Recall Alert
delivery method: You download an executable
that downloads the antivirus scanner along with
program trials of other eAcceleration products.
She admits that earlier versions of StopSign
didn’t let consumers opt out of the additional
applications that were downloaded with the anti-
virus app, and attributes that to present conflicts
with other anti-spyware/virus apps. Adkins said
the company has since made it easier to reject
the optional apps. That has satisfied some anti-
virus scanners enough to remove StopSign from
the blacklist. Indeed, in the Dog’s experience, nei-
ther the corporate version of Symantec’s Norton
AntiVirus nor Trend Micro’s web-based House Call
were bothered by StopSign’s executables.
“We’re very serious about being an antivirus,
anti-spyware company, but we have a past that’s
really hard to overcome,” Adkins told the Dog.
How effective is StopSign? The Dog cus-
tom-installed the program, without any optional
components, on a Virtual PC 2004 virtual machine
running Windows Millennium. The machine
remained free of pop-ups and adware. In its scan
of Millennium, StopSign found a single Double
Click cookie. The Dog then intentionally visited
a particularly nasty URL that spreads Trojans
and spyware, and infected ME. In a subsequent
scan StopSign found no fewer than 16 Trojansand 12 spyware apps. Because it was a trial
scan, StopSign didn’t fix anything on the Dog’s
machine, but the app did offer to fix it for $35,
which includes the custom script for removal.
From what the Dog can tell, StopSign is a
legitimate antivirus/anti-spyware program, but
there are an awful lot of buttons that encourage
to you buy other products eAcceleration sells. The
company isn’t some boiler room operation, either;
it’s a public company (although its stock isn’t
being traded currently.) The Dog thinks StopSign
is on the up and up, but would like to hear from
readers about their experiences before rendering
a final opinion.■ Targus is voluntarily recalling all
of its Dual Outlet Slimline Power
Inverters and its 150 Watt Car/
Aeroplane Dual Outlet Inverters,
which might pose a risk of electric
shock and fire. The company said
it has not received any reports of
injuries or fires but asks that owners of the adapters stop using them
and contact the company. The inverters were sold in the U.S., Europe,
and Canada. In the U.S., the model numbers are APV0601US, APV07US,
APV08US, and BUS0008. In Canada, the models are: APV07CA and
APV08CA. In Europe, Targus is recalling the APV07EU and APV07UK.More information is available at http://www.targus.com/us/recall_inverters.asp.
U.S. consumers can call 888.577.4103 for more information. Canadians
with the recalled product are urged to call 888.827.4877.
And for those who didn’t get the alert last year, Targus recalled its
All-In-One Universal Plug Adapter. In the U.S. and Mexico the model
number is PA033U, in Canada it’s PA033C, in Asia models PA033B,
PA033BX, PA033Y001X, and PA033Y002X are suspect, and in Europe, the
Middle East, and Africa the model is PA033E. Consumers are urged to
immediately stop using the adapter and contact Targus via http://www.targus.
com/us/recall_Powerplug.asp. An online form and contact information for
consumers outside the U.S. is also available at that URL.NOVEMBER 2005 MA XIMUMPC 19
Last year, Targus
recalled all of
its All-In-One
Universal Plug
Adapters.