Firefox 3.5 makes surfing the Web easier and more enjoyable with exciting new features and platform updates that allow Web developers to create the next generation of Web content. Native support for open video and audio, private browsing, and support for the newest Web technologies will enable richer, more interactive online experiences.
Performance. Firefox 3.5 includes the powerful new TraceMonkey JavaScript engine, which delivers unprecedented performance with today’s complex Web applications. Firefox 3.5 is more than two times faster than Firefox 3 and ten times faster than Firefox 2.
Open Video and Audio. Enjoy video and audio content from within your browser, without the need for plugins. Video is a vital part of the modern Web, whether it’s used to communicate, educate, or entertain. Firefox 3.5 delivers the first native integration of audio and video directly into the browser. Now everyone can easily watch open format Ogg Theora videos.
Web developers can use these technologies to design pages that interact with video content in new and exciting ways, offering richer interactive experiences beyond controlling playback and volume.
Privacy Controls. Firefox 3.5 includes features designed to protect your privacy online and provide greater control over your personal data.
While using the new Private Browsing mode in Firefox 3.5, nothing you encounter on the Web will be stored from that moment on during your browsing session. Unique to Firefox 3.5, the new Forget this Site feature can remove every trace of a site from your browser. If you want to remove all private data or activity from the past few hours, Clear Recent History, another Firefox-only feature, gives you full control over what stays and what goes.
Location Aware Browsing. Location Aware Browsing saves you time by allowing websites to ask you where you are located. If you choose to share your location with a website, it can use that information to find nearby points of interest and return additional, useful data like maps of your area. It’s all optional – Firefox doesn’t share your location without your permission.
Mozilla has launched its latest browser, Firefox 3.5, and at first glance it appears to be an improvement with solid reviews. A new TraceMonkey JavaScript engine has been added to Firefox 3.5, making the browser more than twice as fast as Firefox 3, and 10 times faster than Firefox 2, Mozilla said on Tuesday.
Among the key features:
HTML5 video and audio elements;
Faster performance with the TraceMonkey JavaScript engine;
And Firefox’s biggest asset may be its user base. Mozilla has consistently won folks over and unless it royally screws up users like me may dabble with other browsers but will ultimately stay loyal.
Other browsers, such as Chrome and Internet Explorer 8, already include private browsing, but Firefox 3.5 is the first edition of Mozilla's browser to do so. Private browsing allows the user to leave no easily findable trace of a browsing session, although such traces can still be found through the ISP's logs.
Two aspects of private browsing in Firefox 3.5 are unique, according to Mozilla. These are the 'Forget this Site' feature, which removes all trace of a particular site from the browser's history, and the 'Clear Recent History' feature, which removes traces of the last few hours' browsing.
The new version of the browser also includes support for many new web technologies that come with HTML 5, including
HTML 5 also allows for downloadable fonts, as well as offline data storage to allow browser-based applications to function even when internet connectivity is cut.
Location-aware browsing is also particular to Firefox 3.5. Certain websites, such as a site that helps you search for the nearest restaurant, can provide information that relates to the user's location. In addition, the updated Firefox will ask visitors to such sites whether they want to share their geographical data with the site
Beyond the Ribbon: Create better documents using the 2007 Office system
The 2007 Microsoft Office system looks so different from earlier versions. Why would you want to take the time to relearn features that you already know and use daily?
Well, you might be amazed at how easy it is to get up to speed with the new user interface that you see in several of the 2007 release programs, including Microsoft Office Word 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007. The purpose of the new interface is to make the features you need more accessible, and to make it easier to find useful features that you might not already know.
But, the big story of this release isn't just about a new look and organization. It's about taking full advantage of what technology today has to offer to help you get more done, more easily, with better results. When it comes to working with documents, this means a wide range of new features, from incredible formatting tools that work across Word 2007, Excel 2007, and PowerPoint 2007, to beautiful graphics that might amaze you.
This article introduces some of my favorite new features that can help you create exactly the document you need with less work and better results than you might imagine.
Work seamlessly across all of your documents
In the 2007 release, several new formatting capabilities are available across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to help you get professional, consistent results with no extra effort, regardless of which program you need. Take a brief look at what the new formatting tools can simplify for you.
Document themes
Themes are sets of colors, fonts, and graphic effects that you can apply to an entire document with just one click. Once you apply a theme, its formatting is saved with your document, so that you can continue to apply theme formatting as needed when you add or edit content. You can use any of the 20 built-in themes, or customize and create your own. You can even apply a theme from one document to another, or share your custom themes across your group or your entire organization. The same themes are available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, so that you can effortlessly coordinate all of your document content.
Find themes on the Page Layout tab in Word and Excel, and on the Design tab in PowerPoint. When used in PowerPoint, themes can also provide slide master formatting and slide background options.
The themes group, shown here as it appears on the Page Layout tab in Excel, provides galleries for complete themes, as well as theme colors, fonts, and effects.
Quick Styles
If you're familiar with styles in Word, you know that a style is a collection of formatting attributes that has a name. You can select just that name to apply all included attributes to your content at once. In the 2007 release, the concept of styles has been greatly expanded to the new Quick Styles functionality. Quick Styles are galleries of style options available to a wide range of features across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, ranging from text to tables and graphics.
