Sony Ericsson Launches Entertainment Unlimited

Entertainment Unlimited builds on Sony Ericsson’s leadership in music, imaging, gaming, content services, and applications to deliver unlimited opportunities for consumers to share experiences.

Barcelona, February 15, 2009 – Sony Ericsson today unveiled the next step in its evolution. The Entertainment Unlimited consumer proposition is the pinnacle of what the company has been working towards since the start of the joint venture in 2001 – the true fusion of communication and entertainment.

Bringing together rich content, unique applications and best in class entertainment experiences, the new consumer proposition is based around three key promises:

• Uniting best in class entertainment experiences into one offering such as the Walkman music experience, the Cyber-shot imaging experience, Java gaming and messaging integrated with services and applications.

• Broadening entertainment experiences by seamlessly integrating the mobile phone into other devices in the home letting consumers share and enjoy top quality entertainment content through a variety of channels including TV, PC and Hifi systems.

• Fusing communication with entertainment by removing barriers and offering unlimited sharing opportunities, multiplying the value of people’s entertainment experiences through a host of innovative web applications and Sony Ericsson’s unique Play Now offering.
  
  Sony Ericsson is unveiling the W995 Walkman phone at Mobile World Congress offering the most complete communication entertainment package to date. The launch of this phone exemplifies the excellence that Sony Ericsson has achieved in both the music and imaging categories and enables the evolution into Entertainment Unlimited. The company is also showing a mobile phone under the concept name Idou* giving a glimpse of one of a number of projects that will be launched this year under the umbrella of Entertainment Unlimited.

“Entertainment Unlimited lets us reinforce our position as THE communication entertainment brand,” said Lennard Hoornik Head of Global Marketing and Vice President at Sony Ericsson. “Everything that we have done to date has brought us to this point - we created the music phone category in 2005 selling over 100 million Walkman™ phones and we are now ready to unveil the next chapter in the evolution of the company - Entertainment Unlimited - giving consumers unlimited opportunities to share their entertainment experiences.”

Idou encapsulates the future of mobile entertainment in the palm of your hand delivering visual communication like never before.

Capture moments, talk through pictures and share all your experiences like never before with the 12.1 megapixel camera, intuitive touch features and Xenon flash. Tap directly into your favourite videos and tracks with the full-touch media menu and feast your eyes on movies, TV-series and video clips in true 16:9 widescreen format. Based on what will become the Symbian Foundation operating system, thousands of applications are available online letting you install new applications and download exciting content from PlayNow™ to make the Idou truly yours.

Dick Komiyama, President, Sony Ericsson said, "Entertainment Unlimited is at the core of Sony Ericsson's philosophy, building on the strength of our great entertainment assets such as Walkman and Cyber-shot phones and our unique service and applications integration. Many of the strategic initiatives we've announced in the past year have laid the internal framework to launch this new consumer proposition to the market and Sony Ericsson is now ready to drive the next wave of market development with Entertainment Unlimited."

Idou will be available 2nd Half of 2009.

Source: Sony Ericsson Press Release

3 Arrested In Connection With Heartland Credit Card Breach

The Leon County Sheriff's office in conjunction with the United States Secret Service earlier this week announced the arrests of three area residents -- Tony Acreus, Jeremy Frazier and Timothy Johns -- for allegedly using stolen credit card numbers associated with the Heartland Payment Systems breach.

During this joint investigation, it was determined that Acreus, Frazier and Johns have been using stolen credit card numbers to electronically encode VISA Gift Cards which were then used to make fraudulent purchases at local businesses, including several Tallahassee Wal-Marts. The group would then sell the fraudulently obtained merchandise for cash.

The stolen credit card numbers utilized by the group were stolen in an international computer hijacking of records from the Heartland Processing Center in New Jersey. The total actual and declined fraudulent transaction in Leon County is currently in excess of $100,000. This amount is expected to be much higher as this investigation continues.

Heartland Payment Systems was hit by a massive data breach late last year. The breach led to the theft of more than 100 million credit and debit card accounts.

"This investigation is ongoing and will likely produce additional charges and additional arrests," Leon County Sherriff's officials said in announcing the arrests Tuesday.

Upgrading On A Budget

For the past several months I've been looking at parts to replace an existing PC that was beginning to show some age. Being the geek I am I'm always looking for the best overall price to performance, which often times leaves me waiting until I can get an extremely hot price on my parts. This weekend the planets align just right and I found myself with the opportunity to buy some extremely budget friendly components that will make the most out of my money.

When upgrading I always consider what I've got that can be reused, what I need to replace and what my overall budget will be. In this case I wanted to limit myself to spending $120 max. I'm not looking to upgrade to a high end gaming machine. I'm only looking at add the best parts for the money. I'll be reusing several of my old parts including my power supply, video card, case and drives. Had I not had a decent power supply and a great video card I would have needed to factor this in and increased my budget accordingly.

The old rig:

• CPU: Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Socket 939 processor
• Heat Sink/Fan: Coolermaster Hyper TX2
  
• Motherboard: Foxconn 6150BK8MC
• Memory: 1.75GBs DDR (4 sticks various manuf, and speeds)
• Video Gard: EVGA 9600 GSO (thanks to the guys at F@H Team 111)
  
• Power Supply: Coolermaster eXtreme RP-500-PCAR 500W

As you can see for day to computing this PC has plenty of power. The dual core 3800+ has a slight overclock on it so its running at 2.3ghz which makes it plenty fast for most of the things I do and 1.75GBs of RAM is more than enough for most tasks. Unfortunatly I've noticed a slight slow down when doing some heavy multitasking. The easy fix would be adding more memory but the price for DDR just doesn't make it worth it. Besides I'm ready to hand this one down to someone else in need.

I'll actually be using the old rig to replace and aging Athlon Socket A machine my mom has been using fir several years. This rig should run everything she can throw at it and more.

The new parts:

• CPU: Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz (bought an OEM Version at eWiz for $53 with free shipping)
• Heatsink/Fan: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
• Motherboard: ASUS P5Q SE Plus
• Memory: OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
• Video card and power supply will be re-used

The price on the CPU was really the catalyst that got this build flowing. The E5200 is by far the best performing chip in its price range. With a decent board and some good cooling the chip can easily be overclocked to perform at or above the level of much higher priced chips. The chip is regularly $73 shipped for the retail version so I was saving $20 right off the bat, a deal I just couldn't pass on.

The heatsink/fan and motherboard were open box items at Newegg, both with considerable savings. Usually I'm skeptical of open box. reconditioned or refurbished items. But I know Newegg and they have an outstanding policy of backing items. Even open box deals.

