Browser and Office 2011 Updates

Major security bug fixed in Firefox

Mozilla is advising fans of Firefox to update the stable version of the browser after it released a patch for a security bug marked "critical" today. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Firefox 3.6.12 patches a heap buffer overflow that could allow for remote code execution.

Google Chrome 7 Review

Google Chrome 7 is not only stable to use, but comes with a full range of competitive features. It lacks some of the fine-tuning customizations in Firefox, but overall users browsing with Chrome will find it a pleasant, fast, and standards-compliant experience.

Office 2011 for Mac goes on sale

On October 26, Microsoft began selling Office 2011, the new Office release for Mac OS X users at retail. Microsoft released to manufacturing Office 2011 on September 10. There are three SKUs, or versions: Office for Mac Home & Student 2011, Office for Mac Home & Business 2011 and Office for Mac Academic 2011.

Barnes & Noble unveils Nook Color e-Reader

A lot of people wondered whether this would be classified as an Android tablet, and while the device does run on Android 2.1 (it will be upgradeable to Android 2.2 next year) and offers additional functionality such as Web browsing, audio and video playback, and some basic games, Barnes & Noble is spinning it as a "reader's tablet." It uses a backlit LED screen rather than e-ink and only has 8 hours of battery life.

Best Free Online Backup Sites

Endless hours of processing backup disks can now be replaced with online backups and file synching services. The necessity of a good backup is more important than ever, with online backups you can safely and simply backup your data into the cloud. An online backup provides 24/7 access to your files from any internet connected computer, smartphone, or tablet style device. Data storage in the cloud is one of the quickest means to data archiving and recovery.

Windows 7: Past, Present and Future

Windows 7, one year later: How's Microsoft doing? And what's next?

This week, Windows 7 celebrates its first birthday. In my original review, I called Windows 7 “as close to an essential upgrade as I have ever seen,” and I predicted that it would improve with age. A year later, I can already see many of those improvements.

Microsoft says Windows 8 roughly two years away

In its most concrete comments yet about the next version of Windows, Microsoft said in a blog post on its Dutch Web site that Windows 8 is about two years from hitting the market.

Facebook Privacy Failure: Latest in Long Line of Blunders

In the latest episode of the gang that couldn't get privacy straight, it was revealed by the Wall Street Journal that many of Facebook's popular applications were unintentionally transmitting the names of the social network's members and, in some cases, their friends' names to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies.

The Greatest Tech Battles of All Time

We've broken down some of our favorites from over the years to see how Jobs vs. Google/RIM stacks up. Let's just say that nothing puts a verbal tiff into perspective quite like watching some grainy footage of a circus elephant getting electrocuted on Coney Island.

Productivity Software: Best of 2010

Put more productivity into your day with superb software such as the Google Chrome browser, and protect your PCs with Microsoft Security Essentials or Norton Antivirus 2011, among other top choices.

What I Use–Part 4

This is a continuation of the article I started several weeks ago (and interrupted by my Chicago vacation) on the hardware and software I personally use. In this edition, I will focus on productivity software.

As you might guess, my productivity software revolves around Microsoft’s Office 2010. While I have used other similar software, such as the free OpenOffice, I always gravitated back to Office. For several years, I used Office 2003. But this year, I moved forward to Office 2010 (skipping Office 2007). In the words of my favorite Microsoft blogger, Paul Therrott, it was a “no-brainer.” Compared to the 2003, this new version is a major revision and I do like most of its new features.

But, let’s talk briefly about the components of Office that I use the most.

1. Microsoft OneNote: Without a doubt this program is the most often-used software on my computer. To put it as succinctly as possible, OneNote is a collection point for almost everything: thoughts, ideas, information, personal information, plans, projects, captured data from the web and almost everything else you can think of. I use it several times a day to store info about my daily activities, to-do lists, data gathered from the Web and much more. OneNote is a large notebook, divided into sections and subsections that you create…and it looks like a notebook with 3 levels of tabs. It is difficult to describe without seeing it, but I encourage anyone who want to become better organized to take a look at it on the Microsoft Web site.

2. Microsoft Outlook: This is my e-mail software of choice, although it goes way beyond that single use. Of all the components of Office 2010, Outlook has the largest number of improvement and new features, far too numerous to mention here. Besides e-mail, Outlook handles my address book, to-do lists, calendar, scheduling, and notes. My cell phone is a Blackberry and I use their desktop software to sync all my Outlook data to my phone. Believe it or not, I use the Notes section of Outlook to make up my grocery lists, so if you see me wandering around a grocery store with my phone in my hand, you know what I am doing. I also have another list of books I want to buy someday so I am ready whenever I wander into a bookstore.

3. Microsoft Word: It’s the most used word processor in the entire world and for good reason. You are all probably very familiar with it so I won’t go into details about it, but it is better than ever. A quick word here about the Ribbon Interface now used it all Office products: while I am not 100% comfortable with it, I have found a work-around in that I can put my own most often used functions in a toolbar at the top of screen and keep the ribbon closed until I need it. I created my own personal toolbar for each of the Office products.

4. Microsoft Excel: As the most used spreadsheet in all the word, I use it and like it very much and, again, won’t go into details as you probably know more about it than me.

5. Microsoft PowerPoint: As a retired person, I don’t have a need for it anymore. I only mention it as it has so many new improvements in the 2010 version that make it better than ever before. As it does automatically create presentations for the Web, I might play with it someday for my own Web site.

The other productivity software I should mention here is Quicken. I am using version 2009 to handle my personal finances. It is far more powerful than my humble needs, but it is a good program still, after all these years.

