Totally unrelated to computers: Stranger In Moscow - By Micheal Jackson

This video is not the normal released version, rather its a remixed version called “Beautiful Version”. Thank you Michael…

see original version here

-KennyS

"Stranger In Moscow"

I was wandering in the rain
Mask of life, feelin' insane
Swift and sudden fall from grace
Sunny days seem far away
Kremlin's shadow belittlin' me
Stalin's tomb won't let me be
On and on and on it came
Wish the rain would just let me

How does it feel (How does it feel)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside

Here abandoned in my fame
Armageddon of the brain
KGB was doggin' me
Take my name and just let me be
Then a begger boy called my name
Happy days will drown the pain
On and on and on it came
And again, and again, and again...
Take my name and just let me be

How does it feel (How does it feel)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside

How does it feel (How does it feel)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside

Like stranger in Moscow
Like stranger in Moscow
We're talkin' danger
We're talkin' danger, baby
Like stranger in Moscow
We're talkin' danger
We're talkin' danger, baby
Like stranger in Moscow
I'm live in lonely
I'm live in lonely, baby
Stranger in Moscow

[KGB interrogator - Russian to English Translation]
"Why have you come from the West?
Confess! To steal the great achievments of
the people, the accomplishments of the workers..."

Microsoft mulling 128-bit versions of Windows 8, Windows 9

 

According to a supposed Microsoft Research employee's LinkedIn profile, Microsoft is working on 128-bit architecture compatibility with the Windows 8 and Windows 9 kernels. Consequently, the company is also forming relationships with major partners, including Intel, AMD, HP, and IBM.

Believe it or not, Windows 7's successor(s) have been in the planning and early development stages for a while now. We haven't posted anything about any of them yet, but we've been watching closely to see if anything really interesting turned up. Exactly two weeks ago, it did. A LinkedIn profile, which has already been taken down, for a Robert Morgan, Senior Research & Development at Microsoft, has shone a sliver of light on the possibility of 128-bit support coming to Windows 8. According to the LinkedIn page, which has been removed since, Morgan has been with the software giant since January 2002, but we're more intrigued with what his profile (first paragraph) and his status (second paragraph) before they disappeared:

Working in high security department for research and development involving strategic planning for medium and longterm projects. Research & Development projects including 128bit architecture compatibility with the Windows 8 kernel and Windows 9 project plan. Forming relationships with major partners: Intel, AMD, HP, and IBM.

Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.

Windows 8 News found Morgan's profile first and immediately started trying to get in contact with him over LinkedIn. When we saw this, we leaned back and waited to see if they could get a response from him. They did. The site claims it has managed to get an exclusive interview with Morgan and is letting its readers to ask questions. The deadline is October 11, 2009 so head on over and post your queries.

This news is interesting because we always thought Windows 7 would be the last release that had 32-bit and 64-bit versions. This was brought on by the fact that Windows Server 2008 R2, the server version of Windows 7, was the first Windows Server release to be 64-bit only. The next client version of Windows should therefore follow suit, but apparently Microsoft is going to prepare it for 128-bit as well. We're not saying Windows 8 will definitely come in 64-bit and 128-bit flavors, but Microsoft is moving down that path, and at the very least, Windows 9 just might.

Via : KezNews.com

Microsoft to ease Windows 7 upgrades to netbooks with USB key solution

 

Remember the rumors earlier this year that Microsoft was going to deliver Windows 7 on a thumb drive? Well, the rumors were correct — sort of…

On October 22, Microsoft announced it will enable netbook users who want to upgrade from XP (or Vista) to Windows 7 to use a special version of Windows 7 preloaded on a USB stick.

(I have no idea whether this has any connection to the rumored “StartKey” project I wrote about back in 2008. StartKey, the way it was originally portrayed to me, was more of an initiative to put Windows and Windows Live settings on a USB stick.)

Microsoft officials confirmed to News.com that it will make available an online tool, starting on October 22, “that will walk users through the process of moving a downloaded copy of Windows 7 onto a USB drive, be that a memory stick or portable hard drive.”

Microsoft officials sent me the following statement when I asked for more details on the new tool:

“A recurring question is whether we’re going to provide any special tools to help customers install Windows 7 on PC’s that lack a DVD drive, such a netbook PC. Today, Microsoft is announcing the upcoming availability of a free tool to help our netbook PC customers (without DVD drives) install Windows 7. Once a customer has purchased and downloaded their copy of Windows 7 from the Microsoft online store, they can use the tool to create either a bootable USB drive or a DVD using the download. This new resource, known as the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (WUDT) will be freely downloadable from the Microsoft Store as well as the Microsoft Download Center beginning on October 22nd.

“This tool will be available to support localized versions of Windows 7 including Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. Customers who want to learn more about the USB/DVD Download Tool can visit www.microsoftstore.com/win7usb.”

Via : ZDNet

Windows 7 32-Bit (x86) Direct Download Links

 

Windows 7 has been officially launched, but Microsoft never makes available official download links that allow retail customers to download setup installer or ISO image of Windows 7, despite digital downloads have been the sole distribution channel for many that purchases from online store or on MSDN or TechNet subscriptions.

Many mass general public who requires a Windows 7 installation DVD or ISO image has to rely on BT torrent to download Windows 7 ISO from MSDN or TechNet Subscriber Downloads, and it carries the risk of getting fake, incorrect, malicious or infected images instead.

Now the direct download links to the Windows 7 operating system purchased online have been leaked. The installation files of Windows 7 is hosted on the server on domain msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net owned by Digital River, one of the delivery partners for Vista and also the brain behind Windows Marketplace e-commerce store. The Windows 7 installation files are meant as a way of ESD (Electronic Software Distribution).

Unlike Windows Vista, each editions of Windows 7 has its own different and separate download links. The Windows 7 setup installer package comes in 3 parts, which is an executable that starts the extraction or unpacking and installation process, plus setup1.box and setup2.box. After extracting all content to a folder named ExpandedSetup, the installation files should be the same with what contains on a DVD.

