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Windows 7 is finally out now!

2009-10-22T22:15:00.000+01:00

It's finally out now, in any Computer Store near you: the long awaited Windows 7!

With preview editions released to the public, reviews galore to be found as early as August, and plenty of manufacturers already shipping the product, it's probably not hard to find an opinion on the operating system or to try it out for yourself. Most folks will probably just end up getting a machine with it pre-installed, instead of going through the hassle of an upgrade, but if you want to know if it's worth the effort of a standalone buy, or even looking to buy a new all-new computer right-just-now to celebrate the long awaited released of this magnificent OS.
We shall never forget this day; 22/10/2009 - another milestone that Microsoft (Windows) has reached.

Windows 7 Commercial - Kylie

2009-10-22T22:08:00.004+01:00

Kylie takes all the happy words about Windows 7 and makes them happier in her very own slideshow.

Apple's Magic Mouse - Features

2009-10-22T21:58:00.002+01:00

Magic Mouse — with its low-profile design and seamless top shell — is so sleek and dramatically different, it brings a whole new feel to the way you get around on your Mac. You can’t help but marvel at its smooth, buttonless appearance. Then you touch it and instantly appreciate how good it feels in your hand. But it’s when you start using Magic Mouse that everything comes together.

The Multi-Touch area covers the top surface of Magic Mouse, and the mouse itself is the button. Scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos with two, and click and double-click anywhere. Inside Magic Mouse is a chip that tells it exactly what you want to do. Which means Magic Mouse won’t confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you’re just resting your hand on it.

Magic Mouse uses powerful laser tracking that’s far more sensitive and responsive on more surfaces than traditional optical tracking. That means it tracks with precision on nearly every surface — whether it’s a table at your favorite cafe or the desk in your home office — without the need for a mousepad.

Furthermore, it connects wirelessly to your Mac via Bluetooth, so there’s no wire or separate adapter to worry about. Pair Magic Mouse with your Bluetooth-enabled Mac and enjoy a reliable and secure connection up to 33 feet away. When you combine Magic Mouse with the Apple Wireless Keyboard, you create a workspace free of annoying cables.

Despite the fact that Magic Mouse is wireless, it can venture beyond the confines of your desk. A quick flick of the on/off switch helps conserve battery power while Magic Mouse is tucked in your bag. Even when it’s on, Magic Mouse manages power efficiently, by detecting periods of inactivity automatically. - incredible eh?

The Apple MacBook 2009

2009-10-21T22:36:00.002+01:00

Apple has revived the standard MacBook, giving a new entry into the Mac world. Based around a polycarbonate unibody design, the new white MacBook adopts much of the design ethos found in its MacBook Pro big brothers.

With a 13-inch LED-backlit display, featuring edge-to-edge glass, its innards are similar to previous generation unibody MacBooks, featuring an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz processor, 2GB RAM, an Nvidia GeForce 9400M GPU and 250GB hard drive.

It also features Apple's new built-in battery which purports to give 7 (incredible!) hours of use and of course features Apple's glass multi-touch trackpad.

The design is slightly fatter than its 13-inch aluminium friends, with curved edges giving it a nice rounded finish. The bottom also loses the feet, instead the entire bottom is a tactile mat, giving grip on whatever you put it on.

You still get the Superdrive and in terms of ports you have Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 2.0, Mini DisplayPort and a headphone socket, which is both in audio input and output.

SOURCE: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/28119/apple-macbook-2009-photo-gallery

Yet another Apple Gadget

2009-10-21T22:33:00.000+01:00

Apple has quietly updated its dedicated remote control on Tuesday to a new more metallic design to fit in with the iMac range.

The new remote, which is used for controlling your iPod or Apple's FrontRoom app on the Mac, will offer the same functionality of the previous model, just in a "nicer" more stylish design.

That means you get a menu, play, pause and d-pad to navigate around any Apple products introduced since 2005 that have a built-in infrared receiver.

The new Apple remote will cost £15 in the UK or $19 in the US and available, according to the Apple Store, in the next couple of weeks.

SOURCE: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/28118/apple-remote-controller-gets-updated

Apple's Magic Mouse! - where are the buttons?

2009-10-21T22:30:00.000+01:00

Apple, as predicted, has announced a new mouse today that features the company's multi-touch technology rather than using a scroll wheel.

The new mouse, which for legal reasons has had to drop the "mighty" namesake will be called the Magic Mouse instead.

"Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface," say Apple.

Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac® and will be available as a Mac accessory at just £55 (inc. VAT).

According to Apple, the Magic Mouse features a seamless touch-sensitive enclosure that allows it to be a single or multi-button mouse with advanced gesture support.

Using intuitive gestures, users can easily scroll through long documents, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. Magic Mouse works for left or right handed users and multi-button or gesture commands can be easily configured from within System Preferences.

It will not, it seems, be offered in a wired version, instead with the company opting for a Bluetooth connection to its laptops or desktop models.

It will be available at the end of October and require users to be running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.8 or later.

SOURCE: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/28083/apple-touchpad-bluetooth-mouse-announced

Google to launch music service?

2009-10-21T22:15:00.000+01:00

It's being reported that Google is planning to launch a music service imminently. A number of sources quoted by TechCrunch are saying that the company is securing content from major labels, and one source has named the offering "Google Audio".

At a time when the whole world and its dog are launching music services, it's unclear whether the music platform will be download-based like iTunes, streaming-based like Spotify and Pandora, or a hybrid of the two like Napster and Sky Songs. It'll be available to "at least" the US, but we'd predict that it'd be limited to the States for the time being - licensing of tracks in multiple territories is a real headache.

SOURCE: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/28103/google-launching-music-service-rumour

Rock Band App for the iPhone - Time to Rock Out!

2009-10-19T22:32:00.004+01:00

Rock Band for iPhone and the iPod Touch has just been released, as it was announced recently few weeks ago officially by Electronics Arts.

The App costs $9.99 at the App Store. The game features single and up to 4 player multi-player modes via Bluetooth with integrated Facebook Connect to invite friends. It allows players to choose between vocals, drums, bass, or guitar - simply incredible!. The game basically involves in tapping the screen the correct notes. That goes for the vocals as well.

Here are the Full track listings coming with app. Moreover, it has premium content that can be purchased via an in-game store.

“Attack” – 30 Seconds To Mars
“Girls Not Grey” – AFI
“Move Along” – All American Rejects
“Sabotage” – Beastie Boys
“All The Small Things” – Blink-182
“Hanging on the Telephone” – Blondie
“Learn To Fly” – Foo Fighters
“Everlong” – Foo Fighters
“Bad to The Bone” – George Thorogood & the Destroyers
“Hymn 43″ – Jethro Tull
“Bad Reputation” – Joan Jett
“Simple Man” – Lynard Skynard
“Ace of Spades ‘08″ – Motorhead
“Debaser” – Pixies
“Ladybug” – Presidents of The United States of America
“Give It All” – Rise Against
“Lazy Eye” – Silversun Pick Ups
“Cherub Rock” – Smashing Pumpkins
“Take The Money and Run” – Steve Miller Band
“We Got The Beat” – The Go Go’s

Symantec's Norton Antivirus 2010 - Slam the door on viruses and spyware!

2009-10-19T19:25:00.005+01:00

Key Benefits of using Norton Antivirus 2010
Stops viruses, spyware, bots & more — Proactive protection helps remove existing threats and stop new threats before they can do damage.
Uses intelligence-driven technology to increase the scan speed and shorten the time and resources used for scans — Checks our extensive online intelligence system in real-time to identify which files can be trusted and which cannot, then scans only files at risk. So you can spend more time using your PC and less time waiting for scans.
Delivers clear performance and threat explanations — Provides clear, useful information about the CPU and memory resources used by applications to help you keep your PC running at optimal speed. Tells you what threats it finds, where they came from and what damage they caused so you can avoid future infections. Updates regularly every 5 to 15 minutes to get the latest threat definitions and to improve protection.
An intelligent, industry-leading protection against viruses, spyware, worms, and bots guards your PC against the latest threats while minimising the performance impact.
Norton AntiVirus offers the fastest install time, the fastest boot time and the lowest memory requirements of any antivirus and antispyware solution. Norton Insight technology identifies and targets only files at risk, for less frequent, shorter scans and the fastest scan speeds in the industry.

Furthermore, The improved Norton Protection System features multi-layered protection technologies that work together to proactively block attacks and detect and remove threats before they can harm your PC.
Pulse Updates every 5 to 15 minutes and real-time online security checks help ensure continuous, up-to-the-minute protection against the latest threats.
New SONAR™ 2 (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) technology monitors your PC for suspicious behavior to help detect and eliminate the latest breaking threats.
Intrusion Protection defends your PC from web-based attacks so you can surf with confidence. And new Vulnerability Protection blocks security holes in your PC’s operating system, applications, browsers, and browser plug-ins to prevent hackers from exploiting them.
It's definitely the fastest, lightest virus and spyware protection available! So what are you waiting for?

Get Norton AntiVirus 2010

"Scareware" tricks millions

2009-10-19T09:27:00.000+01:00

"Scareware" - the name says it all!
Online criminals are making millions of pounds by convincing computer users to download fake anti-virus software.

Symantec (Antivirus giant) says over 40 million people have fallen victim to the various "scareware" scams in the past 12 months.

The download is usually harmful and criminals can sometimes use it to get the victim's credit card details.

The firm has identified 250 versions of scareware, and criminals are thought to earn more than £750,000 each a year!

Family Guy to promote Windows 7 - Has product placement gone too far?

2009-10-17T13:55:00.001+01:00

Family Guy's Stewie Griffin has always wanted to control the world. On 8 November on US TV, he's going to get his first real life chance -- Microsoft and Fox have teamed up to exploit the show's popularity to promote Windows 7.

A special edition of Family Guy, along with various other live-action performances from the show's creator Seth MacFarlane and pals, will air with the sole purpose of telling the world how awesome Microsoft's new OS is.

The content of Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (the current working title) is unclear. But it's essentially going to be 30 minutes of Family Guy-themed content, without any ad breaks, filled with Windows 7 product placement.

An advertising monkey at Microsoft said, "We have simplified the PC with Windows 7, and together with Fox, we're simplifying entertainment." You're having a laugh, right? How complicated do Americans reallyfind the act of sitting down to watch amusing telly?

We'll concede it'll serve the advertiser's goals -- people will watch it -- and if Seth MacFarlane's behind the creation, it'll probably be hilarious. Though it's not the first time Microsoft has attempted something like this. For the launch of Windows 95 it paid Friends stars Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry to appear in a 30-minute programme in which Perry educates Aniston about the advantages of Windows.

SOURCE: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/televisions/0,39029474,49303930,00.htm

Windows 7 for free! - Only for Vista Buyers

2009-10-17T13:12:00.001+01:00

If you bought a PC with Vista on it after the 1st of July or just the Windows Vista OS, you are entitled to a free upgrade to Windows 7! - how great is that?
Basically, Windows Vista Home Premium users would get Windows 7 Home Premium, Vista Business would get Windows 7 Pro, and Vista Ultimate would get Windows 7 Ultimate. Not bad, eh?

Windows 7's Official Release is said to be the 22nd of November, so I suggest you contact the retail store you bought the Vista OS from for more information.

Firefox 3.6 to detect computer orientation

2009-10-13T09:16:00.000+01:00

A demonstration application that shows Firefox adjusting a Web page graphic according to how a MacBook is tilted.

