Byte Into It - 10 Sep 08

Google moves to ease search privacy concerns - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Google has moved to calm privacy concerns, with plans to halve the time it keeps users' web search data on record following pressure from European regulators.

The company said on its official blog it was reducing the amount of time it keeps the search data associated with a user's unique internet address to nine months from 18 months currently.

After nine months search data would be disassociated with internet protocol addresses. The company did not say when the measure would take effect.

Microsoft retain search logs for 18 months while Yahoo! kept such information for 13 months.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Google looks to the next 10 years

Don't be evil

It was 10 years ago this month that Larry Page and Sergey Brin formed Google Inc to "organise all the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful" and do it better than anyone else.

Google Chrome: Is there anything under the hood? - Network World

The bottom line — it's fast, very fast. However, throwing huge factors of performance improvement around is likely more for headlines and less related to what you see yourself.

Interestingly, though, is one last aspect of Chrome that has yet to be mentioned, how it addresses the true slow part of the Web — the network. Sure JavaScript is slow, but it is nothing compared to round-tripping to the server. If you look closely at Chrome there is real goodness here. First, simple DNS resolution caching of common sites and pre-fetching is on by default in Chrome.And in terms of network plumbing, we found a very interesting feature in Chrome — native bzip2 compression. While gzip-based HTTP compression has been around for quite some time, bzip2 compression is much better in terms of size reduction for common text formats like HTML, CSS and very importantly JavaScript.

With the rise of very JavaScript-heavy sites this is going to be a welcome improvement. The bad news though is that so far no Web servers are dishing out bzip2-based data, save Lighttpd.

In the final analysis Google Chrome certainly gets the plumbing right, and this is just the start. While its end-user features are still being developed it is certainly clear that, as an engine, it provides a lot of horsepower for the future of Web development.

The WebKit Open Source Project

WebKit is an open source web browser engine. WebKit is also the name of the Mac OS X system framework version of the engine that's used by Safari, Dashboard, Mail, and many other OS X applications. WebKit's HTML and JavaScript code began as a branch of the KHTML and KJS libraries from KDE. This website is also the home of S60's S60 WebKit development.

Nokia's Comes With Music won't worry Apple... yet

Comes With Music offers a compelling proposition: buy a phone, get free music downloads for a year. Carphone Warehouse will be the exclusive UK provider of Comes With Music handsets for now, and the initial CWM device will be Nokia's 5310 handset. Buyers receive "free" access to millions of tracks out of Nokia's own music store for 12 months.

The really interesting bit about Comes With Music is that users get to keep downloaded tracks after the 12-month free download period is up. Nokia would love for people to buy another Nokia device, thereby extending their subscription for another year, but it won't rescind the rights to music already downloaded.

But the entire scheme has a set of drawbacks so substantial that they will certainly limit Comes With Music's stocking-stuffer appeal. For one thing, there's all that DRM. The songs are all protected by a DRM that makes them playable only on a computer and a phone (and apparently, just one of each). That's great if you plan to use your phone as your music player at all times, though not so hot if you also have, say, an iPod or a Creative Zen.While the music can be kept "perpetually," even after the 12-month download period is over, DRM has a way of crashing the party. As noted when Microsoft and Yahoo shuttered music stores of their own, DRM-crippled tracks are only yours in perpetuity where "perpetuity" is defined as "until we shut down the DRM key servers." Don't plan on building a permanent music collection this way; it's more for sampling.

Then there's 5310 itself, which in no way possesses the sleek styling or "gotta get it now!" awesomeness of the iPhone or HTC Touch. While it may well be a competent platform on which to roll out the Comes With Music effort, it's hard to see how Nokia is "taking on Apple" with the offering, especially given the restrictions on the music.

BBC NEWS | Technology | BBC iPlayer offered on Nokia N96

Users of the Nokia N96 are to be among the first with the ability to run the BBC's iPlayer on their mobile phones.

From 1 October a purpose-built application will be available to download via the BBC website and will also be pre-loaded on some handsets.

The BBC iPlayer allows UK audiences to download and stream BBC TV and Radio programming from the past seven days.

A Nokia spokesman said the service would be 3G and wireless compatible and that Nokia would not charge to use it.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Intel details new core chip line

Intel has unveiled the processors that will form the core of its product line from 2009 onwards.

Details about Nehalem, now officially called Core i7, were given at the Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco.

The chips will appear in laptops, desktops and servers and with them Intel aims to boost processing ability, cut power use and improve graphics.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Intel unites the internet with TV

Intel has signed a deal with Yahoo to enhance the way people use their TVs by adding internet applications.

