technology filter: Software

Cyber Criminals Getting Bargains

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:46:17 GMT

While other businesses experience outsourcing, excessive productivity demands and a shortage of Valentines candy, life is good for cyber criminals. Prices for their business stylings are dropping quickly, as genuine email addresses, Trojans and spyware are sold in e-Bay-like forums jammed with discount sellers.

That's the observation of Jens Hinrichsen, who has the strange title of "product marketing manager for fraud auction," at RSA, the security arm of EMC². Hundreds of people who fight the forces of computer evil are gathered in San Francisco this week to learn what they are up against. The company says a "Super Trojan" that could infect thousands of users can be had for a mere $600. Emails can be obtained for less than $5, depending on the number purchased. Need a host for your Nigerian scam? You can get your Web site hosted for $80 per week.

But some malware authors are actually experiencing technical difficulties with Microsoft Office 2007 and the new Vista, conference attendees were told. Some are discouraged enough to drop their focus on Office malware to seek out new targets. Typically, malware authors reach out and touch something with a large installed base. Next to Office, Adobe Acrobat reader is most widely used by PC users. Adobe has been playing catch-up in recent weeks updating the software as more security holes are discovered.

Apparently, the profits gained from getting personal financial information and password access remains high enough to keep both the criminals and the hunters in the game.

Posted by Barbara.

Sound of iTunes Still Silent in Vista

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 19:12:00 GMT

More than a dozen years ago, I remember carting my old 80386 system to the Microsoft campus to prepare what was even then an antique, for a new generation of Windows operating systems. Microsoft had proudly proclaimed that the new Windows '95 would work even on the sluggish '386, and it looked high and wide to the desk of a poorly paid journalist to find one in January 1994. A team of six operating system specialists stood by as the operating system was loaded on. The install took a mere five hours. It took still another five hours to bring applications like the still-popular WordPerfect 5.1 feel comfortable in the Windows '95 environment.

Now, as a new Windows dawns, Vista has also passed through compatibility evaluation after compatibility evaluation. More than five million people participated in the process, according to Bill Gates. Yet, one popular application remains questionable, according to its developer, Apple Computer. The primary feeding device for the iPod remains shut out of the Windows Vista environment. Apple tells iPod users to "wait" until it has developed a Vista upgrade for iTunes and iPod users. Windows Vista has been in its development cycle for more than five years, and had been expected to arrive on the market more than 18 months ago. There is probably more than one iPod available on the Microsoft campus, and Apple does have a budget to acquire some advance copies of a forthcoming Windows operating system.

Am I the only one who smells some sort of conspiracy here? Have all those "Apple vs. PC" commercials clouded the once friendly rivalry between the two desktop computer players?

I'll let you know as soon as I can figure out how to get my iTunes on the Windows '95 machine.

Posted by Barbara.

Tame Celebration for Windows Vista Consumer Launch

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:33:59 GMT

The countdown is in its final hours. The work of “more than five million people” over more than five years will culminate at a computer store at midnight tonight, when the first consumer takes home a legal copy of Windows Vista.

Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates will be spending the day in New York grinning for the cameras on the NBC’s Today show early in the day, and Comedy Central’s Daily Show that will be televised just an hour before launch. Here in Microsoft’s backyard, the celebration is centered on a local Seattle Seahawk’s appearance at a Bellevue, Washington computer store.

What a difference a dozen years can make. The “Thanks A Million” campaign launch appears quite modest compared to the pomp and circumstance displayed on the August 24 ,1994 launch of Windows ’95. From the first chords of “Start ‘Em Up” from the Rolling Stones to a massive celebration led by Tonight Show Host Jay Leno at the company’s Redmond headquarters, the celebration of the ability to use more than eight characters in a file name made history. Like Windows Vista, Windows ’95 was touted as a “Wow” product. Unlike, Windows ’95, however, there probably will not be long lines tonight around the block at giant computer stores filled with consumers eager to spend nearly $100 on a new operating system. (Except at the store featuring a Seahawks player, of course.).

In 1994, the most hostile question raised at the Windows ’95 introduction concerned the style of Bill Gates’ haircut. This year, Steve Ballmer has been hounded by questions about the release date for the first Windows Vista Service Pack.

