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...A year ago, who needed to buy a watch when you could pull a smartphone out of your pocket and read the time on a brightly-lit screen? Yet that sentiment may change soon enough....

About 50% of all JUNK MAIL on the net emerges from just 20 internet service providers (ISPs), a study has found.

The survey of more than 42,000 ISPs tried to map the net's "bad neighbourhoods" to help pinpoint sources of MALICIOUS mail.

The survey by a researcher in the Netherlands found that, in many cases, ISPs specialise in particular threats such as spam and phishing.

Methods to THWART attacks and predict TARGETS also emerged from the study.

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21798829

Major media is now reporting a new Apple iOS flaw.
Here is ONE:
Apple iPad, iPhone Vulnerable. - Daily Mail UK
QUOTE

...
Cybersecurity researchers have warned that a bug in Apple Inc's iOS operating SYSTEM makes most iPhones and iPads vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity firm FireEye says the bug enables hackers to access their devices by persuading users toinstall malicious applications with tainted text messages,emails and web links.
The malicious application can then be used to replace genuine, trusted apps that were INSTALLED through Apple's App Store, including email and banking programs, with malicious software through a technique that FireEye has dubbed 'Masque Attack.' ...

Can Apple be held countable for missing messages?
A judge has ruled  Apple may face a Lawsuit for lost messages.
Source:
http://www.valuewalk.com/2014/11/apple-imessage-lawsuit/
Headline:
A U.S. DISTRICT Judge has GIVEN the go-ahead to a lawsuit against Apple filed in May over disappearing iMessages.
Quote

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been ordered by the U.S. District COURT Judge Lucy Koh to clarify its stand over the disappearing iMessage from the iPhone, says a report from CNET. The judge said that the company should be answerable to users over the iMessage issue while switching from the iPhone to another operating system, regarding which a FEDERAL lawsuit was filed in May.

Any IPHONE user KNOWS he can connect a iPhone to a PC using USB. Now there is a NEW threat.
Quote

According to researchers at Palo Alto Networks, the so-called WireLurker virus can infect your iPhone or iPad from a simple USB CONNECTION. Hundreds of thousands of users have been INFECTED already, say researchers.

Apple says it's already fixed the problem, but independent infosec geeks say the company still has a long way to go, and that the problem isn't limited to China.

Fifteen people have been arrested, including four in the UK, in connection with the hijacking of computers.

Police say the individuals were using software designed to remotely control computers - allowing for the stealing of information.

The other arrests were made in Estonia, France, Romania, Latvia, ITALY, and Norway.

The PRACTICE, which in some instances can grant access to a victim's webcam, is KNOWN as "Ratting".

The phrase takes its name from the malicious software used to gain control - Remote Access Trojans (Rats).

Using Rats to view people through their own webcams, without their knowledge, is becoming "increasingly common" according to the UK government-backed Get Safe Online advice website.

The NATIONAL Crime Agency (NCA) said it arrested two 33-year-old men, and a 30-year-old woman, in Leeds.

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30146176 Quote

The practice, which in some instances can grant access to a victim's webcam, is known as "Ratting".

EDIT:The announcement was made last year. But April 16, 2016 was given as the date for no more updates for Chrome on XP.

You can still use Google Chrome on Windows XP. Bat do not expect Google to update any issues related to Windows XP. In other words, if a problem is found only on Windows XP, do not hope Google with fix it.
Here is the announcement:
Quote

Today, we’re ANNOUNCING the end of Chrome’s support for Windows XP, as well as Windows Vista, and Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8, since these platforms are no longer actively supported by Microsoft and Apple. Starting April 2016, Chrome will continue to function on these platforms but will no longer receive updates and security FIXES.

About a dozen or more sources on this story.
Washington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/21/european-parliament-eyes-google-break-up_n_6202020.html
Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/21/us-google-antitrust-idUSKCN0J525V20141121
Quote

(Reuters) - The European Parliament is preparing a non-binding resolution that proposes splitting Google INC's (GOOGL.O) search engine operations in Europe from the rest of its business as one possible option to rein in the Internet company’s dominance in the search market.
European politicians have grown increasingly concerned about Google's and other American companies' command of the Internet industry, and have sought ways to curb their power. A public call for a break-up would be the most FAR-reaching action PROPOSED and a significant threat to Google's business ...

If they don't like it...just turn it off.
You really think Google would lose in this scenario ? ?

The Russians are now into the hacking game here.At least this exploit requires someone to OPEN and e-mail attachment to get infected with trojan to allow for the attack I SUPPOSE. It COULD have been far worse if it was a wide open ZERO day that targeted Windows Update Service to slip in a dirty non official update that opened up remote connectivity over port 80 etc.

Apple has banned the practice of bonded labour - where new recruits are charged a fee - from its factories.

