Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Geeks On Call Vienna
Major sponsor for Viva! Vienna!, an annual fund raiser organized by The Vienna Rotary Club. Our sponsorship is for The Midway. This event, a time of family fun and pleasure, serves as a major fund raising opportunity for the Rotary Club so that it may, in turn, provide support for charitable, educational, and community groups the following year.
For more info, please visit - www.vivaviennava.org
For more info, please visit - www.vivaviennava.org
Does Microsoft need a Windows 7 slate?
Microsoft needs an answer to Apple's iPad and that should be some sort of Windows-based consumer tablet.
At least that is the position that analysis firm Forrester takes in a new report, which argues that tablets are "the next important computing form."
"To keep its products front and center, Microsoft needs a partner to produce a successful Windows tablet that competes with the Apple iPad," analysts JP Gownder and Sarah Rotman Epps said in a report released on Thursday. "At stake is nothing less than the future of the operating system."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off a Windows 7-based tablet prototype from Hewlett-Packard at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. HP produced several follow-up videos on the Slate, however that product's future has been thrown into severe doubt with HP's announced plans to buy Palm and use WebOS in a variety of devices.
The Forrester analysts argue that the strong early sales of the iPad show a market for a device that can play music and video, browse the Web and display e-books.
"After desktops, laptops, and Netbooks, tablets represent the next wave of mass-market consumer computing devices," the analysts said.
Of course, working with partners on a Windows 7-based device is not the only option for Redmond. It could wait until Windows Phone 7 is a little more fully baked and try to convince partners to use that as the basis for a tablet. That would make it less compatible with existing software, but could have advantages in power consumption, boot-up time and ease of use.
Microsoft could also build its own device from start to finish, using Windows 7, Windows Phone 7, or potentially some other software. That could allow for a more tightly integrated experience but runs the risk of further alienating partners. The company's recent decision to kill the Courier project suggests that Microsoft may have considered and rejected this option.
It's hard to argue with Forrester's basic premise though--that Microsoft needs an answer to the iPad and fast. Its experience trying to play catch-up in the phone and music player arenas shows just how hard it is these days to come from behind.
What's even more unfortunate for the crew in Redmond is the company had a decade head-start in tablets, but finds itself on the outside looking in as the market begins to take off.
And, as Forrester points out, the threat raised by the iPad isn't limited to just tablets, or coming just from Apple.
"Windows can't afford to cede ground on tablets--and not just out of fear that Apple is defining the next generation of computing device," the Forrester researchers said in their report. "Google, too, has its hungry eyes trained on Microsoft's plate and is pushing its Chrome OS as a consumer- and wallet-friendly solution for Netbooks."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
At least that is the position that analysis firm Forrester takes in a new report, which argues that tablets are "the next important computing form."
"To keep its products front and center, Microsoft needs a partner to produce a successful Windows tablet that competes with the Apple iPad," analysts JP Gownder and Sarah Rotman Epps said in a report released on Thursday. "At stake is nothing less than the future of the operating system."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off a Windows 7-based tablet prototype from Hewlett-Packard at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. HP produced several follow-up videos on the Slate, however that product's future has been thrown into severe doubt with HP's announced plans to buy Palm and use WebOS in a variety of devices.
The Forrester analysts argue that the strong early sales of the iPad show a market for a device that can play music and video, browse the Web and display e-books.
"After desktops, laptops, and Netbooks, tablets represent the next wave of mass-market consumer computing devices," the analysts said.
Of course, working with partners on a Windows 7-based device is not the only option for Redmond. It could wait until Windows Phone 7 is a little more fully baked and try to convince partners to use that as the basis for a tablet. That would make it less compatible with existing software, but could have advantages in power consumption, boot-up time and ease of use.
Microsoft could also build its own device from start to finish, using Windows 7, Windows Phone 7, or potentially some other software. That could allow for a more tightly integrated experience but runs the risk of further alienating partners. The company's recent decision to kill the Courier project suggests that Microsoft may have considered and rejected this option.
