The Download Blog - CNET

Midway Arcade brings a classic gaming arcade to your iPhone

Jason Parker — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:40:34 PST

Midway Arcade not only lets you play the classic games, but you can play them in a virtual arcade setting.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

One of the great things about having grown up with video games and then writing about iOS apps is that all my favorites seem to eventually be playable on my phone. I wrote about Atari's Greatest Hits some time ago, but even though I liked seeing some of the old classics on my phone, the controls were flawed. Though they were playable, most of the games didn't really live up to my memory of them.

Yes, I know I'm probably looking at my youth through rose-colored glasses, but in this case it's true--the control issues really took away from the games.

Today, another group of classic arcade games were made available on iOS, and this time they might have the control schemes (mostly) worked out. Midway Arcade (99 cents), out today, takes a lot of those classic games from the 80s and give you some touch-screen options that work somewhat better, though it's still not perfect (Rose-colored glasses again? Maybe). This 99 cent game features Joust, Defender, Rampage, Spy Hunter, Arch Rivals, Root beer Tapper, and then some other more interactive games one would usually find ... [Read more]

Apple releases EFI firmware updates for 2011 Macs

Topher Kessler — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:34:22 PST

Apple has released new firmware updates for a number of its early- and mid-2011 Mac systems. The updates, which require OS X 10.7.3 or later to install, address problems with NetBoot features, and fix problems with HDCP authentication after rebooting (which may prevent HD content from being displayed on certain monitors). The updates also fix a problem with the selection of the boot drive when a USB drive is plugged into the system.

The updates should be available via Software Update for iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air systems released in early to mid-2011, but you can also download them from the following locations on the Apple Support Web site:

Mac Mini EFI Firmware Update 1.6 (4.08MB)

MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.4 (4.06MB)

iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.9 (3.77MB)

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.7 (4.24MB)

The boot ROM or SMC versions of systems after the update is applied will be MBP81.0047.27 for the MacBook Pro, IM121.0047.1F for the iMac, MBA41.0077.0F for the MacBook Air, and MM51.0077.10 for the Mac Mini. These versions can be found in the System Information utility in OS X Lion.

New Flashback Trojan variant found for OS X

Topher Kessler — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:05:05 PST

This year has been relatively silent with regard to malware in OS X, but today security and antivirus firm Intego reported that the criminals behind the Flashback Trojan have been hard at work releasing new variants to their malware package. The seventh variant of Flashback has been identified, which shows it is using new and unique techniques for infecting Macs.

Flashback is a Trojan horse attack that, according to Intego, now uses numerous methods for infecting Mac systems. First it will try to take advantage of Java security holes to install itself, but if you do not have Java installed (OS X 10.7 and later are shipped without a Java runtime), then it will try to use various social engineering methods to trick users, such as disguising itself as a legitimate Adobe Flash installer and displaying certificates that appear to be from Apple in order to coerce people to run the Trojan installers.

Flashback now tries using false Apple certificates to trick users into installing it.

(Credit: Intego)

Once installed, the Trojan will inject code into Web browsers and other specifie... [Read more]

Set up fake calls or texts to escape boring situations

Nicole Cozma — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:24:02 PST

Chances are, you've been there: a boring meeting or social event that you're desperately seeking an escape from. The person or people you're talking with won't take the hint that you're not interested. You hope someone will call so you can have a pretend conversation about needing to be somewhere else right away. Or maybe you're wishing for a text that demands your immediate attention. Whatever the situation, you can now plan your own escape routes with this Android app. Here's how:

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Install Log Me. Once installed, run the app.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Enter the number of the person you want your fake call or message from in the text area labeled Caller ID. You can enter a fake number or select someone from your Contact List (press the button labeled Pick).