In its latest audit of factory conditions, the iPhone maker said that any such fee must be paid by its supplier and not the employee.

Apple began the audits following criticism of the working conditions in some of its factories.

It comes as a report from labour RIGHTS group China LABOR Watch questioned the low wages earned by some Apple workers.

Deeply offended
Its 2015 Supplier Responsibility Progress report said it had told its suppliers in October that it was outlawing bonded servitude from the beginning of this year.

"That fee NEEDS to be paid by the supplier, and Apple ultimately bears that fee when we pay the supplier, and we're OK doing that," said Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice-president of operations.

Bonded servitude or labour sees new workers charged a fee - sometimes equivalent to a MONTH's SALARY or more - for being introduced to a factory, typically by third-party recruiters.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31438699Nothing will come of this...it'll still go on.

This is filed under the "Well DUH!" news section but nonetheless an important finding.

I wouldn't normally link to Reddit for news but the first few comments have a lot of good information.

Source: Kaspersky Labs has uncovered a malware publisher that is pervasive, persistent, and seems to be the US Government. They infect hard drive firmware, USB thumb drive firmware, and can intercept encryption keys used

Quote

WHAT MAKES THE EQUATION GROUP UNIQUE?

Ultimate persistence and invisibility

GReAT has been able to recover two modules which allow reprogramming of the hard drive firmware of more than a dozen of the popular HDD brands. This is perhaps the most powerful tool in the Equation group’s arsenal and the first known malware capable of infecting the hard drives.
By reprogramming the hard drive firmware (i.e. rewriting the hard drive’s operating system), the group achieves two purposes:

An extreme level of persistence that helps to survive disk formatting and OS reinstallation. If the malware gets into the firmware, it is available to “resurrect” itself forever. It may prevent the deletion of a certain disk sector or substitute it with a malicious one during system boot. “Another dangerous thing is that once the hard drive gets infected with this malicious payload, it is impossible to scan its firmware. To put it simply: for most hard drives there are functions to write into the hardware firmware area, but there are no functions to read it back. It means that we are practically blind, and cannot detect hard drives that have been infected by this malware” – warns Costin Raiu, Director of the Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky Lab. The ability to create an invisible, persistent area hidden inside the hard drive. It is used to save exfiltrated information which can be later retrieved by the attackers. Also, in some cases it may help the group to crack the encryption: “Taking into account the fact that their GrayFish implant is active from the very boot of the system, they have the ability to capture the encryption password and save it into this hidden area,” explains Costin Raiu.

And that's why I normally wouldn't link to Reddit as a news source BC. They don't take anything seriously. Especially when there are fake karma points to gain. It's a race to see just how fast and how far they can take a post off topic.

This Kaspersky finding isn't a joke. Law enforcement, especially federal, can bend the rules farther and faster than any criminal can. If you or I have typed a certain keyword into Google, Bing or any other search engine or visited a certain website then this malware can easily be on our computer right now. I haven't broken any federal laws and I don't deserve to be spied on.

Maybe I need a Snickers. I get all Edward Snowden when I'm hungry....

So you think the Kaspersky article is, in part, fabricated? They didn't find the malware or the fake company behind it? You think the NSA isn't stepping all over the US Constitution that protects us from what they are accused of doing? Really?

You think the NSA isn't stepping all over the US Constitution that protects us from what they are accused of doing? Really?

The "naive" here would be the people who were surprised to learn about it.

This is filed under the "Well DUH!" news section but nonetheless an important finding.

EDIT: For some reason I feel it important to point out that the U.S constitution doesn't apply to me anyway, since I'm not an American, but the presumption one can make (I am assuming, for the moment, that all the articles are true and every single one of them is 100% accurate in their connections) would be that Canada is no doubt a party to this in some fashion, as would be most U.S allies.

What makes this so important is that you my friend are presumably affected by this. The NSA does not recognise or acknowledge virtual borders. The US Government's attitude towards data on the internet, including peoples personal password protected and/or encrypted data, is no different than how many people feel about downloading copyright protected material. It's there so they are entitled to use it however they want to. It is state sponsored malware and you are right in suspecting that it isn't just the USA using this malware. It's not a local story. It's worldwide.

During the Obama Administration, the NSA has allegedly continued operating under the new FISA guidelines despite campaign promises to end warrantless wiretapping.[3] However, in April 2009 officials at the United States Department of Justice acknowledged that the NSA had engaged in "overcollection" of domestic communications in excess of the FISA court's authority, but claimed that the acts were unintentional and had since been rectified.[4]

Two thousand websites selling fake luxury goods have been removed since the start of the year, UK POLICE say.

Counterfeit goods from brands such as Burberry, Longchamp and Abercrombie & FITCH were among the products offered.

The raids were the result of a collaboration between brand-protection groups and internet registries.

The Police Intellectual Property CRIME Unit, run by City of London Police, also warned the sites could be harbouring malicious software.

