Computing Science World

HTC Sensation XL with Beats audio officially unveiled

2011-10-11T18:25:00.001+08:00

Taiwanese handset manufacturer HTC has officially unveiled its new Beats audio packing handset as the HTC Sensation XL is made official running Google's Android mobile operating system

HTC has officially unveiled its first all new handset to land sporting Beats by Dr. Dre audio technology as the HTC Sensation XL is launched as a 4.7-inch Android device.

Following on from the HTC Sensation XE, the first Beats device, the Taiwanese handset manufacturer has returned with another high-end handset set to further the Android OS and premium audio smartphone market.

“With Beats Audio, the HTC Sensation XL continues HTC’s commitment of delivering the best audio possible on your phone whether you’re listening to music, watching a movie or playing a game,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC Corporation. “This is an amazing example of why our partnership with Beats makes so much sense for customers today and into the future.”

HTC Sensation XL Specs

Alongside the handset’s hefty 4.7-inch 800 x 480p WVGA display, the Sensation XL will play host to a 1.5GHz Qualcomm single core processor backed up by 768MB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

On the multimedia front the newly unveiled HTC Sensation XL is to boast an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera with a low light specialising wide angle f/2.2 28mm lens alongside dual LED flash. A second 1.3-megapixel snapper can be found round the front whilst 720p HD video recording capabilities are bolstered by stereo audio.

Packing a high-end audio punch the Sensation XL benefits from fully attuned Beats audio technology and will come boxed with a pair of in-ear Beats headphones.

HTC Sensation XL Release Date and Price

Carphone Warehouse is the first out of the hat to announce that it will be stocking the HTC Sensation XL and the handset will be available to buy from November 2nd.

What do you make of the HTC Sensation XL and its Beats audio packing goodness? Let us know via the comments box below...

Source: [www.t3.com]

Apple iPhone 4S Reactions: Expert's views

2011-10-11T15:41:00.001+08:00

The Apple iPhone 4S launched to mixed user reviews. Some were disappointed with its recycled design while others couldn't contain their excitement. But what do the experts think?

With the repeatedly rumoured Apple iPhone 4S now a thing of reality, T3 has asked some of the industry’s leading minds their views on the dual-core iOS 5 packing Samsung Galaxy S II challenger and iPhone 4 replacement.

Officially unveiled during Apple's October 4th 'Let's talk iPhone' event, the Apple iPhone 4S has a lot to live up to and compete with following on from the iPhone 4 and lining up against a selection of dual-core Android powerhouses. With Apple frequently splitting views here are what the industry insiders make of the iPhone 4S.

Apple iPhone 4S Reaction: The experts’ opinions

Matt Warman, Consumer Technology Editor, The Daily Telegraph

Apple's new iPhone 4GS does what the company needs it to: keep the phone at the very top of the smartphone tree.But what it doesn't do is put clear water between Apple and the competition - if an open-minded punter walks into a mobile retailer tomorrow, there are plenty of reasons to go for a top Google Android handset.

Next week Samsung launches the latest Nexus handset, with Google. Now more than ever, the search giant has a chance to dominate this new space. Even if they take it, Android will not have the iPhone's allure - but today, for the first time, it really feels like that crucial shift is actually possible.

Mark Mason, CEO, Mubaloo:

Beauty lies on the inside. This is certainly the message that consumers expecting a newly designed iPhone will need to bear in mind. The 4S is a clear step up from the 4, allowing it to compete with the top end Android devices on a global scale. For the gaming community, the A5 will bring unrivalled graphics performance to the 4S that brings a level of detail to games which has the ability to out rival some console games systems.

From a developer perspective, it is the new APIs and features in the Apple iOS 5 brings that truly excite. Siri for the 4S will show what is possible to bring truly innovative applications to end users, and what the new boost in processor speed is capable of handling with ease.

This will have far reaching effects into the enterprise arena, providing not just contextual, but also highly functional capabilities. With 93 per cent of Fortune 500 companies either testing or implementing iOS devices, it is clear Apple understands the potential for such an app.

Lynnette Prigmore, Head of Product - Proporta

"As with the rest of the tech world, at Proporta HQ we've been eagerly awaiting what Apple were going to announce at their event this evening. And despite having a similar form factor to the iPhone 4, we're impressed with the new features - especially Siri.

Duncan Bell, Operations Editor, T3

I'm probably not exactly sticking my neck out when I say that this iPhone 4 with knobs on is going to continue the massive success Apple has had with the iPhone to date.

The way Apple has turned the handset's camera, initially a perceived weakness, into one of its biggest selling points says it all – constant refinement, improvement and, where necessary, filching of other people's ideas, keeps the iPhone on top - but that only works because it was the best in the first place.

This incarnation's best "new" idea is, of course… Find My Friends, which appears to have been "borrowed" from no less a source than Flare Gun, the app from T3's own Adam Bunker. The whole "personal assistant" thing seems jolly clever - it should be, it's a refinement of Google's Voice Actions - but if you ever see me barking instructions at an inanimate object, just shoot me, eh?

Rich Martell, Founder and CEO, Floxx

Although words like ‘seeding’ and ‘developers’ were dropped, and the audience got a detailed breakdown of what makes the iPhone 4S so special ‘on the inside’, the sense of disappointment is evident on a lot of faces.

Siri is certainly a cool feature, and one that will no doubt increase racket in (already noises) Apple stores, but some of the other features mentioned in the keynote seem only to raise eyebrows. Cards and ‘nano watches’, for example, are cute ideas but they represent much more than that – Apple want to be the Disney of computers. This analogy was set in stone for me as the Mickey Mouse nano clock face flashed up on the giant screen.

Once upon a time, Apple users occupied a sacred space that Ben and Jerry’s, Harley Davidson and The Grateful Dead all held dear – all of these were brands that were once counter-cultural, vital, ‘for outlaws only’. Gradually, each became the property of the masses, and I can only wonder whether Apple is seeking to do the same.

Luke Peters, Editor, T3

Gasps from the UK media when the name and same case design was announced hammers home just how much people wanted a newer-looking device. However, it's more powerful, has a 1080p camera that will put the nail in the coffin of the camcorder industry and comes with the HAL-like Siri. The iPhone 4S might be an incremental upgrade but it's still the best iPhone you can buy.

David Phelan, Gadgets Editor, Time Out

So of course it's not the iPhone 5, but maybe expectations were just too high. After all, the 3G casing ran for two years. And once you use it, the differences are really apparent, with iOS 5 working at great speed and apps launching promptly. If you thought the iPhone 4 was fast, this is lightning.