The collaboration will produce a Widget Channel that lets viewers e-mail friends, trade shares or check the weather while watching programmes.

The internet-based services will run on a new set of Intel chips designed specifically for web-connected devices.

"This is not a copy of a PC on TV," said Eric Kim, head of Intel's digital home group.

"We are setting a new bar and delivering a richer internet experience to TV like never before," he said.

BBC NEWS | Technology | One Laptop signs up with Amazon

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organisation has signed a deal with Amazon to sell its low cost laptops.

The online retailer will help with its next Give 1 Get 1 (G1G1) programme that is due to begin in late November.

Under this scheme people can buy one of the XO laptops for themselves and donate the other to a school child in a developing nation.

It is hoped the deal with Amazon will iron out the problems OLPC encountered when it ran the G1G1 programme itself.

Kaspersky Lab patents dynamic antivirus technology - Security - iTnews Australia

Kaspersky Lab has patented a method of antivirus scanning that assesses files according to when and how they first appeared on the computer.

The method has been granted Patent No. 7 392 544 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Internally, it has been unofficially named ‘FirstTimeCheck’.

By dynamically varying the scanning level and set of tools used for file scanning, FirstTimeCheck is expected to minimise the impact of antivirus scanning on the overall system performance.

The technology also makes it possible to extend the time taken to scan new files and files received via ‘high-risk’ sources such as suspicious Web sites, P2P networks and e-mail attachments.

VMware Fusion 2.0 reaches release candidate stage

VMware Fusion 2.0 RC 1 was ushered out the door recently, and even contains a few new features to boot.

Most of the major feature updates were released as part of the Beta 1 and Beta 2 builds, including Unity 2.0, Leopard Server support, DirectX 9, and VM snapshots. It's pretty hard to compete with heavy-hitting features like those, but RC 1 is giving it a shot by including a free 12-month subscription to McAfee VirusScan Plus in order to keep nasty things off of your Windows VM. The RC build also includes full Italian and Spanish language support, bringing the number of support languages to seven (including English). In terms of more minor updates, the user interface has received a few tweaks, and the Leopard Server compatibility has been improved.

AppleInsider | Road to Snow Leopard: twice the RAM, half the price, 64-bits

Following the initial introduction to 64-bit computing leading up to Snow Leopard and a second segment outlining issues related to the amount of RAM that can be installed and actually used by the system, this third segment examines how much memory a specific app can use and how performance will improve with 64-bit addressing despite the additional overhead involved. A follow up segment will look at how the market for 64-bit apps is unfolding and how Apple is pioneering 64-bits on the desktop.

Byte Into IT - 03 Sep 08

The Blogging Revolution

"Antony Loewenstein introduces us to many members of the digital tribe, their hopes, dreams and daily lives in countries where the new battle for freedom of expression is being fought." Salam Pax, The Baghdad Blogger

http://www.bloggingrevolution.com/

http://catalogue.mup.com.au/978-0-522-85490-9.html

YouTube on the intranet: Google Video for business launched

Companies making use of Google Apps as part of their business operations can now share videos within an organization without having to upload them to YouTube or another video sharing service. Google introduced Google Video for business today, which allows businesses to upload a video to Google Apps, then invite others to view it securely without having to worry about messing with privacy settings. The feature is already available for enterprises making use of Google's services, and will soon come to education customers, as well.

LinkedIn boosts Web 2.0 credentials - Internet - iTnews Australia

LinkedIn has launched a raft of new Web 2.0 features designed to enhance its business value and enable professionals to collaborate and network more effectively.

The social networking site, which claims over 26 million members, unveiled interactive discussion boards, enhanced search and a searchable groups directory which will allow users to find professionals and groups with similar interests.

Also new are digest emails, group homepages of latest activity within a group and the ability for group administrators to monitor and control comments.

Here’s the Google Chrome Browser Comic Book: Hey Microsoft, Kaa-POW!!! | Kara Swisher | BoomTown | AllThingsD

Here is Google’s entire comic book that it is using to explain the technical details of its new browser called Chrome. It explains the techie underpinnings of Chrome, especially its JavaScript engine, called V8, that the company says makes future complex Web applications render faster.

Google Chrome - Download a new browser

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

Chrome Just Means More Incompatible Web Sites | NetworkWorld.com Community

What Google is glossing over are the inevitable compatibility problems Chrome will introduce in how it renders and displays HTML. As software developers we already have to design, code and test knowing IE and Firefox each have their own idiosyncrasies. And Chrome will have its own as well.