For example, you can click a Picture Style from the gallery in the image below to apply a border, shadow, 3-D rotation, and other effects to selected images all at once. You'll find Quick Styles available on many contextual tabs (Ribbon tabs that appear only when you select a given feature, such as a table or a graphic object).
Picture Styles are available on the Format tab under Picture Tools in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Additionally, most Quick Styles coordinate with themes. Content formatted with Quick Styles automatically updates when you change the active theme in a document. In fact, the previews that you see in many Quick Style galleries adjust, as applicable, when you apply a new theme.
Point to a theme in the themes gallery, or to a style in most Quick Styles galleries, but don't click. You no longer have to apply formatting to see exactly how it will look in your document.
One of the coolest, simplest, and most practical advances for document production in the 2007 release is the new Live Preview capability. Just point to an option in a formatting gallery to preview that formatting in your document, and only click to apply the formatting once you find an option you like.
Create better graphics
Convert a bulleted list into a flawless diagram. Create charts that look like you hired a professional designer. And, get it all done in about the time it takes to pour yourself a cup of coffee.
It's not too good to be true—this is what the new technology is all about. Check out some of the things you can do with the new graphics engine in the 2007 release.
SmartArt graphics
The new SmartArt graphics tool replaces the Diagram and Organization Chart tool that you may know from earlier versions. But, don't look for a simple upgrade here. SmartArt graphics provide an entirely new approach to business graphics. Just take a look at a couple of examples.
Each of the diagrams shown here took less than a minute to format.
SmartArt graphics are available from the Insert tab in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, when you create SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint you get additional tools, such as the ability to convert a bulleted list to a diagram. Learn more about creating SmartArt graphics.
Charts
Excel charts have been redesigned to use the new graphics engine. What does that mean for you? It means more beautiful, visually effective charts because you can now format Excel charts as simply as shapes, with just as much formatting flexibility. Additionally, the new charting tools make it easy to customize your chart, with three contextual tabs that expose almost all charting functionality.
Find Chart Styles and Chart Layouts (two types of Quick Styles) on the Design tab under Chart Tools. Or, use the Format tab under Chart Tools to format chart elements just as you do shapes. Take a look at a few examples of what you can do in the image that follows.
Use themes, Quick Styles, and individual formatting effects to format charts with the same flexibility as shapes and other graphics.
The 2007 Office system offers far too many new and interesting document production features to address them all in any one article. So, following are just a few examples of the types of changes available in the 2007 release that can make a real, practical difference in the way you work with documents every day.
Word: Building blocks
The new building blocks capability in Word is the evolution of AutoText. Insert complete, formatted document elements—such as cover pages, headers, footers, or tables of contents—in one step. No fuss, no muss, no wasted time.
For example, insert a Cover Page from the gallery shown here. You can select from the many built-in cover page options or create and save your own.
The Cover Page gallery in Word is available in the Pages group on the Insert tab.
Cover pages become the first page of the document by default, or you can right-click an option in the gallery to select another location. Once inserted, you can add or edit content on the cover page, such as adding a document name, your name, contact information, and so on. If you then decide to change the cover page design, you can simply select another option from the gallery and your cover page will swap, retaining the text you added to the original page.
Building blocks use another new feature, called content controls, to enable you to add content to the document that provides easy, dynamic solutions such as the ability to retain your content when you change design and layout.
PowerPoint users just might feel like shouting this one from the rooftops. Finally, you can customize every individual layout in a slide presentation and even create your own layouts. When you open the slide master in a presentation, you now see the master with several layouts attached. These are the same slide layouts available from the Layout gallery.
When you open the slide master (to do this, on the View tab click Slide Master) you see the master with each of its layouts as a separate entity. Just select a layout from the Slide pane shown here to customize it while in Slide Master view.
You can still use the master to customize formatting and content across all layouts, or you can select an individual layout and customize it as you choose. You can even add additional content placeholders to existing layouts or design your own, entirely custom layouts. Learn more about working with layouts.
Excel: Excel tables
Managing and analyzing data is easier than ever with the new Excel tables feature. You can convert any worksheet range to a table for new formatting options (table styles), automatic calculation features such as calculated columns and total rows, and several enhanced data features ranging from new sort and filter options (such as sorting by cell or font color) to structured references that simplify complex data analysis.
To format an existing range as a table, click in the range and then, on the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Format as Table and then click to apply a table style. Or, on the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click Table.
Having trouble with your computer? You've come to the right place. Even if you don't know a computer language (or want to), you can solve several common PC problems on your own.
F1 is magic: Get help on your PC
If you can’t figure out how to complete a particular task in your software program—and you’re using a PC—the most important shortcut to know is the F1 key. Just push it while the program—Word, Excel, or whichever program you’re using—is open and active, wait a moment, and the Help window specific to your active program will appear. The F1 key works with almost all Microsoft products, so it’s a helpful starting point for a wide variety of problems.
The basics
If you’re encountering a different kind of obstacle – your new device won’t appear on your desktop, an application you added won’t run, or your computer is refusing to start up – here are a couple of preliminary steps:
Before adding any major hardware or software to your system, make sure you've recently backed up your PC as a safeguard. By using the automatic backup functions, you can schedule regular upkeep for maximum convenience.
