Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Congratulations Emily Smith for winning the Geeks On Call Free iPad. To enter the Free Xbox & Kinect giveaway, click here: http://ping.fm/RLsTH
Congratulations iPad Winner!
We at Geeks On Call are excited to announce that
Emily Smith of Eugene, Oregon
is the winner of the Geeks On Call iPad Giveaway. Geeks On Call would like to thank everyone who entered.
As Christmas is approaching we are excited to announce that we are giving away what is sure to be the hottest gift item this holiday season. On December 31st one lucky person will be selected at random to win an Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle, just for joining our mailing list.
If you are already a member of our mailing list, to enter, simply click on the link below to update your profile and select the Xbox giveaway.
ENTER HERE: http://ping.fm/XFR6H
Emily Smith of Eugene, Oregon
is the winner of the Geeks On Call iPad Giveaway. Geeks On Call would like to thank everyone who entered.
As Christmas is approaching we are excited to announce that we are giving away what is sure to be the hottest gift item this holiday season. On December 31st one lucky person will be selected at random to win an Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle, just for joining our mailing list.
If you are already a member of our mailing list, to enter, simply click on the link below to update your profile and select the Xbox giveaway.
ENTER HERE: http://ping.fm/XFR6H
Monday, November 8, 2010
15 days remain to enter the Geeks On Call free iPad giveaway. Winner to be announced on Black Friday. Enter here: http://ping.fm/nVYSc
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Experts warn of 'Boonana' Trojan threat to Macs
A new Trojan horse malware that affects Mac OS X has been uncovered by Macintosh Security site SecureMac.
The Trojan is called 'trojan.osx.boonana.a' and is being disguised as a video and distributed through social-networking sites such as Facebook. It appears on people's Facebook pages and may contain the text "Is this you in this video?" in the link. When the link is clicked, the Trojan runs a Java applet that downloads other files to the computer and automatically opens an installer.
The Trojan will then run in the background and appears to report system information to servers on the internet, leading to a potential breach of personal information. The Trojan also attempts to spread itself by sending spam email messages from the user's account.
http://ping.fm/4SaMj
The Trojan is called 'trojan.osx.boonana.a' and is being disguised as a video and distributed through social-networking sites such as Facebook. It appears on people's Facebook pages and may contain the text "Is this you in this video?" in the link. When the link is clicked, the Trojan runs a Java applet that downloads other files to the computer and automatically opens an installer.
The Trojan will then run in the background and appears to report system information to servers on the internet, leading to a potential breach of personal information. The Trojan also attempts to spread itself by sending spam email messages from the user's account.
http://ping.fm/4SaMj
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Don't forget to enter the free iPad giveaway for November. Winner to be announced on Black Friday. http://ping.fm/pSaUY
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Free iPad Giveaway
Visit http://ping.fm/GffLi to enter to win a free iPad. Winner to be announced on Black Friday.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Ballmer says Microsoft at work to rival iPad
REDMOND, Wash.--Acknowledging Apple's early success with the iPad, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer insisted Thursday that the software maker is hard at work on Windows-based tablets.
The Apple iPad: can Microsoft match it?
(Credit: Netflix)
"They'll be shipping as soon as they are ready," Ballmer said, offering few details on the products, which he said will come from partners, not Microsoft itself. "It is job one urgency. No one is sleeping at the switch."
Speaking to financial analysts, Ballmer said the goal is "not just to deliver products, but to deliver products that people want to buy."
As for Apple and the iPad, Ballmer said, "they've sold certainly more than I'd like them to have sold."
But he added that Microsoft has a lot of software knowledge and intellectual property from the decade it has spent in the tablet business. He said the task Microsoft faces is similar to the early days of the Netbook, when many of those machines were Linux-based. "We have got to make things happen," he said. "We're in the process of doing that as we speak. We're working with our hardware partners. We're tuning Windows 7."
Some designs will show up later this year, he said, adding that the devices will get a boost next year when Intel debuts its more power-efficient Oak Trail processor.
See also: How Microsoft foresaw--and still missed--the iPad
Update 2:38 p.m. PDT: In the question-and-answer session, talk again turned to tablets and Ballmer tried to be a little more clear on the plan, which he said will center around Windows 7 as opposed to Windows Phone and Intel rather than ARM processors, at least for the near term.
"We're coming," he said. "We're coming full guns. The operating system is called Windows."
He reiterated something he said earlier, which was that Microsoft won't allow hardware to be the limiting factor in its plans, saying that the company will design hardware where it needs to in order to have competitive products. "We will embrace what we need to embrace over time," he said.
As for timing, Ballmer said he wouldn't say if the devices would come really, really soon or pretty soon, but said, "It ain't a long time from now."
2:55: More talk on tablets in the Q and A.
"When you get your Windows 7 machine, it will print," Ballmer quipped. "Some people actually like to print every now and then."
But he said he isn't trying to minimize what Apple has done, noting they are always tough to compete against, albeit usually at the high-end of the market. As for Android in the tablet market, Ballmer said that if Microsoft can't compete against those devices: "Shame on us."
"Every day you have to prove yourself prove yourself," Ballmer said. "We'll prove ourselves."
Turner continued: "We're in it, we get it. Stay tuned."
by Ina Fried
The Apple iPad: can Microsoft match it?
(Credit: Netflix)
"They'll be shipping as soon as they are ready," Ballmer said, offering few details on the products, which he said will come from partners, not Microsoft itself. "It is job one urgency. No one is sleeping at the switch."
Speaking to financial analysts, Ballmer said the goal is "not just to deliver products, but to deliver products that people want to buy."
As for Apple and the iPad, Ballmer said, "they've sold certainly more than I'd like them to have sold."
But he added that Microsoft has a lot of software knowledge and intellectual property from the decade it has spent in the tablet business. He said the task Microsoft faces is similar to the early days of the Netbook, when many of those machines were Linux-based. "We have got to make things happen," he said. "We're in the process of doing that as we speak. We're working with our hardware partners. We're tuning Windows 7."
Some designs will show up later this year, he said, adding that the devices will get a boost next year when Intel debuts its more power-efficient Oak Trail processor.
See also: How Microsoft foresaw--and still missed--the iPad
Update 2:38 p.m. PDT: In the question-and-answer session, talk again turned to tablets and Ballmer tried to be a little more clear on the plan, which he said will center around Windows 7 as opposed to Windows Phone and Intel rather than ARM processors, at least for the near term.
"We're coming," he said. "We're coming full guns. The operating system is called Windows."
He reiterated something he said earlier, which was that Microsoft won't allow hardware to be the limiting factor in its plans, saying that the company will design hardware where it needs to in order to have competitive products. "We will embrace what we need to embrace over time," he said.
As for timing, Ballmer said he wouldn't say if the devices would come really, really soon or pretty soon, but said, "It ain't a long time from now."
2:55: More talk on tablets in the Q and A.
"When you get your Windows 7 machine, it will print," Ballmer quipped. "Some people actually like to print every now and then."
But he said he isn't trying to minimize what Apple has done, noting they are always tough to compete against, albeit usually at the high-end of the market. As for Android in the tablet market, Ballmer said that if Microsoft can't compete against those devices: "Shame on us."
