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Computing News | This Week
Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 10:03 Friday, 21st November 2008
Source: Computer World News
Microsoft Corp. today revamped the music subscription program offered with its Zune players to let customers keep up to 10 tracks per month, even if they later cancel the deal.
Starting immediately, people who subscribe to the $14.99-per-month Zune Pass will not only be able to listen to the library's on-demand tracks, but also be allowed to retain 10 tracks per month. Approximately 90% of the Zune Pass tracks -- that's the percentage not locked with some kind of digital rights management (DRM) technology -- will be eligible, Microsoft said.
The change, Microsoft said, was made possible by new agreements it signed with the major music labels, including EMI Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and a number of independents. Microsoft did not disclose the financial details of those agreements, however.
Those tracks selected for keeping can be burned to CDs or moved to other devices, even if the user drops the subscription to Zune Pass.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 09:59 Friday, 21st November 2008
Source: Beta News
Sony has informally announced its PlayStation Portable handheld console will be receiving another firmware upgrade, conspicuously, the announcement came on the same day as news that the "unhackable" PSP 3000 had been hacked.
October was a busy month for Sony's PlayStation Portable. In rapid succession, the US enjoyed the release of the PSP 3000, the latest chassis redesign of the handheld game system, a firmware upgrade that added wireless access to the PlayStation Store, and a slightly redesigned XrossMediaBar.
Homebrew fans and users of custom firmware found, however, that their traditional methods of obtaining kernel access did not work on the PSP 3000, blocking the use of pirated UMDs. The new console was briefly deemed "unhackable."
Yesterday, however, Datel, developers of the popular Action Replay tool, released PSP Lite Blue, a battery that enables Service Mode on the new PSP. Service Mode or Tool Mode allows custom firmware to be installed on the PSP, a feat that has previously been done with a "Pandora" battery.
The same day, Sony quickly announced that another PSP firmware upgrade was coming, to "improve system software stability during use of some features, including the PlayStation Store."
With no release date or details listing exactly what the firmware will be fixing, many users have already determined that they're not upgrading this time around.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 09:56 Friday, 21st November 2008
Source: Digitimes News
VIA Technologies company S3 Graphics has announced its next generation Chrome 500 graphics graphics processors, which can support Blu-ray playback, streaming HD video, DirectX 10.1, and OpenGL 3.0 applications on Microsoft Windows and Linux platforms.
In addition to supporting Hi-Def Blu-ray, the 500 Series supports features such as Picture-in-Picture and 8 channels of high fidelity audio with the S3 Graphics' built-in Dolby 7.1 digital surround sound processor. DirectX, OpenGL, and GPGPU applications can also be efficiently processed with programmable shader cores to speed-up 3D and non-gaming functions, VIA stated.
The S3 Graphics Chrome 500 Series also features advanced display and audio integration, incorporating DisplayPort with HDCP, HDMI with HDCP, dual-link DVI with HDCP, and dual-channel LVDS transmitters for complete connectivity to a full range of digital monitors and panels.
S3 has also incorporated its PowerWise Technology, a power control mechanism that allows Chrome 500 Series GPUs to deliver balance between performance and power.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 09:46 Thursday, 20th November 2008
Source: Beta News
A much faster USB specification is finally about to be implemented, replacing the eight-year-old USB 2.0 standard for connecting printers, mobile phones, drives, and other consumer devices.
The USB 3.0 Promoters Group this week officially confirmed a new USB specification with a maximum speed touted as ten times higher than the currently implemented USB 2.0.
First released back in the year 2000, the USB 2.0 standard for connecting mobile phones, printers, external drives, and other devices provides a top bandwidth range of 480 Mbps.
The new USB 3.0, on the other hand, is billed as supporting speeds of up to 5.0 Gbps.
Version 1 of USB 3.0 -- which carries the commercial title "SuperSpeed USB" -- has now been submitted to the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the governing body of the USB.
"Today's consumers are using rich media and large digital files that [have] to be easily and quickly transferred from and to devices and vice versa. SuperSpeed USB meets the needs of everyone from the tech-savvy executive to the average home user," contended Jeff Ravencraft, president and chairman of USB-IF, in a statement.
The faster spec is expected to start showing up in controllers late next year and in consumer devices in 2010.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 09:51 Wednesday, 19th November 2008
Source: Smashing Magazine
There are many useful Web development tools that integrate in your browser. These in-browser tools are commonly known as add-ons or extensions. Though add-ons and extensions aren’t just for Web development, many of them out there are designed specifically for Web developers. In-browser tools vary greatly in the jobs they perform; for example, some of them help you diagnose issues with CSS, HTML and JavaScript, while others evaluate the accessibility of your website.
In this article, we explore some of the most popular and useful in-browser Web development tools. You’ll find tools for popular Web browsers like Firefox and Internet Explorer. Whether you need to debug and inspect your HTML, inspect HTTP headers, access FTP source files, evaluate accessibility or just figure out what color a Web page element is, you may find a variety of tools discussed here useful.