Windows 7 Direct Download Links

32-bit Windows 7 Professional x86 http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-79643/Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x86.exe
File Size: 69.78 MB
MD5: 204D02EA3AB587B70621A7EC99B3F1B8
SHA-1: 60BA243A05261AA7A3AF9A3ADF509E8069B6E891

http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-79643/setup1.box
File Size: 2.04 GB
MD5: D5CC1E45D6EB57B8500DBCF622F39637
SHA-1: EDAA9BA294EA7E49D4FE731E81CDD1E3C6168F51

http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-79643/setup2.box
File Size: 137.59 MB
MD5: FAB28838A97E875D27E4E7239F42131C
SHA-1: 78D8ED22DF4FCDA102B72D41420D9854DC0DF7B4

Note: If you have corrupted files or incomplete files, try to use a download manager to download manager, as the server seems to close connection once the size reaches 2 GB.

Also available is 64-bit (x64) Windows 7 ESD setup installer downloads.

After downloading the files, simply double click on the executable, e.g. Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x86.exe to start unloading the box and to install Windows 7. Note that 3 files must be put together in the same directory. You still need a product key to activate installed Windows 7.

And there is hack to create or make bootable Windows 7 DVD ISO images out of downloaded files.

And hack to change the edition of the Windows 7 installation files in order to use it to install other editions that the one downloaded, such as Windows 7 Ultimate and Home Premium.

Via : My Digital Life

Vista to Windows 7 Upgrades Kill Access to OEM Recovery Applications

 

Users that upgrade Windows Vista OEM computers to Windows 7 might find that the recovery applications set in place by the original equipment manufacturer are no longer accessible.

This scenario is valid for some OEM machines that were acquired with Windows Vista pre-installed, the Redmond company explained. OEMs, in certain cases, will preload the Windows Recovery Environment inside the operating system. In this regard, users would be able to benefit from the System Recovery Options right in the graphical user interface (UI) and help topics.

“You have a computer that is preinstalled with Windows Vista by the computer manufacturer. After you upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 on this computer, you notice that manufacturer-specific recovery applications are no longer available on the System Recovery Options menu,” Microsoft explained.

It is not uncommon for OEMs to customize the System Recovery Options. Original Equipment Manufacturers will in fact tailor Windows platforms to their specific needs, and always present custom build copies of the operating system along with their new computers. In this context, the Windows RE tools are customized in accordance with different OEMs. Customers will only be aware of the fact that Windows will come with manufacturer-specific recovery applications included by default. The general rule is that the apps will be offered through the Windows RE tools menu.

Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is an action capable of cutting off access to OEM recovery apps. “When these systems are upgraded to Windows 7, the manufacturer-preloaded Windows RE option will be replaced with a Windows 7-compatible Windows RE,” the software giant added.

There is no hot fix or update from Microsoft to resolve this issue. The Redmond company only recommends that in order “to obtain the manufacturer-specific recovery applications for Windows 7, contact your computer manufacturer.”

Via : SOFTPEDIA

Kindle for the PC Announced – and it’s awesome!

 

Amazon announced “Kindle for PC” – a free application that let’s readers enjoy reading books purchased from the Kindle Store right on their Windows PC. Today the Kindle Store has over 360,000 books to purchase, download and read. That’s a lot of books. We showed off Kindle for PC for the first time at our New York City Launch Party for Windows 7.

 

The beta for Kindle for PC will be available as a free download in November. You can sign-up here to receive an email when Kindle for PC Beta is available.

Kindle for PC takes advantage of key Windows 7 features such as Windows Touch for zooming in and out with a pinch of the fingers and turning pages with the swipe of a finger. It also includes integration with the Windows Taskbar through a Jump List. I’ve been playing with it for the last few days on my HP TouchSmart tx2 and it’s wonderful.

Kindle for PC will also run on PCs running Windows XP and Windows Vista as well.

The Kindle for PC application also uses Amazon’s Whispersync technology. This allows the application to sync bookmarks and the last read page across PCs (and other devices such as the Kindle and Kindle DX).

Here is a demo of Kindle for PC in action!

Via : www.windowsteamblog.com

Microsoft: Trojans like USA, worms prefer Brazil!

 

Following the public release of Microsoft Security Essentials a few weeks ago, Microsoft has combed its data and released an interesting set of results showing how different infections apply across the 19 countries in which the software is available. This is how the breakdown of threats fell across those countries:-

According to the data, trojans come up as the number one detection in the USA, worms affect Brazilians the most, and China is mainly affected by potentially unwanted software threats.

Breaking the results down into particular threat families, the Wimad trojans and FakeXPA trojan are the top culprits when it comes to infection in the USA. Brazil is mainly infected by the Conficker worm and the Taterf worm, and China's software exploits include Shellcode and IFrameRef.

In total, around 4 million threats were detected on the 500,000 machines the survey included. This equates to around 8 detections per machine, suggesting that most machines had multiple threats.
Interestingly, 44% of machines that use Microsoft Security Essentials are running Windows 7, which isn't due for release until October 22. Of those, about one-third are running in 64-bit mode.

The most detections were found on machines running the ageing Windows XP, and the least on Windows 7, which Microsoft suggest follows the typical trend of seeing fewer threats on newer operating systems.

Microsoft Security Essentials is currently available for download for Windows users at http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

Via : neowin.net

Freeware : Adobe Reader 9.2

 

Adobe Reader software is the global standard for electronic document sharing. It is the only PDF file viewer that can open and interact with all PDF documents. Use Adobe Reader to view, search, digitally sign, verify, print, and collaborate on Adobe PDF files.

• View, print, and search PDF files, including PDF Portfolios and PDF maps
• Author, store, and share documents, and share your screen, using Acrobat.com services
• Experience richer content and greater interactivity with native support for Adobe Flash technology
• Review documents using familiar commenting tools such as sticky notes, highlighting, lines, shapes, and stamps (When enabled by Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Pro Extended)
• Digitally sign PDF documents (When enabled by Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Pro Extended)

 

Technical Description :

Title : Adobe Reader 9.2

Filename : AdbeRdr920_en_US.exe

File size : 26.12MB (27,386,280 bytes)

Requirements : Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / Windows7 / XP64 / Vista64 / Windows7 64

Languages : en-US

License : Freeware

Author : Adobe Systems Inc.

Homepage

Download it Here

Download Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode Final RTM 7600.16393

 

Microsoft’s virtualization solution for Windows 7, Windows Virtual PC (VPC) and Windows XP Mode (XPM) final RTM builds have been compiled and signed off as build 7600.16393 on September 22nd, 2009. Windows Virtual PC requires hardware-assisted virtualization, thus it’s recommended to check and verify system supports hardware virtualization (VT) or not prior to downloading and installing.