"Every day you have to prove yourself prove yourself," Ballmer said. "We'll prove ourselves."
Turner continued: "We're in it, we get it. Stay tuned."
by Ina Fried
Monday, July 26, 2010
Rachel Maddow video: Bloch-ed case?
Bloch-ed case?
Meet Scott Bloch, formerly of the office of the special counsel. He did a wipe of his office computer after realizing he was being investigated. Despite a possible sentence of six months in jail for his misbehavior, he's now only likely looking instead at probation.
http://ping.fm/A75YM
Meet Scott Bloch, formerly of the office of the special counsel. He did a wipe of his office computer after realizing he was being investigated. Despite a possible sentence of six months in jail for his misbehavior, he's now only likely looking instead at probation.
http://ping.fm/A75YM
Friday, June 4, 2010
IM Made Easy
This venerable chat client upgrades with a retooled look and enough Preference control to satisfy even the most obsessive fans of customization. ICQ 6.5 includes video, audio, and text chat modes in a strong push to make the app the most versatile chat client around.
Audio chatting was smooth and painless, although that depends on user connection, of course. There's also a new Quick IM feature that allows you to send a text chat from within your contact list. The text window is only one line high, but perfectly sized if you're just shooting off a quick note.
Many of the notable plug-ins have been folded into the new version as standard features. Standard fare in ICQ now includes SMS messaging and the Flash-movie tZers as well as alerts and skins. Consequentially, the quick-loading app has a larger footprint. Ad banners are nonexistent except in the built-in games, and all text chat histories are automatically saved. Some features, like Push2Talk, seem to have been phased out of the new version, and customizing tZers is no longer an option. Also, the Help option is non-functional in this release.
Despite a few minor setbacks, there are too many improvements to keep ICQ down. Other notable additions include split-screen compatibility, IM forwarding, and integrated Google searching. In enhancing its already rich feature set, ICQ has definitely increased its standing among its many competitors.
Download Now:
http://ping.fm/AouWy
Audio chatting was smooth and painless, although that depends on user connection, of course. There's also a new Quick IM feature that allows you to send a text chat from within your contact list. The text window is only one line high, but perfectly sized if you're just shooting off a quick note.
Many of the notable plug-ins have been folded into the new version as standard features. Standard fare in ICQ now includes SMS messaging and the Flash-movie tZers as well as alerts and skins. Consequentially, the quick-loading app has a larger footprint. Ad banners are nonexistent except in the built-in games, and all text chat histories are automatically saved. Some features, like Push2Talk, seem to have been phased out of the new version, and customizing tZers is no longer an option. Also, the Help option is non-functional in this release.
Despite a few minor setbacks, there are too many improvements to keep ICQ down. Other notable additions include split-screen compatibility, IM forwarding, and integrated Google searching. In enhancing its already rich feature set, ICQ has definitely increased its standing among its many competitors.
Download Now:
http://ping.fm/AouWy
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Microsoft updating Windows Live apps
Microsoft on Wednesday outlined a series of improvements it's making to its Windows Live set of downloadable programs for managing photos and videos and keeping files in sync.
With no major update to Windows coming this year, Microsoft is counting on improvements to Windows Live to help boost the appeal of Windows for this year's holiday shopping season.
"We're refreshing Windows 7 with a new suite of apps," general manager Brian Hall said in a telephone interview.
The updates to Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail, and Windows Live Sync will go into beta in the coming months, Hall said, declining to be more specific.
The next version of the Windows Live Photo Gallery tool will add facial recognition abilities and improved editing tools for removing blemishes or scratches. Apple has had face detection in the most recent version of iPhoto, but until now Microsoft has only detected the presence of faces in shots, not tried to recognize who, exactly, was in the picture. Hall said Microsoft's face recognition features draw on the company's research efforts as well as tapping in to the user's existing network of social contacts to figure out who might be in a photo.
A new feature in Photo Gallery is aimed at making for better group shots by letting people create composites from different photos of the same group.
Another new feature in Photo Gallery is aimed at making for better group shots by letting people take multiple pictures and use one person's expression from one shot and another person's face in another shot, using technology to stitch together a composite image. The new software also allows photos that are uploaded and then tagged on Facebook to have those tags brought back into Photo Gallery.
With the updates, Hall insisted, "Windows is better for photos than a Mac, hands down."
The updates to Movie Maker include the ability to upload to Facebook, the ability to import photo caption data from Photo Gallery, and new themes.
Both programs will work with Windows Vista and Windows 7, but not the older Windows XP operating system.
On the Sync front, Microsoft is merging its existing Sync and folder sharing tools as well as the Live Mesh product that had been released as a technical preview. The new Windows Live Sync lets users share an unlimited amount of files in a peer-to-peer fashion among a number of Macs and PCs, but limits cloud storage to 2GB. Users of the Live Mesh preview had access to 5GB of cloud storage, though that was made available to a small number of people, while Hall said the new Sync tool is designed to scale to tens of millions or hundreds of millions of users.
The new tool lets users decide which folders are shared with which computers and which are shared to the cloud. Allowing for peer-to-peer sharing, Hall said, provides a means for people to keep their files in multiple places without handing over control of the data to a third party.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
With no major update to Windows coming this year, Microsoft is counting on improvements to Windows Live to help boost the appeal of Windows for this year's holiday shopping season.
"We're refreshing Windows 7 with a new suite of apps," general manager Brian Hall said in a telephone interview.
The updates to Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail, and Windows Live Sync will go into beta in the coming months, Hall said, declining to be more specific.
The next version of the Windows Live Photo Gallery tool will add facial recognition abilities and improved editing tools for removing blemishes or scratches. Apple has had face detection in the most recent version of iPhoto, but until now Microsoft has only detected the presence of faces in shots, not tried to recognize who, exactly, was in the picture. Hall said Microsoft's face recognition features draw on the company's research efforts as well as tapping in to the user's existing network of social contacts to figure out who might be in a photo.
A new feature in Photo Gallery is aimed at making for better group shots by letting people create composites from different photos of the same group.
Another new feature in Photo Gallery is aimed at making for better group shots by letting people take multiple pictures and use one person's expression from one shot and another person's face in another shot, using technology to stitch together a composite image. The new software also allows photos that are uploaded and then tagged on Facebook to have those tags brought back into Photo Gallery.
With the updates, Hall insisted, "Windows is better for photos than a Mac, hands down."
The updates to Movie Maker include the ability to upload to Facebook, the ability to import photo caption data from Photo Gallery, and new themes.
Both programs will work with Windows Vista and Windows 7, but not the older Windows XP operating system.
On the Sync front, Microsoft is merging its existing Sync and folder sharing tools as well as the Live Mesh product that had been released as a technical preview. The new Windows Live Sync lets users share an unlimited amount of files in a peer-to-peer fashion among a number of Macs and PCs, but limits cloud storage to 2GB. Users of the Live Mesh preview had access to 5GB of cloud storage, though that was made available to a small number of people, while Hall said the new Sync tool is designed to scale to tens of millions or hundreds of millions of users.
