While Google is known for its "doodles", Bing remains more stately, opting for beautiful photography, but Halloween is about, not just treats, but also tricks. It's a time for scary movies, ghost stories and children working the neighborhood streets in search of candy hand-outs.
Today, Microsoft's search engine goes the extra mile, opting for an interactive background image, as opposed to the usual high-resolution image that appears each day.
For October 31, when you visit the search site, you will enter Microsoft's version of a haunted house, and the company promises "Friday the 13th Part 2, Psycho, The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist and Halloween" integrated into this one spooky location. Beyond that, the software company tells us it has "pulled together the top five most searched horror movies to see what films still give people nightmares. Paranormal Activity 5 topped the list as the most-searched horror movie, along with scary classics like Jaws and The Silence of the Lambs".
Head over to bing.com today to give the interactive background a try and see what happens. But don't come running to us if something jumps out and says "boo".
Flexibits has released 
Eric Schmidt is Executive Chairman of Google.
Music choices continue to grow for the new mobile generation. While most services found on your phone are also an option for the tablet in your life, Pandora has been curiously absent from the larger screen. Not that it wouldn't work -- it has been at home on my Kindle Fire HD for sometime now -- but, it wasn't dedicated to the platform.
In the mid-2000s, walking into a college classroom holding a laptop that came with a stylus for the purpose of note-taking was without a doubt out of place. The smartphone craze was still years away, and for all intents and purposes, touchscreens were relegated to two platforms: the Nintendo DS, and the last hurrah of Palm devices like the Treo. So when I sat in my undergrad classes taking notes in OneNote 2003 on my Thinkpad X41, people looked at me like I was an alien. Professors even asked from time to time whether I brought my paper notebook to class, so I wasn't playing with my "toy" the whole time.
Derrick Wlodarz is an IT Specialist who owns Park Ridge, IL (USA) based technology consulting & service company 
It was only two weeks ago that Microsoft 
Microsoft has released its latest 
It has been nearly two months since online retail giant Amazon 
Does the world need another system cleaning tool, even if it’s on the Mac? IObit thinks so, and the result is 
It may be hard to believe, but OneNote was released in November 2003. To many mature users of Microsoft's Office suite, it still feels like a "new" addition. Sadly, many people do not use the note-taking, collaboration solution, likely from a lack of education on the software. I am only a few years removed from college and never observed a single student leveraging OneNote in the classroom; they all used Word. This is unfortunate as it is a great cross-platform solution -- Windows, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone are now all supported.
CAPTCHA are a thorn in the side of web users. Those almost indecipherable string of letters and numbers that are meant to help websites determine that you are a human rather than a spambot often cause more frustration for users than anything else, and they have now been cracked.
Windows 8.1 is great. But at the same time it -- and its predecessor -- is based on a slightly flawed concept. It's built on the idea of a one-size-fits-all operating system, but in order to get it to work across tablets, desktop PCs, laptops and hybrids, Microsoft has had to make various compromises. A bit like trying to make one suit fit four people with different body shapes.
Microsoft Sysinternals has released 
It’s not uncommon for lesser known programs to have one or two hits, of course, but you probably shouldn’t have unsigned files in that folder anyway, so investigate anything that turns up. (Or if nothing is listed at all, try pointing Sigcheck at your Downloads folder and you should see a few more alerts.)
Google Docs and Google Drive were all I knew when it came to personal cloud document storage until this summer. I never got on the Dropbox bandwagon, and was so entrenched in the Google ecosystem that SkyDrive didn't interest me at first when it came out. While I have nothing personally against Google Drive, as it has served my 
One thing I find ironic in the current controversy over problems with the healthcare.gov insurance sign-up web site is that the people complaining don’t really mean what they are saying. Not only do they have have little to no context for their arguments, they don’t even want the improvements they are demanding. This is not to say nothing is wrong with the site, but few big web projects have perfectly smooth launches. From all the bitching and moaning in the press you’d think this experience is a rarity. But as those who regularly read this column know, more than half of big IT projects 
Apple took center stage this week. At a special event the new iPad Air, iPad mini, Mac Pro and a raft of free software were all revealed, and 
If you wanted to build a case study in the perfect recipe for IT project disaster, you wouldn't have to look any further than the new official Obamacare website, 
Analysts and journalists periodically voice concerns over smart machines stealing middle-class jobs. According to Kenneth Brant, research director at Gartner, "Most business and thought leaders underestimate the potential of smart machines to 
Tijl Vuyk founded 
In recent months, the US has been at the root of the global EMV discussion (the name EMV comes from Europay, MasterCard and Visa). With adoption of the new standard slow-going, the US is one of the last major economies to make the transition. As a result, it has found itself on the receiving end of fraud migrating from mature EMV markets, exposing itself as a point of weakness for fraudsters.