It's hard to argue with Forrester's basic premise though--that Microsoft needs an answer to the iPad and fast. Its experience trying to play catch-up in the phone and music player arenas shows just how hard it is these days to come from behind.
What's even more unfortunate for the crew in Redmond is the company had a decade head-start in tablets, but finds itself on the outside looking in as the market begins to take off.
And, as Forrester points out, the threat raised by the iPad isn't limited to just tablets, or coming just from Apple.
"Windows can't afford to cede ground on tablets--and not just out of fear that Apple is defining the next generation of computing device," the Forrester researchers said in their report. "Google, too, has its hungry eyes trained on Microsoft's plate and is pushing its Chrome OS as a consumer- and wallet-friendly solution for Netbooks."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Survey: Corporate PCs cluttered with malware
Despite the efforts of IT departments, many PCs in the corporate and government world are littered with unauthorized software, most notably malware, says application-whitelisting company Bit9.
The results of Bit9's "2010 What's Running on Your Users' Desktops?" survey, released Monday, uncovered PCs with a significant amount of non-business software, including games, toolbars, and torrent software. Of greater concern, IT pros surveyed also discovered malware, such as ransom-ware, Trojans, and Chinese spyware.
Among the 1,282 IT professionals questioned for the survey, 68 percent of them said they have software restrictions in place, but 45 percent said they still found unauthorized software on more than half of their client PCs.
Specifically, 46 percent of the IT folks surveyed said that spyware, malware, and unlicensed software continue to pose a problem by getting past traditional security methods. They also found that unauthorized or malicious software caused up to 25 percent of user downtime and calls to the help desk, leading to a drop in productivity. But 39 percent of the respondents also admitted they don't have a software usage policy that specifically prohibits employees from downloading their own software.
As a result, only 32 percent of the IT pros surveyed said they felt confident their businesses would be safe from damage caused by unauthorized or malicious software this year.
"The results from our survey once again underscore the need for companies to adopt a more proactive approach to endpoint security to prevent unauthorized software from being downloaded and running in their organizations," Tom Murphy, chief strategy officer for Bit9, said in a statement. "Rather than scrambling to react to the latest malicious piece of software--costing time and money--IT administrators need to ensure that only approved software will run in their enterprise. This is a business critical need confirmed by the large amount of respondents that are dealing with malware across their networks."
Now of course, Bit9 has a vested interest in the results of the survey since the company does sell whitelisting security products that help IT administrators lock down the applications their users can run.
But I know from my days in IT that keeping users from downloading and installing their own personal and sometimes harmful software is an ongoing challenge. People would download toolbars, torrent software, and other unauthorized programs and then complain when their PCs started to crash or slow down.
Cutting down on the amount of harmful software installed at a company has always required the right policies from IT but also the right cooperation from end users.
To learn more about the survey results, I spoke with Kate Munro, director of product marketing for Bit9. She said that this year's response from 1,282 IT folks was a big leap over last year when only 257 people answered the survey. The higher participation could be seen as a sign that IT people are more in tune with and naturally concerned about the malware threats surfacing today, said Munro.
She particularly noted IT concerns over the Advanced Persistent Threat, a buzzword that describes organized cyberattacks that specifically try to steal information from such sectors as financial services, manufacturing, and of course government.
Some of the non-malicious but still unauthorized software found on user PCs by IT included Skype, BitTorrent, and iTunes. Munro added that Skype can pose a problem when people use the personal version on their work PCs, since it doesn't have the same restrictions as the enterprise edition and relies on the user to keep it patched and properly updated.
Munro also said that malicious programs are being installed despite the best efforts of IT departments. Almost all of the participants said they deploy antivirus software on their network PCs. Many take away admin rights (which are typically needed to install a program), while others lock down the desktop using tools like Microsoft's Group Policy. But malware writers continue to sneak past security defenses to launch their payloads.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
The results of Bit9's "2010 What's Running on Your Users' Desktops?" survey, released Monday, uncovered PCs with a significant amount of non-business software, including games, toolbars, and torrent software. Of greater concern, IT pros surveyed also discovered malware, such as ransom-ware, Trojans, and Chinese spyware.