Web Publishing: Google 404 Pages Help Your Web Visitors Find the Right Page

Google offers a free, embeddable widget for web site owners that can help fight back against link typos, permalink problems, and other issues that send visitors to non-existent pages. The customizable JavaScript widget suggests the URLs on your site closest to the link visitors come in on, and offers a search box pre-loaded with search terms relevant to the bad link. Anyone who's run a site for a long while knows that page URLs are a hard thing to keep linked and standing properly, and this widget is a nice step to preventing aggravation on both sides of the site. The widget requires signing up for a free Google Webmaster account and heading to the Tools menu, then the "Enhance 404 pages" link.

Featured Download: GMDesk Puts Google Webapps into a Single Desktop Application

All platforms with Adobe AIR: Free desktop application GMDesk provides quick access to Google services in a standalone window separate from your browser. GMDesk separates Gmail, Google Reader, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Maps from the rest of your web browsing, and provides keyboard shortcuts to switch between them (Ctrl+ or Cmd+1 through 6). You can't install browser add-ons like Better Gmail or Better GReader in GMDesk, and currently it displays too-small text in Gmail (though the developer is working on a fix for that). Ultimately GMDesk doesn't offer many features that make it worth using (or much better than apps like Prism or Fluid), but it raises the question: If Google released native desktop apps like Picasa for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Reader, and Google Docs, would you use them? Until they do (which may be never), GMDesk is a free download and requires Adobe AIR to run.

Feature: Create Distraction-Free, Customized Webapps with Prism

Prism is remarkably easy to install and start using, whether you use the Firefox extension to create your Prism apps or just use Prism itself. Simply head to your favorite webapp and pass Prism the URL, or download one of the pre-compiled app bundles of popular sites. Ubuntu 8.04 users can also grab most of the popular Google tools, plus Twitter and Facebook, through the repositories.

Once you see your app shortcuts, you may (still) be wondering what advantage Prism has over, well, a URL shortcut. Here's a few reasons you might consider using Prism instead of a Firefox tab (or five):

* Distraction-free web work: Sure, I can open up Google Docs in a tab and get typing, but, wait, the Gmail tab says I've got a new message! ... Okay, back to work. I was on the third paragraph ... But, wait, Google Reader probably has 100 new items in the time I've been doing this, right? I'll just check for a few minutes ...
* Memory savings: Firefox 2 launches on my Vista system and grabs about 30 MB of memory, and that amount grows and grows, even if I close my tabs as I go. A Prism implementation of Google Calendar uses just 16 MB, and stays there, no matter what I do with it.
* Security/privacy: A Prism app keeps its cache, temporary files or web history in a separate space from Firefox, and trades only a single set of cookies with the site it points at.
* Crash protection: Got a site or webapp that's resulted in repeated browser breaks? Run it in Prism instead, and even if it goes down, the rest of your browsing can continue uninterrupted.

If any of that sounds appealing, here's a few ways you can get more utility out of Prism, using free software tools and a little creative thinking.
Quickly access your webapps
It might go without saying for Windows power users, but you can easily integrate any Prism application into your preferred app launcher or assign a hot key to it. Launchy can find Prism apps pretty easily, and you can also assign hot keys using tools like Qliner Hotkeys, or to a desktop-side tab with Nubs. Even Vista's Start search feature can be a handy link to your calendars, email, and/or to-do lists with Prism. OS X users can keep their shortcuts on the dock, and so can Linux fans, with some help from Awn.
Keep Prism apps in the system tray
I'm a huge fan of applications that can be front-and-center on my screen when needed, but tucked quietly into the system tray the rest of the time. Mac OS X users can reduce any window to the dock, Linux users can do much the same with the AllTray utility, but what about Windows users? You've got your pick of apps, two of which we've previously covered. I like TrayIt for its easy customization, but our commenters have given shout-outs to 4T Tray Minimizer as well, which adds two buttons to your apps' title bars. Either way, you'll be able to keep your favorite sites running without taking up screen space.
At-a-glance web previews in Windows
Want to keep occasional tabs on your personal mail or Facebook page, but don't want the pop-ups or pings of an auto-checking app? Using tools like the previously-mentioned Thumbnail Sizer, Visual ToolTip, or a Vista registry hack, you can keep tabs on chat rooms, email, or live-blogging events in Vista (or XP) by simply mousing over a taskbar window or hitting Alt+Tab.
Create dynamic monitors with URL hacks
alexa_cropped.jpgSites that let you paste information into them for processing right from the URL are pretty nifty, and Prism can make them even more convenient. Want a Google Maps directions applet with your house always pegged as the starting point? Roll your own with a simple URL hack. Keep your eye on web traffic, create a window of deep Amazon discounts, and generally wrap the web around your savvy little finger.
Customized extensions (experimental)
This is more a "promising possibility" than current reality, but since Prism creates a new runtime environment for each application, each webapp can have its own extension set. Right now, unfortunately, there are no official Prism-accepted extensions—but a few handy hackers have figured out how to make some Firefox add-ons work in Prism. The trick involves modifying a configuration file and seems to work mostly with smaller, less-complicated apps, but the author claims to have gotten AdBlock working in his Prism rig. The more bright minds that turn toward this app, however, the more interesting the possibilities will become.