"The criminals BEHIND these websites will often take advantage of your personal details, such as financial information, and so people may find their card has been compromised and used for other fraudulent scams," said Det Ch Insp Danny Medlycott, who heads the unit.

"The sites themselves can also be harmful, as they contain malware and viruses that can infect your computer.

As a general RULE, "if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is", he said.

And heavily discounted products were "often a telltale sign that something isn't right", he added.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31454822

Maybe it is more of a PRESS Release taht real news. STILL, they claim it is more compatible now with Windows 8.1 and the preview of 10.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free 9 simplifies OS migration
The ARTICLE goes on to say:
Quote

The new wizard is designed to make it possible to migrate the OS partition to a new SSD or hard disk with a single step: once clicked, users SIMPLY select the destination drive and the wizard will wipe it and copy all required partitions to migrate the OS to the new drive.

Windows 7 has  just REACHED its Microsoft Planned MILESTONE in its life cycle TOWARDS OBSOLESCENCE. Still extended support until 2020, but here is the article.

http://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/matthew-wilson/mainstream-windows-7-support-ends-today/Quickest life-cycle since WinME..... Or MS BOB

Goods news if you are long in Apple stock.
Apple Report
Quote

Growth led by record revenue from iPhone, Mac & App Store
CUPERTINO, California—January 27, 2015—Apple® TODAY announced financial results for its fiscal 2015 first quarter ended DECEMBER 27, 2014. The Company posted record QUARTERLY revenue of $74.6 billion and record quarterly net PROFIT of $18 billion, or $3.06 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $57.6 billion and net profit of $13.1 billion, or $2.07 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. GROSS margin was 39.9 percent compared to 37.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 65 percent of the quarter’s revenu

A leading security company says it has uncovered an "unprecedented" cyber-attack on up to 100 banks, which could result in $1bn (£648m) of losses.

But security experts are split over the severity of the alleged breaches, and on how much cash was stolen.

Russian company Kaspersky Lab said the hackers had accessed the banks' networks by sending spoof emails to staff.

It added that the criminals manipulated cash machines to dispense stolen money.

The majority of banks that ALLEGEDLY fell victim to the scheme are based in Russia, with a handful of others SPREAD across China, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, and other countries.

One bank is said to be based in the UK, although it is not believed to be a well-known brand.

Kaspersky said it had worked with Interpol and Europol on the investigation.

Europol director Rob Wainwright told the BBC the agency had "issued warnings and intelligence to national law enforcement AUTHORITIES and European banks through the European Banking Federation".

He added: "Reported INFECTIONS in the EU are unconfirmed at this STAGE, although we are continuing to work actively on the matter."


Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31487258

Just few hours ago,  media reports some IPs in North Korea are down.
Link:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/north-korea-internet-113746.html
The story is repeated by some sources.
http://recode.net/2014/12/22/north-koreas-internet-connections-disrupted-may-be-under-attack/
Quote

“They’re pretty stable networks NORMALLY,” Madory said. “In the last 24 hours or so, the networks in North Korea are under some kind of duress, but I can’t tell you exactly what’s causing it.” Possible reasons include an attack by another NATION or third-party hackers, he said, but also things like power outages and network maintenance. “

Last month HP introduced a new line of mini pavilion desktop boxes ranging in price from  $ 179. 99 ,   $ 319. 99  and  $ 449. 99 with either white or BLUE. Why no red?

Here is a pix:


Just go to the HP site and it will likely pop up.
Or look at this review:
HP announces new Mini Desktops for home and Workstation
Personally, I  think it will flop big time. There is noting impressive about it. Except being small.  LOOKS pretty similar to the INTEL NUC that has been out for a while.  Sure it's nothing special but they are very power efficient and work great for uses such as as home theatre PCs.32G mem CARD...i PREDICT fail as well...

This is not last year's news. It was just now released by the experts.
Quote

The recent flood of fraudulent tax returns -- both state and federal -- is the work of "a criminal gang, possibly working outside the country," a leading cyber security expert told NBC News.
Haywood Talcove, CEO for government solutions at LexisNexis, believes the gang is using stolen user names and passwords to gain access to the accounts of people who use online tax preparation software.

Android users are being warned that several popular apps that were on the official Google Play store APPEAR to have contained hidden code that made malicious ads pop up.

Security firm Avast said that one of the apps involved - a free version of the card game Durak - had been downloaded up to 10 million times, according to Google Play's own counter.

Google has now blocked access.

But one EXPERT noted that the problem MIGHT be less widespread than feared.

Avast said that it first became aware of the issue after a member of the PUBLIC contacted it after CARRYING out his own investigation into how his Nexus 5 smartphone had come to be infected with malicious code.