It's a gentle upgrade, for sure, and the main issue will be the fact that it looks identical. Siri is very cool, and the wide aperture camera will make a real difference, as will the new camera functions. And, hey, there shouldn't be any problems with dropping calls…

Matt Hill, Deputy Editor, T3

Seven times the graphics capabilities of the iPhone 4, the same dual-core A5 chip that's in the iPad 2, 8-megapixel camera with vastly improved lens and light filters, voice-recognition beyond what anyone's seen on a handset – you have to ask what more people can ask of Apple?

Well, "make it look a bit different" seems to be the answer, as there was palpable disappointment across the internet, with the firm's shares falling 4%, during its 'Let's Talk About iPhone' event. Expectations have clearly got out of control - the iPhone 4S is more of an upgrade on the iPhone 4 than the 4 was on the 3GS.

It raises Apple's game again, only to a technical par with its competitors but, importantly and often ignored, with a consistent and ever-intuitive ecosystem that makes the most of those technical advancements.

What else were they really supposed to do? We knew iOS 5 and iCloud were imminent, and this was always an event about a new, improved phone to make the most of that. Apple has delivered, regardless of the monicker.

The iPhone 5 will have its own big day, away from the iBluster of clouds and new OSs. If Tim Cook and co had shaved off the edges of the handset and called it the iPhone 5, it would have been embraced to the world's style-tech bosom.

Damn our ever-increasing focus on aesthetics and surface details over and above anything else. Personally, I blame Apple.

David James, CEO, mxData

At mxData we believe the announcement of the iPhone 4S and a new version of the iOS will generally be well received by the industry and especially by app development companies such as ourselves. Smartphones are becoming adopted by more and more consumers, who want to access information wherever they are, and I believe the iPhone 4S will again raise the standard of smartphones allowing more of us to work, rest and play while on the move.

Developing for multiple operating systems is not straightforward, but all the leading players provide great platforms for us to develop ground breaking applications. At mxData our development teams have been busy preparing for the latest iPhone release for some months now and are really excited about the future of the industry.

More expert views and opinions to follow...

What do you make of the Apple iPhone 4S, major disappointment or welcomed overhaul? Let us know via the comments box below.

Source : [www.t3.com]

Apple Store Covent Garden robbed ahead of iPhone 4S release

2011-10-10T19:20:00.002+08:00

Apple is the target of attacks just days before the Apple iPhone 4S handset is due to go on sale with two arrested over a robbery at the company's Covent Garden store early this morning.

Just days ahead of the official iPhone 4S UK release date the Apple Store in Covent Garden, London has been targeted by robbers with a number of masked attackers on bikes pilfering a number of Apple’s iDevices.

The smash-and-grab attack which took place in the early hours of Monday morning is reported to have seen a number of would be robbers break through the windows of Apple’s latest flagship London store making off with bags of the company’s high-end tech goodies.

Scotland Yard has since reported two people have been arrested in relation to the attacks with a 16-year-old caught by police alongside a 21-year-old male. The two were found with bags full of iPad 2 tablets.

"Although two men are in custody on suspicion of burglary, the inquiry continues and other persons are sought.,” said Detective Sergeant Nathan Tozer of Westminster CID speaking with the Guardian. “"It is essential that anyone who saw the smash and grab, or the suspects making off, contact us as soon as possible."

Apple’s Covent Garden Store is expected to play host to long queues this Friday as the eagerly awaited iPhone 4S handset. Will you be one of the many lining up early to snap up the new iPhone? Let us know via the comments box below.

Source: [www.t3.com]

Want to Revive an Old Netbook? Try Lubuntu

2011-10-10T05:58:00.000+08:00

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: You bought a netbook a couple years back, thinking it would be your go-to travel PC, but quickly became dissatisfied with its sluggish performance--and stuck it in a closet.

Hey, that's a perfectly good PC you've got in there. It just needs a better operating system, one that fares better with less horsepower. Last year I wrote about Joli OS (formerly known as Jolicloud), which accomplished that very goal--but with a somewhat unfamiliar-looking interface that didn't appeal to everyone.

Another worthwhile option: Lubuntu 11,04, a fast, lightweight Linux distribution that promises to put the spurs to even the pokiest of PCs. Short for "light Ubuntu," it employs the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment, or LXDE, as its user interface. It looks and operates in a way that should seem familiar to Windows users, meaning your learning curve should be slight.

Like all Linux "distros," Lubuntu is free. Like many distros, it's not exactly user-friendly. Indeed, the product page might best be described as confusing and unhelpful. Allow me to get you started: Most people will want to download the "desktop-i386" ISO version available from the download page.

Because netbooks don't have optical drives, there's little point in burning that ISO file to a CD (a common option for installing Linux). Instead, you'll want to install Lubuntu from a flash drive. (The instructions presented there are for the regular version of Ubuntu, but they're still applicable.)

Like I said, nothing about this is terribly user-friendly. If you're not the tech-savvy sort, ask your favorite geeky friend (or neighborhood teenager) for help. Also, there's a Lubuntu overview at Lifehacker that's worth checking out.

Source: [http://www.pcworld.com

]

Critical Updates Coming from Microsoft Next Week

2011-10-10T05:45:00.001+08:00

Next Tuesday is the second Tuesday in October, and that means it is Microsoft Patch Tuesday. Overall, it is a moderate month in terms of patch volume, but the couple that are rated as Critical should be addressed quickly to prevent exploits.

According to the Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October 2011, we can expect a total of eight security bulletins next Tuesday--not the smallest Patch Tuesday ever, but also far short of the biggest. Two of the security bulletins are rated as Critical, with the remaining six classified as Important.

The affected software includes Windows, the Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway, Microsoft Host Integration Server, the Internet Explorer Web browser, .NET Framework, and Microsoft Silverlight. The Critical updates affect Internet Explorer, and .NET Framework / Silverlight.

Wolfgang Kandek, CTO of Qualys, explains in a blog post, "Top priority should be given to the remote code execution patch for all versions of Internet Explorer (including 9, the most modern version of IE on Windows 7). The other critical higher priority remote code execution patch affects the Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Silverlight."

Kandek adds, "The remaining six bulletins are for Windows itself and a number of less pervasive Microsoft technologies, such as Forefront and the Host Integration server. They are all rated as important and not all of them apply to all configurations. IT administrators will have to evaluate to what degree they affect their networks, servers and workstations."

Paul Henry, security and forensic analyst for Lumension, stresses that nearly all of the eight updates from Microsoft require a system reboot, so IT admins and users should be prepared for brief disruptions of Internet-facing servers and endpoint PCs.