The upcoming version 3.6 of Firefox will be able to tell if you're listing to starboard--and pass that information along to applications running in the browser.

That's because the browser will be able to detect the orientation of laptops and mobile devices equipped with accelerometers that can tell which way is down. The reason for the work: Web applications running in the browser will be able to use the information, useful for labyrinth-type games with virtual marbles rolling around boards, and any number of other gaming situations.

Mozilla evangelist Christopher Blizzard announced Firefox's coming orientation interfaceMonday.

"One new feature that we're including as part of Firefox 3.6 is support for web pages to access machine orientation information if it's available," Blizzard wrote. "Many modern MacBooks and ThinkPads contain devices and drivers that expose this information. We've added support for Linux, Macs and some ThinkPads where drivers and devices are available."

Mozilla is working on the technology for mobile devices, too, where orientation-aware games are a big deal.

The move is one of many by browser makers eager to transform their software from passive receptacles for showing Web sites to an active foundation for interactive applications. Firefox 3.6 is scheduled for beta testing shortly and final release later this year.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10373677-264.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Data Loss issues on Snow Leopard

2009-10-13T09:14:00.000+01:00

For the past month, some Mac OS X users have been reporting their personal data missing after logging into their guest accounts, and Apple now says it's working on finding a fix.

"We are aware of the issue, which occurs only in extremely rare cases, and we are working on a fix," an Apple representative said in a prepared statement Monday.

It's the first time Apple has said it is looking into the issue. In early September, a handful of Mac users reported the issue on Apple's discussion boards. The problem, when it occurs, goes like this, according to CNET's MacFixit: when logging into the guest account on their Mac first and then logging into their regular account, some users are finding all their data to be missing and their accounts completely reset.

It doesn't appear to be a widespread problem--there are less than 100 posts on several current discussion threads on the issue--but it's certainly topical. Microsoft is currently dealing with a massive data loss at its Danger subsidiary, the company it acquired that makes the Sidekick mobile phone.

Apple's data loss issue is also yet another problem related to its most recent operating-system release. Snow Leopard has been plagued with bugs since its release, including problems with the Finder hanging or crashing, incompatibility with certain apps, and the AirPort connection dropping.

Although Apple doesn't yet have an answer for why this is occurring, you can check here for some suggested fixes, if you're experiencing the problem.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-10373064-260.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

150,000 users not able to access their Facebook Profiles!

2009-10-13T09:12:00.000+01:00

Thousands of Facebook users who have been unable to access their accounts for nearly a week and a half now are now seeing their profiles restored--but some data related to recent profile updates may have been lost.

What happened? According to Facebook, the replacement of profiles and login screens with a "down for maintenance" notice--which appears to have started on October 3--stemmed from "a technical issue with a single database." The company has stressed that there is no chance that it was due to hackers or other malicious activity.

Profiles should be restored over the course of the next day, the company estimates.

"Our engineering team has worked around the clock, and as of today, all of these users should begin to regain access to their Facebook accounts," Facebook spokeswoman Brandee Barker said reading from a statement. "We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and we are taking additional measures to uphold the reliability users come to expect from Facebook."

Less than 0.05 percent of Facebook's users have been affected by the outage, the company estimated. The social network's last head count, about a month ago, was 300 million active users, so that comes out to be a total of about 150,000 affected users. Not very many but enough to put some of them in a panic over not being able to access a primary mode of communication and (in some cases) business.

Profiles have not been lost or deleted, Facebook has continually said--even though the company has been otherwise tight-lipped about the maintenance issue until this point. When affected users' access is restored, however, some things may be different and very recent updates may be missing. According to a notice that Facebook is displaying to members who may have been affected:

You may not have been able to access your account over the last several days. We're sorry for this inconvenience; an extended technical issue affected a small number of Facebook accounts, including yours. We have done our best to restore your account to its most recent state, but some data and settings may not be current. In order to be cautious, we defaulted some of your privacy settings to their most restrictive settings. You may wish to review your privacy settings and reset them.

Facebook added that "some of (affected members') content may not be up to date: in other words, some minor data loss regarding recent updates to profiles. This, according to Facebook, may include photos that were recently added or deleted, recent updates to friends lists (additions and deletions), and "other content you've added, sent, received, or posted."

As for the company's relative silence about the matter until now, Barker explained in a phone call that the company wanted to nail down the specifics of the outage and figure out the situation, rather than provide details to users that could turn out to be inaccurate.

Many of the complaints pertaining to the outage alleged poor customer service on Facebook's part, and as a sort of olive branch, the company is encouraging feedback pertaining to the specific outage. The alert displayed to affected members whose accounts have been newly restored directs them to a form to report any further details or additional problems.

Whether Facebook will step it up a notch for future unexpected technical problems remains to be seen.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10373349-36.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Google Docks now includes Live Sharing to Folders

2009-10-13T09:10:00.000+01:00

Google Docs has long let users share documents between one another, but folders--a feature Google begrudgingly added to Docs back in mid-2007, have largely been left out of the picture.

That changed on Monday, as users are now able to share entire folders of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with other people.

The benefit here is that the permissions settings for a shared folder controls the individual file permissions of all the documents inside of it, meaning that you don't have to go through and change each document's viewing permissions one at a time. It's also an easy way to start working on a document, then share it with a select group of individuals without having to remember to invite them in the first place.

Google says this was one of the most requested features from its users, as voted on at its product ideas voting page. Google has also used this feedback for guidance in upgrading its Docs file uploader to accept multiple files at once.

Just as users are able to do in Gmail, the Docs uploader now lets users pick multiple files from their hard drive, then see how far along each upload is. The new process makes it much easier for new users to move entire folders into Google's cloud, which could be handy if--or, rather, when--Google decides to open up Docs to more file types.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-10373211-248.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Guide on How to User Account Control settings in Windows 7

2009-10-12T19:30:00.000+01:00

The User Account Control (UAC) tool was one of Vista's most vilified features -- popping up and nagging you whenever you wanted to install or update a program -- and many users will be surprised to discover it retains its place in Windows 7. But with a greater level of control, this new version is far less intrusive. Here we show you how to change the UAC settings and explain what each one does.

1. To view and change the UAC settings, first click on the Start button, then open Control Panel. Now click the 'System and Security' option and, in the resulting window (pictured below), you'll see a 'Change User Account Control settings' link. Click on this and the UAC window will appear.

2. The slider bar that's displayed in the UAC window (below) can be used to select one of four settings. The default setting is the second-highest level of protection, which means a warning will appear if a program tries to change your Windows settings. The warning won't appear when you make changes yourself, however.

3. The setting just below the default is very similar. In fact, it only makes a cosmetic change to how UAC works, in that it won't dim the desktop when a popup appears. This means it'll be less obvious when an alert pops up, so we'd recommend sticking to the default setting.

4. If you're particularly worried about rogue software and being duped into unwittingly authorising changes to your Windows settings, you can push the UAC up to its highest level. In short, this means UAC popups will appear as often as they do in Vista, warning you whenever any changes are made to Windows' settings.

5. Slide the bar right down to the bottom and you effectively turn the UAC feature off. With UAC at this setting, any program can make changes to Windows settings and you'll be left none the wiser. Unless you're having trouble with UAC when running a specific program, we'd recommend steering clear of this setting.

Guide on How to burn ISO discs with Windows 7

2009-10-12T19:22:00.003+01:00

In previous versions of Windows, burning ISO images to disc meant having to download some third-party software and then figuring out how to make it work. Thankfully, Windows 7 comes with its very own built-in ISO burning tool. Here's our step-by-step guide to how to use it.

1. Before using this tool, you'll need a blank, writeable CD or DVD. Insert the disc into your optical drive and, after a short pause, the Burn a Disc window will appear (pictured below). This lets you tell Windows how it should treat the disc. In the 'Disc title' box, enter a suitable name for the disc, then select the 'With a CD/DVD player' option and click Next.

2. You now need to locate the ISO file that you want to burn to disc. Hunt down the file -- in this example we're using an Ubuntu ISO file -- and right-click it. From the menu that appears, select 'Burn disc image'. Alternatively, simply double-click the ISO file.

3. The new Windows Disc Image Burner window will now appear. The first step is to choose which drive the disc you prepared in step 1 is in. Click on the drop-down list at the top of the window to see all available drives, and then select the appropriate one.

4. You can also select whether or not Windows should verify the disc once it's been created. Errors can occasionally occur during the burn process -- selecting this option instructs Windows to run a series of checks to determine whether the ISO burn was successful.

5. Finally, click the Burn button. Windows will now start creating the disc. How long it takes will depend on the size of the file and the speed of your optical drive. The Status bar tells you how far through it is. If you opted to verify the disc, this will add a few minutes on to the end of the burn process.

Guide on How to Install Windows 7

2009-10-12T19:17:00.001+01:00

This may sound like it could be the shortest tutorial ever, but if you were planning on just sticking the Windows 7 DVD into your PC come 22 October and hoping for the best, it's a good job you're reading it.

The Windows 7 installation isn't complicated, but limited upgrade paths do add a few wrinkles to the process. You can't upgrade a PC running Windows XP to Windows 7 -- you need to do a clean 'Custom Install' that does away with your old applications and settings. Windows Vista users can perform an 'In-Place Upgrade', but only with certain Vista/Windows 7 combinations -- it's a Custom Install otherwise.

Fortunately, a Windows 7 Custom Install is less destructive than with previous versions of Windows and you don't need to reformat your intended drive partition as part of the process. Instead, Windows 7 will simply archive your old Windows setup -- you won't be able to run any of its programs, but you can at least see what you had installed beforehand.

Whichever Windows 7 install option you use, it's worth doing a little PC housekeeping before you embark upon it. This will not only make the installation smoother, but it can also make it quicker. We've also highlighted the key steps for both Custom Install and In-Place Upgrade installations so you won't have any surprises come installation day -- you can save those for your Windows 7 party...

Run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

1. Although the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is supplied on the Windows 7 DVD, it's worth downloadingand running it beforehand to give you as much time as possible to fix any incompatibilities with your PC.

2. If you're planning a Windows 7 In-Place Upgrade, take note of any software incompatibilities. Download any Windows 7-specific updates now, rather than later, and uninstall any software that can't be patched to work with Windows 7.

Assuming your PC is up to running Windows 7 in the first place, hardware incompatibilities should be less of an issue. Some are worth acting on before you continue though, particularly network adaptor issues.

3. Download driver updates for incompatible network adaptor cards before you install Windows 7 -- without new drivers, you won't be able to download anything after the installation.

Back-up your data

4. Regardless of which installation type you're planning, it's worth backing up your entire C: drive (or the partition you're installing to) before you go any further. An application such as Acronis TrueImage with an external hard drive is ideal for this -- you can clone your entire Windows XP/Vista installation and quickly restore it should the Windows 7 installation cause problems.

For in-place upgrades, move large data collections

5. Upgrading a Windows Vista PC that has large collections of data can take a very long time, so consider moving folders containing large amounts of photos, MP3s or video files from your C: drive to an external drive you can disconnect during the installation. You can then delete the original folders and copy them back once the installation is complete.

50GB of user files is reckoned to add around 45 minutes to the total upgrade time, so you'll need to consider whether the time it takes to copy files back and forth is less than the time leaving the files in place will add to your upgrade. If you're already backing up your data with an application, you can just delete the original folders and restore them afterwards.

For custom installs, migrate your old data

6. If you're performing a Custom Install and don't want to back-up your entire C: drive, you should at least back-up your documents and settings. You can use the Windows 7 Easy Transfer utility for this -- it's on the Windows 7 DVD.