Jeremy Gumbley became CTO and technical director at 
I know a couple of people who have been victims of identity theft, and while they didn’t lose anything financially, there was a lot of work required afterwards to clear up the mess and put safeguards in place to ensure it didn’t happen again. What was amazing to me was that the thieves were able to do things like open store cards with information that was not only false, but incorrect (an entirely fictitious date of birth, for example).
UK telecoms regulator 
Google's ad-supported model is one that we're now all familiar with. Spend any amount of time online and, unless you have installed some form of ad-blocker, you'll see text advertisements littering numerous websites you visit, including in your search results.
Apple's long-awaited iPad refresh is finally a reality. Apple's new full-size iPad, rebranded as the "iPad Air", starts at the usual $499 price. Apple also unveiled an iPad mini with retina display, with a higher starting price of $399 and retained the original iPad mini at $299. Finally, the aging iPad 2 was also retained with the price unchanged at $399. This essentially proves my theory that 
Sridhar Vembu is the CEO of 
Ransomware, software that locks you out of your PC and asks for a fee in order to release it, has been around for quite a while. The first examples date back to the late 1980s but in its most recent form it started to gain popularity with malware writers in 2006, starting in western Europe and rapidly spreading to the rest of the world.
Nitro Pro is a powerful tool for creating, editing and converting PDF documents. While a growing number of free products -- in particular Nitro’s little brother 
Version 9 also introduces a new Batch Printing feature, which allows you to select multiple PDF documents from a single dialog for printing. It’s one of those timesaving tools that could justify the cost of upgrading from a previous version on its own, and works exactly as it should -- just select Print in Batch from the File menu, then click Add files… to select a file or group of files from one location before using it again if necessary to add files from other folders.
I will admit to being intrigued by BBM. I have never owned a BlackBerry smartphone (nor do I have plans to buy one) so I have never had the chance to find out what all the fuss is about. But, after the Canadian maker revealed that the service will also arrive on Android and iPhone, my interest piqued.
Historically, the Mac Pro has been a beast of a machine -- a giant footprint on the desks of professionals. When it was originally released in 2006, it became an iconic fixture among artistic professionals. However, it was not just the outward appearance that was so pleasing to consumers, it was the inside too.
The jury is out on stylus input on mobile devices, though many people likely are happy if the option is there, even if it goes unused. Drawing or writing on a screen may not be for everyone, but it has its place in the market, and today Google adds support for your handwriting to both Gmail and Google Docs.
It's only a matter of weeks since the last big Apple event at which the 
Just about everyone with a desktop, laptop or even a Surface Pro running Windows 8 has been busy updating to 
Mobile malware tends to make news on a regular basis, 
Oh dear. If you try and search using Google in Windows 8.1 there’s a very good chance the results page won’t display properly. Whatever you search for will generate a mangled page that works, but makes finding the results you want rather tricky.
Photo Credit: 
This was another week in which Microsoft managed to steal the show, this time with the 
Google has an operating system for the desktop and laptop form-factors called Chrome OS. However, the company also has the Android operating system, which is designed for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This prompts many pundits to posit "why not just have Chromebooks run Android, as that OS can run the Chrome browser, and much more". And you know what? They are kind of right.
When Microsoft backpedaled on some of the features of the Xbox One, it signaled a lack of direction and leadership for some consumers. The used game and 
Apple is recalling 64GB and 128GB flash storage drives after discovering that the units are at risk of failure. Affected system were sold between June 2012 and June 2013, and there is a free replacement program in operation for anyone who finds they have one of the potentially failure-prone drives. There is a firmware update available that can be used to determine whether or not your MacBook Air is affected.
On Tuesday 15 October, a date that many had thought may have seen some sort of announcement, a photo was posted with the caption "
So Windows 8.1 is finally here and although it is a massive improvement over its predecessor (I recently had to install Windows 8 on a laptop and couldn’t believe how bad it is in comparison), Microsoft’s new Start button really isn’t what a lot of people were hoping for.
In early-September, I purchased a 2013 Apple MacBook Air that, naturally, ships with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Prior to using it, I have been an exclusive Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 user, who had grown accustomed to the fragmentation of notifications.
You’ve probably never given any thought to exactly how much time you spend gazing, gawping, glowering and glaring at screens on a daily basis -- but with TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones being such a major part of our lives, you probably won’t be surprised to hear it’s a lot.