Featured Mac Download: Add Webapps to Your Dock with Fluid

Mac OS X Leopard only: Freeware application Fluid runs your favorite webapps in a dedicated, WebKit-based browser so you can run your most-used webapps just like they're native Mac apps. If this idea sounds familiar it's because Mozilla has tackled similar territory with an app they're calling Prism. The major difference is that Fluid uses the same rendering engine as Safari and gets that native Mac look that's still lacking from Mozilla apps. And since Prism doesn't really work with extensions yet, Fluid seems like the best choice if you're on a Mac. Fluid is freeware (though this beta expires in April, so it may go shareware in the future), Mac OS X Leopard only.

Featured Firefox Extension: Evernote Web Clipper Adds Content from Any Web Page

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Free, cross-platform note-taking application Evernote offers a handful of tools for clipping content into your Evernote account, including the newly released Web Clipper Firefox extension. Aside from a Clip to Evernote entry in the right-click menu and a new toolbar button, the extension works just like the Clip to Evernote bookmarklet (perfect in its own right if you don't want to install another extension). The inline dialog autocompletes tags and adds the item to your Evernote account without interrupting anything you're doing. A Web Clipper keyboard shortcut would be nice, too, but the extension or bookmarklet are a must-have for anyone getting started with one of the best note-taking tools available.

Feature: The Quicksilver-for-Windows Showdown

Before I owned my first Mac, Quicksilver was the application that made me wish I did. Luckily, slowly but surely, Windows developers began building apps intended to successfully attain that Quicksilver-for-Windows status. They started as simple application launchers, but recently the Quicksilver-for-Windows battle has exploded with tons of new applications. The question is: Which one deserves a place on your system?

Firefox Tip: Make Firefox 3's Bookmarks Available to Launchy and Quicksilver

Firefox 3 doesn't store your bookmarks in the plain old HTML file that Firefox 2 did, so desktop launchers like Quicksilver and Launchy can't index them properly. But the HackCollege blog has a solution: a Firefox 3 about:config tweak that makes Firefox automatically export your bookmarks to a file. Change the browser.bookmarks.autoExportHTML value from false to true to get a bookmarks.html file saved to your Firefox profile directory each time you shut down your browser.

Not only does this config tweak provide a nice automatic bookmark backup, it also makes your links accessible to application launchers like Quicksilver and Launchy for quick launching from the desktop.

Byte Into It - 27 Aug 08 - RADIOTHON SHOW - call +613 9388 1027 and subscribe!

Featured Firefox Extension: Tagmarks Makes It Easy to Tag Your Firefox 3 Bookmarks

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): If you like the concept of bookmark tags introduced in Firefox 3 but just can't seem to get into the habit of using them, Firefox extension Tagmarks adds tag images to your awesome bar for quick and easy bookmarking and tagging. Once installed, you'll see several new images next to the default star when you hover your mouse over the star. Click one to both tag and bookmark that page in one fell swoop. You can click on as many of these tags as you want, and when you view your bookmarks, you'll notice text tags have been automatically assigned. Tagmarks is free, works wherever Firefox does. Hopefully we'll see a more customizable version of Tagmarks in the future.

Featured Firefox Extension: AutoPager Automatically Loads the Next Web Page Inline

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): The AutoPager Firefox extension automatically loads the next page of a site inline when you reach the end of the current page for infinite scrolling of content. By default AutoPager works with a ton of sites, including Lifehacker, the New York Times, Digg, and, of course, Google. At first blush AutoPager is a little difficult to understand, but just set it as Always Enabled by clicking the AE link on supported sites and it'll take care of the rest. If you want to add your own custom autopaging to unsupported sites, the site wizard feature makes it easy (first pick the Next link, then pick only the content you want loaded (in Lifehacker, for example, the posts). AutoPager is free, works wherever Firefox does. For similar functionality, check out previously mentioned Repagination.