The prices were $13 for the heatsink (regularly $37), $49.99 for the board (regularly $97). As you can see those prices are very nice and even though I had to pay shipping I still came in well under the best prices I could find anywhere else.

The memory I bought late last year when it was free after mail in rebate, I think the cost after shipping was something like $2, I'm still waiting on the rebate but it's in the works. I've had the RAM sitting in the closet waiting to be used. I've also got 2gigs of Corsair XMS sitting in there that I might add in just to see how much extra performance I get. I the XMS last year as well when it was at a great price.

My total cost for the parts I didn't have was $135.84. As mentioned originally I had set myself with a budget of about $110-120 so as you can see I'm a little over budget. The trade off is I get a much better motherboard and better cooling than I would have gotten had I gone with cheaper parts. There were two or three boards priced $15-20 cheaper however I hope the board I got equates to better overclocking which will give me a better price to performance ratio.

My new parts should arive some time next week. Between now and then I'll try to run some benchmarks on the old rig so we can get a comparison to the new rig and see just how much my upgrades were really worth.

Google Asking Business Owners To Update Maps Content

Google is calling all business owners to edit the content of their existing listing, or to add a brand new listing to Google's local database.

Google wants local businesses to update their listing so Google maps has as much current information on those listings as possible. Using Google's Local Business Center businesses can ensure that basic information is up-to-date. You can also attract more customers by providing additional details, like photos, hours, and coupons.

Microsoft Faces "Downgrade" Lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed suing Microsoft Corp. over the fee charged to "downgrade" Windows Vista on a new laptop to Windows XP.

The case which has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle, by Los Angeles resident Emma Alvarado seeks the return the fee paid for downgrading a Lenovo PC with Windows Vista Business preinstalled to Windows XP Professional. Alvarado is asking for the return of $59.25 which was added to the cost of her laptop purchased on June 20, 2008, according to the suit.

Alvarado is looking to expand the scope of the lawsuit by inviting others who have paid fees to downgrade to XP to join the suit (PDF) and is requesting refunds for them as well.

As a result of dissatisfaction over Vista many users have opted to "downgrade" their PCs to Windows XP, studies showed approximately 1/3 of Vista PCs had been downgraded.

Many customers who purchased PCs with Vista installed opted to downgrade to XP because they weren't happy with Vista's "numerous problems," according to Alvarado's suit. "As a result, many consumers would prefer to purchase a new computer preinstalled with the Windows XP operating system or at least not preinstalled with the Vista operating system," according to the filing.

According to the lawsuit by charging for those downgrades Microsoft and the OEM manufactures violated Washington state's Unfair Business Practices Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

"Microsoft has used its power to coerce OEMs, Internet access providers, and others into agreeing to restrictive and anti-competitive licensing terms for its Windows XP operating system in order to stifle competition in the market," according to Alvarado's complaint. "Microsoft did so in order to maintain, protect, and extend its market power in operating systems software into the next generation of personal computing, to lessen competition, and to enhance its monopoly position," Alvarado claims.

"Since the introduction of Vista, Microsoft has effectively eliminated competition in the operating system PC market and created a monopoly position for itself in that market," Alvarado claims in papers filed this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Along with a refund of the downgrade fees Alvarado is seeking unspecified damages and wants the court to make her case a class action suit. Microsoft has yet to file a formal response to the allegations. and has yet to comment on the case.

Samsung Goes Green With Blue Earth

Samsung Introduces “Blue Earth” - the First Solar Powered Full-Touch Phone

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today unveiled the innovative solar powered full-touch screen phone “Blue Earth”, alongside Samsung’s vision for environmental sustainability. Under the slogan: “The Blue Earth Dream: Eco-living with SAMSUNG mobile”, Samsung reinforced its commitment to protect the environment through the design of eco-friendly products and a programme of activities for its customers. It will be showcased at Mobile World Congress 2009 for the first time.

Designed to symbolize a flat and well rounded shiny pebble, Blue Earth is the first solar powered full-touch screen phone. By charging with the solar panel located on the back of the phone, users can generate enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere.

Blue Earth is made from recycled plastic called PCM, which is extracted from water bottles, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The device, including charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate.

The latest in a series of eco-friendly products, Blue Earth comes with a unique user interface which is designed to draw attention to preserving our fragile environment. Simple to set screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth to an energy-efficient mode, this new user interface allows the user to be energy-efficient with just one click of ’Eco mode’. Through the ‘eco walk’ function the user can count their steps with an in-built pedometer, calculating how much CO2 emissions have been reduced by walking as opposed to motor transport. This unique function allows user to calculate the value of this footprint through the number of trees that have been saved.

The packaging for Blue Earth is designed to be both small and light, made from recycled paper, and comes with a 5 star energy efficient charger which uses standby power lower than 0.03W. As part of the Voluntary Agreement of European Commission IPP (Integrated Product Policy) pilot program, Samsung has agreed to start using rating on energy consumption on the no-load mode of the mobile device charger.

“Samsung’s ‘The Blue Earth Dream’ demonstrates our small but meaningful commitments for the future and our environment,” said Mr. JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communication Division of Samsung Electronics. "We are committed to achieving the highest eco-status with our customers and business partners by providing the best eco-products and promoting eco-activities.”

Get in touch with Samsung Mobile! Learn more about ‘The Blue Earth Dream’ and other eco-friendly initiatives at www.samsungmwc.com (The site will be opened on February 16) and visit us at Hall 8, Stand 8a139 at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.

About The Blue Earth Dream

The Blue Earth Dream conveys hope and sets goals for sustainable growth and life. In increasing environmental awareness, Samsung is developing ways to reduce CO2 emissions and to save energy at every stage of the product life cycle, as an effective response to climate change. Milestones have been put in place to eliminate hazardous substances from handsets and packaging will be designed from recycled materials. Samsung will encourage its customers to recycle handsets at a growing number of special take-back points worldwide.

Source: Business Wire

Garmin-Asus Introduces nüvifone M20

BARCELONA, Spain/February 12, 2009/Business Wire — Garmin-Asus, a co-branded alliance between Garmin Ltd., and ASUSTeK Computer Inc., today announced the Garmin-Asus nüvifone M20, an all-in-one phone, mobile web-browser and premium navigation system with a Windows Mobile operating system. The Garmin-Asus nüvifone M20 will be on display at GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 16-19, 2009, at the Garmin-Asus exhibit.