Among the 1,282 IT professionals questioned for the survey, 68 percent of them said they have software restrictions in place, but 45 percent said they still found unauthorized software on more than half of their client PCs.
Specifically, 46 percent of the IT folks surveyed said that spyware, malware, and unlicensed software continue to pose a problem by getting past traditional security methods. They also found that unauthorized or malicious software caused up to 25 percent of user downtime and calls to the help desk, leading to a drop in productivity. But 39 percent of the respondents also admitted they don't have a software usage policy that specifically prohibits employees from downloading their own software.
As a result, only 32 percent of the IT pros surveyed said they felt confident their businesses would be safe from damage caused by unauthorized or malicious software this year.
"The results from our survey once again underscore the need for companies to adopt a more proactive approach to endpoint security to prevent unauthorized software from being downloaded and running in their organizations," Tom Murphy, chief strategy officer for Bit9, said in a statement. "Rather than scrambling to react to the latest malicious piece of software--costing time and money--IT administrators need to ensure that only approved software will run in their enterprise. This is a business critical need confirmed by the large amount of respondents that are dealing with malware across their networks."
Now of course, Bit9 has a vested interest in the results of the survey since the company does sell whitelisting security products that help IT administrators lock down the applications their users can run.
But I know from my days in IT that keeping users from downloading and installing their own personal and sometimes harmful software is an ongoing challenge. People would download toolbars, torrent software, and other unauthorized programs and then complain when their PCs started to crash or slow down.
Cutting down on the amount of harmful software installed at a company has always required the right policies from IT but also the right cooperation from end users.
To learn more about the survey results, I spoke with Kate Munro, director of product marketing for Bit9. She said that this year's response from 1,282 IT folks was a big leap over last year when only 257 people answered the survey. The higher participation could be seen as a sign that IT people are more in tune with and naturally concerned about the malware threats surfacing today, said Munro.
She particularly noted IT concerns over the Advanced Persistent Threat, a buzzword that describes organized cyberattacks that specifically try to steal information from such sectors as financial services, manufacturing, and of course government.
Some of the non-malicious but still unauthorized software found on user PCs by IT included Skype, BitTorrent, and iTunes. Munro added that Skype can pose a problem when people use the personal version on their work PCs, since it doesn't have the same restrictions as the enterprise edition and relies on the user to keep it patched and properly updated.
Munro also said that malicious programs are being installed despite the best efforts of IT departments. Almost all of the participants said they deploy antivirus software on their network PCs. Many take away admin rights (which are typically needed to install a program), while others lock down the desktop using tools like Microsoft's Group Policy. But malware writers continue to sneak past security defenses to launch their payloads.
by Lance Whitney
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Apple, Microsoft now on nearly equal footing
Apple has long been the little guy in the Mac vs. PC debate, but that's no longer the case.
As of trading on Tuesday, Microsoft and Apple both have roughly equal market capitalizations of around $230 billion. By another measure--adding in debt and other factors--Cupertino has actually surpassed Redmond in total value.
The fact that Apple has reached this level of valuation represents a remarkable turn of events in the history of computing.
Consider this: As recently as 1997, Michael Dell suggested Apple should just close up shop and return the money to shareholders. Today, Dell is worth barely a tenth as much as the Mac maker.
That same year, Apple had to accept a $150 million investment from Microsoft. Bill Gates famously appeared at Macworld via satellite, dwarfing the on-stage Steve Jobs as he announced the company's commitment to the Mac.
Of course, all that was before Mac OS X, the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad. The Cube and Apple TV aside, Apple has had an incredible run of products over the last decade.
Macs still account for fewer than one in 10 computers sold, but its market share has increased significantly in recent years and the company has built a consumer juggernaut that extends well beyond the computer.
As for Microsoft, the company remains highly profitable, but investors and analysts alike are concerned that Microsoft remains dependent on its Office and Windows franchises for the lion's share of its profits. The company has poured billions into its cell phone, online advertising and other new businesses that have yet to really help the company's balance sheet.
