Laptop netbook computer

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Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

HP Mini 311 netbook review specs - price | Laptop netbook computer

HP Mini 311 netbook review specs - price

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:17:42 PST

The Mini 311 uses a 1.60-GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM, as is typical of just about every netbook. Where it differs is the GPU: Instead of an integrated Intel chipset, the 311 has an Nvidia Ion LE GPU. HP’s Mini 311 adds a larger, high-definition display and advanced graphics to a basic netbook, while still offering long battery life and reasonable price.

HP created a very nice netbook with an 11-inch screen, reasonably powerful graphics, and a nice keyboard ... and then crippled it with Intel's Atom processor. If all you want to do is very basic web browsing, email, social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and play World of Warcraft then the HP Mini 311 is a great ultraportable laptop. The HP Mini 311 is available from HP.com for $399.99 and up. At the time of this review, the unit I’m configuring goes for about $510.

HP Mini 311 (311-1000NR) specifications

* Operating System: Genuine Windows XP (32-bit)
* Processor: Intel Atom N270 Processor 1.60GHz (533MHz FSB)
* Memory: 1GB DDR3 SDRAM
* Storage: 160GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
* Display: 11.6-inch diagonal WSVGA+ (1366x768)
* Graphics: Nvidia Ion LE
* Wireless: 802.11a/b/g
* Expansion: 4-in-1 media card slot
* Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.78-1.20 x 11.4 x 8.0 inches (including feet)
* Weight: 3.34 lb (not including weight of AC adapter).
* Power: 6-cell Lithium-Polymer battery
* Warranty: One-year standard warranty
* MSRP: $399.99

HP Mini 311 quick overview:

Design

The HP Mini 311 on Verizon Wireless is a smallish clamshell netbook. It looks more like a shrunken multimedia laptop than a child's toy netbook, with glossy plastic painted like sanded metal on the inside and a pleasant, swirling pattern on the black outer shell. It isn't especially small or light, but it does feel sturdy. The glossy lid will collect fingerpints, but it features an attractive swirly design as well as the usual HP logo.

Measuring 11.4 x 8.0 x 1.2 inches, the Mini 311 is roughly the same size as the Acer Aspire 751h and the MSI Wind U210. HP engineers did a lot of things right with the earlier Minis, and the Mini 311 likewise offers a nearly fullsize keyboard, large touchpad, and acceptable build quality at a low price.

Around the sides of the notebook you’ll find 3 USB ports, an Ethernet jack, VGA port, SDHC/MS/XD card slot, and an HDMI output.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Opening the Mini 311 reveals the best feature on HP's netbook family, the large keyboard. The full QWERTY keyboard is among the biggest you'll find on a netbook, more than 90% as large as a full size desktop keyboard, which makes for very easy typing. Most of the primary keys are the same size as the keys you'll find on a typical notebook and the spacing is likewise normal, but the space bar and some of the keys that are used less frequently are smaller than normal.

The touchpad is nice and wide, features two distinct buttons, and a clearly marked section on the right side for scrolling. But there’s one major problem: The touchpad software doesn’t have a setting for disabling tapping while you’re typing. Unfortunately, the trackpad on the HP Mini 311 is tiny. It's a slim rectangle just below the keyboard, and we wish that HP would have used more of the empty space on the bottom of the clamshell to devote to the trackpad. Using it was difficult, and when you have serious browsing or productive work to do, with Excel, for instance, you'll want to plug in an external mouse.

Screen and Display

The 11.6-inch display on the 311 has a resolution of 1366 x 768, which makes it easier to view Web pages and documents without having to scroll.
The glossy screen surface helps to improve color and contrast, but we noticed the colors look a bit "washed out" or "pastel" compared to what our test desktop background looks like on other laptops.

Although the 1366x768 resolution is a nice step up from the 1024x600 resolution seen on most netbooks the washed out colors made the viewing experience less than perfect. As I mentioned, the screen is glossy and you can definitely see yourself it in it if the display is dark. But the HP Mini 311 display is hardly the worst offender I’ve seen in this area, and the screen looks great when looking at pictures, movies, or video games.

Performance

The Mini 311 uses a 1.60-GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM, as is typical of just about every netbook. Where it differs is the GPU: Instead of an integrated Intel chipset, the 311 has an Nvidia Ion LE GPU. The latest version of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta also supports GPU acceleration from some video cards. And that includes NVIDIA ION, which means you should be able to stream 720p and 1080p HD Flash video either.

Because the HP Mini 311 uses the Qualcomm Gobi chip, which supports Verizon Wireless' EV-DO technology in addition to the HSDPA networks used by AT&T and others, the netbook makes a fine companion for road warriors, even if you're traveling abroad. You can buy a SIM from Verizon Wireless or local carriers if you find yourself in a country without EV-DO, and the Mini 311 will work on the local HSDPA frequencies.

Battery

The HP Mini 311 comes with a 6 cell, 55Whr battery. Battery life on our HP Mini 311 review unit did not live up to our expectations. Though Verizon Wireless claims the netbook will last up to 6.25 hours between charges, we can't imagine the low power settings required to achieve this feat.
We set screen brightness to 50% and tried casual browsing and word processing work, and the HP Mini 311 couldn't even hang on for 4 hours.

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Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

Acer Aspire 8940G laptop specs - price | Laptop netbook computer

Acer Aspire 8940G laptop specs - price

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:01:49 PST

New Acer Aspire 8940G is not a laptop with netbookish configuration nor it has the pricing near it. It is a full sized desktop replacement packing a 18.4 inch display, Core i7 processor, a dedicated graphics card and Blu Ray Drive. This 18.4-inch system delivers remarkable performance by combining a powerful Intel Core i7-720QM processor with Nvidia GeForce GTS 250M graphics.

The price less than $1500 makes it the most affordable Core i7 laptop in the market. It also includes a bevy of entertainment options, including a Blu-ray drive, a rich, full HD (1920 x 1080) display, and Dolby 5.1 surround sound speakers.

Acer Aspire 8940G Specifications:

* Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
* Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHzGHz, 1333MHz FSB, 6MB Cache)
* 18.4" WUXGA FHD LCD display at 1920x1080

* NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M with 1GB GDDR3 memory
* Intel 5100AGN Wireless, Broadcom Gigabit LAN
* 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM (2GB x 2)
* 500GB Western Digital 5400RPM Hard Drive
* Blu-ray/DVD SuperMulti
* Webcam, Acer CineSurround speakers, backlit keyboard
* 120W (19V x 6.32A) 100-240V AC Adapter
* 8-cell 71Wh 14.8v 4800mAh Lithium Ion battery
* Dimensions (WxDxH): 17.34 x 11.62 x 1.22-1.73"
* Weight: 9lbs 5.5oz
* 1-year warranty
* Price as Reviewed: $$1349.99

Build and Design

The Acer Aspire 8940 has nothing new in its design on the outside and has very common look and feel like the acer aspire one laptops. Though it is a big sized 18 inch notebook, it feels like a smaller 15 inch notebook because of its no frill design.

