In January of this year, Apple Computers announced the release of an all in one touchscreen computer, the iMac Touch.
Their new touchscreen computer, the iMac Touch, will feature an advanced swiveling design which allows it to operate with OS/X in desktop mode, and switch to iOS for mutli-touch enabled features when tilted.
While the iMac Touch will not be portable, Apple is also preparing for a MacBook Tablet release with similar design features: OS/X in normal operating mode, iOS when converted to tablet mode.
Both devices make use of Apple's new "Transitioning Between Modes of Input" patent, published in 2010 under number 006210 A1.
More details and sketches of the devices...
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
How Safe are Public Internet Connections? (Internet Cafe, Coffee Shop, local Library)
As the Internet expands into every sector of our lives, we find ourselves connecting in more places than ever before. Internet cafes, coffee shops, the mall, even the local library now have public hotspots.
But can we blindly trust that these public wifi connections are always secure enough for our personal information? According to one source, the answer is: probably not.
So what's the solution? Microsoft's basic tips for public hotspot security include using a firewall, file encryption, avoiding typing in sensitive information (finance, etc), and turning off your wireless network while not in use.
More advanced public hotspot security tips include using a secure proxy and or a secure tunneling service (VPN, SSH - click here for a free example).
But can we blindly trust that these public wifi connections are always secure enough for our personal information? According to one source, the answer is: probably not.
So what's the solution? Microsoft's basic tips for public hotspot security include using a firewall, file encryption, avoiding typing in sensitive information (finance, etc), and turning off your wireless network while not in use.
More advanced public hotspot security tips include using a secure proxy and or a secure tunneling service (VPN, SSH - click here for a free example).
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Independent 'Stars of Youtube' Earn Good Living Discussing Interests
Internet use has exploded in the last 10 years, becoming an exhibition for endless human creativity. Self publishing is perhaps the greatest invention of man kind to date, and more than a few of us have taken advantage.
Enter the 'stars of Youtube'. These video sharing savvy online entrepreneurs realized the medium's potential early on and are now earning substantially from their efforts.
They come from all walks of life and talk about whatever they want. The variety alone is incredible: beauty, DIY, fiction, health, humor, news, politics, and much, much more.
The potential is virtually endless, and the top independent Youtube stars are now earning as much as half a million dollars (500,000) annually.
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this is the fact that these Youtube stars are 'every day' people who often lived, worked, and played in normal society before their newfound fame. And their numbers increase every day.
Click here to see the most successful Independent 'Stars of Youtube'...
See more Youtube celebrities at Wikipedia...
Enter the 'stars of Youtube'. These video sharing savvy online entrepreneurs realized the medium's potential early on and are now earning substantially from their efforts.
They come from all walks of life and talk about whatever they want. The variety alone is incredible: beauty, DIY, fiction, health, humor, news, politics, and much, much more.
The potential is virtually endless, and the top independent Youtube stars are now earning as much as half a million dollars (500,000) annually.
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this is the fact that these Youtube stars are 'every day' people who often lived, worked, and played in normal society before their newfound fame. And their numbers increase every day.
Click here to see the most successful Independent 'Stars of Youtube'...
See more Youtube celebrities at Wikipedia...
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Common Sense Social Network Privacy: Never Share These 10 Things
While it is common sense that the the simple rules of social etiquette would apply on the Internet, the number of people who violate them would astound you. And thanks to social networking websites, these violations are now more prevalent than ever. Not only do users broadcast their (very) personal lives, they openly attack people in ways they could never justify in the real world.
Therefore as a gentle reminder, here are 10 common sense things you should never share on social networks:
1. Passwords & Hints - Our first Suggestion should seem real obvious: don't post passwords on your Facebook wall. Other essential parts of modern security, however, may not be obvious. These include your secret question (and the answer), graphics from sign in seals, and other verification mechanisms. It may seem innocent, but these things can be faked by experts about as easily as typing in a password.