Even its desktop franchises are seen as vulnerable in the longer term, particularly as Google aims to deliver many of the same capabilities through the browser.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
As of trading on Tuesday, Microsoft and Apple both have roughly equal market capitalizations of around $230 billion. By another measure--adding in debt and other factors--Cupertino has actually surpassed Redmond in total value.
The fact that Apple has reached this level of valuation represents a remarkable turn of events in the history of computing.
Consider this: As recently as 1997, Michael Dell suggested Apple should just close up shop and return the money to shareholders. Today, Dell is worth barely a tenth as much as the Mac maker.
That same year, Apple had to accept a $150 million investment from Microsoft. Bill Gates famously appeared at Macworld via satellite, dwarfing the on-stage Steve Jobs as he announced the company's commitment to the Mac.
Of course, all that was before Mac OS X, the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad. The Cube and Apple TV aside, Apple has had an incredible run of products over the last decade.
Macs still account for fewer than one in 10 computers sold, but its market share has increased significantly in recent years and the company has built a consumer juggernaut that extends well beyond the computer.
As for Microsoft, the company remains highly profitable, but investors and analysts alike are concerned that Microsoft remains dependent on its Office and Windows franchises for the lion's share of its profits. The company has poured billions into its cell phone, online advertising and other new businesses that have yet to really help the company's balance sheet.
Even its desktop franchises are seen as vulnerable in the longer term, particularly as Google aims to deliver many of the same capabilities through the browser.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Microsoft warns on Windows 7 upgrade tool
Parallels, known for using virtualization to solve consumer problems, thought it had a surefire new use for its technology.
Why not use the same approach it used to put Windows on a Mac to help ease the move from XP to Windows 7. The solution was elegant, helping users both make the move and even run older programs that weren't compatible with the new version of Windows. At first, the signs from Microsoft were encouraging; the company even invited Parallells to a Windows 7 momentum event in Paris to publicly talk about the program, Parallels Desktop Upgrade to Windows 7.
There was only one problem: the way the product works runs afoul of Microsoft's license rules, at least for most users. That's because the $50 software puts the user's old Windows XP system into a virtual machine, running alongside Windows 7, a concurrent use not allowed under most Windows licenses.
CNET raised the issue with both Microsoft and Parallels after learning about the product last month. Parallels said it is up to users to make sure they are in compliance with Redmond's terms. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it was talking with Parallels, but declined to publicly call out the company. Until now.
"Microsoft does not endorse moving the user's desktop from a physically loaded OS into a VM as a consumer solution, because the vast majority (more than 90 percent) of consumers do not license Windows under a license that would allow them to transfer Windows into a virtual machine, move Windows to a different machine, or run a secondary virtual machine that is not running XP Mode on the same machine," Microsoft's general manager, Gavriella Schuster, said in a statement to CNET. "Without these license rights, most consumers will not be properly licensing Windows when using the virtualization features of Parallels' product."
Schuster pointed out that enterprise customers with a Software Assurance contract covering Windows could properly use the software. Users who buy a full retail boxed copy of Windows (or possibly of both Windows XP and Windows 7), as opposed to the an upgrade version might also be properly licensed for the Parallels software.
For its part, Parallels continues to say it is up to users to make sure they are properly licensing Windows in conjunction with the upgrade tool.
"We require customers to verify they have the proper license," a Parallels representative said on Tuesday.
Microsoft suggested it is looking for a little more than that.
"Microsoft is working with Parallels to ensure that the Windows licensing requirements are made clear to customers in their product," Schuster said.
Despite the legal issues, Parallels' upgrade tool would appear to address an important need.
Although Windows 7 has proven popular, upgrading can be a hassle, requiring users to back up their data and programs, reinstall software, and then figure out what to do with programs that aren't compatible with the newer Windows.
A Parallels representative said on Tuesday that the product remains available for sale.