Check them out here.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 09:46 Wednesday, 19th November 2008
Source: Beta News
Exactly one year after it re-announced the commercial subscription edition of its anti-malware service for individual Windows users, Microsoft announced it will discontinue Windows Live OneCare, replacing it with a free alternative.
The new service, which has yet to be formally named but which is being referred to by its code-name "Morro" (perhaps named after a famous Spanish fortress) is said to be constructed around the current anti-malware engine used as part of the Live OneCare service, though with a smaller footprint. The aim is to enable the new service to be used in devices with smaller memory and resources, probably including netbooks.
An explanation on the Windows Live OneCare team blog this afternoon reads, "Ultimately, we believe the decision to offer a security solution at no additional cost to consumers and phase out Windows Live OneCare is the right step to broaden PC protection and improve the Windows experience for more users around the world. Microsoft will continue to deliver on its commitment to provide consumers around the world with a world-class security solution."
There's actually a chorus of statements provided by Microsoft this afternoon, some of which refer to "no additional cost," which could lead some to wonder, "in addition to what?" But one corporate statement this afternoon specifically used the phrase "no charge to consumers;" and a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to BetaNews this afternoon that "the new consumer security solution will be broadly available at no additional cost to anyone running Windows."
In a surprising admission for a typically well-scripted Q&A, product manager Amy Barzdukas said the key reason Microsoft chose to eliminate the charge for its new anti-malware service is to increase its usefulness in emerging markets such as China -- countries where Microsoft happens to be shifting its emphasis in its efforts to find shelter from the global economic storm.
"Many of today's consumer security models are based on annual subscriptions that need a credit card to renew," writes Barzdukas. "Given that many consumers in markets like Brazil, India and China do not have access to those types of payment services, it can be difficult to secure and maintain quality malware protection. There is also the issue of limited bandwidth and the growth of locally produced malware to consider.
"Even in developed markets, there are still obstacles to maximizing protection. Free trials can confuse consumers as to whether or not their PC is secure, and procrastination when it comes to renewing a paid service can mean that consumers aren't getting the most up-to-date protection," she continues. "By offering a solution that removes these barriers, Microsoft is reaffirming its commitment to provide core anti-malware functionality to the majority of today's PC users who either don't have protection, can't afford quality protection, or don't keep it up date."
The timing of OneCare's anticipated release is interesting. While it's being slated for the second half of 2009 -- the same timeframe as Windows 7 -- Live OneCare will officially discontinue sale at the end of the day June 30. While OneCare service will presumably still be active during the interval between its official end-of-life and Morro's premiere, that interval probably shouldn't be extended too far. And Morro's premiere, one would think, would likely coincide with that of Windows 7.
It's actually somewhat difficult to get an accurate count of the number of times Windows Live OneCare "premiered" or "debuted" since first word of its existence came in the winter of 2005; despite being version 2.0 at present, Microsoft statements now say the product actually premiered in November 2007. But a post-mortem will show that the service was born in November 2005, then exited beta for the first time in May 2006. Since then, it led a somewhat unhappy life, along the way having failed some security tests, deleted Outlook users' e-mail files, mysteriously canceled users' subscriptions at random, and blocking previously validated applications from running.
Today's descriptions of Morro make no mention of firewall-like capabilities, so that will probably be a function left to Windows Firewall. Perhaps with the smaller operating footprint, Microsoft could have better luck keeping its anti-malware client in good behavior.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 21:32 Tuesday, 18th November 2008
Source: Beta News
Need a firewall freshener? Tuesday marks Check Point Software's 15th anniversary, and to celebrate, it's offering free copies of Check Point ZoneAlarm Pro 2009 to all comers.
Check Point's anniversary promotion runs from 9:00 am EST today until 9:00 am on Wednesday, and includes a one-year license for one PC running Windows XP or Vista. The company will also offer an assortment of discounts on ZoneAlarm Antivirus, ZoneAlarm Pro, and ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite.
ZoneAlarm, one of the category's more venerable titles, has evolved in recent years from a program that assumes the user is knowledgeable about potential threats to a program that can be adjusted to keep the civilians from being frightened by an overload of popups and queries from the software (let's call it "cancelorallowaphobia"). The SmartDefense Advisor is in this version able to configure proper access rights for over 2 million applications. ZoneAlarm also includes identity theft protections that keep a particular eye out for sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, and has an appealing "game mode" in which the software refrains from pestering you while you're at play.
ZoneAlarm Pro's had an interesting time of late in comparisons against other software firewalls. After a rough go of it for version 7 in the well-respected Matousec Firewall Challenge, the new 8.0.020.000 revision of the software blasted back in late September, scoring a robust 86% overall (PDF available here), which in Matousec parlance is a Very Good protection level rating. (The other two packages tested at that time, BitDefender Internet Security 2009 12.0.10.2 and McAfee Internet Security 2009 10.0.209, scored 7% and 12% respectively, which in Matousec parlance is a protection level rating of None.)