2. Personal Finance Information - Another obvious one. But there are many aspects: Your bank numbers (routing, accounts), card numbers, tax return info, stock portfolios, bills, anything which could be recorded and used against you by an unscrupulous party.
3. Address and Phone Number - We're on a role here. So many people are desperate for contact they often share their entire address or phone number on their social stream. They neglect the idea of potential stalkers, burglars, even mail and identity thieves.
4. Photos of Your Kids - As we post pictures of friends, family, vacation, and fun, we rarely think about the age of those in our pictures. Upon realizing our mistake, we might think: Nothing will happen, there are no dangers near by. Yet social networks like Facebook and Myspace are a haven for child predators. Why? World wide social databases eliminate geographical barriers.
5. Company Information - In this world of corporate espionage and contract secret agents, sharing your next big promotion on Linked In doesn't seem like all that good an idea to your employer. Sophos security says 63% of companies are afraid of what their employees share, so much so that many spend tens of thousands of dollars just to block social sites. Not to mention the quiet yet jealous employee just behind your shoulder..
6. Health Information - Another no brainer, in more ways than one. Seems obvious, but at the same time not (for some people). Those desperate enough might just help themselves to your new insurance policy via what they read on your social profile.
7. Personal Conversations and Private Life - Really. We don't want to know what you did 5 minutes ago, last night, or last week. Not multiple times a day, and in many cases not ever. What's worse, many people confuse the private messaging system with their public stream (Facebook wall, Twitter, etc) and post very private things for all to see. Serious complaints, personal issues, the works. If nothing else, just remember it's far less private than email!
8. Your Other Social Site Profile - What? That's right, the Myspace profile you created 10 years ago just might not be up to snuff versus what your potential new employer expects. Then again, complaining about work on a Twitter stream linked to from your Facebook page is the perfect way to get fired. Just read the news, you'll probably find a similar story every week.
9. Your Social Plans - Take the whole 'private conversations' concept one step further: add jealous friends, plotting enemies, and ex-lovers to your next social event and you have a perfect scenario for the next drama movie. Most major social networks have special 'invites' for social events. Send them out only to welcome parties and mention nothing else (unless you like the action).
10. Anything Else You Don't Want Public - Finally, just try to use common sense. Today's Internet is not private, unless you really know what you're doing (hint: most of us don't). Expect that anything you write, record, or photographic can and will be shared with everyone in the world! If you don't want other people to know about it - don't share it (and yes, that may include a simple message to just one person)!
Therefore as a gentle reminder, here are 10 common sense things you should never share on social networks:
1. Passwords & Hints - Our first Suggestion should seem real obvious: don't post passwords on your Facebook wall. Other essential parts of modern security, however, may not be obvious. These include your secret question (and the answer), graphics from sign in seals, and other verification mechanisms. It may seem innocent, but these things can be faked by experts about as easily as typing in a password.
2. Personal Finance Information - Another obvious one. But there are many aspects: Your bank numbers (routing, accounts), card numbers, tax return info, stock portfolios, bills, anything which could be recorded and used against you by an unscrupulous party.
3. Address and Phone Number - We're on a role here. So many people are desperate for contact they often share their entire address or phone number on their social stream. They neglect the idea of potential stalkers, burglars, even mail and identity thieves.
4. Photos of Your Kids - As we post pictures of friends, family, vacation, and fun, we rarely think about the age of those in our pictures. Upon realizing our mistake, we might think: Nothing will happen, there are no dangers near by. Yet social networks like Facebook and Myspace are a haven for child predators. Why? World wide social databases eliminate geographical barriers.
5. Company Information - In this world of corporate espionage and contract secret agents, sharing your next big promotion on Linked In doesn't seem like all that good an idea to your employer. Sophos security says 63% of companies are afraid of what their employees share, so much so that many spend tens of thousands of dollars just to block social sites. Not to mention the quiet yet jealous employee just behind your shoulder..
