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XP users feel no great rush to upgrade

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 9:34pm CEST par Wayne Williams

If Microsoft expected XP users to desert the aging OS once support officially came to an end, the tech giant will no doubt have been sorely disappointed. Although XP’s market share has fallen in the two months since it reached end of life, the 13 year old operating system remains hugely popular.

According to Net Applications, from March to May, XP lost just 2.42 percent market share, and is still to be found on over a quarter of all Windows systems. Windows 7 gained 1.29 percent in the same time period, to break the 50 percent barrier, and Windows 8.x increased its share by 1.34 percent for a not so grand total of 12.64 percent. Statista has put together a little graph showing how little end of support has changed XP’s popularity.

You could look at the numbers and say if XP continues to fall at the rate it currently is, and Windows 8.x continues to gain market share at the same rate it has over the past two months, that by the end of the year new Windows could have overtaken old Windows, but in reality I think what will happen is XP will stabilize and migrations will slow once users stop worrying about the risks of running an OS without security support.

Last month’s Internet Explorer vulnerability might have forced more users to move on from XP, had Microsoft not opted to issue an out-of-band security update covering the older OS (which was the right thing to do in my opinion). That action may be a one off, it may not -- it will depend on the seriousness of future flaws -- but it will certainly have comforted some XP users and maybe convinced them to hold off upgrading for just a while longer.

The truth is, if you’re still using XP after all this time and haven’t been tempted by Vista, Windows 7 or 8.x, you’re probably not going to be rushed into upgrading by something like a lack of security updates. In fact, the two XP users I personally know don’t usually bother to install any updates. One told me, "I think after thirteen years they’ve probably found all the really bad bugs by now anyway".

If you are still using XP, there’s always this way of getting free security updates, although Microsoft would rather you didn’t.
Logitech X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo Speaker will play your summer jams

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 9:24pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

We are getting so close to summer in New York, that I can feel it. No really, the hot sun has been shining down on my head and my legs have felt the breeze since I started wearing shorts. Unfortunately, even though the temperatures have been getting warmer, it is not quite beach weather. However, laying on the sand and drinking lemonade is right around the corner.

No beach party or backyard barbecue is complete without some jamming tunes, like "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baja Men or "Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Of course, you will need a good speaker to play that music, as the one in your smartphone is not going to cut it. Luckily, Logitech has just launched a new Bluetooth audio system that is ready to play the soundtrack to your good times, the X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo Speaker.

"Engineered for wide-range sound, the Logitech X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo Speaker has specially angled drivers to give you an expansive sound spectrum, with precise bass response and detailed mids and highs. With this speaker, you can connect and play your music and video entertainment from any Bluetooth-enabled device up to 30 feet away, giving you the freedom to take your media anywhere", says Logitech.

The company further explains, "the speaker is simple to connect and control. You can adjust volume and manage phone calls without missing a beat. Plus, with the speaker’s built-in lithium-ion battery, you can keep yourself entertained with up to five hours of continuous playtime, and recharging is easy and convenient thanks to its micro-USB cable".

The X300 will be available later this month for an extremely reasonable $69.99 and you can pre-order here. It will come in four color options -- Black/Gold, Red, Blue and White/Purple. Besides being a speaker, it also houses a microphone to double as a speakerphone, which further adds to the value. If you need a portable speaker, Logitech is a dependable company with a history of producing great products, so you should definitely check it out.

What are your favorite summertime party songs? Tell me in the comments.
Top developers just don't care about Windows Phone

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 7:48pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

With the arrival of Windows Phone 8.1, the tiled smartphone operating system has gained a significant number of great new features, turning into a much more powerful and able rival to the more-popular Android and iOS. But, no matter how good it may be, top developers still treat Windows Phone as a second-tier platform, that seemingly warrants little to no attention.

Windows Phone head Joe Belfiore has spoken of the so-called app-gap going away. Well, sorry, Joe, that is not going to happen. Tough luck. Deal with it. Why? Because top tier developers still release the latest features on Android and iOS first, leaving Windows Phone users waiting, and waiting, and then waiting some more for the "cutting-edge" to arrive -- that is, if that ever happens and the app is not abandoned in the meantime.

Case in point is Instagram. Its latest app updates, which bring some much-needed and capable photo-editing tools, are only arriving on Android and iOS today. The Windows Phone app is still stuck in the dark ages, with no video recording available, support for Instagram Direct or even its own in-app camera user interface. It is pathetic.

Sure, some Windows Phone fanboys will say that Instagram is an app that they do not care about, that there may be better third-party clients out there, that the service is only used by hipsters and so on. Wrong (as always). Windows Phone users are craving to be part of the photo-sharing community. It is in the top 10 free Windows Phone apps (number nine, at the time of writing this article) in the US Store, which suggests Instagram's lack of commitment to the platform is not due to low user interest levels.