7. Run the Windows 7 Easy Transfer tool using \Support\migsetup.exe on the Windows 7 DVD.

8. Use the tool to save your files and settings to an external disk drive -- don't store them on the same drive you're installing Windows 7 on to.

9. You can customise the list of items that are backed up if you don't want to transfer everything to the new Windows 7 installation.

Log your software serial numbers

10. You'll need to reinstall your old software after a Custom Install of Windows 7 and while you may have your original install discs to hand, you may not have the required serial numbers. Install and run the freeBelarc Advisor utility, which will extract the serial numbers for all installed applications.

11. Just save the resulting Web page to an external disk drive to save the serial numbers for when you reinstall your applications.

Upgrading Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 RTM

If you've already been using the freely available Windows 7 RC on your main PC, you won't be able to perform an In-Place Upgrade to the final (RTM) version. Instead, you're forced to perform a Custom Install, so the same instructions for Windows XP apply.

There is actually a way around this, but it involves imaging the Windows 7 DVD and making a small change to the cversion.ini file -- you'll find full instructions for the process via Google.

Hacked Webmail accounts used to send Spam!

2009-10-12T19:01:00.000+01:00

There has been a marked increase in the amount of spam e-mails being sent from Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail accounts, according to analysts at Websense Security Labs.

Websense said on Thursday that personalized spam e-mails had been sent from the compromised accounts to all of each user's contacts. The e-mails contain links to fake shopping sites, intended to capture sensitive information from the reader.

Earlier this week, Microsoft acknowledged that 30,000 Hotmail accountshad breached, and suggested the passwords for the accounts had been obtained in a phishing scam.

However, some security experts believe that the password breach cannot be attributed to phishing. Amichai Shulman, chief technology officer for security firm Imperva, told ZDNet UK on Friday that the information was likely to have been obtained through key logging.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10372523-83.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Samsung Rogue SCH-U960

2009-10-12T18:56:00.002+01:00

The good: The Samsung Rogue has a gorgeous display, a 3.5-millimeter headset jack, a great keyboard, and an impressive array of features that includes a 3-megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, and a HTML browser with Flash Lite. It has good call quality as well.

The bad: The Samsung Rogue is a tad bulky, and the streaming-video quality is poor.

The bottom line: The Samsung Rogue is a great multimedia touch-screen messaging phone for Verizon Wireless customers.

RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint)

2009-10-12T18:53:00.001+01:00

The good: The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 offers integrated GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, and EV-DO. The compact smartphone continues to offer solid messaging capabilities and includes support for a number of features that the Verizon model does not.

The bad: The BlackBerry Curve 8330 lacks Wi-Fi, and call quality wasn't the greatest.

The bottom line: Despite some spotty call quality, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 for Sprint is a great messaging device with the bonus of EV-DO and integrated GPS. Plus, it offers more services than the Verizon BlackBerry Curve.

HTC Hero (Sprint)

2009-10-12T18:50:00.000+01:00

The good: The HTC Hero offers a highly customizable user interface, thanks to HTC Sense. It also improves on past Android devices with Outlook e-mail, calendar, and contacts synchronization, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and a 5-megapixel camera. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3G support are all onboard.

The bad: The smartphone can occasionally be sluggish. Flash content didn't always work from the Web browser. Apps must still be downloaded to the phone's internal memory. Media-syncing software would nice, as would a file manager.

The bottom line: While it could use a boost in the performance department, the HTC Hero is the most feature-packed Google Android device to date, bringing some notable improvements and a highly customizable interface.

Apple iPod Nano (5th generation, 16GB, pink)

2009-10-12T18:47:00.000+01:00

The good: Packed to the gills with new audio-video features such as a video camera, FM radio, voice recording, Genius Mixes, a built-in speaker, and a larger 2.2-inch screen; also gets a pedometer.

The bad: The Nano's camera can't shoot photos or HD-quality video, and Apple located its lens in the most awkward location imaginable. Storage capacities remain stuck at 8GB and 16GB.

The bottom line: No other MP3 player on the planet packs more features, from video to a pedometer, into a smaller package than the overachieving Apple iPod Nano.

Apple iPod Touch (3rd generation, 64GB)

2009-10-12T18:46:00.002+01:00

The good: The third generation of Apple's iPod Touch is still the king of the hill, when it comes to portable, Wi-Fi-wielding media players. New additions such as Voice Control, graphics enhancements, improved accessibility, higher capacity, and a faster processor help refine and already-excellent product.

The bad: The video cameras found on the iPhone 3GS and iPod Nano remain conspicuously absent. The lack of refinements to its audio quality, hardware design, and video playback leave us feeling just a little uninspired.

The bottom line: Although the updates are subtle, the third-generation iPod Touch still leaves its competitors in the dust.

How many hits does YouTube get in a day?

2009-10-11T12:22:00.005+01:00

Answer: 1 Billion!

The site was bought by Google in 2006 for $1.65bn - a price it later described as "a premium".
Earlier this year YouTube was at the centre of a content row over the amount of royalties it paid to musicians for hosting music videos.

Six months later the dispute was resolved when Google agreed to pay UK royalty collecting body PRS for Music an undisclosed lump sum.

Music videos reappeared for British YouTube visitors in September.

Mr Hurley co-founded the website in 2004 with Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. They met while employees at online pay service PayPal.

"We wanted to create a place where anyone with a video camera, a computer, and an internet connection can share their life, art, and voice with the world, and in many cases they can make a living from doing so," Mr Hurley said, reflecting on YouTube's original aims.

SOURCE: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8299951.stm)

Adobe's exploit puts backdoor on computers - LOL!

2009-10-10T21:06:00.023+01:00

A new zero-day exploit targeting Adobe Reader, as well as 9.1.3 and earlier versions of Adobe Systems' Acrobat, drops a backdoor onto computers using JavaScript, Trend Micro researchers warned on Friday.
Trend Micro identified the exploit as a Trojan horse dubbed "Troj_Pidief.Uo" in a blog post. It arrives as a PDF file containing JavaScript-based malware, "Js_Agent.Dt," and then drops a backdoor called "Bkdr_Protux.Bd."

The exploit affects Microsoft Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and Server 2003, according to Trend Micro.

The blog post provides technical details on how the malware works, specifically the activity of its shell code, the piece of code that delivers the payload. The JavaScript is used to execute arbitrary codes in a technique known as "heap spraying."

"Based on our findings, the shell code (that was heap-sprayed) jumps to another shell code inside the PDF file" before extracting and executing the backdoor, Trend Micro said. The backdoor "is also embedded in the PDF file and not the usual file downloaded from the Web."

Variants of the Protux backdoor typically provide an attacker unrestricted user-level access to a compromised machine and previously exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office files, according to Trend Micro.

Adobe announced on Thursday that it would release an update to fix the hole on Tuesday, the same day as Microsoft's Patch Tuesday.

This screenshot shows the embedded executable file in the PDF file, after it has been decrypted.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10372359-245.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Facebook users can't access their profiles - frustrating?!

2009-10-10T21:01:00.013+01:00

What's wrong with Facebook?
"This is now seven days and counting," an e-mail sent on Saturday morning read. "It's beyond ridiculous and extremely frustrating."

"The experience completely reversed the Facebook opinion and experience for me," one reader complained. "I see many people bitch and complain, many more beg and a few threaten. To me, the route to take is fairly obvious. Mark Zuckerberg on his own page invites democratic input from Facebook users in one of his most recent videos. Given that statement especially, I find the way their user base is being treated with respect to their disabled account policy hypocritical at best."

"My account has now been held hostage for a week," another reader wrote. "Some of my friends think that I have deleted (my profile) or even blocked them...None of my friends or family can see my profile or even find it in search. It's as if I simply deleted my account or blocked all of them from seeing it without even a word."
Some users have started threads on Get Satisfaction and Yahoo Answers. A few others have pointed me to blogs and YouTube channels devoted to the subject.

The inaccessible accounts appear to be limited to a very small subset of Facebook's over 300 million active users, which means that it's not a large-scale issue for the health of the site. And Facebook is supported by neither subscription money or taxpayer dollars (though it wouldn't have advertising revenue without its users) so there's an argument to be made that users shouldn't be complaining about something they don't pay for. But that's an argument that many of the people who have come to rely on Facebook as a channel of communication simply don't buy.

Whether the string of complaints is warranted or not, Facebook hasn't disclosed exactly what's caused the "extended maintenance issue," and that's what I find puzzling.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10372417-36.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Twitter to be translated into various languages

2009-10-09T20:52:00.013+01:00

Will this attract more users to Twitter?
In a decidedly Facebook-style move, Twitter is asking for its users' help in translating the service into new languages. To start, Twitter is focusing on translating the site into French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

Twitter is starting with a small set of translators, but if you want to sign up to translate the service to the language of your expertise, you can enter your information here. They're looking for translators for just about every language from Finnish to Thai.
As translations of the site are completed, Twitter also plans to offer up the translation files to the developer community to help translate their apps for Twitter's new markets.

Twitter translators get a special badge on their profile and are given levels (1-10) based on how much translation they have done. Twitter has also built leaderboards for each language being translated. You can see the one for the French translation here. This gives the translators a little more incentive above just knowing that they have contributed.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13515_3-10371591-26.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Apple iPhone, the new gaming device?

2009-10-09T20:44:00.000+01:00

With the release of "2012," the iPhone app tied to the forthcoming Sony Pictures film of the same name, a group of developers may have kicked off the future of games on the hit smartphone.

While the game itself is fairly simple and lasts just minutes, it incorporates features that may never have been tried before, and as such, could be among the small number of titles that are showcasing what will soon be considered par for the course.

In the minds of many industry observers, thanks to its integration of a functional operating system, an accelerometer, GPS and a camera, and the fact that thousands of developers, big and small, have released games for the iPhone, the Apple device has already surpassed Sony's PSP and Nintendo's DS as the most important, or at least most adaptable, portable gaming platform.

But as developers get more creative and as its technology improves, it's likely that the iPhone will only get more impressive as a gaming machine.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10371642-52.html)

Adobe releases Photoshop.com for the iPhone!

2009-10-09T20:41:00.005+01:00

Finally, Photo Editing comes to the iPhone
Adobe Systems on Friday introduced a new Photoshop app for iPhone users that lets them edit photos from both their phone and their online library on Photoshop.com.

The app is free of charge and offers tools such as cropping, image rotation, colour controls, and simple one-touch filter effects that can change the look and feel of shots all at once. It also features undo and redo controls so that if users make a mistake, or want to revert back to the original, it takes just a few taps.

As soon as users are done editing any photo, they can either save it back to their phone or upload it to their Photoshop.com account. The app also doubles as a photo-taking tool since you can simply take a photo, then have it upload right away.

What makes the app notable (besides from being from Adobe) is that the entire editing control set works off gestures. Instead of using dials or sliders, users just need to swipe their finger across the screen to change things such as brightness or color values. The same goes for its filters, which can be whisked from one end of the screen to the other instead of taking up more screen real estate or using a drop-down menu. It's one of the more intuitive control methods I've seen on a mobile photo-editing app, and can be quite precise once you get the hang of it.

The app is available now and is free of charge, although Adobe's free Photoshop.com service has a 2GB limit, which can be expanded with an annual paid storage plan.

Photoshop for iPhone lets you do all sorts of things to your photos, including beaming them back to Photoshop.com when you're done.