"It's out there," the representative said. "We're very excited about the product."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Why not use the same approach it used to put Windows on a Mac to help ease the move from XP to Windows 7. The solution was elegant, helping users both make the move and even run older programs that weren't compatible with the new version of Windows. At first, the signs from Microsoft were encouraging; the company even invited Parallells to a Windows 7 momentum event in Paris to publicly talk about the program, Parallels Desktop Upgrade to Windows 7.
There was only one problem: the way the product works runs afoul of Microsoft's license rules, at least for most users. That's because the $50 software puts the user's old Windows XP system into a virtual machine, running alongside Windows 7, a concurrent use not allowed under most Windows licenses.
CNET raised the issue with both Microsoft and Parallels after learning about the product last month. Parallels said it is up to users to make sure they are in compliance with Redmond's terms. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it was talking with Parallels, but declined to publicly call out the company. Until now.
"Microsoft does not endorse moving the user's desktop from a physically loaded OS into a VM as a consumer solution, because the vast majority (more than 90 percent) of consumers do not license Windows under a license that would allow them to transfer Windows into a virtual machine, move Windows to a different machine, or run a secondary virtual machine that is not running XP Mode on the same machine," Microsoft's general manager, Gavriella Schuster, said in a statement to CNET. "Without these license rights, most consumers will not be properly licensing Windows when using the virtualization features of Parallels' product."
Schuster pointed out that enterprise customers with a Software Assurance contract covering Windows could properly use the software. Users who buy a full retail boxed copy of Windows (or possibly of both Windows XP and Windows 7), as opposed to the an upgrade version might also be properly licensed for the Parallels software.
For its part, Parallels continues to say it is up to users to make sure they are properly licensing Windows in conjunction with the upgrade tool.
"We require customers to verify they have the proper license," a Parallels representative said on Tuesday.
Microsoft suggested it is looking for a little more than that.
"Microsoft is working with Parallels to ensure that the Windows licensing requirements are made clear to customers in their product," Schuster said.
Despite the legal issues, Parallels' upgrade tool would appear to address an important need.
Although Windows 7 has proven popular, upgrading can be a hassle, requiring users to back up their data and programs, reinstall software, and then figure out what to do with programs that aren't compatible with the newer Windows.
A Parallels representative said on Tuesday that the product remains available for sale.
"It's out there," the representative said. "We're very excited about the product."
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Google declares Chrome stable for Mac, Linux
Just shy of a year after releasing the first rough developer's build of its Chrome browser for the Mac, Google announced stable versions of Chrome for Mac and Linux, and upgraded the stable release of the browser to version 5. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Chrome v5.0.375.55 includes support for extensions and themes, improved bookmark management and synchronization, browser preferences syncing, and the most recent stable updates to Chrome's trailblazing JavaScript engine, V8.
Chrome's geolocation feature asks whether you want to permit a Web site to know your location.
The browser also offers several HTML5-based features, including geolocation APIs, App Cache, Web sockets, and attachment drag-and-drop in Gmail. Although Adobe's Flash player was integrated into the development versions of Chrome 5, it has been touch-and-go in the beta versions and has not yet made it to the stable release of Chrome 5. The developer's version is now on version 6.
Unlike previous stable versions of the browser, this is the first one that feels like it can stand on equal footing with Firefox. Although there are some anecdotal complaints about Chrome rendering Web pages improperly, these are the vast exception to the rule. The extension gallery has also now been around long enough to give it some depth, and offers more than 4,500 ways to tweak your browser experience. As with Firefox, overloading extensions will decrease browser stability in general.
In JavaScript-only benchmark tests from SunSpider, Chrome 5 performed about the same on a Mac as on a PC. On a Windows 7 x64 running on an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 at 2.10 GHz, with 6GB of RAM, Chrome took an average of 413.13 milliseconds over three runs to complete the test. On a Mac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on an Intel Core 2 Duo at 1.83 GHz, with 1GB RAM, the browser averaged 521.67 over three runs. Since Chrome landed on the browser scene in September 2008, its speed at page rendering has been its biggest selling point. It's now arguable that Chrome is the fastest browser out there, with increasingly tough competition from Opera, and Firefox's nightly builds on the horizon, but there's no doubt that it continues to be the driving force in accelerating browser page-load times.