Featured Firefox Extension: RIP Permanently Removes Elements from a Web Site

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Remove It Permanently (RIP) selectively removes any element from a web site. If you've ever looked at a site and wished you could get rid of some unsightly image or an element that throws off the flow of a site, just right-click it with RIP and remove it permanently. You can select to remove it from that page only, all similar pages, from the web site, or from the entire domain--in addition to a few other options. Don't think of it as an ad-blocker--you should just install an extension like AdBlock Plus if that's what you're looking to do; think of it more as an all-purpose annoyance remover. Unfortunately RIP hasn't been updated for Firefox 3.0.1, but this tweak will do the trick until it has. RIP is free, works wherever Firefox does.

Featured Firefox Extension: Drag & Drop.io Makes Sharing Files Dead Simple

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): The Drag & Drop.io Firefox extension makes it easy to quickly share a file in Firefox 3 with previously mentioned file sharing site Drop.io by simple dragging and dropping the file in your browser. The best part of the extension is that you don't need to go through any tedious Browse for file dialogs to upload files you're probably already staring at anyway. The extension has a few subtle differences in how you can use it to upload and share files, so check the demo video for a full overview. If you want to be able to drag and drop files into any upload box at any site, check out previously mentioned dragdropupload.

Featured Firefox Extension: Google Redesigned Facelifts Gmail and GCal

All platforms with Firefox: Globex Designs, makers of the popular Gmail Redesigned skin, have released a standalone Firefox extension which applies the style without Stylish (or Better Gmail and/or Better GCal). Download the extension to completely redesign your Gmail and Google Calendar with the latest and greatest style from Globex.

Featured Firefox Extension: Evernote Web Clipper Adds Content from Any Web Page

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Free, cross-platform note-taking application Evernote offers a handful of tools for clipping content into your Evernote account, including the newly released Web Clipper Firefox extension. Aside from a Clip to Evernote entry in the right-click menu and a new toolbar button, the extension works just like the Clip to Evernote bookmarklet (perfect in its own right if you don't want to install another extension). The inline dialog autocompletes tags and adds the item to your Evernote account without interrupting anything you're doing. A Web Clipper keyboard shortcut would be nice, too, but the extension or bookmarklet are a must-have for anyone getting started with one of the best note-taking tools available.

Byte Into It - 20 Aug 08

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Steve Jobs says fix for crashing iPhone apps coming in Sept.

AppleInsider is reporting that one of its readers has received one of Steve Jobs's legendary one-line e-mails in response to his complaints of third-party iPhone app crashes. The e-mail reads, simply, "This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September."

The issue seems to manifest at random and prevents any third-party applications from launching. The issue does not seem to affect all users, but it has generated at least one thread on Apple Discussions with 178 replies. According posts there, neither the 2.0.1 nor this week's 2.0.2 firmware update fixes the problem. It appears to be related to the FairPlay DRM, and some users have found temporary relief by deleting applications from the phone and re-syncing them manually. Others had success downgrading to iTunes 7.7 from 7.7.1 and re-syncing apps.

Apple's customer satisfaction up despite struggling industry

The most recent results of the American Customer Satisfaction Index puts Apple ahead of all other computer manufacturers with a rating of 85 percent, a new high for the industry. The Cupertino company saw an improvement of 8 percent since the last measurement, putting it 10 full percentage points ahead of its nearest competitor in an industry where the general satisfaction rating has gone down for the second straight time. The report attributes Microsoft's launch of Vista as responsible for at least some of Apple's numbers

MobileMe users get (another) extension, 60 days this time

Apple apparently recognizes that MobileMe "issues" are ongoing—after all, things are still occasionally going up and down and are otherwise unreliable. That's why the company has decided to extend every MobileMe user's account by another 60 days. Yes, apparently on top of the 30 days given out to MobileMe users last month.

Pixelmator 1.2.2 brings live gradients, laughs at Photoshop

Pixelmator, the feature-packed contender to everything from Photoshop to MS Paint, has received a minor update to 1.2.2 with a major new feature: live gradients. Pixelmator's gradient tool will now render a gradient's colors live while dragging its end point. This makes it much easier to plot out a gradient and play with a design, minimizing the need for cmd-z. This is something even Photoshop CS3 Extended can't flaunt, and according to a Pixelmator blog post, it required converting all gradient types from Cocoa to Core Image kernels "for performance." As a nice bonus, the gradient tool in Pixelmator's tool palette now displays a live color rendering of the current gradient you're using.