Photoshop's famous filter effects come to the iPhone version as well.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-10371887-248.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Will Microsoft Office 2010 be cheap?

2009-10-09T20:29:00.000+01:00

In addition to the bare-bones Office 2010 Starter that will come bundled on many new PCs, starting next year, Microsoft looks to have another low-cost option up its sleeve.
As part of the announcement of Office Starter on Thursday, Microsoft said consumers will be able to go to retailers and get a "product key card" with a code to upgrade to a full version of Office, such as the Home and Student, Home and Business, and Professional versions.

If you look closely at the image for the Office Home and Student card, it says "for one preloaded PC only." Now, typically, Office Home and Student is licensed for up to three PCs. That means that this card, which is good for only one PC, has the potential to be cheaper than the standard retail package, which includes a DVD copy and is good for three computers.

Microsoft isn't talking licensing details yet for Home and Student, but I'm told by those in the know that my logic is correct. Office 2010, in all its versions, is set to debut next year, with a beta test version of the product due later this year.

The software maker is clearly looking for as many ways as possible to put the latest version of Office in the hands of those willing to be legitimate users. In addition to the client-based Office 2010 versions, Microsoft also plans its Office Web Applications, browser-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Those products will be free and ad-supported for consumers, offered as part of Windows Live.

The other interesting part of Thursday's announcement is the "click to run" download method, which allows users to download Office over the Web but quickly get started before all the code has run. That method uses application virtualization. A side benefit is that such an installation can constantly be checking for updates and keeping itself current.

There was a subscription version of Office 2007, dubbed Equitpt, but that product also came bundled with Windows Live OneCare and was scrapped, as Microsoft discontinued OneCare.

Microsoft has spent years looking for new ways to sell Office, exploring everything from ad-funded software to prepaid cards good for a certain number of months of Office use.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10371817-56.html)

Samsung's Jet

2009-10-09T11:49:00.003+01:00

Samsung's Jet Specifications

Spec: Touchscreen 3G phone with 2 GB internal memory, expandable with MicroSD card; 5 Megapixel camera; Wifi; GPS; weight 110g.

Pros: Very responsive touchscreen; excellent software keyboard; fast; user-friendly interface.

Cons: Phone struggles to multi-task, eg radio can cut out when other applications run; very slim application store; screen widgets have little functionality.

Verdict: Overall a good phone, very functional, but let down by the lack of applications.

Blackberry's Curve 8900

2009-10-09T11:45:00.003+01:00

Blackberry's Curve 8900 Specifications

Spec: GPRS/Edge phone with keyboard; small internal memory, expandable with MicroSD card; 3.2 Megapixel camera, Wifi; GPS; weight 110g.

Pros: Cheap; good integration of social networking apps and other software; full qwerty keyboard; easy to use.

Cons: No 3G high-speed data access; no touchscreen; browser is slow even when connected to wifi; applications respond sluggish at times; poor camera.

Verdict: A great entry level smartphone with well integrated applications, but not your choice if you spend a lot of your mobile life on the web.

Palm's Pre

2009-10-09T11:42:00.001+01:00

Palm's Pre Specifications

Spec: Touchscreen and slider keyboard 3G (HSDPA) phone with 8GB internal memory; 3 Megapixel camera; Wifi; GPS; weight 135g.

Pros: Very compact phone with an unusual but easy-to-use interface. Good internal storage and great integration with Outlook and online mail services.

Cons: Memory not expandable, heavy for its size, applications can hang; tiny qwerty keyboard takes time to get used to; very small apps store.

Verdict: Not a phone for fat fingers, but its compact pebble format and wonderful touch screen make the Pre an alternative to both the iPhone and HTC Hero.

Nokia's N97 Smartphone

2009-10-09T11:34:00.002+01:00

Nokia's N97 Smartphone Specifications

Spec: Touchscreen and slider keyboard 3G (HSDPA) phone with 32 GB of internal memory, expandable with MicroSD card; 5 Megapixel camera; Wifi, GPS, weight 150g.

Pros: Very good keyboard; huge amount of storage, good camera.

Cons: awkward navigation that always seems to require one click more than expected; home screen widgets are temperamental; managing wifi and bluetooth is difficult; battery barely lasts a day; thin application store; the oddly placed spacebar will throw most new users.

Verdict: The N97 feels very chunky, and may work best for fans of the Symbian operating system, but newcomers to the software may take some time to get used to it. I found it very difficult to persuade the widgets on the phone's home screen to do what they were supposed to do.

HTC's Hero (T-Mobile G2 Touch)

2009-10-09T11:21:00.003+01:00

Hero (T-Mobile G2 Touch)'s Spefications
Spec: Touchscreen 3G (HSDPA) phone with 512MB internal memory, expandable with MicroSD card; 5 Megapixel camera; Wifi; GPS; weight 135g.

Pros: Excellent touchscreen and very responsive software keyboard; seven home screens - easily navigable by touch and trackball - allow plenty of space for active widgets that show next appointments, latest e-mail, messages, tweets etc; rapidly growing app store; contacts book integrates with messages sent via Facebook, email and SMS.

Cons: Not the slimmest of phones, and as with all rivals heavy web use cuts into battery life.

Verdict: Driven by Google's Android operating system and enhanced by HTC's Sense user interface, the HTC Hero (T-Mobile G2 Touch) is the strongest challenger of the iPhone and in many aspects surpasses Apple's product.

Apple's iPhone 3GS

2009-10-09T11:18:00.000+01:00

iPhone 3GS Specifications
Spec: Touchscreen 3G (HSDPA) phone with 16 or 32GB of internal memory; 3 Megapixel camera; Wifi; GPS; weight 135g.

Pros: Huge storage, very user-friendly interface, seemingly endless supply of apps - software to customise your phone.

Cons: Expensive; battery can not be replaced by the user, and battery life has been criticised; no slot for memory cards; its touchscreen keyboard is disliked by some users, and some owners report problems synchronising the phone with their computers.

Verdict: The iPhone continues to be the benchmark to which other smartphones have to live up to. For many years the stand-out smartphone, it now has to face rivals that in some aspects surpass it.

Microsoft Office's 2010 Starter Edition released!

2009-10-09T11:14:00.000+01:00

Aiming to turn more new PC buyers into Office users, Microsoft has announced plans for several new ways to obtain the software, including an ad-supported "Starter" edition that can come loaded on new PCs.

In a blog posting Thursday, Microsoft said the starter version of Office will have limited features and include only Excel and Word. The starter version will be part of the Office 2010 family, due out next year, and will only be available on new PCs.

"Office Starter 2010 will provide new PC owners with immediate exposure to the Office 2010 experience on new PCs right out of the box," Microsoft said, adding that it can be upgraded to one of several full versions of Office with a new upgrade card to be sold at retail stores.

The product is a replacement for Microsoft Works, which was Microsoft's low-cost option for PC makers that wanted to include basic productivity software. Microsoft had also quietly tinkered with a free, ad-supported version of Works in recent years.
Office Starter, as opposed to Works, will have full file compatibility with Office as well as features like the 'Ribbon' user interface.

"It really is a replacement for Works," Microsoft corporate vice president Takeshi Numoto said in an interview on Thursday. "It is not a mere renaming of Works. It is an Office product."

Microsoft is trying several ideas to better compete with free rivals such as Google Docs. With Office 2010, Microsoft will also offer a free, ad-supported version of Office that runs in a Web browser. That product, which went into a technology preview last month, requires connection to the Internet at all times.
"It's a way for us to reach customers who may have not experienced Office before, (for them) to get a taste of it," Numoto said.

For years now, Microsoft has grappled with new ways of selling Office, which, along with Windows, is one of the company's two main profit engines. Although Office boasts half a million users, there are lots of folks that use pirated copies of the software or don't have Office at all.
Several years back, as part of a ThinkWeek paper seen by CNET News, Microsoft workers recommend that the company scrap Works in favor of an ad-supported product, saying Microsoft only got a couple dollars of revenue per PC when Works was included.
Numoto would not go into financial details for Office Starter, but did say that it is a "royalty-bearing" product for Microsoft, as Works was. In the past, though, PC makers have had an opportunity to earn back money if customers upgrade from a trial version of Office to the full version. Numoto wouldn't detail how that might work with Office Starter.

Microsoft is also trying out a new method for those that already have a PC to try out Office 2010, once it is available. Called "Click to Run," it brings the notion of streaming to software. Instead of waiting for the whole product to download, users can click a button and start using the software as soon as some of the basics are downloaded. The rest of the product then gets downloaded over time.

Microsoft has already seen the Web increase as a means for getting its software. Numoto said that in the last fiscal year some 23 million downloads of the Office trial, nearly double the number from a year earlier.
Still, he said, downloading a big file means a long wait. "We know we could do a lot better to streamline that experience," he said.

An additional benefit of the Click to Run installation is that it is done through application virtualization. That allows the code, even though it is still being run locally, to run side-by-side with an existing version of Office. That would allow, for example, a user to run a trial version of Office 2010, without getting rid of their existing Office installation.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10370848-56.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Apple releases iPhone OS Update: 3.1.2

2009-10-09T11:09:00.006+01:00

Apple on Thursday released an update for the iPhone operating system, bringing the current version of the OS to 3.1.2.

According to notes accompanying the update, Apple fixed three bugs, which may not seem like a lot, but they are important. Among the changes is a fix for what Apple says is a "sporadic issue," where the iPhone would not wake up from sleep mode.

The update also resolves an issue that could interrupt the cell network until the phone is restarted. A bug that caused a crash during video streaming has been addressed in iPhone OS 3.1.2.

Apple said iPhone OS 3.1.2 is compatible with the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS. The update is available by plugging your iPhone into your computer and clicking on the update button in iTunes.
Once finished, your iPhone will restart and immediately alert you to a Carrier Settings update. This is a very small update that will be completed without needing to restart again.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10371278-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Windows Mobiles Phones are back, better than ever!

2009-10-07T19:59:00.009+01:00

Can it match up to Apple's iPhone?

Mobiles sporting the latest release of the Windows Mobile operating system are now available for sale worldwide.

Microsoft is also formally launching its application store, known as Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
While the service will launch with about 60 applications available in the UK, Microsoft's Alex Reeve said that number would soon rise sharply.
Windows-run phones can also make use of the My Phone service, a synchronisation service managed "in the cloud".

The new operating system and the application store were first announced in February, when a "beta" testing version of the My Phone service also launched. Read more here.

SOURCE: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8291808.stm)

Can it match up to the Apple iPhone?
Feel free to comment below

The Cell Regza by Toshiba - what's next?

2009-10-07T19:11:00.002+01:00

Check out Toshiba's latest incredible television!

The Cell Regza television incorporates a powerful processor and high capacity memory to allow HD viewing and multiple channel recording, which Toshiba says is the 'next generation' of TV. It's set to be released in Japan by the end of this year and will be available everywhere else next year.

Web-mail attacks on a steep rise!

2009-10-07T18:59:00.000+01:00

Watchout, you could be the next one!
Security firm Websense says it has noticed a sharp rise in spam emails from Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail accounts.

This is because infected accounts are sending personalised e-mails to contacts suggesting shopping sites, which are in fact fakes.

Security expert Carl Leonard warned people to be on their guard.
He advised people to check with friends that they had indeed sent the recommendation before visiting any new shopping sites.
He also advised people to check web addresses: they should read https, with the 's' standing for secure.