The Mac version will only work on Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.5 Leopard or later. Somewhat annoyingly, Google will automatically upgrade Mac beta users to the stable version. Since there's no Chrome Channel Changer for Mac, you'll have to download the beta installer again to use that version. However, Mac users do finally get a full-screen mode, which had been previously unavailable in the beta.
There were also multiple security fixes introduced in Chrome 5, including two high-level repairs. One corrected possible URL bar spoofing from unload event handlers, and the other addressed incorrect JavaScript execution in extensions.
For users who've been playing around with the dev and beta versions of Chrome, these changes aren't new. The developer's channel was even elevated to version 6 last week, although not much was new in it. But with Chrome finally on stable footing that allows it to compete on all three major platforms, users shouldn't be surprised to see heightened efforts from Google to expand Chrome's user base.
by Seth Rosenblatt
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Chrome's geolocation feature asks whether you want to permit a Web site to know your location.
The browser also offers several HTML5-based features, including geolocation APIs, App Cache, Web sockets, and attachment drag-and-drop in Gmail. Although Adobe's Flash player was integrated into the development versions of Chrome 5, it has been touch-and-go in the beta versions and has not yet made it to the stable release of Chrome 5. The developer's version is now on version 6.
Unlike previous stable versions of the browser, this is the first one that feels like it can stand on equal footing with Firefox. Although there are some anecdotal complaints about Chrome rendering Web pages improperly, these are the vast exception to the rule. The extension gallery has also now been around long enough to give it some depth, and offers more than 4,500 ways to tweak your browser experience. As with Firefox, overloading extensions will decrease browser stability in general.
In JavaScript-only benchmark tests from SunSpider, Chrome 5 performed about the same on a Mac as on a PC. On a Windows 7 x64 running on an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 at 2.10 GHz, with 6GB of RAM, Chrome took an average of 413.13 milliseconds over three runs to complete the test. On a Mac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on an Intel Core 2 Duo at 1.83 GHz, with 1GB RAM, the browser averaged 521.67 over three runs. Since Chrome landed on the browser scene in September 2008, its speed at page rendering has been its biggest selling point. It's now arguable that Chrome is the fastest browser out there, with increasingly tough competition from Opera, and Firefox's nightly builds on the horizon, but there's no doubt that it continues to be the driving force in accelerating browser page-load times.
The Mac version will only work on Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.5 Leopard or later. Somewhat annoyingly, Google will automatically upgrade Mac beta users to the stable version. Since there's no Chrome Channel Changer for Mac, you'll have to download the beta installer again to use that version. However, Mac users do finally get a full-screen mode, which had been previously unavailable in the beta.
There were also multiple security fixes introduced in Chrome 5, including two high-level repairs. One corrected possible URL bar spoofing from unload event handlers, and the other addressed incorrect JavaScript execution in extensions.
For users who've been playing around with the dev and beta versions of Chrome, these changes aren't new. The developer's channel was even elevated to version 6 last week, although not much was new in it. But with Chrome finally on stable footing that allows it to compete on all three major platforms, users shouldn't be surprised to see heightened efforts from Google to expand Chrome's user base.
by Seth Rosenblatt
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
AT&T offers free Wi-Fi in New York City
T&T is offering free public Wi-Fi hot spots to help it deal with increasing congestion on its wireless network.
On Tuesday, the company launched a free outdoor wireless hot spot in New York's Times Square. The pilot program will offer free Wi-Fi access to AT&T wireless and broadband customers using smartphones, laptops, and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. AT&T's Wi-Fi network is set up on the north side of Times Square on Seventh Avenue between 45th and 47th Streets.
The program is designed to see how Wi-Fi can help relieve wireless data congestion on AT&T's network. Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices will connect to the Wi-Fi network instead of AT&T's 3G network to access the Internet or Web-based applications. If all goes well, AT&T said it may expand the offering to other cities.
