Malicious Download Warnings

Note: This will be my last blog entry until the first week of May. Am off on one of my road trips, mostly in Chicago for 10 days. Am excited about this trip as I have never been there. May try to do a blog or two while there, but no promises as I am not sure of my connections yet. But I will stay in touch, via Twitter and Facebook. – JRC

As attacks surface, Sun ships sudden Java patch

In a sudden about-face, Sun has rushed out a Java update to fix a drive-by download vulnerability that exposed Windows users to in-the-wild malware attacks. The patch comes less than a week after Sun told a Google researcher it did not consider the issue serious enough to warrant an out-of-cycle patch and less than a day after researchers spotted live exploits on a booby-trapped song lyrics Web site.

Researchers warn of malware hidden in .zip files

Security researchers have discovered flaws in common file formats, including .zip, which can be used to sneak malware onto computers by evading antivirus detection.

The end of USB? Intel demos new Light Peak cable that's twice as fast as USB 3.0

Light Peak has a lot to offer, including 10Gbps throughput, twice that of the latest flavor of USB, along with the ability to run multiple protocols at the same time. That means you connect all of your devices with just a single Light Peak cable.

Run your PC from afar — securely and easily

Your office PC is miles away, when suddenly you realize you forgot that all-important file — what to do? Luckily, there are free tools (including one possibly residing in Windows) that give you remote access — or even full-scale remote control — of your PC, as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Best Free File Encryption Utility

Encryption is the process of encoding information so that it cannot be accessed by others unless they have the encoding key. Encryption is normally used to protect highly sensitive documents, but it's a good way to stop people from looking at your personal stuff.

Why You Should Be Using Drive Imaging

Best Free Drive Imaging Program

Disk Imaging has rapidly become a must have tool for most users because of its convenience, speed, and altogether ease of use. With disk imaging software a user can safely recover their computer from a system crash or a bad virus infection without having to worry about reformatting and reinstalling the operating system. With drive imaging there is almost no reason at all to have to reinstall Windows because it offers you the ability to restore an image to your hard drive in a fraction of that time and accomplish the same thing while keeping all of your programs and important data. For many users this has made Windows backup and other file backup solutions redundant.

Philly newspaper gambles on online gambling

Though Google CEO Eric Schmidt and seemingly everyone else is telling publishers they should place some bets on potential new business models, The Philadelphia Inquirer's new venture may not be exactly what they had in mind. Philly.com, the online unit of the Inquirer and sister newspaper the Philadelphia Daily News, has launched a legal online betting service called Instant Fantasy Games.

Apple refreshes its MacBook Pro notebooks

Apple on Tuesday updated its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers with faster processors and new Nvidia graphics. The biggest news amid the new MacBook Pro changes is that the 15-inch and 17-inch models now use Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors. The 13-inch model will continue to use Intel's Core 2 Duo processor.

Twitter rolling out plan to make money with tweet ads

Twitter Inc. users on Tuesday will start seeing the first examples of the company's new business plan to generate income by adding sponsored keywords to tweets. The San Francisco microblogging service will launch a new "promoted tweets'' platform to about 2 percent to 10 percent of Twitter users. In a blog entry posted at midnight, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said the "first phase" of the new platform will launch with advertisers that include Best Buy, Bravo, Red Bull, Sony Pictures, Starbucks and Virgin America.

Why Microsoft did the right thing in ditching XP for IE9

I recently expressed a lack of surprise that Internet Explorer 9 will almost certainly not be supported on Windows XP. In Redmond's words, a "modern browser" needs a "modern operating system," and Windows XP doesn't qualify. Much to my surprise (well, not really, I know that XP is still used and, apparently, loved by many), many doubted my characterization of XP as "obsolete," and they questioned my lack of surprise at this decision.

Big Day for Photographers and Artists

Adobe Unleashes Photoshop CS5

After building up anticipation by releasing sneak peeks at upcoming features such as Content-Aware Fill and Puppet Warp, Adobe has unveiled Photoshop CS5, the latest version of its popular image editing program.