Corporate customers have already had access to Windows Vista since its high-end introduction in November. Unlike the five million people who had a role in Vista’s development, consumers seem in no rush to taste the newest direction in operating systems. After all, the Rolling Stones will still be around when Vista’s successor is launched.

Posted by Barbara.

Windows Vista To Be Available by Download

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:23:16 GMT

The countdown has begun. Will the Earth stand still in twelve days? Will Iraq and Brittany Spears be banished to the back pages of our conscience?

After all, it has been nearly a six-year wait.

Remember the national excitement, the fanfare and the circus that surrounded the introduction of Windows 95 more than a decade ago? Windows Vista appears to be opting for a more reserved debutante ball.

Instead of waiting in long lines before midnight on January 30, users will have the option of downloading Windows Vista online. This is the first time a Microsoft operating system will be available for download. Until now, operating systems have been sold only through retail and through the purchase of a new PC. Of course business users have already had Windows Vista available since the end of November.

At the same time, users who buy low-end versions of Windows Vista such as Home Premium on a new PC, will have the built-in option of upgrading to a higher version such as Business or Ultimate, by simply purchasing an upgrade key — no additional downloads will be needed.

Microsoft says the Windows downloads will be limited to current users of Windows XP in North America for now. In some cases, however, Windows XP users may require hardware upgrades as well to run Windows Vista.

Posted by Barbara.

Second Life Opens Code to Generate a Third Life for Itself

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 18:21:32 GMT

Las Vegas is brimming this week with hundreds of emerging entrepreneurs launching proprietary dreams that they know are destined to become the world’s next Google. Yet, in the occasional quiet promenade, there is a quiet movement into bipartisanship as dreams are shared with a wider world to create a higher level experience.

And so it is with Second Life, a popular virtual reality experience created by San Francisco-based Linden Laboratories. Second Life has announced plans to join the open source community — opening its three-dimensional PC adventure to third party developers in hopes of kindling a whole new generation of user experiences.

Second Life is a world of its own, where visitors garb themselves in avatars and truly live a life to the fullest. In a world devoid of the Peter Principles, everyone can be all they can be, or what they could be. Players of Second Life can own properties, fly instantly to any destination and humiliate anyone who kicks sand in their face.

Open Source is a movement that has generated an industry of collaboration among software developers that have created monuments such as the Firefox browser, Linux, Apache Servers and the Drupal Content Management System. Its origins go back to the days of Freeware applications that ran under Microsoft DOS. Some believe the idea goes all the way back to the origins of the IBM PC, which — much to the dismay of IBM — created the third party PC industry.

Think of it a message to those emerging entrepreneurs in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Be like Al Gore and share the Internet. Don’t keep it in a lockbox.

Posted by Barbara.

Hold Off On Those Attachments

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:36:00 GMT

“Be afraid, be very afraid when opening email attachments.”

That’s the message from every security geek to every novice user. But what if the attachment is a Word-produced letter from your Uncle Ralph, a poem from Aunt Louise, or a demand for divorce from Brittany Spears?

Be even more afraid, for now.

Microsoft has discovered a flaw in Word versions ranging from 2000 to the present, (the exception being newly introduced Word 2007) that allows a malicious virus to be distributed in a word file attached to an email. The security “advisory” says users should not even open attachments from colleagues, friends or relatives until Microsoft distributes a patch for the problem.

Uncle Ralph is probably just asking for money, anyway.

Posted by Barbara

Sun Opens Java Source

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:20:35 GMT

There is good news for those who believe the world still needs a good five-cent cup of Java. Sun Microsystems, the fair trade monitor of all coded things Java has declared its protectorate an open source product.

That means, developers will now have free access to the Java source code — at least to the majority of the code owned by Sun. This is a sharp turnaround for a company that has gone to great lengths to protect its right to the code that makes thousands of desktop and other gadgets go “zip” when they move, “pop,” when they stop, and “whirrrr” when they stand still.

It also means a great deal of attention on Java in the growing GNU General Public License market that includes operating systems like Linux. For Sun Microsystems, it means a new generation of Java programmers that it expects will go forth and prosper in this new environment. Chances are Sun would welcome this growth of Java programmers as it enhances its own product development.

By choosing the GPL option, Sun raises speculation that it may also open its own Solaris operating system to the GNU marketplace. Solaris now runs under the company’s proprietary Common Development and Distribution License.

