At the VMWorld Conference in Las Vegas, Intel will possibly release a six-core Xeon 7400 processor codenamed Dunnington. Aimed at the blade/server segment, this six-core chip is manufactured on the tick 45nm process, and will be the last chip in the Penryn lineup.
Dunnington has each core sharing 3MB of L2 cache with access to 16MB of L3 cache. Frequently used instructions can be stored in these large memory caches to reduce bottlenecks. The Thermal Design Power rating is approximately 130W, and the chip supports 1066 MegaTransfers per second interconnectivity and new SSE4 instruction sets.
At Intel Developer Forum last month, Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and co-general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group announced that Intel servers had broken multiple world performance awards. The Dunnington chip will precede Nehalem chips which will come in two, four and eight cores with integrated graphics.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Robots To Do The Bouncy Human Walk
For all its "humanity", ASIMO can't walk like a human being. Its gait may look human, but a large amount of energy is spent for every step. And what if you wanted it to run?
When we walk, our muscles store about 40 percent of the energy we spend--they act as springs. Now, roboticists at Oregon State University are working on giving the same to robots using steel cable tendons and inbuilt springs.
Right now, the project has produced a one legged robot that just hops, but does so more efficiently than any robot before it. Soon, we'll see a two-legged robot, and when the machines finally take over, they'll be able to outrun us in no time.
When we walk, our muscles store about 40 percent of the energy we spend--they act as springs. Now, roboticists at Oregon State University are working on giving the same to robots using steel cable tendons and inbuilt springs.
Right now, the project has produced a one legged robot that just hops, but does so more efficiently than any robot before it. Soon, we'll see a two-legged robot, and when the machines finally take over, they'll be able to outrun us in no time.
Large Hadron Collider Goes Online
For the purpose of this story, let's call this section Past Watch, for that is the purpose of the controversial Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This 27-kilometre circular tunnel will serve as the arena for some serious atom-smashing, and will give us more insight into what precisely happened when the universe began. It's also, incidentally, been accused of heralding its end--scientists have battled death threats to get this behemoth up and running.
On Wednesday, the team of scientists at CERN, Switzerland, gave the LHC its first test run, successfully sending a beam of particles all the way round the tunnel at 99.999998 percent of the speed of light. In October, two such beams will be made to collide at similar speeds, and the researchers hope to recreate the first few seconds of the big bang. The reaction may reveal new dimensions, dark matter, and what is known as the "God particle"--the Higgs boson. The particle is the only one in the Standard Model of particle physics to have never been observed, and is thought to be the reason that particles (and hence us) have mass.
With a statement like "recreate the big bang", it's hard not to think of this as the end of the world--the last big bang was pretty darn big, we've been told. However, the scientists are quick to point out that this is a controlled environment, and we aren't likely to see a new universe create itself.
And if they're wrong, what can you do?
On Wednesday, the team of scientists at CERN, Switzerland, gave the LHC its first test run, successfully sending a beam of particles all the way round the tunnel at 99.999998 percent of the speed of light. In October, two such beams will be made to collide at similar speeds, and the researchers hope to recreate the first few seconds of the big bang. The reaction may reveal new dimensions, dark matter, and what is known as the "God particle"--the Higgs boson. The particle is the only one in the Standard Model of particle physics to have never been observed, and is thought to be the reason that particles (and hence us) have mass.
With a statement like "recreate the big bang", it's hard not to think of this as the end of the world--the last big bang was pretty darn big, we've been told. However, the scientists are quick to point out that this is a controlled environment, and we aren't likely to see a new universe create itself.
And if they're wrong, what can you do?
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
BSNL Online Video (IPTV) in Jaipur
BSNL and Aksh Optifibre have announced the launch of icontrol, an IPTV service, in the Pink City of Jaipur. This announcement comes a month after its launch in Mumbai and Delhi. icontrol will be the first IPTV service in Rajasthan state.
icontrol is a television connection that allows users to watch programmes at their convenience. This means that users will receive a programme when they put in a request for it. The service claims to offer more than 120 channels, and an extensive movie library consisting of Hollywood and Bollywood titles at no extra cost.
In addition, the service also has A-Tube-Video Classified pages feature that offers users solutions to day-to-day requirements from lifestyle, to travel, and includes restaurants, schools, beauty parlors, even plumbers!
The icontrol service in Jaipur is priced at Rs 150 per month for BSNL Broadband subscribers. The set-up box will be provided for free against a refundable security deposit of Rs 999.
icontrol is a television connection that allows users to watch programmes at their convenience. This means that users will receive a programme when they put in a request for it. The service claims to offer more than 120 channels, and an extensive movie library consisting of Hollywood and Bollywood titles at no extra cost.
In addition, the service also has A-Tube-Video Classified pages feature that offers users solutions to day-to-day requirements from lifestyle, to travel, and includes restaurants, schools, beauty parlors, even plumbers!
The icontrol service in Jaipur is priced at Rs 150 per month for BSNL Broadband subscribers. The set-up box will be provided for free against a refundable security deposit of Rs 999.
DoT Announces 3G, WiMax Policy Overview
Finally, after a long wait, DoT announced the guidelines for the auction of allotment of spectrum for 3G and WiMax in the country. While spectrum in 2.1 GHz band was allocated for 3G auction, 2.5GHz and 2.3GHz spectrum bands were identified for WiMax. These services are expected to rollout in mid-2009.
In the case of 3G, the successful bidders will be allotted the spectrum for 20 years. Up to 10 players will be allowed in the 3G space, which includes foreign players. Those holding a UASL (Universal Access Service License), and have previous experience of running 3G services can bid for the spectrum.
In the first year of operation, operators will be exempted from the annual spectrum charge of 1% of the Adjusted Gross Revenue. Meanwhile, rollout obligations include covering 90% of metro area's within 5 years from date of spectrum allocation.
Some of the guidelines for WiMax spectrum allocation are similar to 3G, such as allowing UASL holders to bid and exempting operators from the annual spectrum charge of 1% in the first year.
In the case of 3G, the successful bidders will be allotted the spectrum for 20 years. Up to 10 players will be allowed in the 3G space, which includes foreign players. Those holding a UASL (Universal Access Service License), and have previous experience of running 3G services can bid for the spectrum.
In the first year of operation, operators will be exempted from the annual spectrum charge of 1% of the Adjusted Gross Revenue. Meanwhile, rollout obligations include covering 90% of metro area's within 5 years from date of spectrum allocation.
Some of the guidelines for WiMax spectrum allocation are similar to 3G, such as allowing UASL holders to bid and exempting operators from the annual spectrum charge of 1% in the first year.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Indian Railways to Provide Internet Service in Kerala
Indian Railways is set to join the bandwagon of Internet providers in Kerala with a special provision for those browsing education sites.
The railways is providing broadband internet connection in the state through the Railtel Corporation of India Ltd. The biggest incentive for those taking the net service of Indian Railways is that they can download education material free.
A. Seshagiri Rao, executive director (southern region) of Railtel, told IANS Railtel would provide the service through cable operators who have connectivity across the state.
"The internet service would become operational in the next two to three months," said Rao, who was in the city.
Railtel, which manages the communication sector of Indian Railways, has laid more than 38,000 km of optical fibre cable across the country, which would be the backbone for providing broadband connectivity in the state.
"Our network is such that every railway station in the country can be turned into a source for education centres. But we have decided to provide broadband connectivity to the people through cable operators. The biggest advantage for those using our connectivity is that they would get unlimited download in matters regarding education," said Rao.
Towards this, Railtel has finalized a tie-up with the seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore where they have ready more than 6,000 hours of lectures by the faculty.
"The biggest advantage of Indian Railways internet is that downloading of education material will be at a speed ranging from 2 mpbs to 30 mpbs," added Rao.
The railways is providing broadband internet connection in the state through the Railtel Corporation of India Ltd. The biggest incentive for those taking the net service of Indian Railways is that they can download education material free.
A. Seshagiri Rao, executive director (southern region) of Railtel, told IANS Railtel would provide the service through cable operators who have connectivity across the state.
"The internet service would become operational in the next two to three months," said Rao, who was in the city.
Railtel, which manages the communication sector of Indian Railways, has laid more than 38,000 km of optical fibre cable across the country, which would be the backbone for providing broadband connectivity in the state.
"Our network is such that every railway station in the country can be turned into a source for education centres. But we have decided to provide broadband connectivity to the people through cable operators. The biggest advantage for those using our connectivity is that they would get unlimited download in matters regarding education," said Rao.
Towards this, Railtel has finalized a tie-up with the seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore where they have ready more than 6,000 hours of lectures by the faculty.
"The biggest advantage of Indian Railways internet is that downloading of education material will be at a speed ranging from 2 mpbs to 30 mpbs," added Rao.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Coreflood Trojan Infects Thousands of Corporate Computers
Joe Stewart, Director of Malware Research with SecureWorks has recently made public the fact that he found a stolen data cache of unprecedented size. AFcore is a Coreflood trojan that has so far been able to avoid detection, using all this time it has been hidden to gather as much private information as possible.
The trojan works by infecting a particular work station and then laying there dormant until the network admin accesses that computer. The trojan remembers all usernames and passwords so, by grabbing the admin's log-in data, it can spread throughout the entire network. SecureWorks has already come up with security solutions for the Afcore trojan and has announced all its collaborators to do the same. Law enforcement agencies have also been briefed about the current situation.
The trojan has so far been able to infect thousands of individual PCs belonging to all kinds of corporations. The purpose of the trojan is to gather the user's personal and bank information and then deliver it to the hacker. Besides user names and passwords, the virus also stores the text content of the web page the user visits, so the hacker can be able to better determine if the info is valuable or not. For example, if an employee goes online to check their bank balance or make an e-payment, the trojan will detect their username, password and all other text info. The hacker can then take a look at said text and determine if it is worth accessing the user's bank account or not. He saves huge amounts of time by accessing only certain accounts and not all of them.
SecureWorks researchers say that getting an exact figure regarding how much money the trojan has access to is a laborious and lengthy task. Keeping in mind that thousands of computers were infected, that amount could easily surpass a few million dollars.
The trojan works by infecting a particular work station and then laying there dormant until the network admin accesses that computer. The trojan remembers all usernames and passwords so, by grabbing the admin's log-in data, it can spread throughout the entire network. SecureWorks has already come up with security solutions for the Afcore trojan and has announced all its collaborators to do the same. Law enforcement agencies have also been briefed about the current situation.
The trojan has so far been able to infect thousands of individual PCs belonging to all kinds of corporations. The purpose of the trojan is to gather the user's personal and bank information and then deliver it to the hacker. Besides user names and passwords, the virus also stores the text content of the web page the user visits, so the hacker can be able to better determine if the info is valuable or not. For example, if an employee goes online to check their bank balance or make an e-payment, the trojan will detect their username, password and all other text info. The hacker can then take a look at said text and determine if it is worth accessing the user's bank account or not. He saves huge amounts of time by accessing only certain accounts and not all of them.
SecureWorks researchers say that getting an exact figure regarding how much money the trojan has access to is a laborious and lengthy task. Keeping in mind that thousands of computers were infected, that amount could easily surpass a few million dollars.
Machine claims to get water out of thin air
With all due respector to inventor extraordinaire Dean Kamen, the notion of his "Slingshot" distillation system--which makes drinkable water from any type of liquid, including bodily fluids--has been met with more than a few squeamish responses. For those seeking a more palatable solution, the "Base 1 AirWater Machine" taps into a very different source: the air.
Its manufacturer, a Greek company called Klimatic, claims that the system can extract 5 gallons of water every 24 hours, according to Dvice, which adds: "It cleans the extracted water with an active carbon filter, runs it through an ultraviolet light chamber to kill bacteria, and then serves it up to you hot or chilled."
The question, however, is what kind of power source is needed to make the system both energy- and cost-effective. If you need something sooner--as in, an emergency--don't forget about the "LifeStraw" and the "Lifesaver" bottle.
Innings of XP is over. Vista is ahead
fter Bill Gates’ exit from Microsoft, it is now the turn of Windows XP to sign out. Windows XP (professional) is officially off the shelves, finally, with effect from June 30. Microsoft has been planning this phase out for a long time now, ever since Windows Vista hit the market in January 2007.