Vizio Co-Star has remained one of the more popular set-top boxes for those looking for a Google TV experience. The tiny device brings along all of the features found in more expensive cousins from the likes of Sony, but with less of the big-name price. While rumors persist of an impending name-change for the search giant's foray into the living room, details of an updated media OS have been tough to come by.
The Android operating system and school of thought are undergoing a major change; a sea change brought on by the Motorola Moto X and its voice interaction. After using it, I remarked that specifications and benchmarks melted away and I was enveloped in the experience. However, not everyone wants to interact with their smartphone using voice. Some people, myself sometimes included, just want to touch a big beautiful display and have the best specs and most bragging rights... and that's OK. People are different as is their usage.
Over the years, I have been, first increasingly, then decreasingly, weighed down on my daily runs. A simple Ironman watch morphed into the first GPS watch, complete with a transmitter strapped to my arm, and then a chest strap for heart rate monitoring was added to the mix. Since then devices have become smaller and functionality has been rolled together. Now iriver announces ON, which takes that concept another step.
We've looked at 
Oracle has released 
Online application specialist 
My friend Nikola Bozinovic (say that three times fast) is a very sharp software developer originally from Serbia who has, over the years, worked for most of the usual suspect American software companies. He is also the guy who restored from a grotty old VHS tape my film 
Mainframe2 is a form of remote computing but it isn’t VNC or RDP, it isn’t VMware or Citrix, it’s something totally new that can scale power like crazy (as many CPUs and GPUs as you like) which those others can’t. I wonder what people will end up doing with it? Because I’m sure this will tap a vein of creativity in the user community.
Email encryption for Yahoo Mail may not seem like major news. In fact, Yahoo introduced the use of HTTPS as an option earlier in the year. This was not only several years after the likes of Gmail and Hotmail (and now Outlook.com), but also an optional security feature. But now security campaigners can breathe a sigh of relief; in just three short months, email encryption will be enabled by default in Yahoo Mail.
Twitter is changing the way direct messages work. Up until now DMs could only be exchanged between people who were following each other. But now all that changes as Twitter is making it possible for users to opt to receive direct messages from any of their followers, regardless of whether they are following them in return.
We all know the original Surface RT failed badly, and there are multiple reasons for its lack of success, including overpricing, poor distribution, commercials that revealed nothing about the product, and of course Windows RT -- the operating system that was a total mystery to consumers. No one knew anything about it. It came out of nowhere, hidden in the shadows of Windows 8.
One of the biggest problems I have with all those fancy iPad rollouts in corporate America is that they are merely patching a larger problem instead of solving it. Let's face it, 
In another busy week, Microsoft continued to promote 
As Google's involvement in our lives increases, monitoring any and all changes in the terms of service becomes important. For the most part, I am guilty of not reading long terms and conditions and other small print. I tend to base my trust in a company on experience. Largely, my experience with Google has been very good. However, since the company was named in the 
I gave up on the idea of "inbox zero" a long time ago, and now simply embrace "inbox full to bursting", but Taper is offering a new approach to email management that might just make it easier to stay on top of things.
It’s an intriguing idea, and one I’m on the fence about. Most of my emails arrive during the working day, and I usually have my inbox open on a second screen so I can quickly deal with (or ignore) them as they arrive. I rattle through any left overs, and ones that have turned up overnight, first thing in the morning. I also, like most people these days, read and reply to emails on my phone and iPad when I’m not in front of my PC. I’m not sure queuing up messages and dealing with them a handful at a time will benefit me in any real way.
There is not a lot to go on at the moment, but Lenovo is teasing us with the promise of something interesting that's coming at the end of the month. Head over to the 
So… you don’t want Internet Explorer 11 in Windows 7, eh? What are you going to do? Block it! Ahead of the release of the completed version of IE11, Microsoft is giving Windows 7 users the chance to avoid automatically updating. The 
When Microsoft is not attacking Google with 
A company paying developers and users to discover and report bugs is not new. In fact, these bounty programs are rather widespread. Heck, Microsoft even 
Cloud vendors must establish one definition for cloud to protect buyers falling foul of multiple interpretations of the technology, so says a panel of technology experts brought together by hosting company 
MiTeC’s free and feature-packed desktop accessory 
If you’ve nothing similar installed, though, 
T-Mobile is taking the wraps off the next stage of its "uncarrier" program, revealing that from the end of October anyone on its 
Independent analysis company 
In the red corner, Bing. In the blue, Google. But which is better? Microsoft launches the 
Security vendor Webroot has announced the release of the latest updates to its SecureAnywhere product range. And while the new builds are officially described as the rather low-key "version 8.0.4.17", this is no minor upgrade: with more than 4,000 improvements across the product, many significant, it’s effectively 
Presentations are loved and loathed in just about equal measure. A great presentation helps to drive a message home; a bad one makes a meeting drag on forever. PowerPoint may be the king of presentations, but the online office tools that are available in Google Drive also have a good following. Now Google has recognized the fact that monitors are almost universally widescreen these days, adding the ability to 
When I can get a good deal, I take it. Given the opportunity, I always try to leverage sites like Groupon and Livingsocial to save money on dinners, entertainment and even Christmas shopping. However, managing and remembering the deals you buy can be problematic. I have had Groupon deals expire before I have the chance to use them. Luckily, Microsoft has people like me in mind and announces the new Bing Offers Card-Linked program.