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Give a name for the person contacting you. If you selected someone from your Contact List, this will be filled in automatically.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: Select your trigger. This can be a timed trigger or you can set up the proximity sensor to set off your ... [Read more]

Add highlighting or sticky notes to any Web page

Nicole Cozma — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:01:58 PST

An example of what you'll be able to do after completing the steps below.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

If you're reading many different Web sites about one topic, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of what materials you want on each site you visit. Instead of printing everything out before you've made solid decisions on what to use, just add some highlighting and sticky notes so you'll remember what you needed later. Here's how to get started with an easier way to do research in Chrome:

Step 1: Install Diigo: Bookmark, Archive, Highlight & Sticky-Note.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Click on the Diigo icon in the Extensions Toolbar and select "Sign in" to save.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Sign in with an existing service (Google, Twitter, Facebook, OpenID) or create a Diigo account.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: After being signed in, browse to any page and click the Diigo icon again to access the extension's tools.

Step 5: Make notes on the page as you see fit!

(Credit: Scr... [Read more]

Turn your Android or iPhone into a controller for Flash games

Nicole Cozma — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:37:06 PST

(Credit: Wanderplayer.com)

WanderPlayer is the name given to a set of apps that you install on your computer and also your mobile device. These pieces of software work together to allow communication and create a gaming controller. The app is free and works for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Head over to www.wanderplayer.com in your browser of choice. Click on the Download button on the right side of the window (Mac users can click "Not using Windows" to see a Mac download option).

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Once the first download is started, options to download the mobile version for Android or iPhone will appear. Click the button for your mobile platform and follow the instructions to download.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Once both versions are installed, run the app on your PC or Mac.[Read more]

How to get started with Paint FX

Matt Elliott — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:52:42 PST

Yesterday, I wrote about Luminance, a streamlined-yet-versatile photo editor that I think iPad users in particular will like. Paint FX ($1.99) is a bit more complicated, but for the slightly steeper learning curve, you gain the ability to edit only select areas of a photo.

To get started, tap the load/share button in the upper-left corner to load a photo from your Camera Roll, Photo Stream, or iPhoto (if you have your iDevice set up to sync some portion of your iPhoto library). You can also grab a photo from Facebook. This button also lets you save photos to your Camera Roll or share them via Facebook, e-mail, or the Paint FX community page.

Tap the FX button (the one with the magic wand icon) to select from dozens of effects.

(Credit: Screenshot by Matt Elliott)

When you have loaded a photo in Paint FX, tap the FX button to select an effect. By my count, there are 69 filters or effects. By tapping the small Paint FX or Fill FX buttons below the belt of effects, you can choose to apply an effect to a portion of the photo or the entire photo. If you choose Paint FX, you will then paint with your fingertip to apply the effect. You can undo and redo changes using the back or forward arrow ... [Read more]

Avast 2012 examines your file booty

Seth Rosenblatt — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:00:00 PST

Avast 2012 gets bigger antivirus cannons

Avast continues to stay on top of the feature game by introducing bombastic top-shelf features to its security suites, while more subtly debuting an alternative source of revenue to the paid upgrade.

Available exclusively from Download.com today, Avast Free Antivirus 2012 (download), Avast Pro Antivirus (download), and Avast Internet Security (download), the Czech security company gives its free users a useful batch of improvements, while keeping the paid upgrades competitive for those who an extra zing. Also worth noting is that Avast has modularized several new security components in an Avast Market.

Avast did not update its Mac or Android security products.

What's puffing the sails in Avast 2012?

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[Read more]

Adobe vows 5 to 10 more years of Flash advances

Stephen Shankland — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:51:32 PST

Last year, Adobe Systems narrowed Flash Player's scope. It canceled the browser plug-in for mobile devices. It shifted development resources toward competing Web standards.

But it's not giving up on Flash.

In an attempt to patch up communications with Flash programmers, Adobe yesterday published a Flash Player road map that promises many improvements this year, with versions code-named Cyril and Dolores. Then the document adds, "We are also modernizing the Flash Player code base in order to ensure that the Flash runtimes meet the needs of developers over the next 5 to 10 years."

"Runtime" refers to the software foundation that executes programs written in Flash's ActionScript language. Flash Player is a browser plug-in that runs those programs on Web pages, but the same foundation built into Adobe's AIR software accommodates standalone programs, too.