Posted by Barbara

Browsing for a Bruising

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:14:14 GMT

The spirit of bipartisanship appears to be spreading out of the nation’s capitol this week. Where there were at least two major voices in the browser wars, now there appears to be one and only one.

Are you ready for Microsoft Firefox 2007, Professional Edition?

After a few glances, you might think that the product’s launch date could have been put off until April 1. Among its offerings:
·          TakeOver(TM) technology that protects the Windows Kernel by automatically recognizing all McAfee and Symantec programs as viruses.
·          AKobe Phlash(TM) Plugin delivers awesome online interactive content; anything from music, videos to games.
·          Three excellent browsing styles — minimized, maximized and fullscreen!

The product does confess some technical glitches — it breaks down automatically at certain Web properties, such as any run by Google or Apple.

A second, more comprehensive Web site offers more background on the product and its development at the "slightly open source community." A banner on the site declares that "At Microsoft, we strive to appear lovable, friendly and helpful, because our antitrust ruling conditions force us to be so."

Posted by Barbara

Windows XP Embedded Will Boot Off USB

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:21:46 GMT

The big operating system hoopla out of Redmond for the last few months and the next couple upcoming is going to be Vista--no doubt. But that doesn't mean programming in the other buildings on the MS campus has stopped (by the way, that's 147 buildings and counting for those who want some Microsoft trivia).

Windows XP Embedded is a version of the Windows XP operating system that's been trimmed down to run in smaller computers and on appliances--things that need a computer as a brain, but only serve up a select few functions to their users. Things like cash registers, for example, or (theoretically) an in-car computer. But it's still Windows XP, so if you're geeky enough you can do what you want with it.

Well, this version of XP is getting an update, namely the Windows XP Embedded SP2 Feature Pack 2007--due out next month. This gives the Embedded OS a bunch of new functionality, but chief among those new features is the ability to boot off of USB 2.0. That means that we might see a set of products that load WinXP Embedded onto a regular USB 2.0 flash drive. This would let you stick that flash drive into any computer, boot from it, and instantly be in your own compute space--not something rented. Might also have applicability for gaming environments as well.

Okay, it's nerdy, but then so am I.

(via Engadget)

Direct X 10 Analysis

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:27:20 GMT

I'm just finishing a piece on living in Vista RC2 and Office 2007 for a week. Part of that was finding hardware juicy enough to run Vista in its full-on Aero mode. Wasn't a problem when I found the Dell M90 super notebook (think Core Duo, 2GB of RAM, and a 256MB 3D accelerating mobile video card).

But even if you're using RC2 in Aero mode, you're still looking at more video headaches coming down the pike: Direct X 10. Figuring what you need for that is the next issue. Fortunately, Toms Hardware Guide just did a nice analysis of what that'll take. Enjoy.

Stormy Seas on AV-Vista Horizon

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:13:27 GMT

Vista is on schedule to be released, but there have been stormy skies on the Vista security horizon for some weeks now. The problem mainly surrounds some changes that Microsoft has made to the Windows Security Center under Vista. When in 64-bit mode, Vista uses a new feature called PatchGuard that manages patches and updates while simultaneously locking the operating system's kernel--that's the heart and critical organs of an operating system. If a virus infects the kernel you're pretty much hosed.

Trouble is, until now, most third-party security vendors, including guys like McAfee and Symantec, have managed their anti-virus measures specifically by modifying the Windows kernel. It's an effective AV method, but it also opens the doors to different and dangerous maleware attacks, notably rootkits like the one that Sony so innocently spread with its music CDs.

Needless to say, there's been a war of words between Microsoft and the rest of the AV community. Microsoft says it's simply strengthening the operating system's security just like everyone has been asking for for years. AV vendors are saying that Microsoft may be strengthening its OS, but that it's also cutting them out of effectively competing for Vista security, making itself the most powerful Vista security platform.

And unfortunately for Microsoft, it's not just the anti-virus vendors. Anything that might touch on an anti-competitive edge always brings one behemoth out of the corner and that's the EU. The EU managed to issue one or two press releases commenting on Microsoft's anti-competitive security practices, but it seems Microsoft doesnt' want to go that route. Yesterday, they announced that they were releasing an application programming interface (API) tool set to anti-virus vendors to ensure that their products would run smoothly with Vista.