As the first Garmin-Asus nüvifone powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional with enterprise email, the sleek and colorful nüvifone M20 is designed for on-the-go professionals who want a fashionable and functional smartphone to manage their busy work and personal lives. This powerful device combines a dual-band 3.5G/tri-band GSM phone with Wi-Fi connectivity, desktop-like internet browser, push email, document viewing, multi-media capability, Bluetooth and Garmin sat nav.

The nüvifone M20’s full QWERTY soft keyboard makes it easy to send and receive SMS, MMS and emails. The nüvifone M20 can also be synched with a computer so that contacts and emails are always available. HSDPA wireless connectivity and enterprise grade Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) ensure messages are sent and received quickly, including those with attachments.

Recognizing that location is relevant to every aspect of every day, the nüvifone M20 is designed with location based services (LBS) at its core and has the most advanced LBS experience of any Windows Mobile phone. Navigation functions are linked to frequently used applications such as calendar, contacts, email, internet applications and more, simplifying the nüvifone user’s day as they travel from one location to another.

The nüvifone M20 supports download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps and offers a desktop-style web browsing experience. Users can zoom and pan web pages with their finger as they view the information in either portrait or landscape orientation. In addition, they can easily navigate to an address on a web page with only a few taps of the screen.

The GPS features of the nüvifone M20 usher in a level of sophistication never seen before on a Windows Mobile smartphone. It has the navigation capability of a premium Garmin nüvi sat nav, and comes with preloaded maps and points of interest (POIs) – hotels, restaurants, stores, fuel stations and more – for North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or other regions. Selecting a destination is straightforward and requires limited input from the user. For example, users can search for a destination by typing in the specific name or address of an establishment, search by category, or navigate to addresses in the nüvifone M20’s contact database or on the web. The device then gives turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions and automatically recalculates if a turn is missed along the way. In addition, the nüvifone includes quick access to online points of interest through internet enabled local search. The nüvifone harnesses the power of the worldwide web and information about local merchants and attractions is continually updated.

The nüvifone M20 takes GPS navigation one step further via Connected Services, a suite of online applications and data from Garmin-Asus that adds location intelligence to navigation, phone and browser functions. The expandable list of applications includes content like real-time traffic information, White Pages, weather, flight status, local events, and movie times.

The nüvifone product line also includes Ciao!, a ground-breaking LBS application that helps users stay up to date on their friends’ whereabouts and status by linking numerous location-centric social networks. Through Ciao!, nüvifone users will see their friends’ location on a map and then be able to navigate to that location with ease. Nüvifone users can also choose to have the nüvifone automatically update their social network location information.

The nüvifone M20 has exceptional entertainment capabilities with the combination of a 2.8” TFT touch lens display, built-in microphone and speakers, built-in 4Gb/8Gb My Storage, and ActiveSync for Outlook, Microsoft Office, and multi-media synchronization. The VGA (640x480) display brings action to life when watching video or looking at photographs. The three megapixel camera automatically geotags images with the exact latitude and longitudinal coordinates. Users can then save the image on their phone, email it to a friend, or navigate to where the image was taken.

Garmin-Asus expects to announce the nüvifone M20’s pricing and availability information in the first half of 2009. Journalists should contact Garmin-Asus media representatives to arrange product demonstrations or interviews. Additional information about the nüvifone product line is available at www.GarminAsus.com.

About Garmin-Asus
Garmin-Asus is a co-branded strategic alliance that enables Garmin Ltd. and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. to combine their complementary resources to develop world class LBS-centric mobile phones.
Source: Garmin-ASUS Press Release

$787 Billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Passes, President Expected To Sign By Monday

In a late session held over specifically to get enough votes in to pass the bill the Senate pushed through the $787 billion economic stimulus bill supported by President Obama.

Voting on the bill was held over to after hours so the key vote which was held by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, could be counted. The Senator had been in Ohio attending a memorial service for his mother. In what I'd consider a questionable move, President Obama dispatched a government plain to easy travel for the Senator from his home back to the Capitol.

The bill needed exactly 60 votes to pass and Senator Brown's vote was the swing vote. Had Brown not be there to vote the bill wouldn't have had enough votes to pass. No Republicans voted for the bill in the House on Friday, and just three voted to back it in the Senate.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill on Presidents day, Monday.

Details of the stimulus package were released Thursday night, and it includes billions of dollars that will reach the tech sector. Some of which includes $7.2 billion for broadband programs, $2 billion for health information technology, and $650 million for the digital TV transition.

Google Releases Cross-Platform Software Toolkit

Google has released a new Software Construction Toolkit aimed at helping developers working on cross-platform applications. The new toolkit is built on the Open Source SCons build tool and written in Python.

According to Google it builds on all three major platforms, Windows, Mac, and Linux. For those of you that might be interested Google invites you to o check out the code or an example project.

Google Open Android Market To Paid Apps

Android application developers in the US and UK can now sale their apps in the Android Market. Developers can submit priced applications to Google that will be sold in the Android Market starting next week said Google's Eric Chu in a blog post published today.

Initially Google will only be accepting applications from developers in the US and UK with plans to allow developers in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, and Spain later this year. Similarly Google will only be making paid apps available to end users in the US starting mid week next week, with more countries being added soon.

Google Checkout will serve as the payment and billing mechanism for Android Market. Developers who do not already have a Google Checkout merchant account can easily sign up for one via the publisher website.

For more details checkout the Android Market help page.

$250K Bounty Placed On Conficker Worm

The Conficker worm, also known as Downadup, has spread to millions of PCs world wide with no end in sight. The latest estimate shows the worm has infected as many as 10 million PCs. The numbers and scope of this infection have led several companies to pool resources in an attempt at finding a solution.

Thursday Microsoft announced a $250,000 reward to bring the Conficker malware bad guys to justice. The company said it will also be forming a partnership with several major companies in the effort to stop the viruse from spreading any further. The companies include ICANN, Neustar, VeriSign, CNNIC, Afilias, Public Internet Registry, Global Domains International, Inc., M1D Global, AOL, Symantec, F-Secure, ISC, researchers from Georgia Tech, The Shadowserver Foundation, Arbor Networks and Support Intelligence.

"By combining our expertise with the broader community, we can expand the boundaries of defense to better protect people worldwide," said George Stathakopoulos, general manager of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Group.

"The best way to defeat potential botnets like Conficker/Downadup is by the security and Domain Name System communities working together," said Greg Rattray, chief Internet security advisor at ICANN. "ICANN represents a community that's all about coordinating those kinds of efforts to keep the Internet globally secure and stable."

