alltheweb

‘Bubble Ball’ App Reaches 2M Downloads on iTunes : Game that Beats Angry Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 31 May 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Ansca Mobile has announced that 14-year old Robert Nay’s Bubble Ball has displaced Rovio’s popular Angry Birds Seasons as the #1 free title in the iTunes App Store with 2 million downloads, and counting.

Bubble Ball is Robert's first foray into app development, according to Ansca Mobile, the company whose Corona SDK he chose for developing the app.

According to Robert, the built-in physics engine was exactly what he needed to make his app a reality.

Bubble Ball, for those who haven’t yet tried it, is a physics-based puzzle game which has players guiding a ball to a goal.

Various objects are provided for the player to work out a path for the ball so that it reaches its goal.

Some objects can be manipulated more than others, while using gravity to your advantage is obviously the key to beating every level.

BubbleBall has been steadily climbing the charts since it was approved in December, and was named the App of the Week in the Corona SDK app showcase on January 9.

Since then, its popularity has skyrocketed, culminating in its #1 spot on January 13, 2011, Ansca Mobile is proud to confirm.

The Spanish Fork, UT 14-year old reportedly started work on BubbleBall with a competing development framework.

As he progressed, he realized that Corona SDK's was more appropriate for what he needed to create a game characterized by fun and addictive game play, so he went with it instead.

“We wholeheartedly congratulate Robert on his initial success and we are eagerly looking forward to his future creations,” said Ansca Mobile.

“Wait until he gets a little more experience under his belt and really unleashes the power of Corona SDK! Congratulations Robert, well done!” the makers of the SDK concluded.

Robert was also featured on Good Morning America!. See him here.

Download Bubble Ball (Free)

News Source: softpedia.com

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May 16, 2010: Crescent Moon and Planet Venus

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Above is an actual view of the moon about 7:00+ P.M May 16, 2010 in Bicol, Pili, Camarines Sur...

Photos courtesy of: Blesilda Bascara-Livelo (facebook)

About 10 hours Universal Time today. Unfortunately, this is not visible to North American or European observers, but we have not lost out entirely. Tonight, just as it gets dark, look to the western sky and, weather permitting, you should see a beautiful sight — bright Venus with the waxing crescent moon nearby. You should have no trouble finding either object as long as your skies are clear and you are facing west. Venus is a brilliant beacon to the lower right of the moon. Look early, as the two set less than three hours after the sun. By the way, the moon is currently said to be “waxing” in the sense that it is becoming a bit more full each evening.

If you are a regular reader of EarthSky Tonight, you may have noticed over the years that we have reported passages of the crescent moon near Venus several times. In fact, it is not that unusual. The moon passes somewhere near Venus about once a month, although we don’t always mention it simply because the conditions for observing are not always favorable. However, what you have not ever seen is a mention of the quarter moon, or gibbous moon, or full moon passing near Venus. Yet, we sometimes report when these phases of the moon pass near Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. So why is it that only the crescent moon ever passes Venus?

That is because Venus is “inferior.” No, I don’t mean that it is less valuable in any way. Used in this context, “inferior” means “lower than.” Venus is “lower than” the Earth relative to the sun. In other words, Venus is closer to the sun. Because of this, Venus never appears very far away from the sun in Earth’s sky. It oscillates back and forth from one side of the sun to the other, much like a race car moving from the left side to the right side of a circular track as we watch it from the stands. Thus, Venus sometimes appears in the evening twilight, and sometimes in the dawn twilight. The point is that it is never far from the sun. The farthest it can get from the sun (called an “elongation”) is slightly more than 47 degrees. Therefore, when the moon appears to pass Venus, it does so at about the same elongation from the sun. Since 47 and fewer degrees correspond to a crescent phase, only the crescent moon can appear to pass near Venus in the sky. The quarter moon is 90 degrees from the sun, and the full moon is 180 degrees, so you will never see those phases near Venus.

Mercury is an inferior planet as well, but its maximum elongation is only 28 degrees, so only a very thin crescent moon can ever appear near Mercury. On the other hand, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are farther from the sun than Earth, making them “superior.” From time to time, they can appear at any angle from the sun, and the quarter or full moon phases can pass near them (sometimes even occulting them).

Written by Larry Sessions

Source:www.EarthSky.com

Android Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:09:00 +0000

Nexus One is here
Posted on: January 5, 2010 / Category: Android News

We knew and expected this day for almost a month now: the Nexus One is finally available. We won't bother you with much details now, which seems to be the fashion amongst tech blogs, that have multiple posts covering the release of the Nexus. Instead we'll point you to the official site where you can see the specks, pictures and even buy the phone if you want:
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Xperia X10 VS Motorola DROID
Posted on: December 16, 2009 / Category: Sony Ericsson Android Phones

This is a battle of giants, basically the best two Android phones face eachother (at least until the Nexus One crashes the party). I bet when Xperia X10 will come out it will be hard to chose between it and the Motorola DROID that's why a good comparisson is needed.
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HTC Legend
Posted on: December 14, 2009 / Category: HTC Android Phones

It's not hard from the picture above that the Legend is actually the HTC Hero 2. Some big improvements expect the Hero fans, like metalic frame, AMOLED display, optical mouse, LED flash and a 600MHz processor.
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Motorola Titanium
Posted on: December 14, 2009 / Category: Motorola Android Phones

Another Motorola Android phone emerges: the Zeppelin we saw in the leaked roadmap a while ago is heading for China Mobile, under the name XT800, at least initially. That's interesting but we are more interested if it comes to US or Worldwide. And it looks it will.
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Nexus One Pictures
Posted on: December 14, 2009 / Category: HTC Android Phones

The folks at Engadget managed to get hold of some new, more detailed pictures of the so called "Google Phone" better known as Nexus One. Beside the pictures we have some more informations on the phone.
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HTC Nexus One
Posted on: December 13, 2009 / Category: HTC Android Phones

If you followed the Android news lately you might have noticed rumors of an actual Google Phone, developed by HTC for Google, network unlocked, large screen and high specs. The phone was distributed yesterday to Google employees for intensive testing and many shared the news on Twitter.

www.androphones.com
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Free Anonymous Surfing

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:36:00 +0000

Operator is my clear first choice, a portable version of Opera with an included and well integrated Tor engine that uses the free Tor network. OperaTor is small and relatively fast, using just 6Mb of memory for it’s Tor engine, 2Mb for the Polipo caching proxy, 3Mb for the OperaTor loader and 18Mb for Opera. In my experience, OperaTor is by far the fastest browser, even with multiple proxies on the Tor network so that the browsing trail is frequently changing for greater security. Some people don't like the fact that OperaTor is not released with source code available (at least not that we have yet located) which may influence the choice in whether to use it or not. I believe that unless a user is proficient in programming, or at least reading the development language of any particular application, this becomes rather irrelevant, unless some amount of comfort or security might be perceived in knowing that source is available and others might be checking it even if the user of the application can not read it personally. Even closed source projects that become popular generally receive enough user and peer scrutiny that most problems would be quickly exposed.

JonDo (previously known as JAP) is my second choice and is in some ways a more flexible option, in that it is simply a Java application that performs the role of a local (PC based) proxy server that redirects browser requests via the JonDo (formerly JAP) network. This allows the user to configure their choice of any browser rather than requiring a change to Opera. Unfortunately, being Java based means that the application becomes somewhat bloated, requiring 54Mb of memory just for the Java JonDo application, as well as another few Mb for the JAP engine, and then whatever additional is required for the web browser of choice. JonDo does have quite a nice GUI display which shows the strength of the anonymity based on the number of anonymizing proxy servers, and takes care of managing the random proxy changes for greater anonymity. A commercial service known as JonDonym has been introduced which uses dedicated servers to provide higher speeds, higher levels of availability and more security along with support for chat, ftp and ssh in addition to web browsing. Another offering from the commercial JonDonym group is JonDoFox, a customized version of Firefox with JonDo code embedded along with other anonymizing optimizations. Unfortunately, JonDo not being a network like Tor is prone to some limitations in terms of the numbers of free servers, and some subsequent downtimes may be more likely with the smaller server base.

Vidalia is my third choice, a close match to JonDo in that it is quite a bit lighter in memory use and generally feels faster, but may not have the same level of anonymizing as JonDo. Vidalia is another integrated package using a combination of Privoxy and a Tor engine to connect to the Tor network, but it offers many new features. As with JonDo, Vidalia behaves as a local proxy for use by any browser, but it also provides configurations allowing it to run either as a simple standalone process or as a Windows service (for security and performance reasons, among others). Vidalia allows the user to participate in the anonymizing process by becoming a Tor Relay to help censored users in a similar way to becoming a BitTorrent relay, and a live realtime facility is available showing a map of the earth with lines representing connections to the Tor server participants. Vidalia uses 24 - 32Mb of memory, with an additional 4Mb used for Privoxy and another 16.5Mb for the Tor engine. One initially confusing aspect of Vidalia is that it provides a configuration access through port 9051, but it is not immediately obvious that Privoxy is listening on port 8118. Browsers using the Vidalia bundle must be configured to use the Privoxy port 8118 as the proxy server, not port 9051. Like JonDo, the Vidalia/Privoxy combination constantly changes proxy servers to mask the trail to provide greater anonymity.

Whatever your preference, both JAP and Tor networks offer a level of secrecy that is better than many commercial systems, though they are not watertight. Expect your surfing to slow down, in some case substantially, because you'll be relayed through a chain of servers, all heavily impacted by BitTorrent users seeking to hide from the RIAA. Note: the latest V5 release of JAP now allows Tor users to use JAP as a software access point to the Tor network.

The XeroBank Browser (previously known as TorPark) provides a new customized version of the Firefox browser configured to work with the free Tor anonymizing service, or with a subscription service for higher speeds using dedicated servers, and other features. Firefox users may feel more comfortable with XeroBank, as it is based on Firefox, but also need not make any changes at all if they make use of either the JonDo or Vidalia bundles to access the Tor engine other than to set the proxy server, and of course, manual cleanup of the cache, cookies and browsing history after use. XeroBank claims to have many advanced features, but for the average user most of these may not be apparent, unless the subscription service is used. While the XeroBank browser is free to use on the Tor network, the XeroBank web site promotes the use of their subscription-based account. During installation, the XeroBank Browser offers the choice of using either the commercial XeroBank Client or the free Tor service. Caution! Some antivirus scanners report trojan infected code in the XeroBank download. Use http://jotti.org to verify all downloads, and use XeroBank and all other applications with caution, but be aware that some of the virus scanners used by jotti.org may also be overly zealous in their reporting of infections. Some claimed virus or trojan infections in various applications are no more than firewall detection, or software product key reporting capabilities mis-diagnosed by the scanner as a potential threat.

The downside of XeroBank as contrasted with using JonDo or Vidalia, is that you would need to use XeroBank for anonymous browsing and your regular browser for other surfing. Using JonDo or Vidalia, you can use the browser of your choice, and just reconfigure to use the proxy when you want to anonymous surfing. This won't automatically clean out all other personal data (cache, history, cookies etc.) when the application is shut down, which OperaTor and XeroBank do.

For all anonymizing services, check that you are running in anonymous mode by first browsing to one of many servers which reports your IP address, for example http://www.whatismyip.com/ and take note of your IP address. Reconfigure your browser to make use of the anonymizing service, and reload / refresh the browser and verify that the reported IP address has changed. Some IP reporting servers will also tell you which country, and even which city you now appear to be connecting from.

Most of the services reviewed are able to run directly from a USB flash drive if the executables are simply copied as is from their installation directories. This works really well, just plug your flash drive into any PC with a USB port, launch both the anonymizing proxy software and a browser, set the browser to redirect via the anonymizer and you will be in business. In the case of both OperaTor and XeroBank, all you need to is launch the browser from your flash drive and you will be ready to start browsing.