The main purpose of Windows Virtual PC, an optional component for Windows 7 is to support application backward compatibility for software and programs that can only run on older versions of Windows. With RemoteApp, which allows application installed on guest operating system to be accessed directly from host operating system (Windows 7) seamlessly, users can run and access virtualized instance of programs without running virtual machine. Windows XP Mode is provided by Microsoft with free Windows XP OS license as a way for users instantly install and run virtualization environment without having to manually install operating system in virtual machine, and have to acquire a genuine product key to activate the installed OS again.

When comparing with classic Virtual PC for Windows Vista and Windows XP, Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 features the following advantages:

• USB device support
• Seamless application publishing and launching
• Support for multi-threads
• Clipboard sharing
• Printer redirection
• Smart card redirection
• Drive sharing
• Integration with Windows Explorer
• Known folder integration between host and guest
• Support for higher resolution
• Requires AMD-V or Intel-VT CPU features
• Integration with XP Mode

Windows Virtual PC is available for free download by all Windows 7 editions except Windows 7 Starter, while Windows XP Mode is available only for Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, And Windows 7 Ultimate.

According to Windows 7 Team Blog, the final RTM version of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode will be available officially on October 22nd, 2009, together with the official retail release of Windows 7. The RTM version for Windows Virtual PC is 6.1.7600.16393.20090922-1800, however, Windows XP Mode setup installer displays version 1.3.7600.16423 during installation.

Users who can’t wait till October 22nd 2009 from official Virtual PC website can now download the setup installer for final RTM version of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode via MSDN or TechNet Subscriber Downloads, which are been posted on October 7, 2009. Earlier, the final RTM builds of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode have also been leaked to the web, and available to download for free via torrent or the following download links.

Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 (Multilingual)

32-bit (x86): Windows6.1-KB958559-x86.msu or mu_windows_virtual_pc_x86_435190.msu
64-bit (x64): Windows6.1-KB958559-x64.msu or mu_windows_virtual_pc_x64_435190.msu

Windows XP Mode (requires Windows Virtual PC)

English: WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe (known as en_windows_xp_mode_x86_x64_439180.exe in MSDN or TechNet)

All Inclusive Torrent Download

MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.VIRTUAL.PC.AND.XP.MODE.BUILD.7600.16393.RTM.ENGLISH.-WZT.torrent

Torrent will download HAV Tool (Hardware Assisted Virtualization Detection Utility), Windows XP and Vista RAIL QFE Update to enable RemoteApp, x86 and x64 Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode. User will have to uninstall previous version of Windows XP Mode prior to install RTM release, and also previous version of Windows Virtual PC if don’t want to restart the computer to apply new update.

Via : My Digital Life

Enable RemoteApp in Windows XP or Vista To Publish Programs to Windows 7 Virtual PC Host with KB961741 or KB961742 RAIL QFE

 

Windows Virtual PC in Windows 7 features an unique and useful feature which allows virtual applications installed on guest operating system of Windows XP or Windows Vista in the virtual machine to be seamlessly accessed and launched from host Windows 7 desktop as if it’s running on the end user’s local computer. Users can run programs from guest virtual machine side by side with local programs, with full ability to minimize, maximize, and resize the program window, and can easily start multiple programs at the same time.
The seamless applications integration of Windows 7 Virtual PC feature is utilizing RemoteApp technology from Terminal Services (TS). Microsoft includes RemoteApp feature into Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 to provide application backward compatibility for some programs and software utilities that can only run in Windows XP or Windows Vista.

To convenient Windows 7 users who need to instantly get started running Windows XP productivity applications, Microsoft is providing pre-configured and pre-activated Windows XP virtual machine as in Windows XP Mode. However, some users or administrators may prefer to install their own operating system into the virtual machine as guest OS. In these cases, users who want to use the seamless applications integration feature can download KB961741 or KB961742 RAIL QFE update from Microsoft to enable RemoteApp.

Note that the patch will have to installed in Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP1 or Windows Vista SP2 virtual machine running in Windows Virtual PC in Windows 7. It is is not required for Windows XP Mode image downloaded from Microsoft though, as it’s already been pre-configured.

Download RAIL QFE KB961741 for Windows Vista SP1 or above

Microsoft Download Center: Windows6.0-KB961741-x86.msu

Download RAIL QFE KB961742 for Windows XP SP3

Microsoft Download Center: KB961742-v3.exe

TechNet and MSDN: en_rail_qfe_for_windows_xp_sp3_x86_439642.exe

Via : My Digital Life

85% of Mac owners have Windows too

 

According to a study done by the NPD group, 85% of people who own a Mac, also own a Windows based PC in their home. Approximately 12% of homes in the U.S. own a Mac computer, up from 9% in 2008, and out of that 12%, approximately 85% own a Windows PC.

The study reveals that the explanation behind Mac users owning both a Mac computer and a Windows PC is that they tend to own more computers. According to the NPD group study, 66% of Mac households have three or more computers, compared to only 29% of Windows households.

The study also showed that 36% of Mac households have an income greater than $100,000, compared to only 21% of Windows households. Mac users also own more laptops than Windows users, with 72% of Mac users owning a laptop, compared to only 50% of the Windows PC households.

Mac users also tend to own more electronics, 63% own electronics such as iPods and 50% own some kind of electronic navigation system, compared to 36% of Windows PC owners have iPods and 30% own a GPS. The average Mac household owns approximately 48 consumer electronic devices, compared with an average of 24 in computer-owning households.

Via : neowin.net

PrimoPDF 5.0.0.19

 

PrimoPDF is the web's #1 free software for creating 100% industry-standard PDF files. Simple to use and free of annoying ads, converting files to PDF has never been easier!

Convert to PDF from any application by simply 'printing' to the PrimoPDF® printer - it couldn't be easier! Within minutes, you can create high-quality PDFs by converting from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and virtually any other program you can print from.

• FREE PDF Converter - not a trial version.
• Print to PDF from virtually any application.
• Create PDF output optimized for print, screen, eBook, or prepress.
• No annoying pop-up ads, no registration requirement - no catch!
• High-quality, easy to use PDF creator for all users.
• Secure PDFs with 40-/128-bit encryption.
• Add document information.