Check back next Tuesday for a more in-depth overview and analysis of the security updates and relevant vulnerabilities once the updates are released from Microsoft.

Source: [http://www.pcworld.com]

How to Change Startup Programs in Windows 7

2011-10-09T23:18:00.000+08:00

With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft has made several changes to the company's operating system. Startup program settings are similar to those of previous operating systems. Startup programs are saved in a specific folder on the hard drive. When the operating system boots, links listed in this folder start their respective applications. Changing settings for current startup applications is accomplished through the system configuration tool.

Instructions

Click the Windows "Start" button and select "All Programs." Right-click the "Startup" folder in the menu and select "Open All Users." This option opens the folder for all users on the computer. Choose "Explore" to open the folder for the currently logged-in user only.
Right-click the folder or file you want started when the computer boots. Select "Copy" from the menu.
Right-click any white space in the "Startup" folder you opened in Step 1. Select "Paste" from the menu list. The program will now open the next time you start the computer.

Change Current Start up Programs

Click the Windows "Start" button and type "msconfig" in the search text box. This opens the System Configuration console.
Click the "Start up" tab. This gives you a view of all the programs installed as startup options on your computer.
Check boxes of the applications you want to start when you boot the computer. For programs you no longer want to start, clear the check box.
Click "Apply" and close the configuration window. A popup window will ask if you want to reboot the computer. Click "Restart" to reboot the computer and save the changes.

How to Delete the Purchase History for the iTunes Store

2011-10-09T23:10:00.000+08:00

If you love to download music, your iTunes purchase history can get cluttered very quickly. Rather than sifting through hundreds of media titles that you downloaded days, weeks or even months ago, it is simple to delete entries from the "Purchase History" section without affecting your iTunes library.

Instructions

Open iTunes.
Locate the "Store" section in the main menu pane on the left side of your screen and select "Purchased." Your purchase history will populate in the main window.
Click "Edit" at top left of your screen and choose "Select All" in the pull-down menu. This will highlight every entry in your purchase history.
Right-click any of the highlighted titles in the main menu and select "Delete."

Tips & Warning

Choose any individual title you wish to delete by clicking on it once, then right-clicking the title and selecting "Delete." You can also hold the "Control" key as you select multiple titles, or the "Shift" key to select consecutive blocks of titles.

If this is your first time deleting from your purchase history, iTunes may send you a pop-up message letting you know that the title is still in your library. This is a good thing. Simply click "OK."

Amazon Kindle Fire launches as 7-inch Android tablet

2011-10-09T18:55:00.013+08:00

Amazon confirms the Amazon Kindle Fire, a 7-inch Android tablet with a colour touchscreen display. A Kindle Fire release date has been set for November 15th with a $199 price tag

Following months of speculation Amazon has officially unveiled the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet with the 7-inch Android device set to launch later this year.

Officially announced at a press conference held by the online retailer in New York City, the Amazon Kindle Fire is be made available for just $199 (£127) in the US with Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet-centric operating system given a major spruce thanks to Amazon’s heavily customised bespoke UI.

Amazon Kindle Fire Specs

Sporting a 7-inch LCD touchscreen display with a Gorilla Glass coating and a 1024 x 600p resolution the Kindle Fire lines up at a similar size to the Samsung Galaxy Tab and BlackBerry PlayBook with a dual-core processor landing alongside 8GB of internal storage enhanced by access to the Amazon cloud service.

The tablet’s battery life is touted at 8 hours of reading or 7.5-hours of continued video playbook with a sleek design seeing the device measure up at just 11.4mm thick.

Unlike its Apple branded rival the Kindle Fire will not play host to an integrated camera, front or rear, with connectivity options to be handled by inbuilt Wi-Fi. Unlike the company’s Kindle e-readers and rival tablets, the Kindle Fire will not be available in a 3G capable guise.

Landing as more than an outlet for e-books the Kindle Fire, which lines up at just 413g in weight, is to be a full on multimedia hub with access available to Amazon Prime, a streaming service playing host to 100,000 movies and TV shows as well as 17 million songs.

Amazon Kindle Fire Release Date

Set to go on sale in the US on November 15th the Amazon Kindle Fire is lining up to be one of the must-have Christmas gadgets sure to capitalise on the imminent festive shopping rush. Pre-orders for the Android tablet are open now via Amazon.com.

Amazon Kindle Fire Price

With many expecting Amazon to sell the Kindle Fire as a loss leading device in order to forge a place in the market and benefit from content sales, the retailer looks to have done just that handing the Kindle Fire a $199 (£127) price tag.Amazon has yet to confirm a Kindle Fire UK release date or pricing information, stay tuned to T3.com for all the latest.Are you impressed with the Amazon Kindle Fire and already awaiting it rocking up on British shores? Let us know via the comments box below.

Source : [www.t3.com]

Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2

2011-10-09T18:12:00.004+08:00

It's Apple vs Android, the battle for your smartphone pound - but can the brand new

Apple iPhone 4S beat down a strong defensive from the Android incumbent,

the Samsung Galaxy S2? Read on...

iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2: Build

Samsung Galaxy S 2

Pick up the phone and the first thing you notice is how light it is – it’s just 116g. Measuring

8.49mm, it’s incredibly slim in comparison to 9.9mm for the original Galaxy S; 9.3mm

for the Apple iPhone 4 and 8.7mm for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. While the Galaxy

S2 will certainly fit into the tightest jeans pocket, the compromise is build quality -

the body just feels cheap and uninspiring.

Things don't improve when you remove the wafer thin back to insert a sim - we’d be seriously

worried about snapping it. Controls are limited to volume on one side, power on the other,

MHL port, which serves a dual purpose of charging via USB and outputting to HDMI, and

a 3.5mm jack on the top, Samsung includes a range of streaming options including DLNA.

iPhone 4S After the antennagate issues with the iPhone 4, Apple has rung the build changes

for the iPhone 4S. While it’s the same form factor as iPhone 4, it intelligently switches

between two antennas to transmit and receive, which doubles download speeds according

to Apple.Upload speeds are the same, however.

iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2: Screen

Samsung Galaxy S2The highlight of S2 is the 4.3-inch 800x480 screen, which incorporates

Super AMOLED Plus technology. Colours are eye popping and blues and greens literally

jump out of the screen at you.

Off-angle viewing is excellent too - the first phone we’ve seen to match the iPhone 4.

A larger screen sizes means that the phone is bulky, but it’s a joy for movies.

When playing back our test HD movie clips, detail is sharp and action smooth.

We found that whites aren’t as pure or bright as those on the iPhone 4, although

blacks seem darker and colours are bolder and warmer.