But Vista has so far failed to create the same buzz and hype that the XP had. Analysts attribute this to a melange of things. “Hardware requirements for Vista is higher, you need a 2GB RAM to operate Vista smoothly,” says Gartner’s principal analyst Diptarup Chakraborti. Windows XP requires 256MB to 512MB, which all Mini notebooks and older PCs have.
Microsoft is playing it safe by retaining the Windows XP (home) in the market as it can be used as an operating system (OS) for the mini notebooks. “Intel is pushing these mini notebooks and Microsoft does not want Linux to enter the market, so they have decided to delay the phase out of Windows XP (home) to 2010.” says Mr Chakraborti.
However, the XP (home) has its limitations. It does not encourage management control and restricts a user to log onto any domain.
Since its launch in January 2007, Vista has sold 140 million worldwide till date and 2 million in India. Microsoft claims most enterprises like Infosys, L&T, TCS, Satyam and other enterprises have already migrated a large number of their desktops to Vista. Mr Chakraborti, however, says many enterprises are willing to use XP and not Vista until windows 7, which is to be launched in early 2010, is on the shelves.
“There was a marketing hiccup, where many manufacturers branded their systems as Vista capable, while they could only run the most basic version (Windows Vista Basic). This made users feel cheated, when they bought Vista systems which didn’t really have the power to run Vista in its full glory. For laptop owners, another concern has been battery life. The extra features in Vista tend to drain the battery much faster than almost any other operating system on the same system,” says an analyst who did not want to be named.
“Consumers would prefer to buy Vista as it looks better than XP, but at what cost is the question. Your favourite applications may not run as they do not have drivers for them. Additionally, enterprise system engineers will have to be re-trained and software re-written for Vista,” says Frost and Sullivan Technical (insights) analyst Prithvi Raj.
So, even after it’s done away with XP may stay ahead of Vista as most users look forward to Windows 7.
But Vista has so far failed to create the same buzz and hype that the XP had. Analysts attribute this to a melange of things. “Hardware requirements for Vista is higher, you need a 2GB RAM to operate Vista smoothly,” says Gartner’s principal analyst Diptarup Chakraborti. Windows XP requires 256MB to 512MB, which all Mini notebooks and older PCs have.
Microsoft is playing it safe by retaining the Windows XP (home) in the market as it can be used as an operating system (OS) for the mini notebooks. “Intel is pushing these mini notebooks and Microsoft does not want Linux to enter the market, so they have decided to delay the phase out of Windows XP (home) to 2010.” says Mr Chakraborti.
However, the XP (home) has its limitations. It does not encourage management control and restricts a user to log onto any domain.
Since its launch in January 2007, Vista has sold 140 million worldwide till date and 2 million in India. Microsoft claims most enterprises like Infosys, L&T, TCS, Satyam and other enterprises have already migrated a large number of their desktops to Vista. Mr Chakraborti, however, says many enterprises are willing to use XP and not Vista until windows 7, which is to be launched in early 2010, is on the shelves.
“There was a marketing hiccup, where many manufacturers branded their systems as Vista capable, while they could only run the most basic version (Windows Vista Basic). This made users feel cheated, when they bought Vista systems which didn’t really have the power to run Vista in its full glory. For laptop owners, another concern has been battery life. The extra features in Vista tend to drain the battery much faster than almost any other operating system on the same system,” says an analyst who did not want to be named.
“Consumers would prefer to buy Vista as it looks better than XP, but at what cost is the question. Your favourite applications may not run as they do not have drivers for them. Additionally, enterprise system engineers will have to be re-trained and software re-written for Vista,” says Frost and Sullivan Technical (insights) analyst Prithvi Raj.
So, even after it’s done away with XP may stay ahead of Vista as most users look forward to Windows 7.
Now Yoga Lessons on your Mobile
If you don't have time for an exercise regimen and are experiencing guilt pangs because of it (or the lack of), you might want to give this one a shot. Shemaroo has tied up with various mobile operators in India to offer actor Shilpa Shetty's Yoga for download to mobile customers.
Shemaroo says that the videos have been cut and edited such that each video captures one complete Asana. In Yoga, Asanas (postures) are categorized according to the benefits they provide like those for the back, stomach, neck and shoulder, and of course Pranayam (breathing exercises).
Also on offer are detailed write-ups explaining the benefits and description/s of each Asana. Apart from these videos, consumers can download Shilpa Shetty in her Yoga poses as their mobile wall-papers and screen-savers.
Vodafone is offering a pack of Rs 99, wherein the user can download unlimited Shilpa's Yoga videos in one hour. The pack also contains a step-by-step procedure for each Asana. Similarly, Airtel, Tata, Reliance, BPL, and Idea are also offering Shilpa's Yoga content for download as a value-added service (VAS). Additionally, consumers can purchase the complete DVD for Shilpa's Yoga after sampling the videos on their mobile phones. Shilpa's Yoga Mobile downloads are also available at: http://wap.shemaroo.com.
Shemaroo says that the videos have been cut and edited such that each video captures one complete Asana. In Yoga, Asanas (postures) are categorized according to the benefits they provide like those for the back, stomach, neck and shoulder, and of course Pranayam (breathing exercises).
Also on offer are detailed write-ups explaining the benefits and description/s of each Asana. Apart from these videos, consumers can download Shilpa Shetty in her Yoga poses as their mobile wall-papers and screen-savers.
Vodafone is offering a pack of Rs 99, wherein the user can download unlimited Shilpa's Yoga videos in one hour. The pack also contains a step-by-step procedure for each Asana. Similarly, Airtel, Tata, Reliance, BPL, and Idea are also offering Shilpa's Yoga content for download as a value-added service (VAS). Additionally, consumers can purchase the complete DVD for Shilpa's Yoga after sampling the videos on their mobile phones. Shilpa's Yoga Mobile downloads are also available at: http://wap.shemaroo.com.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Lost the remote? Use your face
A researcher has discovered a way to use facial expressions to speed and slow video playback.
By using a combination of facial expression recognition software and automated tutoring technology Jacob Whitehill, a computer science Ph.D. student from UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering, is leading the project that ultimately is part of a larger venture to use automated facial expression recognition to make robots more effective teachers.
The researchers recently conducted a pilot test with 8 people that demonstrated information within the facial expressions people make while watching recorded video lectures can be used to predict a person's preferred viewing speed of the video and how difficult a person perceives the lecture at each moment in time.
"If I am a student dealing with a robot teacher and I am completely puzzled and yet the robot keeps presenting new material, that's not going to be very useful to me. If, instead, the robot stops and says, 'Oh, maybe you're confused,' and I say, 'Yes, thank you for stopping,' that's really good," said Whitehill in a release.
Recent advances in the fields of pattern recognition, computer vision, and machine learning have made automatic facial expression recognition in real-time a viable resource for intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), researchers added. As facial expression recognition technology improves in accuracy, the range of its application will grow. One particular application we are currently developing is a \smart video player" which modulates the video speed in real-time based on the user's facial expression so that the rate of lesson presentation is optimal for the current user, researchers said.
In the pilot study, researcher said the facial movements people made when they perceived the lecture to be difficult varied widely from person to person. Most of the 8 test subjects, however, blinked less frequently during difficult parts of the lecture than during easier portions of the lecture, which is supported by findings in psychology.
One of the next steps for this project is to determine what facial movements one person naturally makes when they are exposed to difficult or easy lecture material. From here, researchers could train a user specific model that predicts when a lecture should be sped up or slowed down based on the spontaneous facial expressions a person makes.
The goal of UC San Diego's Machine Perception Laboratory is to gain insights into how the brain works by developing systems that perceive and interact with humans in real time using natural communication channels. Researchers are also developing algorithms for robots that develop and learn to interact with people on their own. Applications include personal robots, perceptive tutoring systems, and system for clinical assessment, monitoring, and intervention.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Kaspersky Anti-virus 7.0 Genuine License free...
Yuvayantra.com, a web portal from TATA is giving away Kaspersky Anti-virus half year subscription on member registration. So hurry, register yourself at http://www.yuvayantra.com and grab your half year Kasperpsky Anti Virus Genuine License free of cost.
Grab Free & Exclusive Formula One 2008 Stickers Including Free International Shipping
Shell the official partner of Ferrari is giving out free Formula One stickers of their cars and drivers, unlike other such free offers which are limited to United States only this offer is available world over including free shipping.
The offer is valid till 12-00 hours GMT on 31st December 2008 and all you need to do is to fill and submit a small form providing address and email details.
Click here to avail this offer : http://www.shell.com/home/ferrari-en/html/iwgen/motorsport/app_stickers.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Microsoft, HP ship free tools to protect Web sites from hackers
June 24, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. on Tuesday unveiled free tools to help Web developers and site administrators defend against the rapidly growing number of SQL injection attacks that aim to hijack legitimate sites.
"We released two new tools, and HP has released one, to help administrators discover flaws so that they can mitigate attacks," said Mark Miller, director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing product management.
The move is in response to a major upswing during the first six months of 2008 in the number of attacks targeting legitimate sites. Most of the hacks have used SQL injection attacks, and have compromised significant sites including ones operated by government agencies, the United Nations and major corporations.
In a report issued the same day, Finnish security company F-Secure estimated the number of pages hacked by SQL injection attacks so far this year at between two and three million.
Previously, Microsoft has denied that its software was vulnerable to attack or otherwise responsible for the flood of hacked sites. Instead, the company told developers and administrators to follow the company's guidelines to protect their sites from attack.
That stance hasn't changed, but Miller said Microsoft's customers have been asking for more help. "We have seen a recent rise in the number of SQL injection attacks," he acknowledged, "and we wanted to provide some tools and guidance to users so that they could deal with these attacks."
One of the two Microsoft tools came from the company's IIS (Internet Information Services) Web server developers. Dubbed "UrlScan," it's actually an updated version of a tool last refreshed in 2003, said Wade Hilmo, a senior development lead in the IIS group.
UrlScan, Hilmo added, can now scan query strings -- not only a URL itself, as before -- so that it can filter the malicious strings that power SQL injection attacks. But it's only a temporary stopgap meant to protect a site while developers go into the code to correct the problems being exploited. "This is only a mitigation," Hilmo cautioned.
It should block the bulk of attacks, however. "UrlScan can filter out all the known versions of the attacks we've seen this year," said Hilmo.
Microsoft's SQL Server team contributed the second Microsoft utility, "SQL Source Code Analysis Tool," which analyzes ASP.Net code and sniffs out vulnerable bits. APS.Net is Microsoft's Web application framework, and a major target of 2008's injection attack campaigns.
Fixes, however, must still be made manually by developers, said Bala Neerumalla, a software security developer in the company's SQL group.
Users shouldn't think that Microsoft is getting altruistic, said John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner. "Don't fool yourself, if these attacks were only against, say, MySQL, they wouldn't be doing this." Rather, Microsoft is reacting to the uptick in attacks against ASP.Net code, he continued.
"This [SQL injection attack trend] really started when companies began looking at Web 2.0 and decided that they had to have things like social networking and blogging on their sites," said Pescatore. "A lot of those features were added and didn't go through the normal checks [for secure code]. That kind of tinkering leads to a loss of discipline."
Tools like these, added Pescatore, "rattle the doorknobs" of a site, like a city cop on a beat once did as he passed through his neighborhood. "Better for us to rattle them first," said Pescatore.
Also today, Hewlett-Packard's Web security team posted "HP Scrawlr" -- short for "SQL Injector and Crawler" -- to its Web site. Like "fuzzers" that researchers use to spot potential security problems in, for instance, file formats, HP Scrawlr analyzes Web pages for vulnerability to SQL injection attack, then reports its findings.
Microsoft unveiled its free tools in an advisory posted by the Microsoft Security Response Center, which included download links for UrlScan and SQL Source Code Analysis Tool.
"We released two new tools, and HP has released one, to help administrators discover flaws so that they can mitigate attacks," said Mark Miller, director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing product management.
The move is in response to a major upswing during the first six months of 2008 in the number of attacks targeting legitimate sites. Most of the hacks have used SQL injection attacks, and have compromised significant sites including ones operated by government agencies, the United Nations and major corporations.