Overall, I like Microsoft's move. I'm just mystified about the timing. Gonna be tough for vendors like McAfee, Symantec and TrendMicro to release Vista-ready products by the same time that Vista comes out in late December or January. Meanwhile, I'm pretty happy with Microsoft's new Windows Firewall, but I don't trust their anti-virus stuff at all--need quite a bit more testing before I make that move.

Meanwhile, Symantec (soon to be followed by most of the other AV vendors, I bet) is going all out on placing itself at the head of the security suite table. They just announced their new strategy: Security 2.0, a realigning of all its products to attack all the malware sources floating around out there. Not just viruses, but also trojans, phishing, identity theft and more. Sounds great, but it adds further mystery as to how something like that is going to be ready any time soon.

So the upshot is, go ahead and play with Vista, but watch the Internet activity until you can get a full security suite you really trust.

Forget Office Software, Checkout the Napping Software

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:52:27 GMT

This stuff comes from a company called Brainwave Ltd., which maintains medical data that shows that a short period of relaxation during the day increases your alertness and all around mental muscle. And, yeah, "period of relaxation" means "nap". To make your napping better, Brainwave has released pzizz 1.7, which is a music playing app that has an Energizer Module meant to help you relax, fall asleep and go through the various stages of sleep for the full power nap bonus jolt.

I like new software, but if it's one thing I never needed help with, napping would be right up there.

(read the full review at Smart Computing)

Review: Firefox 2.0 vs. IE7

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 15:04:07 GMT

Firefox 2.0 is set to be released next week. Naturally, the big question is how does it stand up against Internet Explorer 7? Firefox has dne some serious work on 2.0, including things like an new Places interface and totally redone bookmarking system. What's neat is that Firefox 1.5 was being compared to IE7 and was already holding its own, so 2.0 should be a few steps ahead. Just hope it works properly under Vista. Fortunately, the answer to some of these questions are right here in this review of Firefox 2.0 and IE7.

(via Ars Technica)

Crossbow Screenshot?

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:37:11 GMT

Engadget has a post showing what they think might be a full-on screen shot of "Crossbow"--Microsoft's codename for its new Windows Mobile operating system. It might just be a theme shot, but it sure does look next-gen. If it's the real deal, you can expect it by the first half of 2007. Hope they have an upgrade for my Q.

(via Engadget)

Sweet! Oldversion.com

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 13:01:21 GMT

I may work for the biggest new-software marketing power in the known universe, but even I know that sometimes you're forced or bamboozled into upgrading an application only to find that the new version of the program just isn't as good as the old one--not enough new features, a new user interface that makes no sense or simply a level of flakiness that just makes it too unusable on a day-to-day basis. Well, if you're in that boat, check out Oldversion.com. This site specializes in archiving older applications--they've got about 1000 versions of100 different programs. Pretty cool even if you just want to take an e-stroll down memory lane.

(via Geeks Are Sexy)

Good Article on What Slows Windows

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 15:03:47 GMT

An author known only as Oli (hey, good name), has published a good article on his site, The PC Spy, regarding what kinds of software really hits windows in the gut when it comes to boot speed. He apparently installed several different types of software on clean machines and then ran benchmark tests separately and in combination to get his results. Good reading if you're a Windows tweaker or just want to know what to avoid in order to keep your PC booting fast.

If I had a spare couple of weeks or so, I'd try the same thing, but run standard Windows performance tests to see what affected the OS more during actual usage rather than just boot speed.

(via Digg)

Vista RC1 Performance Guide

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 19:32:28 GMT

Vista RC1 has been out about a week now and I've posted a link to my review of the beastie yesterday. But I only spent a couple of days with it before Gateway wanted their test PC back. Meantime ZDNet journalist Ed Bott spent quite a bit more time with Vista and managed to come up with a number of handy performance tweaks. Not just how to get some more zip out of your system, but even things like setting RC1 up without a product key (not especially useful since you get the key for free, but it's fun). Worth a read if you're playing with RC1 now.

(via Geeks Are Sexy)

Review: Vista RC1 Not Quite There Yet

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:42:39 GMT

Yeah, it's shameless self-promotion, but I figured I'd link you guys to my review of Vista RC1 rather than somewhere else. Just didn't make sense to link to someone else's musings.