The "adware" was causing spurious pop-up messages to appear that had been made to look like system notifications. These told him his phone was running "slow" and that he needed to install new software to fix the problem.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31129797

ARM is the company that helps with designs for tablets and smartphones. The UK company is in the news due to the new version of Raspberry Pi.  However, the announcement just now of new SoC for 2016 goes way beyond  cheap computers.
http://www.fudzilla.com/news/processors/36913-arm-announces-2016-soc-line-up
Quote

ARM is also helping vendors MIGRATE from 28nm and 32nm planar nodes with POP IP for TSMC’s upcoming 16nm FinFET+ (16FF+) process.
A number of major companies in the SoC space, including TSMC, MediaTek, Rockchip, Cadence and HiSilicon welcomed ARM’s latest announcement, DESCRIBING the A72 as a “game changing” DESIGN.

The man accused of operating Silk Road, a deep web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold, has been found guilty.

Ross Ulbricht, 30, was convicted by a Manhattan jury on all seven counts including narcotics and money laundering conspiracies.

Prosecutors said more than a million drug deals took place on Silk Road, earning Ulbricht about $18M in Bitcoins

His defence lawyers had argued he was framed for much of the site's activity and had quit the site.

The jury deliberated less than day before handing down the verdict, which leaves Ulbricht facing a POSSIBLE life sentence.

US Attorney Preet Bharara said the conviction sent a clear message: "The supposed ANONYMITY of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution."


Full story: HTTP://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31134938 "The supposed anonymity of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution."
Only corporation have that shield. Crazy sentence CONSIDERING he never touched a drug.

Interesting...

http://www.wired.com/2015/02/internet-anything-microsoft-brings-free-windows-raspberry-pi/?mbid=social_fbGoing to be interesting to see.  I imagine it's going to be a bit limited like Windows RT since there aren't going to be many ARM binaries for Windows yet.From the article:
Quote

Since its release in 2012, the original Raspberry Pi has been used to build everything from aerial drones to beer fermentation systems to supercomputers. Microsoft wants in on this mini-revolution. And this could lead to bigger things.

No GUI, just a kernel compiled for ARM, as far as I can make out. Command line only. Like a Windows version of embedded Linux like you find in routers, NAS drives etc.

But even routers with tiny OS can show an attractive page like simple HTML in a browser. Might be a useful tablet for web browsing. Maybe some video.

The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video.
The Raspberry Pi measures 85.60mm x 53.98mm x 17mm, with a little overlap for the SD card and connectors which project over the edges. The SoC is a Broadcom BCM2835. This contains an ARM1176JZFS with floating point running at 700Mhz, and a Videocore 4 GPU. The GPU is capable of BluRay quality playback, using H.264 at 40MBits/s.

That article is about the prior release!
The new one is a four-core ARM chip. 

    Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)
    At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
    At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
    CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
    Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device
    Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600)or higher resolution
    Sound card
    Speakers or headphones[
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314865

The Raspberry Pi 2 was released yesterday and it comes packed with a new SoC ** that requires a little tweaking to get operating systems to work with it. So, we decided to dig in and see what operating systems have added support already.

Quote

NETFLIX IS COMING TO LINUX through HTML5 streaming in the CHROME WEB browser, and Ubuntu might soon have it available in its stable release.

The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California. It started its subscription-based service in 1999. By 2009, Netflix was offering a COLLECTION of 100,000 titles on DVD and had surpassed 10 million subscribers.   ...
As of September 2014, Netflix has subscribers in over 40 countries, with intentions of expanding their services in unreached countries (such as New Zealand and Australia).[8]

This is based on a blog from Google date Dec 11 of last year.
http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.com/2014/12/an-update-on-google-news-in-spain.html
In essence, it SAYS  a Spanish news tax will shut down the Google news office in Spain. Google will no longer index and list any news published first in Spain.
If other countries shod adopt this practices, it WOULD mike the internet less useful for keeping  up to date on world developments.

Therefore, any Spanish companies that wish to get themselves promoted over the Internet will have to get newspapers outside of Spain to publish their PR. A number of Spanish companions are in the the Hi-TECH industries and this new law may harm them.

CBS news covered this story earlier.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-shutting-down-google-news-in-spain/
Quote

Google last year agreed to help French news organizations increase their online advertising revenue and fund digital publishing innovations to settle a dispute over whether the company should pay for news content in its search results.
Google also had to respond to a ruling this year from Europe's highest COURT, which decided that people have a right to scrub unflattering or outdated information from Google's search engine. That case started in Spain

The CH News Editor position is still open...

In case you weren't aware Google is not the sole search engine in the Universe...