In a report issued the same day, Finnish security company F-Secure estimated the number of pages hacked by SQL injection attacks so far this year at between two and three million.
Previously, Microsoft has denied that its software was vulnerable to attack or otherwise responsible for the flood of hacked sites. Instead, the company told developers and administrators to follow the company's guidelines to protect their sites from attack.
That stance hasn't changed, but Miller said Microsoft's customers have been asking for more help. "We have seen a recent rise in the number of SQL injection attacks," he acknowledged, "and we wanted to provide some tools and guidance to users so that they could deal with these attacks."
One of the two Microsoft tools came from the company's IIS (Internet Information Services) Web server developers. Dubbed "UrlScan," it's actually an updated version of a tool last refreshed in 2003, said Wade Hilmo, a senior development lead in the IIS group.
UrlScan, Hilmo added, can now scan query strings -- not only a URL itself, as before -- so that it can filter the malicious strings that power SQL injection attacks. But it's only a temporary stopgap meant to protect a site while developers go into the code to correct the problems being exploited. "This is only a mitigation," Hilmo cautioned.
It should block the bulk of attacks, however. "UrlScan can filter out all the known versions of the attacks we've seen this year," said Hilmo.
Microsoft's SQL Server team contributed the second Microsoft utility, "SQL Source Code Analysis Tool," which analyzes ASP.Net code and sniffs out vulnerable bits. APS.Net is Microsoft's Web application framework, and a major target of 2008's injection attack campaigns.
Fixes, however, must still be made manually by developers, said Bala Neerumalla, a software security developer in the company's SQL group.
Users shouldn't think that Microsoft is getting altruistic, said John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner. "Don't fool yourself, if these attacks were only against, say, MySQL, they wouldn't be doing this." Rather, Microsoft is reacting to the uptick in attacks against ASP.Net code, he continued.
"This [SQL injection attack trend] really started when companies began looking at Web 2.0 and decided that they had to have things like social networking and blogging on their sites," said Pescatore. "A lot of those features were added and didn't go through the normal checks [for secure code]. That kind of tinkering leads to a loss of discipline."
Tools like these, added Pescatore, "rattle the doorknobs" of a site, like a city cop on a beat once did as he passed through his neighborhood. "Better for us to rattle them first," said Pescatore.
Also today, Hewlett-Packard's Web security team posted "HP Scrawlr" -- short for "SQL Injector and Crawler" -- to its Web site. Like "fuzzers" that researchers use to spot potential security problems in, for instance, file formats, HP Scrawlr analyzes Web pages for vulnerability to SQL injection attack, then reports its findings.
Microsoft unveiled its free tools in an advisory posted by the Microsoft Security Response Center, which included download links for UrlScan and SQL Source Code Analysis Tool.
Updates come for CorelDRAW X4
A service pack became available Tuesday for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 illustration and desktop publishing applications.
Corel's updates add support for more than 25 new camera RAW formats. The company also aimed to iron out some graphic design workflows.
"With this service pack for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, we have focused on addressing the major feedback provided by our users," said Gerard Metrailler, senior director of Corel's graphics product management.
Users can obtain the updates automatically via the installed software, or by visiting Corel.com. A free trial of the suite is also available.
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes CorelDRAW for illustration and page layout, PhotoPaint for photo editing, and PowerTRACE for bitmap-to-vector tracing. The package, considered a competitor to the more expensive Adobe Illustrator and InDesign CS3, works on Windows Vista and XP systems.
Corel also sells the image applications Painter and PaintShop Pro, as well as WordPerfect X4, a competitor to Microsoft Office.
Earlier in June, the Ottawa, Ontario-based company announced an early preview of its Designer Technical Suite X4, which includes CAD 3D and AutoCAD compatibilityNokia To Make Symbian Open Source
Wednesday, June 25, 2008: Nokia is planning to kill three birds with one stone -- Symbian. The big company Nokia from a small country Finland is planning to make some major changes in the mobile industry. The first step is to acquire the remaining shares in Symbian, the software company that develops and licences Symbian OS, an open operating system for mobile devices. Nokia, which makes 40 per cent of all phones sold globally, will pay €264 million ($410 million) for the 52 per cent of British-based Symbian it does not already own. Secondly, Nokia would gradually open up the Symbian platform, making it open source. And thirdly, it is bringing all the leading mobile players together for the Symbian platform.
Plans for the Foundation have already received wide support from other industry leaders. The industry majors who will be part of the foundation include biggies like AT&T, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone. Membership of this non-profit Foundation will be open to all organisations. This initiative is supported by current shareholders and management of Symbian Limited, who have been actively involved in its development.
The Foundation's platform will build on the leading open mobile software platform, with more than 200 million phones, across 235 models, already shipped by multiple vendors and tens of thousands of third-party applications already available for Symbian OS-based devices.
Contributions from Foundation members through open collaboration will be integrated to further enhance the platform. The Foundation will make selected components available as open source at launch. It will then work to establish the most complete mobile software offering available in open source. This will be made available over the next two years and is intended to be released under Eclipse Public License (EPL) 1.0.
Plans for the Foundation have already received wide support from other industry leaders. The industry majors who will be part of the foundation include biggies like AT&T, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone. Membership of this non-profit Foundation will be open to all organisations. This initiative is supported by current shareholders and management of Symbian Limited, who have been actively involved in its development.
The Foundation's platform will build on the leading open mobile software platform, with more than 200 million phones, across 235 models, already shipped by multiple vendors and tens of thousands of third-party applications already available for Symbian OS-based devices.
Contributions from Foundation members through open collaboration will be integrated to further enhance the platform. The Foundation will make selected components available as open source at launch. It will then work to establish the most complete mobile software offering available in open source. This will be made available over the next two years and is intended to be released under Eclipse Public License (EPL) 1.0.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Bundle Offer: Get Virgin Mobile's vTrendy With Lifetime Validity
Priced at Rs 1,499, the new vTrendy handset includes one-touch access to Vbytes -- Virgin Mobile’s VAS data portal.
Monday, June 23, 2008: Virgin Mobile has introduced its vTrendy handset - a colour screen phone loaded with FM radio. With every vTrendy phone, users will get lifetime validity recharge and a starter user kit. Weighing 65gms, vTrendy is loaded with features which include one-touch access to Vbytes - Virgin Mobile’s data portal, speaker phone, organiser, phonebook memory of 500 contacts and additional 150 contacts on RUIM (SIM) card, to name a few.
Commenting on the launch, P Madhavan, chief sales and distribution officer, Virgin Mobile India, said, “Youth today are faced with a situation where they have no stylish CDMA handsets in the price range of below Rs 1,500. Even a GSM service provider’s handset bundled offer does not really appeal to them because of lack of attractive handsets. vTrendy is a ‘no compromise deal for youth’ since it combines a stylish handset to suit their budget, is loaded with features such as FM radio, 65K colour and long messaging service (LMS) and is bundled with an offer tailored just for them.”
According to Deval Parikh, chief officer, handsets, VAS and procurement, Virgin Mobile India, “This stylish looking, light weighted, sleek and feature rich handset has been especially designed to appeal to our young audience who consider personal devices an expression of their style statement amongst their peer group. To add to our users delight, vTrendy has a one-touch access to Vbytes, Virgin Mobile’s VAS data portal, where users can get unlimited access to Virgin Mobile selected content and other applications for a simple charge of Rs 5 per day.”
With a price tag of Rs 1,499, vTrendy is available across 15,000 outlets nationally and over 1,000 modern retail outlets including The Mobile Store, Univercell, Croma, Convergem, Big C, Vishal Mega Mart, Vijay Sales and Sangeetha, to name a few. Apart from this, the handset will be made available in 34 kiosks in high traffic malls across the country.
Monday, June 23, 2008: Virgin Mobile has introduced its vTrendy handset - a colour screen phone loaded with FM radio. With every vTrendy phone, users will get lifetime validity recharge and a starter user kit. Weighing 65gms, vTrendy is loaded with features which include one-touch access to Vbytes - Virgin Mobile’s data portal, speaker phone, organiser, phonebook memory of 500 contacts and additional 150 contacts on RUIM (SIM) card, to name a few.
Commenting on the launch, P Madhavan, chief sales and distribution officer, Virgin Mobile India, said, “Youth today are faced with a situation where they have no stylish CDMA handsets in the price range of below Rs 1,500. Even a GSM service provider’s handset bundled offer does not really appeal to them because of lack of attractive handsets. vTrendy is a ‘no compromise deal for youth’ since it combines a stylish handset to suit their budget, is loaded with features such as FM radio, 65K colour and long messaging service (LMS) and is bundled with an offer tailored just for them.”
According to Deval Parikh, chief officer, handsets, VAS and procurement, Virgin Mobile India, “This stylish looking, light weighted, sleek and feature rich handset has been especially designed to appeal to our young audience who consider personal devices an expression of their style statement amongst their peer group. To add to our users delight, vTrendy has a one-touch access to Vbytes, Virgin Mobile’s VAS data portal, where users can get unlimited access to Virgin Mobile selected content and other applications for a simple charge of Rs 5 per day.”
With a price tag of Rs 1,499, vTrendy is available across 15,000 outlets nationally and over 1,000 modern retail outlets including The Mobile Store, Univercell, Croma, Convergem, Big C, Vishal Mega Mart, Vijay Sales and Sangeetha, to name a few. Apart from this, the handset will be made available in 34 kiosks in high traffic malls across the country.
Monday, June 23, 2008
SMS For Free With Peekamo
Peekamo has announced the launch of its mobile social network service. The launch marks the availability of this service in India which enables users to send and receive text messages on their cell phones for free.
The SMS-sponsored messages can be sent to individuals as well as groups, and a user's cell phone number does not show. Users of Peekamo can create a profile, find other users, and enjoy their benefits for free. This service allows Peekamo users, to connect with people outside their network as well.
Peekamo maintains that it solves the cost and technical problems of messaging with its universal platform for mobile to mobile, PC to mobile and mobile to PC text messaging.
Speaking about the service, Al Sajoo, Chief Executive Officer, Peekamo, said, "Digitalization of communication has ushered in certain innovations that have facilitated us to stay connected with our near and dear irrespective of which part of the world they are in. Our service has already garnered a good customer base in U.S and Canada and we are sure that this innovative service will be widely accepted and appreciated in India also."
Peekamo ensures that the service is 100% spam free. Advertisements though, are embedded into messages.
The SMS-sponsored messages can be sent to individuals as well as groups, and a user's cell phone number does not show. Users of Peekamo can create a profile, find other users, and enjoy their benefits for free. This service allows Peekamo users, to connect with people outside their network as well.
Peekamo maintains that it solves the cost and technical problems of messaging with its universal platform for mobile to mobile, PC to mobile and mobile to PC text messaging.
Speaking about the service, Al Sajoo, Chief Executive Officer, Peekamo, said, "Digitalization of communication has ushered in certain innovations that have facilitated us to stay connected with our near and dear irrespective of which part of the world they are in. Our service has already garnered a good customer base in U.S and Canada and we are sure that this innovative service will be widely accepted and appreciated in India also."
Peekamo ensures that the service is 100% spam free. Advertisements though, are embedded into messages.
Security Flaw Tarnishes Firefox Download Record
The new version of the Firefox browser was downloaded over eight million times in its first 24 hours of release in what organisers claimed was a world record.
But the success was tempered by reports from a software security company that Firefox 3.0 contained a serious security flaw that potentially lets an attacker take over a PC if a user clicks on a booby-trapped link.
According to the Mozilla foundation that released the new browser, the software was downloaded 8.3 million times in its first 24 hours of release starting Tuesday morning.
The downloads were so popular that they initially crashed the servers running the operation.
At their busiest, the servers were handling more than 9,000 downloads per minute and within five hours had surpassed the initial daily download of 1.6 million set by Firefox 2.0 in October 2006.
DV Labs/Tipping Point did not release details of the security flaw except to Mozilla, but news of the glitch was damaging to the browser which was claimed to be much more secure than the previous version.
Firefox 3.0 offers faster web browsing than the previous versions, along with lower memory use and nifty features like a built-in search application that automatically combs your web history.
Tech critics greeted the new browser and recommended users to adopt it.