Key-logging
One security expert thinks victims of the scam could have been part of a so-called key-logging attack.
Amichai Shulman from security firm Imperva said the high numbers of victims suggested this type of attack.

Unlike a traditional phishing scam, which lures people into revealing their details on fake websites, key-logging records individual key strokes.

In some cases the malware could have been downloaded automatically.
The scam was highlighted when several lists, detailing more than 30,000 names and passwords from Hotmail, Google and Yahoo web mail accounts were posted online.

SOURCE: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8294714.stm)

Problems accesing Facebook - what has Facebook got to say

2009-10-07T15:06:00.000+01:00

Facebook acknowledged on Tuesday afternoon the presence of an internal glitch that left some members with their accounts inaccessible.

"We are currently experiencing a technical issue with one of our databases that is resulting in an extended period of maintenance for some users," a statement e-mailed to CNET News by Facebook spokeswoman Malorie Lucich read. "We are working on a fix now and hope to have this resolved in the next 24 hours."

The member complaints, according to reader e-mails sent to CNET News and comments posted to recent (unrelated) entries on Facebook's company blog, detail an issue in which accounts were rendered inaccessible and replaced by alerts that they were down for maintenance.

Some comments reached levels of borderline hysteria, along the lines of "My original page has been locked since 10/2/09 due to 'site maintenance'. I have contacted FB numerous times and done everything that I have been instructed to do on the site maintenance site...to no avail. PLEASE FB HELP ME."

The "down for maintenance" message is a notice that many of Facebook's 300-million-plus members have seen at one point or another, but in this instance it stuck around for as long as three days, leaving some affected users fearful their accounts had been deleted altogether.

With Facebook acknowledging the problem as a database issue, that likely rules out a malicious activity like the one this summer that saw parts of the site temporarily crippled by a denial-of-service attack.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10369107-36.html)

VOIP iPhone Apps to be available on 3G Network

2009-10-07T14:56:00.000+01:00

AT&T on Tuesday said it has made the necessary changes to enable voice over IP iPhone apps to run on its wireless network.

Before Tuesday, VoIP apps would only work over a Wi-Fi network. In other words, if you wanted to use Skype to call a friend, you had to be connected to a regular Internet wireless network. Once you were out of range of that network, the call would end.
AT&T said it informed Apple and the Federal Communications Commission of its decision Tuesday afternoon. For its part, Apple was quick to react and make its own changes.

"We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VoIP applications," Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris said. "We will be amending our developer agreements to get VoIP apps on the App Store and in customers' hands as soon as possible."

There are already quite a few VoIP apps available in the App Store, like Skype, Vonage, and Truphone, but they only work over Wi-Fi. Developers will need to enable the apps to work over AT&T's wireless network and then re-submit them to the App Store.

Of course, the application that everyone will be wondering about is Google Voice. Tuesday's decision may not have much of an effect on that situation because Google Voice isn't really a VoIP application. Google's app still uses your wireless network minutes, but the service does offer other benefits like receiving calls to a single number in multiple places.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10368955-37.html)

Gmail's passwords being posted online - phishing attack!

2009-10-06T21:44:00.001+01:00

Gmail also under attack!

Hotmail users aren't the only ones who've been hit by a phishing scheme over the past week. Google told BBC News on Tuesday that Gmail users have also been affected by the hackers who posted passwords online.

The problem is far more widespread than was disclosed on Monday, possibly affecting Yahoo and AOL e-mail accounts as well, according to BBC News.

Google described the issue as an "industrywide phishing scheme." BBC News said it has seen two lists posted online with "more than 30,000 names and passwords" from Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail, and other service providers.

"We recently became aware of an industrywide phishing scheme through which hackers gained user credentials for Web-based mail accounts including Gmail accounts," a Google representative told me in an e-mail.

The representative said that Google immediately "forced passwords resets on the affected accounts."
In an e-mail to CNET, a Google representative said that the company had to reset the passwords on fewer than 500 Gmail accounts so far. However, that figure could change.

Despite Google's and Microsoft's awareness of the problem, it doesn't seem that users are out of the woods just yet. Google's representative told CNET that it will continue to force password resets on any newly affected user accounts.

Like Microsoft, Google was quick to point out to the BBC that the phishing scheme was a "scam to get users to give away their personal information to hackers" and not an internal security issue. It didn't say how users fell victim to the scheme.

Google's admission that Gmail users were affected by the phishing scheme comes on the heels of Microsoft acknowledging that over 10,000 Live Hotmail accounts were compromised by the scam. The passwords apparently first hit the Internet on October 1.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10368361-2.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Windows Mobile App Store...a copy of the Apple Store?

2009-10-06T21:03:00.001+01:00

Apple's App Store's new rival: The Windows Mobile App Store

On Tuesday morning, as Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 phones hit the market, two of its mobile services are officially launching.

Brand new to 6.5 phones are Windows Marketplace for Mobile--an application storefront like that found on iPhone, BlackBerry, and every other major mobile OS--and a Web-based backup and sharing service called My Phone.

We've heard plenty about both services in the days and months leading up to this release. The much-anticipated Windows Marketplace for Mobile has a well-thought out model that will eventually include both a Web and on-phone storefront, and a flexible billing system that lets you purchase apps using either a credit card or your monthly phone bill (depending on the carrier). The PC catalog isn't available now but is planned to be released before the year's end.

There's also a self-service return policy that gives you a full refund from unwanted apps within a 24-hour period. There's a caveat, of course. You'll be limited to one refund per month to avoid abusing the system. The app store launches in 29 countries on Tuesday.

SOURCE: CNET (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12261_7-10368174-10356022.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Thousands of Hotmail passwords leaked online - up to 30,000 and counting!

2009-10-06T20:28:00.003+01:00

Neowin has received information regarding a possible Windows Live Hotmail "hack" or phishing scheme where password details of thousands of Hotmail accounts have been posted online.

An anonymous user posted details of the accounts on October 1 at pastebin.com, a site commonly used by developers to share code snippets. The details have since been removed but Neowin has seen part of the list posted and can confirm the accounts are genuine and most appear to be based in Europe. The list details over 10,000 accounts starting from A through to B, suggesting there could be additional lists. Currently it appears only accounts used to access Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail have been posted, this includes @hotmail.com, @msn.com and @live.com accounts.

Neowin has reported this immediately to Microsoft's Security Response Center and to Microsoft's PR teams in the UK and US and we are currently awaiting feedback on the situation. As this is a breaking story please check back frequently as the story will be updated as soon as more information becomes available.

If you are a Windows Live Hotmail user Neowin recommends that you change your password and security question immediately.

Update: According to BBC News, Microsoft is currently "investigating the situation and will take appropriate steps as rapidly as possible."

Update 2: Microsoft has now fully confirmed our reports. According to a Microsoft spokesperson "over the weekend Microsoft learned that several thousand Windows Live Hotmail customer's credentials were exposed on a third-party site due to a likely phishing scheme. Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers. As part of that investigation, we determined that this was not a breach of internal Microsoft data and initiated our standard process of working to help customers regain control of their accounts."

SOURCE: Neowin (http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/10/05/thousands-of-hotmail-passwords-leaked-online)

Apple Store crosses 1 Billionth Milestone!

2009-10-06T20:23:00.006+01:00

Even there has been an App Store outage, Apple today assured the announcement that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from its mega-app store. Topping the records of 85,000 apps is available now for iPhones and iPod touches for worldwide consumers. In addition, the pool creative developer is now over 125,000 from the company’s iPhone developers program.

“The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users downloading a staggering two billion apps in just over a year, including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The App Store has reinvented what you can do with a mobile handheld device, and our users are clearly loving it.”

Its just too amazing Apple hit another milestone, with just a span of 5 months, from the time it hits 1 billion app-downloaded last April from a 9-month span when the App Store is launched. We don’t count the approaching massive Chinese consumers that will be clearly maxing Apple’s product potential growth, with China Unicom selling iPhones next month.

SOURCE: Engadgeteer (http://www.engadgeteer.com/2009/09/apples-app-store-surpassed-two-billion.html)

Apple iMacs with Blu-ray and redesigned enclosure in production

2009-09-27T13:07:00.004+01:00

Apple has begun production of the next-generation iMacs and may be set to come in between now and mid-October, according to AppleInsider. Well, I can be more excited if there will be a “Black iMac” on the roll along with its new features and upgrades.

Accordingly based from the two people familiar with the matter, the new much cheaper all-in-one desktop were on production on a Taiwan based Mac maker’s that has been finalized in early this September.

Even there are insufficient details they added some clues on its design as well, with a thinner enclosure frame design fitted from its Cupertino-based new LED-lit Cinema Display. There have been also reports of a possible Blu-ray drive option, and this new iteration of iMacs could be introduced within several weeks in a claim by research firm Wedge Partners. Let us just wait until this crafted Mac looms around officially.

SOURCE: Engadgeteer (http://www.engadgeteer.com/2009/09/apple-imacs-with-blu-ray-and-redesigned.html)

Microsoft sues over malicious online ads

2009-09-18T11:28:00.004+01:00

Malicious Ads cause problems once again Aiming to crack down on a growing problem, Microsoft said it filed five lawsuits Thursday against parties it suspects of posting online advertisements laden with malicious code.

Microsoft has tried to work with ad networks to thwart such "malvertising" in the past, but this is the first time it has gone to court.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10356174-56.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Google aim to dominate graphical ads - DoubleClick Ad Exchange

2009-09-18T11:24:00.000+01:00

Google aims on conquering graphical ads, dominated by Yahoo at the moment.

The DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a public exchange that allows publishers to offer excess ad inventory they can't sell to advertisers looking for a bargain.

Office 2010 runs as a web based app!

2009-09-18T11:16:00.000+01:00

Web based Office 2010 Apps!

Microsoft plans on Thursday to start public testing for the first browser-based version of Office, although the technology preview is at least as notable for what it doesn't include as what it does offer.

The limited test of the so-called Office Web Apps includes versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but not the OneNote note-taking application. And while Excel and PowerPoint offer the ability to edit and create documents, the current Web-based version of Word can only be used to view documents, essentially the same capability it already offers as part of its current Office Live Workspace product.

Microsoft said the Web versions of OneNote and Word share "the same editing surface," and that the technology is still being worked on.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10355259-56.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1)

Windows 7 for just $30! Only College Students, though

2009-09-17T19:07:00.003+01:00

Windows 7 for just $30!
Microsoft plans to offer a substantial discount for college students who want to pick up a copy of Windows 7.

"This offer is specifically designed for those students who are not planning to purchase a new PC this year but would still like to take advantage of what Windows 7 offers," a Microsoft representative said. Those who order the software will be able to download it when Windows 7 ships on October 22. Students interested in the deal need a valid college e-mail address.

Microsoft plans similar offers in Canada, Australia, Korea, Mexico, France, and Germany, though the prices will vary somewhat.

In the U.S., students can preorder their copy of Windows 7 beginning later Thursday, while those in most other countries where the deal is being offered will have to wait to order until October 22. In most markets, the offer will end on January 3, though it will run longer in some places, such as Australia, where it will be available through the end of March.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10355710-56.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Twitter to integrate phone calling!

2009-09-17T19:00:00.001+01:00

Voice Calls available on Twitter!
Twitter users on Thursday will, for the first time, be able to make voice calls directly to each other through the microblogging service.