The side profile of the 8940G doesn't look much thicker than a smaller 15" or 17" notebook. This aesthetic extends to the bezel surrounding the display, as well as to the exterior edges of the system’s base. The Aspire 8940G feels very well built with a solid frame and only minimal flex on the screen cover when the notebook is shut.

The one complaint of the build quality is the use of glossy plastics which scratch and smudge easily. If you are a neat freak then those smudge-prone glossy surfaces might get on your nerves over time.The weight of over 9 pounds makes it impossible to carry outdoors and you won’t like it moving to and fro either.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The large base affords a wide, comfortable, island-style keyboard that offers decent feedback, and it includes white backlighting. The backlight is non-adjustable in brightness, but you can turn it off completely. The keyboard also has large Shift keys, a full number pad, and a responsive, vertically-aligned multimedia touch-control strip on its right side, which is highlighted by illuminated keys and a button that launches the Acer Arcade Deluxe application.

The keyboard is very comfortable for typing thanks to properly sized keys and good spacing. Located south of the keyboard is a large, multitouch touchpad (positioned just left of center) that allowed us to effortlessly whip the cursor about the 18.4-inch display. The touchpad of the laptop has very good response and is very large compared to most other laptops available in the market. The buttons are average though, with a very shallow travel. This touchpad is so much larger than most of the touchpads that I use that I end up clicking the bottom edge of the touchpad instead of the actual buttons. If you like big touchpads you will love the touchpad on the Aspire 8940G.

Screen and Display

The glossy, full HD (1920 x 1080-pixel resolution) LED-backlit display provided plenty of real estate for comfortably reading Web pages or viewing photos. This gives the notebook a very clean and polished look, but also increases glare and reflections. With the notebook turned off the screen surface resembles a mirror and reflects the entire room around you. The 16:9 display kicked backed reflections, particularly during dark scenes or when we moved left or right of center.

The screen is an all glass style display with a protective layer covering the display. The color reproduction of the display is very good and contrasts are also superb. The brightness levels are also very good to be used in a brightly lit room although there is a problem of glare in bright lighting. Embedded in the bezel above the display is Acer’s high-definition Crystal Eye webcam, which proved to be one of the best we’ve used on a notebook.

Performance

The Asipre 8940G performs very well in games as well as playing high-definition video. The system comes with a Intel Core i7 720 QM processor running at 1.6 GHz. It has 1333 MHz FSB and 6MB cache memory. Two 2GB DDR3 memory modules add the the nifty speed and performance of the machine. The 500GB hard drive affords plenty of space for storing music, photos, and high-definition video.
It booted the 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium operating system in 1 minute and 12 seconds, which is 7 seconds longer than the average for desktop replacement notebooks. he dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTS 250M graphics with 1GB dedicated GDDR3 memory can run all the latest 3D games but don’t expect frame rates like those in gaming desktop computers and you’ll do fine.

Battery

Battery life is never the strength of large notebooks, even more so when you combine the large screen with a powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. The system comes with a 8 cell 4800 mAh Lithium Battery but the Core i7 Processor or the dedicated graphics card is a real sucker of the battery life. The system can run for 4 hours with very low use and screen brightness dimmed down.

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Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

Diamond and 24k Gold Macbook Pro | Laptop netbook computer

Diamond and 24k Gold Macbook Pro

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:28:41 PST

There is now a gold plated MacBook Pro available to purchase from Computer Choppers. There are two versions available to buy, a 24kt Gold & Diamonds 15″ Macbook Pro and the 24kt Gold 15″ Macbook Pro.

The 24kt Gold & Diamonds 15″ Macbook Pro comes with 2.2GHz or 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 802.11n wireless, up to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory with a faster, 800MHz frontside bus, 2 GB of RAM, 160 GB internal drive, internal 8x double-layer SuperDrive, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT Graphics with 256MB SDRAM, and a 15.4″ TFT display.

The 24 karat gold-plated MacBook Pro comes with its exterior finish in polished 24kt and the interior is satin 24kt gold. Other specs are about the same as that of the 24kt Gold & Diamonds 15″ Macbook Pro.

These very nice MacBook Pros are being sold through Powermax, an Apple authorized reseller. In case, gold is not the what you like, they are taking custom orders as well. The Gold & Diamonds model sells for $8999 while the gold version is priced at $5999.

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Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 PST

20 ngày đó nha em heo mọi ơi !

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Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 PST

Em heo mọi ơi !
Em heo mọi ơi. lúc nào anh cũng nhớ tới em hết........... Huhu anh chỉ có 2 tấm hình bé tẹo của em như thế này, xem cho đỡ nhớ, đỡ ghiền....

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Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

HP ProBook 4310s business laptop | Laptop netbook computer

HP ProBook 4310s business laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:19:06 PDT

Designed for businesses needing a stylish, affordable, 13.3 inch notebook, starting at 4.34 lb / 1.97 kg. The HP ProBook 4310s, as the most miniscule member of HP’s new small-business line, takes many of the qualities of its bigger brothers (the 4510 and the 4710) and packs them into a chassis that will appeal to road warriors looking for an excellent deal and unencumbered shoulder.

HP ProBook 4310s is a thin bezel that measures12.8 x 9.0 x 1.1 ” and weights 4.4 pounds. Your eyes will definitely focus on its 13-inch LED lit LCD that has 16:9 ratio and 16M color display that provides a cinematic view . It also features an island-style keyboard that has textured, scratch resistant and spill-proof finished keys. The 1.4×2.8-inch rubber-texture touchpad is large and gives a sufficient amount of friction.