Yet, Instagram simply does not care about Windows Phone users. Instead, it is choosing to devote most -- if not all -- of its attention on providing a better experience to Android and iOS users, who indeed top Windows Phone users in numbers and, therefore, importance. But maybe Instagram is saying something about Windows Phone in the blog post, no? Well, there is not even a single mention of the tiled smartphone OS. I do not imagine the person who wrote the announcement even said "I think I am forgetting something".

Even Nokia X users are getting a better official Instagram app. It launched today, and it can record videos from within the app (let alone take snaps) and also supports Instagram Direct. You know, the sort of features that are already available in the Android app, which is what Nokia X users are getting. And, because of that, it can be argued that, in a way, Nokia X is superior as a platform to Windows Phone, because users are effectively getting better apps. And, on Nokia's Conversations blog, no one has to make any excuses of it sucking at features, because it is not a beta like the Windows Phone app continues to be today, more than six months after its official release.

Instagram is, sadly, not an isolated case. In mid-May, WhatsApp pulled its app from Windows Phone Store without providing any immediate explanation. And it is not like the experience has been stellar prior to this. It only came back at the end of last week. That would have been unacceptable on Android or iOS, but it was OK for WhatsApp to operate like that on Windows Phone, because, you know, it just does not care about the latter -- and its users -- as much.

I could also point towards other major developers -- like Facebook, Foursquare or Twitter -- as they are doing something similar. Windows Phone 8.1 support is abysmal (and, even when support is fine, there are other pieces which are not working well), even though this version was launched, for beta testing purposes, in mid-April. I am still waiting for a bunch of developers to commit to Windows Phone, but in the meantime I have to unlock my Google Nexus 7 to get things done. This is a sad place to be in, both for us, the users, and Microsoft, which has finally done something right yet the developers it wants to lure, or keep committed, to the platform are looking the other way. It reminds me of a Michael Jackson song, They Don't Care About Us. And, we cannot do much about it.

Photo Credit: PathDoc/Shutterstock
Flash! We’ve only got 336 hours to save the world from a powerful computer attack!

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 7:46pm CEST par Claire Woffenden

Do we really have just two weeks before we're hit by a powerful computer attack?

According to Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), internet users have a fortnight before the world’s nastiest cybercriminals will be ready to strike back after suffering a major setback this week.

On Monday, it was announced that the good guys in security had disrupted and disabled a global botnet and a ransomware scheme that the bad guys had been using to steal billions from businesses and consumers worldwide.

The international operation knocked out the servers used by hackers to control financial botnet GameOver Zeus and ransomware scheme Cryptolocker. Meanwhile, Russian hacker Evgeniy Bogachev has been acccused of being the main ringleader behind the cybercrime operation and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Following the news, the NCA issued the advice that there is a "unique two-week opportunity" for the UK public to get their machines safe and secure from a powerful computer attack, but failed to explain exactly why.

What will happen in two weeks? Is the clock ticking down from 336 hours to a moment when all our computers will do something crazy?

I spoke to the NCA to find out more and a spokesman explained: "The operation has taken out one of the key botnets used by criminals and disrupted their time. The two-week guide is based on the likely time frame before they find their way around it".

So basically, we have two weeks where the criminals are scurrying around getting their houses back in order where we can do things to our computers to make them safe without any potential interference.

More than 15,000 machines in the UK are believed to have been infected by GameOverZeus so it is of course important that they get rid of any infection and prevent themselves from future attacks. But I can’t help feeling that the NCA has caused a bit of a panic with its 'two-week' warning.

Yes, it is useful that we are regularly reminded to update anti-virus software, keep operating systems up to date, and use a secure firewall, but following on from eBay’s password change and the recent Heartbleed bug, essentially telling the UK public that it is two weeks away from a cyber attack seems a strange approach.

It’s not just me that thinks this, according to security expert Graham Cluley, he’d rather the NCA was a bit clearer with its advice.

"What's odd about the NCA's 'two week' advice is that they don't appear to have explained WHY people only have two weeks to take action", says Cluley. "Notably, there is no reference to the two week deadline in any of the US's pronouncements about GameOver Zeus, so there is a question mark over why the next 14 days are so essential for UK victims, but not apparently the rest of the world".

"My guess is that the malware looks for new control servers every few weeks, and that although the authorities have disrupted some of the criminal infrastructure there will be an opportunity for the bad guys to send infected PCs new commands in the near future. I'd really like it if the message was a little clearer, if only to quash those of us who are fatigued by multiple cybersecurity warnings in the past".

