saying that they will be available “late this year, around Black Friday, and will retail over the price of current LCD’s.”

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