HP ProBook 4310s specs

Display: 13.3" (1366 x 768) WXGA
Operating System: Vista Business / XP Pro downgrade
Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.1 GHz - 2.26 GHZ
Memory: 2 GB - 4 GB
Hard Drive: 320 GB Serial ATA (7200 rpm)
Graphics Card: GMA 4500MHD / Mobility Radeon
Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
Connectivity :
* Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
* Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
* Wireless LAN

Ports and Expandibility
* Audio in
* Audio out
* VGA port
* Express card 34
* Card reader

Battery
* 5.25 hours
* 4 cell lithium ion

Dimensions: 12.8" x 9" x 1.1" (32.5cm x 22.9cm x 2.8cm)
Weight: 4.4 lbs (2 kg)
Built in Extras: Webcam

Price as configured: $779

Design

The ProBook 4310s, like the rest of the ProBook line, looks similar to a HP EliteBook with the square, industrial-looking exterior and recessed keyboard area. The shiny top, which is a breeding ground for dust and grime, is bland and lacks the appeal of the EliteBook's metals. It's boxy and thick, too, measuring 12.75-by-8.9-by-1.5 inches (HWD).

The chassis has a mix of textures: a glossy keyboard deck, a satin palm rest, and a speaker strip lining the top. Because the bezel is thin, it’s easy to focus instead on the bright 13-inch display. As an added touch, the power and QuickLook 2 buttons and LED lights all glow turquoise blue, which also keeps the design interesting.

The plastics used in the 4310s should hold up fine if the notebook is being used as an office desktop replacement, but the chassis might not survive multiple drops off a desk or the kind of abuse you expect from a mobile workforce.

Your eyes will definitely focus on its 13-inch LED lit LCD that has 16:9 ratio and 16M color display that provides a cinematic view . It also features an island-style keyboard that has textured, scratch resistant and spill-proof finished keys.

The 13.3-inch widescreen, while offering plenty in screen real estate, is a pleasure to use because it's matted. The LED-backlit panel offers excellent brightness and we typically left the brightness set to between 50% and 70% when using the notebook indoors.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The 1.4×2.8-inch rubber-texture touchpad is large and gives a sufficient amount of friction.The full-size keyboard on the 4310s is a chiclet style design and provides fantastic spacing between keys for typing. Each key is relatively flat with a nice matte texture and the keys sit above a glossy black support frame.

The touchpad is very responsive. On the flip side, the touchpad buttons are a very stiff and require a deep press in order to register a click. Unlike other HP consumer notebooks, there is no dedicated touchpad disable button on 4310s.

Performance

HP ProBook 4310s is build for small and medium businesses that is why it is packed with an Intel T6570 processor running at 2.1GHz and integrated intel graphics. HP also provides the option of discrete graphics (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 with 512 MB dedicated video memory) at an additional cost. The 320GB hard drive spins at 7200rpm, so applications load without much lag.
This notebook didn't really exceed our expectations in terms of performance, but the 4310s has more than enough power to handle Microsoft Office or even very basic video work.

With that said, let's jump into the performance benchmarks.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

Battery

The base configuration comes with a 4-cell 37WHr battery. A larger 8-cell 73WHr battery is also available. The 4-cell battery will provide up to 4 hours of up time.

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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Dell Studio 14z slight and thin laptop | Laptop netbook computer

Dell Studio 14z slight and thin laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:23:20 PDT

The Studio 14z is indeed the thinnest and lightest 14-inch notebook Dell has ever produced and promises more than 6 hours of battery life, but you might have to make a few sacrifices.
The 14z weighs in at 1.95 kg with the six cell battery option which isn’t bad for a laptop sporting a 14 inch display.

Dell Studio 14z Specs

* Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 3MB L2 cache)
* OS: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
* Memory: 3GB Shared DDR3 at 1066MHz
* Storage: 320GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
* Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G

* Screen: 14.0” High Definition (1600 x 900) LED Display with TrueLife
* Software: 15-month McAfee SecurityCenter subscription, Microsoft Works
* Other: Ruby Red lid, LED Backlit keyboard
* Wireless: Dell 1515 Wireless N
* Battery: 8-cell 74Whr Li Ion Battery
* Dimensions: 0.79"-1.2" x 13.2" x 9.0" (H x W x D)
* Weight: 4 lbs, 9 oz
* Price as Reviewed: $749
* Retail Price as configured: $979

Design

Like other laptops in this price range, the 14z has the plastic build of a budget notebook but subtle design flourishes that lend it a higher-end feel.
The notebook chassis is constructed from a combination of plastics and magnesium alloy for a balance of light weight and durability.

Colors cost $40 extra (our unit was Ruby Red; other colors include Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Plum Purple, and Promise Pink). Inside, the chassis mixes a matte silver palm rest with a glossy black strip above the keyboard, which is also black.

The most distinctive element of the 14z's design, however, is that, despite its fairly large screen size, it has no optical drive. For some shoppers, this will be an instant turnoff. But other users, such as students, who are accustomed to downloading software, consuming digital media, and streaming clips on sites such as Hulu and YouTube, won't miss having an optical drive.

Screen

The 14-inch high-definition panel on the Dell Studio 14z easily rates as one of the better screens we've seen with vibrant colors, excellent contrast, and good viewing angles. The LED backlighting in our review unit is pretty even and offers a range of brightness settings. Yes, it is a 16:9 screen ratio, if you buy the 14z through Dell.com, you can configure it with a higher resolution 1600 x 900 screen, which gives you a lot more screen real estate.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on our review unit has full-sized keys with good key spacing and an excellent depth to the key throw. Each key has a textured black finish and a relatively flat surface. More importantly, the keyboard is available with optional backlighting for easy typing in a dark classroom or dorm room. The only complaint that I have with the keyboard on the Studio 14z is the surprising amount of flex across the entire width of the board.

The multi-touch, gesture-based touchpad is reasonably large for a thin and light 14-inch notebook and the dual touchpad buttons have deep feedback with quiet clicks. The touchpad itself is an ALPS model that uses Dell proprietary touchpad drivers. I'm not a fan of the Dell touchpad drivers, but the touchpad was reasonably responsive with good sensitivity and very little lag.

Battery

The 14z's 8-cell battery lasted 5 hours and 25 minutes on the LAPTOP battery test, which is 1:10 longer than the typical thin-and-light. Moreover, it beat out similarly sized systems with integrated graphics: the HP Pavilion dv4t (a variation of which is also being sold as part of Best Buy's Next Class line) lasted just 3:08 in our tests.

Source: notebookreview

MSI X-Slim X340 light and thin laptop review specs - price

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:30:04 PDT

Ever since Apple released its MacBook Air, no 13-inch notebook has come as close to being as slim while also being affordable for the average consumer. MSI’s X340 changes that.

The X-Slim X340 measures just 19.8mm at its thickest point, meaning it’s marginally thicker than the MacBook Air, but the Mac’s design means that it gets progressively thinner as you get closer to the leading edge. If it weren’t for the glowing white MSI logo on the lid, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a newer, slightly fatter MacBook Air.