"Firefox 3 is the best Web browser I've ever seen. And I've been using the Web since before there were Web browsers," said ComputerWorld's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols.
Firefox has been rapidly attracting users since its 2004 launch and now has approximately 18 percent of the market, compared to the 72 percent share enjoyed by Internet Explorer which has the advantage of being pre-installed on the vast majority of computers.
Firefox is mainly downloaded by individual users and as of February 2008 it had been downloaded over 500 million times. However, since one user may download the software several times, the best estimate for regular Firefox users is around 140 million.
But the success was tempered by reports from a software security company that Firefox 3.0 contained a serious security flaw that potentially lets an attacker take over a PC if a user clicks on a booby-trapped link.
According to the Mozilla foundation that released the new browser, the software was downloaded 8.3 million times in its first 24 hours of release starting Tuesday morning.
The downloads were so popular that they initially crashed the servers running the operation.
At their busiest, the servers were handling more than 9,000 downloads per minute and within five hours had surpassed the initial daily download of 1.6 million set by Firefox 2.0 in October 2006.
DV Labs/Tipping Point did not release details of the security flaw except to Mozilla, but news of the glitch was damaging to the browser which was claimed to be much more secure than the previous version.
Firefox 3.0 offers faster web browsing than the previous versions, along with lower memory use and nifty features like a built-in search application that automatically combs your web history.
Tech critics greeted the new browser and recommended users to adopt it.
"Firefox 3 is the best Web browser I've ever seen. And I've been using the Web since before there were Web browsers," said ComputerWorld's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols.
Firefox has been rapidly attracting users since its 2004 launch and now has approximately 18 percent of the market, compared to the 72 percent share enjoyed by Internet Explorer which has the advantage of being pre-installed on the vast majority of computers.
Firefox is mainly downloaded by individual users and as of February 2008 it had been downloaded over 500 million times. However, since one user may download the software several times, the best estimate for regular Firefox users is around 140 million.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Did Microsoft Fake XP on XO Press Media?!
Do you remember all the hoopla around the XP on the XO announcement in May? Where Microsoft gave us a press release, blog post, and a video, all announcing Windows XP for the XO laptop. Well, thanks to the sleuths on OLPC News Forum it looks like Microsoft may have faked two of the three.
XP on XO Photoshopped?
First, let's look at the official press release photograph showing XP on the XO. Now, take a very, very close look. Do you see what teapot sees?
The image is definitely an overlay -- lower corners obscure the screen border, and black areas around the screen are nowhere to be found.If you look at the photo on James U's blog post, you can really tell the difference - his image has the XP screen looking way more natural. And if that were the only trespass, who really cares, eh? Everyone Photoshops.However diagonal graininess of the blue background seems to suggest that it may be taken on XO or XO emulator, and pasted to compensate for camera's contrast/dynamic range. Pretty strange considering that XO screen is not particularly bright or glossy.
Yet, its not. Just take a close look at the Microsoft XP on XO video:
Now re-watch that video, closely, and pay attention to the background and the details of Bohdan Raciborski's actions. Previously, we knew there was some time-shifting going on when Doug noticed subtle changes in previous comments:The other observation is that this "video" is a very well done production and something done over a period of time and not likely a short period of time.But recently, we've had a bit more analysis of the video, and the results may surprise you. After a close inspection, Anna has a startling opinion:I say this because if you look at the section where he does the video capture, the recorded video of him waving does not have the poster on the wall behind him. The "live" shot where he waves his hand does have the poster behind him.
At the very least, the Windows Movie Maker thing was staged or faked. My BF has an XP machine, and being an A/V tech, was kinda curious. Recording video with Windows Movie Maker doesn't work like that. And it's out of order. Notice how the clip is at the bottom left of the screen the entire time and then disappears when it's time to "save" it.Now how could Microsoft faked such a video? Let's have Anna explain her hypothesis:In addition, the audio doesn't seem to match the wave patterns in the audio record. If it really played off the XO, I've never heard the XO speakers sound that good.
To spell it out, I'm bringing up the possibility that they captured the output from a regular XP machine to a video file and played it back on the XO to produce a carefully choreographed demonstration. Yeah, I know it sounds like a bizarre conspiracy theory.Or does it? Its not like Microsoft hasn't faked video before. They were famously caught trying to use "massaged" videos in their anti-trust Netscape case with the Department of Justice. And in this case, a massaged video wouldn't be legally actionable, but did serve its PR purpose. That is until eagle-eye Anna spotted one last, tell-tale trace of XP on the XO fakery:
Notice how the HDD light (the one on the far left) only comes on during bootup and is off the entire time during the demonstration EXCEPT when he flips the screen around to show off Internet Explorer in book mode?Huh. That's not how the XO hard disk light works.
source : http://www.olpcnews.com/sales_talk/microsoft/microsoft_fake_press_media.html
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Two New Email ID Domains for Yahoo! Users
Starting today, Yahoo! users will have two more options to choose from for their email addresses. The two new email address domains are ymail.com and rocketmail.com.
The rocketmail.com domain name relates back to Yahoo!'s $92 million acquisition of Four11 in 1997. Four11 is the company that offered free RocketMail service.
Yahoo! claims to presently have over 260 million users, and probably, most of the simple IDs are already used up, so users are left with no other option but to create complicated IDs and then strive to remember them. However, with the new domain address additions, users can once again create simpler IDs ending with ymail.com and rocketmail.com.
Email accounts created using the new domain addresses will offer the same features as Yahoo.com including unlimited storage at no cost and instant messenger built within the in-box. Users will be able to use these IDs to sign-in into other Yahoo! sites and services. Meanwhile, the company also plans to launch the localized country versions of the same.
The rocketmail.com domain name relates back to Yahoo!'s $92 million acquisition of Four11 in 1997. Four11 is the company that offered free RocketMail service.
Yahoo! claims to presently have over 260 million users, and probably, most of the simple IDs are already used up, so users are left with no other option but to create complicated IDs and then strive to remember them. However, with the new domain address additions, users can once again create simpler IDs ending with ymail.com and rocketmail.com.
Email accounts created using the new domain addresses will offer the same features as Yahoo.com including unlimited storage at no cost and instant messenger built within the in-box. Users will be able to use these IDs to sign-in into other Yahoo! sites and services. Meanwhile, the company also plans to launch the localized country versions of the same.
22 Inches TFT LCD Monitors from Intex
Intex Technologies (India) has launched its 22-inches wide-screen TFT LCD monitors; the IT 22 LCT and 2201.
The IT 22 LCT serves a dual purpose: besides being a LCD monitor, it comes with a TV function. HDMI port connectivity provides high-definition video and eight-channel audio entertainment by enabling single cable support for various sources such as set-top boxes, DVD players, video game consoles, and so on. Other features include a 22-inches wide-screen TFT LCD with 1680 x 1050 WXGA resolution, 3 milliseconds response time, and dual speakers. This particular monitor comes for Rs 18,000 (MOP).
The other TFT LCD monitor from Intex, 2201, sans TV Tuner card, is positioned as a user-friendly monitor for gaming, multimedia, and professional purposes. A prominent feature of 2201 is DVI port connectivity providing a single connector for various audio and video formats. Other features are more or less like those of the IT 22 LCT except that the response time is 5 milliseconds. This monitor sports a price tag (MOP) of Rs 12,600.
The IT 22 LCT serves a dual purpose: besides being a LCD monitor, it comes with a TV function. HDMI port connectivity provides high-definition video and eight-channel audio entertainment by enabling single cable support for various sources such as set-top boxes, DVD players, video game consoles, and so on. Other features include a 22-inches wide-screen TFT LCD with 1680 x 1050 WXGA resolution, 3 milliseconds response time, and dual speakers. This particular monitor comes for Rs 18,000 (MOP).
The other TFT LCD monitor from Intex, 2201, sans TV Tuner card, is positioned as a user-friendly monitor for gaming, multimedia, and professional purposes. A prominent feature of 2201 is DVI port connectivity providing a single connector for various audio and video formats. Other features are more or less like those of the IT 22 LCT except that the response time is 5 milliseconds. This monitor sports a price tag (MOP) of Rs 12,600.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Decoding BlackBerry: Encryption limit may hit 256 Bits
NEW DELHI: The government is planning to increase the permitted level of encryption for electronic data from 40 to 256 bits. This will allow decoding of electronic mails sent through BlackBerry. The matter is presently being examined by the National Security Advisor (NSA).
The move comes after Research In Motion (RIM), the makers of BlackBerry, expressed their inability to provide a solution to the government for decoding encrypted data, claiming that it itself couldn’t decode the mails sent through its system. RIM has, however, said that they would come with some solution by the end of this month.
“The government would involve third-party agents to crack the encryption code if RIM does not come out with a solution. It is, however, not possible for any third party to bring down the level of encrypted data at the prescribed level. To avoid technical ambiguity, the government may raise the prescribed limit for data encryption to 256 bits,” an official source said, adding that the matter has been referred to the NSA for its comments.
A mail sent in this regard to communication minister A Raja and telecom secretary Siddharth Behura went unanswered. Country’s security agencies have earlier complained that messages transmitted through BlackBerry devices posed a risk as they couldn’t be traced.
The move comes after Research In Motion (RIM), the makers of BlackBerry, expressed their inability to provide a solution to the government for decoding encrypted data, claiming that it itself couldn’t decode the mails sent through its system. RIM has, however, said that they would come with some solution by the end of this month.
“The government would involve third-party agents to crack the encryption code if RIM does not come out with a solution. It is, however, not possible for any third party to bring down the level of encrypted data at the prescribed level. To avoid technical ambiguity, the government may raise the prescribed limit for data encryption to 256 bits,” an official source said, adding that the matter has been referred to the NSA for its comments.
A mail sent in this regard to communication minister A Raja and telecom secretary Siddharth Behura went unanswered. Country’s security agencies have earlier complained that messages transmitted through BlackBerry devices posed a risk as they couldn’t be traced.
Microsoft to Sponsor Open Source Initiative
Microsoft has signed a deal with Open Source Census, a project aimed at finding out what open source programs are most frequently used by companies as well as how many companies are using them, to sponsor the initiative. Open Source Census’s goal is to use the information resulted from the study to find better ways of convincing more and more companies to use open source programs in their daily activity.
So the question seems to be why would Microsoft, a company that makes money out of selling software, want to support a project that seems to be aimed against its interests. What is obvious is that there must be something that Microsoft hopes to benefit of, since it’s well known that the Redmond-based company knows how to make money from every situation.
There are two scenarios that could both be true, and that Microsoft can take advantage of. First of all, it might be a PR stunt that the software giant uses to gain the public’s perception of it actively supporting the open source community. The company could latter use this episode to claim that it is involved in open source efforts, without contributing with what it is essential for this source of initiative: code.
The other idea could be that Microsoft would use the information discovered by the study to gain a better understanding about where it should make changes to its products to make them better than the competition, and what products it can stop focusing on, knowing that the companies prefer similar open source ones.
Which of the two, if any, is the right answer remains to be seen. What is probably true is that Microsoft would not sponsor anything just out of good will.
So the question seems to be why would Microsoft, a company that makes money out of selling software, want to support a project that seems to be aimed against its interests. What is obvious is that there must be something that Microsoft hopes to benefit of, since it’s well known that the Redmond-based company knows how to make money from every situation.
There are two scenarios that could both be true, and that Microsoft can take advantage of. First of all, it might be a PR stunt that the software giant uses to gain the public’s perception of it actively supporting the open source community. The company could latter use this episode to claim that it is involved in open source efforts, without contributing with what it is essential for this source of initiative: code.
The other idea could be that Microsoft would use the information discovered by the study to gain a better understanding about where it should make changes to its products to make them better than the competition, and what products it can stop focusing on, knowing that the companies prefer similar open source ones.
Which of the two, if any, is the right answer remains to be seen. What is probably true is that Microsoft would not sponsor anything just out of good will.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Mozilla shows off Firefox Mobile interface concept - Video
Want to know what the upcoming Firefox Mobile web browser will look like? So do we. And the video above may or may not give us an idea. Aza Raskin, the head of user experience for Mozilla describes the concept interface shown in the video as a "conceptual mockup" of an "experimental UI." In other words, there's no gaurantee that the final version of Firefox Mobile will bear any resemblance to the concept. But then again, it might look exactly like this.