"Microsoft's approach combines technology innovation and effective cross- sector partnerships to help protect people from cybercriminals," Stathakopoulos said. "We hope these efforts help to contain the threat posed by Conficker, as well as hold those who illegally launch malware accountable."

Earlier this week OpenDNS and Kaspersky Lab teamed up to provide user with tools to track PCs on their networks that have potentially been hit with the worm. The tools work to to fight Conficker using the newly introduced OpenDNS Botnet Protection feature, which provides network administrators visibility into the networks they operate and sends notification if the Conficker Windows worm has successfully penetrated their network. This insight then gives network administrators the knowledge necessary to disable the worm and prevent it from causing damage.

The $250,000 reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Conficker author or authors and Microsoft said it will be available to anyone in any country, subject to local laws.

Microsoft Certifies NVIDIA ION For Low Cost PCs

NVIDIA Collaborates With Microsoft To Make Premium, Low-Cost PCs A Reality
Microsoft Certifies NVIDIA ION to Deliver a Premium Windows Experience on PCs Starting as Low as $299

FEBRUARY 11, 2009—In an effort to deliver an outstanding computing experience on small, low power PCs, NVIDIA announced today that NVIDIA ION has been Certified for Windows Vista. With NVIDIA ION and premium versions of Microsoft Windows, small form factor notebook and desktop PCs will have rich media capabilities and full graphics support for the first time.

Microsoft Corp. has validated NVIDIA ION with certified Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) drivers for Windows Vista Home Premium. NVIDIA is working with Microsoft, PC manufacturers, software developers, and Windows eco-system partners to bring ION-based PCs to market by summer of 2009. ION-based mini-notebooks and compact desktop PCs will have industry-leading performance at price points as low as $299.

Mike Ybarra, general manager for the Windows division at Microsoft, states: “Customers have told us they expect a full Windows experience across a variety of PC designs. What many people call a ‘netbook’ today is really a small notebook, and users expect it to perform like one. With NVIDIA’s ION platform combined with Windows Vista Home Premium, consumers can get an affordable, premium Windows experience in a small notebook or desktop form factor. From browsing the web and checking email to streaming music or watching movies, it’s an excellent solution for everyday computing.”

Microsoft has certified the NVIDIA ION platform to ensure that upcoming ION-based PCs will deliver:

• Silky smooth 1080p high definition video including Blu-ray movies
• Exciting video game play with support for Microsoft’s DirectX 10 API
• Support for premium Windows Vista features including Aero Glass and Flip3D
• GPU acceleration for faster photo editing and video transcoding

Microsoft’s WHQL certification for Windows Vista Home Premium validates the NVIDIA ION platform as customer-ready.

“NVIDIA ION and Windows are a perfect match,” said Drew Henry, general manager of the MCP business unit at NVIDIA. “It is great to have Microsoft work with us to drive Windows with ION into these new low-priced notebooks and really small desktop PCs, which previously wasn’t possible with other solutions. This is a big win for consumers!”

About the NVIDIA ION Platform
The NVIDIA ION platform provides a quantum leap in mainstream graphics performance – while using less than half the space of traditional solutions – for smaller, faster, lighter, full-featured notebooks and desktop PCs. The ION platform unlocks the power of the Atom CPU by combining it with a great NVIDIA GPU.

Source: NVIDIA Press Release

Newest Windows 7 Build Leaks To Torrent Sites

A new build of Windows 7 has reached the web and is now finding it's way onto computers via torrent.

Windows 7 Build 7022, officially titled 7022.winmain.090115-1850, which indicates that it was created on January 15th, 2009 is a follow up release to the official Windows 7 Beta which is build 7000. According to comments on popular torrent sites like the Pirate Bay and Demonoid the new release features several minor improvements.

Some of those improvements include:

• Internet Explorer 8 RC1
• New icons
• New animation effects for Windows Sidebar which is now the Windows Desktop Gallery with new icons
• Changes to Paint
• MP3 fix included
• Desktop Gadgets work properly with UAC Disabled
• Improvements in overall stability

Because of the timing of the original release the Windows 7 beta included an interim edition of IE8. The version was listed as being a test version somewhere between the Beta 2 and the later RC1. One of the other fixes listed was a fix for a flaw found in n the original beta release. In that release Microsoft discovered an MP3 corruption issue that had since been patched.

Users over at Demonoid noted several other possible changes, these are not confirmed.

• Faster search in startmenu, instant.
• General higher stability in OS
• New animations when moving between things in Windows Explorer
• The transition\fade effect when you change wallpaper is new and pretty cool!
• the color of the task pane has changed from blue to white.
• Default UAC is the third level - Don't notify me when I make changes (same as build 7000)
• New Jump List with some cool options
• New default color scheme on Aero and taskbar
• New icon for home group
• Fixes to WMP 12

I have yet to try the new build and can not confirm any of the new changes at this time. With Microsoft officially pulling the Windows 7 beta download these new builds are likely to be very popular downloads. A few of the sites has more than 1,000 seeders and as many as 3,500 leechers.

According to those that have downloaded the builds the product keys given out by MS will work so the OS should be usable until Aug.

New Corvette Concept To Be Featured In Transformers 2 Movie

Jalopnik is reporting that GM's new Corvette Centennial Design Concept is Sideswipe In Disguise. The site first reported the rumors back in Aug. '08, however today's reports from the Chicago Auto Show confirm the cars appearance in Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.

Image courtesy of Jalopnik.com

Jalopnik has an extensive gallery of photos as well as a sneak-peek video complete with footage from Transformers 2 featuring the Corvette Centennial Design Concept.

The following is GM's press release:


CHICAGO – Visitors to the Chevrolet display at this year’s Chicago Auto Show (Friday through Feb. 22) will be treated to an out-of-this-world vehicle display – the automotive stars from the upcoming DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures release, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

Five Chevrolet-based characters – including four all-new characters – are featured in the new film set to open in the United States on June 26. All of them are at the Chevrolet display. The four new movie characters include:

• SIDESWIPE – a stylized Corvette vision concept vehicle
• SKIDS and MUDFLAP – twin AUTOBOTS^® based on Chevy’s Beat (a concept that will go into production as the Chevy Spark in 2011) and Trax concepts
• JOLT – an AUTOBOT-based on Chevy’s upcoming Volt extended-range electric vehicle

BUMBLEBEE™, the heroic AUTOBOT based on Chevrolet’s Camaro concept from the first “Transformers” movie, returns with a high-performance attitude. Joining the vehicles on stage will be BUMBLEBEE in his AUTOBOT form, standing almost 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall and 13 feet (4 meters) wide.