It handles action smoothly too.

iPhone 4S

The 3.5-inch Retina Display is unchanged over the iPhone 4. With an 800:1 contrast ratio

and 960x640p resolution – according to Apple, that’s more than the human eye can

process at that size of screen – the Retina Display sets a new benchmark for mobile

screens.

The Retina Display is a joy to use indoors and at most outdoor light levels, although it

becomes reflective and difficult to admire when in direct, bright sunlight such as we’re

having recently.

Although adding a gratifying pop to images and videos, older applications and their

icons can also appear dated and grainy on the new high-res screen – app developers

will have to improve their wares for the iPhone 4.

iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2: ProcessorSamsung Galaxy S 2

The Galaxy S2 has a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor. In use the phone

feels incredibly quick – one of the fastest smartphones we’ve used. Indeed, whether

you’re browsing a web page or swapping between applications it never feels slow

and seems to manage all your tasks with gusto. During our tests it loads web pages

over WiFi quicker than the iPhone 4 - loading a

content-rich website like T3.com - replete with Adobe Flash banners and carousels

- in just 15 seconds. This isn’t an Nvidia Tegra 2 chip, so we couldn't download games

designed specifically for this (such as Samurai II: Vengence THD), but there are a decent

selection of games to play on Android as is, and it won't struggle to run any of them.

iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S is fired by a dual core A5 chip, which also has dual core graphics capabilities

– that’s a x2 times faster CPU than the original iPhone 4 chip, according to Apple, and a-

whopping x7 faster graphics.

“You’d think if you put a CPU like that you’d sacrifice battery life”, said Tim Cook at the launch

– but it’s been increased to 8 hours talk time, according to Apple.

iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2: CameraSamsung Galaxy S 2

Samsung has boosted the camera resolution from 5-megapixels to 8-megapixels, instead of a- dedicated shutter; you tap the virtual shutter, which is fairly quick if not quite as nippy as the

offering on the iPhone 4S. Stills results are pleasing; the S2 is pretty good at controlling noise

and colours are very natural. The S2 shoots HD video at 720p and 1080p at 30fps and results

are good; it’s smooth, with natural colours, although perhaps lacking a little definition.

iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S boasts an uprated camera system with an 8 megapixel sensor, giving

3264 x 2448 photos. It features a CMOS illuminated sensor, which gets 73% more

light than the iPhone 4 sensor, and is 1/3rd faster. On top of that, there’s a high-end

IR filter for greater accuracy and uniformity, new lenses that make picture 30 percent

sharper and a 33% shooting speed upgrade. Finally, there’s the ability to shoot

1080p HD video.iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S2: VerdictOf course, until

we've completed testing on Apple's newest contender it's impossible to come to

a genuine verdict. That said, Apple's claims for the iPhone 4S are considerable,

and if it lives up to them then it'll certainly be one of the best phones out there.

Will it be better than the S2? Let us know what you think below...

Source: [www.t3.com]

How to Import 500 VCF Files Into Outlook

2011-10-08T18:51:00.002+08:00

Files in the VCF format, also known as "vCards," contain contact information for use with address book programs and email clients. The Microsoft Outlook application, which is part of the Microsoft Office suite, can only import a single VCF file at a time. To do a batch import of 500 VCF files, you must first open them in the Windows Contacts tool and then transfer the data over to your Outlook profile.

Instructions

Launch the Windows Contacts tool from the "All Programs" list in the Start menu.

Click the "Import" button in the top toolbar.

Highlight the "vCard (VCF File)" option and press "Import."

Hold down the "Shift" key on your keyboard and highlight the 500 VCF files you want to import. Click "Open" to add them to your Windows Contacts data.

Launch the Microsoft Outlook program.

Go to the "File" menu at the top of the window and select "Import and Export."

Select the "Import Internet Mail and Addresses" option and press "Next."

Highlight "Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x or Windows Mail" from the list of programs, check the box next to "Import Address Book" and press "Next" again.

Select the "Do not import duplicate items" radio button an click "Finish" to import the data from the 500 VCF files into your Outlook profile.

How to Choose a Laptop or Notebook Computer

2011-10-08T18:45:00.001+08:00

Today's laptops are much more powerful than even the hottest desktop computers of yesterday. They're also lighter and much more stylish. Many people are opting out of desktop computers altogether and use a laptop for all their computer needs. If you're thinking of going this route, check out these shopping tips

Instructions

Read through How to Choose a Desktop Computer. The "Before you shop" points and most of "The basics" also apply when shopping for a laptop.

Pick up the laptops at the store. (Ask to have them unlocked if necessary.) Choose one that feels sturdy, solid and not too heavy.

Try the keyboard. Since you can't replace it (except with the exact same item), make sure you're comfortable with its touch and responsiveness. Test it on a desk and on your lap.

Test the pointing device, track pad or track ball, the laptop alternatives to a mouse. Some of these can be hard to master. You'll be able to connect an external mouse, but the built-in device is more handy when you're mobile.

Check if the computer's bottom gets uncomfortably hot when it's running--a problem if you actually use the laptop on your lap.

Pay attention to screen size and resolution. Current liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens on laptops measure from 13 to 21 inches diagonally. Screen resolution may be as low as 800 x 600 pixels or as high as 1600 x 1200. The more pixels, the crisper the screen image. View the screen in a variety of settings: A screen that looks great in normal room lighting can look terrible in bright or dim light.

Choose a laptop with at least two USB 2 connections and at least one Firewire (IEEE1394) connection. USB 2 and Firewire are very popular and fast ways of connecting iPods, digital cameras and some phones to computers.

Check to see if the laptop has built in wireless capabilities, most do these days. A wireless network card (also called Wi-Fi or 802.11) will free you from having to be wired to your Internet connection (see How to Network Your Computers). Also, Bluetooth capability will let you share information wirelessly with other Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as your cell phone or personal digital assistant.

Check to see if the laptop has a DVD Burner. That makes backing up documents, music files and pictures a snap because of the high capacity of the discs.

Get an antitheft device. Hundreds of thousands of laptops are stolen every year. Look for cables that secure the laptop to a desk. Install software that disables a stolen laptop, or better yet, reports the laptop's location when it connects to the Internet.

How to Allow Commenting in Adobe Reader 8

2011-10-08T18:38:00.001+08:00

Adobe Reader 8 is a computer program that is available for free and allows individuals the ability to view Adobe Portable Document Files (PDF). By default, PDF documents can only be viewed and not modified with the free version of the software. Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional is a paid version of the software that allows creators to enable commenting if they wish for their viewers to leave feedback. It's important to note that once a document has been enabled for commenting, it cannot be edited by the creator.