In a nutshell, the concept UI shares some features with Firefox 3, including tabbed browsing and the "awesome bar," which shows you results from your browsing history when you enter a URL. But there are a few aspects that have been designed with mobile devices in mind:
[via Mozilla Labs]
In a nutshell, the concept UI shares some features with Firefox 3, including tabbed browsing and the "awesome bar," which shows you results from your browsing history when you enter a URL. But there are a few aspects that have been designed with mobile devices in mind:
- You can navigate a page by clicking and dragging it. There are no scrollbars, which means more screen real estate.
- There are also no back, forward, refresh, or other buttons on the main screen. The web page takes up the whole screen.
- You can find navigation buttons by dragging the screen to the right, which brings up a series of buttons on the left side of the screen, including back, forward, bookmark, and page info.
- You minimize a window by dragging it to the left or right and clicking the zoom button. You can then navigate between open tabs or open a new one.
- When you reach the bottom of a web page, there will be buttons for performing specific functions like submitting a page to Digg or del.icio.us or mapping an address found on a web page
[via Mozilla Labs]
Energy calculator for computers
There are online energy calculators available on the internet such as the Extreme power supply calculator. All you have to do is punch in the detailed configuration of your PC or laptop and click the calculate button. The aggregate of power consumed by all the components is displayed.
Link:- Extreme power supply calculator
Link:- Extreme power supply calculator
EFiX Hack Dongle to Let PC Users Run OS X without Hacks
EFiX claims it was able to produce and (until now) successfully test an USB dongle that is slightly different than other commercial products aimed at emulating Apple's elusive OS. EFiX's solution is said to be the best and most reliable for installing and running Mac OS X on your PC.
According to the makers, all you need is an original copy of Mac OS X (that's right, you don't need a cracked
Mac OS X copy, although some would prefer this cheap alternative), a regular PC (sporting the necessary
hardware requirements, of course) and EFiX's solution.
The EFiX OS X hack dongle "allows its user to install Mac OS X straight from the original DVD without having to worry about patches, replacing files and anything like that," says the development team. "That means you can buy a regular PC, Mac OS X and EFiX and enjoy what the Mac users have always enjoyed: unmodified Mac OS X on your computer, safe, easy and fast, exactly the way it should be."
Don't want to be picky or anything, but Mac OS X should run on a Mac to be "the way it should be." Nevertheless, I'm sure EFiX's solution can achieve similar standards.
The development team also claims it took them a great deal of time to come up with EFiX, noting that, during the development phase, they had to deal with various problems, "including sabotage."
The 6 months they took to develop the EFiX OS X hack dongle also included testing, "which has been conducted […] in production environments. Industry leading professionals (who work for TV stations, recording studios and many others) rely on EFiX and Mac OS X running on standard PC hardware to get their tasks done," the team added.
PC owners looking to try out Mac OS X without fuss and, most importantly, without actually buying a Mac, should be happy to hear that EFiX is in the final testing phase, looking at a June 23rd release (that's this month).
"All the testing has went far better than what we expected and the testers have given positive feedback," the development team assures. "More information will be added soon," according to their post.
Netkas, who works on the OSX86 team, has even put up a video of the thing in action. By the looks of it, it does work as promised. Here, have a look for yourself.
Source
According to the makers, all you need is an original copy of Mac OS X (that's right, you don't need a cracked
Mac OS X copy, although some would prefer this cheap alternative), a regular PC (sporting the necessary
hardware requirements, of course) and EFiX's solution.
The EFiX OS X hack dongle "allows its user to install Mac OS X straight from the original DVD without having to worry about patches, replacing files and anything like that," says the development team. "That means you can buy a regular PC, Mac OS X and EFiX and enjoy what the Mac users have always enjoyed: unmodified Mac OS X on your computer, safe, easy and fast, exactly the way it should be."
Don't want to be picky or anything, but Mac OS X should run on a Mac to be "the way it should be." Nevertheless, I'm sure EFiX's solution can achieve similar standards.
The development team also claims it took them a great deal of time to come up with EFiX, noting that, during the development phase, they had to deal with various problems, "including sabotage."
The 6 months they took to develop the EFiX OS X hack dongle also included testing, "which has been conducted […] in production environments. Industry leading professionals (who work for TV stations, recording studios and many others) rely on EFiX and Mac OS X running on standard PC hardware to get their tasks done," the team added.
PC owners looking to try out Mac OS X without fuss and, most importantly, without actually buying a Mac, should be happy to hear that EFiX is in the final testing phase, looking at a June 23rd release (that's this month).
"All the testing has went far better than what we expected and the testers have given positive feedback," the development team assures. "More information will be added soon," according to their post.
Netkas, who works on the OSX86 team, has even put up a video of the thing in action. By the looks of it, it does work as promised. Here, have a look for yourself.
Source
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Robotic Hand with sixth sense
Researchers at Intel have developed a robotic hand, well claw, that can sense the general shape of objects before they grasp it.
Basically the principle it works on is simple if not the technology itself. The tips of the fingers send out weak electrical impulses that when interfered by objects give the finger the location of the object. Something like electrical sonar. The Intel researchers are presently calling it Pre-Touch. Wired.com has nicknamed it "Sixth-sense" which does have a catchier tune to it.
Basically the principle it works on is simple if not the technology itself. The tips of the fingers send out weak electrical impulses that when interfered by objects give the finger the location of the object. Something like electrical sonar. The Intel researchers are presently calling it Pre-Touch. Wired.com has nicknamed it "Sixth-sense" which does have a catchier tune to it.
College Admissions Go Online in Mumbai
Students seeking admission in first year junior college (and their parents) can breathe a sigh of relief. Now they will not have to go about visiting every college to get the admission forms, at least in Maharashtra.
The state government of Maharashtra has a launched a new website 'www.mumbaiapplication.com' that will offer online admission form submission facility for first year junior college across over 500 colleges that are affiliated to the University of Mumbai, reports IANS.
Students will have to create an account to get started with filling the admission applications online. The registration will include the personal details that are usually asked by the college, which will save the hassle of typing the details every time while filling the form. The system will auto-complete information in the application as you type.
In addition, if the student has passed SSC from Maharashtra Board this year, they will only need to submit their seat number of the SSC exam, after which their name, caste, and marks will be automatically picked up from the SSC results. For other boards, students will have to enter the data manually, as well as also upload scanned images of their marklists and school leaving certificates.
After registration, students can select the colleges of their choice and pay the application fees online itself. A online receipt of the payment made will be sent through email as well as on the mobile phone mentioned in the registration form.
However, those who still want to follow the traditional process can go ahead and follow the manual process of scurrying from one college to another followed by standing in queues for submission of their application forms.
The state government of Maharashtra has a launched a new website 'www.mumbaiapplication.com' that will offer online admission form submission facility for first year junior college across over 500 colleges that are affiliated to the University of Mumbai, reports IANS.
Students will have to create an account to get started with filling the admission applications online. The registration will include the personal details that are usually asked by the college, which will save the hassle of typing the details every time while filling the form. The system will auto-complete information in the application as you type.
In addition, if the student has passed SSC from Maharashtra Board this year, they will only need to submit their seat number of the SSC exam, after which their name, caste, and marks will be automatically picked up from the SSC results. For other boards, students will have to enter the data manually, as well as also upload scanned images of their marklists and school leaving certificates.
After registration, students can select the colleges of their choice and pay the application fees online itself. A online receipt of the payment made will be sent through email as well as on the mobile phone mentioned in the registration form.
However, those who still want to follow the traditional process can go ahead and follow the manual process of scurrying from one college to another followed by standing in queues for submission of their application forms.
Spice S-525 Launched in India
The Spice Mobile phone company has a launched a new low-priced music phone, the S-525. The handset comes with an FM recording feature that allows users to record their favorite songs at the click of a button, while listening to them on the radio station.
The mobile phone weighs 77g and measures 103.1 x 43.4 x 17.8mm. It sports a 65-K colour TFT screen and has several features such as scheduled on/off, sing-tones, 500 phone-book contacts, speaker phones, among others.
The phone also comes with the "mobile tracker" feature which is useful in case this phone gets stolen. It sends an SMS containing the thief's mobile phone number on another mobile number pre-defined by the owner. In addition, the mobile phone allows users to blacklist certain numbers to stop receiving calls from them.
The S-525 claims to offer up to 4 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby time. Spice S-525 is available for a price of Rs. 2, 099 with a 1-year warranty, with conditions applied.
The mobile phone weighs 77g and measures 103.1 x 43.4 x 17.8mm. It sports a 65-K colour TFT screen and has several features such as scheduled on/off, sing-tones, 500 phone-book contacts, speaker phones, among others.
The phone also comes with the "mobile tracker" feature which is useful in case this phone gets stolen. It sends an SMS containing the thief's mobile phone number on another mobile number pre-defined by the owner. In addition, the mobile phone allows users to blacklist certain numbers to stop receiving calls from them.
The S-525 claims to offer up to 4 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby time. Spice S-525 is available for a price of Rs. 2, 099 with a 1-year warranty, with conditions applied.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Rediff's New Toolbar for Firefox 3
Rediff.com has introduced a toolbar for Firefox 3. The new toolbar allows users to search the Web and access popular vertical searches for fares, jobs, products, images, videos, ringtones, and languages.
The new Rediff toolbar also allows users to use the search bar as an address bar, where the toolbar intelligently identifies the 'url' keywords and directs the user to the website instead of displaying search results.
Another feature of the toolbar, available on Firefox as well as Internet Explorer, is quick access to all the updated news on business, sports, movies and cricket; this is available on the toolbar itself as snapshot view without having to actually visit any news site.
The toolbar works around the POP UP blocker feature inside the Firefox browser environment, allowing users to conveniently use the blocker feature from the toolbar itself, instead of getting into the settings, says Rediff.
In addition, the toolbar offers access to all regular Rediff services like Rediffmail and Rediff Bol, the Instant Messenger. Though it's designed to compliment Firefox 3, the toolbar provides consumer friendly applications for all versions of both browsers, the Internet Explorer and Firefox.
The new Rediff toolbar also allows users to use the search bar as an address bar, where the toolbar intelligently identifies the 'url' keywords and directs the user to the website instead of displaying search results.
Another feature of the toolbar, available on Firefox as well as Internet Explorer, is quick access to all the updated news on business, sports, movies and cricket; this is available on the toolbar itself as snapshot view without having to actually visit any news site.
The toolbar works around the POP UP blocker feature inside the Firefox browser environment, allowing users to conveniently use the blocker feature from the toolbar itself, instead of getting into the settings, says Rediff.
In addition, the toolbar offers access to all regular Rediff services like Rediffmail and Rediff Bol, the Instant Messenger. Though it's designed to compliment Firefox 3, the toolbar provides consumer friendly applications for all versions of both browsers, the Internet Explorer and Firefox.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
22 Best Photoshop Text Effect Tutorials
Typography means a lot in any medium kind of presentation. Whether it’s a logo, banner or just a title; being able to inject creativity into it not only help in delivering the message across, it also leaves solid impression on the viewer. Good typography design is not easy, or should I say getting the type match and speaks for the product is often a very challenging job.
Here are some of the best Photoshop text effects tutorials on the web, and as usual it’s the creativity that counts. Full content after jump.
-
‘Bee Movie’ Text Effect
-
Metal Text Effect
Really metallic chrome effect.
-
Grass Text Effect
Cool looking grass-text effect using a photo of grass, the pen tool and a bit of patience.
-
Leopard ‘X’ Effect
-
Exploding Text Effect
9 Steps in creating an exploding text.
-
Reflective Liquid Effect
Realistic text made from water drops.
-
Slow Shutter Text Effect
Learn how to create this stunning slow shutter text effect using just Photoshop.
-
Flaming Meteor Text Effect
Take typography one step further by having text falling from the sky in a burning inferno.
-
Smooth Glass Effect
Nice looking translucent glass type that’ll work great on any background, made completely with layer styles.
-
Soft Stylized 3D Type
Basics of creating polished 3D type using Illustrator and Photoshop.