“Chevrolet is thrilled to again be part of one of the most anticipated movies in years,” said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet. “‘Transformers’ gives us a great opportunity to connect with young people on their terms, with a dynamic, environmentally friendly image. The new characters represent the change going on in Chevy showrooms. From the exciting Camaro, the 21st century sports car, to the game-changing Volt, there’s more than meets the eye at Chevrolet today.”

Directed by Michael Bay, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” sees the AUTOBOTS confront a new threat from DECEPTICONS^® bent on avenging their earlier defeat on Earth. The new AUTOBOT characters in their current Chevy-based form square off against new, tougher foes determined to rule the universe.

“‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ goes way beyond the first film in terms of robot action and excitement,” said LeeAnne Stables, executive vice president of worldwide marketing partnerships at Paramount Pictures, the distributor of the film. “The new AUTOBOTS add to the storytelling, and these Chevy vehicles went with our filmmakers to locations all around the world. GM has again provided incredible support to the production team working on the movie.”

Along with the Camaro that’s reprising its role in the new film, the other Chevy models to be seen on the big screen are new to movie-goers.

SIDESWIPE takes the form of a sleek, vision concept dreamed up by the Corvette designers at GM. The design is influenced by the original Stingray race car, introduced in 1959, but also draws on Corvette heritage cues from other generations. It brings them together in a futuristic shape that seems to be equal parts racecar and space ship.

“SIDESWIPE represents an exercise in exploration for the Corvette,” said Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design. “By giving my creative team the freedom to design no-holds-barred vision concepts, it helps them push boundaries and look at projects from different perspectives.”

The Beat and Trax-based characters, SKIDS and MUDFLAP, remain faithful to their concept designs introduced at the 2007 New York Auto Show – although each wears new paint and other exterior accessories. And while they may be small cars, when they turn into fighting AUTOBOTS^®, they pack a big punch.

The other new AUTOBOT, JOLT, appears in the production form of Chevy’s 2011 Volt extended-range electric vehicle. With the capability of up to 40 miles (64 km) of pure electric propulsion, plus hundreds of more miles with the assistance from its Voltec powertrain system, the real-life Volt will change driving in America.

Of course, the AUTOBOT team isn’t complete without BUMBLEBEE, the yellow Camaro based on the new, 2010 production model. Sporting new wheels and SS-model performance cues, BUMBLEBEE is more stylish and powerful than ever – and enthusiasts will be able to drive their own new Camaro when it goes on sale this spring. For more exclusive AUTOBOT movie information relating to Chevrolet, please visit www.autobotsrollout.com.

Chevrolet is one of America’s best-known and best-selling automotive brands. With the largest dealer network in the United States, Chevy is the leader in full-size trucks and the leader in sales of vehicles priced $35,000 and above. Chevrolet delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category, offering cars and trucks priced from $12,120 to $103,300. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and great value with standard features usually found only on more expensive vehicles. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures present, in association with Hasbro, a di Bonaventura Pictures production, a Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, a Michael Bay film, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey, Ramon Rodriguez, Isabel Lucas, Glenn Morshower and John Turturro. The film is directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. It is based on Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS™ action figures and is produced by Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce. Executive producers are Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. This film has not yet been rated.

TRANSFORMERS is a brand of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS). Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com.

INTEL Branded X58-Based Motherboards Get NVIDIA SLI

NVIDIA SLI Technology Now Available For INTEL Branded X58-Based Motherboards
All Intel i7 Platforms, Including the Intel “Smackover” Motherboard, Now Available with NVIDIA SLI Technology

NVIDIA Corporation today announced that Intel Corporation has licensed NVIDIA SLI technology for inclusion on the Intel DX58SO motherboard for the Intel Core i7 processor. As a result, customers with Intel X58-based motherboards and the Core i7 processor can now equip their PCs with any combination of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, including Quad SLI, for the ultimate visual computing experience.

“The addition of NVIDIA SLI technology to the Intel DX58SO motherboard has been a welcome addition,” said Clem Russo, VP and General Manager of Channel Desktop Platform Group at Intel Corporation. “The pairing of our new Core i7 processors on our Extreme Series motherboard and NVIDIA GeForce graphics has resulted in some of the world’s fastest consumer gaming PC platforms. For playing any of today’s hottest PC titles, this is one awesome combination that our customers have been asking for.”

As a result of today’s announcement, NVIDIA SLI technology is now available for all consumer PC platforms, including the Intel Core i7, Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo processors, as well as those based on the AMD Phenom II CPU. In addition to raw graphics performance, NVIDIA GeForce GPUs also provide gamers with additional capabilities not found on any other discrete graphics solutions, including NVIDIA PhysX technology for deeper gaming immersion, stereoscopic 3D gaming with NVIDIA 3D Vision technology, and support for CUDA, a revolutionary new computing architecture that harnesses the power of the NVIDIA GPU to accelerate everyday computing applications including video transcoding, physics calculations, and high-definition video playback.

“The Intel X58 ‘Smackover’ board is excellent, with fantastic build quality and great performance, and now with the inclusion of SLI it is full steam ahead,” said Kriss Pomroy, Commercial Director at Novatech. “We are extremely excited that we can now spec Intel motherboards in many of our systems and capitalize on the awesome performance of NVIDIA SLI technology. It is what we have all been waiting for here at Novatech.”

“Finally, the Intel Smackover experience is complete. At Paradigit we’ve been using this board since launch, but we thought that this may not last long because of the lack of SLI support,” said Niels Van Echteld, Purchasing Manager for Paradigit. “Now this board is ready for the best of both worlds--Intel’s newest Core i7 CPU and the power of NVIDA GeForce in SLI!”

“The ability to have SLI, PhysX, and CUDA on an Intel chipset is a great move for the market,” said Elan Raja III, Director of Scan Computers. “The combination of technologies will break all the existing performance barriers raising the standard for the power user. The wait is finally over!”

“There's no doubt about it... our customers love SLI,” said Randy Copeland, CEO of Velocity Computers. “With this announcement, we have the ability to build them any Intel i7 platform they want, and know that whatever motherboard we choose, we can populate it with multiple NVIDIA GeForce GPUs. This gives our customers the greatest flexibility in purchasing the world's fastest gaming PCs.”

“NVIDIA SLI has proven to be the industry’s only stable, scalable, high-performance multi-GPU platform, and we are excited that customers with Intel branded X58 motherboards will be able to take advantage of this processing power,” said Ujesh Desai, vice president of GeForce desktop business at NVIDIA. “Gamers know that the best way to experience their games is with GeForce GPUs, and now they will be able to harness the power of multiple GPUs for even more performance and immersion features.”