The new tool lets users decide which folders are shared with which computers and which are shared to the cloud. Allowing for peer-to-peer sharing, Hall said, provides a means for people to keep their files in multiple places without handing over control of the data to a third party.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
HP to cut 9,000 jobs, take $1 billion charge
Hewlett-Packard is spending $1 billion and cutting 9,000 jobs in a restructuring designed to consolidate and invigorate its enterprise services.
The company announced Tuesday that it plans to spend the money to invest in a series of commercial data centers that will offer enterprise customers a more integrated platform on which to run their businesses. The initiative will also consolidate HP's data centers, networks, and applications. But as a result of the increased streamlining and automation, HP expects to eliminate around 9,000 jobs over the next few years.
To pay for the enterprise restructuring, HP will take a charge of about $1 billion over an unspecified number of years that will be included in its financial results. Once the restructuring is complete, the company said it expects to save around $1 billion each year before taxes and between $500 million and $700 million after taxes.
"Over the past 20 months, we focused on integrating EDS and improving profitability," Tom Iannotti, senior vice president and general manager of HP Enterprise Services, said in a statement. "Now that the integration is largely complete, we have identified significant opportunities to grow and scale the business. These next-generation services will enable our clients to benefit from the combined technology and services leadership that only HP offers."
In its most recent quarter, HP reported revenue rising 13 percent to just over $30 billion, and earnings up as well to $1.09 per share, on what the company called "strong performance across every region." Even so, CEO Mark Hurd warned not to expect big spikes in corporate spending in the near future.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
The company announced Tuesday that it plans to spend the money to invest in a series of commercial data centers that will offer enterprise customers a more integrated platform on which to run their businesses. The initiative will also consolidate HP's data centers, networks, and applications. But as a result of the increased streamlining and automation, HP expects to eliminate around 9,000 jobs over the next few years.
To pay for the enterprise restructuring, HP will take a charge of about $1 billion over an unspecified number of years that will be included in its financial results. Once the restructuring is complete, the company said it expects to save around $1 billion each year before taxes and between $500 million and $700 million after taxes.
"Over the past 20 months, we focused on integrating EDS and improving profitability," Tom Iannotti, senior vice president and general manager of HP Enterprise Services, said in a statement. "Now that the integration is largely complete, we have identified significant opportunities to grow and scale the business. These next-generation services will enable our clients to benefit from the combined technology and services leadership that only HP offers."
In its most recent quarter, HP reported revenue rising 13 percent to just over $30 billion, and earnings up as well to $1.09 per share, on what the company called "strong performance across every region." Even so, CEO Mark Hurd warned not to expect big spikes in corporate spending in the near future.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Geeks On Call Vienna
Major sponsor for Viva! Vienna!, an annual fund raiser organized by The Vienna Rotary Club. Our sponsorship is for The Midway. This event, a time of family fun and pleasure, serves as a major fund raising opportunity for the Rotary Club so that it may, in turn, provide support for charitable, educational, and community groups the following year.
For more info, please visit - www.vivaviennava.org
For more info, please visit - www.vivaviennava.org
Does Microsoft need a Windows 7 slate?
Microsoft needs an answer to Apple's iPad and that should be some sort of Windows-based consumer tablet.
At least that is the position that analysis firm Forrester takes in a new report, which argues that tablets are "the next important computing form."
"To keep its products front and center, Microsoft needs a partner to produce a successful Windows tablet that competes with the Apple iPad," analysts JP Gownder and Sarah Rotman Epps said in a report released on Thursday. "At stake is nothing less than the future of the operating system."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off a Windows 7-based tablet prototype from Hewlett-Packard at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. HP produced several follow-up videos on the Slate, however that product's future has been thrown into severe doubt with HP's announced plans to buy Palm and use WebOS in a variety of devices.
The Forrester analysts argue that the strong early sales of the iPad show a market for a device that can play music and video, browse the Web and display e-books.
"After desktops, laptops, and Netbooks, tablets represent the next wave of mass-market consumer computing devices," the analysts said.
Of course, working with partners on a Windows 7-based device is not the only option for Redmond. It could wait until Windows Phone 7 is a little more fully baked and try to convince partners to use that as the basis for a tablet. That would make it less compatible with existing software, but could have advantages in power consumption, boot-up time and ease of use.
Microsoft could also build its own device from start to finish, using Windows 7, Windows Phone 7, or potentially some other software. That could allow for a more tightly integrated experience but runs the risk of further alienating partners. The company's recent decision to kill the Courier project suggests that Microsoft may have considered and rejected this option.
It's hard to argue with Forrester's basic premise though--that Microsoft needs an answer to the iPad and fast. Its experience trying to play catch-up in the phone and music player arenas shows just how hard it is these days to come from behind.
What's even more unfortunate for the crew in Redmond is the company had a decade head-start in tablets, but finds itself on the outside looking in as the market begins to take off.
And, as Forrester points out, the threat raised by the iPad isn't limited to just tablets, or coming just from Apple.
"Windows can't afford to cede ground on tablets--and not just out of fear that Apple is defining the next generation of computing device," the Forrester researchers said in their report. "Google, too, has its hungry eyes trained on Microsoft's plate and is pushing its Chrome OS as a consumer- and wallet-friendly solution for Netbooks."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
At least that is the position that analysis firm Forrester takes in a new report, which argues that tablets are "the next important computing form."
"To keep its products front and center, Microsoft needs a partner to produce a successful Windows tablet that competes with the Apple iPad," analysts JP Gownder and Sarah Rotman Epps said in a report released on Thursday. "At stake is nothing less than the future of the operating system."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off a Windows 7-based tablet prototype from Hewlett-Packard at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. HP produced several follow-up videos on the Slate, however that product's future has been thrown into severe doubt with HP's announced plans to buy Palm and use WebOS in a variety of devices.
The Forrester analysts argue that the strong early sales of the iPad show a market for a device that can play music and video, browse the Web and display e-books.
"After desktops, laptops, and Netbooks, tablets represent the next wave of mass-market consumer computing devices," the analysts said.
Of course, working with partners on a Windows 7-based device is not the only option for Redmond. It could wait until Windows Phone 7 is a little more fully baked and try to convince partners to use that as the basis for a tablet. That would make it less compatible with existing software, but could have advantages in power consumption, boot-up time and ease of use.
Microsoft could also build its own device from start to finish, using Windows 7, Windows Phone 7, or potentially some other software. That could allow for a more tightly integrated experience but runs the risk of further alienating partners. The company's recent decision to kill the Courier project suggests that Microsoft may have considered and rejected this option.
It's hard to argue with Forrester's basic premise though--that Microsoft needs an answer to the iPad and fast. Its experience trying to play catch-up in the phone and music player arenas shows just how hard it is these days to come from behind.
What's even more unfortunate for the crew in Redmond is the company had a decade head-start in tablets, but finds itself on the outside looking in as the market begins to take off.
And, as Forrester points out, the threat raised by the iPad isn't limited to just tablets, or coming just from Apple.
