Free Firewalls and Children Protection Programs

The internet is an established part of our world, and modern education has included it in the education of our children. Unlike past generations, where the internet was as much a source of games and amusement as a tool for adults, these days our children are immersed in it. Given that it is a part of their daily lives at school, it naturally follows that we can't keep them from their computers at home so they can do research and homework on it. With that in mind, we have to keep a close watch on the things our kids do online so that they don't unwittingly become security risks in this day and age of computer-related crimes.

There are two types of programs that will help our home security over the internet immensely; the first is firewalls, which keep out viruses and spyware that our kids may accidentally touch on in the course of conducting their research. The second is child safety software, which are programs especially geared towards helping parents monitor and control their children's online time. Here are the top three free picks for firewalls and child safety programs you can download.

Firewalls

1) Comodo Firewall - one of the top picks among both free and purchaseable firewalls, comodo scans all incoming internet traffic before actually allowing it to touch any other part of your PC. It's main feature is a program behavior analyzer that detects if programs have any unusual activity that may signal a virus or worm in the program. For inert viruses it also has a trojan protocol detector that is constantly updated online.

2) Kiero Personal Firewall - this is a software that has been reported by users to offer them minimal headache in operation and use. While it's protections aren't as sturdy as some other firewall programs, it offers reasonable defense nontheless. It's main strength is it's ease of use, so that you can teach your children to operate it, giving them the benefits of learning internet security early in life.

3) Zone Alarm - this is rated as a cross between comodo and kiero. It offers more security options than Kiero and is easier to use than comodo. The most balanced choice between ease of use and security. Depending on your preferences, it can also be taught to your children, but it's advanced settings may actually cause them to mess up your firewall, so it might be a good idea to keep the operation of this software to yourself.

Child Security

1) EZ off - this program is essentially a time management software for your computer. It will automatically turn the PC on and off at scheduled intervals, allowing you to control how much time your children spend on the net. This is best used to keep your kids from playing video games past their bedtime. The timer also features a calendar and scheduler, so that you can even keep the PC running for set intervals when you're not at home.

2) Windows Supervisor - this is an office program that can also be used at home. It's main purpose is to monitor all logs made on the computer, so that you will be able to tell not only WHEN your children access the internet, you'll be able to tell what activity was running when they were there, including what sites they visited, files they up or downloaded, programs executed, and even keyboard typing done.

3) StopGame - for those who want to let their children enjoy the internet from time to time, a less-strict version of EZ off is similar to a firewall in that it lets certain, specified programs and web sites be accessed at certain times of day by the computer. If your kids are, for example, doing homework from 6pm to 8pm and you let them have game time from 8pm to 10pm, you can set this program to allow them access to certain games (that you specify) from the 8 to 10 slot. Also, taking a cue from Windows Supervisor, it will be able to monitor past activity as far as the allowed game programs listed are concerned, as well as attempts made by your kids to access other sites.

Downlod Free Software: Free anti-virus program is AVG / Spybot - Search & Destroy

Websites for Your iPhone

iPhone is one of the few phones that are truly internet friendly. There are many places to visit with a mobile phone, but depending on your phone and connection speeds, you may be seriously disappointed. The iPhone has revolutionized how we access the internet with our cell phones. If you don't believe this, just take a look at how many websites offer iPhone content. There are a number of really good websites for your iPhone. The ones listed below are just a few of them. Facebook is a website that seems to have been designed for an iPhone.

There are many mobile applications available for free downloading on Facebook. A visit to this website via your Apple iPhone will allow you to share photos, thoughts, ideas, and more with your entire social network. Online social networking websites are becoming more popular everyday. If you do not believe this just look at how many new Facebook and MySpace accounts are opened everyday. This is not just for children. With Facebook and an iPhone, you can stay in touch with your teenagers. It's easy to keep tabs on them if you have them list you as a friend in their Facebook profile. This way with a few taps of the screen, you can see who their friends are. You will know where they are going and what they are doing because you can easily ask them. This is one way to make websites for your iPhone work for you. Another website for your iPhone is YouTube.

The movies and other items available for download on YouTube are iPhone compatible. You do not need a converter application to download and view content from YouTube on your iPhone. YouTube and Apple have worked together on this so that with your iPhone your access to the fun on YouTube is quick and easy. This comes in handy when you are on a trip or away from your computer and boredom is setting in. YouTube has a lot to offer. From the funny to the absurd to things of a more serious nature, you can always find something there to entertain you. Have bored kids in the back of the car? Hand them YouTube on your iPhone and let them watch short clips from the Muppet Show.

Sitting in a waiting room for what seems like an eternity? Why not check out the content on YouTube and other websites to keep you from being bored to tears. After all, it is much better than just sitting there listening to your hair grow. Another website that is a must visit for Apple iPhone users is iTunes. This is where you can download a plethora of content for your iPhone. With what seems like an endless supply of movies, TV shows, eBooks and music, you could literally spend days searching and downloading everything that appealed to you. This is how iTunes and other websites for your iPhone help keep you entertained. These are just three of the most popular websites for your iPhone.

The great thing about this is that you can access them via your Apple iPhone or with your PC or MAC. How about that for easy access. Has the iPhone revolutionized the communication industry? Perhaps not single-handedly but it sure has contributed to it.