Instructions

Launch Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional from your computer.

Click "File" and then "Open" from the top menu. Browse to the document you wish to allowing commenting on and click the "Open" button.

Select "Document" from the top menu.

Select "Enable for Commenting and Analysis in Adobe Reader" from the dropdown menu. A dialogue box ("Reader Enable Document for Commenting") will appear warning you of the changes. Click "OK."

Click "Save a Copy" when prompted with the Save dialogue box. Choose a new name for the document and click "Save." Once a document is enabled for commenting, it is no longer editable with Acrobat. Clicking "Save a Copy" will create a second copy of the document that can be edited at a later time.

Microsoft falsely labels Chrome as malware

2011-10-08T16:32:00.001+08:00

Google has released a new version of Chrome after Microsoft's antivirus software flagged the browser as malware and removed it from about 3,000 people's computers on Friday.

Microsoft apologized for the problem and updated its virus definition file to correct the false-positive problem, according to a post from Ryan Naraine at ZDNet.

But not before the damage was done. Even though the problem directly affected only a relatively tiny fraction of Chrome users, Google decided to spin up and distribute updated beta and stable versions of Chrome.

"Earlier today, we learned that the Microsoft Security Essentials tool began falsely identifying Google Chrome as a piece of malware ("PWS:Win32/Zbot") and removing it from people's computers," said Mark Larson, Chrome engineering manager, in a blog post Friday. "We are releasing an update that will automatically repair Chrome for affected users over the course of the next 24 hours."

Win32/Zbot is a Trojan horse that lets attacker steal passwords and gain access to a victim's computer--not the sort of product anyone would want associated with their Web browser.

Microsoft had this statement about the mistake:

Information about incorrect detection of Google Chrome as PWS:Win32/Zbot
On September 30th, 2011, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified and as a result, Google Chrome was inadvertently blocked and in some cases removed. Within a few hours, Microsoft released an update that addresses the issue. Signature versions 1.113.672.0 and higher include this update. Affected customers should manually update Microsoft Security Essentials with the latest signatures. After updating the definitions, reinstall Google Chrome. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused our customers.
To get the latest definitions, simply launch Microsoft Security Essentials, go to the update tab and click the Update button. The definitions can be updated manually by visiting the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971606
PWS:Win32/Zbot is a password-stealing trojan that monitors for visits to certain websites. It allows limited backdoor access and control and may terminate certain security-related processes.

Google also provided detailed instructions on how to update the Microsoft Security Essential virus definition file and to reinstall Chrome. It's good that both companies worked to tidy this problem up swiftly, but perhaps Microsoft should have included Google, not just its customers, in its apology.

HTC cooking up fix for security flaw

2011-10-08T16:25:00.001+08:00

HTC is promising to plug a security hole in its Android phones that gives certain mobile apps access to a user's personal information.

Recently discovered by a trio of researchers, the vulnerability can expose e-mail addresses, network and GPS locations, phone numbers, SMS data, and system logs to apps that connect to the Internet. The flaw exists among HTC's portfolio of Android phones, including the Evo 3D, the Evo 4G, and the Thunderbolt, and has been traced to a logging tool that HTC recently installed during a software update.

In a statement released today, HTC acknowledged the security hole in its software but tried to assuage its users about the impact.

"HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers' data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application," the company said in its statement. "A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws. So far, we have not learned of any customers being affected in this way and would like to prevent it by making sure all customers are aware of this potential vulnerability."

The company also tried to assure its users that it's hard at work developing a fix for the flaw.

"HTC is working very diligently to quickly release a security update that will resolve the issue on affected devices," the company added. "Following a short testing period by our carrier partners, the patch will be sent over-the-air to customers, who will be notified to download and install it. We urge all users to install the update promptly. During this time, as always, we strongly urge customers to use caution when downloading, using, installing and updating applications from untrusted sources."

But one of the researchers who uncovered the flaw and shared his initial findings on AndroidPolice seemed dubious about HTC's response.

In another posting at AndroidPolice, researcher Artem Russakovskii said that he "applauds" HTC's attempt to remedy the problem, but he questions whether the patch would just set up some type of "authentication scheme" that would continue to allow personal information to be sent back to HTC or mobile carriers.

"Furthermore, I'd like a clarification on what the Android VNC server, which allows remote access, is doing on affected devices," added Russakovskii. And he cited a number of other services found on HTC devices that he believes could be also be lacking in security.

After delay, Avast launches EasyPass

2011-10-08T16:13:00.002+08:00

More than two weeks behind schedule, Avast released today its password manager. Called EasyPass (download) and built on a core licensed from Roboform (download), Avast's password manager comes with Blowfish and AES-256 password encryption, and is basically the premium version of Roboform rebranded with Avast colors. EasyPass integrates with the major browsers.

No explanation for the delay was available at the time of writing.

In the statement announcing the program, Avast noted an interesting statistic: that out of 67,000 of its users surveyed, only 11.5 percent of them said that they used a password manager. That's a fairly small number of people. If Avast asked why they didn't, it did not make that information public. What the company did say was that the survey showed that its users wanted fast and secure password management, with the ability to hold passwords locally and online.

When interviewed about EasyPass and other product plans last summer, Avast Chief Technical Officer Ondrej Vlcek said, "The goal is to provide a low-cost password manager that we think our free users will enjoy." Part of the company's calculus in using Roboform, as opposed to competitor LastPass, for example, was Roboform's flexibility in working with third parties.

Avast EasyPass retails for $9.99, and comes on the heels of Avast purchasing ITAgents' Theft Aware for Android in September.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus specs outed

2011-10-08T04:09:00.003+08:00

If you're looking at that headline scratching your head, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the new name for the Galaxy Nexus Prime we brought you news of before, the next flagship handset from the Samsung/Google partnership. That's right, it's the very same Ice Cream Sandwich-toting smartie that's set to be the year's biggest launch, after the iPhone 4S. And we've got the specs.

A full spec list has leaked, and if true, this promises to be a huge handset in more ways than one. The screen's a mammoth 4.65 inches, packing Super AMOLED tech with a resolution of 1,280x720 pixels. Video capture is 1080p, with stills coming in at 5-megapixels, and a 1.3-megapixel front facer.

Despite its gargantuan size (not far off the Samsung Galaxy Note tablet), it's just 9mm thing. There's 32GB storage, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, and it should have NFC for wireless payments.

It's due to be announced on Tuesday, at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2011 event. The conference is subtitled "Google Episode" so expect the flagship Android handset to have top billing. We'll bring you all the official news as it happens.