"Windows can't afford to cede ground on tablets--and not just out of fear that Apple is defining the next generation of computing device," the Forrester researchers said in their report. "Google, too, has its hungry eyes trained on Microsoft's plate and is pushing its Chrome OS as a consumer- and wallet-friendly solution for Netbooks."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Survey: Corporate PCs cluttered with malware
Despite the efforts of IT departments, many PCs in the corporate and government world are littered with unauthorized software, most notably malware, says application-whitelisting company Bit9.
The results of Bit9's "2010 What's Running on Your Users' Desktops?" survey, released Monday, uncovered PCs with a significant amount of non-business software, including games, toolbars, and torrent software. Of greater concern, IT pros surveyed also discovered malware, such as ransom-ware, Trojans, and Chinese spyware.
Among the 1,282 IT professionals questioned for the survey, 68 percent of them said they have software restrictions in place, but 45 percent said they still found unauthorized software on more than half of their client PCs.
Specifically, 46 percent of the IT folks surveyed said that spyware, malware, and unlicensed software continue to pose a problem by getting past traditional security methods. They also found that unauthorized or malicious software caused up to 25 percent of user downtime and calls to the help desk, leading to a drop in productivity. But 39 percent of the respondents also admitted they don't have a software usage policy that specifically prohibits employees from downloading their own software.
As a result, only 32 percent of the IT pros surveyed said they felt confident their businesses would be safe from damage caused by unauthorized or malicious software this year.
"The results from our survey once again underscore the need for companies to adopt a more proactive approach to endpoint security to prevent unauthorized software from being downloaded and running in their organizations," Tom Murphy, chief strategy officer for Bit9, said in a statement. "Rather than scrambling to react to the latest malicious piece of software--costing time and money--IT administrators need to ensure that only approved software will run in their enterprise. This is a business critical need confirmed by the large amount of respondents that are dealing with malware across their networks."
Now of course, Bit9 has a vested interest in the results of the survey since the company does sell whitelisting security products that help IT administrators lock down the applications their users can run.
But I know from my days in IT that keeping users from downloading and installing their own personal and sometimes harmful software is an ongoing challenge. People would download toolbars, torrent software, and other unauthorized programs and then complain when their PCs started to crash or slow down.
Cutting down on the amount of harmful software installed at a company has always required the right policies from IT but also the right cooperation from end users.
To learn more about the survey results, I spoke with Kate Munro, director of product marketing for Bit9. She said that this year's response from 1,282 IT folks was a big leap over last year when only 257 people answered the survey. The higher participation could be seen as a sign that IT people are more in tune with and naturally concerned about the malware threats surfacing today, said Munro.
She particularly noted IT concerns over the Advanced Persistent Threat, a buzzword that describes organized cyberattacks that specifically try to steal information from such sectors as financial services, manufacturing, and of course government.
Some of the non-malicious but still unauthorized software found on user PCs by IT included Skype, BitTorrent, and iTunes. Munro added that Skype can pose a problem when people use the personal version on their work PCs, since it doesn't have the same restrictions as the enterprise edition and relies on the user to keep it patched and properly updated.
Munro also said that malicious programs are being installed despite the best efforts of IT departments. Almost all of the participants said they deploy antivirus software on their network PCs. Many take away admin rights (which are typically needed to install a program), while others lock down the desktop using tools like Microsoft's Group Policy. But malware writers continue to sneak past security defenses to launch their payloads.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
The results of Bit9's "2010 What's Running on Your Users' Desktops?" survey, released Monday, uncovered PCs with a significant amount of non-business software, including games, toolbars, and torrent software. Of greater concern, IT pros surveyed also discovered malware, such as ransom-ware, Trojans, and Chinese spyware.
Among the 1,282 IT professionals questioned for the survey, 68 percent of them said they have software restrictions in place, but 45 percent said they still found unauthorized software on more than half of their client PCs.
Specifically, 46 percent of the IT folks surveyed said that spyware, malware, and unlicensed software continue to pose a problem by getting past traditional security methods. They also found that unauthorized or malicious software caused up to 25 percent of user downtime and calls to the help desk, leading to a drop in productivity. But 39 percent of the respondents also admitted they don't have a software usage policy that specifically prohibits employees from downloading their own software.
As a result, only 32 percent of the IT pros surveyed said they felt confident their businesses would be safe from damage caused by unauthorized or malicious software this year.
"The results from our survey once again underscore the need for companies to adopt a more proactive approach to endpoint security to prevent unauthorized software from being downloaded and running in their organizations," Tom Murphy, chief strategy officer for Bit9, said in a statement. "Rather than scrambling to react to the latest malicious piece of software--costing time and money--IT administrators need to ensure that only approved software will run in their enterprise. This is a business critical need confirmed by the large amount of respondents that are dealing with malware across their networks."
Now of course, Bit9 has a vested interest in the results of the survey since the company does sell whitelisting security products that help IT administrators lock down the applications their users can run.
But I know from my days in IT that keeping users from downloading and installing their own personal and sometimes harmful software is an ongoing challenge. People would download toolbars, torrent software, and other unauthorized programs and then complain when their PCs started to crash or slow down.
Cutting down on the amount of harmful software installed at a company has always required the right policies from IT but also the right cooperation from end users.
To learn more about the survey results, I spoke with Kate Munro, director of product marketing for Bit9. She said that this year's response from 1,282 IT folks was a big leap over last year when only 257 people answered the survey. The higher participation could be seen as a sign that IT people are more in tune with and naturally concerned about the malware threats surfacing today, said Munro.
She particularly noted IT concerns over the Advanced Persistent Threat, a buzzword that describes organized cyberattacks that specifically try to steal information from such sectors as financial services, manufacturing, and of course government.
Some of the non-malicious but still unauthorized software found on user PCs by IT included Skype, BitTorrent, and iTunes. Munro added that Skype can pose a problem when people use the personal version on their work PCs, since it doesn't have the same restrictions as the enterprise edition and relies on the user to keep it patched and properly updated.
Munro also said that malicious programs are being installed despite the best efforts of IT departments. Almost all of the participants said they deploy antivirus software on their network PCs. Many take away admin rights (which are typically needed to install a program), while others lock down the desktop using tools like Microsoft's Group Policy. But malware writers continue to sneak past security defenses to launch their payloads.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Apple, Microsoft now on nearly equal footing
Apple has long been the little guy in the Mac vs. PC debate, but that's no longer the case.
As of trading on Tuesday, Microsoft and Apple both have roughly equal market capitalizations of around $230 billion. By another measure--adding in debt and other factors--Cupertino has actually surpassed Redmond in total value.
The fact that Apple has reached this level of valuation represents a remarkable turn of events in the history of computing.
Consider this: As recently as 1997, Michael Dell suggested Apple should just close up shop and return the money to shareholders. Today, Dell is worth barely a tenth as much as the Mac maker.
That same year, Apple had to accept a $150 million investment from Microsoft. Bill Gates famously appeared at Macworld via satellite, dwarfing the on-stage Steve Jobs as he announced the company's commitment to the Mac.
Of course, all that was before Mac OS X, the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad. The Cube and Apple TV aside, Apple has had an incredible run of products over the last decade.