Write down the contact information for Microsoft Customer Service and Support, should you need to consult an expert. Take a second to print the below instructions as well, and keep them handy as you walk through the troubleshooting process.
Many issues can be resolved by simply checking to be sure that all of your plugs are connected properly. After you are sure of that, try restarting(“rebooting”) your system. Turn your computer off, and then back on a few seconds later. If the problem continues, follow the steps below.
Locating the problem
Ask yourself if the problem is related to hardware, software, or the operating system (such as Windows XP or Windows Vista). Below are some common indicators that can help you decide which is the right answer.
If you're uncertain, don't worry. Just start at the top by determining if your software is working, using the Software errors section that follows. If the issue persists, proceed to the Hardware trouble section and then to the System failure section.
You can also find really helpful information at Microsoft Help and Support. If you'd like to search by individual program, try the Product Solution Center. Or check the columns and blogs found on the Windows Community Web site, where you can find helpful input from experts and fellow computer users.
The lists on the right side of this page may also help you narrow down the type of trouble you are experiencing.
Software errors
If programs refuse to install, won't appear on your desktop, can't seem to run without freezing, don't load at a decent speed or function properly, or Internet access is unavailable, here's how to troubleshoot:
General issues
Confirm that your PC meets the software's minimum system requirements. If it doesn't, you'll be unable to run the program without upgrading your computer's hardware. Note that PCs which barely meet or just slightly exceed these minimums may run the software more slowly and can be less reliable. Windows Vista users can reference the Windows Experience Index to quickly gauge their PC's general capabilities.
Close open programs and windows that you're not currently using. These can eat up system memory and processing power, slowing your PC or preventing additional software from running. Try running the program again.
Check available hard drive space. Roughly 5 to 10 percent of your hard drive's total storage allotment should be left free to ensure optimum system performance, prevent crashes, and keep Windows running at top speed. To free more space, use Disk Cleanup in Windows Vista or Windows XP.
Check for program updates and information on frequently encountered issues at the software manufacturer's Web site. For Microsoft products, you can also load Windows Update or visit the Microsoft Download Center. If you install an update, reboot and attempt to run the program again.
Reboot your computer and try loading the program again. If it still won't load or work correctly, you may need to uninstall the software and then reinstall it from scratch and reboot again. Advanced users can also try these advanced troubleshooting tricks.
Whether you have a modem or a home network, answers to common Internet access and online networking problems can be found at Microsoft Help and Support. Quick references include:
Should equipment fail to turn on, be recognized by your system, or function properly, follow these steps to address some of the most common hardware issues:
Determine that equipment has been assembled correctly, by consulting your product manual or referencing the manufacturer's Web site.
Confirm that your device is securely plugged in and receiving power. For equipment that relies on an A/C (wall outlet plug) power adapter, you can double-check that the outlet is functioning correctly by plugging in another device and observing if it starts up or begins charging.
Check to see whether equipment is properly connected to your PC by making sure all cables are securely plugged into the correct ports.
Verify that hardware is turned on.
Look for error messages displayed on either the equipment itself (commonly found on a small LCD screen) or on your desktop. Solutions for many of these can be found in your product manual or by checking this comprehensive database.
Install or reinstall drivers for the device. Windows automatically searches for drivers when new devices are connected and notifies you of any available updates. It may be necessary to manually install them yourself, if these files are contained directly on the device, on a CD/DVD sold with the equipment, or on the manufacturer's Web site. To activate setup, just double-click on the driver installation program. You may need advice, if the installation program fails to run.
Confirm that you're using the latest drivers for your hardware. Manufacturers routinely issue patches to correct errors and inconsistencies that users encounter. To do so, simply use Windows Update, visit the Microsoft Download Center, or check the Download or Support section of the manufacturer's Web site.
Reboot your system and test the device again.
Consult Microsoft Help and Support, the Windows Community, or the manufacturer's Web site for assistance. The following resources also offer solutions to common problems with popular devices, including:
Can't get your PC to start up or shut down? Is Windows stalling out, randomly turning your computer off, or rebooting without warning? Follow these step-by-step instructions to restore system health.
Confirm that your PC is plugged into an electrical outlet and receiving power. If so, reboot and see whether the problem persists.
In a worst-case scenario, system failure may be caused by a damaged or corrupted hard drive. There are many warning signs that may indicate this problem:
Your system won't boot.
No operating system is detected.
The computer hangs during startup.
Your PC is making strange noises.
If you are concerned about the safety of your files, try the following options before paying to send it to a data recovery specialist:
Google's move to let software run natively on Android devices opens the door for a version of Firefox that can run on the operating system.
At present, Android applications are written in Java and run on Google's Dalvik Java virtual machine. Last week, though, Google announced the Android Native Development Kit version 1.0 that lets software run natively on the Linux layer below, though the company sees it as a way not to run full-fledged applications as much as to run components of ordinary Android applications.
"Android applications run in the Dalvik virtual machine. The NDK allows developers to implement parts of these applications using native-code languages such as C and C++," said Google's David Turner in a Native Developer Kit blog post.
That's enough to whet the appetite of Mozilla, the organization that oversees development of Firefox and its mobile incarnation, called Fennec though likely to sport the Firefox name when it arrives in product form.