A new third-party offering from Jajah known as Jajah@call is expected to go into beta Thursday morning that will allow Twitter users to initiate a two-way voice chat with other users by typing "@call @username"--where "username" is someone's Twitter ID--into any Twitter client. During the beta period, the company said, the calls will be limited to two minutes, but the company will evaluate that length during beta. However, it sees the two minute period--after which the call will end--as "the verbal equivalent of a tweet".

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10355319-52.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Ads - now used as Malware!

2009-09-16T15:14:00.002+01:00

Beware of Ads, they're now used as Malware!
Instead of hacking into major online sites to embed malware, malicious hackers are going in through the front door by exploiting security holes in systems for delivering ads.

It happened just days ago, for instance, to the Web site of The New York Times. The newspaper company informed readers on Sunday about a rogue ad that was popping up on its site. The ad warned visitors to NYTimes.com that their computer may be infected with a virus and redirected them to a site that purports to scan the computer and offers to sell antivirus software.

This is common behavior for what is known as fake security alerts, or "scareware," designed to trick people into paying for something they don't need. Use of this type of scam is on the rise.

Typically, the site hosting the rogue alerts has been compromised, or a worm, like Conficker, distributes the alerts directly to computers.

By sneaking fake ads onto a high-profile site, the scammers are likely to net more victims than by targeting smaller sites.

SOURCE: (http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10353402-245.html)

Exchange 2007 doesn't seem to work with Apple iPhone OS 3.1!

2009-09-16T15:06:00.005+01:00

Exhange 2007 issues with iPhone OS 3.1
Because the problems began with the latest update, it may seem reasonable to assume that the update is to blame, but it's not. In fact, everything is working exactly how it's supposed to be, according to Apple.

"iPhone OS 3.1 is working properly with Exchange Server 2007," Apple representative Natalie Harrison told CNET News. "We added device encryption information to the data that can be managed by IT administrators using Exchange Server 2007. The policy of whether to support iPhone 3G, in addition to iPhone 3GS, which always has on-device encryption, on Exchange Server 2007 is set by the administrator and can be changed at any time."

What this means is that iPhone OS 3.1 now properly identifies itself to Exchange 2007 as having hardware encryption, and that's what is causing the problems for iPhone and iPhone 3G users.

iPhone OS 3.0 did not identify itself properly to Exchange 2007 on any iPhone. This means that if you had a 3G and Exchange 2007 was configured to require hardware encryption, you could still login, even though the device does not have hardware encryption.

With iPhone OS 3.1, all iPhones identify themselves properly to the server, essentially fixing a glitch in the previous operating system. However, now iPhone and iPhone 3G users that upgraded to iPhone OS 3.1 cannot login to Exchange 2007 servers that require hardware encryption.

Luckily, if you use the new iPhone 3GS, you won't notice any change. Apple's newest phone is equipped with hardware encryption, so it will meet the requirements of the Exchange server when identifying itself.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10354209-37.html)

Microsoft Bing now includes Visual Search

2009-09-15T18:28:00.001+01:00

Bing's visual search feature

Software giant Microsoft has introduced "visual search" to its Bing search engine to try to further set itself apart from market leader Google.

The new feature will allow users to browse results using pictures instead of text.
Visual search will initially concentrate on four main areas: travel, health, leisure and shopping.

SOURCE: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8256046.stm)

Galleries: Flickr's latest tool

2009-09-15T18:23:00.000+01:00

Galleries
Flickr has added a new feature called galleries to showcase photos--and this time not just your own shots.

Galleries, announced on Monday, lets Flickr members assemble collections of up to 18 photos. The photos are shown on the page along with the gallery curator's comments.

Flickr has a reason for the 18-image limit: it wants to emphasize quality, not quantity.

Overall, the idea of Galleries reinforces some of the social and exploratory aspects of Flickr that help it rise above just a place to stick your photos online. I just hope that the average folks out there can figure out the distinction between Flickr's sets, collections, galleries, and photo streams. Heaven forbid they add albums to the mix.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10352448-264.html)

Watch out, Facebook users: Here comes voice chat!

2009-09-15T18:15:00.002+01:00

Vivox on Facebook!

Sometime in the next few weeks, the social network's tens of millions of users will begin to be able to have high-quality voice conversations, even as its third-party developers are able to start including voice in their applications.

The new technology is not being offered by Facebook itself, however. Instead, it's from Vivox, a Boston-based company that provides the integrated voice service for virtual worlds like Second Life and EVE Online, and which already has more than 15 million users worldwide.

The service, which is currently in closed beta, will allow Facebook users to have high-fidelity conversations with anyone on their friends list. Each user, however, will have to download Vivox's plug-in. But once installed, the service works almost seamlessly with Facebook, and is intended for everything from one-to-one chat to large group discussions.
Further, even non-Facebook users will be able to participate, as Vivox plans to offer free dial-in numbers that will allow anyone to call into an existing conversation, much as is possible today with call-in phone conferences.

Perhaps more importantly, according to Vivox co-founder Monty Sharma, the company is making its technology available to any third-party Facebook application developer, meaning that almost any app, from games to utilities, can have a voice component.

For now, it's not clear how many of Facebook's users will choose to adopt Vivox's technology, and for the time being, at least, Facebook is not involved in any way in promoting the new service. But while some people may decide that they don't want to use a tool that requires a plug-in, many others may well find that it's worth the trouble in order to be able to easily start a conversation that rivals, or even betters, phone call quality.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10352684-52.html)

Is China's competitive mobile market worth it, Apple?

2009-09-14T22:19:00.002+01:00

Apple trying to expand iPhone presence in China

Apple is wasting little time in expanding the reach of the iPhone in China.

Just two weeks after signing a deal with China Unicom, Apple is once again in talks with rival China Mobile to offer the iPhone as well.

China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou confirmed that his company is in talks with Apple to offer the iPhone, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal on Monday. Unlike in some countries, like the United States, where carrier agreements tend to be exclusive, the deal with China Unicom is nonexclusive.
This leaves Apple open to negotiate with as many carriers as it wants in that market. This is both good and bad for Apple.

China Mobile, China's No.1 carrier, has 141 million subscribers, the Journal reported. That's more than triple the subscribers of No. 2 carrier China Unicom. Obviously, getting the iPhone into the hands of China Mobile customers would have great economic and market-share benefits for Apple.

However, as the Journal points out, Apple would need to make some changes to the iPhone in order for it to work on China Mobile's TD-SCDMA wireless platform. The other option is to leave the iPhone as is and let it run on the carrier's slower 2G platform.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10351734-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Xbox speeds up research results

2009-09-14T14:35:00.004+01:00

Researchers have harnessed the powerful silicon chips used in the Xbox 360 console to solve scientific conundrums.

Academics at the University of Warwick believe they are the first to use the processors as a cheap way to conduct "parallel processing".

Parallel computing is where a number of processors are run in tandem, allowing a system to rapidly crunch data.
Researchers traditionally have to book time on a dedicated "cluster" system or splash out setting up a network of PCs.
Instead, the Warwick team harnessed a single Xbox 360 Graphical Processing Unit (GPU). The chip was able to perform parallel processing functions at a fraction of the cost a traditional systems.

Dr Simon Scarle, a researcher on the team, built the system to help him model how electrical signals in the heart moved around damaged cardiac cells.

Dr Scarle, who previously worked as a software engineer at Microsoft's Rare studio, had first hand experience of tapping into the power of GPU technology.
Speaking to BBC News, Dr Scarle said that the the code controlling the chip was modified, so instead of working out graphical calculations, it could perform other ones instead.

"You don't quite get the full whammy of a cluster, but its close," he said.
"Instead of pumping out stunning graphics, it's reworked; in the case of my research, rather than calculating the position of a structure and texture it's now working out the different chemical levels in a cell."

Apple's newest rival: The Intel Netbook

2009-09-14T10:03:00.000+01:00

Heads up Apple!
Intel Netbooks are said to be one of Apple's greatest rivals at the moment. With great features such as; the 9 hour lasting battery, it's small, portable size and powerful hardware, are they better than the Apple MacBook laptops? They certainly are a lot cheaper!

iPod Touch 3G teardown reveals space for camera, WiFi ‘n’ and FM chip

2009-09-14T09:31:00.003+01:00

iPod Touch 3G has capacity for more!

Apple Event last week unfold iTunes 9, iPod Nano 5G and intriguing third-gen iPod touch. Accordingly the intrigue for iPod touch goes on as iFixit stripped down the new iPod parts by parts revealing a space where a nano-style video camera would fit perfectly plus a chip to support faster networking and FM transmission.

Over the past few weeks before the event, rumors circulate that Apple were planning cameras for both iPod nano and touch, even includes the classic. Apparently only the 5G nano in the end holds the video camera and not the touch as we wanted. Then, iFixit found a 6 x 6 x 3 mm space in the upper middle of the touch’s board where a nano-style camera fits perfectly, but insufficiently enough to fit an iPhone 3GS-style autofocus CMOS camera.

iPod touch 3G is equipped with Broadcom’s BCM4329 chip which supports WiFi b/g and also draft-n wireless capabilities which has no firmware support yet. It appears to be an upcoming feature on the next update of touch.

The chip also supports FM transmission together with its FM receiver and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. Apple could feasibly implement it for the next 4G touch upgrade if they want, add software support and built an antenna.

Conclusion, possible Apple could pack these findings on the next 4G iPod touches. But for now, we can’t consider it as a surprise anymore; Apple should find new impressive features to keep its users from wanting Zune as an alternative.

SOURCE: ENGADGETEER (http://www.engadgeteer.com/2009/09/ipod-touch-3g-teardown-reveals-space.html)

Make a Contribution

2009-09-13T19:45:00.008+01:00

Help us gather money to improve our services and allow us to buy better equipment. We would like adapt ourselves to the needs of our readers. Feel free to make a contribution, any amount is greatly appreciated:

Click on the "ChipIn" button to donate. You will be able to use PayPal or Credit Card as a payment method.

Once again, thank you very much for your contribution.

Steve Jobs makes first appearance since Liver Transplant

2009-09-12T23:45:00.009+01:00

Steve Jobs is Back!

Steve Jobs has appeared on stage in San Francisco to launch new products after undergoing a liver transplant.
He last appeared on stage for the company in October 2008 - since then he has been absent because of ill health.
SOURCE: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8247525.stm)

Palm's new smartphone: Pixi

2009-09-12T19:03:00.003+01:00

A smaller Smartphone

Hoping to capitalize on the momentum created by the release of its Pre smartphone, Palm on Wednesday will unveil a smaller, cheaper smartphone called Pixi.

Apparently geared toward younger consumers than those targeted by the Pre, the playfully named smartphone will be longer but slimmer than the Pre and will sport a smaller multitouch screen, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a 2-megapixel camera, Palm said. However, like its smartphone sibling, the 3.5-ounce Pixi will still have 8GB of memory and GPS capabilities.

In addition to a new Facebook application, the Pixi will also be able to integrate LinkedIn contacts and Yahoo contacts, calendar, and IM in a single view via Palm's Synergy feature.

"With Palm WebOS, we're creating a new, more intuitive smartphone experience defined by unmatched simplicity and usefulness," Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "Palm Pixi brings this unique experience to a broader range of people who want enhanced messaging and social networking in a design that lets them express their personal style."

The announcement of the Pixi comes less than four months after Palm began selling the Pre, which the company said registered record sales when it became available in June. The company did not discuss specific numbers that first week, but some analysts estimated that between 50,000 and 100,000 units were sold during the first weekend.

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10347387-94.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1)

Facebook to be available in Lite Version

2009-09-12T14:21:00.002+01:00

The world's biggest social networking site has launched a slimmed-down version for people with slow or poor internet connections.