Macs still account for fewer than one in 10 computers sold, but its market share has increased significantly in recent years and the company has built a consumer juggernaut that extends well beyond the computer.
As for Microsoft, the company remains highly profitable, but investors and analysts alike are concerned that Microsoft remains dependent on its Office and Windows franchises for the lion's share of its profits. The company has poured billions into its cell phone, online advertising and other new businesses that have yet to really help the company's balance sheet.
Even its desktop franchises are seen as vulnerable in the longer term, particularly as Google aims to deliver many of the same capabilities through the browser.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
As of trading on Tuesday, Microsoft and Apple both have roughly equal market capitalizations of around $230 billion. By another measure--adding in debt and other factors--Cupertino has actually surpassed Redmond in total value.
The fact that Apple has reached this level of valuation represents a remarkable turn of events in the history of computing.
Consider this: As recently as 1997, Michael Dell suggested Apple should just close up shop and return the money to shareholders. Today, Dell is worth barely a tenth as much as the Mac maker.
That same year, Apple had to accept a $150 million investment from Microsoft. Bill Gates famously appeared at Macworld via satellite, dwarfing the on-stage Steve Jobs as he announced the company's commitment to the Mac.
Of course, all that was before Mac OS X, the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad. The Cube and Apple TV aside, Apple has had an incredible run of products over the last decade.
Macs still account for fewer than one in 10 computers sold, but its market share has increased significantly in recent years and the company has built a consumer juggernaut that extends well beyond the computer.
As for Microsoft, the company remains highly profitable, but investors and analysts alike are concerned that Microsoft remains dependent on its Office and Windows franchises for the lion's share of its profits. The company has poured billions into its cell phone, online advertising and other new businesses that have yet to really help the company's balance sheet.
Even its desktop franchises are seen as vulnerable in the longer term, particularly as Google aims to deliver many of the same capabilities through the browser.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Microsoft warns on Windows 7 upgrade tool
Parallels, known for using virtualization to solve consumer problems, thought it had a surefire new use for its technology.
Why not use the same approach it used to put Windows on a Mac to help ease the move from XP to Windows 7. The solution was elegant, helping users both make the move and even run older programs that weren't compatible with the new version of Windows. At first, the signs from Microsoft were encouraging; the company even invited Parallells to a Windows 7 momentum event in Paris to publicly talk about the program, Parallels Desktop Upgrade to Windows 7.
There was only one problem: the way the product works runs afoul of Microsoft's license rules, at least for most users. That's because the $50 software puts the user's old Windows XP system into a virtual machine, running alongside Windows 7, a concurrent use not allowed under most Windows licenses.
CNET raised the issue with both Microsoft and Parallels after learning about the product last month. Parallels said it is up to users to make sure they are in compliance with Redmond's terms. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it was talking with Parallels, but declined to publicly call out the company. Until now.
"Microsoft does not endorse moving the user's desktop from a physically loaded OS into a VM as a consumer solution, because the vast majority (more than 90 percent) of consumers do not license Windows under a license that would allow them to transfer Windows into a virtual machine, move Windows to a different machine, or run a secondary virtual machine that is not running XP Mode on the same machine," Microsoft's general manager, Gavriella Schuster, said in a statement to CNET. "Without these license rights, most consumers will not be properly licensing Windows when using the virtualization features of Parallels' product."
Schuster pointed out that enterprise customers with a Software Assurance contract covering Windows could properly use the software. Users who buy a full retail boxed copy of Windows (or possibly of both Windows XP and Windows 7), as opposed to the an upgrade version might also be properly licensed for the Parallels software.
For its part, Parallels continues to say it is up to users to make sure they are properly licensing Windows in conjunction with the upgrade tool.
"We require customers to verify they have the proper license," a Parallels representative said on Tuesday.
Microsoft suggested it is looking for a little more than that.
"Microsoft is working with Parallels to ensure that the Windows licensing requirements are made clear to customers in their product," Schuster said.
Despite the legal issues, Parallels' upgrade tool would appear to address an important need.
Although Windows 7 has proven popular, upgrading can be a hassle, requiring users to back up their data and programs, reinstall software, and then figure out what to do with programs that aren't compatible with the newer Windows.
A Parallels representative said on Tuesday that the product remains available for sale.
"It's out there," the representative said. "We're very excited about the product."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Why not use the same approach it used to put Windows on a Mac to help ease the move from XP to Windows 7. The solution was elegant, helping users both make the move and even run older programs that weren't compatible with the new version of Windows. At first, the signs from Microsoft were encouraging; the company even invited Parallells to a Windows 7 momentum event in Paris to publicly talk about the program, Parallels Desktop Upgrade to Windows 7.
There was only one problem: the way the product works runs afoul of Microsoft's license rules, at least for most users. That's because the $50 software puts the user's old Windows XP system into a virtual machine, running alongside Windows 7, a concurrent use not allowed under most Windows licenses.
CNET raised the issue with both Microsoft and Parallels after learning about the product last month. Parallels said it is up to users to make sure they are in compliance with Redmond's terms. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it was talking with Parallels, but declined to publicly call out the company. Until now.
"Microsoft does not endorse moving the user's desktop from a physically loaded OS into a VM as a consumer solution, because the vast majority (more than 90 percent) of consumers do not license Windows under a license that would allow them to transfer Windows into a virtual machine, move Windows to a different machine, or run a secondary virtual machine that is not running XP Mode on the same machine," Microsoft's general manager, Gavriella Schuster, said in a statement to CNET. "Without these license rights, most consumers will not be properly licensing Windows when using the virtualization features of Parallels' product."
Schuster pointed out that enterprise customers with a Software Assurance contract covering Windows could properly use the software. Users who buy a full retail boxed copy of Windows (or possibly of both Windows XP and Windows 7), as opposed to the an upgrade version might also be properly licensed for the Parallels software.
For its part, Parallels continues to say it is up to users to make sure they are properly licensing Windows in conjunction with the upgrade tool.
"We require customers to verify they have the proper license," a Parallels representative said on Tuesday.
Microsoft suggested it is looking for a little more than that.
"Microsoft is working with Parallels to ensure that the Windows licensing requirements are made clear to customers in their product," Schuster said.
Despite the legal issues, Parallels' upgrade tool would appear to address an important need.
Although Windows 7 has proven popular, upgrading can be a hassle, requiring users to back up their data and programs, reinstall software, and then figure out what to do with programs that aren't compatible with the newer Windows.
A Parallels representative said on Tuesday that the product remains available for sale.
"It's out there," the representative said. "We're very excited about the product."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Google declares Chrome stable for Mac, Linux
Just shy of a year after releasing the first rough developer's build of its Chrome browser for the Mac, Google announced stable versions of Chrome for Mac and Linux, and upgraded the stable release of the browser to version 5. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Chrome v5.0.375.55 includes support for extensions and themes, improved bookmark management and synchronization, browser preferences syncing, and the most recent stable updates to Chrome's trailblazing JavaScript engine, V8.
Chrome's geolocation feature asks whether you want to permit a Web site to know your location.