The X-Slim X340 is a new 13.4" ultraportable notebook from MSI, offering a super thin chassis and powered by the new Intel Ultra Low Voltage SU3500 processor. At the current price of $899 it is priced between the HP dv2 and Apple MacBook Pro, but can this notebook compete on its looks alone?

MSI X-Slim X340 Features:

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor: Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 CULV (1.4GHz, 800MHz FSB, 3MB cache)
Memory: 2GB DDR2 SDRAM (800MHz)
Internal Storage: 320GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
Display: 13.4-inch diagonal WXGA (glossy, 1366x768)
Graphics: Intel X4500M Integrated
Wireless: Intel 5100AGN, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Ports and connectors: (2) USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, 2-in-1 SD-Card reader, RJ-45/Ethernet (Gigabit), stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, 1.3 megapixel webcam
Dimensions: (LxWxH) 13" x 8.82 " x 0.24"-0.78"
Weight: 2lb 14oz (not including weight of AC adapter).
Power: 4-cell 32Wh battery
Warranty: Three-year standard warranty
MSRP: $899

Pros

* Super thin and lightweight, attractive design
* Snappier performance than netbooks
* Comfortable keyboard
* More than 3 hours of battery life

Cons

* Flexing keyboard
* Weak graphics performance
* Not as fast as MacBook Air or HP dv2z

Ultra Slim Design

It certainly looks dashing enough to be one of Apple's own: measuring a svelte 20mm at its thickest point, the X340 find itself in a slimming race with the Air's dangerously skinny 19.4mm frame. But it's when both laptops step onto the scales that the X340 has the last laugh, weighing 1.3kg to the Air's 1.38kg. MSI's predictable marketing tag-line for the X340? You guessed it, "Lighter than Air."

At 13 x 8.8 inches, the X340 takes up the same desk space as the MacBook Air, but the X340 is slightly thicker, measuring 0.24 inches at its thinnest point, and 0.78 inches at its thickest. (The MacBook Air, by contrast, is 0.16 to 0.76 inches.) At 2.9 pounds (and 3.6 pounds with the charger), the X340 is 1.6 ounces lighter than the Air, and its rounded corners give it a stylish aesthetic.

Unlike Apple, MSI uses plastic instead of aluminum for the shell of the X340. While plastic might weigh less and be easy to shape, it doesn't give the notebook a high-end appearance.

Build quality is nice when compared to low-cost netbooks, but doesn't measure up to high-end ultraportable notebooks. The plastic construction shows a good amount of flex in areas like the screen bezel, on the palmrest around the touchpad, and areas underneath the keyboard.

Screen And Display

The X340’s glossy 13.4-inch LED-backlit screen features a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, and it looked crisp and bright. The 13.4" glossy display on the MSI X340 is of average quality with decent color saturation and good contrast levels thanks to the glossy screen surface.

Backlight levels are good for viewing in bright viewing conditions, such as a bright office or classroom, but the screen gets washed out quickly when using it outdoors.

The 1.3-megapixel webcam above the display provided clear images in a video call. The other caller could make out our new hair cut and hear our voice clearly with the built-in microphone located to the left of the cam.
While only slightly thicker, the X340 uses its extra girth to store plenty of port. The left side houses VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, and a 2-in-1 card reader. Two USB ports and headphone and mic jacks line the right side of the machine. On a machine this small, it’s nice to see this much connectivity.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The MSI X340 offers a full-size keyboard that is comfortable to type on, but lacks proper support to prevent flex. The keyboard on the MSI X340 is plenty large for touch typists, but the keys feel cheaper than the rest of the system. While the keyboard had a little flex, the keys didn't feel too soft under our fingers.

The touchpad appears to be an ALPS or similar model, but doesn't use any special driver, only the native Windows touchpad control. The 3.4 x 2.1-inch touchpad is plenty large and allowed us to navigate the desktop smoothly. The touchpad has a noticeable amount of lag as you change pointer direction or initially start moving.
he touchpad buttons are loud when clicked, and they take a significant amount of pressure to activate. The button throw is shallow with a solid click when pressed.

Battery

MSI has clearly been listening to the outcries hurled in Apple’s direction over the MacBook Air’s non-removable battery and has kitted the X340 out with a removable four-cell Litium-Ion battery. It’s a slim little number rated at 2,150mAh which is a small capacity.
The X340 comes with an eight-cell lithium ion battery, which lasted for 8 hours and 48 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi). Consumers who purchased the X340 with a 4-cell battery (which lasted 3 hours and 38 minutes) can buy an 8-cell battery for $99.99.

Nokia N97 - X6 - X3 and Facebook Features

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:24:44 PDT

Nokia World 2009 set the stage for a handful of new cellphones from the world's biggest handset maker.
The N97 mini is a smaller version of the original N97, while the X6 and X3 are designed with music in mind. Nokia also named a price for its Booklet 3G and announced new smartphone integration features with social networking site Facebook.
Nokia on Wednesday unveiled three new smartphones at Nokia World 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Nokia N97 Mini

It also announced a partnership with Facebook through its Lifecasting With Ovi application.

One smartphone, the N97 mini, is targeted at women, IDC analyst Ramon T. Llamas told TechNewsWorld.

The other two, the X6 and X3, are aimed at maintaining Nokia's position in the mid-range smartphone market.

Lifecasting With Ovi will be available on the N97 mini.

Going for Girl Power

The N97 mini was designed with the social and style-conscious consumer in mind, Nokia said. It has a tilting 3.2 inch display; a QWERTY keyboard and a customizable home screen.

A Facebook widget on the home screen will detect the user's location and let users update their status or profile on the social networking site and do other things through Lifecasting With Ovi.

The N97 mini comes with Ovi Maps. It supports most POP3/IMAP mail clients. Instant messaging clients supported include those from Nokia, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google.

Other features include a built-in Flash player for Internet access, a 5 MP (megapixel) built-in camera with dual LED flashes and, for music, a built-in equalizer and Bluetooth access. The N97 mini has 8 GB of on-board memory, expandable to 24 GB with a microSD card.

The N97 mini is smaller than the N97, and IDC's Llamas says this is a thinly veiled attempt to target a female demographic. "When you market a product to women, you pink it or shrink it," he said. However, "the original N97 wasn't too big or clunky."

The Nokia N97 mini is scheduled to ship in October. Its suggested retail price will be just over 450 euros (US$642).

The X-Phones Have Arrived

Nokia also unveiled the X6 smartphone and announced the X3. Both focus heavily on music.