Good security should be followed at all times, but there’s the danger with sensational headlines that we may become ambivalent to future warnings.
Google Chrome ships early versions for Windows 64-bit, promises better speed, stability and security

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 7:46pm CEST par Nick Peers

In a move that could -- and maybe should -- have happened years ago, Google has finally released native 64-bit Windows builds into the Chrome release channel. While not yet available to stable or beta channel users, those wishing to take full advantage of their 64-bit processors can do so with the release of Google Chrome 37 Dev and Google Chrome Canary 37.

The 64-bit builds -- according to Google -- hit the spot with its three "core principles": speed, security and stability.

In releasing these builds, Google notes that the majority of users running Windows 7 or later are now using the 64-bit versions of Windows, a decade or so after AMD and Intel first started the transition from 32-bit to 64-bit computing with their first 64-bit processors.

The new builds of Chrome will naturally prove faster thanks to various technological benefits found in 64-bit computing -- Google claims the 64-bit builds will perform up to 25 percent faster, particularly when rendering graphics and multimedia thanks to 64-bit optimizations including a more modern instruction set and the ability to pass more function parameters quickly.

Chrome 64-bit will also be able to take full advantage of OS security technologies such as High Entropy ASLR, which prevents non-randomized images containing executable code from being used to exploit vulnerabilities. The extra 32 bits also make the browser more resilient to exploitation techniques such as JIT spraying, which circumvents DEP and address-space randomization protections. It also helps boost existing security defensive features.

Google also claims that the new 64-bit builds show a "marked increase in stability" over the 32-bit builds, even in their current pre-release states. One given example sees crash rates via the renderer process almost halve.

Google Chrome 37 Dev and Google Chrome Canary 37 are both available now for Windows, Mac and Linux. 64-bit builds for Linux have existed for some time, while Google is nearly into its sixth year of development on a 64-bit Mac version.
Control web access across your network with NxFilter

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 7:42pm CEST par Mike Williams

Install most security suites and you’ll get some form of web filter, blocking sites according to their content, a blacklist, or both. This works well enough on a single PC, but performance can be an issue, and it’s not going to help if you need to protect your whole network.

NxFilter is a DNS-based web filter, so there’s no text-based content filtering. But the program can block access to websites based on domain, category, user, time, quota and more. There’s built-in phishing protection, updated every two hours, while packet inspection can detect malware and bots. One installation can protect your entire network -- and it can all be yours for free.

Setup isn’t always straightforward. You’re left to decide how and where you configure your system (or network) DNS servers, and while this makes sense, even the web tutorial doesn’t walk you through every detail. It’s still not difficult -- if you’ve created or managed a Windows network then you won’t have much trouble -- but if you’re a network novice then it may take a while to figure things out.

Get NxFilter running on one PC, though, and it brings benefits right away, blocking known phishing sites and using packet inspection to detect some malware. A browser-based console displays stats on web traffic, blocked domains and more, as well as logging your internet activities.

If you need more control, it’s possible to create NxFilter policies which block sites by category (75 in total), or only allow access to particular site categories -- or all internet access -- for a certain amount of time a day. A built-in netflow collector means you’re able to set bandwidth limits, too.

Your policies can then be applied to individual network users, or groups of users. And you’re even able to assign policies based on a time range, so for example an office might have a very loose policy at lunchtime, but something much more restrictive for the rest of the day.

If you’re thinking this sounds extremely flexible, then you’d be right: but it’s just the start. If the default site blocking isn’t enough, NxFilter supports adding domains manually, or grabbing the blacklist from Shalla List or www.urlblacklist.com. You get a stack of configuration options, there’s even support for authenticating users via LDAP and Active Directory (as well as password and IP address), all while delivering great performance (the developer claims NxFilter can handle "several thousands of users easily", and we wouldn’t disagree).

Again, there is some complexity involved here, if only because of the lengthy feature list, and configuring NxFilter takes some time and thought. But if you can manage a PC network then you shouldn’t have much trouble, and what you’ll get for your efforts is one of the most capable and configurable free web filters around.

Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro: A good ultrabook that also works as a tablet [Review]

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 4:39pm CEST par James Morris

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Lenovo seems to be hedging its bets in the exciting new world of tablet-Ultrabook hybrids. The company offers models where the screen is removable, like the ThinkPad Helix, and also where it rotates, like the ThinkPad Yoga. The Yoga 2 Pro is the latest non-corporate version of the latter. The basic concept is the same as the ThinkPad Yoga, but it moves the genre forward considerably in one key area.

The primary step forward is the screen, which has a whopping resolution of 3,200 x 1,800. This is even greater than the considerable 2,560 x 1,440 offered by Dell's XPS 11 2-in-1 Ultrabook, although the Yoga 2 Pro has a larger 13.3-inch display, like Toshiba's KIRA 101. It's an IPS screen, too, so doesn't suffer from the viewing angle issues of the cheaper TN variety, with the display clear from every position. Detail is superb, although colour is a little more muted than we would have expected.