While some 'LiveCD' applications such as XeroBank Machine and Incognito Live CD have been created and may provide similar functions, they mostly seem to be currently released in various stages of alpha or beta test versions and have bugs or limitations. For example, the XeroBank Machine provides two options. You can either run the xBMachine.exe from a Windows prompt which starts a QEMU virtual machine and then runs a GenToo Linux kernel, or by booting from a "Live CD". This Live CD boots the same customized GenToo Linux environment from CD without any Windows involvement. In simple terms, both xBMachine options simply provide a different "hardened" OS platform to run the Firefox based XeroBank Browser. Is LiveCD really useful? To some people, yes, not to me. It does mean that like SandBoxie, your guest operating system is protected from malicious web sites via your browsing, and when you stop the QEMU virtual machine or reboot the PC from hard disk rather than CD all traces are removed. I am a Unix / Linux geek so I am totally at home with them, but for the average person, I suspect the LiveCD and QEMU based options will provide a confusing level of complexity that will just interfere with their browsing and desire to be safe. Not much can beat truly safe browsing habits, whatever browser or add-on tools you use. xBMachine is a 380Mb zip file download, which unpacked yields a 391Mb ISO image to create a CD as well as another 10Mb or so of the QEMU environment. The QEMU hosted browser uses 292+Mb of memory, requires the ISO image present, and took more than 5 minutes to load and be ready for use on a 1.8Ghz dual core Intel PC with 1Gb or memory. It provides a Linux X-Windows GUI with a profile configuration, a network configuration, xBBrowser, e-mail, Pidgin instant messenger, terminal and an option to configure for the paid subscription network. I don't know about you, but I am not willing to wait 5 or more minutes and have close to 300Mb of disk space tied up in a browser that took another minute or two to load, and then in my case never managed to connect out anyway. For those who feel that having source available makes a better product, go ahead and try to download the XeroBank source. All of the links gave me a 7Mb source zip file which was corrupted and would not open. Would this give you "open source available" feelings of security? I don't think so.

I'm a freeware and open source fan, I can read and write programs, but not when the source file is corrupted, and I am not likely to start poring through tens of thousands of lines of code even if I could unpack the source. Even if it does unpack, how do we know that exact source was used to build the tool, and not another set of customized source with a built in Trojan or spyware? The reality is that we really don't know unless we both inspect the source code and then compile it and compare the distributed executable.

One final comment on anonymizing, your browsing activities will never be 100% secure and guaranteed to be anonymous. It will be very difficult for anyone to trace you while browsing through the Tor network, except as reported in the Tor wiki, "when you access pages that use Java, Javascript, Macromedia Flash and Shockwave, QuickTime, RealAudio, ActiveX controls, and VBScript are all known to be able to access local information about your operating system and local network. These technologies will work over proxies and can tunnel the information back to their source."

http://www.techsupportalert.com

In Loving Memory of: LES PAUL

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:03:00 +0000

The World Has Lost a Remarkable Innovator and Musician: Les Paul Passes Away at 94

08.13.2009

New York, NY...August 13, 2009...Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away today from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.

One of the foremost influences on 20th century sound and responsible for the world's most famous guitar, the Les Paul model, Les Paul's prestigious career in music and invention spans from the 1930s to the present. Though he's indisputably one of America's most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, Les Paul is best known as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson's best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul's iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess. Among Paul's most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general.

Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915, Les Paul was already performing publicly as a honky-tonk guitarist by the age of 13. So clear was his calling that Paul dropped out of high school at 17 to play in Sunny Joe Wolverton's Radio Band in St. Louis. As Paul's mentor, Wolverton was the one to christen him with the stage name “Rhubarb Red," a moniker that would follow him to Chicago in 1934. There, Paul became a bona fide radio star, known as both hillbilly picker Rhubarb Red and Django Reinhardt-informed jazz guitarist Les Paul. His first recordings were done in 1936 on an acoustic—alone as Rhubarb Red, as well as backing blues singer Georgia White. The next year he formed his first trio, but by 1938 he'd moved to New York to begin his tenure on national radio with one of the more popular dance orchestras in the country, Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians.

Tinkering with electronics and guitar amplification since his youth, Les Paul began constructing his own electric guitar in the late '30s. Unhappy with the first generation of commercially available hollowbodies because of their thin tone, lack of sustain, and feedback problems, Paul opted to build an entirely new structure. “I was interested in proving that a vibration-free top was the way to go," he has said. “I even built a guitar out of a railroad rail to prove it. What I wanted was to amplify pure string vibration, without the resonance of the wood getting involved in the sound." With the good graces of Epiphone president Epi Stathopoulo, Paul used the Epiphone plant and machinery in 1941 to bring his vision to fruition. He affectionately dubbed the guitar “The Log."

Les Paul's tireless experiments sometimes proved to be dangerous, and he nearly electrocuted himself in 1940 during a session in the cellar of his Queens apartment. During the next two years of rehabilitation, Les earned his living producing radio music. Forced to put the Pennsylvanians and the rest of his career on hold, Les Paul moved to Hollywood. During World War II, he was drafted into the Army but permitted to stay in California, where he became a regular player for Armed Forces Radio Service. By 1943 he had assembled a trio that regularly performed live, on the radio, and on V-Discs. In 1944 he entered the jazz spotlight—thanks to his dazzling work filling in for Oscar Moore alongside Nat King Cole, Illinois Jacquet, and other superstars —at the first of the prestigious Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.

By his mid-thirties, Paul had successfully combined Reinhardt-inspired jazz playing and the western swing and twang of his Rhubarb Red persona into one distinctive, electrifying style. In the Les Paul Trio he translated the dizzying runs and unusual harmonies found on Jazz at the Philharmonic into a slower, subtler, more commercial approach. His novelty instrumentals were tighter, brasher, and punctuated with effects. Overall, the trademark Les Paul sound was razor-sharp, clean-shaven, and divinely smooth.

As small combos eclipsed big bands toward the end of World War II, Les Paul Trio's popularity grew. They cut records for Decca both alone and behind the likes of Helen Forrest, the Andrews Sisters, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Dick Hayes, and, most notably, Bing Crosby. Since 1945, when the crooner brought them into the studio to back him on a few numbers, the Trio had become regular guests on Crosby's hit radio show. The highlight of the session was Paul's first No. 1 hit and million-seller, the gorgeous “It's Been a Long, Long Time."

Meanwhile, Paul began to experiment with dubbing live tracks over recorded tracks, also altering the playback speed. This resulted in “Lover (When You're Near Me)," his revolutionary 1947 predecessor to multi-track recording. The hit instrumental featured Les Paul on eight different electric guitar parts, all playing together.

In 1948, Paul nearly lost his life to a devastating car crash that shattered his right arm and elbow. Still, he convinced doctors to set his broken arm in the guitar-picking and cradling position. Laid up but undaunted, Paul acquired a first generation Ampex tape recorder from Crosby in 1949, and began his most important multi-tracking adventure, adding a fourth head to the recorder to create sound-on-sound recordings. While tinkering with the machine and its many possibilities, he also came up with tape delay. These tricks, along with another recent Les Paul innovation—close mic-ing vocals—were integrated for the first time on a single recording: the 1950 No. 1 tour de force “How High the Moon."

This historic track was performed during a duo with future wife Mary Ford. The couple's prolific string of hits for Capitol Records not only included some of the most popular recordings of the early 1950s, but also wrote the book on contemporary studio production. The dense but crystal clear harmonic layering of guitars and vocals, along with Ford's close mic-ed voice and Paul's guitar effects, produced distinctively contemporary recordings with unprecedented sonic qualities. Through hits, tours, and popular radio shows, Paul and Ford kept one foot in the technological vanguard and the other in the cultural mainstream.

All the while, Les Paul continued to pine for the perfect guitar. Though The Log came close, it wasn't quite what he was after. In the early 1950s, Gibson Guitar would cultivate a partnership with Paul that would lead to the creation of the guitar he'd seen only in his dreams. In 1948, Gibson elected to design its first solidbody, and Paul, a self-described “dyed-in-the-wool Gibson man," seemed the right man for the job. Gibson avidly courted the guitar legend, even driving deep into the Pennsylvania mountains to deliver the first model to newlyweds Les Paul and Mary Ford.

“Les played it, and his eyes lighted up," then-Gibson President Ted McCarty has recalled. The year was 1950, and Paul had just signed on as the namesake of Gibson's first electric solidbody, with exclusive design privileges. Working closely with Paul, Gibson forged a relationship that would change popular culture forever. The Gibson Les Paul model—the most powerful and respected electric guitar in history—began with the 1952 release of the Les Paul Goldtop. After introducing the original Les Paul Goldtop in 1952, Gibson issued the Black Beauty, the mahogany-topped Les Paul Custom, in 1954. The Les Paul Junior (1954) and Special (1955) were also introduced before the canonical Les Paul Standard hit the market in 1958. With revolutionary humbucker pickups, this sunburst classic has remained unchanged for the half-century since it hit the market.

“The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul. He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone's face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We will dedicate ourselves to preserving Les' legacy to insure that it lives on forever. He touched so many lives throughout his remarkable life and his influence extends around the globe and across every boundary. I have lost a dear, personal friend and mentor, a man who has changed so many of our lives for the better."

“I don't think any words can describe the man we know as Les Paul adequately. The English language does not contain words that can pay enough homage to someone like Les. As the “Father of the Electric Guitar", he was not only one of the world's greatest innovators but a legend who created, inspired and contributed to the success of musicians around the world," said Dave Berryman, President of Gibson Guitar. “I have had the privilege to know and work with Les for many, many years and his passing has left a deep personal void. He was simply put – remarkable in every way. As a person, a musician, a friend, an inventor. He will be sorely missed by us all."

With the rise of the rock 'n' roll revolution of 1955, Les Paul and Mary Ford's popularity began to wane with younger listeners, though Paul would prove to be a massive influence on younger generation of guitarists. Still, Paul and Ford maintained their iconic presence with their wildly popular television show, which ran from 1953-1960. In 1964, the couple, parents to a son and daughter, divorced. Paul began playing in Japan, and recorded an LP for London Records before poor health forced him to take time off—as much as someone so inspired can take time off.

In the 1977, Paul resurfaced with a Grammy-winning Chet Atkins collaboration, Chester and Lester. Then the ailing guitarist, who'd already suffered arthritis and permanent hearing loss, had a heart attack, followed by bypass surgery.

Ever stubborn, Les recovered, and returned to live performance in the late 1980s. Until recently Les continued to perform two weekly New York shows with the Les Paul Trio, even releasing the 2005 double-Grammy winner Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played, featuring collaborations with a veritable who's who of the electric guitar, including dozens of illustrious fans like Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Joe Perry. In 2008, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to Les Paul in a week-long celebration of his life which culminated with a live performance by Les himself.

Les Paul has since become the only individual to share membership into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Les is survived by his three sons Lester (Rus) G. Paul, Gene W. Paul and Robert (Bobby) R. Paul, his daughter Colleen Wess, son-in-law Gary Wess, long time friend Arlene Palmer, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A private Funeral service will be held in New York. A service in Waukesha, WI will be announced at a later date. Details will follow and will be announced for all services. Memorial tributes for the public will be announced at a future date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Les Paul Foundation, 236 West 30^th Street, 7^th Floor, New York, New York 10001.

Slash said, "Les Paul was a shining example of how full one's life can be, he was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I'm honored and humbled to have known and played with him over the years, he was an exceptionally brilliant man."

Joe Satriani said, "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls. Last October I joined him onstage at The Iridium club in NYC, and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all."

Keb' Mo' said, “He's a guy who played right up to the end, that's what we all want to do! With his brilliant playing and invention of multi track recording, Les Paul changed the face of music history."