The X6 can play up to 35 hours of music and four hours of video. It has 32 GB of on-board memory and a 3.2-inch touchscreen. Other features include a built-in FM radio, Bluetooth stereo capabilities, a 5 MP camera and video editing and sharing.

The X6 supports access to social networking sites including Facebook and Ovi. It also offers instant messaging. It ships with three games -- "Asphalt4" and "DJ Mix Tour" from Gameloft, and "Spore" from Electronic Arts.

Nokia X6 hands on

The X6 is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter. It will have a suggested retail price tag of 459 euros ($655)

The X3, designed for music lovers, comes with stereo speakers, a built-in FM radio and a 3.2 MP camera. It supports Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging.

Nokia X3 Revealed

Users can manage music through the Ovi Player PC client or Windows Media Player 11. The X3 is the first Series 40 Ovi Store-enabled device.

Facebook Features

Offering Facebook connectivity may help Nokia change its image, IDC's Llamas said. "Nokia's known for being a great device provider, but they're not known for bringing all the services to users," he explained. "By waving the Facebook flag, Nokia's giving users what they want, and one of those things they want is Facebook."

On the other hand, it could open up a can of worms for Nokia. "Tying into social networks is an interesting idea, but different people have different networks," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld. "Not everyone is on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter."

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Nokia N97 - X6 - X3 and Facebook Features

Admins Acknowledge Mistakes That Lead to Apache.org Hack

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:29 PDT

The Apache Infrastructure Team has released a detailed analysis of the recent attack that led to multiple apache.org servers being compromised. After outlining the mistakes that made the incident possible and their plan to strengthen security, the admins have been congratulated by the community for their openness.

The full report published on the Apache Foundation's blog starts by stressing that, "At no time were any Apache Software Foundation code repositories, downloads, or users put at risk by this intrusion," and explains that, "Providing a detailed account of what happened will make the internet a better place, by allowing others to learn from our mistakes."

It was confirmed that the point of entry for the attackers was the server hosting the Apache Conference website (apachecon.com), which was being maintained by a third-party company. The attackers gained root privileges on the machine, possibly by using a local privilege escalation exploit. There is few information available about how they got access, because they deleted the logs.

What's certain, though, is that they used the SSH key associated to an account the Apache Infrastructure Team had on that server for backup purposes, to jump to people.apache.org, the Foundation's "staging machine for our mirror network," as it is called in the report. The newly obtained access was used to write CGI scripts into the document root of the apache.org website, which then got propagated on all mirrors, due to automatic sync processes. These scripts were later executed by the attackers over HTTP in order to obtain remote shell...

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Admins Acknowledge Mistakes That Lead to Apache.org Hack

ASUS N61 and N71 laptops for Multimedia Enthusiasts

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:01:52 PDT

Taking multimedia entertainment further the new ASUS N61 and N71 notebooks are designed to provide users with audio and visual enjoyment at the highest level. They feature a 'new wave' design which not only lends an air of futurism to the overall exterior, but also serves as a visual representation of their multimedia prowess.

Trying to update its product portfolio before the upcoming holiday shopping season, Taiwan's ASUSTeK has recently announced the introduction of the new N61 and N71 multimedia-series of laptops.

Equipped with the latest hardware components on the market, the new laptops combine an exclusive ASUS SonicMaster technology with Altec Lansing speakers and SRS Premium Sound, to provide uses with a high-quality sound and multimedia experience. In addition, the new laptops have been equipped with high-quality, 16-inch and 17.3-inch, LED-backlit displays, each one boasting a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Kicking off with the 16-inch ASUS N61 series, the company has announced two new models, the N61Vn and the N61Vg, with the first boasting improved components, like Intel's Core 2 Quad mobile Q9000 processor, clocked at 2GHz. The N61Vn also comes with two DDR3 1066MHz memory DIMMs, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 240M graphics card with 1GB of DDR3 VRAM, a large-capacity, high-performance, 500GB, 7200RPM hard drive and a Blu-ray DVD combo optical drive unit.

The N71 series is basically an upgrade to the N61 series, also providing users with two new models, the N71Vn and the N71Vg. As far as the system's processor, graphics, and optical drive are concerned, the N71Vn is on par with the N61Vn. However, the system has been featured with a larger, 17.3-inch, HD LED panel and sports a dual headphone input, or a 5.1 channel output. This model is also available with 500GB of storage space, but with the support for a dual HDD configuration, users will be ready to take advantage of up to 1TB of storage, from the same machine.

The ASUS N61 and N71 notebooks feature graphics powered by a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M graphics card with 1GB DDRIII memory. It delivers a sense of realism by providing users with true-to-life graphics, breathtaking vibrancy and clarity. With NVIDIA CUDA technology, users are also able to run demanding tasks faster than what was previously unachievable.
CUDA utilizes a parallel computing architecture to solve complex computational problems and to accelerate applications beyond just graphics. This allows the ASUS N61 and N71 notebooks to transcode music, photographs and videos up to 20 times faster, play back video and DVD up to 15 times faster, as well as enhance and edit video 10 times* faster.

Working in concert with CUDA is another ASUS exclusive, the Video Magic software pack. It upscales the resolution of conventional DVDs from the standard 740p to full high definition 1080p, as well as naturalizes the color and brightness of the images displayed. By upgrading the frame rate from 24/30fps to an astonishing 60/72fps, users can enjoy smoother DVD playback anywhere, anytime.

ASUS G51VX-A1 gaming notebook review specs - prices

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:26:17 PDT

The ASUS G51-series is a 15.6" gaming notebook offering dual hard drive bays, NVIDIA GTX 260M graphics, and an optional quad-core processor. To enhance the multimedia experience this notebook offers a 1080P 16:9 display, a backlit Chiclet-style keyboard, and Altec Lansing speakers.

The prices of the ASUS G51VX-A1 are in the range of $1049 for a dual core processor and $1699 for a quad core variant with dual hard disk bays.