More to come…

Browser Updates in the News

Mozilla Firefox Update Squashes Nine Security Bugs

Mozilla repaired a slew of bugs Wednesday in a comprehensive Firefox update totaling nine fixes, five of which are deemed critical. Altogether, the latest version, Firefox 3.6.11, addresses five flaws that enable hackers to launch malicious attacks onto users' systems remotely, as well as two errors that carry the slightly less severe rating of "high" and one that is considered "moderate."

Chrome moves to version 7 on schedule

Google recently adopted an accelerated release cycle for its Chrome browser, pushing out a new stable release every six weeks. Google Chrome 7.0.517.41 for Windows, Mac, and Linux introduces the majority of Chrome users to features that have been available to beta and developer's build users for several months, as well as fixing hundreds of bugs that affected the browser's stability.

Stuxnet: Smarter -- and deadlier -- than the average worm

Now we have Stuxnet, which has deservedly garnered a fair share of media coverage over the past few months. The malware is unlike any threat we've previously seen. If Stuxnet is a sign of things to come, it will be difficult to believe that our biggest malware fears were merely boot viruses, rogue file attachments, and macro viruses.

How Starbucks is trying to change the media

Caffeine behemoth Starbucks on Tuesday finally unveiled its revamped Web hub, a landing page that's only accessible from its in-store Wi-Fi networks in the U.S. Teaming with the likes of Yahoo (the main technology partner), The Wall Street Journal, GOOD, The New York Times, iTunes, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, Starbucks has packed the new site full of news both local and mainstream (including content that would normally be behind paywalls), free music download promos, local information like weather and bike trails, and movie trailers.

Google To Bring Dead Sea Scrolls Online

A joint project between Google and Israel's Antiquities Authority will grant free, global access to the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls, one of the greatest archaeological finds of the last century, by uploading high-resolution images that are exact copies of the originals. The scrolls are kept in dark, temp-controlled rooms at the Israel Museum.

Catching You (and Me) Up

I am back from two great weeks in Chicago. In many ways sad to come home, but it’s a good thing I like Tucson.  So, here now are a few things we missed while I was away:

Windows Phone 7 Offers the Best of Apple and Android

Microsoft appears to have taken the best from rivals Apple and Android in its new Windows Phone 7 operating system. Its innovative approach to Windows Phone 7 uses Qualcomm hardware for iPhone reliability and offers Android's development flexibility. The initial Windows Phone 7 launch is limited to the GSM networks of AT&T and T-Mobile.

Facebook Groups: Hands On

Last week, Facebook held a press conference to announce even bigger changes to the site: the ability to download your Facebook data, a new app control panel, and - of the most far reaching importance - a new Groups capability.

Mission interface image - Google Earth tackles the universe

Google announced it is partnering with Slooh, a service popular with astronomy buffs that lets its users view live events through its global network of observatories, and take photographs of what they see. The Internet giant will integrate data from Slooh into its Google Sky service.

Borders launches e-book publishing platform with BookBrewer

Want to write a book and get it published? Well, now it’s getting even easier for aspiring and independent authors to get their work to the masses these days. Borders has now launched an e-book publishing platform of its own.

10 great free desktop productivity tools that aren't OpenOffice.org

These free and open source applications for Windows, Linux, and Mac desktops put power into the hands of users without taking from their wallets

I Forgot to Tell You…

With the publication of today’s Rants and Raves, I will be taking a couple of weeks off and heading for Chicago. I will resume publication of  this blog when I return. If I run into any interesting timely stories, I will publish them here, so stay tuned.

To follow my adventures in Chicago, along with some photos, check out my updates on my Web site’s “Front Burner” page…or on Twitter or Facebook.  See you soon.

Should the Govt. Be Able to Shut Down Web Sites at Will?

Fight for Senate antipiracy bill rages

Killing legislation that would enable the government to shut down Web sites accused of piracy was a top priority for many technology trade groups today. Last week, a Senate committee stunned the tech sector by announcing it would try to fast-track a bill designed to grant the U.S. Department of Justice wide authority to combat illegal file sharing and counterfeiting. Critics say the proposed legislation, known as the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, is nothing more than censorship and would heap the copyright-protection problems on companies that shouldn't bear the burden. Giving the government the right to shut down websites would put us on a par with China for censorship.

Windows Live Essentials 2011 released

Microsoft has just released the final version of Windows Live Essentials 2011, an update for the popular Windows Live Essentials suite of downloadable Windows applications. The suite is a free download from Microsoft, compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Microsoft Security Essentials: Free, so what's the catch?

As I live on the edge without any virus protection, it will only be a matter of time before I pick something up -- which is why I was interested in Microsoft's recent release of the second version of OneCare's successor, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). MSE provides real-time protection for home PCs, although Microsoft is promising that enterprise support for small business is on the way.

Windows 7: The Top 10 Hidden Features

There are plenty of hidden features and goodies in the depth of Windows 7. We'll tell you where to find them.

Best Free Notes Organizer

In today's electronic world, it can be quite a challenge to organize all useful information such as web clips, articles, bits of text, images, interesting web links, bookmarks, shopping lists, to-do lists, recipes, tips and many others that are hanging around your PC. It seems to be a common easy task but a difficult one to sort out as the information is so disparate. Some folks have tried to get it organized by using free form databases while others use beefed up text editors or multi-media snippet managers. If you're one of them or just would like to look for a useful tool to organize your random bits of information, you might find that some of these freeware products come in handy and helpful.