Overall, I was impressed by its stability, but not so much by the OS as a whole anymore. Guess it's because they stripped out most of what I was really excited about. Still, it's certainly a step up over Windows XP and if you're not too put off by the hardware requirements, that Aero interface is truly cool.

Microsoft Research: BrowserShield

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:37:10 GMT

Ironically, I had to read about this on an independent site, but Microsoft Research is in the geek news again. This time, it's called BrowserShield and it's an experimental new software layer that the Microsoftees are trying to add onto Internet Explorer. If it works, BrowserShield would literally shield IE by loading every page in a secure environment first. There it would scan for malware and strip it out on the fly before loading it in your actual browser.

Sounds great, but I can only imagine the performance headaches those guys must be trying to overcome. Users don't like to see the hourglass spinning for three minutes every time they click a link. Gotta be some smart engineering to make this work.

(via Geeks Are Sexy)

Vista Release Candidate 1 Officially Available!!

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:48:30 GMT

According to the Microsoft Windows Vista Team Blog, the Vista Release Candidate 1 is now readily available to the official Microsoft beta testing community. It should be available to more of the world in the next few weeks. We in the press community already have versions, and I'll be doing an eval review of the thing for InfoWorld early next week.

NeoOffice Goes Aqua

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:39:55 GMT

NeoOffice is a free productivity suite for the Mac based on the OpenOffice code. It's been around for a while, but it just released itself in "Aqua"--the new graphic front-end for OS X. Means NeoOffice is supposed to look even more "Mac-like". Hey, if you're a Mac user and your battery hasn't blown up yet, give it a shot--it's free. Just remember that this new Aqua deal is still in alpha, so expect some bugs.

(via Digg)

The Most Popular Linux Applications

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:46:23 GMT

I recently dinged the new Syllable open source operating system for lacking any third-party application support--without working apps, how useful is a new OS, really? I still stick to that for the most part. Programmers and folks with very specific needs can use an OS and some minor custom software to do what they need to do. Mere mortals like the rest of us need specific tools to do what we need to do and that means third-party developers.

Windows still rules in that department, no doubt. Apple's got a great library, too, but the Linux folks have been getting slammed on that front for years. Just not enough stable software for that platform to make the desktop Linux concept work--but is that really true? Because Linux apps are mostly open source, they lack the marketing muscle that commercial software folks generally put behind their products. Means you've got to look for them to find them.

For those really looking to give Linux a try, this list of the its most popular applications should help to decide if you can really do what you need to do with the Penguin. Worth checking out even if you don't run a Linux box anywhere. It's nicely dense and has more than just the gimmes--Apache and OpenOffice, for example. Dia (diagramming software ala Microsoft's Visio), Kaffeine (popular media player) and the venerable GIMP (graphics editing tool) are all there as well as more specialized apps like FreeMED (HIPAA-compliant medical manager).

(via Digg)

Microsoft Live Labs Photosynth: This is Cool

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:11:41 GMT

John F. zapped me this link to Microsoft's Live Labs' latest release, Photosynth. (He zapped it to me back on Friday, but I wasn't able to post it until this morning. Sorry, John.) This is some really cool stuff. The software basically takes a whole bunch of photos, analyzes them for similarities and then renders the whole thing as a reconstructed 3D virtual space.

This end result is similar to a 360-degree virtual tour of an apartment or house like you might see on a real estate site. You can move through the 3D space, zoom in/zoom out and even get info on the individual photos that make up the Synth.

Right now, Photosynth doesn't seem to work via a browser--at least not in the screenshot. But the message on their Team Blog implies they've got an Internet focus (at least eventually). Also, the way Photosynth analyzes photos allows it to "break down" photo data into specific "DNA clouds" of information--sounds suspiciously like pixel data. The Live Labs team seems to think Photosynth can annotate and categorize that data and automatically attach it to other photos that are already posted elsewhere (read: The Internet). So eventually, you could snap a photo, run it through Photosynth and automatically associate it to any or all other photos you've ever taken on the Internet, allowing viewers to take an annotated virtual tour.

Okay, it threw me, too, but it sure sounds cool. Maybe I can get an interview with one of these guys.

Microsoft Releases New Cleanup Utility

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 15:58:36 GMT

We all know that Windows systems tend to degenerate over time. One sympton is that log-offs or full shut downs suddenly take way more time than they used to. The reason this happens is that as more and more software is installed and uninstalled from your system, a lot of that stuff leaves behind connections to various parts of the registery and Windows needs to figure those out one and time and terminate them every time you log off.