-
Fire Burning Text Effect
How to use a photograph of fire to set text to the match.
-
Text Graffiti
-
Bling Text Effect
How to make a realistic bling bling gold and diamond text.
-
Supernatural Text Effect
Creating a smoky night effect on text to give it an eerie supernatural sort of feel.
-
3D Typographic Effects
How to add the wow factor to 3D text using Photoshop’s art tools.
-
Chain Text
-
Smooth Chrome Text
-
Starcraft Text
How to create a nice StarCraft style wallpaper.
-
Advance Glow Effect
-
Old School Type
-
Grunge Rubber Stamp
Simple method to create grunge brushes, and to detail how these brushes can be used to reproduce realism in our rubber-stamped logos.
-
Swirl Text
Useful for creating a unique logo for your website.
Israeli co invents see through device
Military and rescue operations around the globe will now get a tad easier with the invention of a radar that can see through walls. An Israeli firm, Camero, has developed this technology and already sold it to several army and police forces. The company feels that the device can be beneficial for special unit soldiers or for human operations like locating people trapped in burning buildings, the daily Haaretz reported.
"The idea of seeing through walls has been around since the 1960s, but modern technology is now ripe enough to enable it to happen," Camero's technology director Amir Beeri said. "When we established the company in 2004, we intended to develop sufficiently high vision resolution to allow an untrained user to see through a wall," Beeri said.
Camero's unique radar utilises Ultra Wide Band (UWB), a technology that has come of age recently and with the use of special algorithms can process data picked up by the detector to give a reasonable image of anything behind the wall.
The system made by its competitor, Time Domain, lacks imaging algorithms and is able to reveal only whether there is someone on the other side of the wall, the report said.
The firm's earlier version of the system weighed about 10 kgs and was too clumsy for use, but the new system is smaller, light in weight and meant for use as a quick-to-use tactical tool. The system is capable of penetrating various types of walls, but not solid metal ones like the walls of shipping containers.
The firm's CEO, Aharon Aharon, is optimistic about the future of the technology and says, "Like the Israeli army's night vision system, which was once an expensive product and eventually came into broad, general use, we hope that our radar too will become standard issue for all military units."
Opera 9.5 RC 1 Now Download-able
Internet browsers trying to play catch-up again! Opera CEO Jon von Tetzchner has released Opera 9.5 release candidate 1 (RC 1) for desktops five days after Mozilla released Firefox 3 RC 2. Opera 9.5 RC 1 is now available for download from the Opera Web site.
Opera 9.5 RC 1 attempts to bolster security with anti-phishing and anti-malware technology. For instance, Opera users will now get warning messages upon visiting hacked Web sites carrying Trojans and malicious code as part of the 'Fraud Protection' feature that draws on the likes of Haute Secure, Netcraft, PhishTank, and Google. Meanwhile, Firefox 3 RC 2 downloads an updated blacklist of malicious Web sites provided by Stopbadware.org, a group co-founded by Google.
Apart from enhanced security, Opera 9.5 RC 1 includes a new skin for Windows and Mac platforms along with a fix for all POP accounts to download email messages. There's also a new 'Opera Link' feature in RC 1 that enables easy synchronization of bookmarks between different devices running different versions of Opera.
Opera 9.5 RC 1 attempts to bolster security with anti-phishing and anti-malware technology. For instance, Opera users will now get warning messages upon visiting hacked Web sites carrying Trojans and malicious code as part of the 'Fraud Protection' feature that draws on the likes of Haute Secure, Netcraft, PhishTank, and Google. Meanwhile, Firefox 3 RC 2 downloads an updated blacklist of malicious Web sites provided by Stopbadware.org, a group co-founded by Google.
Apart from enhanced security, Opera 9.5 RC 1 includes a new skin for Windows and Mac platforms along with a fix for all POP accounts to download email messages. There's also a new 'Opera Link' feature in RC 1 that enables easy synchronization of bookmarks between different devices running different versions of Opera.
Asus rolls out the stylish M930 SmartPhone in India
Aimed at users who need ‘mobile office’, Asus, a leading brand in handhelds and laptops, has released the stylish new ‘chic’ M930 smartphone in Mumbai, India.
The clamshell smartphone comes equipped with a QWERTY keyboard for intuitive input, an ultra-wide WQVGA screen that also facilitates landscape display that goes easy on eyes. It provides support to GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi and USB 2.0.
3.5G connectivity ensures faster download of Video, MP3 data. It also features one-step Quick Modem Setting that connects to Internet faster via the plug and play auto network configuration that lets the user plug in the SIM card and have a complete Internet setting.
M930 is a smartphone powered by Windows Mobile 6 Standard operating system, also featuring ActiveSync, MSN and the new Windows Live Spaces.
The highlight of the M930 is that the feature-packed phone comes with elegant and stylish ‘mirror reflective surfaces and sleek metal keys and lines’ unlike the bulky handhelds.
“The M930 is ASUS’ first communicator smart phone which is surprisingly compact when compared to other communicators in the market. Earlier, business professionals needed to carry bulky communicators for executive functions but now they have a better option in the form of the ASUS M930. The keyboard layout of the M930 is just like a laptop facilitating quicker and more convenient operation. It is also the only communicator with a web cam which we call ‘iCAM’ because you can type SMS, listen to music, write e-mails etc. while using the iCAM. Business professionals can also use the iCAM to have a video conference. ASUS has always believed in thinking from the customer’s point of view and this phone personifies that ideology, leading to the creation of the best smart phone for all end users,” said Mr. Edward Wang – Business Head, Mobile Communication Business, ASUS (India) on the launch of ASUS M930.
Other technical specifications of the Asus M930 smartphone include:
Business Applications include:
The Asus M930 smartphone is priced at Rs. 27,900/- (approximately) and is available across the country via India Digital Lifestyle Distributors Pvt. Ltd. (IDLDPL).
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Everything Over IP
Ever since the popularity of VoIP, the whole business of communications over IP has undergone a sea change. In this story, we look at everything that can be carried over IP, including fragrances
Saturday, April 05, 2008
It's well known how IP has changed the way people communicate. After data communication the buzz was VoIP. Now VoIP has become an integral part of our lives and people are hooked on to VoIP without even realizing. Now the latest buzz is Video over IP as well as on mobiles. In this story we look at some of the hot communication trends taking place over IP and some of latest developments which will pave the way to what we like to call 'Everything over IP.'
TV on the move
The announcement by MTNL to offer a bouquet of interactive personalized television and video phone services in Mumbai and Delhi has had two effects-for one, it has served as a wake up call to the telecom industry that the time is ripe to converge telephony, TV and Internet to create a new slate of value added offerings to Indian customers. The second, larger effect is to tell consumers that they've entered a new era where video and TV can reach to them anywhere, anytime through Internet. When Vint Cerf, regarded as the father of the Internet and co-inventor of TCP/IP visited India last year, he sported a Tee which said, "IP on everything", a rather rude message with a serious thought that Internet Protocol had already become the single most pervasive standard to communicate data and entertain world's connected billions. Hand in hand with its recent mobile TV offering, MTNL has also launched, in partnership with Aksh Optifibre, a new service called V Spyk, a video phone service in Mumbai and Delhi. For Rs 499, subscribers are being offered IPTV, VoIP as well as 50 MB broadband services.
While private telecom providers are still reeling from the head start that public sector companies seem to have achieved, it seems like TRAI may object to MTNL's IPTV service since they are a basic service operator while IPTV is a value added service. Meanwhile, IP is being harnessed in creative ways to move video and TV content, releasing it from constraints of place and time. The most compelling product in this space is Slingbox (a creation of India based engineers of Sling Media), a set top box which allows users to transfer all TV feeds from cable or satellite operators to any PC, laptop or mobile phone, anywhere in the world via Internet.
A competing product is Hava from another India-based developer, Monsoon Multimedia, which adds Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) to provide wireless home networking capability. Even without these add on devices, it is possible to receive a variety of TV feeds via the Internet. The most compelling of these free web services is Joost, a creation of Niklas Zennstromand and Janus Friis, inventors, who in an earlier era, invented P2P with Kazaa. Joost has already tied up with a 100 TV channels including MTV, CNN and Sony Pictures, and in the months to come, the Net is slated to become the chosen vehicle to reach television content to customers wherever they are.
A recent report of Springboard Research conducted across 6 metros in India found that over 85% of mobile phone users in the country were ready to invest in new handsets to be able to get their most popular TV content on-the-move. With Indians buying mobile phones at 8 million a month, it is clear that the potential for IPTV in India may become one of the fastest growing markets for mobile and Net based services.
 |
| With vendors launching cell phones that support Mobile TV, it is all set to become the next big thing |
Telepresence
Ever since Cisco launched its Telepresence solution to provide real life experience in video conferencing, there has been a lot of buzz around such solutions and other vendors have also joined the bandwagon. HP came out with its Halo telepresence solution, Nortel has started providing telepresence services and so are many other video conferencing companies such as Polycom and Lifesize.
HP this month launched its new telepresence offering called Halo Collaboration Studio. The product is meant for enterprises with geographically dispersed workforce and the product can be easily installed at remote locations without the need for any expertise. Just like other Halo products, this solution too uses Halo Video Exchange Network with a dedicated collaboration channel that consists of an HP collaboration software and a high-definition collaboration screen. Since Halo is a managed end to end solution, enterprises do not have to worry about maintenance and upgradation of their infrastructure.
In India too telepresence is catching up, and March 08 saw Polycom launching its RealPresence Experience High Definition solution and Tata Communications launching Cisco-certified TelePresence network services in India.
Video conferencing on mobiles
Modern cellphones enable you to do everything a regular desktop PC does, with the added advantage of mobility. Lately the buzz has been around technologies that allow video conferencing between two cellphones, and between a cellphone and a PC. The latter happens over the Internet. Now many of the latest camera-equipped cellphones are ready for video conferencing as they are designed with a rotating camera. Some also ship with a compact stand which houses a camera lens. You can mount a cellphone and initiate a conference call. You will be able to see the participant and yourself on the cellphone screen. Your images will be transmitted to the viewer on the other side via the camera on the stand.
 |
| Scent-Dome devices come with a cartridge containing 20 scents. By mixing these, the device creates fragrances according to the content |
Mobile video conferencing is no longer limited to mobile phones. Vendors are also launching similar portable mobile video conferencing solutions. Tandberg has come out with a device called FieldView which is meant to provide real time collaboration amongst experts and field agents. This can help enterprises in making quick decisions and get expert advice instantly on the situation. The company is targeting companies in manufacturing, education, research and development.
IP storage for video surveillance
Demand for video surveillance has increased considerably in enterprises. This has been due to reasons such as the need to meet compliance standards or the fact that enterprises can easily deploy IP cameras and use their existing cabling for carrying video signals. Enterprises are readily deploying web based IP surveillance solutions as they provide several advantages over traditional CCTV solutions. Administrators can remotely view and manage IP surveillance systems, the system itself is fast, ease of use, etc. Further, IP video surveillance is also being used as proof in lawsuits and at times is required to meet compliance. However, it also causes problems such as storing images generated from IP video surveillance, as even a single IP camera can generate more than 20 GB of data in a single day. Also, as a video surveillance system performs constant write operations on a storage disk, using common storage devices such as NAS can degrade the performance of a video surveillance system as these devices are designed for environments where balanced read/write operations take place.
To solve such issues vendors are now offering dedicated storage solutions for video surveillance. These storage solutions are designed to work with existing infrastructure of an enterprise and can support thousands of cameras working together. They support features such as replication, clustering, thin provisioning, load balancing and failover. Vendors are now also providing a complete solution for video surveillance which includes everything from an IP camera to a media server as well as a storage solution.
Synthesized Scent over IP
There has been a lot of talk about how soon physical interactions over IP would be possible and also a lot of research has been going on this subject, to provide Touch-to-Touch, Motion-to-Motion and similar interactions. Last year a project called touch (http://phy2phy.wikidot.com/touch) demonstrated a device which allows two users to touch each other's fingers over the Internet. However, when these products would be commercially available, is hard to say at this point. There have been a few commercial products launched that deliver aroma over your desktop. A company called TriSenx has created a device called Scent Dome which has cartridges of 20 scents and by cleverly mixing these; it releases fragrances that provide a unique experience to users. So, whenever a user goes to a Scent Enabled Website (SEC), the device will spray the fragrance into the air as specified in the content, thus bringing a tinge of reality to the otherwise virtual experience. Another company, called Telewest, is soon going to release ScentMail which will use the same device to let users send fragrant email.