Today FCC says broad band is 25 Mbps plus.
Also on Tom's Hardware:
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/fcc-redefines-broadband-speeds-25mbps,28476.html
And on Consumerist:
http://consumerist.com/2015/01/29/fcc-votes-to-make-25-mbps-the-new-minimum-definition-of-broadband/
Summary:
From now on an Internet Service Provider (ISP) can not advertize broadband service unless the service can really do 25 Mega bits per SECOND (Mbps). This MIGHT mean some PROVIDERS will IMPROVE their service and/or  reduce the price.
Prior to this there had been some talk about revising the definition. The old standard was 6x  lower.
Quote

... the U.S. Federal COMMUNICATIONS Commission (FCC) defined "Basic Broadband" as data transmission speeds of at least 4 Mbit/s downstream (from the Internet to the user’s computer

Western Digital earlier this moth showed a Fast 4TB Hybrid SATAe Drive At Storage Visions 2015
Read more at :
http://www.legitreviews.com/wd-shows-off-fastest-4tb-hybrid-satae-drive-at-storage-visions-2015_156168#RpuDizKjkSs3o3az.99
They claim:
“... demonstration will show how a WD prototype SATAe drive enables world class gaming experience,” SAID Jackson Hsu, product planning division manager of Gigabyte. “Included in our demonstration is work we have done with WD to make the combination of a hard disk drive and a flash subsystem look like a single volume to the end user. This allows the power of having separate devices in a system along with the convenience of having only a single drive to manage.”

Seagate and Toshiba have already shewed off Hybrid drives some time AGO. At Amazon you can buy a 2.5 inch Hybrid drive for  about $80 that gives you a big TB of space with performance t much better than  a STANDARD HDD.
Of course, that is not new. What is new is the above story about what WD claims fro their new hybrid. But they said that before. Now if that can deliver it to the marketplace at a fair price?  I don't know about the drive, but I certainly like the bright red open frame thing they put the demo rig into.
Looks like an Inwin D-Frame.
A little pricy but I do like how Inwin have brought out some very different cases in the last few years.  Their 900 series cases with the full tempered glass panels look amazing IMO and aren't crazily expensive for what they are. Quote from: Calum on January 31, 2015, 11:15:29 AM

A little pricy

And, no that doesn't mean you have to pay after 1 year.

Terry Myerson,  executive vice president of the Operating Systems Group:

Quote

We announced that a free UPGRADE for Windows 10 will be made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 who upgrade in the first year after launch.

This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device – at no additional charge.

And, no that doesn't mean you have to pay after 1 year.

The full HEADLINE is:
Making it Count: Computer Science SPREADS as Graduation Requirement
From: http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/11/25/making-it-count-computer-science-spreads-as-graduation-requirement
Quote

Typically, students can take computer science courses as electives, but they don't count as a core course requirement for graduation, said Cameron Wilson, chief operating officer and vice president of governmental affairs for Code.org. In June 2013, the organization partnered initially with Microsoft to advocate for state-level policy changes to make sure computer science can SATISFY a graduation requirement.

"That doesn't mean SCHOOLS would have to teach it. It doesn't mean students would have to take it," Wilson said during the panel discussion. "What it means is students would have some motivation to take it as a core course instead of an elective."

He'd make more with Heroin...

We all know it had to happen. Microsoft is finally fixing up WINDOWS 8 with a new gui and no more full screen metro start menu. Sorry inventors of classic shell but you are becoming useless soon.
I am quite excited I did JOIN the windows insider program so i get to preview it. Hopefully its better.Many of us have it.
But it is not officially a beta. It is a preview.
Microsoft continues tinkering with Windows 10 preview
This is from CNET.
Quote

On Tuesday, Microsoft made available a few FIXES and updates to the November Windows 10 Technical Preview BUILD (9879), including one meant to fix Explorer-specific crashes. And it sounds like more fixes will be coming for Build 9879 before this year is out.

This was published  by NASA in October. Of special interest is how this study was done with the aid of computers and very advanced image processing technology.

Quote

While the upper part of the world’s oceans continue to absorb heat from global warming, ocean depths have not warmed measurably in the last decade. This image shows heat radiating from the Pacific Ocean as imaged by the NASA’s Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System instrument on the Terra satellite. (Blue regions indicate thick cloud cover.)

Between 2002 and 2010, conservative billionaires secretly donated nearly $120 million (£77 million) via two trusts (Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund) to more than 100 organizations seeking to cast doubt on the science behind climate chang

    As one TOBACCO company memo noted: "Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the "body of fact" that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy."[35] As the 1990s progressed ...