That runtime has had a long run. In its heyday, Flash had a lot to offer. It eased cross-platform programming, spanning many browsers so programmers didn't have to worry about their differences. And it popularized features such as streaming video, vector graphics, Webcam and microphone support that were immature or missing from browsers.

The W3C's new HTML5 logo

(Credit: W3C)

Now, though, two of its core markets -- gaming and pre... [Read more]

Chrome to support Do Not Track privacy feature

Stephen Shankland — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:29:00 PST

Google has agreed to build support for Do Not Track into Chrome so its Web browser can tell Web sites when people don't want advertisers scrutinizing their behavior.

The Do Not Track technology modifies communications between browsers and servers so people can signal that they don't want their browsing behavior to become the basis for ad targeting.

Mozilla developed Do Not Track and built it into its Firefox Web browser. Microsoft followed suit not long after with Internet Explorer, Apple has enabled it as an option for developers in Safari 5.1, and Opera is building it into the forthcoming Opera 12.

Now Google's getting on board, too, with Chrome.

"We plan to implement Do Not Track across our browser and advertising systems by the end of the year," a Google representative said today in a statement.

Why not earlier? Do Not Track wasn't mature enough an idea for Google, apparently:

We have always thought the idea of DNT was interesting, but there didn't seem to be a wide consensus on what "tracking" really means. We didn't feel it was responsible to allow users to send a header in Chrome that largely had no effect and no agreed-upon meaning. Going forward, the sc... [Read more]

Mozilla ready to reveal app store

Seth Rosenblatt — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:40:52 PST

One of Mozilla's big plans for the future is called 'Boot to Gecko,' and could result in a 'Firefox OS'.

(Credit: Art by CNET)

Mozilla changed the Internet once. Will lightning strike twice for the Firefox developer?

That's what the company hopes will happen at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona next week when it unveils the Mozilla Web Apps platform, a tripartite approach to app building that will level the playing field for building apps, the company said in a statement today.

The key leg of the Mozilla Web Apps platform is the Mozilla Marketplace. The major part of the statement was devoted to revealing that the Marketplace will throw open its doors to developers for the first time in Barcelona. The company hopes that it will attract those interested in developing apps that will be able to run on multiple platforms and across devices. Mozilla said the store will follow its mission statement for an open Web by pushing open Web technologies, such as HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.

Firefox to change its look--again (screenshots)

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... [Read more]

VLC Media Player gets face-lift, new features

Jason Parker — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:08:40 PST

The new look has been a long time coming for Mac users, now with better navigation, skin options, and more.

(Credit: Screenshot by Felix Kühne, developer on the VLC 2.0 project)

The Open Source VLC Media Player has been a longtime favorite here at Download.com, and a recent update gives the Mac app a complete overhaul to the interface.

VLC Media Player (Mac or Windows) made a name for itself as the open-source alternative to default players from both of today's major operating systems. On Windows users would grab VLC to play files not supported by Windows Media Player and for Mac users, it was often the only way to play Windows-only media file types. VLC Media Player is not the only option for free video playback, but its one of the best, and this latest version gives the app a brand new look and several feature enhancements to sweeten the deal.

VLC Media Player has always offered a number of tools and customization options to manage and watch video. Users get frame-by-frame advancement; granular speed controls allowing for on-the-fly slower or faster playback; and live recording of streaming video. There are also a number of effects you can add to your videos, and a full-featured audio equalizer with tons of presets to ... [Read more]

Google Docs for Android gets real-time collaboration

Jaymar Cabebe — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:45:12 PST

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe/CNET)

Starting today, users of the Google Docs app for Android will get to collaborate in real time, while on the go. Just as on the desktop interface, collaborators will see the edits others are making, while they're making them, regardless of what device anyone is using. Real-time collaboration has always been a huge selling point for the desktop Google Docs, so perhaps this update will get more users to adopt the mobile version.

Also included with the update are a few interface changes that should make it easier to zip around and edit documents from your mobile device. Most notably, there's a rich text formatting toolbar at the top of the screen, offering options to add bold or italicized text, bullet lists, font and background colors, and more. It's a huge step up from the bare-bones editor that mobile users were forced to deal with in earlier versions of the app.