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Unleashed Roundup

Creative Suite 5 (CS5), for both Mac and Windows, injects many of Adobe's existing killer apps—such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash—with some mind-boggling new capabilities, and introduces a new program or two you may not have known you needed.

Microsoft's Kin: What it is--and isn't

Today, Microsoft introduced its newest phone, the Kin. The short and squat Kin One and the wider-screened Kin Two are two shapes for the same idea--the mobile phone for those who want to broadcast their every thought, sight, and sound--"lifecasters," as Microsoft's Robbie Bach called them. Although many phones have Facebook or Twitter applications, social networking is at the heart of the Kin. Sharing has its own dedicated green button and is at the center of the Kin experience.

Adobe Flash evangelist: 'Go screw yourself Apple'

A blog post by Adobe Flash platform evangelist Lee Brimelow has brought more fire to what's become a very public fight between Apple and Adobe over the inclusion of Flash and other Adobe technologies in Apple's portable devices.

52 Useful Firefox Add-Ons for Photographers

Photography may have existed long before personal computers, but these days photographers spend a lot of time using computers for their work. You can make that work easier by taking advantage of these Firefox add-ons for photography.

Netflix, USB 3, and PDF – No Good News Here

Netflix will delay Fox and Universal releases for 28 days

If you subscribe to Netflix and watch a lot of new releases, you won't be too thrilled about this news: Netflix just announced agreements with Fox and Universal to delay those companies' new movies for 28 days. Netflix already had this kind of deal with Warner Bros., and it's basically an attempt by the movie industry to shore up slipping DVD sales.

Long delay expected for Intel support of USB 3.0

USB 3.0 will not see widespread adoption until at least late 2011 because of lack of direct support from Intel. As a result, the new standard may not become as prevalent this decade as USB 2.0 has been through most of the past decade.

Analyst's View: PDF—Pretty Dangerous Format?

In the early 90s Adobe created its Portable Document Format (PDF) for the specific purpose of ensuring that documents look exactly the same no matter what devices are used to view or print them. So why are there so many exploits using the PDF format to attack computer systems? Because Adobe lost track of its mission, that's why.

Survey: Cloud computing risks outweigh reward

IT Professionals are against using the Cloud to store data. What about you? Questioning more than 1,800 IT professionals in the U.S. who are members of the group, the ISACA found that only 10 percent of them plan to use cloud computing for mission-critical IT services, 15 percent will use it only for low-risk services, and 26 percent don't expect to tap into the cloud at all.

Get a Top Rated $60 Photo Editor for Whatever You Want to Pay

The freeware version of Sagelight Image Editor is currently our Top Pick for the "Best Free Digital Editor." During the month of April, in an exclusive offer through Gizmo's Freeware, you can get the $60 full-featured version of this amazingly powerful professional image editor and pay just what you want!

A New Reason to Hate AT&T

AT&T's latest iPhone Outrage

Can't get a decent connection in your home? AT&T has a fix, but it will cost you up to $150 to improve service you already paid for

iPhone 4.0: Multitasking Tops List of New Features

Apple today gave a sneak peek at a developer preview of iPhone OS 4.0, the next major version of its operating system for mobile devices. Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted over 1500 new application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers in iPhone 4.0, letting them access features like the iPhone's calendar, photo library, video-camera data, and more.

Microsoft decision puts public libraries at risk

Millions of Americans depend on libraries, Internet cafés, and other public locations for their connection to the Internet, and keeping these points of access safe from hackers is especially difficult. Recently, however, Microsoft has made that challenge even more difficult for many public libraries. The company announced it would not upgrade the free application, SteadyState, to Windows 7 compatibility, angering many of the folks who manage public-access PCs. People who manage library PCs say they don't have money to pay for third-party products that protect public PCs from malware and malicious users.