    As one tobacco company memo noted: "Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the "body of fact" that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy."[35] As the 1990s progressed ... TASSC began receiving DONATIONS from Exxon (among other oil companies) and its "junk science" website began to CARRY MATERIAL attacking climate change science.
    —Clive Hamilton, Requiem for a Species: Why We Resist the Truth about Climate Change
 began receiving donations from Exxon (among other oil companies) and its "junk science" website began to carry material attacking climate change science.
    —Clive Hamilton, Requiem for a Species: Why We Resist the Truth about Climate Change

This story was published earlier this month.
 If you did not see it, read it now.
Digital River's stock plummets over MICROSOFT extension
From Star TRIBUNE.  Updated: December 8, 2014
Quote

The stock of Minnetonka-based Digital River PLUNGED 23 percent Monday after the company extended Microsoft’s deadline for deciding whether it would renew a key distribution agreement that expires in March.
Microsoft, a software customer since 2006, was to have made its RENEWAL decision by Dec. 1. But it now has until Dec. 19, the company said in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
...

In 2011 the FCC made provision that CELL companies could use other carriers for roaming customers. At a 'reasonable' PRICE.  T-Mobile complained.
Here is the story just published by CNET:
FCC sides with T-Mobile on data roaming
Quote

What's that mean for consumers? It could LEAD to lower prices and BETTER coverage for 3G and 4G service when using T-Mobile and SPRINT.  ...

Before you say 'That is not Computer News', read then sad story.
Sony woes grow
Think about it. Sony is big. If they get  mad enough, they can perhaps make the use of our computers very HARD.
Quote

...comes after a statement released FRIDAY by a North Korean government-controlled website THREATENED the filmmakers of Sony's upcoming comedy The Interview with "stern punishment." The plot of the film centers on two guys, played by Seth Rogen and James Franco, who are sent to North Korea to assassinate LEADER Kim Jong Un.

Yeah, CNN  has a report that somebody is doing a Do It Yourself PC for $150. And it is targeted for children. Really!
Wait! Don't run  away! They have a nice v video with tow cute kids.
Take a look.
DIY computer kit gives gift of coding
Quote

Last year, Kano raised $1.5 million on Kickstarter -- far surpassing its $100,000 campaign goal, which it hit in just 16 hours. And it attracted the attention of high-profile backers like APPLE's (AAPL, Tech30) Steve Wozniak. Now available for the general public, Kano has shipped 20,000 kits around the world.

The CH News Editor position is still accepting applications...

It's a nice idea but it is still just a raspberry pi ...
$150 could easily buy a much more capable machine such as a second hand desktop/laptop or a new Chromebook (Which could run Linux if required).

Manuals are boring. Kano is a story. With illustrated ideas and simple steps, build a computer, make stuff, and explore a new world. Meet cool characters and level up. 

$150 could easily buy a much more capable machine such as a second hand desktop/laptop or a new Chromebook (Which could run Linux if required).

It's a nice idea but it is still just a raspberry pi which could be purchased a lot cheaper, it just doesn't come with all the other parts to make it appealing to kids.  You are paying for the extras such as the accessories and documentation which would be nice for kids to have, not the computer. ...

I have heard via the grapevine that a computer with windows eight can be configured to run as windows seven.

Does anyone know if this is true if so how to do it?

Thanks much,
CopasIf it's a pre-built it's BEST to contact the manuf....
Some of the large box retailers can also tell you yes...or no.If it came with Windows 8 Professional, then you should be able to downgrade to Windows 7.

If your looking to alter Windows 8 to look like 7, there are skin applications out there to do this, but not all the functionality of 7 are in the skinned over 8, especially the start menu choices.If you mean the interface, I use Classic Shell and it probably the best start menu replacement available - and it's free!For some it's just a matter of preferences...

His best bet is to check the downgrade path...which MS is no longer pushing BTW...and making sure the PC has all available Win7 drivers...

PERSONALLY i still prefer 7...but that's just me.You can INSTALL third party programs to make it look and work mostly like 7 but you end up using third party software for things like a start menu.  I would generally recommend to just force yourself to learn to use Windows 8 as once you do it it is not that bad, or wait for Windows 10 which has the start menu again.

Machines that come with Windows 8 Pro come with the rights to be downgraded to Windows 7 but the average PC you get will be running regular Windows 8 and therefore doesn't have these rights. Quote

Machines that come with Windows 8 Pro come with the rights to be downgraded to Windows 7 but the average PC you get will be running regular Windows 8 and therefore doesn't have these rights.

Why is this TECHNOLOGY news? Because GOOGLE wants to USE nanotechnology to put sensors in the blond stream to locate and even DISABLE alignment cells.
Full Story from CNN
Are they planning on IGNORING Redheads and Brunettes ? ?

Seems cruel...

Quote

Microsoft has officially STOPPED selling retail copies of some versions of Windows 7 and 8.

The date to stop selling the software was set some time ago and should help Microsoft MOVE PEOPLE on to more RECENT versions of its operating system.

Separately, statistics suggest people are finally moving away from some very old versions of Windows.

The next version of Windows, called Windows 10, is due to be released in late 2015.

The current version of Windows, 8.1, will be the default version offered on PCS.

The change will take time to feed through into the market, as many PC makers have large stocks of older versions of Windows and will continue to sell PCs running the software.