Bootsy Collins said, "Yes, it is very painful when you lose a man, his music, and his everyday presence here on this planet called earth. For us musicians that knew the bar that this man Mr. Les Paul set, not only for guitar players but for music in general, especially rock music, the world will never be the same. His famous Gibson Les Paul brand Guitar's are still to this day the number one hottest rock guitar on the market. I got the opportunity in 1991 to do a session with Mr. Paul when I was with Dee-Lite, we did a song called: "A little More of Les". yes, one of my corky titles of course, but It was such an inspiration to be in the presence of such greatness, he will be sadly missed by many. We love you Les!"

Joan Jett said, "I, and everyone at Blackheart Records, mourn the passing of our dear friend, Les Paul. He was a genius inventor, musical innovator, and a wonderful person. Without the advances he pioneered, the recording sciences and the electric guitar would have been left years behind. I will miss him so much."

Ace Frehley said, "The music industry has lost a giant! I'm very saddened by the news of Les Paul's passing. I was lucky enough to have known Les as a friend, and admired him as a musician and innovator. He forever changed the way we listen to music."

Butch Walker said, "Les Paul... I will always owe you.. bigtime..."

Billy Gibbons said, "Les Paul brought six strings to electricity and electricity to six strings. Les Paul was an innovator, a groundbreaker, a risk taker, a mentor and a friend. Try to imagine what we'd be doing if he hadn't come along and changed the world. There will always be more Les to come. That's certified."

Keith Urban said, “I have a mix of emotions today. On one hand, I am deeply saddened at Les Paul’s passing, and on the other a feeling of incredible gratitude and awe for his unquantifiable contribution to the world of music. His name adorns so many of the creations that I communicate through every night out here on the road...He is also very present every time I set foot in the studio and am able to lay multiple tracks as I record, when I use echo, etc., the list of his inventions, in addition to his famous signature model Gibson, are extraordinary. I also feel that even in his nineties, the fact he was still playing every Monday night in New York is perhaps the most beautiful and inspiring achievement of all. As Vince Gill would say, “Go rest high on that mountain Les...cause son, your work on earth is done.”

Joe Perry said, "As a guitarist and a fan of music in general, I know the amazing contributions Les Paul made in his lifetime to the art of making music. I think if the general public knew how much of that influence is heard every day in the music that they listen to, they would be amazed. He was a true genius. The few times that I had met him, he made me feel like I had known him forever. He was always sharp, ready to rock and he was always talking about his next gig. Knowing that he is not walking the earth anymore is sad and I have lost a friend. But every time I pick up a guitar I’ll know that his spirit is alive and well right next to me. "

Derek Trucks said, "Les Paul played until the day he died. I admire that... That's the way you live a life."

On his many achievements Derek Trucks said, "You could take any one of the many things he did and it would have been enough for most people. Inventing multi-tracking and then the 1st great solid body electric guitar. The amount of things he pulled off is pretty astounding."

Mick Jones said, “As a child I was introduced to the sound of Les Paul through my parent's record collection. It was a spellbinding moment when I first heard ‘How High The Moon’ featuring Mary Ford. His innovation and recording techniques contributed greatly to the creation of Rock music.”

Rickey Medlocke said, "I'm so thankful that this guy was such an incredible genius for developing such a great guitar. I am a 3rd generation Gibson user and I always will be. God bless Les Paul."

Tad Kubler said, "There are very few human beings in history that touched so many people the way Les Paul did. He shared his gifts with everyone and brought people together with his brilliance and devotion to music and the art of sound. It was a privilege to have met him. He will be incredibly missed. But our blessing is to know his spirit and soul will live for eternity in music everywhere."

Wes Scantlon said, "Les and I have the same birthday – it is an honor to have been born on the same day as such a genius guitarist, innovator and human being"

Neil Portnow (President/CEO of The Recording Academy®) said, "Three-time GRAMMY® winner Les Paul was a musical mastermind whose innovations in electric guitar and recorded music are unparalleled. A 1983 Trustees Award recipient and a 2001 Technical GRAMMY Award recipient, his career and contributions to popular music will forever be celebrated, and will continue to influence future generations of musicians. His magnetic charm and sunny disposition matched his incredible skill set, and he will always be remembered with great fondness, humility, and respect. The music industry has lost a true innovator and legend."

Terry Stewart (President of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum) said, "Without Les Paul, we would not have rock and roll as we know it," said Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “His inventions created the infrastructure for the music and his playing style will ripple through generations. He was truly an architect of rock and roll."

Elliott Easton said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Les Paul. It is simply impossible to overstate the impact he has had on the modern world and our culture. There are those that refer to Les as "the Thomas Edison of Music Technology". To me that is inadequate. Thomas Edison never invented a device that could make the world fall in love with you. There isn't a person working in the music industry today that doesn't benefit in some way from Les' pioneering work."

Brian Wilson said, "Les Paul and Mary Ford were among my most favorite musicians in the 50's. He was the first guy to do multi guitar multi track recording and that turned me on to guitars and stacking vocals for our records."

Johnny A. said, "I am personally very saddened by the passing of Mr. Les Paul. As well as being such an iconic figure in the world of music, as a player and inventor, Les was truly a gentleman with an unbeatable sense of humor. It has been my honor to have known and played with him. His spirit will surely be missed."

Dave Navarro, "Les is single handedly responsible for the direction and evolution of the modern rock movement. Period. If you are a fan of modern music, you owe Les Paul an enormous THANK YOU!"

Don Miggs said, "I used to promise myself that every trip back home to NY should be capped off with seeing Les perform. I knew he wasn't going to be around forever and seeing him was a "must-do." Sadly, I never made good on my promise but one night I was walking into a deli and who do I see? Yup. My palms went sweaty, my tongue felt thick and I got a pit in my stomach, but I stopped him with a grunt of some sort. He looked me square in eye like "don't miss this moment," and I gulped and said, "It's because of you I can put food on my family's table, thank you," and he said, "You've done that for yourself, son, but thank you." And he was gone. Ah, Les, thank you thank you."

Randy Bachman said, "I am deeply touched by the passing of Les Paul who I first met in 1959. As a guitarist, composer, electronic innovator and inventor he was beyong genius and there was none other like him. He was a true musical gift from God to the world and spent his life honoring that gift. I proudly play my Les Paul guitars every night on stage and never forget the moments we shared."

Gary Rossington said, "I am very saddened to hear about the passing of Les Paul, he was an amazing guitarist. I play a Les Paul guitar every night and it's the best sounding guitar ever made. I have a framed t-shirt on my wall, signed by Les Paul that I admire when I'm at home, Les was the best!"

http://www.gibson.com/

Manual Uninstallation of OEM BIOS Loader EMU

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:46:00 +0000

f you have applied and installed software based OEM BIOS emulator which is of Emu Loader type such as Vista Loader 1.0 (vstladr of softmod.iso) and Vista Loader 2.0 (grldr), you may face the problem that your computer unable to boot up anymore. Unlike Paradox OEM BIOS Emulation Toolkit 1.0 (repacked by Pantheon) which is software based driver emulator, Vista Loader actually makes use of boot manager (GRUB or GRUB4DOS) which is the first thing computer loads during boot up process, hence considerably increase the risk to use the crack for Windows Vista activation. Luckily, the Vista Loaders come with a uninstaller script that can automatically uninstall the crack patch from the boot loader.

However, if you already unable to boot up and start the operating system on your computer, the uninstallation script will be useless as you can’t run it. That’s why users are encourage to try the bootable CD method to apply the Vista OEM BIOS Emu Loader before patching the crack into hard disk. If you’re in this situation without access to Windows desktop, here are a trick and hack that you can use to repair boot sector and possible MBR (master boot record) of your computer, so that Windows can be loaded again without reinstallation.

Trick to execute Uninstall.cmd of Vista Loader

Boot up the computer with Windows Vista installation DVD.
Choose Install.
At the screen where you’re asked to input product key, press Shift + F10 keyboard shortcut to trigger command prompt.
Change directory to the folder where Vista Loader 2.0 or softmod.rar or softmod.iso is extracted.
Execute uninstall command.

If you can still access Windows Vista, but for whatever reason such as decision to go genuine, you want to uninstall Vista Loader crack, but uninstall.cmd script fails to properly clean the crack, then you can use the following steps to manually uninstall the Vista Loader.

Manually uninstall Vista Loader 2.0 (grldr)

Click on Start button, select “All Programs” -> “Accessories”, right click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as Administrator”. Then confirm any UAC security warning pop-ups.
Change directory to the date folder of Vista Loader 2.0.
Type the following commands in italic, pressing Enter after each line:
bootrest /nt60 d: (d: is to change to your boot volume of Windows Vista)

attrib d:\grldr -r -h -s (change the d: to your boot volume, to remove special attributes)

del d:\grldr (delete the softmod mod loader program)

Manually uninstall Vista Loader 1.0 (softmod)

Click on Start button, select “All Programs” -> “Accessories”, right click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as Administrator”. Then confirm any UAC security warning pop-ups.
Change directory to the date folder of softmod archive.
Type the following commands in italic, pressing Enter after each line:
mbr_rest /nt60 d: (change d: to the boot volume of Windows Vista, can also use bootrest command)

attrib d:\vstaldr -r -h -s (change the d: to your boot volume, to remove special attributes)

attrib d:\menu.lst -r -h -s

del d:\vstaldr (delete the softmod mod loader program)

del d:\menu.lst (delete the software mod loader config file)

Source: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/03/10/manual-uninstallation-of-oem-bios-loader-emu-vista-loader-or-softmod-windows-vista-crack/

Nokia Aeon - Depicted on Echelon Conspiracy Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:21:00 +0000

Take one part Bourne series, one part Global Frequency, and one part Colossus: The Forbin Project (with a dash of Star Trek: The Changeling and the Bruce Sterling short story Maneki Neko also thrown in) and that describes Echelon Conspiracy, a movie too ambitious and too derivative for its own good.

Still, I want that phone!

Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Siemens's Black box concept phone we saw recently. Currently mobile technology isn't quite up to realizing this fantasy, but we'll sleep better tonight knowing that at least one of the cellphone industry's biggest names shares the same dream as we do -- BenQ's dream didn't count, unfortunately.

Source: Engadget & Makcanepics

Hide Drives in Windows Vista

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:40:00 +0000

If you’ve got drives in My Computer that you never access, such as a USB Flash drive that you are using solely for ReadyBoost, a floppy drive, or a network drive only used for a particular piece of software, then you might want to simply hide the drive from your computer.

This tip will only hide the drive from being displayed, applications and the command prompt will still have access to it, and you can still manually browse to the folder if you type in the path.

Now what’s that floppy drive doing there?

Configure the Hidden Drives

Open up regedit.exe by using the start menu search box, and then browse down to the following key.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

If the Explorer key does not exist, you can right-click on Policies, select New Key and name it Explorer.

The NoDrives key most likely does not exist by default, so you’ll need to create it with right-click \ new 32-bit DWORD and name it NoDrives.

This value is a 32 bit number, and the bits are arranged in reverse order with a value of 1 hiding that drive. For example, if we wanted to hide drives A: and F: we would arrange it like this:

Z	Y	X	W	V	U	T	S	R	Q	P	O	N	M	L	K	J	I	H	G	F	E	D	C	B	A
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1

Converting 100001 to decimal we end up with a decimal value of 33 or a hex value of 0×21, so if you double-click on the key in the registry editor, choose Decimal and then enter 33 into the value field.

In order to see these changes, you’ll need to restart explorer.exe, which you can do easily from Task Manager or the longer way by just logging off and back on.

Uninstall Tweak

To disable this tweak, simply remove the NoDrives registry key entirely.

Reference Info

Here’s a list of the values you’ll want to enter for a few different drive letters.

Drive Letter	Decimal	Hex
A	1	1
B	2	2
C	4	4
D	8	8
E	16	10
F	32	20
G	64	40
H	128	80

If you want to hide multiple drives, you’ll need to use the table of all the drive letters to figure out the correct binary code, and then convert that to decimal or hex. (hint: you can use the calculator in scientific mode)

Look, now that worthless floppy drive is gone!