The ASUS G51VX-A1 specifications

Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit)
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 (2GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 6MB Cache)
Intel PM45 + ICH9M chipset
15.6" WUXGA FHD LCD display at 1920x1080
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M 1GB GDDR3 memory
Intel 5100AGN Wireless

4GB DDR2-800 SDRAM (2GB x 2)
Two 320GB Seagate 7200RPM Hard Drives
DVD SuperMulti
Webcam, Altec Lansing speakers, Backpack, Razer Copperhead USB mouse
120W (19V x 6.32A) 100-240V AC Adapter
6-cell 53Wh 11.1v 4800mAh Lithium Ion battery
Dimensions (WxDxH): 14.6" x 10.3" x 1.3-1.6"
Weight: 7lbs 9.0oz
2-Year Global Warranty/1-Year Accidental damage
Price as configured: $1,699

ASUS G51VX-A1 video review

Build and Design

The G51 is part of the Republic of Gamers lineup from ASUS, meaning it incorporates the ROG logo on the front cover and a more aggressive notebook design. The outside cover has chrome trim around the side and bottom edges, and a futuristic pattern painted onto the lid; both helping to push the overall gaming theme. The sides are black plastic, with a silver strip painted on the sides and front of the notebook.

The ASUS G51VX-A1 has an overall good built quality with some decent plastic and has some trendy logos and stickers that make it stand out from the rest of the laptop crowd. But, remember, this is a gaming laptop and this doesn't compromise on that to any extent. It also features a rubberised palm-rest, glossy black trim around the display panels and a backlit keyboard as well.

Screen and Display

The display is glossy, the LCD lid is covered with a graphic, there are blue LED lights along the sides of the LCD lid, and there is a backlight “Republic of Gamers” logo right in the middle of the lid. This system has a lot going on with the design, enough to turn off someone that might want to use the laptop for work or for class.

The display on the G51 looks above average with good color saturation and better than average viewing angles. The glossy surface helps make the already good looking colors "pop" out at you more than they would on a matte display, as well as improving the looks of dark colors. While gaming I didn't notice any lag or abnormal backlight bleed in dark scenes.

More impressive than the input devices is the display, which is 16:9 and bright, plus the 1920×1080 resolution offers the potential for excellent fullscreen gaming as well as desktop multitasking. The high resolution on not-so-big screen might be tough on older eyes, but it wasn’t a problem during testing.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The G51VX is a gaming notebook that looks like a gaming notebook. This is good in that it brings with it a backlit keyboard, great looking display, soft-touch rubber palmrests, metal buttons around the trackpad, and a chiclet-style keyboard, but along with that comes details not everyone will like.

The keys and inner trim were all matching black, with white lettering that lights up when the backlight is enabled. The individual keys were easy to press, and felt very solid with very little wiggle if you moved your hand around the keyboard.
The G51 includes a large Synaptics touchpad with a very smooth barely- textured surface. Tracking speeds are excellent with no lag noticed in our game testing, and the sensitivity was great even with the default settings. The touchpad buttons were easy to trigger, but didn't give as much feedback as longer throw buttons.

Battery

With its 6-cell battery life the G51VX is said to be good for 2-2.5 hours, depending on usage. Testing revealed this number to be close to accurate, though generally on the high side. If you are doing something demanding the quad-core processor and video card will empty the battery in around 90 minutes, but if you are conservative with it and keep the brightness down you should be able to get a bit over 2 hours from it.

Sony Announces the Vaio X Ultraportable Series

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:51:29 PDT

With just hours ahead of the official debut of this year's IFA 2009 consumer electronics show, held in Berlin, Germany between September 4 to 9, Sony has had a press event where the company has introduced a couple of new products, while also detailing some of its upcoming goodies.

Such is the case with a new series of Vaio laptops, which the company is expected to officially launch before the end of this year. Dubbed the Vaio X-series, the new, ultraportable laptops appear to boast one of the thinnest designs for such devices in their category and are expected to become available sometime after the introduction of Microsoft's much-anticipated Windows 7 operating system.

There aren't too many details available yet, but based on reports from outfits attending the gathering, it's a premium ultra-portable with a non-glossy 11.1" display, a carbon fiber .55" chassis, and weighs a mere 1.5lbs.

According to Engadget (who is on site), the system will tout an "all-day" battery life, and will set a new standard for stamina. There is nothing official about what will power the VAIO X at launch, but Engadget is reporting that they hear it packs an Intel Atom. That said, nothing is locked in and there's no telling if CULV-based models will be available.

Unfortunately, the consumer electronics maker hasn't been very generous with the technical specifications of the new system, but has showcased an engineering model to provide customers with a perspective on things to come. According to early reports from the company's press event, the new Vaio X-series of laptops has been featured with a sleek and ultrathin design, making it a choice for on-the-go users looking for a high-quality ultraportable. At the exterior, the X-series boasts a carbon-fibre chassis, coupled with an aluminum keyboard and a choice for both a glossy- and matte-plastic finishes.

As for the internal configuration, the fellows over at Engadget, who have been lucky enough to get their hands on the showcased model, report that the ultraportable sports an Atom processor, 2GB of memory and a 31Wh removable battery. Connectivity is pretty much standard with a couple of USB ports, an SD/Memory Stick slot, a WWAN SIM slot, VGA (no HDMI, at this time), RJ45 for wired Ethernet LAN and a Kensington lock, all inside a system that boasts an 11-inch display.

The specifications aren't yet final, according to Sony, which means that the ultraportable could be featured with a more potent CULV platform. The company is also stating that the sleek-looking Vaio will be available with Windows 7 on-board and will be priced at less than US$2,000. Official specifications and the formal introduction of the Vaio X-series are due in October, this year, around the same time with Microsoft's Windows 7 launch.

Facebook Hackers Refuse to Give Up

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:19 PDT

As we reported, Facebook was recently hit by numerous malware infected apps. Since then, this week's total has risen to eleven new applications altered by third parties to illicitly acquire login information.

Facebook managed to shut down six of them, but not long after the apps had been taken down, five more were put up into place. These were disabled as well in a couple of hours by website admins.

Rik Ferguson, the first one to report them, has been documenting their transformation on his blog at CounterMeasures. As he said, “My research has turned up [...] further Facebook applications which this time have quite clearly been designed for malicious activity and can be clearly linked to the fucabook phishing.”

Clearly, these applications have been put into place to acquire login credentials for Facebook users. Recently, Facebook became the most used social network in the United States, finally topping MySpace. This success attracted more and more hackers to the website, who try to acquire login credentials that they can use to send spam to a user's friends.

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Facebook Hackers Refuse to Give Up

Critical Twitter Bug Discovered

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

A blogger trying to bypass Twitter's new nofollow policy for oauth client application links stumbled upon a massive persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability, which allowed him to insert potentially malicious JavaScript code into a tweet. The vulnerability could have been leveraged to steal session cookies, create a Twitter worm or infect visitors with malware.