"Developers are taking a look at the NDK to see if it provides the capabilities we need to bring Fennec to Android. If it's possible, I think our community would be interested in doing it, because Android will be appearing on more smartphones with the capabilities to provide a good browsing experience," said Jay Sullivan, Mozilla's vice president of mobile.
A year ago, Mike Schroepfer, then Mozilla's vice president of engineering before he moved to Facebook, said Mozilla wasn't focusing on Android because of the Java constraint and because Android already has a capable browser of its own.
"We've been concentrating on other platforms that don't have browser or didn't have a good one," Schroepfer said in May 2008. "I'm looking forward to (Google) opening up the entire platform. Today I can't get Firefox on Android because I don't have the API (application programming interface) support.
The browser that ships with Android is based on the open-source WebKit project. That's the same foundation for Google Chrome, Safari on Mac OS X and the iPhone, and the browser on the new Palm Pre, making it something of an incumbent power among high-end mobile phones.
It's not a simple choice to releasing software that uses the Native Development Kit. Using the higher-level Java foundation insulates programmers from worrying about what underlying hardware is in a phone or other device, but using native code means the software must be tailored for a specific processor. It also means that software won't have access to many system-level features that are part of Android.
And writing native code can help boost performance, always a problem on mobile phones with limited hardware and battery life. In a parallel situation on PCs, Google has released software called Native Client that lets browsers run software natively processors for better performance.
Mozilla is interested in a variety of sub-PC devices. "We're also very interested in Netbooks across the operating system and chip architecture spectrum," Sullivan added. "Firefox, Fennec, and other Mozilla-based browsers have been demonstrated on Netbooks running Windows CE, various Linux variants, and Moblin," a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices backed by Intel.
Firefox's core use is on personal computers, though. There, a new version is imminent.
"The Mozilla team is mobilizing to ship Firefox 3.5, and it's looking like Tuesday morning" will be the ship time, Mozilla said in a statement Friday.
However, Mozilla also has issued three candidates instead of the expected one, and in the bigger picture added many new features to 3.5 that kept its release back months compared to the earlier, smaller-scale Firefox 3.1 plan, so give the organization some wiggl
Kingston unveils world's first 128GB USB Flash drive
Kingston has just announced that the introduction of the new Data Traveler 200 (DT200) line of USB flash drive, including the world's first 128GB USB flash drive. With the introduction of this high-capacity USB flash drive, users can benefit from increased storage capacity in a small, ultra portable form factor that easily fits any pocket. In addition, Kingston designed its new Data Traveler products with password protection system, where data is stored securely on this ultra-portable storage solution.
"The new DT200 robust storage capacity, consumers can save the entire library of music, photos and videos. It is also a fantastic tool for business users around the large databases or files," says Andrew Ewing, USB manager, Kingston. "The password protection helps to protect data and requires no admin rights DT200 a great solution for home or office.”
According to Kingston, the new Data Traveler 200 USB flash drive with a Capless design and is optimized for Windows ReadyBoost. The new series of high-capacity USB memory sticks are in the storage capacity of 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. Measuring only 2.77 "x 0.49" x 0.89 ", the new DT200 Kingston is so easy to use as any other USB flash drive, but with the added value of the larger storage space. In addition, the new flash drives come with bundled Password Traveler Safety for Windows operating systems, offering more security for your digital content.
Unfortunately, increased storage capacity USB sticks are a commodity for those who can afford it, as these new units is anything but cheap. The DT2200 comes at a MSRP U.S. $ 120 and is available in the colors blue and black, while the high capacity model, DT 200 Black 128GB Flash Drive, is expected to be available for MSRP U.S. $546.
Michael Jackson's Death Themed Malware Campaigns Spreading
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The sudden death of Michael Jackson quickly opened a window of opportunity for cybercriminals to capitalize on.
With a malicious spam campaign, blackhat SEO search results poisoning which is serving scaraware within the first 100 search results for Michael Jackson’s death, and an opportunistic participant in Zango adware’s network using typosquatting, malicious activity is prone to increase during the next couple of days.
Here are more details on the campaigns currently in circulation:
The malicious spam campaign is enticing users to visit a compromised web site (Beatz radio beatzradio.com.au) where the bogus Michael.Jackson.videos.scrscreensaver is served.
Based on historical performance by this Ukrainian group of cybercriminals, the number of keywords and phrases using Michal Jackson as a theme will inevitably increase during the weekend.
Excluding the several registered typosquatted domains offered for sale, one exception (michael-jackson-is-dead (dot) net) is promoting a “shocking video” which in reality is a Zango adware toolbar.
Mixing social engineering tactics with different traffic acquisition tactics such as a combination of potentially popular keywords/phrases, next to pushing the malicious content through spam is opportunistic cybercrime as usual. However, with the Web feeling the “Michael Jackson effect” — Twitter killing features and Google issuing anti-worm activity CAPTCHA messages for related searches — even a badly structured and executed malware campaign will succeed due to the huge anticipated traffic unless a little bit of extra common sense is in place.
Whether it’s bad news or good news, for cybercriminals it’s always news items to hijack and serve malicious content through.
Google hasn't yet launched Google Voice publicly, but it did take a step in that direction on Thursday by starting to extend invitations to those who signed up on a waiting list for the Net-augmented telephone service.
