Archive for March, 2009
Worm targeting home routers and modems
PC World reports on a new Internet hazard:
A computer worm has been discovered that can infect 55 different home-based routers and DSL/cable modems including common brands like Linksys and Netgear.
Believed to have originated in Australia and known as “psyb0t” or Bluepill, this is the first worm known to be able to infect residential routers and [...]
Collection of Firefox tips
If you use the Firefox browser, take a look at TechRadar’s article, 100 tips to help you work smarter with Firefox:
The beauty of using Firefox is the control that it extends to users, and there are almost limitless ways that it can be tweaked, hacked and mastered to improve speed usability and productivity.
The affinity [...]
Windows 7 out soon?
Neowin reports that Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 may come out in May. Since a final build should normally follow an RC1 release before long, we may see Windows 7 in just a few months.
Added later: At ZDNet, Ed Bott says:
Almost a year ago, I picked July 29, 2009 as the date when Windows 7 [...]
Skype is bigger than AT&T
Well, only in the category of international phone calls. Still it’s pretty amazing that Skype is now the world’s largest handler of cross-border calls. Ars Technica reports:
Skype has become the world’s single largest provider of international calls, surpassing even incumbent telcos like AT&T. Unfortunately for the company, few of these calls generate any revenue, and [...]
More on scareware
I have posted several times about phony anti-virus programs that try to scare you into paying for useless software or unwittingly install Trojans. It seems that this scam has become so profitable that crooks are piling into the “business”. Erik Larkin posts at PC World:
Chasing massive profits, crooks have unleased a flood of rogue antivirus [...]
About Internet Explorer 8
As I noted a few days ago, Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) has been released and is now available for download. Once more the benefits of competition are seen. After killing Netscape, Microsoft let Internet Explorer 6 stagnate. Only when the much better Firefox started taking market share did Microsoft make improvements to IE and update [...]
Foxit PDF reader being targeted
At ZDNet, Ryan Naraine reports that exploits are appearing that target unpatched versions of Foxit. I previously posted about the security update and you should apply it immediately if you haven’t already done so. The latest version can be downloaded here.
Disk partitioning software
Partitioning hard drives into separate areas for the operating system and for data and programs is a practice many (but not all) experienced PC users recommend. Also if you wish to dual-boot, partitioning may be needed. If you are interested in doing any disk partitioning, a free (for personal use) program from Easeus looks promising. [...]
Guide to video encoding
As I have mentioned several times, video encoding is a mishmash of different codecs and formats. A recent series of introductory posts on the subject by Google staff member Mark Pilgrim can help shed light on the subject.
Via AppScout
More on managing your passwords
I recently posted about the need for strong passwords for all your Web accounts. A good password manager is essential unless you have a memory like a computer and I previously mentioned the free program LastPass. This program has been getting so many favorable reviews that I am going to bring it up again. For [...]
Changes in Google search
Google has announced two changes to its search results:
Today we’re rolling out two new improvements to Google search. The first offers an expanded list of useful related searches and the second is the addition of longer search result descriptions — both of which help guide users more effectively to the information they need.
Added later: PC [...]