Earlier this month, search engine optimization gurus revealed a black hat SEO technique that was being used to increase a website's page rank by receiving "link juice" from Twitter. Most of the links pointing out of Twitter have the rel="nofollow" parameter, which tells search engine robots not to follow them.

However, one type of Twitter links that lacked this attribute were the ones pointing to the oauth client used to post a particular tweet, like Tweetdeck, Seesmic, Tweetie or others. These links appear underneath the actual message of each status update posted from outside of Twitter and reads something like: "[x] minutes ago from [Application Name] (linked)."

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Critical Twitter Bug Discovered

Apache.org Compromised by Hackers

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

The Apache Project's Infrastructure Team was forced to take its primary servers offline yesterday, after discovering that unknown hackers uploaded and executed malicious code on them. The attackers apparently used a stolen SSH authentication key associated with a backup account to break in.

The attack started during the evening of August 27 and targeted the minotaur.apache.org aka people.apache.org server. According to the Apache team, this is the "seed host for most apache.org websites" and also hosts accounts for all developers.

The perpetrators logged in to the server running FreeBSD 7-STABLE using the SSH key corresponding to an account employed to perform automatic backups for the ApacheCon website. Fortunately, they did not succeed in escalating the account's privileges on the server.

Using the compromised account's access to the directory housing the www.apache.org website, the attackers proceeded to uploading several CGI scripts and other files. These rogue files were then copied by automatic sync processes to most of the project's webservers....

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Apache.org Compromised by Hackers

Morro- Free Microsoft Antivirus for Windows 7 - Vista SP2 - XP - SP3

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

Microsoft is cooking a free security solution, designed to integrate seamlessly with Windows 7, as well as with Windows Vista RTM/SP1/SP2 and Windows XP SP3.

Advertised as a no-cost consumer security offering, code-named “Morro” is set up to be much more than a simple antivirus, also offering protection against spyware, rootkits and Trojan horses, according to the software giant.

However, the Redmond company emphasized that the streamlined solution would be focused on nothing more than offering core anti-malware protection.

Code-named “Morro” is expected to be made available in the second half of 2009, just in time for Windows 7, whose RTM is reportedly planned for mid-2009, and for the second Service Pack for Windows Vista.

“Customers around the world have told us that they need comprehensive, ongoing protection from new and existing threats, and we take that concern seriously,” revealed Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management for the Online Services and Windows Division at Microsoft. “This new, no-cost offering will give us the ability to protect an even greater number of consumers, especially in markets where the growth of new PC purchases is outpaced only by the growth of malware.”....

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Morro- Free Microsoft Antivirus for Windows 7 - Vista SP2 - XP - SP3

The Essential Guide to Spam Control

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By: John Edwards - ItSecurity)
Spam now constitutes an overwhelming majority of email traffic. The never-ending onslaught of junk messages strains networks, erodes user productivity, propagates dangerous malware and costs business millions of dollars.

Types of Spam

Though all junk email might look the same, spam continues to arrive in a seemingly endless number of configurations, ranging from the innocuous to the lethal. The major spam types include:

* Advertising: Spam is used to promote an entire spectrum of products and services, from software to real estate to questionable medical and nutritional offerings.

* Malware Delivery: Spam is one of the main distribution channels for delivering viruses and other types of malware. Targeted individuals, believing they have received an important document or media file, are often tricked into opening a malware attachment.

* Scams: Posing as Nigerian princes, Swiss bankers, tragically ill children and other stock types, scammers prey on recipients' sympathy and greed.

* Phishing: Hiding behind the names of respected retailers, financial institutions, businesses, charities and government bodies, phishers attempt to lure unsuspecting recipients to bogus Web sites where they steal personal financial or identity information.

* Nonsense: A significant chunk of junk-mail text is pure gibberish. Some of this material is generated in an effort to trick spam-filtering technologies into passing an attached message onto recipients. Many nonsensical messages seem to exist for no purpose at all.

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The Essential Guide to Spam Control

The Essential Guide to Firewalls

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By: John Edwards - ItSecurity)
Firewalls play a central role in IT security, standing between enterprise networks and the outside world to protect computers, applications and other resources from external attack.

While there are several types of firewalls, the technology can be broadly defined as a collection of related security programs that are stored on a network gateway server and collectively safeguard network assets from users on other networks.

Firewall Types

While all firewalls run software, the firewall market itself is split into two general categories: hardware and software. Hardware firewalls are dedicated security appliances on which security software is preinstalled, typical on a proprietary OS. Software firewalls, on the other hand, can usually be installed on any available server that is equipped with a general-purpose network OS such as Windows or Linux.

Businesses usually select firewalls on the basis of needs and preferences that are unique to each company. Common considerations include: the firewall architecture (hardware or software), the number of concurrent firewall sessions required, the range and types of external access required, the type and number of VPN (virtual private network) protocols needed, the number of concurrent VPNs that require protection, the preferred kind of management user interface (command line, graphical or Web-based), and the need for high-availability features.

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The Essential Guide to Firewalls

5 Firewall Tests and Supporting Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By: John Moore - ItSecurity)
Firewall testing can be a hassle, particularly in environments with multiple devices possessing multiple interfaces.
Industry consultants, however, recommend that IT managers step up to this ounce of prevention. Wayne Haber, director of architecture at SecureWorks Inc., a managed security services provider, advised testing firewalls at least once per month and after any major change.

Jonathan Glass, senior systems administrator at SecureWorks, also recommended adding firewall testing to the firewall change management process.

A battery of tests may be in order to make sure firewalls serve their purpose. This testing can prove time-consuming and labor-intensive, but a number of automated tools — both open-source and commercial — aim to ease the burden.

Here’s the run down on tests and the tools that support them.

Rule Set Analysis

Firewall rule sets can get messy in complex deployments. Over time, rule sets may fall out of step with security policy. Unused rules may proliferate.

A review of firewall rule sets addresses those and other issues. This check may turn up some low-hanging fruit, noted David Lawson, director of risk management at Acumen Solutions Inc., a business and technology consulting firm. He cited the example of an administrator who, when troubleshooting a newly installed application, puts in a rule that accepts all traffic and leaves it there....

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5 Firewall Tests and Supporting Tools

GoogleUnveils Calculators To Promote Security Products

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By: Mike Sachoff - Securitypronews)
The economy's nasty condition is making people rethink all sorts of things: whether trucks and SUVs are cooler than clown cars, whether steak is that much better than ramen, and so on.
Google wants to help when it comes time to decide whether to embrace its security offerings.
To see how much security measures of some sort can help a business, Google's introduced a simple Return on Investment Calculator.