For more information on NVIDIA PhysX technology, please visit: www.nvidia.com/sli

Source: NVIDIA Press Release

Next Generation Acer Aspire One Netbook Now Available for U.S. Customers

New 10.1-inch Netbook Offers Mobile Freedom, Productivity and Reliability

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acer America, part of the world’s third largest PC company, today announced U.S. availability of the 10.1-inch Aspire One AOD150, expanding the company’s growing family of popular netbooks. The new Aspire One AOD150 comes on the heels of its highly successful 8.9-inch predecessor. The global market share leader in the netbook category, Acer is offering the 10.1-inch Aspire One AOD150 to U.S. customers today with prices beginning at $349.99.



The new 10.1-inch Aspire One provides continuous access to the Internet in an easy-to-use, stylish design with a similar ultra-compact footprint as the original 8.9-inch version. The netbook is designed to be an affordable and simple solution for Web browsing, checking email, instant messaging, VOIP calls, streaming video, viewing photos and listening to music.

“The success of the Aspire One netbook illustrates the enormous demand consumers have for mobile devices that keep them connected,” said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product management for Acer America. “The new 10.1-inch Aspire One has something for everyone, whether a business user continuously on-the-go, a young student needing an introductory PC, or tech aficionado seeking a lightweight, secondary device with enduring battery power. Netbooks are an ideal solution for those who want a balance of mobility and productivity for quick and easy access to the Internet and other computing needs.”

Combining ultra-portability and design
Engineered for mobility and weighing less than three pounds, the Aspire One utilizes the Intel Atom processor which combines performance and efficiency to stay connected while on-the-go. The Aspire One comes with a six-cell battery, providing up to six hours of computing power, twice the amount of the previous platform. Featuring Windows XP Home, 1GB of memory, integrated 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi network connectivity, and a generous 160GB internal hard drive to store plenty of digital albums, music and documents, the Aspire One is a simple and reliable mobile computing solution.

The Aspire One has a 10.1-inch CrystalBrite backlit display, offering a broader viewing area for Web page navigation and data input. For communication needs, the netbook is equipped with the Acer Crystal Eye webcam, delivering smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and business video conferences, even in low-light situations. A built-in digital microphone conveys superior voice quality, keeping background noise levels low and minimizing echoes.

The Aspire one is available in four high-gloss color options including seashell white, sapphire blue, ruby red and diamond black. Evoking speed and mobility, the netbook includes stylish details such as an aerodynamic-shaped metallic hinge with a colored accent and a brushed-metal palm rest, which offer a refined design element.

Acer Aspire One AOD150 Specifications

• Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
• Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3
• 10.1-inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite TFT LCD 1024 x 600
• Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset
• 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
• Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
• Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
• Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
• Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
• Three USB 2.0 Ports
• 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)
• 2.95 lbs.
• 10.2” (W) x 8.0” (D) x 1.31” (H)

In addition to Windows XP Home, the Aspire one comes with additional preinstalled software includes Acer eRecovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe Reader, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Microsoft Office Trial 2007.

Pricing and Availability
The Aspire One AOD150 netbook is available now via Acer’s authorized resellers and at major retailers nationwide, with prices beginning at $349.99. The Aspire one comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Source: BusinessWire

Cut Your Energy Bills And Carbon Footprint With Google PowerMeter

Google has introduced a new tool called Google PowerMeter. The tool is aimed at helping users better understand their energy usage and bills.

Google PowerMeter is an application which when combined with a "smart meter" will allow you to see your own energy usage information almost in real time. By tracking energy usage in next to real time users could use this information to figure out how much energy is used by different household activities.

By gathering that information you can see which appliance generate the most demand and at what times during the day. Customers on tiered programs, where energy prices increase at specific times during the day, can track appliance draws and use appliances with higher demand at other times. Or you can use the information to track which items are creating greater demand and possible update them to new more efficient models.

In order to work with the Google PowerMeter program homes must be equipped with advanced energy meters called "smart meters." Google says there are currently about 40 million smart meters in use worldwide, with plans to add another 100 million in the next few years.

For now, Google PowerMeter is a closed beta program. At this time they are not accepting direct sign ups. Those of you wanting more information are invited to joining the Google mailing list and they promise that once Google PowerMeter is ready, they'll be opening up the program to everyone.

Twitter Says We Aren't Charging, Just Yet

Speaking out against the flood of news that they might be charging corporate users Twitter yesterday said, "Nothing To Report Just Yet." The company admits they have been floating around some ideas and "thinking out loud for more than a year about the growing use of Twitter by companies, brands, and other commercial organizations." However they deny recent reports that they will be charging companies a fee for using the service.

Several reports popped up following a recent interview with Twitter's co-founder Biz Stone. Stone reportedly told Marketing magazine, "'We are noticing more companies using Twitter and individuals following them. We can identify ways to make this experience even more valuable and charge for commercial accounts."

One could speculate that Twitter could see the potential behind charging for premium, verified accounts for businesses with several companies such as Dell and JetBlue gaining a large following and using the service as a promotional tool. Dell just last week announced they'd be offering Twitter only deals.

Stone notes, "Twitter will remain free to use by everyone—individuals, companies, celebrities, etc. What we're thinking about is adding value in places where we are already seeing traction, not imposing fees on existing services."

1cast Mobile Video News Coming To Android

1CAST DELIVERS BREAKING NEWS VIDEO TO ANDROID PHONES

Free Application offers One -Click Access to Top Breaking Political, Sports, Entertainment News on Android Phones
KIRKLAND, Wash., February 11, 2009 — 1Cast, the revolutionary broadcast platform that delivers up-to-the-minute personalized television news clips to mobile phones and the desktop, today announced its innovative free service is now available on Android mobile devices.

1Cast continues to break new ground in the distribution of personalized video news content across multiple networks and device types thanks to unique content licensing rights agreements with global news broadcasters. 1Cast for Android, now available in the Android Market, represents the company’s latest effort to expand into new platforms for its service, bringing the latest and most relevant news content to users whenever and wherever they want it.

“Consumers want to access content on their terms, and 1Cast for Android is our latest move to satisfy this demand,” said Anthony Bontrager, President of 1cast. “We intend to stay several steps ahead of the market by keeping our users engaged and satisfied through our unique personalized newscast platform, while maintaining a viable and scalable business opportunity for our content, advertising and distribution partners.”

1Cast will be demonstrating its new Android application at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.