Source : [ http://www.t3.com/news ]

Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

2011-10-06T17:27:00.004+08:00

Steve Jobs, the demanding visionary who understood before anyone else how deeply we would live our lives through our devices, died today at the age of 56, only weeks after resigning as chief executive of computer giant Apple Inc. as he battled pancreatic cancer.

“The world has lost an amazing human being,” wrote Apple chief executive Tim Cook in a message to employees. “Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Jobs was “among the greatest of American innovators,” said President Obama in a statement posted on the White House blog. “There may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

Jobs revitalized Apple by transforming smartphones, computers, and media players into objects of desire. He insisted the company put the human experience first, focusing on design as well as technological prowess. Fifteen years ago, Apple flirted with bankruptcy; today, it is one of the most successful companies on earth.

Jobs’s rival, Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates, issued a statement saying, “The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had.”

Gates closed his statement by writing, “I will miss Steve immensely.”

John Sculley, Apple’s chief executive in the mid-1980s, and the man who once had Jobs kicked out of the company he’d co-founded, said Jobs “taught all of us how to transform technology into magic.”

After he was ousted, Jobs endured a decade of exile. But the experience taught him lessons that would, once he returned, help him lead Apple to unimaginable heights of achievement.

“Steve’s big contribution to the computer industry was to take it away from the nerds and give it to the people,” said Bob Metcalfe, co-inventor of Ethernet networking technology and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jobs was born in San Francisco on February 24, 1955, to Syrian immigrant Abdulfattah John Jandali and Joanne Schieble, both graduate students at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

In an interview with the New York Post in August, Jandali, now 80 and vice president of a casino in Reno, Nev., said Schieble gave Jobs up for adoption because her father would not allow her to marry him.

But only a few months after the baby was adopted by Paul Jobs, a machinist, and Clara Jobs, an accountant, Schieble’s father died, and she married Jandali. The couple had another child, Mona Simpson, now a novelist who lives in Santa Monica, Calif. Jobs didn’t meet his biological sister for more than 30 years.

Jobs attended high school in Cupertino, Calif., the town where Apple would later be headquartered. Graduating in 1972, he went to Reed College in Oregon, but dropped out after one semester. He remained at the campus as a hanger-on for another year, taking the occasional philosophy course. Jobs returned to California in 1974, and took a job at videogame company Atari Inc. After a few months, he resigned and traveled to India in search of spiritual enlightenment.

By 1975, Jobs was back in California, where he was active in a local computer club. The most prominent member was a young man named Steve Wozniak, who had a knack for building homemade computers. Jobs and Wozniak built a prototype machine in the garage of Jobs’ parents, and in 1976, they co-founded Apple Computer to sell their machines.

They sold hundreds of the original Apples, but their next machine, the much more capable Apple II, remained in production for 16 years and launched the personal computer industry.

But for a time, it seemed that Apple could do nothing else right. The company’s second computer, the Apple III, was a disaster, plagued by faulty construction. In 1983 came the Lisa, the first personal computer controlled by on-screen icons activated at the click of a mouse, and also a bust.

But in 1984, when Jobs‘s company produced a smaller, cheaper, but elegant computer called Macintosh, it earned Apple a cult following and a reputation for daring, innovative technology.

But sales of the Mac were disappointing, and Apple struggled. The result was a stunning boardroom coup led by Sculley, whom Jobs had personally recruited as the company’s chief executive.

Jobs was stripped of virtually all power over the company he’d created. By 1985, he resigned altogether. “What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone,” Jobs said 20 years later in a commencement address at Stanford University,” and it was devastating.”

During his exile, Jobs founded NeXT Computer. Never a financial success -- it only sold 50,000 computers -- NeXT is remembered for its terrific technology . But it would be his success in Hollywood that would launch his extraordinary comeback.

In 1986, Jobs bought the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd., the company owned by Star Wars director George Lucas, and founded what would be Pixar Animation Studios. With Jobs as its CEO, Pixar released Toy Story, the first full-length movie generated entirely by computers, in 1995. The funny, heart-tugging tale made a deep emotional connection with viewers -- and $361 million in worldwide ticket sales.

Now for the first time, Jobs, marrying technical excellence with emotional appeal, created a product that was loved by millions around the world. That was the formula that defined Jobs and his companies for the rest of his life.

Meanwhile, a desperate Apple reached out to Jobs for help. Its technology out of date, Apple bought Jobs’ NeXT computer company for $429 million, and used his technology to build the next generation of its own software.

In 1997, when Jobs took the stage before 1,500 Apple devotees at MacWorld Expo at the Park Plaza Castle in Boston, Apple’s sales were dismal, and the company had come within three months of running out of cash. That day, Jobs announced that Apple was getting a $150 million cash infusion – from the despised Microsoft Corp., its nemesis in the software field.

The crowd, packed with Apple sellers and product makers, jeered the news. But Jobs said, “We need all the help we can get.”

That September, he became interim CEO, and the next year, the first product under his reign was launched: the iMac, a self-contained computer and monitor that looked like a TV set from some brightly colored future. It was the first of a series of spectacularly popular new products: the iPod music player, the iTunes online music store, the iPhone, and most recently, the iPad tablet computer, would all follow its lead.

Nearly every new Apple product was a hit, but not because those products pushed the frontiers of technology. Instead, they featured innovations that made them easy to use and intensely desirable. Companies like Microsoft and Research In Motion Ltd. had been making smartphones for years; they’d never built one as welcoming as the iPhone.

Apple’s extraordinary string of successes was based upon Jobs’ relentless perfectionism. Even the advertising messages displayed on iPhone screens had to be efficient and beautiful, recalled Andy Miller, whose Waltham-based mobile advertising company was acquired by Apple in 2010. “He believed...if you weren’t going to do something special, it wasn’t worth doing,” Miller said.

Presenting new ad designs to Jobs “was like doing a board meeting for the leader of the free world every week,” said Miller, today a partner at the venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners. “You had to be unbelievably well-prepared.”

Jobs was also tough but gracious to business partners, said Ted Morgan, co-founder of Skyhook Inc., a Boston company which makes location software for smartphones. Apple incorporated Skyhook technology into the iPhone, becoming Skyhook’s first major client.

“Of all the people I’ve done deals with over 20 years now, it was by far the most rewarding and encouraging negotiation I’ve ever participated in,” said Morgan. “Even though he was an incredibly tough negotiator, it was the easiest deal we’ve ever done...he was always straight with me and lived up to every promise he ever made.”