Test results for the current 8.0.020.000 version aren't currently available at the popular Test My PC Security site. The 8.0 version of the software was released in late August and normally sells for $19.95.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 21:28 Tuesday, 18th November 2008
Source: Beta News
The newest MacBooks and MacBook Pros are Apple's first devices with the Mini DisplayPort as their standard video out. But owners are discovering that display port comes with an extra added bonus, which they may not have asked for.
High definition content protection (HDCP) is being used to protect iTunes video purchases from being played on non-HDCP compliant devices.
As a result, even when using Apple's Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapters, as Engadget, among others, recently found out, a lot of content from iTunes simply will not play back, even in QuickTime or through Boot Camp.
Any attempt to play back certain content through an external monitor will return the error message: "This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected. Try disconnecting any displays that are not HDCP authorized."
Naturally, complaints in Apple's support forum have been coming in, one user began having problems just over a week ago:
"I updated my ATV the day 2.2 came out," the user wrote. "I have watched HD iTunes content fine up until 2 nights ago, when all of a sudden I started getting the HDCP error. Even shows I'd watched as early as 3 or 4 days ago are giving me the same error. Nothing has changed on my system and I've even done a factory restore and re-installed the 2.2 update. I've also switched cables, turned the ATV on/off/on/off with and without the HDMI cable connected."
HDCP has been the subject of criticism in the past, especially when Windows Vista was released, because it was not supported by the majority of PC monitors available at the time.
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Posted by: Tweaker
Date added: 22:19 Monday, 17th November 2008
Source: Beta News
After one technology initiative involving Adobe and processor manufacturer ARM was announced last April at the CTIA Wireless show, another one with much the same purpose between the same parties was announced this morning.
From a technical standpoint, there should be very few -- if any -- boundaries to the ability of Apple's current ARM-based iPhone design to run Flash video. But Apple continues to show obstinacy to the idea; and Adobe continues to follow a kind of parallel development course that could, at presumably any time, lead to Flash on the iPhone. Unlike last March, when Adobe executives stated they were committed to the idea before their PR teams redefined what they meant by "committed," today's announcement doesn't make any promises whatsoever.
The current technology agreement between Adobe and ARM (which was already ongoing) will now be targeting optimizations that will appear in new ARM11 technology due for availability in H2 2009. That "availability" may be to the companies that build with ARM processors or with processors that use licensed ARM technology, and with its iPhone 3G, Apple is now one of them. But that could push public availability of this optimization capability to 2010.
This level of partnership should make it possible for ARM to market its ARM11 technology as having been optimized for use with Adobe Flash (and by that time, Flash itself could have an "11" next to it). Though we don't know yet what the two companies will share, when they do share it, it could very well be out in the open, as today's partnership is taking place under the auspices of the Open Screen Project. That's an initiative launched with Adobe's leadership last April at CTIA Wireless, with the objective being to develop a common technology platform for multimedia over wireless devices, with the aid of independent developers. Intel and Motorola are also part of this project, although Apple is not.
Currently, Apple uses self-branded ARM chips at the heart of its iPhone 3G, which is common practice in the industry. Unlike Intel which simply sells chips, ARM licenses libraries, representing departments of its intellectual property, to other companies that can mix and match them to suit their purposes. Last week, IBM opened up its 42 nm foundry for the production of custom chips using ARM libraries, for manufacturers that assemble their own handsets.
But just because a chip contains a technology or even a library does not mean that manufacturers will necessarily make use of it, as was evidenced two years ago. At that time, many system-on-a-chip (SoC) makers devised firmware that could read both HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs, though very few customers used those chips to make consoles or players that could read both formats.
So future Apple iPhones could very well contain ARM chips optimized for Flash video (unless Apple decides to manufacture its own chips, as has been rumored, which leave that particular library out of the queue). But whether Apple decides to make use of that optimization could be entirely up to Apple.
If that ends up being the case, it could be independent developers such as those Adobe has been recruiting for the Open Screen Project, who end up filling the void. As of now, some have already made headway; for instance, last July, Belgian university consultant Thomas Joos successfully built a multimedia toolkit for the iPhone that enabled it to run Flash Lite video.
Meanwhile, Intel's Atom processor -- which competes directly against ARM, most recently in high-spirited fashion -- already contained optimizations for Flash at the time the chip was unveiled last April. Reports today that Adobe and ARM's partnership was meant as a counter-punch to Intel may be inaccurate, as Intel is not only a partner in the Open Screen Project, but a customer of ARM which supplies some of the libraries used in XScale handset technology. Marvell purchased the rights to produce XScale processors in June 2006, and Marvell is also part of Open Screen.
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