About 1Cast
1cast, Inc. is the world’s first desktop and mobile broadcast news and information service to put users in control of what, when and how they consume video news content. 1Cast’s unique video search and newscast platform delivers near real-time video clips of the latest headlines in business, politics, sports, technology and entertainment. Viewers can also create micro-casts around the topics and people they are most interested in and access these personal channels across any broadband enabled or wireless device.

News networks worldwide use 1Cast to reach new audiences, ensure their current audience can engage with their content in a uniquely relevant manner and to further monetize their daily news programming. Advertisers partner with 1Cast because the company is a trusted source of professional, high-quality news programming that can be delivered in a highly targeted manner across multiple platforms. 1Cast is backed by Eagle River Holdings, LLC. For more information, visit http://www.1cast.com.

Get A Free GoDaddy Domain Name With Buy.com Purchase

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Gamers 4 Giving 2009: A Video Game Event For Charity

Gamers Outreach Foundation hosts its second annual ‘Gamers for Giving’ event.

From February 27th to March 1st, 2009, video gamers from across the country will convene at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center to participate in Michigan’s largest annual video game convention, Gamers for Giving.

Two years ago, public safety officials from Washtenaw County canceled a Halo 2 tournament planned by 11th grade Saline High School student Zach Wigal. Claiming the game was “…corrupting the minds of America’s youth,” the public safety officials convinced high school administrators the event was a hazard to public safety. Wigal, who had spent 3 months planning the event, made plans to host a new Halo tournament to raise money for charity. Illustrating the positive impact video games could make on the lives of individuals, Wigal, and fellow high-school friends, hosted a new tournament called ‘Gamers for Giving.’ The event was an incredible success. Over 600 participants and spectators attended, and gross revenue from the event totaled more than $15,000.00. Profits were donated to a local chapter of the Autism Society of America.

Wigal went on to form Gamers Outreach Foundation, a non-profit organization that utilizes video games for charity purposes and community projects. The foundation is preparing for its second annual fundraising event, ‘Gamers for Giving 2009,’ which has become the largest video game convention in the state of Michigan. The three-day non-stop event will jumpstart several community programs being launched by Gamers Outreach Foundation in 2009.

Event activities include a 2vs2 Halo 3 tournament with a $1,000.00 cash prize, a 300-person LAN party, (an event that allows participants to play video games with one another via a “Local Area Network”) a Super Smash Brothers Brawl Tournament, and a number of other gaming activities.

With attendance expected to exceed 1,000 individuals, Gamers for Giving provides a fun and interactive involvement opportunity to individuals who are interested in helping their community. The event utilizes one of today’s most rapidly growing forms of entertainment to help bring attention to the unique ways our own individual efforts can be applied to help others.

About Gamers Outreach Foundation
Gamers Outreach Foundation is a 501©(3) non-profit organization that utilizes video games to address community issues. The foundation takes a unique approach towards addressing community needs by directly using video games in ways that improve the livelihood of others. Further information and event registration can be found at www.GamersOutreach.org.

Intel To Invest $7 Billion In U.S. Manufacturing Facilities

Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini today announced the company would spend $7 billion over the next two years to build advanced manufacturing facilities in the United States. The investment funds deployment of Intel's industry-leading 32 nanometer (nm) manufacturing technology that will be used to build faster, smaller chips that consume less energy.

The commitment represents Intel's largest-ever investment for a new manufacturing process.

"We're investing in America to keep Intel and our nation at the forefront of innovation," Otellini said. "These manufacturing facilities will produce the most advanced computing technology in the world. The capabilities of our 32nm factories are truly extraordinary, and the chips they produce will become the basic building blocks of the digital world, generating economic returns far beyond our industry."

Intel's investment will be made at existing manufacturing sites in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico and will support approximately 7,000 high-wage, high-skill jobs at those locations -- part of a total Intel workforce of more than 45,000 in the U.S. Intel, while generating more than 75 percent of its sales overseas, carries out roughly 75 percent of its semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. At the same time, about 75 percent of the company's R&D spending and capital investments are also made in the U.S.

The technology used in Intel's manufacturing process builds chip circuitry 32nm (32/billionth of a meter or about 1/millionth of an inch) across – incredibly small, atomic level structures.

The first Intel processors to be built using this technology are codenamed "Westmere" and will initially be used in desktop and mobile mainstream systems. Westmere combines Intel's latest high-performance micro-architecture ("Nehalem") with graphics capability integrated into the processor. As a result, computer manufacturers will be able to increase performance and simplify system manufacturing compared to current systems. Outstanding 32nm manufacturing and product health are enabling Intel to accelerate the Westmere production ramp beginning in 2009. Additional 32nm products will follow in 2010.

Otellini will discuss the importance of new technology and investing for the future at 9 a.m. EST today during a speech at the Economic Club of Washington, DC. In addition, Intel executives will be on-hand at an event beginning at 10 a.m. PST in San Francisco to provide the world's first public demonstration of a fully functional 32nm based device – the first Westmere processor. Additional details on these events are available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

Source: Intel Press Release

Kaspersky Confirms Website Hacked

Kaspersky Lab's has confirmed that hackers using an SQL injection technique have gained access to a database containing customer information. The database had been exposed for almost 11 days prior to Kaspersky learning of the breach. It wasn't until the Romanian hackers told the firm about it last Saturday, and later posted proof of the attack that the company was aware of the issue.

According to Kaspersky representatives approximately 2,500 users' e-mail addresses and some 25,000 activation codes were at risk. However, Kaspersky researchers said that after carefully reviewing their logs, they found that the hacker was only able to lift table headlines, and not customer credit card numbers, activation codes or other sensitive information as previously claimed.

"No data has actually been accessed. No data has been exposed or leaked," said Roel Schouwenberg, senior antivirus researcher for Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab. "He tried to get access to some of the content of these tables, but he failed to manage to get access to actual data. He got the directory, but he didn't get into the folders as it were."

The following press release as posted to Kaspersky's site today:

Kaspersky Lab Confirms Website Attack; Verifies No Data Was Compromised

The usa.kaspersky.com domain was attacked on Friday, February 6, 2009. The attack occurred when a SQL injection attack was launched on a subsection of the site, the support site. A vulnerability was in the code of the support site when a new version of the site was rolled out at the end of January. The attack was successful in penetrating the support site, but it was unable to take data from the site and as a result no data was compromised.

Upon notification of the vulnerability, company personnel took immediate action to address the issue, and the vulnerability was remediated within 30 minutes of notification. The attack was not able to access to any other portions of any other Kaspersky Lab sites – including ecommerce sites.