Google Voice, based on technology from a start-up called GrandCentral that Google acquired in 2007, offers users a new phone number that can simplify reaching that user.
When a person calls the Google Voice number, the user's home, work, and mobile phones all can ring simultaneously. The user can set up the service so specific phones ring for different callers or groups of callers, or so some callers go straight to voice mail. Google transcribes voice mails after they're left, too, e-mailing it to the Google Voice user or letting them read and listen to the message through a Gmail-like interface.
Google Voice transcribes voice mails, and lets people read or listen to them through a Gmail-like interface.(Credit: Google)
"We are happy to share that Google Voice is beginning to open up beyond former GrandCentral users. If you requested an invitation on the Google Voice site or previously on GrandCentral, keep your eye out for an invite e-mail," Google said in a blog post.
When Google started showing Google Voice in March, it said it would launch the free service "in a number of weeks." Those who'd used the beta test version of the Grand Central service have been able to upgrade to Google Voice.
Google's blog shows how invitees can sign up for the process, including picking a new phone number. However, according to a TechCrunch report, Google plans to let people use existing cell phone numbers for the service so they wouldn't have to give out a new one.
Google hasn't described a direct way to make money from Google Voice, though it does charge for international calls through the service and doesn't rule out the possibility of advertisements in the future.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced retail pricing for Windows 7 that's at or below comparable Windows Vista prices, while also offering a chance for people to preorder the software at a substantial discount.
From Friday through July 11, consumers in the U.S. will be able to buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 Home premium for $49 or Windows 7 Professional for $99. That offer is good for both XP and Windows Vista PCs, regardless of whether someone has been trying out the pre-release version of the operating system. That matches the details in a memo from Best Buy that leaked earlier this month. (Credit: Microsoft)
The offer, however, is limited in both duration and by the number of copies Microsoft is willing to sell, although Microsoft would not specify that figure. The upgrade will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, Microsoft's own store, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Costco, Staples, Wal-Mart and several other retailers.
"That truly is a price that we have never even come close to in terms of an operating system release," Corporate Vice President Brad Brooks said. "We've still got a business to run."
Of course, even at the preorder price, Microsoft still finds itself undercut by Apple, which has said it will only charge $29 for Leopard users moving to Snow Leopard (those on older versions of the Mac OS will have to buy a full-boxed copy combining Leopard and Snow Leopard).
Brooks, however, said that comparing the two upgrades is unfair.
"Even their chief software architect called (Snow Leopard) an upgrade of Leopard," Brooks said. "The way I look at it, it's a service pack and we don't charge for service packs."
Microsoft also confirmed, as expected, that a program offering Vista PC buyers a free copy of Windows 7 will kick off on Friday.
When boxed copies of Windows 7 go on sale on October 22, Microsoft plans to charge $119 for Home Premium, $199 for Professional and $219 for Ultimate. The Home Premium upgrade is down $40 from the product's original price, although the Vista product had already gotten a price cut along the way. The Professional and Ultimate versions are priced similar to where Microsoft was with Vista. The upgrade prices apply to those moving from a previous version of Windows to Windows 7, but only those from Windows Vista will be able to upgrade without doing a clean installation of the product.
The full versions of Windows 7--the editions for those without a copy of Windows--will be priced at $199 for Home Premium, $299 for Professional and $319 for Ultimate. The Ultimate and Professional editions are again on par with their Vista counterparts, while Home Premium is down from the $239 that Microsoft had charged with Vista. Microsoft also plans to offer the operating system in an easier-to-open box.
Things are trickier in Europe, where Microsoft has said it will only ship a special "E" version, which has the browser removed. Because of that, Microsoft is requiring all users to do a clean installation of the product. So there, Microsoft has said it will offer the full version of Windows 7 for the upgrade price.
Brooks said Microsoft made that move to avoid having to delay its launch in Europe and added that boxed copy sales make up only a fraction of its total Windows sales in Europe and throughout the world. "It does not delay the introduction of Windows 7 into the market and it gives our European customers the best possible price."
The software maker is speeding up the pace of the international launch of Windows 7 compared with past launches. Computer makers will be able to ship new PCs in all languages on launch day.
As for the retail product, Microsoft plans to have 14 languages ready by October 22: English, Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Hong Kong Chinese.
Then, on October 31, Windows 7 will be available in the remaining 21 languages--Turkish, Czech, Portuguese, Hungarian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Greek, Ukrainian, Romanian, Arabic, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Slovenian, Hebrew, Thai, Croatian, Serbian Latin, and Latvian.
"It truly will be a global release and make it a Windows 7 holiday for everybody this year," Brooks said. "People wanted it faster. We're giving it to them."
The Internet is full of threats like cross-site scripting attacks and clickjacking. A lot of these attacks work by injecting scripts in web pages that you don't even know are there. You can give yourself a modicum more protection by running a Firefox plug-in called NoScript.
NoScript blocks all scripts from running until you authorize them. Let me show you how it works.
Go to addons.mozilla.org and search for NoScript or get it from Download.com. Intsall it like you would any add-on. Once you have it installed, look in the bottom right corner at the little S with the cross-out symbol.