Similarly, another company, called AromaJet, is creating a device called Pinoke which will provide a new gaming experience by spraying aroma according to the environment in a particular game. As aromas trigger new emotions in human beings, such devices could make games even more addictive.
Teredo Tunneling
NAT has been used to overcome ipv4 address shortage as it acts as an interface between Internet and the local network. It translates private address of local network to the public address of ISP. Now that ipv6 is a reality, overcoming the ipv4 to ipv6 transition is an important issue. This issue was resolved to certain extent by 6to4 protocol, that could be implemented on NAS.
Teredo Tunneling is a protocol that gives ipv6 connectivity to nodes that connect through NAT devices that do not understand ipv6. In this protocol, ipv6 packets are encapsulated into ipv4 UDP datagrams that can route through NAT and ipv4 Internet. Teredo was introduced because 6to4 protocol, that is most common ipv6 over ipv4 protocol, was economically and technically difficult to implement on most NAT devices. Teredo in turn is implemented on nodes itself that can easily understand the encapsulated packets and thus gain ipv6 connectivity without NAT being ipv6 aware.
Microsoft Site Leak Hints at 2009 Release for Office 14
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 2:10 PM PDT
A leak on a Microsoft Web site referring to a product in the Office suite hints at a 2009 release for the next version of the productivity suite, currently code-named Office 14.
On Monday, Microsoft revealed a podcasting kit for Office SharePoint Server, the portal product in the Office family, with an accompanying question-and-answer article on its Codeplex site for developers that includes information about the product.
The site made reference to Office SharePoint 2009, which hints that the next version of Office will be named Office 2009 and released that year. Microsoft has not officially revealed a timeline for Office 14.
The site no longer has a reference to SharePoint 2009, however. Once the reference was reported on, Microsoft changed the wording on the site to erase it. In addition, the author of the post tacked on a note to the blogger who first reported about the information, saying the Q&A was a transcript from a conversation with customers and was not accurate about the name of the next version of Office.
"I honestly have no idea how the next release of SharePoint will be named, I promise," said the note, which was signed "Ludo" for Ludo Fourrage, a Microsoft group product manager. "Thanks for your interest in PKS." PKS, or Podcasting Kit for SharePoint, is an open-source initiative that helps customers develop and deploy podcasts using SharePoint.
Microsoft has released scant details about Office 14, the follow-up to the current Office 2007 software, and its release date is not one of them.
Last month, the company said it would support the latest specification for the XML-based file format Open Office XML (OOXML) in Office 14. OOXML is a rival to Open Document Format; both have been approved as international standards by the International Organization for Standardization, although OOXML's approval is being contested by some countries' standards bodies.McAfee names Hong Kong most dangerous domain on the Web
Hong Kong domain has jumped 28 places as the most dangerous place to surf and search on the web according to a new McAfee report called "Mapping the Mal Web Revisited"
"Just like the real world, the virtual threats and risks are constantly changing. As our research shows, Web sites that are safe today can be dangerous tomorrow. Surfing the Web based or conventional wisdom is not enough to avoid risk online," said Jeff Green, Senior Vice President of Product Development...
"Just like the real world, the virtual threats and risks are constantly changing. As our research shows, Web sites that are safe today can be dangerous tomorrow. Surfing the Web based or conventional wisdom is not enough to avoid risk online," said Jeff Green, Senior Vice President of Product Development...
Hard Drive Withstands Fire And Water Submersion
Auburn (CA) - Most small businesses and consumers do not have elaborate disaster recovery plans in place, which means that their data may be at risk, especially if backups are stored nearby. Fire and water can wipe out at least portions of the contents stored on hard drives in a matter of seconds. ioSafe announced new hard drives that promise to withstand fire and water and offer a type of product for all those who don’t invest in off-site storage.
ioSafe claims that it is the first company to offer fire- and waterproof hard drives, which may be worth a look not just for businesses, but also families who are looking for ways to keep those digital family pictures safe, even when a house burns down. The company uses 2.5" drives within 3.5" enclosures are specially equipped with heat and water barriers.
Fire protection is provided by the firm’s "DataCast endothermic insulation technology", which the manufacturer claims forms a chemical bond with water molecules that, at temperature above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, releases water vapor to limit the internal temperature of the unit. Combined with the insulation, ioSafe claims that the drive can sustain outside temperatures of up to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 15 minutes and short term peak temperatures of up to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the case of a fire, the plastic tabs on the inside of the 3.5" casing will melt at a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit, closing the drive and blocking airflow. The manufacturer said that the inside of the 2.5" drive should not get hotter than 210 degrees Fahrenheit during a fire, as 98% of radiant heat can be deflected. Typical house fires reach a heat of about 1100 degrees Fahrenheit with 3 to 5 minutes.
There was no detailed information on the water protection technology, other than the claim that the drive will be protected from fresh or salt water damage, both in full submersion and spray/splash scenarios. Full submersion protection is guaranteed for up to 24 hours in up to 5 ft of water.
Just in case the drive is damaged, ioSafe offers an optional data recovery plan that is activated through the registration of a product. The service, which is offered free of charge, provides access to data recovery experts and includes up to $2500 payment by ioSafe to a third-party data extraction service plus replacement product, if required.
Not surprisingly, ioSafe’s hard drives come at a premium over regular hard drives. The price list ranges from $330 for a 5400 rpm 80 GB drive to $460 for a 7200 rpm 200 GB drive. The highest capacity is offered by a 320 GB 5400 rpm model for $450.
ioSafe claims that it is the first company to offer fire- and waterproof hard drives, which may be worth a look not just for businesses, but also families who are looking for ways to keep those digital family pictures safe, even when a house burns down. The company uses 2.5" drives within 3.5" enclosures are specially equipped with heat and water barriers.
Fire protection is provided by the firm’s "DataCast endothermic insulation technology", which the manufacturer claims forms a chemical bond with water molecules that, at temperature above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, releases water vapor to limit the internal temperature of the unit. Combined with the insulation, ioSafe claims that the drive can sustain outside temperatures of up to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 15 minutes and short term peak temperatures of up to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the case of a fire, the plastic tabs on the inside of the 3.5" casing will melt at a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit, closing the drive and blocking airflow. The manufacturer said that the inside of the 2.5" drive should not get hotter than 210 degrees Fahrenheit during a fire, as 98% of radiant heat can be deflected. Typical house fires reach a heat of about 1100 degrees Fahrenheit with 3 to 5 minutes.
There was no detailed information on the water protection technology, other than the claim that the drive will be protected from fresh or salt water damage, both in full submersion and spray/splash scenarios. Full submersion protection is guaranteed for up to 24 hours in up to 5 ft of water.
Just in case the drive is damaged, ioSafe offers an optional data recovery plan that is activated through the registration of a product. The service, which is offered free of charge, provides access to data recovery experts and includes up to $2500 payment by ioSafe to a third-party data extraction service plus replacement product, if required.
Not surprisingly, ioSafe’s hard drives come at a premium over regular hard drives. The price list ranges from $330 for a 5400 rpm 80 GB drive to $460 for a 7200 rpm 200 GB drive. The highest capacity is offered by a 320 GB 5400 rpm model for $450.
Microsoft Warns Against Using Safari
Microsoft on Friday warned of a serious risk to people who use Safari on Windows XP or Vista, going so far as to suggest people "restrict use of Safari as a web browser until an appropriate update is available from Microsoft and/or Apple."
Good news is that according to Redmond there aren't yet any known attacks against the flaw. Bad news is that if anyone does create such an attack, a crook could install any software he wished - such as 'bot' malware that allows for complete remote control - on a victim PC.
The threat targets two separate flaws, one in Safari and one in IE, and you'd have to first browse a malicious site with Safari. Doing so would download unwanted software onto your desktop, which could then be executed without your permission by triggering a separate flaw in IE (and you wouldn't have to start IE to get hit). In its security advisory, Microsoft acknowledges the critical risk of 'remote code execution,' which is as bad as it gets.
Apple, on the other hand, says "we are not treating this as a security issue," according to a quoted e-mail posted by stopbadware.org. Not a good move, if you ask me.
If you do use Safari, Microsoft says you can apply a workaround to protect yourself. Change the default download location (normally the desktop) in Safari with the following steps:
Launch Safari. Under the Edit menu select Preferences.
At the option where it states Save Downloaded Files to:, select a different location on the local drive.
Source : http://www.pcworld.com/
Good news is that according to Redmond there aren't yet any known attacks against the flaw. Bad news is that if anyone does create such an attack, a crook could install any software he wished - such as 'bot' malware that allows for complete remote control - on a victim PC.
The threat targets two separate flaws, one in Safari and one in IE, and you'd have to first browse a malicious site with Safari. Doing so would download unwanted software onto your desktop, which could then be executed without your permission by triggering a separate flaw in IE (and you wouldn't have to start IE to get hit). In its security advisory, Microsoft acknowledges the critical risk of 'remote code execution,' which is as bad as it gets.
Apple, on the other hand, says "we are not treating this as a security issue," according to a quoted e-mail posted by stopbadware.org. Not a good move, if you ask me.
If you do use Safari, Microsoft says you can apply a workaround to protect yourself. Change the default download location (normally the desktop) in Safari with the following steps:
Launch Safari. Under the Edit menu select Preferences.
At the option where it states Save Downloaded Files to:, select a different location on the local drive.
Source : http://www.pcworld.com/
Internet Explorer 8 Coming in August
Microsoft said yesterday it is planning on releasing yet another test version (Beta 2) of its Internet Explorer 8 (IE 8) Web browser in August.
In March this year, the company released IE 8 Beta 1 offering Web developers/designers a preview of the latest iteration of its popular Web browser. Also in March, the company revealed some of the new features IE 8 sports: for instance 'Activities' that lets you highlight text on a Web page and then take that passage to another Web service.
Microsoft said the upcoming IE 8 Beta 2 would be targeted more at ordinary Web users, and that it would have almost all of the features of the final-version IE 8 browser. Microsoft has given no official release date yet for IE8.
In March this year, the company released IE 8 Beta 1 offering Web developers/designers a preview of the latest iteration of its popular Web browser. Also in March, the company revealed some of the new features IE 8 sports: for instance 'Activities' that lets you highlight text on a Web page and then take that passage to another Web service.
Microsoft said the upcoming IE 8 Beta 2 would be targeted more at ordinary Web users, and that it would have almost all of the features of the final-version IE 8 browser. Microsoft has given no official release date yet for IE8.
Rediff Enhances Product Search
Catering to users who like to shop offline but compare features online, Rediff has introduced an enhanced version of its popular Product Search. This service from Rediff aims to offer consumers a one-stop destination to compare shopping across various categories of products and make a better informed decision.
The new enhanced service allows users to compare products across brands, features, price points, user ratings, and check availability in their city along with complete contact details. Rediff Product Search now covers more than 16 product categories under electronics, and has also introduced cars and bikes as new categories.
Users can now also get a grid view of products under different brands and can find and do feature-based comparison of products by brands, by latest price points, or by most popular products to help them make a better informed decision.
One of the new unique features of the service is the actual market price history of the product, which covers the price movement for a period of over 6 months. This feature also lets users set a price alert by just entering their email address and setting their target price; the system then automatically sends them an alert as soon as the price is close to the set target price.
And if the user chooses to be contacted by the seller representative to get further information about the product, they can send a free SMS to the seller expressing their interest from the system itself. This feature is particularly useful when one is comparing a bike or a car -- as the user can use the SMS service to ask for a free test-drive of the vehicle.
Rediff says that based on consumers' needs to do comparison-shopping, their Product Search offers users all the information they need before they zero down on a particular product. Rediff adds that users find this service extremely useful especially for electronic products like digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, mp3 players, home appliances, and storage devices as there are unlimited options available for each of these products at a variety of price points offered by several brands.