Microsoft to fix 25 holes in Windows, Office, Exchange

Microsoft will issue 11 security bulletins in next week's Patch Tuesday to fix 25 vulnerabilities in Windows, Microsoft Office, and Exchange, including two holes for which exploit code is in the wild.

FotoMorph 10.1.1 (Windows) - Free

Amaze your friends and family with unbelievable transformations. Morphing is an animation technique in which one image is gradually turned into another. FotoMorph lets you make incredible morphs in minutes.

Some Great Security Tips

How to Block Bad Websites

There are many ways to block bad websites and unwanted content. I break this guide into three different ways to prevent your PC from being infected by accidentally visiting a malicious or compromised website: (1) programs and tips that help prevent your PC from being a target for malware. (2) Programs that alert you to potentially malicious websites when they appear -- the self-censorship or "just change the channel approach". (3) Programs that filter unwanted content/websites from appearing -- the censorship approach.

ShieldsUP Tests Your Firewall for Vulnerabilities

The best way to determine if your computer's (or router's) firewall is working and optimized is to effectively try to penetrate it. Browser-based utility ShieldsUP! tests your firewall for vulnerabilities and kinks in your computer's defense.

Internal HP document leaks: Slate tablet to cost $549, hope to combat iPad.

It’s similar in other respects to the iPad, including a multitouch screen (slightly smaller at 8.9 inches, with a 1,024×600 resolution), built-in Wi-Fi, and a 1.5-pound weight. Of course, it doesn’t have a proprietary processor running it; instead, it uses the Intel Atom Z530 CPU familiar from many, many netbooks.

iWork on the iPad is a great way to work: Review

As reported when the iPad was initially announced, Apple has created iPad versions of its popular iWork productivity suite, including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps--each of which is available for $9.99 at the iTunes App Store. We've had a chance to get a close look at each of the iWork apps and have found them to be extremely useful on the new platform.

Ultimate Windows Tweaker, a TweakUI for Windows 7 & Vista

Voted the best Windows 7 Tweaking software by Lifehacker readers. Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a freeware TweakUI Utility for tweaking and optimizing Windows 7 & Windows Vista, 32-bit & 64-bit. It can simply be downloaded and used as a portable application to customize your Windows to meet your requirements. With judicious tweaking, it can make your system faster, more stable, and more secure with just a few mouse clicks

Court Decision May Affect Your Browsing

Court: FCC has no power to regulate Net neutrality

A three-judge panel in Washington, D.C. unanimously tossed out the FCC's August 2008 cease and desist order against Comcast, which had taken measures to slow BitTorrent transfers before voluntarily ending them earlier that year.

Is your browser spying on you?

Microsoft claims Google's Chrome web browser is "stealing your privacy." Are they right?

Microsoft's big gamble with free Office

Microsoft has a new plan to make more money from Office: give it away. With Office 2010, one of the biggest changes is how many ways there are to get Microsoft's most profitable software program for free.

More Google Buzz Changes Try To Fix Privacy Fiasco

Google has made more changes to Google Buzz, hoping to repair the damage from its opening fiasco and satisfy privacy advocates. While Google is responding to an FTC complaint about Google Buzz, it may be too late, since usage of the Gmail social service appears low. While Google Buzz now uses suggestions, it wants to satisfy initial users.

Partition Wizard Manages and Fixes Your Hard Drive for Free

Windows: Partition Wizard does everything you'd probably need a partition tool to do, and does it on 32 and 64-bit systems.

It’s iPad Monday!

Editor’s Note: In spite of what you may think, I am not an iPad hater. In fact, it has some very interesting features I find attractive. And I think it will succeed in the marketplace. I just won’t buy one until the 2nd or 3rd generation when it contains some addition features that are critical for me. JRC 

Apple sells over 300,000 iPads on day of debut

Sales included pre-orders of the iPad, a new type of touch-screen device that blends features of the iPhone, electronic book readers and tablet computers. Prices start at $499 for iPads that connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. Apple will sell costlier iPads with cellular data connections later this month.