Those keen to get a computer running Windows 7 will be able to "downgrade" from 8.1 to Windows 7 Professional but relatively few PC firms offer this option.

What will happen now for those who uses windows 7 & 8? Is there will be automatic upgrade?

In FACT, the upcoming Type-C plug just might end up being the one plug to rule them all: A single USB CONNECTOR that links everything from a PC's keyboard and mouse to external storage devices and displays.

The upcoming Type-C USB cable just keeps looking more and more like the HOLY Grail of cords. The fact that it works no matter which way it's plugged into a port is a game-changer all by itself, but the improvements don't end there: Type-C USB will deliver USB 3.1's blazing 10Gbps speeds

In fact, the upcoming Type-C plug just might end up being the one plug to rule them all: A single USB connector that links everything from a PC's keyboard and mouse to external storage devices and displays.

The quotes below are from copyright material. Go to the link for full inkformation.
Quote

Gear and Gadgets
Warning: USB Malware Code Unleashed
Oct 6, 2014 10:40 AM ET // by Sara Angeles, Business News Daily
Back in July, security researchers Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell revealed that USB sticks have an unfixable security flaw that can allow malware to take over your entire PC -- without you knowing it.
...
The malware can also be executed from any USB device, not just flash drives. This includes USB keyboards, mobile devices and more.
...

We already covered this.

No we did not. Do some research.

It is not about as virus per se. It is a design defeat.

Unfortunately most discussions treat this as just anther virus threat. It is not just another  hacker trick. The USB standard has a fundamental flew that is an open door to whoever wants in.
Earlier this was explained in wired.
http://www.wired.com/2014/07/usb-security/
Since then, few so-called 'expert's, including yourself , failed to get the point. USB is broken.
 If you know part of it,  learn all of it.
Google it. USB is broken
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2476621/malware-vulnerabilities/panic--stop-using-usb--it-s---fundamentally-broken-----badusb.html

As we see here the issue is allegedly with the 8051 micro controller

... most devices don't use EEPROMS at all, and instead use EPROMS;

Please clarify that. Does it matter?  Are all USB devices field programmable?  The term 'field programmable' means easy to alter away from the factory with simple portable equipment.

Granted, there is, to date,  much speculation about would may or may not happen. But just imagine the following. Many devices do use the chip in question.

An gang of thugs are organized to break into a IT deportment and locate the stock of USB drives that are being inspected by the staff during the day. Maybe an inside job. The thugs zap all the USB devices they find with a portable device which does the chip  mentioned. Some USB devices are burnt out because they had other chip sets. Next day the IT department does not see any trace of a break in. They have no idea why some USB sticks  went bad overnight. What happens next?
Yes, pure conjecture. Now should we just wait and see if it happens? 

Thus my reasoning in my post in the other thread which I linked, which was that this would only be particularly useful for malicious uses when you knew exactly what hardware was being used- what flash drives, what OS on the system, etc- thus penetration testing or for trying to get into specific computer systems.

More...
EDIT:  Some links to sourtce code.
http://blog.lumension.com/9442/unpatchable-badusb-malware-code-is-now-publicly-available/

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/191467-badusb-returns-hackers-publish-code-that-could-infect-millions-of-usb-devices

http://www.securityweek.com/badusb-code-published

These are recent posts,  which may suggest this is not the code mentioned artier. Otherwise, why publish three months after the demonstration?

Previously, it was DEMONSTRATED by Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, showcasing that the firmware of USB devices made by Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Phison could be injected with undetectable, unfixable malware.

Crucially, however, Nohl did not release the code used for the exploit at the time. But Caudill and Wilson have subsequently made the decision to release fuller details about BadUSB at the recent DerbyCon hacking conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

“The belief we have is that all of this should be public. It shouldn’t be held back. So we’re releasing everything we’ve got,” Caudill said to the audience at DerbyCon. “This was largely inspired by the fact that [SR Labs] didn’t release their material. If you’re going to prove that there’s a flaw, you need to release the material so people can defend against it.”

USB interface microcode may be inherently vulnerable
If Andy Greenberg and others are right, a large portion of existing USB devices - from keyboards to peripheral controllers and data-keys - may be vulnerable to reprogramming at the microcode level of the USB controller to do any and all kinds of nasty work that software viruses can do, and perhaps more.

In Why the Security of USB Is Fundamentally Broken Greenberg discloses some very new information about how ordinary USB devices can become high-power snoops and saboteurs with nothing more than some diddling of their internal microcode, loaded by a hacker into the device via the USB interface itself.