When Yahoo announced plans to recycle inactive email addresses, concerns were raised about the possibility of the new address owner getting emails intended for the previous occupant. It turned out to be a valid fear as 
Whenever I watch TV, my tablet is with me. I am often tweeting, instant messaging and playing games while "watching" TV. Because I am so distracted, I must use the term "watching" loosely and apparently, I am not alone. You see, tweeting while watching television is so prevalent, that Nielsen and Twitter teamed-up to establish a social TV rating last year.
When thinking of personal radio, services such as Pandora, Rdio, Spotify and others come to mind. Windows Azure is not a part of this word association game, but the Microsoft service is capable of powering such apps for mobile platforms, and works with Windows Phone, iPhone and Android.
When it comes to modern smartphones, it is easy to feel underwhelmed. After all, they are mostly just rectangular touch-friendly slabs at this point. Lately, the only "innovation" is to simply make them bigger (a bit 
VMware's recent release of a new version of its flagship server virtualization product vSphere 5.5 means that many businesses will be planning to upgrade to the new software. However, as with all major upgrades there's a degree of risk involved, especially if the software is part of your enterprise's core infrastructure.
Without doubt, it is the 
Despite the low price, the Hudl features a quad-core 1.5GHz processor. For day to day tasks, this is just fine, but to avoid disappointment, you shouldn't expect too much from it.
This has been a week with a lot of news about operating systems. As we near the official release 
In a blog post that looks forwards as well as backwards, Skype lays out details of planned improvements for the desktop and mobile versions of the app. Mark Gillett applauds the technological improvements that have been made over the past year and also gives a 
When Steve Ballmer 
As the Internet gets bigger and more crowded it can be increasingly difficult to find a catchy domain name. Startup company 
The British Film Institute (BFI) today announces plans to launch its own online movie-streaming service, offering a mix of free and paid-for viewing, all presented in HD quality.
To say Canonical's Mir has been controversial is putting it lightly. After all, it is designed to usurp X Server as the typical display server on Linux (with compatible video cards). To make the transition easier, the company developed XMir -- a way to support X server-designed applications until they can be updated. However, many members of the Linux community are backing the alternative X Server successor, Wayland.
As a Fedora user and fan, I keep an interest in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). You see, Red Hat owns Fedora which many people consider a testing-ground for RHEL. Today, the company announces a new update to the fifth version of its commercial-focused Linux distribution.
I am a big fan of music -- it is my passion and hobby. While the MP3 music-revolution has allowed us to fill our smartphones and tablets with tunes, the speaker quality on those devices tend to be poor. Conversely, on my home desktop, I use the wonderful Logitech Z-2300 2.1 speakers. I have owned these for many years with amazing results and, therefore, I view Logitech favorably for audio quality.
Today Google releases 
There’s not long to go now until Microsoft unleashes Windows 8.1 upon the world. In my view the operating system refresh is 
IBM has announced that it's reached an agreement to acquire 
Mobile development platform supplier 
While long-distance travel has evolved to the airplane, many people still "ride the rails" and use trains. People choose the old-fashioned train option for multiple reasons. Passengers may prefer it because it is less expensive, they have a fear of flying, or they simply do not like the TSA pat-downs (which some people say border on molestation). However, even though a train may be viewed as antiquated, Amtrak is aiming to bring modern technology to the classic mode of transportation.
Your PC is misbehaving, but after hours of research you’ve found a solution: just delete a particular Registry key, reboot, and all should be well. Sounds great, until you find Windows won’t let you delete the key, and just displays an "Error deleting…" message whenever you try. Frustrating, isn’t it?
Almost every week some reader asks me to write about Bitcoin, currently the most popular so-called crypto currency and the first one to possibly reach something like critical mass. I’ve come close to writing those columns, but just can’t get excited enough. So this week when yet another reader asked, it made sense to explain my nervousness. Bitcoin is clever, interesting, brilliant even, but I find it too troubling to support.