Naturally it would be better to disable the floppy drive in your BIOS, but this tip is still valid for other types of drives.

Note that this also works on Windows XP.

Source: www.howtogeek.com

SAMSUNG Unveils Wide Touch Screen Multimedia Phone; The SAMSUNG F490

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000

http://www.samsung.com/uk

SAMSUNG’s latest mobile phone with a touch sensitive 16:9 wide screen and a 5 megapixel camera is to launch in the UK and Europe before the rest of the world

London, 10 January 2008 - SAMSUNG Mobile has today announced the launch of the new SAMSUNG F490, a powerful high speed multimedia phone with a touch sensitive 16:9 wide screen and intuitive user interface. The SAMSUNG F490 will be available in the UK from mid-February. After being launched in the UK and Europe, it will be introduced to the U.S. and Asian markets.

The SAMSUNG F490’s debut comes amid rising popularity of touch screen technology. With a class-leading 3.2 inch 16:9 wide screen, the SAMSUNG F490 provides a panoramic view of pictures or videos as well as a larger screen space for Internet surfing. To make Internet browsing easy and enjoyable, the SAMSUNG F490 also features the Google search engine optimised for mobile use and full Internet browser for viewing web pages both vertically and horizontally.

At just 11.8mm deep, the new handset’s slimline design features rounded corners and a glossy surface that looks chic, making the SAMSUNG F490 a pleasure to hold and use. The stylish and intuitive 'Croix UI' user interface, which won the iF Communication Design Award 2007, involves two bars that cross-hatch, enabling users to control the phone’s many features by simply tapping and dragging.

For example, the intuitive nature of the user interface is demonstrated during song playback where users can easily move left/right to rewind/fast forward and move up/down to adjust volume. This addition of the ‘Croix UI’ interface brings new levels of usability to the SAMSUNG F490 and makes basic navigation, Internet browsing, task management and other activity easier than ever before. Furthermore, haptic feedback from the phone’s keypad offers tangible assurance that a command has been inputted.

From listening to music to snapping photos and video with its 5 megapixel digital camera, the SAMSUNG F490 boasts the very latest in audio and video technology. For connectivity and storage purposes it combines the standard 3.5mm audio jack, support for compatible microSD cards and 130MB internal memory.

The SAMSUNG F490 is geared to offer the ultimate multimedia experience with fast HSDPA connectivity. Downloading large files, streaming videos, and holding video conversations is all easier than ever with speeds as fast as 3.6Mbps. The handset also features Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0 so that users will also be able to connect to a range of peripherals including wireless headsets and mobile printers.

The SAMSUNG F490 will be available in the UK from the mid-February. For more information, please visit www.samsungmobile.com

SAMSUNG F490 Specification
Standard: HSDPA 3.6 mbps / UMTS/ EDGE (900/1800/1900/2100)
Camera: 5 Megapixel Camera
Display: 3.2" 16:9 Wide Full Touch LCD (262K Colors)
Features: Croix UI; Video Recording (MPEG4, QVGA@15fps), Video Playback (WMV, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VGA@30fps); Bluetooth 2.0 (A2DP+ AVRCP); USB 2.0 (High speed); Google Search, NetFront 3.4 browser, Mail; MP3, AAC+, AAC+(e), WMA; OMA DRM v2.0, WMDRM, Multitasking
Memory: 130MB internal memory + microSD
Size: 115 x 53.5 x 11.8mm
Weight: 102g

10 mistakes new Linux administrators make

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Mon, 25 May 2009 03:42:00 +0000

Author: Jack Wallen

If you’re new to Linux, a few common mistakes are likely to get you into trouble. Learn about them up front so you can avoid major problems as you become increasingly Linux-savvy.

For many, migrating to Linux is a rite of passage that equates to a thing of joy. For others, it’s a nightmare waiting to happen. It’s wonderful when it’s the former; it’s a real show stopper when it’s the latter. But that nightmare doesn’t have to happen, especially when you know, first hand, the most common mistakes new Linux administrators make. This article will help you avoid those mistakes by laying out the most typical Linux missteps.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Installing applications from various types

This might not seem like such a bad idea at first. You are running Ubuntu so you know the package management system uses .deb packages. But there are a number of applications that you find only in source form. No big deal right? They install, they work. Why shouldn’t you? Simple, your package management system can’t keep track of what you have installed if it’s installed from source. So what happens when package A (that you installed from source) depends upon package B (that was installed from a .deb binary) and package B is upgraded from the update manager? Package A might still work or it might not. But if both package A and B are installed from .debs, the chances of them both working are far higher. Also, updating packages is much easier when all packages are from the same binary type.

#2: Neglecting updates

Okay, this one doesn’t point out Linux as much as it does poor administration skills. But many admins get Linux up and running and think they have to do nothing more. It’s solid, it’s secure, it works. Well, new updates can patch new exploits. Keeping up with your updates can make the difference between a compromised system and a secure one. And just because you can rest on the security of Linux doesn’t mean you should. For security, for new features, for stability — the same reasons we have all grown accustomed to updating with Windows — you should always keep up with your Linux updates.

#3: Poor root password choice

Okay, repeat after me: “The root password is the key to the kingdom.” So why would you make the key to the kingdom simple to crack? Sure, make your standard user password something you can easily remember and/or type. But that root password — you know, the one that’s protecting your enterprise database server — give that a much higher difficulty level. Make that password one you might have to store, encrypted, on a USB key, requiring you to slide that USB key into the machine, mount it, decrypt the password, and use it.

#4: Avoiding the command line

No one wants to have to memorize a bunch of commands. And for the most part, the GUI takes care of a vast majority of them. But there are times when the command line is easier, faster, more secure, and more reliable. Avoiding the command line should be considered a cardinal sin of Linux administration. You should at least have a solid understanding of how the command line works and a small arsenal of commands you can use without having to RTFM. With a small selection of command-line tools on top of the GUI tools, you should be ready for just about anything.

#5: Not keeping a working kernel installed

Let’s face it, you don’t need 12 kernels installed on one machine. But you do need to update your kernel, and the update process doesn’t delete previous kernels. What do you do? You keep at least the most recently working kernel at all times. Let’s say you have 2.6.22 as your current working kernel and 2.6.20 as your backup. If you update to 2.6.26 and all is working well, you can remove 2.6.20. If you use an rpm-based system, you can use this method to remove the old kernels: rpm -qa | grep -i kernel followed by rpm-e kernel-{VERSION}.

#6: Not backing up critical configuration files

How many times have you upgraded X11 only to find the new version fubar’d your xorg.conf file to the point where you can no longer use X? It used to happen to me a lot when I was new to Linux. But now, anytime X is going to be updated I always back up /etc/X11/xorg.conf in case the upgrade goes bad. Sure, an X update tries to back up xorg.conf, but it does so within the /etc/X11 directory. And even though this often works seamlessly, you are better off keeping that backup under your own control. I always back up xorg.conf to the /root directory so I know only the root user can even access it. Better safe than sorry. This applies to other critical backups, such as Samba, Apache, and MySQL, too.

#7: Booting a server to X

When a machine is a dedicated server, you might want to have X installed so some administration tasks are easier. But this doesn’t mean you should have that server boot to X. This will waste precious memory and CPU cycles. Instead, stop the boot process at runlevel 3 so you are left at the command line. Not only will this leave all of your resources to the servers, it will also keep prying eyes out of your machine (unless they know the command line and passwords to log in). To log into X, you will simply have to log in and run the command startx to bring up your desktop.

#8: Not understanding permissions

Permissions can make your life really easy, but if done poorly, can make life really easy for hackers. The simplest way to handle permissions is using the rwx method. Here’s what they mean: r=read, w=write, x=execute. Say you want a user to be able to read a file but not write to a file. To do this, you would issue chmod u+r,u-wx filename. What often happens is that a new user sees an error saying they do not have permission to use a file, so they hit the file with something akin to chmod 777 filename to avoid the problem. But this can actually cause more problems because it gives the file executable privileges. Remember this: 777 gives a file rwx permissions to all users (root, group, and other), 666 gives the file rw privileges to all users, 555 gives the file rx permissions to all users, 444 gives r privileges to all users, 333 gives wx privileges to all users, 222 gives w privileges to all users, 111 gives x privileges to all users, and 000 gives no privileges to all users.

#9: Logging in as root user

I can’t stress this enough. Do NOT log in as root. If you need root privileges to execute or configure an application, su to root in a standard user account. Why is logging in as root bad? Well, when you log on as a standard user, all running X applications still have access only to the system limited to that user. If you log in as root, X has all root permissions. This can cause two problems: 1) if you make a big mistake via a GUI, that mistake can be catastrophic to the system and 2) with X running as root that makes your system more vulnerable.

#10: Ignoring log files

There is a reason /var/log exists. It is a single location for all log files. This makes it simple to remember where you first need to look when there is a problem. Possible security issue? Check /var/log/secure. One of the very first places I look is /var/log/messages. This log file is the common log file where all generic errors and such are logged to. In this file you will get messages about networking, media changes, etc. When administering a machine you can always use a third-party application such as logwatch that can create various reports for you based on your /var/log files.

Sidestep the problems

These 10 mistakes are pretty common among new Linux administrators. Avoiding the pitfalls will take you through the Linux migration rite of passage faster, and you will come out on the other side a much better administrator.

First Quad-core Mobile Laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Mon, 25 May 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Alienware, Dell’s extreme-high performance computing arm, has announced the arrival of its M17 laptop, one of the first such machines powered by the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 (2.53 GHz, 12MB cache, 1066MHz FSB), the world’s first mobile quad-core processor.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

Typical of the company’s products, the machine is a barnburner: For one, the 17-inch notebook is the company’s first with ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU technology, featuring dual ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 cards. (That means solid HD video playback, full DirectX 10.1 support and frame rates up to 80 percent higher than single GPU setups.) You’ll have up to 4GB of DDR3 memory at your disposal, achieving speedy transfer rates, data retrieval, load times and multitasking.

Of course, and that devilishly-fast QX9300 processor, too, which also appeared in Lenovo’s ThinkPad W700 earlier this year. (About; benchmarks)

On the storage front, dual 500GB hard drives linked in a RAID 0 configuration offer a massive 1TB storage capacity. Your Blu-ray and HD video will enjoy the 17-inch “Extreme High-Definition” 1920 x 1200 resolution display.

Plus, all the typical Alienware amenities, including the Alienware Command Center control panel, which includes the AlienFusion power management system, AlienSense facial recognition software and AlienTouch touchpad controls.

What color does that Skullcap case come in? Matte black. As if you even had to ask.

The company notes that power users and gamers on a budget can even get in on the action: The M17 starts at $1,399, and a configuration with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, ATI CrossFireX technology, 3GB of DDR3 memory and a 1920 x 1200 Extreme High-Definition LCD can be had for under $2,000.

On the other hand, a fully loaded machine with all the trimmings will run you a cool $4,199. Anyone want to donate to the Toybox gift fund?

The M17 is available today in the U.S. and Europe.

(Posted By: Andrew J. Nusca is an assistant editor for ZDNet.com)

Four more Hayden s*x videos

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:45:00 +0000

stir.ph-by: Edgar O. Cruz | STIR Editor (Chief Agitator)
18 May 2009 | 10:56 AM

“Yeah,” answers Vicki Belo when daughter Crystalle Henares asked her if she had seen the Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili “Careless Whispers” video.

Vicki had admitted Hayden and her are more than f___king friends. They have returned as boyfriend/girlfriend. The buzz is Hayden already got back his luxury SUV and high-end condo unit, both gifts from Vicki which she took back in their split last January. To start off Hayden on his own, Vicki is also going to build his own clinic. She did this despite Hayden’s confirmed streak of infidelity which is turning out to be psychological sickness.