Clicking on it brings up a sub-menu that allows you to choose how to handle scripts on the page you're at. The safest way to go is not to allow any scripts. You'll never fall victim to code that doesn't run.
But some sites won't work without scripts so, the next safest thing is to Temporarily allow only the scripts you need and or trust. A lazier and slightly less safe method is to temporarily allow all on a page.
The next more convenient level, but also next less safe is to permanently allow scripts either individually or all for a page. This becomes necessary for things like your Bank's website or Google Docs where you don't want to constantly allow scripts every time you launch your browser. If you permanently allow scripts from a site, you're putting your trust in that site that it will never allow itself to be infected by a malicious script.
The worst thing you can do is globally allow all scripts. You might as well not run NoScript at that point. If you have allowed a script on a page and you change your mind about it, you can always choose forbid, to start blocking it again.
Running noScript means you're going to have to do a bit more thinking about pages you surf to. It was enlightening when I first started running NoScript which of my banks and utilities worked just fine without scripts and which became disabled. If nothing else, NoScript gives you more control over what risks you expose yourself to on the Net.
MSE is the free antivirus/anti-malware product that is replacing Microsoft’s paid Windows Live OneCare subscription service. It is aimed primarily at users who can’t or won’t pay for security software.
Versions: The MSE beta will be available in 32- and 64-bit flavors. It will be available in English and Brazilian Portuguese on June 23 and simplified Chinese some time later this year.
How long will the beta be available: Microsoft plans to keep the beta open until the cap is reached or the final product is available, whichever comes first.
Fake Microsoft Patches Themed Malware Campaigns Spreading
Researchers from Computer Associates (NASDAQ:CA) and Sophos are reporting on three currently active malware campaigns using fake Microsoft patch themes as a social engineering tactic to spread over email.
The first one is spreading as an “Important Windows XP/Vista Security Update” and is offering a bogus Conficker removal tool, the second is using an Outlook re-configuration — also spammed earlier this month — and the third one is using an out-of-the-band Update for Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express (KB910721) theme, which in reality is nothing else but a trojan.
The fake Conficker removal tool campaign has been active for over a week now, with Symantec pointing that not only are the authors unable to make the difference between Troj/Brisv.A and Conficker, but also, they misspelled Conficker as ConFlicker in between attaching their malware to Symantec’s original removal tool in an attempt to build more legitimatecy into the campaign.
A similar fake “Conficker Infection Alert” spam campaign redirecting to scareware took place in April, however, despite the fact that cybercriminals continue sticking to the cyclical pattern of the “Microsoft security update/patch” social engineering theme, compared to previous campaigns where the timing was perfect, in this latest one it thankfully isn’t.The second, Outlook re-configuration campaign is serving Outlook_update.exe through several legitimate and logically compromised web sites, next to the purely malicious ones. Interestingly, the third campaign promoting the fake Outlook critical update has directly attached the executable officexp-KB910721-FullFile-ENU.exe to the email, indicating their lack of experience in such campaigns.
Internet Domain Names Cross 180 Million in Q1 2009
DNS resolution truly comprises the backbone of what makes the Internet operate across the globe. DNS becomes even more critical to the overall infrastructure of the Internet not only as Internet usage grows but also as innovative products and services related to the DNS proliferate. Thereby it's not surprising that the Internet now encompasses more than 180 million domain names.
According to the first quarter 2009 Domain Name Industry Brief published by VeriSign, the first quarter of 2009 ended with a total base of nearly 183 million domain name registrations across all of the Top Level Domain Names (TLDs). This represents a three percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2008 and a 12 percent increase over the same quarter from last year. Total base of domain names in India was 1.4 million as of March 31, 2009, with approximately 800,000 .com and .net domain names.
The first quarter is historically strong for registrations in the domain name industry, and this year was no exception, with an average of 2.4 million new .com and .net registrations added each month. During the quarter, the overall base of .com and .net domain names grew to 92.4 million domain names. That total represents a two percent increase from Q4 2008, a jump of nine percent over the same quarter of the previous year, and an increase of 34 percent over the first quarter of 2007.
During the quarter Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs) rose to 74.1 million domain names globally during the first quarter, a four percent jump from the previous quarter and an 18 percent increase year over year. Gauged by total registrations, .com remains the most popular TLD category, followed by .cn (China), .de (Germany) and .net. This composition remains unchanged from Q4 2008.
VeriSign's analysis reveals how the most queried .com domain names - sites like Google.com and Yahoo.com - are not necessarily the only domain names Internet users rely upon. Rather, there are infrastructure oriented domain names that support DNS servers, hosting farms or even advertising platforms and the number of DNS queries the infrastructure domain names receive can be in the same range as the many popular end user-oriented domain names with more familiar and recognized domain names.
Seagate Technology has passed the 500 GB mark and introduced a 640 GB version of the FreeAgent Go series of portable hard drives. Already available in capacities of 250 GB, 320 GB, and 500 GB, the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive is an ideal storage companion for media files and documents for those who are constantly on the move.
Due to its diminutive size, users can easily pocket 640 GB of data and carry it along anywhere. The hard drive is also available in two colours -- silver and black. The FreeAgent Go comes with backup software, software encryption to protect all your confidential data and is energy efficient because the hard drive powers down when not in use. The FreeAgent Go is also covered by a 5-year limited warranty. Users also have the option to avail of accessories like a docking station and a carry case.