The User Profile Hive Cleanup utility tracks all those little tendrils down and kills them for you, thus decreasing shut down time significantly.

(via Digg)

ExtremeTech Browser Shootout

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:32:11 GMT

ExtremeTech just put up this in-depth shootout between Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 7 and Opera 9. Once again the browser wars have flared up, most likely spurred by Firefox's meteoric rise to popularity and Microsoft's response of waking up its IE development team. Opera's in there for good measure.

I haven't tried Opera yet, but so far IE is still the best for MSN Spaces work.

Make Web Browsing Smoother on Handhelds with HandMark

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:28:06 GMT

I just read the press release on this--I haven't tested it, so please take this for the regurgitation that it is, not a formal product recommendation.

That said, Web browsing on mobile devices still bites. And it bites hard, which is surprising considering the amount of pressure that must be coming from user focus groups on this. Meantime, if you're tired of trying to manipulate a shaky Web connection with a browser that was obviously meant for a larger screen and just dumped onto your mobile device so your manufacturer could say that it can browser the web...take heart. Or rather thake Handmark.

Handmark Pocket Express 3.0 is a Web interface designed for PalmOS, Windows Mobile 5, Symbian and even J2ME devices. It provides a customizable front-end of instant Web links (News, Sports, Weather, etc.). Nope these aren't your favorite sites with this info, these are Handmark mobile portals.

But the interface is designed not only to work on a mobile device, but also to work with the input mechanisms of a mobile device. So you can actually move through Handmark's interface with only one hand. Okay, it's not free and unfettered Web browsing, but it sure is a step up from what we've got now. It's also not free in a financial sense, costing $6.99/month or $69.99 per year for access.

Project Gutenberg Giving Away Free eBooks

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 16:19:32 GMT

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the beginning of eBooks, Project Gutenberg has taken part in the World eBook Fair. This site has content on millions of eBooks in over 100 languages. And, PG is also giving away 333,333 free eBooks during the month of the Fair (July 4-August 4). You can keep these books as your own, free-of-charge with no DRM restrictions.

The fair will also increase the number of free books it gives away every year from now on, upwards to 500,000 in 2007, 750,000 in 2008 and a glitzy million in 2009.

(via Digg)

CrossOver for the Mac

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:40:05 GMT

And Apple just keeps getting the best of other people's ideas. CodeWeavers' CrossOver began as a highly popular Linux application that lets Linux users run Windows applications. So users of GNOME or KDE can blithely load up Internet Explorer or Microsoft Office. I've run it myself, and while it's just a little bit slow, it's perfectly serviceable. It's also become so popular that several Linux distros, including Xandros and SUSE, include it by default.

Well get set to be a little happier if you're a Windows user drooling over a Mac. CrossOver for the Mac is almost here. CodeWeavers is promising it by the end of the summer for about $60. There's even a software compatibility list there, so check it out.

(via UberGizmo)

Cool New Content Site for Mobile Devices

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:05:10 GMT

For those who like to software tweak their mobile devices, OASYS Mobile has provided good content for a while--stuff like ringtones, wallpapers and games. Join the site, make sure your phone is compatible and you can stuff your handy to the gills with sounds and diversions your friends don't have.

Then you lose your phone.

Now you've got to go back to OASYS (and whatever other sites you were using), remember what it was you had installed and find it all again--often paying for it again as well. This'll become an especially popular experience as phones get smaller and smaller, and thus more easily lost.

Well, the OASYS guys have a solution for this. They're calling it the Virtual Locker, and it's exactly what it sounds like, namely a secure virtual space in which to store your ringtones, wallpaper, games, mini-applets and even contacts. If your phone gets lost, Virtual Locker lets you quickly and easily upload stuff you already paid for to your new phone. They've even got both a free as well as a premium version.

(via Gearlog)

Get Off That Old OS

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 18:52:19 GMT

You knew it was coming: Microsoft doesn't like folks to stay on older versions of its operating system. Onwards and upwards, outwards and into the great wide open...okay, I'll stop now. But the way that Redmond has always pushed us to new platforms is by simply ceasing support for the old ones.