InfoWorld review: Apple iPad surprises, disappoints

So you've probably heard about the iPad. Apple is once again making headlines with the release of a consumer-focused computing device, and the level of hysteria surrounding the iPad is fascinating from an anthropological point of view. But is the iPad really worthy of this craziness? Yes and no.

Why Apple's iBooks falls short of Kindle--for now

In case you haven't noticed, Amazon's changed gears a little bit when it comes to its Kindle platform. If you look at Amazon's homepage, you'll notice a different message. Now that the iPad is here, no longer is Amazon just advertising the Kindle e-reader front and center, it's all about the Kindle app, which is available for a variety of devices.

iPad reportedly overheating in the sun

You know the story from Greek mythology about Icarus, and how his father Daedalus told him not to fly too close to the sun with the wings he made for him out of feathers and wax. Icarus didn't listen and fell into the sea. Well, according to several reports, Daedalus might want to warn iPad owners not to play too close to the sun with their beloved new devices because they too may crash.

Apple iPhone 4.0 Event Announced: What to Expect

Apple announced Monday that on April 8 it will give the public a sneak peek at its iPhone 4.0 operating system. The news comes as Apple buzz is at a fevered pitch with the successful launch of its iPad tablet computer on Saturday.

Friday Potpourri of Opinions

The Enduring Value of Microsoft Office

I was intrigued to see an article in "The Wall Street Journal" on Monday describing the "challenge" that Microsoft Office faces from Google's free tools. The reason is simple: I don't believe that Google's free tools--Google Docs, part of Google Apps--represent a technical or financial challenge to Office at all. And I was curious to see whether I had missed something.

The Great Firewall of China Will Engulf the Gutless

I'm fully aware of the stakes involved for Western companies opening a window to business with Beijing, but the Great Firewall won't stop at Yahoo, Vietnam or Hong Kong. China has struggled to keep a vast country in line since the days of the Han Dynasty, and it is used to having its way -- and denying others their say.

Apple iPad Review with Video and Photos

(An in-depth review of the iPad from PC Magazine) Having used the iPad for some time, I can tell you that the device just makes sense. When you combine basic-but-essential work tools with iWork, an improved browser, e-mail, iPod, and photo applications, a well-executed e-Book platform with iBooks, and throw in thousands of downloadable apps and games, and package it all in a gorgeous, slim slate with a beautiful 9.7-inch touch screen, you have yourself a winner.

Mozilla fixes security hole with Firefox 3.6.3

Mozilla released Firefox 3.6.3 on Thursday to close a critical security hole. If that is your browser of choice. It may upgrade itself automatically. Just double-check to be sure.

First Legitimate iPad Reviews

8 Layers of Security Every Computer Should Have

Every time you connect to the Internet, you are putting your computer -- and the information stored there -- at risk. As Roger Thompson, chief security officer with AVG Technologies told me:

What's Google planning for Chrome 5?

After a year and a half, Chrome has come a long way toward matching the features of better-established browsers. Now, with version 5 coming together, a lot of Google's work focuses on advancing the state of the browser art. I find myself using Chrome more and more. If I could get all the add-ons that I use in Firefox, it would be hard to resist no changing.

First round of iPad reviews are in

You don’t have to wait until Saturday. The first round of iPad reviews are in.

Apple's iPad: The Mothership Prepares for Launch - TIME

One of my favorite people in the world, British actor, writer, comedian, director Stephen Fry has written an article in Time Magazine on the iPad and spent an hour with Steve Jobs. Highly entertaining, informative, and an example of great writing.

AquaSnap Brings Aero Snap and Transparency to Windows XP

If you're stuck with Windows XP either because you can't or don't want to upgrade from Windows XP, you may be interested in some of the features that Windows 7 offers from Aero Snap, or the ability to turn windows semi-transparent, shake them to minimize other windows, or "snap" them to certain places on the screen.