Screenshots :

 

Technical Description :

Title : PrimoPDF 5.0.0.19

Filename : FreewarePrimoSetup.exe

File size : 7.39MB (7,744,371 bytes)

Requirements : Windows 9x / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / Windows7

Languages : en-US

License : Freeware

Author : activePDF

Homepage

Download it Here

How to Pin Show Desktop Option to Windows 7 Taskbar

 

Windows 7 has got revamped taskbar also known as superbar. Windows 7 taskbar has number of excellent features like Jumplist, Thumbnail preview, Aero peak, etc. another interesting thing about windows 7 taskbar is show desktop button at extreme right of taskbar.

When you click on Show desktop button of windows 7 taskbar all opened windows will get minimized and desktop will presented to you. But if you are looking for way to pin Show desktop on taskbar then here is excellent utility “show desktop”.

What is Show Desktop?

Show Desktop is a small software that minimizes all open windows to display the desktop. Show Desktop was created for Windows 7 but also works as a replacement for Windows Show Desktop icon in the taskbar on Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

Show Desktop Pinned on Windows 7 Taskbar

Works with : Windows 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7 (Works on both 32-bit & 64-bit operating systems).

Download it Here

How to Pin Show Desktop Option to Windows 7 Taskbar

 

Windows 7 has got revamped taskbar also known as superbar. Windows 7 taskbar has number of excellent features like Jumplist, Thumbnail preview, Aero peak, etc. another interesting thing about windows 7 taskbar is show desktop button at extreme right of taskbar.

When you click on Show desktop button of windows 7 taskbar all opened windows will get minimized and desktop will presented to you. But if you are looking for way to pin Show desktop on taskbar then here is excellent utility “show desktop”.

What is Show Desktop?

Show Desktop is a small software that minimizes all open windows to display the desktop. Show Desktop was created for Windows 7 but also works as a replacement for Windows Show Desktop icon in the taskbar on Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

 

Show Desktop Pinned on Windows 7 Taskbar

Works with : Windows 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7 (Works on both 32-bit & 64-bit operating systems).

Download it Here

Amazon confirms international launch for Kindle

 

News reported by BBC Technology explains the upcoming launch of the Amazon Kindle eBook reader to the UK and other worldwide markets.

Currently, the most advertised eBook reader available in the UK is the Sony Digital Book reader - available in select book stores. The addition of the Amazon Kindle to the market will provide UK eBook fanatics with more choice not only in terms of readers, but will provide the UK users with a wider range of publications to read. The Kindle store is reported to offer over two hundred thousand English Language titles to customers. "Hundreds of publishers are signed up including Penguin, Faber and Faber, and HarperCollins."

Previously only available for avid readers in the US since November 2007; according to the BBC, Amazon predicts it will have sold a million units by the end of the year. Expected as soon as October the 19th internationally, Amazon have said that the global version will run over the 3G network. Although, Amazon has not specified which networks will provide coverage for the device. Using the 3G network internationally was born out of difficulties with making the Kindle's wireless download system work in Europe. This, according to the BBC will mean that Kindle owners out of a 3G signal area will have to transfer content onto their Kindle through a more traditional USB cable.

"We have millions of customers in countries all over the world who read English-language books. Kindle enables these customers to think of a book and download it in less than 60 seconds," said Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Neowin have previously reported how Apple's up and coming Tablet have made publishers of magazines and newspapers concerned, Amazon have also entered this market. In May this year, they announced a new generation of the device, the Kindle DX - aimed at the reading of newspapers, magazines and documents.

The European version of the Kindle began to ship on October 19th and will have a $279 (£175) price tag - a massive saving of $87.42 (£54.99) compared to the price of the Sony Digital Book Reader.

Via : neowin.net

Ubuntu 9.10 due on October 29

 

A new version of one of the most popular Linux distributions, Ubuntu, is due in less than a month's time. The final stable version of Ubuntu 9.10 will be released on 29 October, according to their website. However, a beta for version 9.10 is available for those interested.

The new version features several changes, one of which is the use of the faster ext4 file system by default for new installations (although existing file systems will not be upgraded). In addition, the latest version of GNOME, version 2.28, is included with the beta. The "look and feel" of booting the system has also been improved.

GRUB 2 is now the default bootloader, however it does lack support for a few things such as password support. You can find the main improvements in Ubuntu 9.10 here. Naturally there are some issues with the beta, which you can find at the bottom of that page.

Whilst new versions are not usually special, the switch to the ext4 file system is a major step forward for Ubuntu's aim to have a ten second boot time for 2010's release, as the file system offers improved performance compared to its predecessor.

For those who want a look before the final release on 29 October, the beta can be downloaded through the usual ways from here, however the beta is recommended for testing purposes only, and, of course, always make a full backup if you do use it.

Via : neowin.net

Fences 1.0 released

 

The much anticipation version 1.0 of the popular desktop organization app Fences, has been released today. Fences helps you reduce and eliminate the clutter of icons on the desktop by creating "fences" of icons. Users can draw shaded areas on the desktop and apply labels to them, which then become containers for your icons. These containers can be organized and customized by adjusting the shape and placing these Fences wherever you like on the desktop.

Getting a completely clean desktop is easy, as a simple double-click will hide all the icons and their Fences on the desktop. Of course, you can exclude specific icons from being hidden just in case you always like to see your recycle bin or other desktop icons.

Screenshot :

Homepage

Download it here

Thousands of Hotmail passwords leaked online

 

Neowin has received information regarding a possible Windows Live Hotmail "hack" or phishing scheme where password details of thousands of Hotmail accounts have been posted online.

An anonymous user posted details of the accounts on October 1 at pastebin.com, a site commonly used by developers to share code snippets. The details have since been removed but Neowin has seen part of the list posted and can confirm the accounts are genuine and most appear to be based in Europe. The list details over 10,000 accounts starting from A through to B, suggesting there could be additional lists. Currently it appears only accounts used to access Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail have been posted, this includes @hotmail.com, @msn.com and @live.com accounts.

Neowin has reported this immediately to Microsoft's Security Response Center and to Microsoft's PR teams in the UK and US and we are currently awaiting feedback on the situation. As this is a breaking story please check back frequently as the story will be updated as soon as more information becomes available.

If you are a Windows Live Hotmail user Neowin recommends that you change your password and security question immediately.
Thanks to Chris for the news tip

Update: According to BBC News, Microsoft is currently "investigating the situation and will take appropriate steps as rapidly as possible."