The updated Google Docs for Android (download) is available now in the Android Market.

[Read more]

Firefox's Jetpack extensions reach mobile browsing

Stephen Shankland — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:40:40 PST

(Credit: Mozilla)

Not long after Mozilla brought its browser to Android, the organization has adapted its Jetpack tools for building browser add-ons for mobile use, too.

"Now you can start developing add-ons for the mobile version of Firefox," said Dave Mason, Mozilla's product manager for add-on technologies, in a mailing list message yesterday about the latest Jetpack, formally called the Add-on SDK version 1.5. "For this initial release we have the page-mod API working so that you can, among other things, create add-ons that will display mobile-friendly versions of Web sites that do not have that option."

The mobile market is very important, given the tremendous growth in browsing from mobile phones and tablets, but Mozilla is having a tough time getting a foothold. The nonprofit organization is effectively shut off from Windows Mobile and iOS, and Google just released a beta version of its Chrome for Android.

But Mozilla is working hard on its Android browser--and building a browser-based mobile OS called Boot to Gecko (B2G) that it plans to showcase next week at Mobile World Congress. All this work is central to ... [Read more]

Mountain Lion features you might have missed

Jason Parker — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:01:02 PST

Smaller tweaks, like laying out Widgets like the Launchpad will make finding them a little bit easier.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

The Mountain Lion Developer Preview was released last week and Apple was particularly excited to show off 10 of the bigger new features in OS X. Check out our First Take of the Mountain Lion Developer Preview here. But what else is under the hood in Apple's latest OS?

Poking around in Mountain Lion, I came across a lot of smaller changes to the UI and some feature fixes that users of earlier Mac operating systems will appreciate.

UI and System tweaks The Dashboard is home to your widgets, and in Mountain Lion Apple has made a slight UI change. To select a new widget, you no longer need to scroll through a list of available widgets at the bottom; now, Mountain Lion displays available widgets in a Launchpad-like view so you can see them all. Widgets got updated UIs as well, with a new slow scroll of current movies in the Movies Widget, for example, and a new way to create stacks in widgets evidenced by a UI tweak in the Stocks widget. The Stocks widget now lets you flip through different types of info using arrow buttons at the bottom. While not a huge change, it means that we'll be seeing new treatments for widgets.<... [Read more]

How to generate research paper references in Chrome

Rob Lightner — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:37:59 PST

Writing term papers and dissertations is hard enough without having to get every last reference formatted down to the last underlined period. Reference App is a great Chrome extension that makes this part of paper writing considerably easier. Here's how to use it:

Install the Reference App extension here.
To create a reference for a book or journal article, just click the Reference App icon in the Extension Bar, select Book or Journal, then enter the information required and click Create.
Step 2: Create book reference.
To create a reference for a Web article, point your browser to the page containing the article, then click the Reference App icon, select Web, then enter the information required, grab the URL, and click Create.
Step 3: Create Web page reference.
Copy and paste the reference into your paper and move on to the next one.
That's it! The extension will disappear if you navigate away from its window, so make sure to follow through once you get started. Other than that minor frustration, Reference App should be a real boon to students and researchers everywhere.

(Via ... [Read more]

How to use VPN to defeat deep packet inspection

Dennis O'Reilly — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:22:40 PST

Imagine a technology that can stop spam and malware, identify and block illegal downloads, and allow ISPs to prioritize the data they transmit by content as well as by type. Sounds pretty good.

Now imagine a technology that gives network managers and governments the ability to monitor everything you do on the Internet, including reading and recording your e-mail and other digital communications, and tracking your every move on the Web.

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SOPA's latest threat: IP blocking, privacy-busting packet inspection

Anti-SOPA forces have ISP snooping bill in their crosshairs

Of course, it's the same technology--deep packet inspection by name. That's how governments around the world are able to spy on their citizens' online activities and control their access to th... [Read more]

Reader poll: What's the best free backup program?