Above all else, there was the constant perfectionism, the fervent attention to every detail of every product. “It was like talking to da Vinci,” Miller said.

It was the loss of this remarkable, relentless talent that stunned the electronics industry when Jobs resigned as Apple’s chief executive in August, and named Tim Cook as his successor. It It was well known that he was struggling with pancreatic cancer, but his resignation was still a shock, perhaps because it was so difficult to conceive of an Apple without Jobs at the helm.

Jobs is survived by his wife Laurene and their three children; by Lisa Brennan-Jobs, a daughter born out of wedlock to Chrisann Brennan; by his sister Mona Simpson; and by an adopted sister, Patti Jobs.

No one knows how Apple will fare without Jobs. But however successful the company’s future products, the delightful machines with the stamp of his genius, it’s unlikely that they’ll ever again seem quite so magical.

How to Create Signatures from Computer Keys

2011-09-30T17:56:00.003+08:00

Digital signatures sign digital documents without a pen and ink. Instead, a digital signature uses computer key strokes to enter your name into a document. According to the Microsoft Office website, you can create this type of signature using Office 2010. To make your digital signature verifiable, you should purchase a signing certificate from a third party. Choose a reputable certificate authority, such as a vendor from Microsoft Office Marketplace. Signing certificates authenticate your identity

Instructions

Making Your Signature Line in Excel or Word 2010

1. Open Word by searching the term "Microsoft Word" or "Excel" in your Start menu and clicking on it when it appears in the results. These instructions do not work for Word or Excel Starter, since you cannot create digital signatures in those programs.
2. Open the document in which you want to add a digital signature. Click on the line or area where you want to type the signature.
3. Click on "Insert," which is on the toolbar at the top of the program. From the resulting drop-down menu, hover your arrow over "Text," which will result in another drop-down menu. From that menu, select "Signature Line" and then "Microsoft Office Signature Line."
4. Fill out the pop-up box that appears, which is called, "Signature Setup." The fields to fill in include "Suggested Signer," "Suggested signer's title," "Suggested signer's e-mail address" and "Instructions to the signer." You can check and uncheck the boxes next to "Allow the signer to add comments in the Sign dialog" and "Show sign date in signature line."
5. Click on the "OK" button once you've completed the form.

1. Right-click the signature line. Click on "Edit Anyway," if the file is in Protected View.
2. Select "Sign" from the resulting drop-down menu.
3. Type your name to the right of the "X" inside the box. Your signature is added and visible.
4. Purchase a signing certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Microsoft lists their trusted CA vendors at the Office Marketplace. Typically, signing certificates are valid for a period of time, such as a year, and then they expire. These signatures are invisible, but can be authenticated.
5. Click on "File," which appears at the very left of your toolbar. Click on "Info."
6. Choose "Permissions," and select "Protect Document" or "Protect Workbook," depending on whether you are in Word or Excel.
7. Click on "Add a Digital Signature." Click on the "OK" button, and fill in the resulting dialog box that asks you about your signing purpose. Click on "Sign" to complete the process.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/

Games you need to play before you die

2011-09-30T16:23:00.003+08:00

We all know you can spend hours on Modern Warfare, or even play 8-hour long sessions of FIFA as the biggest gaming franchises continue to deliver year on year. But what if you need to break from the norm? What about those games that don't have the cash to hog the TV ad space?

Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Mario World (SNES)

The joy of jump – a game full of wonder, toying effortlessly and endlessly with the form Nintendo created and mastered.

The Curse of Monkey Island (PC)

The Curse of Monkey Island (PC)

Like a brilliantly funny, playable Disney cartoon about pirates, with voodoo, ship battles, talking skulls and banjos.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC)

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

As well as looking phenomenal, if I was allowed to stave off the reaper until I'd finished I could easily eke out a few more years.

Fatal Frame 2 (PS2)

Fatal Frame 2 (PS2)

The best survival horror ever. Revisited it recently and it made me realise how next-gen killed the very idea of survival horror.

Barbarian (Amstrad)

Barbarian (Amstrad)

The best finishing move (decapitation) in a fighting game ever followed by a little goblin kicking the head! Gaming gold!

Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

Because it's still as dark, dangerous, zany and laugh-out-loud hilarious today as it was 10 years ago.

Heavy Rain (PS3)

Heavy Rain (PS3) | Ben Parfitt, Online Editor, MCVuk.com

It shows there's more to gaming than guns and explosions - they can be emotional, too.

Populous: The Beginning (PC)

Populous: The Beginning (PC)

Simple controls and gameplay, but elegant in design. It just shows that games don't need amazing graphics or millions of weapons or upgrades to be challenging or fun.

Portal (PC)

Portal (PC)

Arguably Valve's best game, it merges classic puzzles with an unexpected and captivating narrative.

Railroad Tycoon (PC)

Railroad Tycoon (PC)

Only Sid Meier could make a game about trains this stupidly addictive.

To be Continued ....

Source: http://www.t3.com/features

Apple confirm iPhone 5 release date announcement with invites

2011-09-29T20:29:00.007+08:00

The day many have been waiting for is finally here, Apple has officially confirmed the iPhone 5 release announcement will be held in Cupertino next Tuesday, October 4th

Apple has issued the official invites to next week’s Apple iPhone 5 release date announcement, confirming the numerous rumours that suggested the iPad and iPod maker would unveil its next-generation handset on October 4th.

Set to be held at Apple’s Cupertino Campus next Tuesday, October 4th, Apple’s newly instated CEO Tim Cook will take to the stage to officially showcase the handset that has held the tech world’s interest for the past six months.Simply announcing “Let’s talk iPhone,” the Apple invite has been issued one week prior to the official event with much speculation still surrounding what form and features the next-generation iPhone will take.iPhone 5 RumoursExpected to launch with the same A5 dual-core processor as the iPad 2 a number of leaked iPhone 5 specs have seen the mooted device tipped as sporting a new, slimmer form factor alongside an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording capabilities and 1GB of RAM.Whist the iPhone 5 is to be next Tuesday’s focal point, Apple’s October 4th event is also set to see the arrival of the white iPod Touch 3G and the iPhone 4S, an entry level iPhone that will adopt the iPhone 4’s form factor.iPhone 5 Release DateWhilst we must wait until next Tuesday for official word, attention will now turn to when the iPhone 5 will be made available to consumers. Based on past launches it is possible the handset will be made available for pre-order immediately ahead of an October 14th iPhone 5 release date.What are you hoping to see appear on Apple’s next-generation iPhone 5? Let us know via the comments box below.