Meanwhile, the service is designed to bridge the gap between offline sellers and consumers who want to buy products offline but cannot decide on which product to buy and from where, claims Rediff.
The new enhanced service allows users to compare products across brands, features, price points, user ratings, and check availability in their city along with complete contact details. Rediff Product Search now covers more than 16 product categories under electronics, and has also introduced cars and bikes as new categories.
Users can now also get a grid view of products under different brands and can find and do feature-based comparison of products by brands, by latest price points, or by most popular products to help them make a better informed decision.
One of the new unique features of the service is the actual market price history of the product, which covers the price movement for a period of over 6 months. This feature also lets users set a price alert by just entering their email address and setting their target price; the system then automatically sends them an alert as soon as the price is close to the set target price.
And if the user chooses to be contacted by the seller representative to get further information about the product, they can send a free SMS to the seller expressing their interest from the system itself. This feature is particularly useful when one is comparing a bike or a car -- as the user can use the SMS service to ask for a free test-drive of the vehicle.
Rediff says that based on consumers' needs to do comparison-shopping, their Product Search offers users all the information they need before they zero down on a particular product. Rediff adds that users find this service extremely useful especially for electronic products like digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, mp3 players, home appliances, and storage devices as there are unlimited options available for each of these products at a variety of price points offered by several brands.
Meanwhile, the service is designed to bridge the gap between offline sellers and consumers who want to buy products offline but cannot decide on which product to buy and from where, claims Rediff.
"Sabka Spice" for Rural India
Punjab's premier telecom service provider Spice Telecom has today launched a handset combo offer comprising a handset plus Spice connection. The offer is called "Sabka Spice", and will be made available at just Rs 599 in a bid to make mobile telephony accessible to the rural populace. Under the "Sabka Spice" offer, the handset comes with a three-years warranty and a choice of Spice prepaid or postpaid connection.
The stylish Spice S 300 handset includes features such as: long battery life with promised talk time of 3.5 to 4 hours and stand-by time of 250 to 300 hours; Intelligent Audio Interface System that substitutes for LCD (alerts on the mobile are called out through this mechanism, meaning even those people who can't read can use the phone just by following audio alerts); choice of languages including English, Hindi, and Punjabi (even semi-literate rural consumers can use the phone with ease); speaker-phone that allows the phone to be operated even in noisy environments; universal charger (the phone can be charged using any mobile phone charger); speed dial that allows consumers to store oft-used numbers which could then be dialed with a simple push of the button; and intelligent LEDs comprising Red LED (on full charge, the color changes to green and missed calls are represented by blinking five times a second) and Blue LED (for network availability).
If the consumer opts for a prepaid connection, he/she gets the Spice S 300 handset along with three-years warranty. Additionally, he/she gets a Spice prepaid connection with SIM worth Rs 101, one-year validity worth Rs 198, or zero rental for one year worth Rs 148. Spice to Spice local calls cost 50 paise per minute; calls from Spice to other local GSM numbers cost 65 paise per minute; and calls from Spice to other local numbers cost Rs 1.10 per minute.
In the event the consumer opts for a postpaid connection, he/she gets the Spice S 300 handset with three-years warranty. In addition, he/she needs to pay a monthly fixed charge of Rs 35. Spice to Spice local calls cost 10 paise per minute while calls from Spice to other local numbers cost 75 paise per minute.
The stylish Spice S 300 handset includes features such as: long battery life with promised talk time of 3.5 to 4 hours and stand-by time of 250 to 300 hours; Intelligent Audio Interface System that substitutes for LCD (alerts on the mobile are called out through this mechanism, meaning even those people who can't read can use the phone just by following audio alerts); choice of languages including English, Hindi, and Punjabi (even semi-literate rural consumers can use the phone with ease); speaker-phone that allows the phone to be operated even in noisy environments; universal charger (the phone can be charged using any mobile phone charger); speed dial that allows consumers to store oft-used numbers which could then be dialed with a simple push of the button; and intelligent LEDs comprising Red LED (on full charge, the color changes to green and missed calls are represented by blinking five times a second) and Blue LED (for network availability).
| |
If the consumer opts for a prepaid connection, he/she gets the Spice S 300 handset along with three-years warranty. Additionally, he/she gets a Spice prepaid connection with SIM worth Rs 101, one-year validity worth Rs 198, or zero rental for one year worth Rs 148. Spice to Spice local calls cost 50 paise per minute; calls from Spice to other local GSM numbers cost 65 paise per minute; and calls from Spice to other local numbers cost Rs 1.10 per minute.
In the event the consumer opts for a postpaid connection, he/she gets the Spice S 300 handset with three-years warranty. In addition, he/she needs to pay a monthly fixed charge of Rs 35. Spice to Spice local calls cost 10 paise per minute while calls from Spice to other local numbers cost 75 paise per minute.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Blackmail ransomware returns with 1024-bit encryption key
Virus analysts at Kaspersky Lab intercepted a new variant of Gpcode, a malicious virus that encrypts important files on an infected desktop and demands payment for a key to recover the data.
The biggest change in this variant of the ransomeware is the use of RSA encryption algorithm with a 1024-bit key, making it impossible to crack without without the author’s key. Here’s the explanation:
We recently started getting reports from infected victims, analysed a sample, and added detection for Gpcode.ak to our antivirus databases yesterday, on June 4th. However, although we detect the virus itself, we can’t currently decrypt files encrypted by Gpcode.ak – the RSA encryption implemented in the malware uses a very strong, 1024 bit key.
The RSA encryption algorithm uses two keys: a public key and a private key. Messages can be encrypted using the public key, but can only be decrypted using the private key. And this is how Gpcode works: it encrypts files on victim machines using the public key which is coded into its body. Once encrypted, files can only be decrypted by someone who has the private key – in this case, the author or the owner of the malicious program.
After Gpcode encrypts files on the victim machine, it adds ._CRYPT to the extension of the encrypted files and places a text file named !_READ_ME_!.txt in the same folder. In the text file the criminal tells the victims that the file has been encrypted and offers to sell them a “decryptor”:
«Your files are encrypted with RSA-1024 algorithm.
To recovery your files you need to buy our decryptor.
To buy decrypting tool contact us at: ********@yahoo.com»
There are three Yahoo e-mail addresses associated with the new version of the ransomware.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Sneaky Blackmailing Virus That Encrypts Data
"Kaspersky Lab found a new variant of Gpcode which encrypts files with various extensions using an RSA encryption algorithm with a 1024-bit key. After Gpcode.ak encrypts files on the victim machine, it changes the extension of these files to ._CRYPT and places a text file named !_READ_ME_!.txt in the same folder. In the text file the criminal tells the victims that the file has been encrypted and offers to sell them a decryptor. Is this a look into the future where the majority of malware will function based on extortion?"
How Laptops in Education Can Help Dictators, Hurt Learning
holy_calamity writes "New Scientist reports on worries that the OLPC's BitFrost security protocols could hand a ready-made surveillance system to controlling 3rd world governments. The laptops identify themselves regularly to a server that can disable individual machines reported stolen — a system that hands a government a kill switch for every unit. BitFrost also has the potential to have machines attach a unique ID to every internet transaction, helping out anyone wanting to track net internet use. A freely available paper from a recent USENIX conference spells out the concerns." Relatedly, an anonymous reader points out a story at Slate about a study which examined the impact that free PCs had on poor students in Romania, writing that "giving the kids machines without a corresponding level of parental supervision just resulted in distractions which ultimately damaged academic performance. By contrast, allowing children access to machines in a supervised setting, say an after school program via school labs, might mitigate some of the negative effects."
Edison, Make Way for the L.E.D.’s
If you’re looking for the latest advancements in incandescent light bulb technology, one place you don’t want to go is to a lighting trade show. I learned that in about five minutes last week, while touring the aisles of Lightfair, the lighting industry’s big convention, held this year in Las Vegas.
In case you didn’t know it, Thomas Edison’s invention, in use for more than 100 years to illuminate virtually everything, is quickly heading for the exits. What will eventually take its place is the light-emitting diode (L.E.D.) bulb, made up of tiny light sources the size of a head of a pin that use a fraction of a regular light bulb’s electricity, produce little heat, and last for tens of thousands of hours of use.
This is not some comic book dream. The exhibits at Lightfair were filled with new L.E.D. products, many shipping now: standard-type room lights, under-counter lights, commercial spotlights, garden lights and huge L.E.D. displays designed to light the Empire State Building.
I saw L.E.D.’s controlled by a cell phone. Forgot to turn on your porch light? Just dial in a command.
L.E.D.’s are not widely used today because of their high cost: An L.E.D. bulb can run as high as $90. Even if they would save money in the long run, few people are willing to spend that much up front.
But costs will come down, and when they do, expect to see the end of what is in essence an interim technology: the compact fluorescent bulb. Fluorescents, while using much less power than incandescent light bulbs, are sometimes too bulky, often can’t be dimmed and produce light that is less pleasing than incandescents.
L.E.D.’s, on the other hand, can produce literally millions of colors, which you will be able to witness yourself at the end of this year, when Philips, the Dutch electronics giant, introduces its $199 Living Colors product into the U.S. market.
Living Colors is Philips’ L.E.D. Trojan horse, an electronic lava lamp that uses L.E.D.’s to project a palette of 16 million colors against a wall. Operated with a remote control, you change the projected color by touching a point on the iPod-like color wheel, then push other buttons to decrease the brightness or alter the color’s saturation.
The company has already sold 250,000 Living Color products in Europe; in the U.S., it will offer the regular model plus a $79 mini version that offers a limited palette and no remote.
I’ve been playing with one for several weeks, and after some initial resistance to its corniness, I’ve taken a liking to it. Every night, I set the color of one wall of our bedroom to a different hue, hopefully matching our moods. It’s a nice change from standard yellow light and gives some added dimension to the space.
Philips points out that you can set up a chain of Living Color units around a room and control them all with a single remote. For me, that’s just a bit over the top. I don’t fancy turning my house into a Las Vegas facade.
Quantum computing advance—diamonds are a qubit’s best friend
Another week, another quantum computing story. Quantum computing is a very hot topic in the world of physics at the moment because, for the first time, we can actually contemplate the sort of control required to make a quantum computer. It happens to also be true that a truly scalable quantum computer would have applications in the real world as well—code breaking, and simulating quantum systems are two common examples.
The key to quantum computing is the ability to manipulate and maintain quantum states. Unfortunately, these quantum states are hard to create, hard to manipulate, and very, very hard to stabilize. Now, researchers have demonstrated that qubits based on the electronic and nuclear states of nitrogen vacancies in diamond may be the way of the future.
Diamond is supposed to be a material made purely of carbon. Each carbon atom attaches itself to four other carbon atoms that sit at the apexes of an imaginary pyramid. However, if nitrogen is introduced during growth, it will become incorporated into the diamond. But nitrogen can only attach to three carbon atoms, so associated with every nitrogen is a gap where a carbon atom would normally sit. These vacancies distort the electronic structure of diamond so that each vacancy is associated with an electron that is free to move around the neighboring atoms. Moreover, that electron is more strongly coupled to the nuclear states of the surrounding atoms, meaning that, if one manipulates the state of the electron, then one can also place a nucleus in a well-defined state.
They were able to entangle the two nuclei in a controlled manner and, perhaps more surprisingly, that entanglement lasted for milliseconds. Furthermore, it was also possible to entangle the electron with the two nuclei; that three-way entanglement lasts for a few hundred microseconds.
Provided the qubit state can be transfered to photonic qubits, then it should be possible to scale the entanglement up so that it can involve more than a single nitrogen vacancy—having the entanglement lasts for milliseconds helps in this regard. Furthermore, qubits based on nitrogen vacancies aren't too hard to scale, since it is a solid-state material—no vacuum pumps required, thank you very much. Finally, the longevity of the entanglement should also enable the development of a refreshable quantum RAM.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Event Number Event Description End Date End time Purchasing Group Estimated Cost ...
-
Hp Elite 6200 Small Form Factor Desktop PC Intel core i3 2nd Gen eration 500gb Hard Disk 4 gb DDR3 RAM Dvd Writer Win 7 pro l... -
Event Number Event Description Purchasing Group Estimated Cost End Date End time ...