AT&T, the exclusive carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone, has been struggling to keep up with demand for data services on its network. The company has reported that due to new devices like the iPhone it's seen mobile data traffic grow on its network 5,000 percent in three years. The extra traffic, particularly in densely populated locales such as New York City and San Francisco, has caused problems for consumers in the way of dropped calls and slow Net access.
The telephone company has been investing in its network to improve capacity and network coverage. It's upgraded its backhaul networks, which connect the cell sites to its Internet backbone. It's added new Microcell devices that expand in-home coverage. And it's bulked up coverage in sports stadiums, convention halls and other areas where people congregate.
AT&T has also been using its more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country to offload some of the traffic. The company has offered free Wi-Fi access to its smartphone subscribers in the hopes that customers will use the Wi-Fi network when it's available rather than the slower 3G network. So far, the company has seen some success. In 2009, AT&T consumers connected to an AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot four times more often than they did in 2008, the company has said. And in the first quarter, AT&T handled 53.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, which is nearly five times higher than the same quarter last year.
One of the biggest advantages of Wi-Fi is that it's already in most devices. Laptops come with Wi-Fi pre-installed, and most new smartphones also come with Wi-Fi built in. It's also faster than a 3G network, so it offers subscribers a better experience.
Advancements in the technology, especially new features found in the latest version of Wi-Fi 802.11n, increase the range and speed of the networks. In urban areas, Wi-Fi hot spots now extend almost 2,000 feet, which is nearly as far as some cellular cell sites, according to Jeff Thompson, CEO of fixed wireless provider Towerstream.
by Marguerite Reardon
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
On Tuesday, the company launched a free outdoor wireless hot spot in New York's Times Square. The pilot program will offer free Wi-Fi access to AT&T wireless and broadband customers using smartphones, laptops, and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. AT&T's Wi-Fi network is set up on the north side of Times Square on Seventh Avenue between 45th and 47th Streets.
The program is designed to see how Wi-Fi can help relieve wireless data congestion on AT&T's network. Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices will connect to the Wi-Fi network instead of AT&T's 3G network to access the Internet or Web-based applications. If all goes well, AT&T said it may expand the offering to other cities.
AT&T, the exclusive carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone, has been struggling to keep up with demand for data services on its network. The company has reported that due to new devices like the iPhone it's seen mobile data traffic grow on its network 5,000 percent in three years. The extra traffic, particularly in densely populated locales such as New York City and San Francisco, has caused problems for consumers in the way of dropped calls and slow Net access.
The telephone company has been investing in its network to improve capacity and network coverage. It's upgraded its backhaul networks, which connect the cell sites to its Internet backbone. It's added new Microcell devices that expand in-home coverage. And it's bulked up coverage in sports stadiums, convention halls and other areas where people congregate.
AT&T has also been using its more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country to offload some of the traffic. The company has offered free Wi-Fi access to its smartphone subscribers in the hopes that customers will use the Wi-Fi network when it's available rather than the slower 3G network. So far, the company has seen some success. In 2009, AT&T consumers connected to an AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot four times more often than they did in 2008, the company has said. And in the first quarter, AT&T handled 53.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, which is nearly five times higher than the same quarter last year.
One of the biggest advantages of Wi-Fi is that it's already in most devices. Laptops come with Wi-Fi pre-installed, and most new smartphones also come with Wi-Fi built in. It's also faster than a 3G network, so it offers subscribers a better experience.
Advancements in the technology, especially new features found in the latest version of Wi-Fi 802.11n, increase the range and speed of the networks. In urban areas, Wi-Fi hot spots now extend almost 2,000 feet, which is nearly as far as some cellular cell sites, according to Jeff Thompson, CEO of fixed wireless provider Towerstream.
by Marguerite Reardon
News from Geeks On Call – We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today’s world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Microsoft allows outsiders to peek inside Outlook
Microsoft announced on Monday two open-source projects that let developers view data from Outlook without the need for the e-mail and calendar program itself.
One is a software development kit for reading the .pst files that Outlook uses to save personal files; the other is a graphical tool for viewing the internal data structure of the .pst files.