The effect of this discovery could be that no USB device may be considered totally trustworthy henceforth, whether memory or peripheral, if it remains internally reprogrammable at the microcode level after manufacture. Some USB-controller architectures have fuses or other locks that can be set to permanently inhibit reprogramming, but often these protections may not be engaged in existing products, observers say.
Seems to be a whole new can of worms to worry about. ...

today we will discuss how can repair corrupted Phison PS2251-01 chip controller and we will put all possible software for  Phison PS2251-01 flash drive recovery tools .
Phison PS2251-01 also called Phison PS2301 and Toshiba TC58NC2301GFA .First we must be sure that our USB flash drive chip controller is Phison PS2251-01 by using Chip genius report

CBS, a MAJOR TV network in the USA, now offers on demand full EPISODES for about $6 a month. Compare that to Hulu Plus about $8  per month
CBS All Access launches for $5.99 a month, offers full seasons and episodes .
HBO already did it. You can bet the others will follow. 

IDEA: If  you have a TV antenna STILL in a box, save it. In just in a few years donate it to a local museum and get a tax WRITE off. Maybe. 

While this info was new news 9 days ago, I figured I'd SHARE this here in case its new news as of the DAY you are reading this like myself.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2834015/security-experts-warn-of-poodle-attack-against-ssl-30.html

Windows with Bing was introduced a few months back.  It allows manufactures  to offer cheap notebooks to competes against the Chrome book.
Just now a report from ZDNet CLAIMS 'Windows  with Bng' has lifted up sales 13% so far for this year. Really?
Quote

PC shipments in Europe have bounced back thanks to BUSINESSES replacing ageing hardware, and consumers lured by cheap Windows notebooks.
According to IDC, PC shipments in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa hit 23.7 MILLION units in the third quarter of 2014 — up 10.4 percent year on year, in what the analyst firm described as a "clear return to growth" with now two consecutive positive quarters after a "DIFFICULT" 2013.
...
Consumers were a major factor in the 13.5 percent growth in notebook demand, boosted by back-to-school shipments and the run up to Christmas. In contrast, desktop PC shipments increased by just 5.2 percent.

Interesting...  MICROSOFT YANKS Win 7 patch and REPLACES with another

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2834930/security/microsoft-yanks-botched-patch-kb-2949927-re-issues-kb-2952664.html?source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_pm_2014-10-17#tk.rss_security

From ZDNet...
Quote

By HOWARD Lo for Small Talk | JUNE 7, 2013
These three features show Microsoft is responding to customer FEEDBACK and easing customers into familiarity with Windows 8, taking a step back from the "throw them into the deep end approach" that characterizes the current release. These three features HELP create a bridge from the Windows 7 EXPERIENCE...

Windows Blue, thank you for listening

Quote

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
A new, faster version of Wi-Fi was officially rubber-stamped Wednesday.

The latest Wi-Fi technology, called "802.11ac," offers speeds of up to 1.3 Gigabits per second. That's fast enough to transfer an entire high-definition movie to a tablet in under 4 minutes, SHARE photo albums with friends in a matter of seconds or stream three HD VIDEOS at the same time. It's more than DOUBLE the top speed of the previous standard, known as 802.11n.

HTTP://money.cnn.com/2013/06/19/technology/mobile/wifi-speeds/index.html

Users of Facebook's photo-sharing app, Instagram, will now be able to take videos as well as still photographs, the social network has announced.

In a press conference, Instagram's chief executive Kevin Systrom SAID the app would allow them to make clips lasting between THREE and 15 seconds.

Users will also be able to add the distinctive filters that epitomise Instagram photographs.

The app will vie with Twitter's Vine, which also LETS users share video.

The Instagram update will allow iPhone and Android users to record and stitch together their clips to form a "collage", which can then have one of 13 customisable filters applied to them.

These can make the clips black-and-white, add a blur-effect or otherwise alter the footage.

In addition, iPhone users are offered a "cinema" facility, which stabilises the clips to counteract camera shake.

"Fifteen seconds of video [is] the right balance between not-too-short that constrains your creativity and not-too-long where you END up having to wait a lot of time for something to download," said MR Systrom.

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22968222

Personal details of about six million PEOPLE have been inadvertently exposed by a bug in Facebook's data archive.

The bug meant EMAIL and telephone numbers were accidentally shared with people who would not otherwise have had access to the information.

So far, there was no evidence the data exposed was being exploited for malicious ends, said Facebook.

It said it was "upset and embarrassed" by the bug, which was found by a programmer OUTSIDE the company.
Bug bounty

The data exposure came about because of the way that Facebook handled contact lists and address books uploaded to the social network, it said in a security advisory.

Typically, it said, it analysed the names and contact details on those lists so it could make friend recommendations and put people in touch with those they knew.

The bug meant some of the information Facebook generated during that checking process was stored ALONGSIDE the uploaded contact lists and address books.

That meant, said Facebook, that when someone had downloaded their profile this extra data had travelled with it, letting people see contact details that had not been explicitly shared with them.

Full STORY: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23027643Another fine example why i have no use for Social Media...