The browser also offers several HTML5-based features, including geolocation APIs, App Cache, Web sockets, and attachment drag-and-drop in Gmail. Although Adobe's Flash player was integrated into the development versions of Chrome 5, it has been touch-and-go in the beta versions and has not yet made it to the stable release of Chrome 5. The developer's version is now on version 6.
Unlike previous stable versions of the browser, this is the first one that feels like it can stand on equal footing with Firefox. Although there are some anecdotal complaints about Chrome rendering Web pages improperly, these are the vast exception to the rule. The extension gallery has also now been around long enough to give it some depth, and offers more than 4,500 ways to tweak your browser experience. As with Firefox, overloading extensions will decrease browser stability in general.
In JavaScript-only benchmark tests from SunSpider, Chrome 5 performed about the same on a Mac as on a PC. On a Windows 7 x64 running on an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 at 2.10 GHz, with 6GB of RAM, Chrome took an average of 413.13 milliseconds over three runs to complete the test. On a Mac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on an Intel Core 2 Duo at 1.83 GHz, with 1GB RAM, the browser averaged 521.67 over three runs. Since Chrome landed on the browser scene in September 2008, its speed at page rendering has been its biggest selling point. It's now arguable that Chrome is the fastest browser out there, with increasingly tough competition from Opera, and Firefox's nightly builds on the horizon, but there's no doubt that it continues to be the driving force in accelerating browser page-load times.
The Mac version will only work on Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.5 Leopard or later. Somewhat annoyingly, Google will automatically upgrade Mac beta users to the stable version. Since there's no Chrome Channel Changer for Mac, you'll have to download the beta installer again to use that version. However, Mac users do finally get a full-screen mode, which had been previously unavailable in the beta.
There were also multiple security fixes introduced in Chrome 5, including two high-level repairs. One corrected possible URL bar spoofing from unload event handlers, and the other addressed incorrect JavaScript execution in extensions.
For users who've been playing around with the dev and beta versions of Chrome, these changes aren't new. The developer's channel was even elevated to version 6 last week, although not much was new in it. But with Chrome finally on stable footing that allows it to compete on all three major platforms, users shouldn't be surprised to see heightened efforts from Google to expand Chrome's user base.
by Seth Rosenblatt
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Chrome's geolocation feature asks whether you want to permit a Web site to know your location.
The browser also offers several HTML5-based features, including geolocation APIs, App Cache, Web sockets, and attachment drag-and-drop in Gmail. Although Adobe's Flash player was integrated into the development versions of Chrome 5, it has been touch-and-go in the beta versions and has not yet made it to the stable release of Chrome 5. The developer's version is now on version 6.
Unlike previous stable versions of the browser, this is the first one that feels like it can stand on equal footing with Firefox. Although there are some anecdotal complaints about Chrome rendering Web pages improperly, these are the vast exception to the rule. The extension gallery has also now been around long enough to give it some depth, and offers more than 4,500 ways to tweak your browser experience. As with Firefox, overloading extensions will decrease browser stability in general.
In JavaScript-only benchmark tests from SunSpider, Chrome 5 performed about the same on a Mac as on a PC. On a Windows 7 x64 running on an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 at 2.10 GHz, with 6GB of RAM, Chrome took an average of 413.13 milliseconds over three runs to complete the test. On a Mac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on an Intel Core 2 Duo at 1.83 GHz, with 1GB RAM, the browser averaged 521.67 over three runs. Since Chrome landed on the browser scene in September 2008, its speed at page rendering has been its biggest selling point. It's now arguable that Chrome is the fastest browser out there, with increasingly tough competition from Opera, and Firefox's nightly builds on the horizon, but there's no doubt that it continues to be the driving force in accelerating browser page-load times.
The Mac version will only work on Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.5 Leopard or later. Somewhat annoyingly, Google will automatically upgrade Mac beta users to the stable version. Since there's no Chrome Channel Changer for Mac, you'll have to download the beta installer again to use that version. However, Mac users do finally get a full-screen mode, which had been previously unavailable in the beta.
There were also multiple security fixes introduced in Chrome 5, including two high-level repairs. One corrected possible URL bar spoofing from unload event handlers, and the other addressed incorrect JavaScript execution in extensions.
For users who've been playing around with the dev and beta versions of Chrome, these changes aren't new. The developer's channel was even elevated to version 6 last week, although not much was new in it. But with Chrome finally on stable footing that allows it to compete on all three major platforms, users shouldn't be surprised to see heightened efforts from Google to expand Chrome's user base.
by Seth Rosenblatt
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
AT&T offers free Wi-Fi in New York City
T&T is offering free public Wi-Fi hot spots to help it deal with increasing congestion on its wireless network.
On Tuesday, the company launched a free outdoor wireless hot spot in New York's Times Square. The pilot program will offer free Wi-Fi access to AT&T wireless and broadband customers using smartphones, laptops, and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. AT&T's Wi-Fi network is set up on the north side of Times Square on Seventh Avenue between 45th and 47th Streets.
The program is designed to see how Wi-Fi can help relieve wireless data congestion on AT&T's network. Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices will connect to the Wi-Fi network instead of AT&T's 3G network to access the Internet or Web-based applications. If all goes well, AT&T said it may expand the offering to other cities.
AT&T, the exclusive carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone, has been struggling to keep up with demand for data services on its network. The company has reported that due to new devices like the iPhone it's seen mobile data traffic grow on its network 5,000 percent in three years. The extra traffic, particularly in densely populated locales such as New York City and San Francisco, has caused problems for consumers in the way of dropped calls and slow Net access.
The telephone company has been investing in its network to improve capacity and network coverage. It's upgraded its backhaul networks, which connect the cell sites to its Internet backbone. It's added new Microcell devices that expand in-home coverage. And it's bulked up coverage in sports stadiums, convention halls and other areas where people congregate.
AT&T has also been using its more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country to offload some of the traffic. The company has offered free Wi-Fi access to its smartphone subscribers in the hopes that customers will use the Wi-Fi network when it's available rather than the slower 3G network. So far, the company has seen some success. In 2009, AT&T consumers connected to an AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot four times more often than they did in 2008, the company has said. And in the first quarter, AT&T handled 53.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, which is nearly five times higher than the same quarter last year.
One of the biggest advantages of Wi-Fi is that it's already in most devices. Laptops come with Wi-Fi pre-installed, and most new smartphones also come with Wi-Fi built in. It's also faster than a 3G network, so it offers subscribers a better experience.
Advancements in the technology, especially new features found in the latest version of Wi-Fi 802.11n, increase the range and speed of the networks. In urban areas, Wi-Fi hot spots now extend almost 2,000 feet, which is nearly as far as some cellular cell sites, according to Jeff Thompson, CEO of fixed wireless provider Towerstream.
by Marguerite Reardon
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
On Tuesday, the company launched a free outdoor wireless hot spot in New York's Times Square. The pilot program will offer free Wi-Fi access to AT&T wireless and broadband customers using smartphones, laptops, and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. AT&T's Wi-Fi network is set up on the north side of Times Square on Seventh Avenue between 45th and 47th Streets.