"Combined, the documentation and tools advance interoperability with data stored in .pst files, reflecting customer requests for greater access to data stored and shared in digital formats generated by Microsoft Outlook and for enhanced data portability," Microsoft said on its interoperability Web site.
Both tools are posted under an Apache 2.0 license on the CodePlex site.
The move builds on Microsoft's announcement last October to open up Outlook's .pst file format.. The documentation itself was posted in February. Microsoft said the new graphical tool released Monday will offer a better understanding of the documentation released in October.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
One is a software development kit for reading the .pst files that Outlook uses to save personal files; the other is a graphical tool for viewing the internal data structure of the .pst files.
"Combined, the documentation and tools advance interoperability with data stored in .pst files, reflecting customer requests for greater access to data stored and shared in digital formats generated by Microsoft Outlook and for enhanced data portability," Microsoft said on its interoperability Web site.
Both tools are posted under an Apache 2.0 license on the CodePlex site.
The move builds on Microsoft's announcement last October to open up Outlook's .pst file format.. The documentation itself was posted in February. Microsoft said the new graphical tool released Monday will offer a better understanding of the documentation released in October.
by Ina Fried
News from Geeks On Call - We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us today at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Keep Your Family Safe On The Internet
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
To download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
To download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Download your free Parent?s Gude to Internet Safety
Keep Your Family Safe On The Internet
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
Download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
Geeks On Call is Committed to Keeping Our Children Safe Online by making our Parents Guide to Internet Safety available as a Free Public Service.
The Parents Guide to Internet Safety was created for parents to help them understand how to protect their children’s personal safety from sexual and other predators, cyber-bullies, pornography/inappropriate material. It also helps to protect their technological safety from digital threats that may cause computer damage, data loss, or identity theft, e.g., viruses, worms, spyware and hackers. We urge everyone to share it with their families, friends, schools, churches and civic organizations.
Protection For Your Family
Each year more and more people are using the internet to share information. From family photos and homework to banking and retirement planning there is no shortage of information on the internet. At the same time viruses, spyware, and identity theft have become all too common on the internet. Child predation on the internet is also growing at an alarming rate. The Technicians at Geeks On Call are have the knowledge and the tools to help keep your data and most importantly your family safe as you become more reliant on technology.
Download your free Parent’s Gude to Internet Safety now, visit www.geeksoncall.com
HP Expands Laptop Battery Recall
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
HP Expands Laptop Battery Recall
Hewlett-Packard has expanded a worldwide recall of lithium ion batteries in some HP and Compaq notebooks to include an additional 54,000 units.
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
The batteries, made in China, can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
notebook service tag
HP originally recalled 70,000 batteries in May 2009, following two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries.
Since then, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured, resulting in 11 instances of minor injury and 31 instances of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall affects models manufactured between August 2007 and March 2008 and sold at computer and electronics stores nationwide, as well as online at hp.com and hpshopping.com. To reduce the likelihood of problems, HP suggests consumers stop using their battery pack immediately until they've determined whether it's among those affected by the recall.
Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement. For additional information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call 888-202-4320 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT Monday through Friday.
We specialize in providing the computer and network support that is critical for small and medium-sized businesses to succeed in today's world. As your Part-Time IT Department, Geeks On Call delivers on-demand, on-site computer and network services that are convenient and reliable. Our commitment to world-class customer service has made us the most respected on-site computer repair and support provider in the nation.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Visit us online at www.geeksoncall.com or call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
Friday, May 21, 2010
$25 OFF* - This Weekend Only (5/21 - 5/23)
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
$25 OFF* - This Weekend Only (5/21 - 5/23)
PROMO CODE: PING-521
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
Call us today for all of your computer repair and service needs. We are the nation's premier on-site computer repair service provider for your home and business.
We look forward to becoming your trusted advisor for all your technology needs. Call us at 1-800-905-GEEK. (1-800-905-4335)
* Offer applies to visits of a minimum of one hour. Participating franchises only. Call for full details.
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