GLENN’S SHOWNOTES
Apple says it is working to shut down Flashback infections
Apple has acknowledged the outbreak of Flashbackmalware that has infected some 650,000 Mac computers worldwide
Apple is creating software to detect and eradicate the sophisticated trojan, which is capable of stealing data, hijacking search results and installing additional malware. In addition, Apple is working with internet service providers to disable the botnet’s command-and-control network, which Flashback uses to communicate with its compromised hosts.
last week of two Java security updates — for Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) and 10.6 (Snow Leopard). They patched the vulnerability being used to spread Flashback.
For users still running 10.5 and earlier versions, Apple suggested they turn off Java functionality through their browser preferences.
CommBank vendors to address MacBook gripes
The Commonwealth Bank has asked its technology suppliers to address user experience issues after deploying some 6000 MacBook Air devices in its new “activity-based workplace” last year.
majority of users received 11-inch MacBook Air devices, configured by integrator HP to boot directly into CommBank’s Windows XP standard operating environment (SOE).
But sources say some staff have been unhappy with the move from CommBank’s traditional Dell workstations because of performance issues and software bugs in the Apple machines.
According to IDC software analyst Vanessa Thompson, software issues may have arisen from how the MacBook devices – which typically run Apple’s operating system – were configured to boot directly into Windows.
if CommBank required software to be customised, it may have affected application speed and reliability, she said.
“With the Airs configured to boot the Windows XP SOE directly from the bare-metal machine, HP may have had to re-code some of the applications to execute in this manner,” Thompson said.
“The difficulty would be in making sure the applications will stand up in this environment and remain robust, particularly as the applications may be architected to run in a Windows environment.”
Brits rile up over iPad ‘4G’
Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority may launch action against Apple after receiving numerous complaints about misleading references to 4G support, according to reports.
The watchdog has received 24 complaints and is considering a “full investigation”
However, Apple reportedly “pushed back relatively hard” on the 4G issue, even though it is widely known that no carrier in Britain has rolled out 4G networks yet.
Sweeden’s, TeliaSonera, advises consumers that if they want true 4G speeds, they would need to buy an additional 4G router and access the internet through the wi-fi connection.
Microsoft kicks off two-year XP countdown
Microsoft has reminded firms still running Windows XP that it will end support for the operating system on April 8, 2014, just under two years from today.
Support for Office 2003 will also end at the same time
for organisations attempting to migrate off XP: Internet Explorer 6 and old applications tied to that browser, which only XP supports. This is usually a problem for larger enterprises.
Microsoft readies four critical updates
The release scheduled for April 10 is the latest of Microsoft’s security updates that fall on the second Tuesday of each month. The software maker plans to ship a total of six updates addressing 11 vulnerabilities. Two of the updates are rated important, a step below critical.
The critical updates cover all versions of Internet Explorer on their respective 32- and 64-bit Windows platforms starting with XP. One of the updates is for a diverse set of products, including Office, SQL Server, Biztalk, Commerce Server, Visual FoxPro, and Visual Basic.
NBN does about face: brings call centre in-house
naming Service Stream as the outsourced provider of its customer contact centre a year ago, NBN Co has now announced plans to bring the function in house and to locate its customer contact centre on the Gold Coast at Varsity Lakes
NBN Co said it chose Varsity Lakes “because it best met a range of criteria set by the company including a substantial population base with an appropriate contact centre employment pool.”
but not actual NBN in sight http://nbnco.com.au/rollout/rollout-map.html?address=4227 (MAP)
The customer contact centre will play an important role in communicating how the network is being built and the steps householders and business owners will need to take to connect to the NBN and to move across from older infrastructure.”
He added: “While NBN Co is not directly selling broadband services to homeowners and businesses the customer centre will support the work of the retail service providers who will have the ongoing relationship with their customers.”
Kingston puts USB 3.0 on thumb drives
http://www.kingston.com/en/usb/personal_business#dte30 KINGSTON WEB PAGE
n a test conducted by Kingston, a DataTraveler Elite 3.0 was approximately two times faster than a standard USB 2.0 flash drive when copying over 22GB worth of data (a mix of video, photo and audio content).
Retail prices are 16GB, $20.70; 32GB, $49.80; 64GB, $98.20.
Google+ rolls out new look
rolling out a significant redesign for its social networking platform Google+, which will allow users to create a more customized experience on the site.
The company said it will introduce a variety of new features to the site in the next few days, from customizing apps and the navigation bar to more flexibility with profile pages and pictures. In addition, the update introduces a new Explore page that posts what’s interesting and trending across the site.
Google also noted that the social network now boasts more than 170 million users since it’s 2011 launch.
Google+ will now offer profile pages that will include bigger photos, a la Facebook’s Timeline, and feature a chat list that puts friends front and center on your page. Another major update involves how users can navigate around the news stream. Instead of static icons at the top, there’s a ribbon of apps on the left.
The ribbon allows users to drag apps up or down to create the order, hover over certain apps to reveal a set of quick actions and show or hide apps by moving them out of the section.
http://techraftar.com/villa/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/google-plus.jpg PICTURE
Father of the Commodore 64 Dies
Jack Tramiel survived the horrors of the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Second World War and emigrated to the U.S. in 1947, took his first sideways step toward becoming a legend in the world of technology when he opened a typewriter repair company in 1953, naming the business Commodore Portable Typewriter. In 1955 he launched Commodore Business Machines in Toronto to get around U.S. restrictions on imports – specifically Czechoslovakian typewriters – from Warsaw Pact countries.
With the help of investor Irving Gould, Tramiel rode the company through numerous ups and downs until 1977, when it launched its first computer, the Commodore PET. While successful, the PET these days is pretty much a footnote to the glory of the VIC-20, launched in 1980, and its follow-up, the one and only Commodore 64, which came to market in 1982. The C64 was a true phenomenon, selling anywhere from 12 to 30 million units depending on who you ask, making it the best-selling home computer of all time
also a major figure in the evolution of Atari following his resignation from Commodore in 1984
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.