It now appears the “Careless Whispers” video is just a preview to the release of the real thing: the Katrina-Hayden’s sex video!

First to come out is a 40-minute sex bout with Katrina Halili in what appears like a hotel room showing them in all kinds of sex including animal-style copulation. Two more videos are taken, before Hayden was notoriously popular, with a Filipina model that are

18 and 27 minutes long. Another video is with a Brazilian model. Except for the last one, video qualities are exceptionally clear, indicating they were purposely videotaped.

To be released next is Rufa Mae Quinto’s sex video with Hayden. To preempt public opinion, Rufa Mae has admitted she has a sex video. She strongly denied this before. Another sex video with Katrina is coming out. These sex videos has been compiled in DVD by Quiapo pirates known as the “Hayden Video Scandal.” And everybody’s worst fears...Hayden’s sex video with Vicki.
Somebody’s clearly not happy with the Vicki-Hayden reconciliation. The buzz is the person releasing these

videos is the same ex-best friend who gave Hayden’s stolen laptop to Vicki that caused their split. As previously reported by STIR, this person and his group of friends tried to get even with Hayden to punish him for wronging thisperson’s girlfriend.

It’s clear they are back at it again. If not, why are these sex videos appearing only now?

“What can I do?” Crystalle Henares says in frustration when questioned how she feels about the reconciliation of Vicki and Hayden. Elder brother Quark Henares and Crystalle are openly against the relationship. They have warned Vicki that they will leave the family house if Hayden enters it again. But brother and sister cannot slam their mother out of love for him Crystalle reconsiders, “Ang important ngayon masaya ang mommy ko.”

When told about her mom’s sex video, Crystalle could only exhale, “Naku! Huwag naman!”

(***Due to the sensitive nature of the videos, STIR decided not to post them. This article contains nude photos and is not advisable to be viewed minors***)

Windows XP integrated in Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:58:00 +0000

In a few days, exactly April 30th, the Release Candidate of Windows 7, the operating system of Microsoft, will be available for download by MSDN and TechNet subscribers (public availability will begin on May 5th) and Microsoft announced that they have integrated in Windows 7 a feature Windows XP Mode (XPM).

Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7 based PC.

All you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7.

Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC are best experienced on your new Windows 7 PC. We will be soon releasing the beta of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate.

Specifically designed to help businesses move smoothly to Windows 7, Windows XP Mode runs using the Virtual PC technology. Thus, many applications designed for Windows XP can be installed and runned without risk of incompatibility on a PC with Windows 7 and a processor based virtualization.

Available for Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate, all information will be accessible directly from the desktop of Windows 7.

Source:

The Windows Blog
CrystalXP on your site (RSS Feed)

Downup / Conficker / Downadup / Kido Worm

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Technical details

This malicious program exploits the MS08-067 vulnerability to spread via network resources and removable storage media.

This modification of the worm is a Windows PE DLL file. The file is 158110 bytes in size. It is packed using UPX.

Installation

The worm copies its executable file with random names to the following directories:

%System%\dir.dll
%Program Files%\Internet Explorer\.dll
%Program Files%\Movie Maker\.dll
%All Users Application Data%\.dll
%Temp%\.dll
%System%\tmp
%Temp%\.tmp

is a random string of symbols.

In order to ensure that the worm is launched next time the system is started, it creates a system service which launches the worm’s executable file each time Windows is booted. The following registry key will be created:

[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\netsvcs]

The name of the service will be created from combining words from the list below:

Boot
Center
Config
Driver
Helper
Image
Installer
Manager
Microsoft
Monitor
Network
Security
Server
Shell
Support
System
Task
Time
Universal
Update
Windows

The worm also modifies the following system registry key value:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SvcHost] "netsvcs" = " %System%\.dll"

The worm hides its files in Explorer by modifying the registry key value shown below:

[HKCR\ Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Hidden" = "dword: 0x00000002"
"SuperHidden" = "dword: 0x00000000"
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
"CheckedValue" = "dword: 0x00000000"

The worm flags its presence in the system by creating the unique identifier shown below:

Global\%rnd%-%rnd%

Propagation

In order to spread quickly via networks, the worm uses tcpip.sys functions to increase the number of potential network connections.

The worm connects to the servers shown below in order to determine the external IP address of the victim machine:

http://www.getmyip.org
http://www.whatsmyipaddress.com
http://www.whatismyip.org
http://checkip.dyndns.org

The worm then launches an HTTP server on a random TCP port; this is then used to download the worm's executable file to other computers.

Copies of the worm have the extensions listed below:

.bmp
.gif
.jpeg
.png

The worm gets the IP addresses of computers in the same network as the victim machine and attacks them via a buffer overrun vulnerability (MS08-067) in the Server service. More details about the vulnerability can be found here: www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx. The worm sends a specially crafted RPC request to TCP ports 139 (NetBIOS) and 445 (Direct hosted SMB) remote machines on remote machines. This causes a buffer overrun when the wcscpy_s function is called in netapi32.dll, which launches code that downloads the worm's executable file to the victim machine and launches it. The worm is then installed on the new victim machine.

The worm then hooks the NetpwPathCanonicalize API call (netapi.dll) to prevent buffer overruns caused by the absence of a check on the size of outgoing strings. By doing this, the worm makes repeat exploitation of the vulnerability impossible.

In order to speed up propagation, the worm modifies the following registry value:

[HKLM\ SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]
"TcpNumConnections" = "dword:0x00FFFFFE"

In order to exploit the vulnerability described above, the worm attempts to connect to the Administrator account on the remote machine. It searches the network for an appropriate machine and gets a list of users. It then attempts to brute force each user account using the passwords shown below:z

11111111
1111111
111111
11111
1111
111
11
1
00000000
0000000
00000
0000
000
00
0987654321
987654321
87654321
7654321
654321
54321
4321
321
21
12
fuck
zzzzz
zzzz
zzz
xxxxx
xxxx
xxx
qqqqq
qqqq
qqq
aaaaa
aaaa
aaa
sql
file
web
foo
job
home
work
intranet
controller
killer
games
private
market
coffee
cookie
forever
freedom
student
account
academia
files
windows
monitor

unknown
anything
letitbe
letmein
domain
access
money
campus
explorer
exchange
customer
cluster
nobody
codeword
codename
changeme
desktop
security
secure
public
system
shadow
office
supervisor
superuser
share
super
secret
server
computer
owner
backup
database
lotus
oracle
business
manager
temporary
ihavenopass
nothing
nopassword
nopass
Internet
internet
example
sample
love123
boss123
work123
home123
mypc123
temp123
test123
qwe123
abc123
pw123
root123
pass123
pass12
pass1
admin123
admin12
admin1

password123
password12
password1
default
foobar
foofoo
temptemp
temp
testtest
test
rootroot
root
adminadmin
mypassword
mypass
pass

Login
login
Password
password
passwd
zxcvbn
zxcvb
zxccxz
zxcxz
qazwsxedc
qazwsx
q1w2e3
qweasdzxc
asdfgh
asdzxc
asddsa
asdsa
qweasd
qwerty
qweewq
qwewq
nimda
administrator
Admin
admin
a1b2c3
1q2w3e
1234qwer
1234abcd
123asd
123qwe
123abc
123321
12321
123123
1234567890
123456789
12345678
1234567
123456
12345
1234
123

In order to gain administrator access, the worm copies itself to the following shared folders:

\\*\ADMIN$\System32\.
\\\IPC$\.

The worm can then be launched remotely or scheduled for remote launch using the following commands:

rundll32.exe ,

Spreading via removable storage media

The worm copies its executable file to all removable media under the following name:

:\RECYCLER\S-<%d%>-<%d%>-%d%>-%d%>-%d%>-
%d%>-%d%>\.vmx, rnd is a string of random lower case letters; d is a random number; X
is the disk

In addition to its executable file, the worm also places the file shown below in the root of every disk:

:\autorun.inf

This file will launch the worm's executable file each time Explorer is used to open the infected disk.

Payload

When launching, the worm injects its code into the address space of one of the “svchost.exe” system processes. (The worm may also write its code to the “explorer.exe” and “services.exe” processes.) This code delivers the worm's main malicious payload and:

disables the following services:

Windows Automatic Update Service (wuauserv)
Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
Windows Security Center Service (wscsvc)
Windows Defender Service (WinDefend, WinDefender)
Windows Error Reporting Service (ERSvc)
Windows Error Reporting Service (WerSvc)

blocks access to addresses which contain any of the strings listed below:

nai
ca
avp
avg
vet
bit9
sans
cert
windowsupdate
wilderssecurity
threatexpert
castlecops
spamhaus
cpsecure
arcabit
emsisoft
sunbelt
securecomputing
rising
prevx
pctools
norman
k7computing
ikarus
hauri
hacksoft
gdata
fortinet
ewido
clamav
comodo
quickheal
avira
avast
esafe
ahnlab
centralcommand
drweb
grisoft
eset
nod32
f-prot
jotti
kaspersky
f-secure
computerassociates
networkassociates
etrust
panda
sophos
trendmicro
mcafee
norton
symantec
microsoft
defender
rootkit
malware
spyware
virus

In Windows Vista, the worm will disable autoconfiguration of the TCP/IP stack in order to speed up propagation via network channels by using a fixed window size for TCP packets:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuning=disabled

The worm also hooks the following API calls (dnsrslvr.dll) in order to block access to the list of user domains:

DNS_Query_A
DNS_Query_UTF8
DNS_Query_W
Query_Main
sendto

The worm may also download files from links of the type shown below:

http:///search?q=<%rnd2%>

rnd2 is a random number; URL is a link generated by a special algorithm which uses the current date. The worm gets the current date from one of the sites shown below:

http://www.w3.org
http://www.ask.com
http://www.msn.com
http://www.yahoo.com
http://www.google.com
http://www.baidu.com
http://www.myspace.com
http://www.msn.com
http://www.ebay.com
http://www.cnn.com
http://www.aol.com

Downloaded files are saved to the Windows system directory under their original names.

Removal instructions

If your computer does not have an up-to-date antivirus solution, or does not have an antivirus solution at all, you can either use a special removal tool (which can be found here or follow the instructions below:

More details about the vulnerability can be found here:
http://www.kaspersky.ru/support/wks6mp3/error?qid=208636215

Or follow the instructions below:

Delete the following system registrykey:
[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\netsvcs]
Delete “%System%\.dll” from the system registry key value shown below:
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SvcHost]
"netsvcs"
Revert the following registry key values:
[HKCR\ Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Hidden" = "dword: 0x00000002"
"SuperHidden" = "dword: 0x00000000"

to

[HKCR\ Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"Hidden" = "dword: 0x00000001"
"SuperHidden" = "dword: 0x00000001"

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
"CheckedValue" = "dword: 0x00000000"

to

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
"CheckedValue" = "dword: 0x00000001"
Reboot the computer.
Delete the original worm file (the location will depend on how the program originally penetrated the victim machine).

Delete copies of the worm:

%System%\dir.dll
%Program Files%\Internet Explorer\.dll
%All Users Application Data%\.dll
%Temp%\.dll
%System%\tmp
%Temp%\.tmp

is a random string of symbols.

Delete the files shown below from all removable storage media:
:\autorun.inf
:\RECYCLER\S-<%d%>-<%d%>-%d%>-%d%>-%d%>-%d%>-
%d%>\.vmx,
Download and install updates for the operating system:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx
Update your antivirus databases and perform a full scan of the computer (download a trial version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus).
Or download f-secure here:

Detection added: 01-06-2009
Update released: Jan 06 2009 22:05 GMT
Description Added: Jan 21 2009

Source: http://www.viruslist.com

How to remove SALITY

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:13:00 +0000

Sality is a virus that has backdoor capabilities and executes keylogger and may infect executable files by putting its code to host files. Once it is installed, Sality virus will infect local executable files and delete all files that are associated with anti-virus and anti-spyware applications, as well as firewalls. After this, Sality runs a keylogging module that gathers all system and network information, records passwords and login names, steals all sensitive information and sends all this collected data to a predefined email address.