Facebook has said the Lite site will be faster and simpler because it offers fewer services than the main site.

Initially it is meant to support users in developing countries and where bandwidth constraints make the current version too slow to use.

At the moment it is only available in India and the US.

The company said around 70% of its more than 250 million users were from outside America. Countries in Southeast Asia and Europe are seeing a massive increase in growth where fast internet connections are more common.

News that Facebook was testing the Lite site was first leaked in August.

SOURCE: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8249835.stm)

Bing 2.0 could be around the corner

2009-09-12T09:48:00.004+01:00

Bing 2.0
Microsoft is getting ready to launch the next iteration of Bing, according to some wayward tweets.
ZDnet spotted a few eager Twitter users spilling the beans on Bing 2.0 following Microsoft's annual company meeting, where employees were apparently given a preview of some new features that will be rolled out over the coming weeks. Some attendees had the changes coming next week, while others thought it would be more of a gradual rollout, but expect changes to Bing shortly.
What might be coming? One attendee said "imagine seeing maps plus pics from the neighborhood of a restaurant to try." That tweet has since been deleted. Another said "bing + silverlight in maps = amazing !! goodbye google." In what is likely not a coincidence, that tweet has also been deleted.

One message spotted by The Seattle P-I from Microsoft employee Luis Bitencourt-Emilio says "Bing 2.0's upcoming search visualization is pretty sexy..." It's not clear whether Microsoft is actually thinking of these changes as a version-style upgrade or a series of gradual tweaks, which seems more common in this market.

Microsoft had no official comment on the potential changes, according to ZDNet, other than saying "We're very excited about some of the new Bing features set to roll out over the next few months, but have nothing to announce today."

SOURCE: CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10350868-265.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0)

Apple debuts iTunes 9 with Improved Syncing breaks Pre sync

2009-09-11T21:05:00.007+01:00

Apple rolls out the latest version of most popular software app to purchase, manage and play media hyped with redesigned store and improved syncing --the iTunes 9. Talking about the improved syncing, apparently the new software breaks Palm Pre sync. Hit on the continue link for more details.

iTunes 9 features iTunes LP, Home Sharing and Genius Mixes asides from the fact that it gives it user a quick and easy ways to access the App Store to discover, purchase and enjoy your music, movies, TV shows, and apps for iPhone™ and iPod touch®.

“iTunes 9 is a great iTunes release, with innovative features that make using iTunes better than ever and iTunes content richer than ever,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iTunes LP, for example, lets artists share more of their creativity with fans and gives music lovers the feeling of being immersed in an entire album with art, lyrics, liner notes, photos and videos.”

iTunes 9 is now readily available for free download at iTunes site.

Apple released iPhone OS 3.1 with Genius, Ringtones and Organization

2009-09-11T12:01:00.003+01:00

Apple announced iPhone OS 3.1 with whole lot of new, improved and outstanding features packed on it, together with iTunes 9 that simply makes Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch extremely impressive. Remember that to save a video from a multimedia message is dependent of September 25 MMS service roll out. Hit the continue link for a quick run down of the iPhone OS 3.1 details.

iPhone OS 3.1 Details:

Genius recommendations for Applications
Support for iTunes 9 (Mac and Windows downloads), which offers Genius Mixes, app organization in iTunes, improved syncing options for music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and photos, iTunes U Content organization
Redeem iTunes Gift cards, codes, and certificates in the App Store
Display available iTunes account credits in the App Store and iTunes Store
Browse and download ringtones wirelessly from the iTunes Store
Save video from mail and multimedia messages into Camera Roll
Option to "save as new clip" when trimming a video on iPhone 3GS
Better iPhone 3G Wi-Fi performance when Bluetooth is turned on
Remotely lock iPhone with a passcode via MobileMe
Use Voice Control on iPhone 3GS with Bluetooth headsets
Paste phone numbers into the Keypad
Option to use Home button to turn on Accessibility features on iPhone 3GS
Warn when visiting fraudulent Web sites in Safari (antiphishing)
Improved Exchange calendar syncing and invitation handling
Fixes issue that caused some app icons to display incorrectly

iPod Touch with no camera!

2009-09-11T11:56:00.002+01:00

Camera-less iPod Touch

The biggest question on my mind when I’m making both the article for the new iPod Nano and iPod Touch, is why Apple picked the Nano to have the video camera instead of the Touch that decisively has the much wider screen and internet connectivity?

Wordpress attacked by worm!

2009-09-07T14:47:00.002+01:00

Watchout!

A worm is circulating that can post malware and spam to some WordPress blogs using outdated versions of the blogging software, according to a post by Matt Mullenweg, founding developer of WordPress.

The worm can be tough to catch, as Mullenweg explains: "it registers a user, uses a security bug (fixed earlier in the year) to allow evaluated code to be executed through the permalink structure, makes itself an admin, then uses JavaScript to hide itself when you look at users page, attempts to clean up after itself, then goes quiet so you never notice while it inserts hidden spam and malware into your old posts."

The vulnerability allowing the attack was discovered August 11, at which point WordPress encouraged users to upgrade to version 2.8.4. However, many people have yet to upgrade, and reports online indicate the worm is making dubious progress by the hour.

The worm does not affect the current version 2.8.4 and the one prior to it. And it only affects people who host their own WordPress blog. Blogs hosted on WordPress.com are unaffected.

Users can find upgrade links and instructions here. WordPress has also posted an FAQ for people who think their blog has been hacked.

2009-09-01T18:40:00.000+01:00

Apple Snow Leopard - 28th August scheduled release!

2009-08-24T21:47:00.007+01:00

Apple Mac's New OS Official Release
Apple has confirmed that its new operating system, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, will be released on 28 August. Snow Leopard is Apple's biggest operating system update since the firm moved from the "Classic" OS in 2001.

Apple said the new operating system (OS) is almost half the size of previous versions, freeing up to 7GB of drive space once installed. Snow Leopard is currently the number two best seller on Amazon.com and will retail at £25 in the UK ($29 in US).

The release had been slated for September but the firm announced the revised release date on Monday.

The new version updates on the old 10.5.7 Leopard OS and Apple say that its "support for 64-bit processors makes use of large amounts of RAM, increases performance and improves security while remaining compatible with 32-bit applications".

"Snow Leopard builds on our most successful operating system ever and we're happy to get it to users earlier than expected," said Bertrand Serlet, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering.

Apple's main thrust has been on improving the OS performance, rather than creating new features for the user.

The OS will also come with built-in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 that Apple says will allow users to employ Snow Leopard's mail, contacts, and calendar applications while accessing Windows-based network services.

Twitter pro accounts coming very soon

2009-08-22T00:15:00.002+01:00

Twitter Pro - no longer a rumour!

Well, it looks like Twitter will actually do it.

In an interview with VentureBeat on Thursday, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone elaborated on the company's goal to put out a revenue model before the end of the year. He said that yes, it will involve offering paid accounts to businesses that use the microblogging platform for marketing, customer relations, publicity, and what-have-you. That's something Twitter has been hinting at for about a year now.

There's not a whole lot of detail available. But paid accounts will definitely involve statistics and analytics that aren't available through Twitter's existing application program interface (API), and possibly a whole separate "commercial API" for business-related applications. This adds to a move earlier this year in which Twitter started rolling out an account verification process for prominent users.

In fact, Stone told Marshall, the first test phase of these accounts is already under way with a few companies. Considering Twitter's status as marketing heaven, this is probably a product that will sell quite well. And since Twitter, which has raised $55 million in venture funding, has yet to turn a profit, that's good news.

Marshall points out something important: "It might be hard to tease out who is using the service professionally and who is using it for personal reasons, and then charge them for it. So the idea is to build a set of features that people are willing to pay for." Stone made it pretty clear in the interview that ordinary Twitter users won't be forced to pay up.

Another interesting tidbit: Stone said that Twitter had been looking to acquire social-network aggregator FriendFeed, which was picked up by Facebook earlier this month.

More Google Chrome OS Screenshots Leaked...are they real?

2009-08-18T23:53:00.005+01:00

Too many leaks..can they be trusted?
Believable? Well, some say that if you look at the user interface, it could have actually been the original front end Google may have designed. But we are talking about Google, so why aren't the images shown on a CRT monitor? Can't Google provide any high-class LCD screens for their developers?

Either way, I would likely assume that this leaked image would fall under the fake category. I suggest we wait until Google officially announce the Chrome OS.

Nvidia Cuda vs. ATI Stream

2009-08-11T20:38:00.005+01:00

Who wins?
The graphics-platform saga continues as Nvidia takes on ATI, with their respective graphics-accelerated platforms CUDA and STREAM war.

In the eyes of PC Perspective, they certainly have been impressed by ATI’s Avivo video transcoding application simplicity. But the outcomes seemed too close to tell, as Nvidia CUDA have produced much better quality. ATI Stream seemed to be a lot faster but it did pull more load off of the CPU.

So which one is better, the Nvidia CUDA or the ATI Stream?

Facebook in challenge to Google & Twitter

2009-08-11T09:32:00.003+01:00

Facebook bring in the cavalry!

Facebook has turned up the heat on Google by purchasing content-sharing service FriendFeed, say industry watchers. Many expected Google or even Twitter to buy the company, which has been praised for its "real-time" search engine. This type of search is valuable because it lets you know what is happening right now on any given subject.

"Google look out, Facebook knows the real money is in real-time search," said respected blogger Robert Scoble.

"Google is the king of regular search. FriendFeed is the king of real-time search. This makes the coming battle over this issue much more interesting," Mr Scoble told the BBC in a recent interview.

Back in May, Google founder Larry Page admitted that the search giant had fallen behind other services like that of Twitter, which boasts nearly 45 million users worldwide. "People really want to do stuff real time and I think they (Twitter) have done a great job. "We've done a relatively poor job of doing things that work on a per second basis," Mr Page said at the time.

"Warning shot"

Many in Silicon Valley agreed that this deal has changed the game.

"Facebook was unable to acquire Twitter so this is the next best option," said Ben Parr associate editor of Mashable, a news blog covering social media.

"FriendFeed is well known for having some powerful and intelligent technology that allows users to aggregate everything they do online and do it all in real-time.

"With this acquisition, Facebook is gunning directly not only at Twitter, but at Google as well. This warning shot to those two companies," afirmed Mr Parr.

Rivals bid to snatch green .eco domain

2009-08-10T00:20:00.002+01:00

The Green Domain - .eco
Rival environmental groups are lining up supporters to try to take control of a new net domain aimed at green groups. At least two consortiums are said to be preparing bids to control .eco.

In March this year, former US vice president Al Gore backed a bid by the California group Dot Eco to operate the so-called "top level domain" (TLD). But now a Canadian environmental group known as "Big Room" has launched a competing bid to manage the TLD, which is similar to .com or .uk. Both firms plan to apply to Icann - the regulatory body that oversees domain names - for the creation of .eco early in 2010.

"Ours is to sell domain names to raise funds for organisations who can affect change." He said the group had already entered into contracts with its supporters - such as the Sierra Club and the Alliance for Climate Protection - to give away approximately 57% of its profits from sales.

Mozilla issues first Firefox 3.6 alpha version

2009-08-10T00:13:00.002+01:00

Mozilla Firefox 3.6

Mozilla has released the first alpha version of Firefox 3.6, a browser with many speed improvements and new features the organization hopes to finalize faster than its predecessor (Firefox 3.5).