Users can see an estimate of how much time/money's wasted on spam by entering stats relating to employees, workdays, salaries, and spam messages. Expect big numbers if you start typing away.

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Google Unveils Calculators To Promote Security Products

IE6: Dead Browser Walking

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By Erika Morphy - TechNewsWorld )
Internet Explorer must be feeling a bit unwanted these days. Microsoft just issued a patch that clearly offers users the option to set a different browser as their default.
Also, Google's social network Orkut is phasing out support for IE6, one more nail in the coffin of the 8-year-old version of the browser that developers pretty much hate.

Google's social network Orkut reportedly plans to phase out support for Internet Explorer 6, igniting a long-simmering debate over continued use of the 8-year-old version of the browser. The current version is IE8.

Microsoft intends to maintain support for IE6 in conjunction with its support for Windows XP -- the OS that originally delivered it. Extended support for XP is scheduled to end in 2014.

"As engineers, we want people to upgrade to the latest version," wrote Microsoft IE8 product manager Dean Hachamovitch in a recent IE blog post. "We make it as easy as possible for them to upgrade. Ultimately, the choice to upgrade belongs to the person responsible for the PC."

Not the Least Insecure?

IE6 is still the choice of a significant portion of the computer-using community; however, many developers have come to loathe it...

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IE6: Dead Browser Walking

Users Poke Facebook With Lawsuit Over Privacy Policies

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

(By:ECT News Network )
Facebook users in California are suing the site, claiming it violates state privacy laws by disseminating personal information to third parties and mining data without fully disclosing its practices.
It's another bump in the road for the fast-growing social networking site, which in the past has had to fend off several instances of user criticism for changing various privacy policies and controls.

Five Facebook users filed a civil lawsuit Monday alleging that the social networking site is violating California's privacy laws and misleading members about how their personal information is used.

The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, asks for damages and attorney's fees and includes a request for a jury trial.

Facebook spokesperson Barry Schnitt declined to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit.

"We see no merit to this suit and we plan to fight it," he said in an emailed statement.

Mining, Harvesting, Posting

The complaint alleges that Facebook violates California privacy and online privacy More about online privacy laws by disseminating personal information posted by users to third parties. The lawsuit also alleges that Facebook engages in data mining and harvesting without fully disclosing those practices to its members...

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Users Poke Facebook With Lawsuit Over Privacy Policies

Smart Meters and Security: Locking Up the Grid

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

Public utility companies are really hot right now for smart grids -- electrical grids that use Internet technology and special meters to make energy delivery more efficient.
However, they're getting static from both lawmakers and security researchers who say they're dragging their feet in making sure their systems are secure.

Despite reports earlier this year about spies penetrating the computers that help control America's electrical grid, utility companies appear to be slow in clamping down on security, and that perception has led to a tongue-lashing from a House of Representatives committee.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D, N.Y.) as accused the utilities of exploiting a loophole that allows them to avoid complying with Federal cybersecurity requirements.

Also, a security researcher's revelations of flaws in the smart meters utilities are installing throughout the country added fuel to the fire.

Is the grid really as insecure as it seems?

The Security Issue

In April and June, news stories surfaced about foreign spies apparently hacking into the U.S. electrical grid. Reports that the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), an industry regulatory group, was negotiating with a defense contractor to search for breaches by cyberspies began making the rounds.

However, that may have been the tail end of a problem that is believed to be systemic to the modernization of the nation's electricity infrastructure.

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Smart Meters and Security: Locking Up the Grid

On Bugs, Viruses, Malware and Linux

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

Is security a sword of Damocles hanging over Linux, just waiting for its popularity to reach critical mass?
That's one persistent argument in the Linux vs. Windows debates, but it's just wrong, according to those who know Linux well. For reasons both technological and behavioral, they say, Linux really is more secure. "If the anti-malware industry has anything to offer GNU/Linux," challenges blogger Robert Pogson, "let them step up."

Among all the reasons geeks choose Linux, security is often near the top of the list.

And no wonder -- personal preferences aside on all the other many relevant issues, there's plenty of evidence to suggest our favorite operating system really is more impervious.

A study published in The Register a few years back, for example, not only concluded that Linux security then was even better than had been thought compared to Windows security, but also went on to label as "myths" and "logical errors" many of the most common arguments to the contrary -- most notably, the oft-repeated idea that Linux suffers fewer attacks simply because it has fewer users than Windows does.

Not a Kernel Problem

Yet when news came out last month that an attack by the "NULL Pointer" bug could exploit even a fully patched Linux kernel, a new cloud of dust was kicked up. Those on both sides of the operating system fence struggled to understand what it meant.

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On Bugs, Viruses, Malware and Linux

Managing a Passel of Passwords With Online Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

For security reasons, it's best not to use the same password for all your online accounts. Of course, remembering all those passwords is the hard part. Online tools like Roboform and LastPass act as sort of online password lockers.

They securely store all your passwords so you can access them regardless of what computer you're on. However, most have a kink or two to work out in terms of convenience.

Do you use your kids' names? Your pet's? Your favorite color? We all use some dumb passwords that are too easy to guess.

Worse, we use the same ones for lots of Web sites. So if one site gets compromised, or an employee there is dishonest, someone could start trying out that password on other sites where you have accounts, like Amazon or PayPal, and you've got trouble.

Browsers help out a bit by offering to remember your passwords, but that does little good if you are on a different computer or want to try a different browser.

The rescue comes from password-management programs. A couple of them have recently taken a big step forward in ease of use, by storing your login information online so that you can access them from multiple computers. Online storage does raise some questions about security, but it also makes these little-known programs worth another look.

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Managing a Passel of Passwords With Online Tools

Apple vs. Google vs. Microsoft: World War 3 Cometh

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53:55 PDT

Apple, Microsoft and Google are all taking their gloves off, and each company will be entering what could be a raging battlefield in the second half of 2009 with a different set of weapons and weaknesses. If each could hold onto what it does well while emulating its competitors' strengths, maybe an all-out tech WW3 could be averted.

Regardless of what I wrote last week, which focused on Apple's problems coming out of the Red Hat event, Apple is on a roll. It's expected to gain substantial share this quarter because Snow Leopard will make it into the quarter and Windows 7 won't.

However, in October, Microsoft is planning to come back with a rush, and next year will bring its not-so-secret weapon: the Apple-targeting Microsoft store. If you buy one through one of them, it will turn the PC experience into something vastly more similar to an Apple experience -- and that will likely mean open conflict...

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Apple vs. Google vs. Microsoft: World War 3 Cometh