Basic Specifications: Dimensions: 80 x 130 x 12.5 mm (WxHxD) Weight: 0.16 Kg
nterface: USB 2.0 Theoretical Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps Software: Pre-loaded FreeAgent software on the drive
System Requirements The FreeAgent Go supports Windows XP/Media Center SP2/Vista SP1. It does not support the Mac OS or Linux.
To read more about the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive, visit the Seagate website.
I have a dirty secret. I've never cleaned my computer. Sure, I've dusted my monitor, but I haven't taken off the cover or tried to reach the crumbs lurking inside my keyboard.
"Your computer could fry if you don't keep it clean," says Jonathon Millman, chief technology officer for Hooplah Interactive.
Dust clogs the vents behind your computer, which causes your CPU to heat up—and heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers. Regular cleaning could save you costly maintenance fees down the road.
Keep your computer in tip-top shape by following Millman's guide to a spotless computer system.
Preparation
You'll need:
screwdriver
can of compressed air (available from computer dealers or office-supply stores)
cotton swabs (do not use a cotton ball)
rubbing alcohol
paper towels or anti-static cloths
water
Always turn your computer off before you begin and unplug all the cords.
Step 1: Inside the case
Using a screwdriver, remove the side of the case that's opposite your motherboard. Touch as little as possible inside the computer, keeping fingers away from cards and cords.
Blow air around all of the components and along the bottom of the case, keeping the nozzle four inches away from the machine. Blow air into the power supply box and into the fan (from the back of the case). Lastly, blow air into the floppy disk and CD drives. Wipe the inside of the cover with a lightly moistened cloth before replacing it.
Millman recommends doing this every three months if your case sits on the floor, if you have pets that shed, or if you smoke. Otherwise, every six to eight months is fine.
Step 2: Outside the case
Run a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol around all of the openings on the back of your case. Give them one swipe with the damp end of the swab and one swipe with the dry end. Do this as often as you clean the inside of your computer.
Step 3: Keyboard
Turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it. Most of the crumbs and dust will fall out. Take a can of compressed air and blow into and around the keys. Next, take a cotton swab and dip it in rubbing alcohol. It should be damp, but not wet. Run the cotton swab around the outside of the keys. Rub the tops of the keys. If you have a laptop, follow the same procedure but take extra care with your machine. Do this monthly.
Spills — If you have kids, you're worried about spills. If it happens, disconnect the keyboard immediately and flip it over. Blot the top with a paper towel, blow compressed air between the keys and leave it to air dry overnight. For laptops, liquid can easily penetrate the hard drive so turn the computer over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.
Step 4: Mouse
Rub the top and bottom of your mouse with a paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. Open the back and remove the ball. Wash the ball with water and let it air dry. To clean inside the mouse, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and rub all of the components. Scrape hard-to-remove grime with your fingernail. Finally, blow air into the opening. Replace the ball and the cover. Do this monthly.
Step 5: Monitor
Moisten a paper towel or a soft, lint-free cloth with water. (You can also buy monitor cleaning products at computer-supply stores.) Don't spray liquid directly onto the screen—spray the cloth instead. Wipe the screen gently to remove dust and fingerprints. Never touch the back of the monitor.
For laptop screens, Millman suggests buying a special cleaning solution available at computer stores. Do this weekly.
Finally, make sure that everything is dry before you plug your computer back in.
Most people do one of the following when their computer begins to slow down besides get angry). They either:
Improve their computer by buying more memory.
Decide to tweak their computer's settings.
Figure that their computer is old, there's nothing else they can do, and that it's probably time to buy a new computer.
All these solutions will boost a computer's performance. However, what's to keep your newly blazing PC from slowing down again after a couple months or years? A badly fragmented hard drive will bring even a top-of-the-line new computer to a grinding halt.
One easy option is to try Windows Live OneCare, a new PC care service that helps protect and keep your computer running. OneCare is always on, running in the background. It helps gives you round-the-clock protection and maintenance—virus scanning, firewalls, tune ups, file backups, the whole nine yards. If OneCare detects anything that you can do to improve the health of your computer, the service will automatically show you what action to take and give you a one-click solution. Learn5 reasons to use OneCare to help protect your computer.
A second option is to create a preventive maintenance plan. One that's easy to set up and set in motion so you never have to think about it again.
The following sections provide information on how to automate a maintenance schedule to keep your PC running smooth. These examples use Microsoft Windows XP. Some of the screens may differ from version to version, but overall you'll find these tasks work for Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows 2000, and Windows Vista.
Create a preventive maintenance plan for your computer
When people notice their computer's performance slowing, the most common reason is the hard disk. Your computer's hard disk is a non-removable area that holds all the information available from your computer. Over time, hard disks begin to lose their ability to store data efficiently.
Ideally, you should run these tools on the following schedule.
Preventive Maintenance Activity
Recommended Frequency
Clean up the hard disk of temporary files
Weekly
Rearrange (defragment) the hard disk
Monthly
Check the hard disk for errors
Weekly
Of course, who has the time (or the desire) to keep up with this schedule? The best solution is to let Windows do all of the work.
The Windows Scheduler Task Wizard allows you to set up and automate these tasks, so you never have to worry about them again.