Update 2: Microsoft has now fully confirmed our reports. According to a Microsoft spokesperson "over the weekend Microsoft learned that several thousand Windows Live Hotmail customer's credentials were exposed on a third-party site due to a likely phishing scheme.

Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers. As part of that investigation, we determined that this was not a breach of internal Microsoft data and initiated our standard process of working to help customers regain control of their accounts."

Via : neowin.net

Distribution Release: SystemRescueCd 1.3.1

 

About SystemRescueCD

SystemRescueCd is a Linux system on a bootable CD-ROM for repairing your system and your data after a crash. It also aims to provide an easy way to carry out admin tasks on your computer, such as creating and editing the partitions of the hard disk. It contains many of system utilities (parted, partimage, fstools, ...) and basic ones (editors, Midnight Commander, network tools). It aims to be very easy to use: just boot from the CD-ROM, and you can do everything. The kernel of the system supports most important file systems (ext2/ext3, ReiserFS, XFS, JFS, VFAT, NTFS, ISO9660), and network ones (Samba and NFS). SystemRescueCd is based on the Gentoo Live CD.

SystemRescueCd 1.3.1

François Dupoux has announced the release of SystemRescueCd 1.3.1, an updated version of the specialist, Gentoo-based live CD designed for data rescue and disk partitioning tasks. New in this release: "Updated the standard kernels to Linux 2.6.31.1; updated the alternative kernels to Linux 2.6.27.35; updated NTFS-3G to version 2009.4.4 AR19 (NTFS-3G advanced release); updated the Memtest86+ floppy disk image to 4.00 ('memtestp' boot entry); updated Partimage to 0.6.8 (SSL can now be disabled at runtime); updated GDisk to 0.5.0 (GDisk is a GPT partition table manipulator); FSArchiver to 0.6.1 (crypto is now based on libgcrypt); replaced TightVNC with TigerVNC 1.0.0 and fixed the VNC server configuration; fixed DNS in the initramfs (required to boot from a URL using a hostname); added IOzone 3.242 (file system benchmarking program)."

Here is the complete changelog.

Download (SHA256): systemrescuecd-x86-1.3.1.iso (237MB).

Apple Sues Someone Because Their Logo Looks Like Fruit

 

As part of a legal maneuver worthy of Monster Cable, Apple has set its lawyers on Australia's largest supermarket chain because their new logo is (they say) a tad too similar to their own.

Exhibit A, Woolworths newly redesigned logo, is on the left. Apple's iconic apple logo is on the right. Not that similar at all, but the real issue, at least with Apple, is probably that Woolworths might expand its retail business into electronics and somehow threaten that lucrative iPod business.

"While we can't rule [computers, musical players, or other devices] out, we haven't got any plans at the moment," said a Woolworths spokesman in a statement to AppleInsider.

To Apple's credit, they've moved up from suing school systems to supermarket megachains. Bigger fish, and all that.

Via : GIZMODO

Dell adds dual-core SU4100 CPU, other options to Inspiron 11z

 

Dell's 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z just went on sale last month, and already the outfit is opening up the options for those not entirely pleased with the single $399 model. Starting today, a $479 configuration is available to ship with a 250GB HDD and Vista Home Premium (with a Windows 7 upgrade, of course), and if that's still not enough, prospective customers can soon select their 11z in a variety of colors. We're talking Alpine White, Ice Blue, Jade Green, New Cherry Red, Passion Purple and Promise Pink, with the latter contributing $5 to breast cancer research. As for optional hardware upgrades, you can slot a dual-core Pentium SU1400 CPU in there alongside 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. As of this very moment, Dell has yet to open up the CTO doors, but we're guessing an admin is on that as we speak. Right, Dell?

Via : myDELLMINI

Postpone Windows Restart after Windows Update with Postpone Restart

 

In past we wrote a guide to disable Windows update restart alert message today we are here with small utility Postpone Restart 1.0 which automatically postpones rebooting of your system after performing an Windows update.

Postpone Restart will automatically press the Postpone button for you, When you no longer need to postpone the reboot process, you will simply need to exit Postpone Restart and you the popup window will appear again.

Postpone Restart – Postpones Windows Restart After Updates

 

Download Postpone Restart here

Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit and 64-bit ISO Direct Download Links

 

Microsoft has made available free download of Windows 7 Enterprise edition for interested corporate and business customers as trial evaluation software. Windows 7 Enterprise free download has pre-installed product key which lasts for 90 days (3 months) after activated. Activation has to be done within 10 days or else the computer will shut down hourly.

Do note that Windows 7 Enterprise edition can only be activated via activation methods available for volume licensing channel methods that available for volume licensing channel, such as KMS host (Key Management Server) or MAK (Multiple Activation Key).

Note that officially, users who want to continue using Windows 7 Enterprise after its trial period expires will need to perform a clean install after acquiring a legit license for the OS. However, in actual, the usage of Windows 7 Enterprise can be easily extended or converted to production version by entering the new genuine full-version product key to perform new activation against Microsoft’s MAK server or corporate’s KMS host.

Windows 7 Enterprise can be downloaded with the following direct download links:

32-bit Windows 7 Enterprise

English: 7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENEVAL_EN_DVD.iso

English (File Transfer Manager): 7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENEVAL_EN_DVD.iso

64-bit Windows 7 Enterprise

English: 7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENXEVAL_EN_DVD.iso

English (File Transfer Manager): 7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENXEVAL_EN_DVD.iso

Via : My Digital Life

Can Linux beat the bloat

 

Linus Torvalds shocked the crowd (well, the group) at LinuxCon this week with three words.

“Linux is bloated.” He added it’s even gotten “huge and scary.”

(This fat penguin, by Squiggums at DeviantArt, can likely be licensed by the Linux Foundation for a reasonable fee. Just change the fish in the thought bubble to a Microsoft Windows logo.)

Part of the problem here may be just how close Linus himself is to the project. He was there at the beginning, and here he is with something bigger than any conglomerate’s Unix ever got. The whole world depends on Linux — servers, clients, phones. That’s got to weigh on a person.

Or it could be nostalgia. I get this way some days driving around Atlanta. I remember when that mall was an empty lot, I see the store where that skyscraper now stands. I remember when the Peachtree Road Race course had just a half-dozen skyscrapers on it, before Elton John and Jane Fonda and the Olympics, back in the 20th century.