The usual issues with these new ultra-high resolution panels remain, however. The bundled Windows 8.1 apps are scaled accordingly, but software without direct support can suffer from ludicrously small dialog boxes and tiddly icons, as well as tiny text. The latest versions will catch up, and this is hardly Lenovo's fault, but it can make software fiddly to use, as the icons are so small you need extreme care to click on them properly.

Inside, the Yoga 2 Pro is mostly up-to-date whilst being nothing special. The processor comes from Intel's latest Haswell range, in the shape of an ultra-low voltage 15W Core i5 4200U. This runs at a nominal 1.6GHz, but Turbo Boost allows a single core to lift to 2.6GHz, and both cores to reach 2.3GHz with a power increase to 25W. Hyper-Threading turns the two physical cores into four virtual ones. This is a decent if unexceptional CPU for this class of Ultrabook, and a choice we have already seen in a number of recent portables.

However, Lenovo has only supplied the Yoga 2 Pro with 4GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 SDRAM as standard, which we now consider rather meagre, with 8GB a more comfortable option. Lenovo does also ship models with 8GB allied to a Core i7 4500U starting at £100 more, so this could be worth the extra outlay. The Core i5 processor also supplies the graphics. This is Intel's HD Graphics 4400, which sports 20 execution units, 25 per cent more than Intel HD Graphics 4000, although the maximum frequency is just 1GHz.

In the production models currently on sale in the UK, storage comes in the shape of a 256GB or 512GB solid state disk (our £1000 price in the product box refers to the 256GB option). However, our sample was supplied with a 128GB Samsung unit, which is a little limited now that Ultrabooks are regularly supplied with twice as much. So the 256GB models are definitely a welcome baseline, although you pay quite a premium for the 512GB unit.

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As a Ultrabook, the Yoga 2 Pro shows few signs of compromise for its hybrid double-life. The Chiclet-style keyboard is reasonably comfortable, and whilst the smooth key surface and relatively shallow action don't make it the perfect typist's companion, it's in a different league to the Dell XPS 11 2-in-1 Ultrabook's keyboard. Our one criticism is the central placement of the trackpad, although we didn't suffer any issues with random pointer movement as a result.

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Of course, the Yoga's party trick is its rotating screen, which folds all the way over so that it faces outwards away from the keyboard rather than into it. This turns the Yoga 2 Pro into a somewhat large tablet. At 1.39kg, it's a heavy one, too, and the keyboard on the back makes it feel a little odd to hold. If you want to browse the web on a couch, making more comfortable use of the touchscreen, the Yoga 2 Pro will fit the bill. But if you are likely to use the tablet mode as much or more than the Ultrabook one, we would recommend the removable screen variety of hybrid like the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix or Asus Transformer Book T100.

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The Yoga 2 Pro isn't particularly bristling with connectivity. There's only a sync-and-charge USB 2.0 port and a combo headphone and microphone minijack on the right, although a volume rocker and screen orientation lock can also be found alongside. The left is home to a single USB 3.0 port, microHDMI, and the SD card slot. The Intel Wireless-N 7260 chipset supplies 802.11a, b and n Wi-Fi, but not the most recent ac standard.

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With its relatively modest ultra-low voltage CPU, the Yoga 2 Pro is no mobile powerhouse. However, the result of 2.32 in Cinebench R11.5's rendering test is decent enough, with the OpenGL score of 20.31 very respectable for this class of machine. Similarly, the Yoga 2 Pro managed 921 in Futuremark's 3DMark11 and 615 in the Firestrike 1.1 portion of 3DMark. Neither imply significant gaming ability, but they are also more than adequate for a Ultrabook.

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The result of 1,746 in the Home portion of Futuremark PC Mark 8 is relatively mediocre, although it does beat Dell's XPS 11 2-in-1 Ultrabook. Similarly, the score of 2,627 in the Work test surpasses the Dell, but is on the low side in general, with Toshiba's KIRA 101, for example, being noticeably more potent. The Yoga 2 Pro is also a little under par for battery life, although not by enough to be too critical. In Power Save mode, it managed 305 minutes of the PC Mark 8 Home test, achieving a score of 1,300. This is about an hour behind the best portables we have tested recently. You could expect more than this in less strenuous circumstances, but a full working day will require frugal activity. The Yoga 2 Pro lasted just 137 minutes in our strenuous Battery Eater test, too, underlining the system's mediocre battery life.

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Verdict

The Yoga 2 Pro isn't the perfect choice as a tablet, and it also has a battery life that is slightly behind current competitors. However, the screen is incredible, and hasn't contributed to a hugely high price. With decent abilities as a Ultrabook, the hybrid tablet abilities are almost a bonus addition. Nevertheless, you will be better off buying it as a Ultrabook you can occasionally use as a tablet, rather than for a balance of the two. And if you can do without the tablet features and have a bit more to spend,Toshiba's KIRA 101 provides a more capable Ultrabook-only alternative.