In addition, Sality opens a backdoor that allows the remote attacker to get the full control over the infected computer and this places any financial or banking information stored on your computer in severe jeopardy and represents a serious security risk.

Also known as: W32/Sality (McAfee), Virus.Win32.Sality.aa (Kaspersky), W32.Sality.AE (Symantec), Virus:Win32/Sality.AM (MS OneCare), PE_SALITY.EM (Trend)

W32/Sality is a parasitic virus that infects Win32 PE executable files. It is a polymorphic virus that attempts to spread by file infection. It looks for Win32 PE executable files with .EXE or .SCR file extensions, and infects any such files found on the system by appending the virus body to the host file.

The virus also attempts to propagate by copying itself with a random filename to network drives, including all removable disk drives. Sality.AA also creates an "autorun.inf" file in these drives so that the virus executes when it is accessed.

Upon execution, it drops the following files into the Windows system directory:

%Windir%\System32\Hdaudprop.dll
%Windir%\System32\Hdaudpropres.dll
%Windir%\System32\Hdaudpropshortcut.exe
%Windir%\System32\drivers\Hdaudbus.sys
%Windir%\System32\drivers\Hdaudio.sys
%Windir%\System32\drivers\portcls.sys

Creates the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WMI_MFC_TPSHOCKER_80
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\IPFILTERDRIVER
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\EnableLUA
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\GlobalUserOffline

and it downloads further malware from the following domains:

bpowqbvcfds677.info
aapowqbvcfds677.info
abpowqbvcfds677.info
d98dc9.bpowqbvcfds677.info
bmakemegood24.com
d99395.bmakemegood24.com
bbeakemegood24.com
bperfectchoice1.com
d998b6.bperfectchoice1.com
cbparfectchoice1.com
cbpbrfectchoice1.com
bcash-ddt.net
d9aab7.bcash-ddt.net
pzrk.ru
dbcabh-ddt.net
bddr-cash.net
ebddrbcash.net

It also modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Setting\"GlobalUserOffline" = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\"EnableLUA" = "0"

and this virus also deletes entries in the following registry subkeys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects

Sality.AA bypasses the system firewall by executing the command:
netsh firewall set opmode disable

It may also disable settings related to system security. It does this by adding the following registry entries:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\AntiVirusOverride = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\AntiVirusDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\FirewallDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\FirewallOverride = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\UpdatesDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\UacDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\AntiVirusOverride = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\AntiVirusDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\FirewallDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\FirewallOverride = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\UpdatesDisableNotify = dword:00000001
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc\UacDisableNotify = dword:00000001

The virus sets the following registry entry so that hidden folders and files are not displayed in Windows Explorer view:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Hidden = 2

It also disables Registry Editor and Task Manager by adding these registry entries:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system\DisableTaskMgr = dword:00000001
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system\DisableRegistryTools = dword:00000001

Sality.AA terminates all anti virus routine services running on the system, and prevent access to Websites that contain its names, like sality_remove, viruscan, sophos, mcafee, eset.com, kaspersky, onlinescan, and more...

The device driver is not dropped and installed onto the system unless there is an active internet connection.

The virus may prevent execution of applications that perform an integrity self-check as a result of them being infected.

So my dear friend the easiest way to tackle this virus is to Remove above mention Virus Entry Doors from registry and Delete those .DLL files from system.

Sality Manual Removal Instructions

Below is a list of Sality manual removal instructions and Sality components listed to help you remove Sality from your PC. Backup Reminder: Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

Note: This manual removal process may be difficult and you run the risk of destroying your computer.

Step 1 : Use Windows File Search Tool to Find Sality Path

Go to Start > Search > All Files or Folders.
In the "All or part of the the file name" section, type in "Sality" file name(s).
To get better results, select "Look in: Local Hard Drives" or "Look in: My Computer" and then click "Search" button.
When Windows finishes your search, hover over the "In Folder" of "Sality", highlight the file and copy/paste the path into the address bar. Save the file's path on your clipboard because you'll need the file path to delete Sality in the following manual removal steps.

Step 2 : Use Windows Command Prompt to Unregister Sality DLL Files

To open the Windows Command Prompt, go to Start > Run > type cmd and then click the "OK" button.
Type "cd" in order to change the current directory, press the "space" button, enter the full path to where you believe the Sality DLL file is located and press the "Enter" button on your keyboard. If you don't know where Sality DLL file is located, use the "dir" command to display the directory's contents.
To unregister "Sality" DLL file, type in the exact directory path + "regsvr32 /u" + [DLL_NAME] (for example, :C\Spyware-folder\> regsvr32 /u Sality.dll) and press the "Enter" button. A message will pop up that says you successfully unregistered the file.
Search and unregister "Sality" DLL files: syslib32.dll, sysdll.dll, oledsp32.dll

Step 3 : Detect and Delete Other Sality Files

To open the Windows Command Prompt, go to Start > Run > type cmd and then press the "OK" button.
Type in "dir /A name_of_the_folder" (for example, C:\Spyware-folder), which will display the folder's content even the hidden files.
To change directory, type in "cd name_of_the_folder".
Once you have the file you're looking for type in "del name_of_the_file".
To delete a file in folder, type in "del name_of_the_file".
To delete the entire folder, type in "rmdir /S name_of_the_folder".
Select the "Sality" process and click on the "End Process" button to kill it.
Remove the "Sality" processes files: syslib32.dll, sysdll.dll, oledsp32.dll, oledsp32.dll, sysdll.dll, syslib32.dll

source: (viruscontra)

The best tool to remove sality variants is the kaspersky removal tool.
Plug your infected to another PC (slave) and rrin the tool.

Windows 7 Ultimate Milestone 2 (M2) Build 6589.1

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:25:00 +0000

INFO:

Windows 7 Milestone 2 Ultimate Edition is alive, kicking and as real as they get! Although it's but one year away from the moment Windows Vista hit the shelves, and despite being in the final stages of development of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3, Microsoft is also building Windows 7.At this point in time,Windows 7 is being dogfooded inhouse by Microsoft. However, the successor of Windows Vista was also shipped in an early stage to a select pool of the Redmond company's key partners.

On January 24, you were able to feast your eyes on the first ever leaked screenshots from Windows 7 Ultimate Edition version 6.1
(Build 6519.1.x86fre.winmain.071220-1525), courtesy of ThinkNext.

Because of numerous accusations that the images had been tampered with, and were fake, the Chinese blog posted the video embedded at the bottom of this article. Yes, this is Windows 7

"I was about to share something interesting about Windows 7 in my last post,Windows 7: The Real Thing. The ISO image, bootable, installation, evaluation and the screenshots are all real. I mean there is no Photoshop or anything like that involved,"reads a fragment from ThinkNext."I'm not a person who makes himself complacent by faking something hot, neither will I be unhappy if someone denies the real information I posted. I don't mean to draw much attention, especially from those suckers.

Users that are running Windows Media Center under Vista Home Premium and Ultimate SKUs will undoubtedly notice differences when it comes to the WMC running in the Ultimate edition of Windows 7. While the interface is approximately the same, the text size has changed, and so has the number of categories.

In fact,Windows 7 M2 is nothing more than an artificially customized image of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, masquerading as the next version of Windows. Even more, there has been no official confirmation of Windows 7 Milestone 2 from Microsoft or from other sources. In this context, M2 is as good as inexistent.

Windows 7 M2 comes, as all software under development from Microsoft."I don't think there is anything wrong, disappointing or weird that Windows 7 Milestone 2 isn't greatly different from Vista. It's only Milestone 2 so lots of code may be reused. Besides, even we can't see much visual changes, that doesn't mean Win7 internals don't change greatly. Here from the release notes, I read: 'the software will stop running on June 2008. You may not receive any other notice. You may not be able to access data used with the software when it stops running'," added ThinkNext.

Screens & Features

The Real Windows 7 Ultimate Milestone 2 (M2) Build 6589.1

Bootable On ISO Format

Support About 90 Languages

Activated And Genuine Windows

Working Firewall And Updates

Milestone 2 Ultimate Edition 6589.1.

Try: Post your comment for the download link.

Flash Disinfector

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:16:00 +0000

Flash Disinfector was designed to remove unwanted files including autorun.inf on removable USB drives, flash drives and memory sticks. Use flash disinfector if you cannot access your USB drives, flash drives and memory stick due to modifications done by autorun Worms.

Author: sUBs

Operating System: Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Download Here:
Flash Disinfector

Threat Removal Procedure:
1. Download Flash_Disinfector and save it ot your Desktop.2
2. After downloading, double-click on Flash_Disinfector to run it.
3. Just follow the prompts and continue until it begin scanning.
4. If asked to insert your flash drive or any removable device including USB Pen Drive and Memory Stick, please do so.
5. It will scan removable drives, wait for the scan to finish. Done.

Microsoft Windows SHORTCUT Keys

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:29:00 +0000

Internet Explorer Shortcuts:


CTRL+A - Select all items on the current page
CTRL+D - Add the current page to your Favorites
CTRL+E - Open the Search bar
CTRL+F - Find on this page
CTRL+H - Open the History bar
CTRL+I - Open the Favorites bar
CTRL+N - Open a new window
CTRL+O - Go to a new location
CTRL+P - Print the current page or active frame
CTRL+S - Save the current page
CTRL+W - Close current browser window
CTRL+ENTER - Adds the http://www. (url) .com
SHIFT+CLICK - Open link in new window
BACKSPACE - Go to the previous page
ALT+HOME - Go to your Home page
HOME - Move to the beginning of a document
TAB - Move forward through items on a page
END - Move to the end of a document
ESC - Stop downloading a page
F11 - Toggle full-screen view
F5 - Refresh the current page
F4 - Display list of typed addresses
F6 - Change Address bar and page focus
ALT+RIGHT ARROW - Go to the next page
SHIFT+CTRL+TAB - Move back between frames
SHIFT+F10 - Display a shortcut menu for a link
SHIFT+TAB - Move back through the items on a page
CTRL+TAB - Move forward between frames
CTRL+C - Copy selected items to the clipboard
CTRL+V - Insert contents of the clipboard
ENTER - Activate a selected link
HOME - Move to the beginning of a document
END - Move to the end of a document
F1 - Display Internet Explorer Help

Windows Explorer Shortcuts:

ALT+SPACEBAR - Display the current windowâ€™s system menu
SHIFT+F10 - Display the item's context menu
CTRL+ESC - Display the Start menu
ALT+TAB - Switch to the window you last used
ALT+F4 - Close the current window or quit
CTRL+A - Select all items
CTRL+X - Cut selected item(s)
CTRL+C - Copy selected item(s)
CTRL+V - Paste item(s)
CTRL+Z - Undo last action
CTRL+(+) - Automatically resize the columns in the right hand pane
TAB - Move forward through options
ALT+RIGHT ARROW - Move forward to a previous view
ALT+LEFT ARROW - Move backward to a previous view
SHIFT+DELETE - Delete an item immediately
BACKSPACE - View the folder one level up
ALT+ENTER - View an itemâ€™s properties
F10 - Activate the menu bar in programs
F6 - Switch between left and right panes
F5 - Refresh window contents
F3 - Display Find application
F2 - Rename selected item


Windows XP Shortcut:

ALT+- (ALT+hyphen) Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu
ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window
ALT+TAB Switch between open items
ALT+Underlined letter Display the corresponding menu
BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer
CTRL+A Select all
CTRL+B Bold
CTRL+C Copy
CTRL+I Italics
CTRL+O Open an item
CTRL+U Underline
CTRL+V Paste
CTRL+X Cut
CTRL+Z Undo
CTRL+F4 Close the active document
CTRL while dragging Copy selected item
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging Create shortcut to selected iteM
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph
SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin
ESC Cancel the current task
F1 Displays Help
F2 Rename selected item
F3 Search for a file or folder
F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 Refresh the active window
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
SHIFT+CTRL+ESC Launches Task Manager
SHIFT when you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing
WIN Display or hide the Start menu
WIN+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box
WIN+D Minimizes all Windows and shows the Desktop
WIN+E Open Windows Explorer
WIN+F Search for a file or folder
WIN+F+CTRL Search for computers
WIN+L Locks the desktop
WIN+M Minimize or restore all windows
WIN+R Open the Run dialog box
WIN+TAB Switch between open items

src:markiee.com

Remove COOL USEP SCANDAL malware

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:21:00 +0000

The work of this malware are

it changes the default homepage on IE to this site
disables homepage of IE
infects your windows registry
disables regedit.exe, even in safemode
copies a file called cool usep scandal

this thingy malware is related to the funny UST Scandal.