Source: http://www.t3.com/news

Top 5: Comic book video games

2011-05-06T22:28:00.003+08:00

Batman, Wolverine, and Spiderman round out the best games that let you live out the power fantasy of your favorite comic book characters. In-Game's Todd Kenreck reports.

[Source: http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com]

Viber for Android Beta Version Promises to Excite; Call & Text Other Android Users for Free!

2011-05-06T12:12:00.004+08:00

Remember we had brought to you the unique story of Viber, the company that had rolled out an app that lets iPhone users make free calls to each other. The Israeli start up is now again hitting headlines with the launch of their long-awaited Viber for Android Beta.

Tipped to be one major step in bringing in the popular VoIP app to millions of Android users, the new release will enable Android users send free calls/text messages to other Android fans.

Viber will be introducing several Android-only features in the Beta release. If you are one of those Android users, you can register for the Beta. By doing this, you will also be getting additional invitations that are in the pipeline on a daily basis. The company has stated that the Beta release will support most Android devices. This is what the company said in a statement:

“The application has been tested on over 20 of the most popular devices from Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson. However, given the large variety of devices on the market, Viber is relying on the community to help identify devices that may need additional work”.

Remember, this roll out is a Beta version and Viber expects registered users to get back at them so as to fix bugs. This because such irritants can be fixed at the earliest possible time, so that Android users will be assured of receiving the same quality of service now being made available to iPhone users.

Android users on the Viber app will be treated to a full call screen whenever a Viber call is received. This apart, a popup text message notification that will let you respond to text messages without opening Viber and a tighter integration with the phone to allow you to see your regular call logs and messages inside Viber are other notable features.

If that isn’t enough, the app also brings to you the ability to set Viber as your Android device’s default dialer in case you need to use the Viber dialer for all of calls you wish to make. Lovely, isn’t it?

So Android fans, it is your turn now. You will now be able to send text messages to all your Viber contacts for free. You just have to simply select the Viber contact you want to text and hit Free Text Message. And, you are on. We are heading here to register. Join us?

[Source: http://www.devicemag.com]

Facebook Buying Out Skype? $4 Billion Deal Being Talked About

2011-05-06T12:01:00.002+08:00

See who Mark Zuckerberg is after these days. We hear the Facebook CEO is eyeing the takeover of the much popular Skype. If the grapevine is true to what it manages to churn out, Facebook might end up buying out Skype for a price close to $4 billion.

Some observers out there firmly believe some sort of action is actually happening, but then that doesn’t mean there is a take over bid. They feel that the deal may not be a buy out, but a joint venture between Facebook and Skype.

We need not tell you that Skype and Facebook have been associated with each other for some time now. If you would remember, Facebook had been in the scheme of things at Skype and this was demonstrated by Skype when they rolled out their version 5.0 software for Windows.

The software had a dedicated Facebook tab so as to enable users to chat or call Facebook friends via Skype. This was in fact made possible right from “the Facebook newsfeed which can be viewed from within the Skype application”.

By the way, if you are looking at going into what the $4 billion ‘possible’ takeover would bring to Skype, let us also take you to a situation where Skype had been mulling over an IPO. If you would remember, the Skype IPO was recently delayed by its new CEO until the second half of 2011. And that public offer would have brought to the Skype coffers only around $1 billion. Considering such a scene, the Facebook move, if at all that bears fruit, could mean a lot to Skype. We also hear Google too is looking at a venture with Skype. More details are awaited.

What do you think about the Facebook plan for acquiring Skype? Send in your views.

[Source: http://www.devicemag.com]

How to Fix PC Game Problems With Music & Sound

2011-05-05T23:57:00.003+08:00

Part of the enjoyment of a PC video game is the audio that is playing along with the game. If, however, the music and sound of the game is not properly playing, you lose a large amount of the gaming experience. The exact problem behind the video game sound issue is going to vary, but you may go about fixing the problem in several ways.

Instructions:

1. Restart the computer. If the sound problem just started, it may be due to the computer not booting properly. Upon restart, launch the game and check to see if the audio problem is corrected.

2. Click the sound icon in the lower-left corner of the desktop, then deselect any sound option that is set to "Mute."

3. Check the sound options in your video game. Make sure these are turned up (launch the video game, choose "Options," "Sound," then adjust the sound so nothing is muted).

4. Reinstall the sound card driver. If the driver has been accidentally removed, the card is not going to function properly. Insert the driver installation CD into the disc drive, then follow the prompts of the installation wizard to install the drivers back onto the computer system.

[Source: http://www.ehow.com]

How to Install a Digital Signature for Microsoft Word

2011-05-05T23:50:00.003+08:00

Microsoft Office Word 2003 and 2007 allows users to install a digital signature within a document. The signature is added after a document has been created to certify that the creator validates the information within the document. The signature also works as a security feature; it remains on the document unless the document has been altered by an unauthorized person. Subsequent document viewers can also add their signatures to the document as a way to verify that they have reviewed the material.

Instructions:

3. Click the "Security" tab and choose "Digital Signatures."

4. Click "Add" and highlight the signature.

5. Click "Yes" to save the document before signing.

6. Click "Yes" to install the signature in the document.

Word 2007:

1. Open the document to be signed in Microsoft office Word 2007.

2. Click the "Insert" tab and click "Signature Line" in the text.

3. Click "OK" in the dialogue box to enter signature set-up.

4. Type in your name in the signer name field. Type in your title and email address. Type in any istructions that are to be include with the document such as instructions for reviewers. Check the box to indicate if the signature is to be dated. Check the box if document viewers can add comments.

5. Click "OK". The digital signature is installed in the document.

Tips & Warnings:

You can also have your digital signature certified which adds an extra level of security to your documents. There are different levels of certification depending upon the type of work produced and the security level needed. Fore more information on digital certification and a list of certification providers, visit Microsoft's TechNet website.

[Source: http://www.ehow.com]

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Games you need to play before you die

Super Mario World (SNES)

The Curse of Monkey Island (PC)

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC)

Fatal Frame 2 (PS2)

Barbarian (Amstrad)

Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

Heavy Rain (PS3)

Populous: The Beginning (PC)

Portal (PC)

Railroad Tycoon (PC)

Apple confirm iPhone 5 release date announcement with invites

Top 5: Comic book video games

Viber for Android Beta Version Promises to Excite; Call & Text Other Android Users for Free!

Facebook Buying Out Skype? $4 Billion Deal Being Talked About

How to Fix PC Game Problems With Music & Sound

How to Install a Digital Signature for Microsoft Word

Instructions:

Word 2003:

1. Open the document to be signed in Microsoft Office Word 2003.

2. Click the "Tools" tab and choose "Options."