Rick Broida — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:12:23 PST

Paragon Backup & Recover 2012 Free offers all the features most home users will need.
(Credit: Paragon Software Group)
You know you're supposed to make regular backups, yet you're just not doing it. Why?

If it's because you're not wild about the idea of spending money on backup software, here's good news: you don't have to. There are plenty of full-featured backup utilities (for Windows, anyway) that don't cost a dime.

Indeed, your only out-of-pocket expense should be a USB or network hard drive--a place to hold your precious data in case your primary drive goes belly-up.

Below I've rounded up five of the most popular and well-known backup programs for Windows, all of them capable, all of them free. Check the list, then meet me below for some thoughts and questions.

Cobian Backup

DriveImage XML

Easeus Todo Backup

Macrium Reflect Free

... [Read more]

Lionsgate taps indie developer for official 'Hunger Games' game

Rick Broida — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:43:46 PST

The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire is coming soon to an iOS device near you.
(Credit: Semi Serious Software)
These days, mega-hot movie properties almost always get the app treatment, whether it's a game or some "interactive companion." And right now, there's no hotter property than "The Hunger Games."

Thus, you'd expect that any tie-in app would come from a big developer: EA, Gameloft, or even the studio's own label.

Surprise! The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire for iOS is in development by Adam Saltsman, an indie developer best known for the browser-based games Canabalt and Gravity Hook (both of which have recently been adapted for iOS).

So, what will the official "Hunger Games" game look like? That remains to be seen, but there are some very interesting clues to be found in Saltsman's earlier efforts. Canabalt and Gravity Hook are simplistic high-score challenges that employ 8-bit graphics (a popular trend in recent years).

And, sure enough, the title screen (currently the only publicly released artwork) for Girl on Fire suggests something quite similar--a game that looks like it might have originated on a Commodore 64.[Read more]

Microsoft: Google bypassed IE privacy settings too

Steven Musil — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:15:40 PST

In the wake of reports that Google had sidestepped privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser, Microsoft announced today it had discovered that the Web giant had done the same with Internet Explorer.
"When the IE team heard that Google had bypassed user privacy settings on Safari, we asked ourselves a simple question: is Google circumventing the privacy preferences of Internet Explorer users too?" IE executive Dean Hachamovitch wrote in a blog post this morning. "We've discovered the answer is yes: Google is employing similar methods to get around the default privacy protections in IE and track IE users with cookies."
The blog post, which details Microsoft's findings and offers privacy protection tips, said it has contacted Google about its concerns and asked it to "commit to honoring P3P privacy settings for users of all browsers."
In the blog post, Hachamovitch explained how the bypass occurs: Technically, Google utilizes a nuance in the P3P specification that has the effect of bypassing user preferences about cookies. The P3P specification (in an attempt to leave room for future advances in privacy policies) states that browsers should ignore any undefined policies they encounter. Google sends a P3P policy that fails to inform the browser about Google's use of cookies and user information. Google's P3P policy is actually a statement th... [Read more]

The Download Blog - CNET

Midway Arcade brings a classic gaming arcade to your iPhone

Apple releases EFI firmware updates for 2011 Macs

Related stor... [Read more]

New Flashback Trojan variant found for OS X

Set up fake calls or texts to escape boring situations

Add highlighting or sticky notes to any Web page

Turn your Android or iPhone into a controller for Flash games

How to get started with Paint FX

Avast 2012 examines your file booty

Avast 2012 gets bigger antivirus cannons

What's puffing the sails in Avast 2012?

Adobe vows 5 to 10 more years of Flash advances

Chrome to support Do Not Track privacy feature

Mozilla ready to reveal app store

Firefox to change its look--again (screenshots)

VLC Media Player gets face-lift, new features

Google Docs for Android gets real-time collaboration

Firefox's Jetpack extensions reach mobile browsing

Mountain Lion features you might have missed

How to generate research paper references in Chrome

How to use VPN to defeat deep packet inspection

Related stories

Reader poll: What's the best free backup program?

Lionsgate taps indie developer for official 'Hunger Games' game

Microsoft: Google bypassed IE privacy settings too