Specifications

Manufacturer and Model	Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro
Processor	1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U
RAM	4GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 4400
Storage	256GB solid state disk
Optical disc	None
Display	13.3in IPS Touch TFT with 3,200 x 1,800 pixels
Networking	802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Interfaces	1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, microHDMI, combo headphone / microphone, SD card reader.
Width x Depth x Height	330 x 220 x 15.5mm
Weight	1.39kg
Warranty	1 years RTB warranty

Symantec's cloud storage experiment fails completely -- Norton Zone set to close

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 2:38pm CEST par Wayne Williams

While there’s certainly no shortage of cloud storage solutions to choose from, Norton Zone’s appeal -- on paper at least -- is the security it offers users. Content is encrypted when uploaded and stored in Symantec’s own secure data center, and the service automatically scans files for malware before they can be downloaded. As is fairly typical, you get 5GB of storage for free.

Or rather you did. Symantec has made the decision to discontinue Norton Zone and wind down support of the service over the next 30 to 60 days.

As for the reason, in an email sent to customers, the company says: "At Symantec, we continually scrutinize our portfolio to make sure we’re delivering innovative solutions that captivate our customers and give you the most value. In reviewing the Norton Zone service, we looked at competitive solutions available today, our differentiation, and how well we addressed your emerging needs. While Norton Zone is an innovative, new offering, it is not yet solving your needs fully".

And now it never will.

Norton Zone customers will have access to their files for the next 60 days. For the first 30 days, the files can be accessed from any device, but after July 7, mobile support will be switched off, so the files can only be accessed from a Windows or Mac computer. All the service’s features, like sharing, will be switched off then too. After August 6, files and related data, like file names, will be permanently deleted.

The email sent to customers explains how to go about moving your files to another service, and also explains that subscribers will automatically be refunded the paid amount in full.

Cloud storage is a tough market to break into, and just having a known name isn’t enough to challenge existing players, as Symantec’s utter failure to get so much as a toe hold clearly proves.
US Department of Defense gives nod of approval to five Samsung Galaxy devices

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 2:22pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

South Korean manufacturer Samsung announced, earlier today, that five of its Knox-enabled Galaxy smartphones and tablets have been approved by the US Department of Defense for use on its unclassified defense networks.

The devices in question are the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, running Android 4.4 KitKat, with Knox 1.x in tow. The company's latest smartphone flagship, the Galaxy S5, as well as other Android handsets sporting Knox 2.x have not received the nod of approval from the DOD, which would have allowed them to be included in the Defense Information System Agency's Approved Product List (APL).

Devices part of APL are, according to Samsung, labeled as "multi-function mobile devices to support secure mobility for the US Armed Forces, US Government agencies and security-sensitive organizations". In Samsung's case, the key to meet the APL entry requirements is Knox. The BYOD-friendly solution, which was introduced in late-February 2013 to boost enterprise adoption of Galaxy devices, has allowed the aforementioned Android smartphones and tablets to comply with over one hundred requirements, that Samsung says range from "encryption to intrusion detection to key exchange to support for secure networking standards".

"More than just our industry leading mobile devices, the addition of these five devices to the APL with the KNOX Platform, brings together the holistic B2B vision of Samsung to lead the market in hardware and software integrated based secure mobility and user experience for the benefit of the US Government in delivering on their mission", says Samsung senior vice president of KNOX Business, IT & Mobile Communications Division Injong Rhee. "Moreover, it is the unique combination of security and interoperability that enables Samsung to meet the DoD’s rigorous requirements with an unparalleled selection of commercial off-the-shelf devices, pre-approved for U.S. military and federal use".

This is certainly good news for Samsung. Much like BlackBerry did years ago, the South Korean maker is putting down roots within US government agencies, and opening itself up to more government sales. The latter may not be as high as on the consumer side, but it gives Samsung staying power.

Photo Credit: Paul Stringer/Shutterstock
SanDisk hopes to win the hearts (and wallets) of gamers with Extreme PRO SSD

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 2:15pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

Believe it or not, system builders are a diverse set. Some people focus on looks, others on performance and some on value. However, gamers are typically the ones that push the boundaries with performance and high-costs when building rigs. While some people will write-off video games as a silly time waster, they are actually a vital driver of personal computing innovation. Hell, it is also good financially for the hardware business -- new games need better hardware and gamers are willing to pay to play.

Beyond expensive video cards and overclocked CPUs and RAM, gamers are constantly looking for a way to gain an edge. Anything that can make a game load faster, even by seconds, is extremely attractive to them. Today, SanDisk announces the Extreme PRO SSD -- a storage solution for gamers that want to utilize SATA III rather than much costlier options. PlayStation 4 owners will want to take notice too.