Use Fluke to add FLAC files to your iTunes library

The are quite a few audio and media formats out there, one of which is FLAC, the Free Lossless Audio Codec. This format serves a purpose similar to that of the Apple Lossless format, but many Apple users haven't heard of FLAC. This is due in large part to the lack of FLAC support in iTunes. Still, many Mac users have large FLAC libraries, so a number of attempts have been made to shoehorn FLAC files into iTunes. One of the newer utilities, Fluke, offers an easy way to add FLAC files to your iTunes library.

Fluke is actually just an AppleScript disguised as an application bundle, which by itself isn't enough to make the magic happen. Luckily, the Fluke installer will download the rest of the necessary components, including the XiphQT plug-in and two other libraries. One installation is complete, all you have to do is restart iTunes, drag FLAC files to the Fluke icon, and they'll be added to your library for your listening pleasure.

Robotripping: hands on with the Android SDK beta

Google has announced the availability of the first Android SDK beta and also disclosed the roadmap for the upcoming 1.0 release. The platform has improved significantly since the early prereleases, and the API is now richer and more complete.
Android applications and user interface

The user interface has been completely redesigned, with a strong focus on attractiveness and usability. The application with the most impressive improvements is the web browser. Ars recently gave Opera Mobile 9.5 a rave review. Android's built-in browser delivers all of the same features but with a cleaner and less clunky user interface.

Linux Foundation gets a boost as Canonical signs on

Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, has joined the Linux Foundation. This move reflects the growing relevance of Canonical in the Linux ecosystem and indicates that the company has achieved a level of growth that empowers it to contribute additional resources back to the Linux community.

The Linux Foundation was formed last year when the Open Source Development Labs merged with the Free Standards Group with the aim of pooling resources and collaboratively defending the Linux platform from fragmentation. The organization employs Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds and also leads the Linux Standard Base (LSB) initiative, an effort to standardize and define the structure of the Linux platform.

Georgia cyberattacks lead to questions about risk to US

CNN's report on the United States' vulnerabilities doesn't explicitly state that the Russian hackers who attacked Georgia were directly attached to the Russian military, but implies that the online assault was, at the very least, coordinated with the real-world attacks. The problem is, there's apparently not much evidence to support this claim. Historically, online attacks have often followed real-world events that create controversy or tension between two opposing sides. Relations between Georgia and Russia have never been good, and grown increasingly fractious of late, so it's not surprising that hackers began attacking Georgian websites, including that of the President, in late July.

The attacks themselves, meanwhile, were absolutely nothing new. Botnets are readily available (and cheap), and DDoS assaults are practically the infantry of cyberwarfare. Such attacks require neither significant funds nor sophisticated attack vectors, and could conceivably be the work of a mere handful of people. The Russian government may have been involved in these attacks, but it certainly didn't need to be in order to guarantee their efficacy.

According to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the United States has no effective means of unilaterally preventing coordinated attacks from striking US websites. Scott Borg, director of the United States Cyber Consequences Unit (a nonprofit organization), has stated that the US isn't necessarily vulnerable to the types of DDoS attacks that brought down Georgia, thanks to an abundance over server bandwidth, but could be the target of other, more sophisticated attacks, or attacks that physically originate within the United States itself. "We can command so much bandwidth that it's hard to overwhelm our servers," Borg told CNN. "We are vulnerable to more sophisticated attacks, but right now most of the people who want to do us harm don't have those capabilities."

The only problem with Borg's remarks is that he apparently neglected to include a "yet," at the end of them.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Stellar result in MoD challenge

The Ministry of Defence today announced the winners of its Grand Challenge, a contest to identify promising battlefield robot technologies.

The contest began in 2006, with a shortlist of seven contestants battling it out 16-18 August.

The final phase included sniffing out a range of threats placed in a mock battle theatre.

Saturn, the winner, included integrated ground and aerial robots with visual, thermal, and radar sensors.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Windows 7 details to be released

A first glimpse at the technology inside the next version of Windows will be given in October.

Microsoft has said that engineering information about Windows 7 will be shared with attendees at two technical conferences it runs.

Windows 7 developers will show off their work at both the Professional Developers Conference and the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference.

Based on Vista, Windows 7 is expected to be released in January 2010.