6. Health Information - Another no brainer, in more ways than one. Seems obvious, but at the same time not (for some people). Those desperate enough might just help themselves to your new insurance policy via what they read on your social profile.
7. Personal Conversations and Private Life - Really. We don't want to know what you did 5 minutes ago, last night, or last week. Not multiple times a day, and in many cases not ever. What's worse, many people confuse the private messaging system with their public stream (Facebook wall, Twitter, etc) and post very private things for all to see. Serious complaints, personal issues, the works. If nothing else, just remember it's far less private than email!
8. Your Other Social Site Profile - What? That's right, the Myspace profile you created 10 years ago just might not be up to snuff versus what your potential new employer expects. Then again, complaining about work on a Twitter stream linked to from your Facebook page is the perfect way to get fired. Just read the news, you'll probably find a similar story every week.
9. Your Social Plans - Take the whole 'private conversations' concept one step further: add jealous friends, plotting enemies, and ex-lovers to your next social event and you have a perfect scenario for the next drama movie. Most major social networks have special 'invites' for social events. Send them out only to welcome parties and mention nothing else (unless you like the action).
10. Anything Else You Don't Want Public - Finally, just try to use common sense. Today's Internet is not private, unless you really know what you're doing (hint: most of us don't). Expect that anything you write, record, or photographic can and will be shared with everyone in the world! If you don't want other people to know about it - don't share it (and yes, that may include a simple message to just one person)!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Facebook Places Location Based Service: Did You 'Check In' with Your Friends?
Facebook has announced the release of their new 'Places' Location Baased Service for mobile devices. Facebook places allows friends on geolocation enabled mobile devices (phones, computers) to 'check in' with each other when they reach a destination.
For instance, if you're at a local salad & juice bar, checking in will allow your friends to see you're present. Facebook Places privacy control let's you set who sees it and for how long.
Perhaps one of the neatest features of Facebook Places is the 'People Here Now' section. When you arrive at a destination, 'People Here Now' shows which of your Facebook friends are there (if they have 'checked in'). So not only can you talk to real world friends, you can meet your other Facebook contacts for the first time. This too, can be controlled with the privacy control settings.
But Facebook's new location based service is not without substantial controversy. The biggest sticking point is, of course, privacy. While location based service may be a natural extension to Facebook users' every day activity (how often do we tell each other what we're doing, where we're at?), it does leave a highly detailed activity log of our activities. This isn't just bad for burglars, but instead could have all manner of repercussions (employment, relationships, parents, cybercrime, etc).
Another big issue is advertising. Facebook isn't exactly shy when it comes to using behavior targeting advertising. And while they've known your location for some time (based on your IP), this will add to the pool of information advertisers can use to target you with.
Some have gone so far as to post instructions for disabling Facebook Places entirely. Lifehacker had this to say in their instructions for turning it off: "Facebook—yet again—has made the assumption that you want to take part in all of their privacy-eroding new features..."
Regardless where you stand on the issue, location based services on social networks are here to stay. Facebook is not the only player in town. Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp, Gowalla, Booyah, and the upcoming 'Google Me' social networks will also have these features in some form.
Read More at the Facebook Blog....
For instance, if you're at a local salad & juice bar, checking in will allow your friends to see you're present. Facebook Places privacy control let's you set who sees it and for how long.
Perhaps one of the neatest features of Facebook Places is the 'People Here Now' section. When you arrive at a destination, 'People Here Now' shows which of your Facebook friends are there (if they have 'checked in'). So not only can you talk to real world friends, you can meet your other Facebook contacts for the first time. This too, can be controlled with the privacy control settings.
But Facebook's new location based service is not without substantial controversy. The biggest sticking point is, of course, privacy. While location based service may be a natural extension to Facebook users' every day activity (how often do we tell each other what we're doing, where we're at?), it does leave a highly detailed activity log of our activities. This isn't just bad for burglars, but instead could have all manner of repercussions (employment, relationships, parents, cybercrime, etc).