The program is designed to see how Wi-Fi can help relieve wireless data congestion on AT&T's network. Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices will connect to the Wi-Fi network instead of AT&T's 3G network to access the Internet or Web-based applications. If all goes well, AT&T said it may expand the offering to other cities.
AT&T, the exclusive carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone, has been struggling to keep up with demand for data services on its network. The company has reported that due to new devices like the iPhone it's seen mobile data traffic grow on its network 5,000 percent in three years. The extra traffic, particularly in densely populated locales such as New York City and San Francisco, has caused problems for consumers in the way of dropped calls and slow Net access.
The telephone company has been investing in its network to improve capacity and network coverage. It's upgraded its backhaul networks, which connect the cell sites to its Internet backbone. It's added new Microcell devices that expand in-home coverage. And it's bulked up coverage in sports stadiums, convention halls and other areas where people congregate.
AT&T has also been using its more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country to offload some of the traffic. The company has offered free Wi-Fi access to its smartphone subscribers in the hopes that customers will use the Wi-Fi network when it's available rather than the slower 3G network. So far, the company has seen some success. In 2009, AT&T consumers connected to an AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot four times more often than they did in 2008, the company has said. And in the first quarter, AT&T handled 53.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, which is nearly five times higher than the same quarter last year.
One of the biggest advantages of Wi-Fi is that it's already in most devices. Laptops come with Wi-Fi pre-installed, and most new smartphones also come with Wi-Fi built in. It's also faster than a 3G network, so it offers subscribers a better experience.
Advancements in the technology, especially new features found in the latest version of Wi-Fi 802.11n, increase the range and speed of the networks. In urban areas, Wi-Fi hot spots now extend almost 2,000 feet, which is nearly as far as some cellular cell sites, according to Jeff Thompson, CEO of fixed wireless provider Towerstream.
by Marguerite Reardon
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Microsoft allows outsiders to peek inside Outlook
Microsoft announced on Monday two open-source projects that let developers view data from Outlook without the need for the e-mail and calendar program itself.
One is a software development kit for reading the .pst files that Outlook uses to save personal files; the other is a graphical tool for viewing the internal data structure of the .pst files.
"Combined, the documentation and tools advance interoperability with data stored in .pst files, reflecting customer requests for greater access to data stored and shared in digital formats generated by Microsoft Outlook and for enhanced data portability," Microsoft said on its interoperability Web site.
Both tools are posted under an Apache 2.0 license on the CodePlex site.
The move builds on Microsoft's announcement last October to open up Outlook's .pst file format.. The documentation itself was posted in February. Microsoft said the new graphical tool released Monday will offer a better understanding of the documentation released in October.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
One is a software development kit for reading the .pst files that Outlook uses to save personal files; the other is a graphical tool for viewing the internal data structure of the .pst files.
"Combined, the documentation and tools advance interoperability with data stored in .pst files, reflecting customer requests for greater access to data stored and shared in digital formats generated by Microsoft Outlook and for enhanced data portability," Microsoft said on its interoperability Web site.
Both tools are posted under an Apache 2.0 license on the CodePlex site.
The move builds on Microsoft's announcement last October to open up Outlook's .pst file format.. The documentation itself was posted in February. Microsoft said the new graphical tool released Monday will offer a better understanding of the documentation released in October.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Keep Your Family Safe On The Internet
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
To download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
To download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Download your free Parent?s Gude to Internet Safety
Keep Your Family Safe On The Internet
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
Download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
Download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
HP Expands Laptop Battery Recall
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
HP Expands Laptop Battery Recall
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Friday, May 21, 2010
$25 OFF* - This Weekend Only (5/21 - 5/23)
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
$25 OFF* - This Weekend Only (5/21 - 5/23)
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
'Minor issues' could delay $999 Apple tablet availability 'til June - AppleInsider.com
Published: 03:25 PM EST
In a new note to investors, Shaw Wu with Kaufman Bros. said checks with supply chain sources indicate the launch pattern for the tablet could follow that of the original iPhone in 2007, with a January unveiling and final product shipping to consumers six months later. He said that the June launch could be due to "minor issues" with more work needed on battery life and durability.
However, he said, checks also indicate that a tablet-type device will be introduced next week, at a Jan. 27 event, where the company has advertised it plans to show off its "latest creation." Wu described the product as being like a "super" iPod touch.
"This tablet product has been described to us as a hybrid between an iPhone/ipod touch and a mac but in terms of software and components, it appears closer to the former, meaning it is most likely ARM based," he wrote. "From our understanding, it is not intended to replace a Mac but be somewhat of a 'super' iPod touch where video, gaming, Web browsing, e-books and the ability to run multiple apps would be enhanced with the much larger screen."
The analyst's claims of a June launch contradict with The Wall Street Journal, which reported earlier this month that the hardware is expected to ship in March. The device is expected to have a screen sized between 10 inches and 11 inches.
Wu also expects the device to cost around $999, citing a $100 incremental cost for a large touchscreen, according to sources in the supply chain. In addition, additional costs over the iPhone and iPod touch would come in the form of semiconductors, glass, sensors and substrates.
That estimate comes in much higher than competing analyst Gene Munster, of Piper Jaffray, who has predicted a $600 average selling price. In general, analysts expect the device to cost less than $1,000.
Wu said he believes that Wi-Fi would be the "most likely option" for network access, as opposed to 3G, so as to "not further clog already strained 3G networks." But, he said, there is still the potential for carriers to offer subsidies and lower the price point of the device for end users. He said Wi-Fi is the best option to offer broad and inexpensive high-speed Internet access.
Kaufman Bros. has predicted the "iSlate," as Wu referred to it, to sell a million units per quarter. Supply chain sources indicated that Apple hopes to build 5 million units in the first year of production. The company has reiterated its price target of $253 for AAPL stock.
Bill Gates shares his notes
SEATTLE–Now you have a chance to compare notes with Bill Gates.
The Microsoft chairman is launching a Web site on Wednesday designed to to share his thoughts on everything from his foundation work to musings on other topics including energy and the environment.
Dubbed Gates Notes, the site is launching with postings from Gates himself, and in the works are plans to allow for more discussion on the topics he raises.
In an exclusive interview, Gates told CNET that he missed having the kind of Web presence he had at Microsoft.
“The Internet is tailor-made for the kind of activities I am involved in,” Gates said. “When I take a trip, we have all these photos. People want to see that and it’s very easy to put it up there. If I read a book, some people are considering whether to read that book or want a short understanding of what that’s like.”
Gates said he plans to post content about three times a week, with some posts being brief and others being more in-depth.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to share on an ongoing basis,” Gates said, adding that he is looking forward to the feedback. “It will help guide me.”
In its initial form, the site features articles on education reform, lessons from the swine flu pandemic, and the need for help in Haiti. There’s also a podcast series with Gates speaking on climate change and the challenges of developing friendlier alternatives to today’s energy sources. (Along with being available for download from the Gates Notes site, the podcasts will be on both iTunes and the Zune Marketplace, I’m told).
Although energy and climate issues are not something the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has directly focused on, it is an area of keen interest for Gates and will be the focus of his talk at next month’s TED conference.
“The interest in some of the energy things I have been doing has been very high so I will elaborate on that,” Gates said.