Featured Firefox Extension: Tagmarks Makes It Easy to Tag Your Firefox 3 Bookmarks

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): If you like the concept of bookmark tags introduced in Firefox 3 but just can't seem to get into the habit of using them, Firefox extension Tagmarks adds tag images to your awesome bar for quick and easy bookmarking and tagging. Once installed, you'll see several new images next to the default star when you hover your mouse over the star. Click one to both tag and bookmark that page in one fell swoop. You can click on as many of these tags as you want, and when you view your bookmarks, you'll notice text tags have been automatically assigned. Tagmarks is free, works wherever Firefox does. Hopefully we'll see a more customizable version of Tagmarks in the future.

Featured Firefox Extension: AutoPager Automatically Loads the Next Web Page Inline

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): The AutoPager Firefox extension automatically loads the next page of a site inline when you reach the end of the current page for infinite scrolling of content. By default AutoPager works with a ton of sites, including Lifehacker, the New York Times, Digg, and, of course, Google. At first blush AutoPager is a little difficult to understand, but just set it as Always Enabled by clicking the AE link on supported sites and it'll take care of the rest. If you want to add your own custom autopaging to unsupported sites, the site wizard feature makes it easy (first pick the Next link, then pick only the content you want loaded (in Lifehacker, for example, the posts). AutoPager is free, works wherever Firefox does.

Featured Firefox Extension: RIP Permanently Removes Elements from a Web Site

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Remove It Permanently (RIP) selectively removes any element from a web site. If you've ever looked at a site and wished you could get rid of some unsightly image or an element that throws off the flow of a site, just right-click it with RIP and remove it permanently. You can select to remove it from that page only, all similar pages, from the web site, or from the entire domain—in addition to a few other options. Don't think of it as an ad-blocker—you should just install an extension like AdBlock Plus if that's what you're looking to do; think of it more as an all-purpose annoyance remover. Unfortunately RIP hasn't been updated for Firefox 3.0.1, but this tweak will do the trick until it has. RIP is free, works wherever Firefox does.

Featured Firefox Extension: Drag & Drop.io Makes Sharing Files Dead Simple

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): The Drag & Drop.io Firefox extension makes it easy to quickly share a file in Firefox 3 with previously mentioned file sharing site Drop.io by simple dragging and dropping the file in your browser. The best part of the extension is that you don't need to go through any tedious Browse for file dialogs to upload files you're probably already staring at anyway. The extension has a few subtle differences in how you can use it to upload and share files, so check the demo video for a full overview. If you want to be able to drag and drop files into any upload box at any site, check out previously mentioned dragdropupload.

Featured Firefox Extension: Google Redesigned Facelifts Gmail and GCal

All platforms with Firefox: Globex Designs, makers of the popular Gmail Redesigned skin, have released a standalone Firefox extension which applies the style without Stylish (or Better Gmail and/or Better GCal). Download the extension to completely redesign your Gmail and Google Calendar with the latest and greatest style from Globex.

Featured Firefox Extension: Evernote Web Clipper Adds Content from Any Web Page

Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Free, cross-platform note-taking application Evernote offers a handful of tools for clipping content into your Evernote account, including the newly released Web Clipper Firefox extension. Aside from a Clip to Evernote entry in the right-click menu and a new toolbar button, the extension works just like the Clip to Evernote bookmarklet (perfect in its own right if you don't want to install another extension). The inline dialog autocompletes tags and adds the item to your Evernote account without interrupting anything you're doing. A Web Clipper keyboard shortcut would be nice, too, but the extension or bookmarklet are a must-have for anyone getting started with one of the best note-taking tools available.

Google Maps: http://m.google.com/maps
BeeJive - Instant Messaging: http://www.beejive.com/
Sprite - Backup software: http://www.spritesoftware.com/
Worldcard Mobile - Contact management helper: http://www.penpowerinc.com/
Skype: http://www.skype.com
Active Synch Remote Display: http://tinyurl.com/56rdbo
TouchPal - Soft keyboard replacement: http://www.cootek.com/
Opera Mobile - Browser: http://www.opera.com/products/mobile/
Battery Pack Pro - Bunch of utils: http://www.omegaone.com/batterypack/

Byte Into It - 13 Aug 2008

Kaminsky delivers DNS dirt - Security - iTnews Australia

Security researcher Dan Kaminsky has delivered his much-anticipated report on the DNS flaw he discovered earlier this year.

Kaminsky explained to a crowd at the Blackhat conference in Las Vegas that the flaw he uncovered could be used for attacks far more complex and sinister than just phishing operations.