And according to Microsoft, that's exactly what they're going to do again on July 11. If you're still on Windows 98 or Windows ME, then it's time to think about upgrading. Either that or be prepared to pay your local Windows junkie an hourly rate to keep your operating system healthy.

(via Geeks Are Sexy)

Interview with DirectX 10 Team

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 20:27:38 GMT

PC Mag's affiliate site, ExtremeTech, are doing a three-part interview with the development team on DirectX 10. This is the latest update to Microsoft's ultimate multimedia/graphics stack that will debut with Vista next year. The interview starts with Chris Donahue who is the Director of Business Development for Windows Games as well as David Blythe who is a software architect on the team. The interview is pretty in-depth and can be had as both a print version or a podcast. Worth checking out for Window graphics nerds who want to really know what to expect with Vista.

Yet More Software Alternatives: Picasa and Flock

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:00:54 GMT

One good thing about all this Google-Microsoft-Yahoo-Mozilla competition is that we keep getting loads of new software to try for nada. Long as you're not installing this stuff on a machine with real valuable data, messing around with new software packages isn't just fun, it's educational.

To help that along, here's a review of Google's Picasa Web Albums service...product...er, deal from Computers.net. Nicely detailed and with a good number of screenshots. The interface looks clean. I'm not sure about the pricing -- $250 is your default freebie. To go higher you pretty much dish $25/yr for an extra 6 gigs. That last part is fine--both cost and storage space--but the first part seems to lame. They're not even really giving you the option to stick with the low-end service. Unless you keep swapping out your photos.

Another nice read is the Slashdot discussion on Flock. This is a Firefox-based browser that many are billing as the first "Web 2.0" browser. That really doesn't mean anything specific since Web 2.0 is being defined all kinds of different ways by all sorts of different folks, but it generally means slick. Real slick, and apparently Flock beta 1 doesn't disappoint. The Flock.com links are pretty much dead right now--too much publicity--but they should be back up in a day or so.

Software fodder for the weekend.

Talking about: Spaces Updates!

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:50:49 GMT

A reprint of a post from the SpaceCraft blog on the new Spaces update that rolled out yesterday. You may have noticed a new URL addressing system when you checked into your blog today, but there's plenty more new features beyond that.

So far, I like the new photo upload ActiveX control and I'm really looking forward to the new Gadget features.

Quote

Spaces Updates!

Hey Spaces fans, you may have noticed a change in the URL for your Space. We’re excited to announce that we released late Monday evening (Seattle time.)

In addition to the URL Change, we have added support for many additional modules. Some of these are:

Horoscope*
Weather*
Stock Quotes*
Quote of the Day*
Updated Spaces (new Map View!)
More modules coming soon including Live Gadgets. Learn more about building a gadget

* Available in these countries for this release: Australia, United Kingdom, & USA

We listened to your feedback and have brought back the list of all your photo albums on the home page. When you edit your Space, you can use this list to re-order your albums: Just click on the up or down arrow that displays when you hover your mouse over the album title in the list box.

We also fixed the bug that prevented many of you from adding photos to your MSN Space. This bug affected mainly IE 7.0 beta users – so test it out and upload your photos today! Remember also that we recommend that you follow the steps defined here and here to set your browser security settings and to turn off pop-up blockers in I.E. and Norton for spaces.msn.com only so that the upload control is not blocked. If you experience problems uploading photos – please let us know so that we can help.

With the URL change, we recognize that it will be some time while search engines re-crawl Spaces and pick-up your blog entries, lists, photos, and more at their updated URL’s. It may also take some time for search engines and other tracking services to re-crawl links. If you’re working on a service that crawls Spaces, please note that http://thespacecraft.spaces.msn.com is the same as http://spaces.msn.com/thespacecraft.

We’re very excited about this release since it will make Spaces faster and gives a stronger, more stable platform from which to Launch “Windows Live Spaces” soon. Stay tuned…

The Spaces Team

Cool Review of 3D Browsers

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 18:47:54 GMT

This is really cool stuff. Those of you who can remember VRML (Virtual Reality Markup Language) can recall a day of 3-D environments where entrepeneurs promised walk-through social interactions with other users as well as software. Instead, because most of the planet was still using dial-up access, what we got were REALLY slow response times and mostly motionless 3-D images that took forever to load.