Imagine if Bill Gates managed the original Windows project 25 years ago and were still managing that architecture today, with every fix or improvement coming personally past his desk. I get tired just thinking about it.

On the other hand, maybe Linus is right. He’s the doctor. Maybe it’s impossible to build something that works on any machine, that works clean, that’s scrubbed regularly for bugs, that has enormous amounts of functionality, and doesn’t get bloated. A modular architecture can only get you so far.

Now it’s true that, as our Matt Asay notes, there’s Linux and then there’s Linux. The Linux that loads onto a Moblin phone bears little resemblance to, say, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. What they have in common is compatibility, a common way of looking at the world, so they can work seamlessly together.

As Linus’ personal blog notes, he does take vacations and has a good, happy family life. But has he thought of, like, a sabbatical? Take six months off and chill, do something else, travel, really get away from it for a while? This project is too big to depend on one man at the center — maybe that’s the problem.

So I want to hear from the real Linux geeks out there. Is Linux bloated? Are there things that can be done, from an architectural or development standpoint, to make it less bloated?

Linus sounds tired. Why don’t you be the boss for a while?

Via : ZDNet

Can a Windows geek love Snow Leopard?

 

In the interests of science, I’ve been dividing my time lately between a Mac running Snow Leopard and a PC running Windows 7. My goal is to gain hands-on experience with Apple’s hardware and software to go with the years of experience I already have with Windows. With a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms, I can respond rationally when OS-related food fights break out in the Talkback section below. (If you’ve spent any time in the Talkbacks, you know it doesn’t take much to set off either side. And yes, I have a Linux box here, too, but this month I’m all about the Mac. Thanks for understanding.)

Just getting set up so I can do my daily work on an alien platform has been an interesting challenge. I do my job at a desk, not in a coffee shop or on the road, so I prefer a desktop PC with as much screen real estate as possible. To that end, I’ve connected the Mac to a 24-inch display running at a resolution of 1920 x 1200. I’d prefer dual monitors, but the Intel GMA950 graphics on the Mac Mini aren’t up to the challenge.

The Snow Leopard upgrade was uneventful; it took about an hour, and nothing appeared to break. After it finished, I used Boot Camp to partition the system drive and install Windows 7 Home Premium so I can compare common tasks on Windows 7 and Snow Leopard using absolutely identical hardware. (For the record, both systems perform very well—no complaints.)

And now the fun part: assembling a suite of software to help me handle daily work. With one exception, I was able to find everything I needed. Here’s the list, broken down by category.

Default web browser

I tried Safari 4.0 and absolutely hated it. It’s painfully slow, and the deal-breaker for me was its far-from-perfect integration with LastPass. Firefox 3.5 is much faster, familiar, and works with the same set of extensions I use on the PC. An easy choice.

News reader

My favorite on Windows is FeedDemon. Fortunately, it has a superb counterpart on the Mac in NetNewsWire. Both use Google Reader as their back end for syncing, so I can mark a post read in one place and have the changes synced to the other. Serendipitously, NewsGator released major updates to both programs today. Excellent!

Business productivity

I have a copy of Office 2008 for Mac, Home and Student Edition. It has the programs I need (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Entourage), but the license (PDF) specifically prohibits “use in any commercial, non-profit or revenue-generating business activities.” I have no ethical qualms using this edition for short-term evaluation purposes but will need to replace it with a copy of Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition eventually. That will cost about $200.

Blog post editor

Oh dear, this one is going to be troublesome. Microsoft’s Windows Live Writer is so good that not much can compete with it on any platform, especially at the price (free). I’m using 30-day trial versions of two Mac alternatives, MarsEdit and Blogo, which cost $30 and $25 respectively, and can’t say I’m bowled over with either one. Any other suggestions?

E-mail/contacts/calendar

All of my e-mail, contacts, and appointments are managed via Microsoft Exchange using a hosted account at MailStreet.com; I’ve been a Mailstreet client for several years now and am generally happy. When I heard that Snow Leopard offered built-in support for Exchange, I thought, “Great!” Sadly, the support extends only to servers running Exchange 2007 with the latest service pack. My account is on a server that’s still running Exchange 2003, so Apple’s mail client isn’t an option. (Neither is IMAP, which brings its own hassles.) I could move my hosted account to another server running the more recent Exchange version, but it would cost more and be a significant hassle, so for the time being I’m using Entourage, which is included with Office for the Mac. Oddly, the specs for Home and Student edition say it lacks Exchange support, but I had no trouble hooking up to my mailbox. It’s a serviceable replacement for Outlook, and I’m hoping to adjust to the alternate interface sooner rather than later.

Twitter client

As an Adobe AIR app, TweetDeck works identically on PC and Mac, making it an easy choice. Oddly, my TweetDeck account doesn’t seem to be syncing columns across platforms, nor did it pick up several preferences.

Music and media

OS X includes iTunes 9. That’s fine for playing MP3s and AAC-formatted files, which together represent about half my media collection. Unfortunately, iTunes on the Mac absolutely refuses to do anything with tracks ripped in WMA format, which constitute the other half of my collection (many of them in WMA Lossless format). Converting all those tracks to alternate formats would take several days and isn’t an option, so for now I’m using VLC. It’s a perfectly adequate bare-bones playback program but a terrible library manager. Unfortunately, several hours of searching haven’t turned up anything better. Songbird is a well-meaning mess that barfs up error messages when it tries to play a WMA track. Amarok is unsupported and officially listed as “unstable.” Flip4Mac adds WMA support to the QuickTime Player but does nothing to make library management easy. So I’m still looking.

Remote access

This is an interesting category. I’m spoiled by the superb Remote Desktop feature in Windows, which offers excellent performance across the board. When I use the Remote Desktop client to connect to another Windows machine over my network, the experience is the same as if I were sitting in front of it. There’s an open-source Remote Desktop client for OS X called CORD, which does a good job of connecting to my Windows machines. But I haven’t found any acceptable way to make a remote connection in the opposite direction. The only option I’ve found to connect remotely to this Mac is with VNC. That’s fine in a pinch but is painful for more than a few minutes’ work.

Photos and video

I don’t especially like iPhoto, but it gets the job done. On the other hand, iMovie is excellent and sets a very high bar for the new Windows Movie Maker.