The researcher began his presentation with an update on the patching operation. He noted that hundreds of millions of users have been protected through updates by vendors and ISPs, and the majority of Fortune 500 companies had deployed patches for their servers as well

The vulnerability centers around the way the domain name system looks up information linking URLs to IP addresses. In short, the flaw allows an attacker to "poison" a given DNS server and redirect traffic to the malicious site.

The vulnerability has mostly been discussed for its possible use in phishing attacks. However, Kaminsky warned that it could also be used to compromise mail servers, allowing the attacker to intercept and redirect messages.

Journalists expelled from Black Hat for hacking competitors - Security - iTnews Australia

Three French journalists from Global Security Magazine have been thrown out of the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas for hacking into fellow journalist’s computers.

Hacking is usually part of the fun at Black Hat and delegates are warned that hackers are patrolling the conference’s public Wi-Fi network trying to steal data. That data is then posted on a public ‘Wall of Sheep’ at the venue, to embarrass security specialists who should know better.

However, as the organisers don’t expect journalists to be as adept at network security the press area is off limits to hacking and runs on a private network. Nevertheless the three journalists decided to do it anyway and try and get the login details for journalists from CNET and eWeek onto the Wall of Sheep.

However the trio, Dominique Jouniot, Mauro Israel and Marc Brami, were rebuffed by staff, asked to leave the conference and banned from attending this year’s DEFCON event as well.

The attack seems to have used a network-sniffing tool called Cain and while it was successful in obtaining details from an eWeek journalists CNET report that the data retrieved on them was incomplete.

Mini laptop use set to soar - Hardware - iTnews Australia

Mini-notebook shipments are set to rocket past the five million unit mark this year and could reach eight million by 2009, according to new figures from analyst firm Gartner..

A mini-notebook typically has a five- to 10-inch screen and runs a full operating system. Current models include the Asus Eee PC and HP Mini-Note. Dell is also expected to make this week.

Part of the reason for the huge popularity of mini laptops, according to Gartner, is that they are likely to attract a variety of users with different requirements including content consumption, internet browsing and email and instant messaging use.

Although the surge in demand is likely to come mainly from consumer markets, mini-notebooks will also appeal to business users including journalists, sales people, and mobile services and support workers "who are seeking a small and lightweight mobile PC with basic functionality and internet connectivity", the report said.

“The demand for mini-notebooks will be driven by several factors: by their small form factor and small screen, their light weight, their price, their ease of use and their basic, but sufficient, PC functionality,” said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner, in a statement.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Google Street View gets go ahead

Google's controversial Street View photo-mapping tool has been given the all clear by the UK's privacy watchdog.

The system takes pictures of streets and adds them to online maps to let people see what locations look like.

The project drew criticism from privacy campaigners worried it could breach data protection laws.

But the Information Commissioner said it was "satisfied" that Google had put in place safeguards to avoid risking anyone's privacy or safety.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft sees end of Windows era

Microsoft has kicked off a research project to create software that will take over when it retires Windows.

Called Midori, the cut-down operating system is radically different to Microsoft's older programs.

It is centred on the internet and does away with the dependencies that tie Windows to a single PC.

It is seen as Microsoft's answer to rivals' use of "virtualisation" as a way to solve many of the problems of modern-day computing.

Tie breaking

Although Midori has been heard about before now, more details have now been published by Software Development Times after viewing internal Microsoft documents describing the technology.

Midori is believed to be under development because Windows is unlikely to be able to cope with the pace of change in future technology and the way people use it.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Invisibility cloak 'step closer'

Scientists in the US say they are a step closer to developing materials that could render people invisible.

Researchers at the University of California in Berkeley have developed a material that can bend light around 3D objects making them "disappear".

The materials do not occur naturally but have been created on a nano scale, measured in billionths of a metre.

The team says the principles could one day be scaled up to make invisibility cloaks large enough to hide people.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Apple blogs to disaffected users

Apple has set up an apologetic blog devoted to solving the problems of its recently launched MobileMe service.

It follows a barrage of criticism of the service, which connects Apple devices to e-mail, contacts and online storage.

In posts over the weekend, the firm admitted to fixing "over 70 bugs" but that 10% of e-mail might have been lost for good.

It said the problem affected just 1% of customers.

One month of the iPhone 3G: what Apple needs to fix

It is just over a month since the worldwide launch of the iPhone 3G. The device has been welcomed enthusiastically by millions of buyers around the world, but the second coming of the iPhone has not been flawless by a long shot. Sure, it's rare for any launch to be entirely flawless, but problems have cropped up in greater frequency this time around than even after the original iPhone launch. Here, we look at the ups and downs in one month with the iPhone 3G.

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