"With sequential read speeds of 550 megabytes/second (MB/S) and write speeds of up to 520 MB/s, the SanDisk Extreme PRO loads and runs graphics-intensive applications and game levels in a heartbeat. Additionally, by offering up to 1TB-Class of capacity, the SanDisk Extreme PRO SSD provides the space needed to store even the biggest programs, games or files, and load them blazingly fast -- transforming any PC or console into a serious gaming machine", says SanDisk.

Kevin Conley, SVP, SanDisk says, "building off the success of our award-winning SanDisk Extreme II, the new SanDisk Extreme PRO leverages the latest developments in our innovative nCache Pro Technology to enable 24x7, real-world drive performance and responsiveness. With its ability to deliver consistently fast computing backed by the industry’s first 10-year limited warranty, the Extreme PRO SSD delivers the performance, trusted reliability and value that enthusiasts and professionals expect from SanDisk".

Whoa, a 10-year warranty? Yup, that alone is a killer feature for an SSD. To offer such a long warranty signals the company's confidence in the reliability and longevity of the drive. Of course, the privilege of owning such an SSD comes at a price -- 240GB ($189), 480GB ($369), and 960GB ($599). If you do decide to spend the money, you won't have to wait long, these drives will be available later this month.

Will you buy it? Tell me in the comments.
Olympus has fallen: Microsoft and the FBI take down Zeus botnet

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 2:10pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Microsoft has a digital crimes unit, which it has utilized to systematically go after botnets around the world. The company claims several victories, but none is likely as big as the one now unveiled.

Zeus, an especially troubling entity, has been taken down by a combination of the Microsoft DCU and the US FBI. The company announces that the game is now over for "GameOver", a variant of Zeus (also known as Zbot).

"We’re pleased to announce that Microsoft, working closely with the FBI and industry partners, has taken action to remove malware, so that infected computers can no longer be used for harm", says Microsoft's Richard Domingues Boscovich, assistant general counsel.

If you have not heard of GameOver, it is a form of malware designed to steal passwords and, according to security researchers at Dell, it was the most active banking trojan in 2013. It uses peer-to-peer technology, making it much harder to track.

In the move, an FBI-led team took down some of the command and control infrastructure, which it claims was "linked to domains generated by the malware and registered by the cyber-criminals". The domains were seized, however Microsoft did not file a lawsuit, as it has done in past cases.

Security researcher Graham Cluely has learned that the US Department of Justice filed criminal charges against the alleged leader, a Russian hacker known as Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev. Cluely writes that "the US Department of Justice claims that since GameOver Zeus first appeared in September 2011, it has resulted in an eye-watering $100 million of losses". He also proceeds to list various names the hacker used online.

In a statement, Boscovich claims "Microsoft’s role in this technical action was to conduct analysis on the P2P network and develop a cleaning solution. Also, through an additional feed from Shadow Server, we are able to augment our visibility into the number of impacted IP addresses that feed into Microsoft’s Cyber-Threat Intelligence Program (C-TIP), and work closely with global Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and Internet service providers (ISPs) to help owners of compromised computers regain control of their systems. Based upon these actions, it is anticipated that the cybercriminals’ business model will be disrupted, and they will be forced to rebuild their criminal infrastructure. More importantly, victims of GameOver Zeus have been, and will continue to be, notified and their infected computers cleaned to prevent future harm".

Microsoft boasts that this is the second botnet it has taken out since the opening of its Cybercrime Center last November. The company previously brought down ZeroAccess in December of 2013. No doubt others are being monitored for future action.

Image Credit: Angelo Ferraris / Shutterstock
The irresistible rise of the Windows phone

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 1:26pm CEST par Ian Barker

Android may be the dominant force in the smartphone market, but according to mobile advertising specialist Vserv Windows is surging forward as a mobile OS.

As prices of smartphones continue to fall, making them more popular across global markets, this is good for the whole market and Vserv sees the adoption of the next generation of Windows-based phones as being all but guaranteed.

Windows Phone shipments are expected to reach 121 million by 2018 with Nokia leading the way. There's also an increase in developer interest in the Windows platform with a higher percentage saying they plan to adopt Windows than any other platform. There are already some 250,000 apps available on the Windows store and there have been more than 4 billion downloads to date.

Microsoft's collaboration with Nokia has seen the Finnish brand become the leading hardware for the Windows Phone OS. The Vserv blog notes that, "While the journey has been tough, the collaboration with Nokia paved way and led to a great 2013, with analysts expecting the Windows Phone platform to cross 100M devices by 2014 and become the 3rd largest OS in the world. The OS has outsold iPhone in 24 markets including India, Malaysia and South Africa which stands as a clear indication that it is set to take this space by storm".