And that’s the list. Anyone else gone through the same exercise? What software choices did you make?

Oh, and fittingly, I wrote half this post on the Mac and finished it on Windows.

Via : blogs.zdnet.com

GPU-Accelerated flash player in the works

 

NVIDIA has been teasing the tech world with demonstrations of a gpu-accelerated flash player for a little while now, and has kept any media coverage at bay in preparation for a public announcement by the company on October 5.

However, NVIDIA's media request has fallen of deaf ears with German technology site notebookjournal.de. They released footage on YouTube of NVIDIA's Igor Stanek demonstrating an internal build of Adobe's Flash Player with GPU acceleration.

Quick to react, the YouTube footage has since been taken offline, but not before thousands of viewers got to take a look. The video compared a flash trailer of the film Star Trek at 720p resolution with two systems: an Atom notebook with integrated Intel graphics and an Ion notebook with GeForce 9400M graphics. To put it simply, the results were amazing and felt like a look into the future of GPUs.

Flash acceleration is supported on many of NVIDIA's chips, so nearly all NVIDIA card owners should be able to take advantage. Rumors also suggest that upcoming smartphones and Microsoft's ZuneHD will be even able to take advantage of the technology.

Via : neowin.net

Online overtakes TV advertising in the UK

 

Online advertising has overtaken TV advertising in the UK for the first time, with a record £1.75 billion spent on advertising in the first six months of 2009. Internet advertising in the UK now accounts for 23.5% of advertising expenditure, compared to just 21.9% for TV.

For comparison, when the Internet Advertising Bureau first measured online advertising in 1998, just £19.4 million was spent on advertising online.

Lindsey Clay, marketing director at UK TV marketing body, Thinkbox said the measurement is unfair, "It is interesting but meaningless to sweep all the money spent on every aspect of online marketing into one big figure and celebrate it. Online marketing spend is made up of many things, including email, classified ads, display ads (including online TV advertising) and, overwhelmingly, search marketing. They should be judged individually."

Chief executive of the IAB, Guy Phillipson, reckons there is still significant growth potential left in online advertising.

"We could absolutely see it grow to being a 30% medium [of share of ad spend], to go past £4bn to even £5bn annually," he said. "Online display advertising has plenty of room for growth."

Denmark was the first country to see Internet advertising expenditure exceed TV, although the UK is the first major economy to do so.

Via : neowin.net

Pioneer to release first 12x Blu-ray Disc burner

 

Pioneer has nabbed victory in being the first company to manufacture a 12x Blu-ray writer for single and dual-layer media. The current generation of Blu-ray burners holds a maximum write speed of 8x, making the new release quite a performance boost.

In addition to cutting burn times, Pioneer claims that the new BDR-205 burner has been designed with a low vibration mechanism that will improve writing accuracy over the current generation of burners.

The burner will also be able to read and write DVD media at 16x and CD media at 40x.

Pioneer has long been at the forefront of optical media research and design, introducing its Laserdisc products in 1980, the first DVD writer and home DVD recorder in the late 1990s, and the first DVD/CD burner and Blu-ray Disc burner earlier this century.

Pioneer's latest creation comes on the heels of an NPD investigation into the market for Blu-ray players. In this investigation, NPD compared the types of consumers owning and buying Blu-ray Disc players in February 2008 with consumers in August 2009. Their findings showed a maturing market, which will finally penetrate the mainstream in 2010, after years on the sidelines.

The BDR-205 will go on sale this month. It's retail cousin, the BDR-2205, is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2010 and is expected to have a recommended price of $US249.

Via : neowin.net

Freeware : AVG Free Edition 9.0.686

 

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is trusted antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows available to download for free. In addition, the new included LinkScanner® Active Surf-Shield checks web pages for threats at the only time that matters – when you're about to click that link.

AVG Anti-Virus Free has these following features:

• Award-winning antivirus and antispyware
• Real-time safe internet surfing and searching
• Quality proven by 80 million of users
• Easy to download, install and use
• Protection against viruses and spyware
• Compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is only available for single computer use for home and non commercial use.

 

Screenshot :

Technical Description :

Title : AVG Free Edition 9.0.686

Filename : avg_free_stf_en_90_686a1719.exe

File size : 71.24MB (74,698,320 bytes)

Requirements : Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7/XP 64/Vista 64/Windows7 64

License : Freeware

Author : Grisoft Inc.

 

Homepage

Download

HOW TO: set up your Outlook 2003 client to work with IMAP Gmail

To set up your Outlook 2003 client to work with Gmail:

1. Enable IMAP in Gmail. Don't forget to click Save Changes when you're done.
2. Open Outlook.
3. Click the Tools menu, and select E-mail Accounts...
4. Click Add a new e-mail account, then click Next.
5. Choose IMAP as your server type by clicking the radio button, and click Next.
6. Fill in all necessary fields to include the following information:

   User Information
   Your Name: Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the From: field of outgoing messages.
   Email Address: Enter your full email address (username@gmail.com). Google Apps users, enter your address in the format username@your_domain.com

   Server Information
   Incoming mail server (IMAP): imap.gmail.com
   Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com

   Login Information
   User Name: Enter your full email address (including @gmail.com or @your_domain.com)
   Password: Enter your Gmail password.

   

7. Click More Settings... and then click the Outgoing Server tab.
8. Check the box next to 'My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication' and select Use same settings as my incoming mail server.

   

9. Click the Advanced tab, and check the box next to 'This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL)' under Incoming Server (IMAP).

   

10. Check the box next to 'This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL)' under Outgoing Server (SMTP), and enter 465 in the Outgoing server (SMTP) box.
11. Click OK.
12. Click Test Account Settings... After receiving the message 'Congratulations! All tests completed successfully', click Close.
13. Click Next, and then click Finish.
14. Download the latest updates for Outlook from Microsoft. This will help prevent the most common Outlook errors that Gmail users see.
15. Check our recommended client settings, and adjust your client's settings as needed.

 

 

 

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=77661

Modern Man

 

Be sure to click and see the video or click here to view it on youtube

 

 

"I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond!

I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.

Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin the wave, dodgin the bullet and pushin the envelope. I’m on-point, on-task, on-message and off drugs. I’ve got no need for coke and speed. I've got no urge to binge and purge. I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge, over-the-top and under-the-radar. A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary. A street-wise smart bomb. A top-gun bottom feeder. I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps and run victory laps. I’m a totally ongoing big-foot, slam-dunk, rainmaker with a pro-active outreach. A raging workaholic. A working rageaholic. Out of rehab and in denial!

I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant and a personal agenda. You can’t shut me up. You can’t dumb me down because I’m tireless and I’m wireless, I’m an alpha male on beta-blockers.

I’m a non-believer and an over-achiever, laid-back but fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home, low-rent, high-maintenance. Super-sized, long-lasting, high-definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built-to-last! I’m a hands-on, foot-loose, knee-jerk head case pretty maturely post-traumatic and I’ve got a love-child that sends me hate mail.

But, I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing-- a supportive, bonding, nurturing primary care-giver. My output is down, but my income is up. I took a short position on the long bond and my revenue stream has its own cash-flow. I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy junk bonds and I watch trash sports! I’m gender specific, capital intensive, user-friendly and lactose intolerant.

I like rough sex. I like tough love. I use the “F” word in my emails and the software on my hard-drive is hardcore--no soft porn.

I bought a microwave at a mini-mall; I bought a mini-van at a mega-store. I eat fast-food in the slow lane. I’m toll-free, bite-sized, ready-to-wear and I come in all sizes. A fully-equipped, factory-authorized, hospital-tested, clinically-proven, scientifically- formulated medical miracle. I’ve been pre-wash, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged, post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped, vacuum-packed and, I have an unlimited broadband capacity.

I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean! Cocked, locked and ready-to-rock. Rough, tough and hard to bluff. I take it slow, I go with the flow, I ride with the tide. I’ve got glide in my stride. Drivin and movin, sailin and spinin, jiving and groovin, wailin and winnin. I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty and lunch time is crunch time. I’m hangin in, there ain’t no doubt and I’m hangin tough, over and out!"

~George Carlin, a comedic genius and poet extraodinaire

Development Release: Ubuntu 9.10 Beta

About Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a complete desktop Linux operating system, freely available with both community and professional support. The Ubuntu community is built on the ideas enshrined in the Ubuntu Manifesto: that software should be available free of charge, that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any disabilities, and that people should have the freedom to customize and alter their software in whatever way they see fit. "Ubuntu" is an ancient African word, meaning "humanity to others". The Ubuntu distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.

 

NEW • Development Release: Ubuntu 9.10 Beta

Steve Langasek has announced the availability of the beta release of Ubuntu 9.10: "The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce the beta release of Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop and Server editions, and the Ubuntu Netbook Remix. Code-named 'Karmic Koala', 9.10 continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop edition improves on the work of 9.04 to get you going faster, with improved start-up times and a streamlined boot experience. Ubuntu 9.10 Server edition integrates Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud setup in the installer and provides improvements to system security with AppArmor."

Read the release announcement and release notes for more information.

Download (SHA256): ubuntu-9.10-beta-desktop-i386.iso (697MB, torrent),

ubuntu-9.10-beta-desktop-amd64.iso (699MB, torrent).

Also released today were 9.10 beta CD images for Kubuntu (release notes and download links),

Xubuntu (release notes, download),

Ubuntu Studio (download) and

Mythbuntu (download).

Screenshot :

Microsoft releases XP Mode virtualization to manufacturing

 

Microsoft has released Windows XP Mode to manufacturing on October 1, company officials said, and it will be generally available on Microsoft.com on October 22, the launch day for Windows 7.

XP Mode is a Microsoft virtualization technology aimed primarily at small/mid-size business users (SMBs), and is designed to allow them to run legacy Windows XP applications on Windows 7.

Microsoft made a near-final release candidate build of XP Mode available to testers in August.

The final version of XP Mode will be available to Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate users. It will be downloadable from the Microsoft Web site and also available directly from certain PC makers “based on their manufacturing cycle,” according to a Microsoft spokesperson.

Windows 7 users don’t have to have a Software Assurance license from Microsoft in order to get XP Mode. Microsoft is positioning XP Mode as a “last-mile compatibility solution” that is designed for use when Microsoft’s Application Compatibility Toolkit and other means don’t result in older apps working on Windows 7.

Screenshot :

Via : ZDNet

Update: Microsoft Security Essentials final version released

 

Finally, after a year-long development phase, Microsoft Security Essentials has been publicly released. If you can't wait to get your hands on Microsoft's latest security software, you don't need to wait any longer.

Microsoft recently confirmed the final version would be made available "in the coming weeks" but has taken the wraps off the final edition today. The final build number is 1.0.1611.0.

Security Essentials is designed to work on Windows XP, Vista and 7 and protects end users against virus threats and spy ware. MSE is Microsoft's free anti-virus and anti-spyware product that is set to replace Microsoft's paid Windows Live OneCare subscription service which was withdrawn earlier this year. Neowin exclusively revealed Security Essentials in June when it was codenamed "Morro".

In June, a public-beta was offered, and the download limit was reached within 24 hours. It will be absolutely free for all users of Windows XP, Vista and 7, and distributed in both 32bit and 64bit flavors — as long as you have a genuine copy of Windows. Microsoft will not bundle it with Windows 7, though, when it's released on October 22nd, 2009.

"Consumers have told us that they want the protection of real-time security software but we know that too many are either unwilling or unable to pay for it, and so end up unprotected," said Amy Barzdukas, general manager for consumer security at Microsoft. "With Microsoft Security Essentials, consumers can get high-quality protection that is easy to get and easy to use – and it won't get in their way."

MSE is likely to be targeted to compete with the low end of anti-virus products from other providers, and it is not expected to make a big impact on sales of full-blown security suites. MSE is designed for home use. It requires no registration, trials or renewals and is available for download directly from Microsoft. Most users are expected to be home users or small businesses with a only a small amount of managed PCs. In a statement earlier this year, Janice Chaffin, president of Symantec's Consumer Division claimed: "Microsoft's free product is basically a stripped down version of the OneCare product Microsoft pulled from the shelves. A full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected."

Security Essentials ranked fourth in a test with other leading free malware protection. If you are interested in MSE you can read an informative early review by Paul Thurott here.

 

Screenshots :

Download: Windows XP (32 bit)
Download: Windows Vista & Windows 7 (32 bit)
Download: Windows Vista & Windows 7 (64 bit)