The company’s experts are currently investigating the incident and to go a step further have hired Next Generation Security Software’s David Litchfield to further investigate. Upon completion, the results of Litchfield’s report will be made public.

Kaspersky Lab recognizes the fact that this attack could have had much more serious ramifications and is doing an extra-thorough security audit of all official Kaspersky Lab sites and developing additional internal review processes to ensure the company’s corporate resources are protected from similar attacks in the future.

It should also be noted that Kaspersky Lab’s core competency as a company is developing anti-malware solutions and our research and development is a different group from our web developers, therefore the quality of the solutions we deliver has not been compromised in any way.

SQL injection attacks are nothing new, and Kaspersky admitted fault for not properly securing their site. "We could have done a bit more to protect ourselves," Schouwenberg said. He also acknowledged that both internal and external monitoring of the company's Web properties had not caught the error. "A piece of the site did not receive the usual scrutiny."

According to a report today on ChannelWeb Kaspersky might not be alone. ChannelWeb is report the Kaspersky hacker, also known as Unu, has to launched a similar attack on security company BitDefender's database, posting screen shots on the hackersblog.org site.

"It seems Kaspersky aren't the only ones who need to secure their database. BitDefender has the same problems. The images speak for themselves. First we see the version, user and name of the database," the hacker said.

So the question would be seem to be, how can we trust these companies to secure our data when they can't even secure their own?

Dell Announced Latitude XT2 Industry-First Multi-Touch Capable Tablet

Dell today announced the Latitude XT2 convertible tablet building on the industry’s first tablet PC with multi-touch screen capabilities designed to enhance security, increase performance and extend battery life. The system starts at $2,399 and is available today at www.dell.com/latitude.

Multi-touch capabilities on the Latitude XT2 allow users to use natural gestures like a pinch or tap for scrolling, panning, rotating and zooming that work with productivity applications they use every day. Dell’s integration of multi-touch screen technology allows customers to use the full real estate of the display, as opposed to just the touchpad.

“As part of our commitment to deliver the best mobility experience, Dell revolutionized the tablet space with the first multi-touch capable product that allows customers to use the entire screen,” said Brett McAnally, director, Dell Product Group. “Today, we’re extending that leadership with the Latitude XT2 to deliver more performance, security and manageability.”

Other features include:

Up to 11 hours, 28 minutes of battery life with six cell battery and optional 6-cell battery slice Daylight Viewable display that has up to 100 percent more luminance than the HP EliteBook 2730p Full-size keyboard, touchpad, point stick and battery-free pen give users input flexibility Combines performance with high touch accuracy to allow touch interface with small icons without drops or hangs Comprehensive services options with Dell ProSupport. Improved connectivity with new LCD-based wireless antenna design Enhanced hinge design for improved panel stability SATA drive support providing updated storage technology and enhanced performance Comprehensive security features adding Dell ControlVault and ControlPoint Security Manager DDR3 RAM allows better performance and up to 5GB RAM Manageability with integration of Intel vPro and DASH 1.0 compliance.

Source: Dell Press Release

$838 Billion Stimulus Plan Approved

The Senate has voted 61-37 to pass the economic stimulus bill pushed by U.S. President Barack Obama. Three Senate Republicans joined Democrats to pass the bill, after no Republicans voted for a House of Representatives version that passed Jan. 29.

The moderate Republicans senators -- Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania joined all 56 Democrats and two independents in passing the bill.

The new bill now heads to a House-Senate conference to resolve differences between this version and the version passed in the House late last month. President Obama hopes to sign the resulting bill into law before Presidents' Day on Monday.

More on the Stimulus bill:

• Washington Post - Senate Passes Economic Stimulus Bill
• Fox New - Senate Approves $838 Billion Economic Recovery Package
  
• USA Today - Senate passes Obama's economic recovery plan

Upcoming AM3 Motherboards

Today AMD announced the release of their new AM3 based Phenom II CPUs. The new chips will feature DDR3 controllers with full DDR3 memory capability. However to utilize DDR3 consumers will have to purchase a new socket AM3 motherboard. Several motherboard manufactures have been working on their new AM3 boards to match the release of the new chips.

Listed below are the some of the expected boards as well as current AM2+ boards that will support AM3 Phenom II CPUs. Release dates for newer boards have yet to be published.

ASRock:
First reveled back in Dec ASRock is said to be releasing the AM3 based M3A790GXH/128M, however there is nothing listed on the ASRock site at this time. Here is the ASRock AM2+/AM3 Phenom II CPU support list.

ASUS:
ASUS currently has two boards listed in the M4 series that when released will support AM3 CPUs and DDR3 RAM. M4A79T Deluxe and the M4A78T-E. Here is a full list of ASUS boards supporting Phenom II AM3 CPUs

*Update - The is now on-sale at eWiz.com. Newegg now has the ASUS M4A79T DELUXE listed at $199.99


BioStar:
Today announced the TA790GX A3+, this is thew companies first and currently their only AM3/DDR3 based board.




DFI:
DFI does not currently list any socket AM3 motherboards. Here is their current list of AM2+/AM3 Compatible Motherboards

ECS:
ECS currently only lists one board with AM3 and DDR3 support, the A790GXM-AD3. Here is a full list of ECS AM2+ boards that currently support Phenom II CPUs

Foxconn:
Foxconn does not currently list any socket AM3 motherboards. Here is the full list of Foxconn AM2+ AM3 ready motherboards.

Gigabyte:
Gigabyte currently offers two boards supporting both socket AM3 Phenom II's and DDR3. The GA-MA790XT-UD4P and the GA-MA790FXT-UD5P. Here is a list of all of the current Gigabyte boards that through a bios update will support AM3 Phenom II chips.

*Update - Gigabyte's AM3 boards are now showing at retailers. Newegg has the
GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 for sale at $139.99 and the GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 for $179.99

Jetway:
Currently Jetway does not list any socket AM3 motherboards, here is the list of AM2+ Jetway AM3 compatible motherboards

MSI:
Last month MSI unveiled two new AMD AM3 motherboard the 790FX-GD70 and 790GX-G65.. These are currently the only two socket AM3 boards listed in the MSI site. Here is a full list of MSI Am2+ boards that support Phenom II CPUs.

Zotac:
I have yet to find anything on the Zotac site listing Phenom II or AM3 CPU support

We are currently working on expanding the list to include all of the manufactures so please check back. For a full list of AM2+ boards that are AM3 compatible checkout our previous motherboard list or there is a full list of compatible AM2+ motherboards on AMD's Web site.