Are you interested in downloading some FREE eAudiobooks this summer? Now you can, thanks to Audiobook Community's SYNC campaign.
The SYNC campaign, which is back for 2011, is designed to get more young adults listening to audiobooks. From June 23 through August 17, two audiobooks will be available each week for download. One will be a current young adult title and the other is generally a classic. Each week both books will share a common theme. All audiobooks used in the SYNC campaign are in the MP3 format and will work with both PCs and Macs. They can be transferred to a wide array of mobile devices.
Additionally, OverDrive is distributing all of the SYNC titles. To download titles, you will need to install the OverDrive Media Console. After you have downloaded your free titles from SYNC, be sure to check out other OverDrive downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks that are available from the Troy Public Library here.
For more on SYNC, including the release schedule for free eAudiobooks, go here, or text syncaya to 25827 to receive text alerts on when new eAudiobooks are available for download.
OverDrive already has apps available for iOS, Android, and Blackberry. You can now add Windows Phone to that list. With OverDrive's recent release of their OveDrive Media Console app for Windows Phone, there are now apps available for all major mobile operating systems.
The OverDrive Media Console app for Windows Phone offers the same features as other OverDrive apps for mobile devices, including:
The ability to download EPUB-format eBooks and MP3-format eAudiobooks directly to their device
The Get Library feature that allows you to easily find your local library that provides eBooks
The ability to easily return downloaded items early
You can download the OverDrive Media Console app for Windows Phone here.
For a look at how the app works, watch this video produced by OverDrive:
Recently, a patron called the Technology Center saying that she picked up a computer virus. She received a pop-up that her computer had been infected and a company was offering her antivirus software to clean her computer and protect her from future viruses. She decided to purchase the software, called Vista Antivirus 2011, clicked on the link and provided her credit card number. Shortly thereafter, her bank's anti-fraud division called to tell her that the company she was purchasing the software from was fraudulent and they cancelled the charge.
No harm done, right? Wrong!
By clicking on the link, the patron actually infected her computer with a malware that rendered her computer inoperable. She couldn't access the Internet, she couldn't access files on the hard drive, she couldn't even run a scan using McAfee, the antivirus software she already had installed on her computer. She now has the daunting task of cleaning the insidious virus from her computer.
Reader's Digest published an article about seven typical online scams and how to avoid them. You can read the article here. Our patron fell victim to scam #4. Here is another good article about how to protect yourself online. Microsoft is also aware of this issue, and has an article regarding "scareware" scams here. Additionally, this article from the excellent (but unfortunately recently ended) technology blog Download Squad has some good tips as well on how to spot fake anti-virus scams.
If you’ve been victimized by one of the latest scams, don’t be embarrassed. Scammers work overtime at perfecting their trade and new viruses are introduced every day. And remember, you can call the Technology Center at 248.524.3542 if you have any questions regarding antivirus software.