The company has created an infographic charting the rise of Windows Phone and where it's headed which you can see below.
Android 4.4.3 KitKat available now, here's how you can install it

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 12:44pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Google Nexus 4, 5, 7 and 10 users are in for a treat, as Android 4.4.3 KitKat is now rolling out. The latest version of the operating system is also available to customers of US mobile operator T-Mobile, which has revealed the sort of changes users can expect from the upgrade.

Android 4.4.3 KitKat is not a major upgrade over its predecessor, as T-Mobile says there are no new features in tow, but only improvements related to security and the customary fixing of bugs. The US mobile operator lists the upgrade as rolling out starting June 2, for its Nexus-toting customers.

As Nexus fans may know, shortly after the roll-out commences, links for the OTA (Over-The-Air) upgrade files are usually captured. At the time of writing this article, the only Android 4.4.3 KitKat OTA link that we are aware of -- courtesy of Android Police -- is for the 2013 Wi-Fi Nexus 7. It is meant to be used to upgrade the slate from Android 4.4.2 build number KOT49H. The new build number is KTU84L.

Android 4.4.3 KitKat is also available via Google's factory images and AOSP (Android Open-Source Project), the former of which have been released for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, 2012 Wi-Fi Nexus 7, 2012 3G Nexus 7, 2013 Wi-Fi Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. The 2013 4G LTE Nexus 7 still awaits an Android 4.4.3 KitKat factory image release.

If you want to install Android 4.4.3 KitKat on your compatible Nexus device, via a factory image, you can follow this step-by-step guide. To achieve the same effect, but by making use of an OTA file, check out this other step-by-step guide. Using the latter method, I just upgraded my 2013 Wi-Fi Nexus 7. As far as I can tell, the upgrade is indeed more of a under-the-hood one.

Photo Credit: Mihaita Bamburic
Jovial Notepad is a very lightweight Notepad replacement

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 12:43pm CEST par Mike Williams

Jovial Notepad is a portable Notepad replacement, exceptionally small (32KB download, a single 64KB executable) yet still managing to cram in plenty of interesting features.

The program looks at first much like the standard Notepad, but you’ll soon spot some differences. URLs become highlighted and clickable as you type them; the status bar displays the date, a character and line count; and a Symbols menu allows you to enter useful symbols (copyright, pi, degrees, various currencies) in a couple of clicks.

Jovial Notepad is based around Windows’ Rich Text control, rather than the plain text version, which means you also get some core WordPad features. In particular, select some of your text and you can set its font and color, highlight it, create a bulleted list, even drag and drop it elsewhere in your document.

Editing features are otherwise more Notepad-like; that is, there are hardly any at all. You get an option to apply various case conversions (all lower, ALL UPPER, Title Case), but that’s about it.

One unusual plus is an option to encrypt and decrypt the currently selected text. This is implemented a little strangely -- you have to enter your encryption key in the Edit menu itself -- but once you understand the basics, it’s easy enough to use.

We were pleased to see the program had built-in XML and SQL syntax highlighting, too. Until we tried the feature, anyway, and found it was inconsistent, at best. (It typically didn’t highlight much, and selecting it on a non-XML document corrupted the text.)

A built-in Math Evaluator also has its problems. Select a simple math expression in your document, right-click, select "Math Evaluator" and it displays the results: great. But we’re not quite sure exactly what it can evaluate ("5^3" = 6, apparently), and if you accidentally apply the Evaluator to some objects -- an image, say -- then Jovial Notepad just crashes.

Jovial Notepad has plenty of scope for improvement, then. But the core of the program is capable enough, and bonus features like the Symbols menu, text encryption, math evaluator, and XML/ SQL syntax highlighting (when it works) help the program stand out from the crowd.
Apple opens the door to Bitcoin and other virtual currencies

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 12:19pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Yosemite! Woo! iOS 8! Yay! New way of programming! Huzzah! These were the obvious highlights of Apple's WWDC keynote yesterday, but as the dust settles there are some additional interesting tidbits emerging. As this was a developer conference, it should come as no surprise that the announcements and revelations have the most immediate impact on developers -- but things will also filter down to users. One change that was not given any fanfare at the WWDC is an alteration to Apple's App Store Review Guidelines which paves the way for virtual currency support.

The guidelines themselves are surprisingly easy to read -- this document is nothing like an EULA! But if you'd like to cut to the chase, jump to 11.17 in the "Purchasing and currencies" section. Here you'll find the advice that "Apps may facilitate transmission of approved virtual currencies provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions". There is no reason that this possible virtual currency support should not include Bitcoin, although the currency has not been specifically mentioned.

Bitcoin has had something of a rocky journey of late, having been banned in both Russia and Thailand. There was also the high-profile story of missing Bitcoins at the Mt. Gox exchange, and there have been problems with Bitcoin mining apps in Google Play. Developers will need to tailor their apps to comply with local law, so a future app that supports the transfers of Bitcoins would have to be changed if it were to be used in Russia, for instance.