It seems that none of the currently available antivirus, or antispyware seems to work.

Detailed instructions on how to remove this malware is from this website.

You also need to download first this files for the removal of the said malware

Best Tool: Cool Usep Remover

Alternate Download:

How to Prevent Virus or Malware

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:45:00 +0000

1. Make sure you have an Antivirus, Firewall and Antispyware scanner installed.

Search www.google.com for Anti-virus Information.

Make sure you DON'T download and install any scanner present on this list. These scanners are blacklisted because of their questionable reputation.

Never install more than one Antivirus and Firewall! Rather than giving you extra protection, it will decrease the reliability of it seriously! The reason for this is that if both products have their automatic (Real-Time) protection switched on, your system may lock up due to both software products attempting to access the same file at the same time. Also because more than one Antivirus and Firewall installed are not compatible with eachother, it can cause system performance problems and a serious system slowdown.

I also suggest to perform an online virusscan once in a while. Because what one virusscanner can't find another one maybe can. You'll find some good Online scanners Here.

2. Make sure your Windows is ALWAYS up to date!

An unpatched Windows is vulnerable and even with the "best" Antivirus and Firewall installed, malware will find its way through.
So visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ to download and install the latest updates.

Effective July 11/October 11, 2006, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows XP SP1 and SP1a will transition to a non-supported status. Read here for more info:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean19
So make sure you update!

Also read the Top 10 reasons to install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Also, not only your Windows should be up to date, but also the programs you are using. This since many programs may contain Security leaks. To find out if your programs are up to date, run the Secunia Software Inspector.

3. Stay away from illegal/questionable sites.

This is one of the main causes why a computer gets infected. Visiting cracksites/warezsites - and other questionable/illegal sites is ALWAYS a risk. Even a single click on the site can be responsible for installing a huge amount of malware. Don't think: "I have a good Antivirus and Firewall installed, they will protect me" - because that's not true... and even before you know it, your Antivirus and Firewall may already be disabled because malware already found its way on your system.

4. Be careful with mail attachements!

Malware spreads via email as well, especially email attachements.
The most common ones are emails telling you that your computer is infected where you'll find the removal tool in the attachement, emails telling you that your password has changed which you'll find in the attachement, mails with productcodes in the attachement from software you purchased (while you didn't), attachements with so called Security updates etc etc...
Don't trust these mails, don't even open them but remove them immediately instead!

It may also happen you receive a mail from someone you know, but with a questionable attachement present and strange contents in the mail. In this case, this person - or someone else who has your address in his/her addressbook - is infected with malware (worm/spambot) and sends these mails without being aware of it.

Don't click links in emails from someone you don't know, because these links can redirect you to sites where malware gets downloaded and installed.

Mailwasher is a free and great Anti-spam tool which gives you the option to view your mails on the server, sort them and delete the spam mails and other suspicious mails directly from the server without them downloading to your mailbox.
For people who get dozens of spams daily, read this great article where it explains spam and how to deal with it: I hate Spam

5. When surfing...

Don't click on links inside popups.
Don't click on links in spam messages claiming to offer anti-spyware software; because most of these so called removers ARE spyware.
Download free software only from sites you know and trust. Because a lot of free software can bundle other software, including spyware.
Be careful when watching online videos, especially when they ask you to install a certain codec to watch the video. By default, your mediaplayer should already have the necessary codecs installed to watch online videos. In case you're prompted to install an additional codec while trying to watch a movie online, it may be a false alert and this so called codec may install malware. More info here and here.
Don't install plugins (ActiveX) if you're not certain what it is or why you need it.

A great program is SpywareBlaster. SpywareBlaster doesn`t scan and clean for malware, but prevents it from being installed in the first place. It blocks the popular spyware ActiveX controls, and also prevents the installation of any of them via a webpage.
How to use SpywareBlaster

The MVP Hosts File is a great addition to block bad sites. This is accomplished by blocking these sites through the hosts file.

Install Internet Explorer 7 or another alternative browser like Firefox or Opera for more secure surfing. (However, keep in mind, as long as you don't stay away from illegal/questionable sites, no browser will be secure enough)

Glubble is a great Firefox add-on if you're having kids and want to manage the sites your kids are allowed to see + extra additions.

6. Watch what you download!

If you want to install certain software, always go to the developer's site to download the software from. Then you can be sure you're downloading and installing the right software.
Beware of the fact that certain software (especially freeware) may contain/bundled with extra software including spyware/adware. So only install it when you're sure they are OK.
Read here for more tips about safe downloading.

To find out if what you download is ok and get more information about the intentions of software and other bundled components such as spyware/adware which may be present, use EULAlyzer. EULAlyzer scans the End user license agreements (EULAs) most software should show during install and provides a detailed listing of potentially interesting words and phrases, discovers if the software you're about to install displays pop-up ads, transmits personally identifiable information, uses unique identifiers to track you, or much much more.

The use of P2P Programs like Kazaa (which is bundled with adware/spyware btw), Limewire, Torrentsites, Emule, Bearshare... is always a risk, because you can never be sure what you exactly download. It isn't always what it looks like. Important to know is that many P2P Programs are also bundled with unwanted software (spyware/adware). To find out which ones are safe to use and which ones are infected, take a look here.
Also read this article about the risks of using P2P Programs.

Source: users.telenet.be

Combine different distributions of Microsoft Windows XP/2000/NT on a Bootable CD?

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:17:00 +0000

This is what you need:

\i386 folders from the original Microsoft Windows XP/2000/NT CDs.
Setup files (from each Windows version):
It is possible to get the files from the distribution,
but the easiest way is to copy them from the bootdisks of Microsoft Windows XP/2000/NT (all files of the bootdisks are required setup files).
Attention: Each distribution has it's own set of bootdisks according to the integrated updates, i.e. if your distribution is WinXP SP1 you'll also need the WinXP SP1 bootdisks (not the ones of WinXP).
Where to get the disks:
- Bootdisks for Microsoft Windows XP are available on the Microsoft site
- Bootdisks for Microsoft Windows 2000 can be found on the original Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the subfolder \BOOTDISK
- Bootdisks for Microsoft Windows NT can be created by executing the command \I386\WINNT.EXE /OX from the NT CD-ROM.

Additionally needed setup identificaton files (for each seperate distribution):

Windows version	Necessary files
2003 Enterprise	WIN51 and WIN51IA
2003 Standard	WIN51 and WIN51IS
2003 Web	WIN51 and WIN51IB
XP Home	WIN51 and WIN51IC
XP Professional	WIN51 and WIN51IP
2000 Professional	CDROM_NT.5 and CDROM_IP.5
2000 Server	CDROM_NT.5 and CDROM_IS.5
2000 Advanced Server	CDROM_NT.5 and CDROM_IA.5
2000 Datacenter Server	CDROM_NT.5 and CDROM_ID.5
NT Workstation	CDROM_W.40
NT Server	CDROM_S.40
NT Terminal Server	CDROM_TS.40

If your distribution already contains ServicePacks, or you are using slipstreamed CDs with Service Packs, you'll also need the following setup indentification files (according to the respective ServicePack):

Service Pack	Necessary files
XP Home Service Pack 1	WIN51IC.SP1
XP Professional Service Pack 1	WIN51IP.SP1
2000 Service Pack 1	CDROM_SP.TST
2000 Service Pack 2	CDROMSP2.TST
2000 Service Pack 3	CDROMSP3.TST
2000 Service Pack 4	CDROMSP4.TST

The BootManager Bootable CD Wizard

How to create the CD?
1. Create a folder which will contain all the files for your Bootable CD, e.g.:
  
  C:\MyBootCD
2. In this folder, create subfolders for each distribution (e.g. NT_1, NT_2, NT_3) you plan to integrate, e.g.:
  
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_1
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_2
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_3
  etc.
3. Copy the \i386 folders of your distributions the the corresponding folders created above. Attention: Copy the folders, not only their contents. Your folder on should now look similar to this:
  
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_1\I386
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_2\I386
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_3\I386
  etc.
4. Copy the necessary setup files (see above) to the corresponding folders, i.e. the folders also containing \i386:
  
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_1
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_2
  C:\MyBootCD\NT_3
  etc.
  
  Attention: If you are using WinImage to extract the setup files from disk images, make sure you use the option "Extract with pathname", as there is at least one subfolder on the bootdisks (system32).
5. In the folders NT_?, use a HexEditor (e.g., WinHex) to edit the files SETUPLDR.BIN Replace all occurrences of
  
  'I386' ...
  
  ...with 'NT_1' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_1\SETUPLDR.BIN
  ...with 'NT_2' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_2\SETUPLDR.BIN
  ...with 'NT_3' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_3\SETUPLDR.BIN
  etc.
6. In the folders NT_?, use a text editor (e.g., Windows Notepad) to edit the files TXTSETUP.SIF. Replace:
  
  SetupSourcePath = "\" ...
  
  ...with SetupSourcePath = "\NT_1\" in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_1\TXTSETUP.SIF
  ...with SetupSourcePath = "\NT_2\" in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_2\TXTSETUP.SIF
  ...with SetupSourcePath = "\NT_3\" in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_3\TXTSETUP.SIF
  etc.
  
  Attention: On the WinXP bootdisk, the file TXTSETUP.SIF is packed. You will have to delete TXTSETUP.SI_ (imperial) and copy the TEXTSETUP.SIF from your \i386 folder.
7. In case you have a file BOOTFONT.BIN in the NT_? folders, rename it to FNT.BIN. Use a HexEditor (e.g., WinHex) to edit the files SETUPLDR.BIN. Replace:
  
  'BOOTFONT.BIN' ...
  
  ...with 'NT_1\FNT.BIN' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_1\SETUPLDR.BIN
  ...with 'NT_2\FNT.BIN' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_2\SETUPLDR.BIN
  ...with 'NT_3\FNT.BIN' in the file C:\MyBootCD\NT_3\SETUPLDR.BIN
  etc.
8. Now add the complete set of setup identification files (see above)to C:\MyBootCD and to the corresponding NT_? folders.
  
  Attention: The setup identification files must be in both folders, C:\MyBootCD (which will be root of the bootable CD) and the NT_? folders (set of setup identification files corresponding to the distribution).
9. Unpack the archive Bootable CD Wizard to C:\MyBootCD
10. Edit the file C:\MyBootCD\BootCat.Ini (configuration file of Bootable CD Wizard) and add the locations and descriptions of your distributions:
  
  \NT_1\SETUPLDR.BIN ; Install Microsoft Windows #1
  \NT_2\SETUPLDR.BIN ; Install Microsoft Windows #2
  \NT_3\SETUPLDR.BIN ; Install Microsoft Windows #3
  etc.
11. In your CD writing program, open a new bootable CD project with the following settings:
  Boot image: C:\MyBootCD\bcdwboot.bin
  BootMode: No emulation (without emulation)
  Boot segment (adress): 07c0
  Number of sectors to load: 4
  (detailed howtos: Nero, CDRWin, Easy CD Creator, Instant CD+DVD, WinOnCD, CDImage and mkisofs)
12. Add the contents of C:\MyBootCD\ to the project
13. Add your files
14. Burn the disk.
Directory listing of a CD with BootableCDWizard containing russian versions of Microsoft Windows NT Workstation and Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1:

Browser Battle: Firefox 3.1 vs. Chrome vs. IE 8

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:42:00 +0000

The browser wars are heating up by the week. Here is a breakdown of the browser battle lines for Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox.