"Unlike the year that passed between Firefox 3 and Firefox 3.5, we expect that this 3.6 release will be released in a small number of months," Mozilla evangelist Chris Blizzard said in a blog post Friday.

Firefox 3.6, code-named Namoroka, has a variety of changes, but it's not as dramatic a departure as 3.5 was from 3.0. Among the 3.6 features are faster JavaScript, the Web programming language Firefox executes with its TraceMonkey engine; faster page-rendering speed; some new features for CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) technology for controlling some of the look of a Web site; and a feature called the compositor that handles complicated layout circumstances better.

Performance is a big issue with browsers these days as people spend more time using them and programmers create more sophisticated sites and applications that live on the Web. All major browser makers are emphasizing performance improvements in their newest versions.

Download links for the first Firefox 3.6 alpha are available at the Mozilla Developer Center.

Hackers attack Twitter and Facebook

2009-08-06T23:23:00.003+01:00

Twitter and Facebook under attack!
Social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook had been severely disrupted by hackers.

Twitter was taken offline for more than two hours whilst Facebook's service was "degraded", according to the firms.

The popular sites were subject to so-called denial-of-service attacks on Thursday, the companies believe.

Denial-of-service (DOS) attacks take various forms but often involve a company's servers being flooded with data in an effort to disable them.

"Attacks such as this are malicious efforts orchestrated to disrupt and make unavailable services such as online banks, credit card payment gateways, and in this case, Twitter for intended customers or users," said Twitter co-founder Biz Stone on the company's blog. The service was restored shortly after the blog post, but the companies have had to continue to fend off the attack.

Facebook said its service was reduced but not taken offline, unlike Twitter's.

No user data was at risk and we have restored full access to the site for most users. We're continuing to monitor the situation to ensure that users have the fast and reliable experience they've come to expect from Facebook - spokeswoman Brandee Barker told the AFP news agency.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard tops Amazon pre-order!

2009-08-05T19:44:00.005+01:00

Windows 7 is no longer in first place

Amazon’s bestseller page tells one thing, even if the new iteration of Mac. is still weeks away from its release we can tell that it has been a huge success being the number one pre-ordered on Amazon, leaving behind the new Windows 7 that is no longer in the top ten.

Apparently we know that Windows 7 will be out on October, but it seemed it doesn’t live up with the craze Snow Leopard have now, this was also pointed out by As Pocket-lint.com. At Amazon, Snow Leopard tops the listing with the Family Pack version to come next at the second place.

Apple has been on product glory since the release of new iPhone, even the the iPhone OS and with this new Mac OS X version. One thing we know that can even tacked Apple’s success, the most anticipated iTablet that has been on track for this year release.

Source: Engadgeteer

Firefox dominates browser market with a staggering 31%

2009-08-05T15:13:00.008+01:00

1 Billion Downloads
Mozilla Firefox has reached over one billionth download in the last 5 years since the open-source has been launched in 2004. It is now officially a powerhouse browser dominating nearly one third of the browser market worldwide at 31 percent.

The browser’s milestone includes multiple download of copies from different computers and manual downloads excluding the automatic updates. Even the Firefox has found a fortress of more than a billion users downloads; it only came second to the behemoth Internet Explorer which holds the 60 percent of the market. In addition, the market player like Opera, Chrome and Safari are all below 5 percent.

Firefox will be one of the browser offerings upon the installation on European version of Windows 7. Interesting enough is, it would now have a greater chance of hitting another billion downloads knowing a much more faster iteration is on its way - the Chromish Firefox 4.0.

Pre-order Mac OS X Snow Leopard from Amazon

2009-08-05T14:59:00.004+01:00

Snow Leopard, Windows 7s' rival
Apple OS X Leopard users are eligible for the Snow Leopard upgrade but it's available only for computers that are based on ann Intel Platform.Unfotunately, Tiger & earlier OS users will need to purchase either versions of the upgraded Mac Box Set.

Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard ($29.00)

Mac OS X Snow Leopard Family Pack (for 5-User) ($49.00)

Mac Box Set with Snow Leopard ($169.00)

Mac Box Set Family Pack with Snow Leopard (for 5-User) ($229.00)

Mac OS X Server version 10.6 Snow Leopard ($499.00)

Will Microsoft & Yahoo merge and team up?

2009-07-29T13:51:00.008+01:00

Microsoft-Yahoo - Two Tech giantsRumours suggest Microsoft-Yahoo deal will come in the next 24 hours. Apparently, Microsoft's representatives & Yahoo representatives held up a meeting yesterday where they closed the deal. Microsoft bristled at Yahoo's request for an upfront payment on the order of several hundred million dollars and revenue guarantees that would have meant billions of dollars over the course of the deal.
According to various reports, Microsoft's search technology will power the search bars on Yahoo's pages. However, Yahoo will still sell search ads on its site and on Microsoft's Bing, according to the reports, which means Yahoo will be able to maintain the relationship with large advertisers interested in both display and search ads. In addition, Yahoo will be entitled to 110 percent of revenue generated from search ad sales for the first two years of the deal and in the third year, that number will drop to 90 percent.
Moreover, Yahoo has not responded to requests for comment on a potential deal. Furthermore, Microsoft declined to comment as well. Stay tuned for more, let's see what happens.

Spotify to make it's first debut on the iPhone

2009-07-29T00:46:00.003+01:00

Spotify could be available very soon in the App Store
The Swedish music streaming service Spotify is planning to launch its first mobile application within weeks.

The company has submitted the application to Apple's iTunes App Store for its approval. If approved, Spotify's service will then be available for users to download onto iPhones.

Spotify has been called an "iTunes killer" app because of its ease of use and its comprehensive, free library with millions of songs. It is also looked on as a possible saviour for the music industry, in its bid to offer alternatives to piracy. The application is designed to search for new music and will allow users to temporarily store playlists to their phone for use when there is no connection. Furthermore, it will also allow users to stream playlists.

Spotify has said a couple of times that the application itself will be free, but will require a premium subscription to use.

Google values AOL at $5.7 billion

2009-07-28T18:58:00.010+01:00

The Relationship between Google and AOL comes to an endIn 2006, Google invested $1 billion in AOL and now after 3 years, they have earned approximately $0.28 for every dollar they invested. That is a mere $280,000 in profit.
On the 8th of July, Google sold its 5 percent stake in AOL for $283 million.

Both companies had signaled their intentions long ago regarding that stake: Google notified Time Warner in February that it was ready to make a move and wrote of more than $700 million of that investment in January, while Time Warner said it would buy back the stake in May when announcing plans to spin off AOL.

iTunes - Malware?

2009-07-28T14:03:00.003+01:00

AVG temporarily blocked iTunes as Malware
AVG's free antivirus temporarily blocked users from getting into iTunes because it detected it as a trojan.
The antivirus discovered the false alarm in the virus signature engine relating to some localization components of iTunes (so not iTunes as a virus but rather some localization components of iTunes). Luckily, it was fixed within the next 5 hours. Nonetheless, AVG did apologize to its users in the next statement they released after having fixed the issue.
While irregular, false positives do happen. Last year, AVG flagged ZoneAlarm as malware (threat) and a Windows system file as a Trojan.

Samsung to use 1GHz chip - aimed for future iPhone and Palm Pre

2009-07-28T12:02:00.005+01:00

The "Hummingbird"
Samsung and Intrinsity have just introduced the “Hummingbird” chip with its 1GHz processing speed and low-power consumption design. This could mean that if Apple and Palm are to release new versions of their iPhone and Pre's, these would run much faster in Giga Hertz.
This faster and low-power consuming chip design development is bound to bridge the gap between smartphones and computers in the near future.

Firefox 4.0 could have the Chrome Look

2009-07-27T23:25:00.006+01:00

Firefox 4.0 similar to Google Chrome?
When I first saw the few Firefox 4.0 mockups released by the Mozilla Team, two things came to my mind: Google Chrome.
Mozilla is looking for comment on the designs, which, the browser developer takes pains to note, are "for brainstorming/exploration" (clearly clarified by the Mozilla Team) and aren't final.
Of the "more contentious Tabs-on-Top concept," Mozilla says advantages include that it saves some vertical space and removes visual complexity. On the other hand, it's quite different, and moving user interface elements could confuse the users. Moreover, the missing title bar means that users will only be able to view a truncated Web Page title in the tab.

The Firefox 4.0 mockups also show a combination button to the right of the address bar that tends to change it¡s behavior depending on what the browser is up to. The button can be used to start loading a page whose address has been typed, to stop loading if it's in the process of doing so, and to reload it if it's finished loading - can come in very handy & useful.

Spot the differences

The Apple Tablet rumoured for early 2010

2009-07-26T16:33:00.006+01:00

The Apple Tablet - still a bunch of rumours?
The Apple Tablet has been nothing but rumours for the past few years, but bits of information leaking here and there over the last couple months indicate it could be for real. Furthermore, a new report from AppleInsider confirms that the device is being developed at the moment and is expected to be released next year.

AppleInsider's report also states:

CEO Steve Jobs has personally been overseeing the project, and is on schedule for a launch sometime between January and March 2010. AppleInsider says its source is well respected "for their striking accuracy in Apple's internal affairs.

PA Semi, the chip company Apple took over last year, had been working on two projects: one on chips for iPhones and iPods, and the other on a tablet device.
Rumours spreading around suggest that the Apple Tablet will have a similar look/appearance to the iPod Touch, just bigger in size and it's cost could range between $299 (the price of an iPod Touch) and $999 (the price of a MacBook Air).

Photoshopped Images (can be found on Google) predict the appearance of the Apple Tablet:

Microsoft store plans leaked!

2009-07-25T16:54:00.005+01:00

What will the stores look like?
As mentioned on our other post, Microsoft did the confirm the opening of their first few official retail stores this fall but no final decisions were made regarding the appearance or look.

Leaked information
The information that was leaked, in particular on the Gizmodo website said that the stores would include a giant video wall, Surface computers, and an "answer bar".

Leave a comment on what you think the store will look like

Apple products are cheap - if you know where to look

2009-07-23T11:47:00.022+01:00

Apple products for cheap
Apple's products tend to be pretty expensive but if you know where to look, they can be really cheap.
A visit to the Apple Store on Regent Street
Last week, I attended the iTunes Festival in the UK and visited the Apple Store on Regent Street. The MacBook's and iMac's certainly were much cheaper - especially with my 15% student (up to age 26) discount. I couldn't help notice that Apple accesories, headphones especially were quite overpriced and expensive. The regular iPod headphones were £19/ €21 or $31.

Once I got home, I established contact one of the employees at the original Apple factory in Hong Kong. This factory just produces all the headphones (earphones) for Apple. I ordered 2 pcs for just £9/€10 or $14 each just to verify that they were original and they were! I even asked a friend who works at the Apple Store over here to check for me - he also said they were definitely authentic.
The picture on the left shows how to check wether the pair is a fake copy or the real thing.

Below you can observe the images I took:

As you can see, it comes in its original packaging I have ordered a larger quantity and I am now reselling at the cost price of £9/ €10 or $14 shipping to Europe (varies between €2 - €3). At the moment, shipping is only available for European Countries although we could make some exceptions - ask before purchasing. Item will dispatched within 24 hours to address specified on Paypal.

So get yourself a bargain - discount available for large orders.

If you have any queries, please don't hesistate to contact us at:
pcnsadmin@gmail.com

Note to buyers: please leave a comment having received the item, thank you.