Clean up your hard disk (weekly)
Your computer amasses temporary files over time. These files can come from any number of sources—the Web being one of the largest offenders. After a while, these temporary files will slow down your computer.
About every week, you should run the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to clear your PC of these temporary files.
To set up Disk Cleanup to run automatically:
On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
In Control Panel, double-click Scheduled Tasks.
Double-click Add Scheduled Task. The Scheduled Task Wizard appears, as shown in Figure 1. Click Next.
Figure 1: Accessing the Scheduled Task Wizard.
You'll find a list of applications within the Scheduled Task Wizard. Scroll down this list until you find Disk Cleanup. Click on Disk Wizard to highlight it, as shown in Figure 2. Click Next.
Figure 2: Selecting Disk Cleanup from the Scheduled Task Wizard.
Select a frequency for the Disk Cleanup to run. Running this task weekly is suggested, as shown in Figure 3. Click Next.
Figure 3: Setting the frequency of Disk Cleanup.
Select the best day and time of the week for the Disk Cleanup to run. Pick a time when you know you won't be using your computer, as shown in Figure 4. Click Next.
Figure 4: Picking a day and time for Disk Cleanup to run.
Enter your user name and password (the one you use when you need to log on to your computer). Click Next.
Figure 5: Associating a user with the Disk Cleanup scheduled task.
Congratulations! You've successfully scheduled your Disk Cleanup to run, as confirmed by the page shown in Figure 6. Your PC will now automatically run Disk Cleanup on the date and time you scheduled—even if you're logged off your computer.
Click Finish to have Windows automate this task.
Figure 6: Successfully scheduling Windows to run Disk Cleanup.
Rearrange your fragmented files (monthly)
Whenever a file becomes too large to store in a single location on your hard disk, your computer breaks that file into parts (or fragments). Don't worry, though. Your computer keeps track of all these fragments, piecing them together whenever the file is accessed.
However, as fragmented files accumulate on your hard disk, your computer becomes gradually slower. This is because your computer has to go through all these fragmented files in order to piece the correct parts together again.
While there's nothing you can do to prevent the fragmentation of files, Windows does have a utility (Disk Fragmenter) to help deal with this situation. Disk Fragmenter rearranges fragmented files, resulting in increased free space on your hard disk and quicker performance from your PC.
About every month, you should run the Windows Disk Defragmenter utility.
To set up Disk Defragmenter to run automatically:
On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
In Control Panel, double-click Scheduled Tasks.
Double-click Add Scheduled Task. The Scheduled Task Wizard appears. ClickNext.
Disk Fragmenter isn't available within the scroll-down list. You'll need to select it manually. Click Browse. Then, navigate to windows\system32\defrag.exe. Select defrag.exe and click Open, as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7: Navigating to defrag.exe.
The Scheduled Task Wizard asks you to define the frequency for defrag.exe to run. Monthly is suggested. Click Next.
You're then asked to select the time and day you wish this task to start. Pick a time you won't likely be using your computer.
If you selected a Monthly time frame, you're able to define what months and what day of the month this task should run. Keep all months selected, and pick a day of the month that works for you, as shown in Figure 8.
Select a start time that differs from your other scheduled tasks. That way, you won't have multiple tasks starting at exactly the same time. Click Next.
Figure 8: Picking a time frame for Disk Defragmenter to run.
Enter your user name and password (the one you use when you need to log on to your computer). Click Next.
The next dialog box in the wizard states that you've successfully scheduled Disk Fragmenter to run on the time frame you've defined. Click Finish to have Windows automate this task.
Check your hard disk for errors (weekly)
Whenever some program you're using crashes, your computer may create errors on your hard disk. These errors will eventually slow your computer to a crawl.
The good news is that Windows includes a Check Disk program. Check Disk corrects these types of errors from your hard disk—resulting in better PC performance.
About every week, you should run the Check Disk utility.
To set up Check Disk to run automatically:
On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
In Control Panel, double-click Scheduled Tasks.
Double-click Add Scheduled Task. The Scheduled Task Wizard appears. ClickNext.
Check Disk isn't available within the scroll-down list. You'll need to select it manually. Click Browse. Then, navigate to windows\system32\chkdsk.exe. Select chkdsk.exe and click Open, as shown in Figure 9.
Figure 9: Navigating to chkdsk.exe.
The Scheduled Task Wizard prompts you to define the frequency for chkdsk.exe to run. Select Weekly and click Next.
You're then asked to select the time and day you wish this task to start. Select a time you won't likely be using your computer. Make sure this start time differs from your other scheduled tasks. Avoid having your tasks start at the same time.
Enter your user name and password (the one you use when you need to log on to your computer). Disk Fragmenter will run as if you started it. Click Next.
A wizard page appears, stating that you've successfully scheduled Check Disk to run on the time frame you've defined. Click Finish to have Windows automate this task.
Let Windows do all the work
These automated tasks—while they seem simple enough—are the foundation on which your computer's performance rests. Lucky for us, Windows can completely handle these tasks. You never have to worry about them. You just set up your maintenance tasks once, automate them, and let Windows take care of the rest.
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Google Voice transcribes voice mails, and lets people read or listen to them through a Gmail-like interface.