Well, those tight pipe days are gone. In an age of broadband to the home, 3-D browsing is making a comeback, but the big three browsers don't really support it. So ExtremeTech went out and found some browsers and browser add-ons that do and did a pretty darn cool review. Definitely worth a read if you're looking for a little something new from the Internet.

Quick How-To: Dual-Booting Twixt XP and Vista

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 18:47:47 GMT

If you rushed right out and downloaded your copy of Vista beta 2, then you were probably a bit miffed at its hardware requirements. This isn't a beta that's going to take kindly to being installed on that 3-year old spare PC you had relegated as spare storage. This thing wants tomorrow's hardware today.

Best bet? Install it on your most modern machine, but that generally means your primary box. No way do you want to run Vista as your primary OS, and yet it definitely wants its own machine. So how to solve this dilemma? Read this step-by-stepper from Lifehacker and dual-booting between XP and Vista. Probably won't work with every machine, but it's a good read even for those who don't manage it on the first try.

(via Digg)

Win 98 Support Shudders and Dies

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 22:07:13 GMT

Microsoft announced today that building and testing new software (like Internet Explorer) as well as security and update patches just wasn't feasible for Windows 98 any longer. So poof, support is done as of July 11, 2006. I know I'm going to get a number of emails from Win98 users who are outraged at being abandoned like this, but frankly, Win98 was one of the nastier Windows revs in terms of bugs and security problems. If you're still on it, get off, get off, get off.

(via Microsoft's Security Response Center Blog)

This Looks Fun: DIY Comic Book Software

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:28:32 GMT

This may be one of those products I don't even bother asking for free review product, just go out and buy it. It's called MyComicBook Creator, and it's only $29.99. For that, the software lets you snap screen shots of your favorite video games, home movies or whatnot; import them into a storyboard within the software and then add speech balloons, text and other special effects. Convert the whole thing into a PDF and you've got your own instant comic book.

Love it. Hope it works.

Nice List of Firefox Plugins

Tue, 06 Jun 2006 18:43:56 GMT

Kiltak found this very complete list of over 200 of the best Firefox plugins. They're organized into categories covering everything from advertising to search engine optimization. Everythings available as a Web download and all the links included. Enjoy.

(via GeeksAreSexy)

Three Reviews of Vista Beta 2

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 23:40:06 GMT

It's been out for about two weeks now: Windows Vista beta 2. We've got it running here in Honolulu, but I don't have time to write a full review, just bits and pieces. So while you're waiting for my bits, here are three links to full-fledged overviews of the new OS from different pubs. Enjoy.

PC Magazine: Inside Windows Vista Beta 2 (good review)

PC World: Microsoft Enveils Windows Vista Beta 2 (news review)

Tom's Hardware: 500 Hour Test of Tomorrow's Windows "Vista" (really in-depth review)

New Voicemail-to-Email Service

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:26:35 GMT

GotVoice is a new Web-based service that can converts voicemail from home phones or cell phones into MP3 files and attaches them to emails. You can then check voice mail for all your phones from whereever you get email. Basic service is actually free, but the Plus service ($5/mo) offers more than one check per day, while the Premium service ($10) allows even more checks and even gives you an RSS feed with your voicemails included as enclosures. Pretty cool.

(via Digg)

Microsoft Drops PDF in Office

Sat, 03 Jun 2006 04:05:26 GMT

AARGH! Soon as I talk about it in another post, they decide to drop it. In our Microsoft-wants-to-do-its-own-JPEG post, I mentioned that Redmond had tried to roll its own Acrobat-type doc protection technology to be included in Office 2007. Announced it last year to much derision because it apparently only worked within Office, so it pretty much fell far short of Acrobat in the cross-platform department. So by the middle of last year, Microsoft announced it was caving and includilng Acrobat PDF support in Office 2007--mainly to keep competitive with OpenOffice which has had that feature for a while now.

Well slap my booty and call me Sally because Redmond just announced it's changed its mind. No PDF support in Office 2007. This time tho, it seems not to be entirely Microsoft's fault.

Instead of supporting Acrobat's inclusion in Office, Adobe got p-oed about the whole thing and has threatened to sue Microsoft if it includes the ability to save into the format. Might have something to do with the fact that saving from Office to PDF is a big reason people by Acrobat Professional. To maintain its revenue, Adobe wanted Microsoft to charge extra for the feature and for once Redmond refused.

So no PDF in Office and we get to blame Adobe over it.