JR Raphael, PC World blogger

Mozilla's second alpha of Firefox 3.1 is upping the ante in the next-generation browser battle. So how do the main contenders stack up so far now? One thing's for sure, the Firefox team has taken note of Google's recent Chrome release and worked hard to make sure its offering can hold its own.

Mozilla had already claimed its 3.1 version could outperform Chrome when it comes to speed (and most independent tests show it at least tying). Now, the engineers have incorporated Chrome-initiated options such as the ability to drag and drop tabs in and out of browser windows. The second alpha release also adds support for the HTML 5 video tag, which gives Web developers expanded options for embedding video within a page. Don't forget, too, that Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 8 beta 2 -- released at the end of August and quickly eclipsed by Chrome's introduction -- is also vying for a piece of the pie.

Here's a breakdown of the high and lowlights of each offering and where it stands as far as a full release.

Contender #1: Google Chrome

The status: Windows beta released September 2. Mac OS X and Linux versions still under development and said to be coming soon. No indication of targeted full release date.

The good:

Reliability. Chrome's multiprocess architecture makes a bad Web page less likely to take down the whole browser.
Speed. Chrome loads fast and keeps your surfing super-fast.
Simplicity. Its clean design wastes no screen space.
Searching. The Omnibox lets you type search terms or URLs into a single spot and figures out what you want.
Privacy. Chrome offers an "Incognito" mode that lets you easily leave no footprints from where you've been.

The bad:

Privacy. Chrome's taken a lot of heat for its monitoring and collection of user data, some of which happens before you even hit enter.
Security. It didn't take long for users to discover vulnerabilities in the beta browser. Several of these have already been patched.
Reliability. Some sites and online services still don't work with Chrome.
Consistency. Because Chrome is build on the WebKit system, it differs from the dominant platforms that most designers focus on.
Support. Chrome doesn't yet have any add-ons or customization options available. It's yet to be seen how these, once developed, will compare to the rich options available for Firefox.

Contender #2: Firefox 3.1

The status: Second alpha build released September 5. Beta expected in the next month. Full release targeted for end of 2008.

The good:

Strong foundation. Mozilla's already built a loyal following with Firefox, and it doesn't intend on letting that go. With Firefox 3.1, you know you'll have a powerful library of add-ons and support already at your fingertips, not to mention the slew of other assets unveiled in Firefox 3.0.
Speed. Mozilla says its still-under-development TraceMonkey JavaScript platform will leave Google's V8 in the dust. The second alpha build revs things up, too, with added support for "Web workers" -- a system that lets multiple scripts run as background processes.
Competitive edge. Mozilla's developers have good reason to watch what Chrome is doing -- and work to match it, if not one-up it.

The bad:

Security questions. Some studies -- albeit, Microsoft-funded ones -- have suggested Firefox, with its frequent new versions, is more susceptible to threats than the other options.
Crash potential. Unlike Chrome, Firefox does not have separate environments for each tab -- so one rogue page can still take the whole program down.
Support. Firefox has worked hard to snag a small portion of the browser market share, and most early predictions show Chrome taking away more of its userbase than IE's.
Google's focus on Chrome will also take away some of its previous focus on Mozilla's development efforts. Will Firefox be able to remain a key player in the browser war?

Contender #3: Internet Explorer 8

The status:: Second beta released August 27. Full release expected before the end of 2008.

The good:

Support. Love it or hate it, Internet Explorer is hanging on to about three-quarters of the browsing market with its default status in all Windows machines. You know developers and designers are going to cater to it.
Security. With Microsoft at its helm, IE hangs on to a reputation of safe and reliable browsing.
Privacy. IE 8 was the first to offer a no-record browsing mode, branded here as InPrivate Browsing.
Searching. IE 8's Smart Address Bar offers similar functionality to Chrome's Omnibox, letting you type in URLs or search terms and taking you to the right place.
Added add-ons. IE 8 finally catches up to Firefox with a new "Gallery" full of third-party add-on options..
The bad:
Speed. Independent tests have found IE 8 to be significantly slower than the alternative choices. Resources. IE 8 uses a lot of memory compared to its competitors -- a factor that could considerably slow down the rest of your system.
Crash potential. While IE 8 does use separate processes for tabs, similar to Chrome's approach, it does not do so to the same degree
-- still leaving room for a total meltdown.
Competition questions. Can IE's add-ons reach the level of Firefox's? Already, some users are complaining of problems even getting them to work.

That's the lowdown on the battle's current status. Remember, all three of these programs are still early in their development, so many of the pluses and minuses could change as things move forward. One thing's for sure, though: This battle is on, it's growing fierce, and each of its contenders will do anything it can to win.

TweakVI Ultimate 1.0-1085

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:10:00 +0000

The first software designed to both tweak and optimize Windows Vista.
Tweak hundreds of hidden features of Windows Vista, optimize your machine and customize it to your needs.

TweakVI is available in three different editions: the 'Basic Edition', which contains all the basic tweaking features for standard system tweaking, the 'Premium Edition', which gives you access to much more tweaking and system optimization features, and the 'Ultimate Edition', for complete control on Windows Vista, with all plugins available for TweakVI.

The best tweaking software ever!
The original TweakVI offers what you need to customize and optimize Windows Vista:

Unlike other tweaking utilities, TweakVI bundles lots of different utilities in one. It was developed to combine both tuning and optimizing features to increase the speed of your Windows Vista system. It's the worlds first software for Windows Vista to combine both customization, tweaking and optimization features.

Some features of TweakVI:

- Activate hundreds of hidden Windows Vista settings
- clean your registry
- activate system and software restrictions
- display detailed system information
- create a 256 MB RAM drive
- protect your privacy
- clean your hard drive
- manage TrueType fonts
- improve your internet connection
- optimize your CPU
- optimize your RAM
- manage system updates, and much more ...
- you can even transfer your tweaks and settings to other machines!

Try

SpeedConnect Internet Accelerator

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:05:00 +0000

Top internet accelerator (according to PC Magazine), a network settings optimizer to speed up your existing Dial-Up Modem, DSL, Cable, Wireless, LAN, High-speed internet connections.

SpeedConnect Internet Accelerator is a powerful Windows application designed to optimize your network connection and speed up all your internet activities. This translates into a faster internet connection, faster browsing and email, faster downloads, faster online gaming, improved Skype connection.

Features:

* FASTER internet connection
* Browse FASTER
* Send and receive e-mail FASTER
* Download and upload files FASTER
* Play online games FASTER
* Improve Skype connection
* NO adware, NO hardware installation
* NO service subscription, NO monthly fees
* NO new hardware installation

FEATURES

* Optimizes all internet connection types
* User friendly
* Quick Optimizer option
* Advanced Customization
* Tool and Wizards
* Load/Save Settings
* Optimization Report
* Connection Analyzer

Trial: Try Me

Intel New System On A Chip Designs

noreply@blogger.com (Channi) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:40:00 +0000

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - by Marco Chiappetta

Gadi Singer, Vice President of Intel’s Mobility Group, and Doug Davis, Vice President of Intel’s Digital Enterprise Group, held a conference call today to discuss a brand new product line from Intel targeted at security, storage, communications, and industrial applications, the Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor family.

Although the Intel EP80579 branding will be new to most of you, the underlying technology is comprised of products that have a well established history at Intel. In fact, this line of products is based on the Pentium M processor core, as it has been in development for quite some time now. The Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor family, however, is more than just a new processor. The products actually consist of new System on a Chip designs that integrate a Pentium M core, with a Memory Controller Hub (MCH), I/O hub (ICH), and in some cases specialized security, TDM (Time Division Multiplexing for voice-over-IP apps), and data path acceleration engines, which have been dubbed Intel QuickAssist Technology.

Development was started on the Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor family to prepare the company for the impending onslaught of smart, Internet-connected devices and appliances predicted to arrive over the next few years. The Intel EP80579 product line puts Intel in a position to target several growth areas across Consumer Electronics (CE), Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and other embedded markets. "We’re now able to deliver more highly integrated products ranging from industrial robotics and in-car infotainment systems to set-top boxes, MIDs and other devices. By designing more complex systems onto smaller chips, Intel will scale the performance, functionality and software compatibility of IA while controlling the overall power, cost and size requirements to better meet respective market needs,” said Gadi Singer.

In addition to lower-power characteristics and the smaller form factors enabled by the Intel EP80579's integrated design (in some cases, Intel claims they will lead to platforms that have a 45% smaller board footprint and 34% lower power dissipation), the main benefit of this product line is its native support of Intel Architecture (IA), aka x86. As we stated in our initial coverage of Intel's Atom processor, manufactures of today's smart phones, set top boxes, and MIDs, and software developers, must contend with incompatibilities between the many different platforms being used today. Should these devices all use IA, however, developing software for them would be much easier and application compatibility could be maintained across multiple devices. The slides above illustrate much of what we have outlined here and further explain Intel's strategy and direction.

The individual components within the Intel EP80579 SoCs communicate over an internal Front Side Bus that connects the Processor Core, MCH, and ICH. And Intel has also developed a high performance bus to connect the security, TDM, and data path acceleration engines to the I/O Complex. Please note, that only four of the initial eight products being announced today feature the Acceleration Services Unit and TDM interface represented in the block diagram above. Those features are what make up the Intel QuickAssist Technology, which isn't featured on every Intel EP80579 SoC.

Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor with Intel QuickAssist Technology*
Model	Core Speed	DDR2 (MHz)	Temperatures	L2 Cache	TDP
NU80579EB600C	600MHz	400/533/667	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	13W
NU80579ED004C	1.066GHz	400/533/667/800	Industrial -40-85°C	256KB	20W
NU80579ED004CT	1.066GHz	400/533/667/800	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	20W
NU80579ED009C	1.2GHz	400/533/667/800	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	21W
* Includes security, TDM, and data path acceleration

Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor for Embedded Computing
Model	Core Speed	DDR2 (MHz)	Temperatures	L2 Cache	TDP
NU80579EZ600C	600MHz	400/533/667	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	11.5W
NU80579EZ600CT	600MHz	400/533/667	Industrial -40-85°C	256KB	11.5W
NU80579EZ004C	1.066GHz	400/533/667/800	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	18W
NU80579EZ009C	1.2GHz	400/533/667/800	Commercial 0-70°C	256KB	19W

The eight individual products that will initially make up the Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor family are listed in the charts above. As you can see the products will be offered in a range of speeds, power dissipation, and commercial / industrial temperature options.

In addition to the products Intel spoke about today, the company also disclosed that they have more than 15 SoC projects currently planned internally--many of which are built around the Atom core-- including the company’s first Consumer Electronics (CE) chip codenamed “Canmore”, which is scheduled for introduction later this year, and the second-generation “Sodaville” which should hit sometime in 2009. As we've mentioned in previous articles, Intel’s second-generation embedded product line is slated to arrive in 2009 as well, with the company's next-gen platform for Mobile Internet Devices code-named “Moorestown”.

Regardless of all of the codenames and announcements though, what all of this means to consumers is that Intel is obviously focused on securing design wins in virtually any type of device that connects to the Internet or runs software and we may not be too far off from pocket-sized MIDs that can run off the shelf OSes and applications, just like our desktop PCs.

Source: www.hothardware.com