Gates Notes also features a section on Gates’ travels, where he narrates some of the video footage taken on trips, such as last year’s visit to India. Another section includes notes on some of the books Gates is reading.
Another section, dubbed “conversations,” is designed to include both interviews with Gates as well as excerpts from some of the long e-mail exchanges he has with various thinkers as well as question-and-answer sessions with students from around the world.
The launch of Gates Notes comes a day after Gates joined Twitter, where he quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of followers.
Although Gates Notes draws on work from the foundation, as well as from Gates’ work at Microsoft and at Nathan Myhrvold’s Intellectual Ventures, the Web site is a project of his personal staff.
January 20, 2010 12:00 PM PST
by Ina Fried
Microsoft and Funai sign patent deal
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it has set up a new deal to swap patents with LCD TV maker Funai.
Funai, which makes TVs sold in the U.S. under the brands Philips, Magnavox, Sylvania, and Emerson, will gain access to Microsoft's exFAT file system, an enhanced version of the company's older FAT (file allocation table) used to store and organize data on a disk.
The exFAT (extended FAT) system supports much higher-capacity drives and devices than can FAT and will quickly save files onto SD cards, USB drives, and other portable gadgets. Microsoft sees it as the ideal option for handling huge chunks of audio and video on digital photo frames, cameras, camcorders, smartphones, and of course TVs.
The cross-licensing agreement lets Funai use exFAT to develop new consumer audio and video products, including LCD TVs, for which the company is compensating Microsoft.
Microsoft was mum about what specific patents it might gain from Funai, only saying in a statement that this "exchange of innovation" would help both companies design new technologies to benefit consumers of audio/video products, including LCD TVs.
"Consumers want TVs to offer experiences that were once available primarily on personal computers. A patent license like this one allows two industry leaders to deliver the type of cutting-edge innovations that today's consumers demand," said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft, in a statement.
Microsoft initially rolled out exFAT for mobile phones, PDAs, audio and video appliances, and other devices running Windows Embedded edition. The company also added exFAT to its newer operating systems--Windows Vista SP1, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008--hoping that more electronics companies would adopt it to store audio and video files on their consumer devices.
In December, Microsoft set up a new licensing program for exFAT, charging a flat $300,000 fee to manufacturers who want to use the file system in their products. But Microsoft's license for FAT technology has been the subject of controversy as Redmond has long argued that certain uses of Linux infringe on its patents in this area. The company hasn't hesitated to go after companies, such as GPS-maker Tom Tom, suing them for alleged patent violation.
Microsoft's actions prompted Linux defenders, such as the Open Invention Network, to try to overturn the patents in question, an effort that eventually helped the group land several key patents that it said could have been used against Linux.
January 20, 2010 10:23 AM PST
by Lance Whitney
Monday, January 18, 2010
Mozilla releases second Firefox release candidate
Mozilla on Sunday released a second release candidate of Firefox 3.6, a modest upgrade that embodies Mozilla's effort to increase the frequency the open-source browser is developed.
Mike Beltzner, president of Firefox, announced second Firefox 3.6 release candidate Sunday but didn't share details. The release notes were equally mum, but the update process called the new software a "security and stability update."
The software is available from Mozilla's download site. More than 1 million people are testing Firefox 3.6 at present, and more than 300 million overall use Firefox, Mozilla said.
The new version includes Personas to let people customize the browser's appearance; blocks third-party software from encroaching on its file system turf to increase stability; and--perhaps most significantly given the competitive threat from Google Chrome--shortens start-up time and improves responsiveness and JavaScript performance.
Mozilla has been moving to a faster release cycle for Firefox and, more recently, the Thunderbird e-mail software. With Firefox, Mozilla recently changed course to try to produce updates more often that add new features but don't disrupt interfaces or otherwise require users or Web developers to change their ways.
The first of these non-intrusive releases, code-named Lorentz, is scheduled to arrive in the first quarter as Firefox 3.6.5.
January 18, 2010 8:06 AM PST
by Stephen Shankland
Mike Beltzner, president of Firefox, announced second Firefox 3.6 release candidate Sunday but didn't share details. The release notes were equally mum, but the update process called the new software a "security and stability update."
The software is available from Mozilla's download site. More than 1 million people are testing Firefox 3.6 at present, and more than 300 million overall use Firefox, Mozilla said.
The new version includes Personas to let people customize the browser's appearance; blocks third-party software from encroaching on its file system turf to increase stability; and--perhaps most significantly given the competitive threat from Google Chrome--shortens start-up time and improves responsiveness and JavaScript performance.
Mozilla has been moving to a faster release cycle for Firefox and, more recently, the Thunderbird e-mail software. With Firefox, Mozilla recently changed course to try to produce updates more often that add new features but don't disrupt interfaces or otherwise require users or Web developers to change their ways.
The first of these non-intrusive releases, code-named Lorentz, is scheduled to arrive in the first quarter as Firefox 3.6.5.
January 18, 2010 8:06 AM PST
by Stephen Shankland
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
IT spending to recover this year, Forrester says
IT spending worldwide will reboot in 2010, rising 8.1 percent after last year's 8.9 percent freefall, Forrester Research predicts in a report released Tuesday.
Businesses and governments are expected to spend $1.6 trillion on information technology throughout 2010, Forrester predicts. In the U.S. alone, IT spending is likely to grow 6.6 percent this year to $568 billion after last year's drop of 8.2 percent.
The largest gains are expected to be in computer hardware and software. Purchases of computer equipment globally will increase by 8.2 percent, while communications hardware will see growth rise by 7.6 percent. Spending on software should shoot up by 9.7 percent.
Other segments will also rebound. Providers of IT consulting and systems integration should see spending climb by 6.8 percent, and IT consulting services are expected to enjoy growth of 7.1 percent.
"The technology downturn of 2008 and 2009 is unofficially over," Andrew Bartels, Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst, said in a statement. "All the pieces are in place for a 2010 tech spending rebound. In the U.S., the tech recovery will be much stronger than the overall economic recovery, with technology spending growing at more than twice the rate of gross domestic product this year."
January 12, 2010 6:40 AM PST
by Lance Whitney
cnet
Businesses and governments are expected to spend $1.6 trillion on information technology throughout 2010, Forrester predicts. In the U.S. alone, IT spending is likely to grow 6.6 percent this year to $568 billion after last year's drop of 8.2 percent.
The largest gains are expected to be in computer hardware and software. Purchases of computer equipment globally will increase by 8.2 percent, while communications hardware will see growth rise by 7.6 percent. Spending on software should shoot up by 9.7 percent.
Other segments will also rebound. Providers of IT consulting and systems integration should see spending climb by 6.8 percent, and IT consulting services are expected to enjoy growth of 7.1 percent.
"The technology downturn of 2008 and 2009 is unofficially over," Andrew Bartels, Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst, said in a statement. "All the pieces are in place for a 2010 tech spending rebound. In the U.S., the tech recovery will be much stronger than the overall economic recovery, with technology spending growing at more than twice the rate of gross domestic product this year."
January 12, 2010 6:40 AM PST
by Lance Whitney
cnet
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