The policy change does not mean that Apple is going to be accepting Bitcoin as a method of payment for app purchases, but it does open the door for Bitcoin shopping apps, wallets and the like. Apple had previously pulled a number of Bitcoin wallet apps from the App Store, and other apps that allow for the transfer of Bitcoins were also squashed or forced to change. We could see a number of apps emerging that bring PayPal-like options to Apple using Bitcoin fans. On the other hand, it could be that Apple has plans to unveil its own virtual currency at some point in the future. There's also the possibility of a virtual currency from the technology entrepreneur that many love to hate, Kim Dotcom.

Photo Credit: Kostsov/Shutterstock
Bing turns five, promises the best is 'on the imminent horizon'

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 11:43am CEST par Wayne Williams
Five years ago today, Microsoft launched the Bing search engine. I remember it well. In particular I remember shaking my head at that name, but also admiring the photography that appeared on the home page.

To celebrate five years of Bing, Microsoft has put together a blog post that chronicles the changes that have occurred over the years, and hints at what’s to come. It’s also assembled a gallery of the best home pages.

"Over the past five years, we’ve seen tectonic shifts in how people experience the Web," the Bing team says. "From the rise of social data and the myriad connections that exposed, to the explosion of mobile experiences that fundamentally redefined how people interact with devices. The Web of today wouldn’t recognize itself in 2009. Think of the sheer volume of data that has been created in the past five years. The amount of information shared in single day in 2014 equals everything shared digitally prior to 1997".

Bing breaks the five years down as follows:
- 2009: The Semantic Web
- 2010: A Social Explosion
- 2011: Tablets and Mobility
- 2012: Intelligence
- 2013: The Digital World
And as to what’s next? Well, Microsoft has this to say:

The idea of launching a browser, going to a website, and typing in a search box? That’s so 2009. The best is not yet to come but on the imminent horizon. As the world of devices constantly changes and new form factors come into play there will be a need to better use information, either by seeking it out or having it pushed to you, and take action. Bing has shifted its focus to be in position to be the search for this new, changing world.

You should expect relevant information to come to you when and where you need it. You should expect experiences to adapt to you and your context, instead of the other way around. You should expect proactive experiences that anticipate what you need. You should expect information to be actionable for what you need at home or work. Only Bing and Microsoft can provide all of this, and we couldn’t be more excited for the next five years and beyond.

Bing has certainly improved over the years, and adapted to become more than just a straight search engine, which is just as well as it was never going to provide any meaningful challenge to Google in terms of market share.

Do you use Bing, and if so why?
HTC One (E8): The flagship without metal

Publié: juin 3, 2014, 11:36am CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

HTC has been praised numerous times for making its two most-recent flagships, the One and One (M8), out of metal. That is because this material gives such smartphones a premium look and feel that is actually worthy of the asking price. And, in the Android world, it sets the company's flagships apart from the myriad plastic-clad competitors. Metal is undeniably good. Except when it is not.

The use of metal adds to the cost of HTC's smartphones, which makes them less attainable for many, if not most, consumers. So, to give them a chance to experience the One (M8), albeit on a budget, HTC has taken out the metal and replaced it with plastic. Meet the new One (E8).

The One (E8) is not a copycat clone of the mighty One (M8), but it looks similar-enough to the latter. On the back, the dual camera setup from the One (M8) is gone, but, in order to preserve its layout, it is now replaced by a back-facing camera with an LED flash on the top. The One (E8) also does away with any interruptions on the plastic back -- which are used for wireless signal on HTC's metal-clad flagships -- but the front-facing speaker grille layout is preserved.

"The HTC One (M8) sets a new smartphone standard and now we're taking it in another exciting direction", says HTC CEO Peter Chou. "Combining style and substance, the HTC One (E8) represents the incredible experience people expect from an HTC One device with a look and feel that's unlike anything else out there today. If you're looking for the best flagship smartphone experience, but want to stand out from the crowd, this is the phone for you".

In the official blog post, HTC does not provide a complete specifications sheet. Instead, the company limits such information to the size of the display (5-inches), internal storage capacity (16 GB) resolution of the back-facing and front-facing cameras (13 MP and 5 MP, respectively -- the former is higher than the One (M8) counterpart), the size of the internal battery (2,600 mAh), the availability of a microSD card slot and a dual-SIM version, the color palette (Electric Crimson, Maldives Blue, Misty Gray and Polar White), and other features like BoomSound and Motion Launch.

HTC says the One (E8) will be available starting in early-June, in "select regions only". Optional Dot View cases will also be offered. There is no pricing information yet, but expect the One (E8) to be significantly cheaper -- obviously -- than the One (M8).