Another big issue is advertising. Facebook isn't exactly shy when it comes to using behavior targeting advertising. And while they've known your location for some time (based on your IP), this will add to the pool of information advertisers can use to target you with.
Some have gone so far as to post instructions for disabling Facebook Places entirely. Lifehacker had this to say in their instructions for turning it off: "Facebook—yet again—has made the assumption that you want to take part in all of their privacy-eroding new features..."
Regardless where you stand on the issue, location based services on social networks are here to stay. Facebook is not the only player in town. Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp, Gowalla, Booyah, and the upcoming 'Google Me' social networks will also have these features in some form.
Read More at the Facebook Blog....
Monday, April 2, 2012
Report Indicates Possible Failure of Popular Antivirus Suites to Stop Exploits
A recent NSSLabs report testing antivirus suites against web exploits indicates that popular antivirus programs may provide weak protection against web exploits.
The NSSLabs report tested 10 major antivirus suites for their ability to stop 'exploits' in common web programs such as browsers, email, instant messaging, file sharing, online media players, and more.
According to NSSLabs report, these antivirus suites blocked between 29% to 91% of exploits in web programs, the best being from Trend Micro.
And as a Google News search for web exploits will show, these attacks aren't exactly uncommon. In fact, web exploits are now the leading type of attack on personal computers, taking presidence over operating system holes. For this reason, even Apple has discussed antivirus.
While Antivirus Companies have raised serious concerns regarding the experiment conditions set forth in the NSSLabs report (see responses from AMTSO, AVG, and Norton), it does bring up a good point: as hundreds and thousands of web applications go un-updated on users' personal computers, can antivirus suites be expected to account for all possibilities?
I think the clear answer is no. This means at least for the time being it is up to the end user, you, to make sure your operating system, browser, instant messenger, file share, and all other programs are the latest version. Otherwise, you just might find yourself the next victim of the Cameron Diaz virus: http://bit.ly/c6LZdX
The NSSLabs report tested 10 major antivirus suites for their ability to stop 'exploits' in common web programs such as browsers, email, instant messaging, file sharing, online media players, and more.
According to NSSLabs report, these antivirus suites blocked between 29% to 91% of exploits in web programs, the best being from Trend Micro.
And as a Google News search for web exploits will show, these attacks aren't exactly uncommon. In fact, web exploits are now the leading type of attack on personal computers, taking presidence over operating system holes. For this reason, even Apple has discussed antivirus.
While Antivirus Companies have raised serious concerns regarding the experiment conditions set forth in the NSSLabs report (see responses from AMTSO, AVG, and Norton), it does bring up a good point: as hundreds and thousands of web applications go un-updated on users' personal computers, can antivirus suites be expected to account for all possibilities?
I think the clear answer is no. This means at least for the time being it is up to the end user, you, to make sure your operating system, browser, instant messenger, file share, and all other programs are the latest version. Otherwise, you just might find yourself the next victim of the Cameron Diaz virus: http://bit.ly/c6LZdX
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Microsoft Announces Age of Empires Online Edition
Microsoft has announced release of a new edition from their Age of Empire series: Age of Empires Online. A new iteration of a classic game with a loyal fan base, it features the following:
- Classic Age of Empires Gameplay: Experience the familiar gameplay that made the franchise successful, with an updated art style and uplifting tone. Revisit the classic game elements of empire creation and resource management in a vibrant historical setting.
- Persistent Online World: An online capital city that lives and grows even when you’re offline with free-to-play experiences via Games for Windows – LIVE
- New Social Experiences: Discover new social experiences within the game, including live chat, gifting and trading of content, and cooperative multiplayer quests.
- 2 gigahertz cpu (or a Windows Experience Index score of 3.0)
- 128 MB video card
- 1 gigabyte (GB) total system RAM
- 3 GB of hard drive space
- Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
- Broadband Internet Connection
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