Crapware:
Crapware: –Preinstalled crapware on new Dell PCs just became optional. CNET News blog reports that Dell now offers a “no software preinstalled” option for consumers. Even better would be if this was opt IN instead of OUT.
[LifeHacker]
More Than Half of Known Vista Bugs are Unpatched
More Than Half of Known Vista Bugs are Unpatched – MsManhattan writes “Microsoft security executive Jeff Jones has disclosed that in the first six months of Vista’s release, the company has patched fewer than half of the operating system’s known bugs. Microsoft has fixed only 12 of 27 reported Vista vulnerabilities whereas it patched 36 of 39 known bugs in Windows XP in the first six months following its release. Jones says that’s because “Windows Vista continues to show a trend of fewer total and fewer high-severity vulnerabilities at the six month mark compared to … Windows XP,” but he did not address the 15 unpatched flaws.”Read more of this story at Slashdot.
[Slasdot]
AT&T To Impose Early Cancellation Charge On iPhone
AT&T To Impose Early Cancellation Charge On iPhone –
Thinking about getting an iPhone, unlocking it, then jetting across the street to T-Mobile? Better think twice before doing that friend, ’cause AT&T is out to nail you with a hefty fine for backing out of your agreement with them. Despite the iPhone not being a subsidized item for AT&T, the company still will charge you $175 for terminating your contract early. Sucky, I know.
Like I’ve said in the past, AT&T needs to retain these iPhone customers that will swarm stores next week. Imposing a cancellation fee of that caliber sucks, but it’s how the world works. No word if customers with existing accounts will be subject to the fee.
AT&T to impose $175 early iPhone cancelation fee [Apple Insider]
[CrunchGear]
How To: Make a room look bigger
How To: Make a room look bigger –
Your room or office the size of a broom closet? Weblog freshome offers tips for “fooling the eye” and making a room look bigger. Strategies include picking the right paint color, reducing furniture (or replacing items with multi-function pieces), and the strategic use of mirrors. Glass tabletops help, too.
[LifeHacker]
La Fontenna Extends Range Of FON Wireless Goodness
La Fontenna Extends Range Of FON Wireless Goodness –
This is simple really: FON lets you share your wireless Internet connection with FON community members (called Foneros) and in return you get to hop on any other member’s wireless connection free of charge, anywhere in the world. The La Fonera is the specially designed $39.95 Wi-Fi access point that lets you securely share your wireless connection. The $19.95 Lafontenna is a directional antenna that extends your FON Wi-Fi coverage area up to five times farther than the Fonera’s standard range.
[CrunchGear]
Sleazy lawsuit of the week!
Sleazy lawsuit of the week! – A Dutch woman has lost her compensation claim for mental distress she suffered from missing out when her neighbors won a lottery windfall. [Dvorak]
Report: Vista more secure than OS X and Linux
Report: Vista more secure than OS X and Linux –Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Media PCs
Attention Linux, Vista, and Apple fan boys: put on your gloves… it’s time to rumble! A 6-month vulnerability report issued by Jeff “Security Guy” Jones has caught the eye of Redmond and the ire of places beyond. The report which bases its security assessment upon vulnerabilities found (not actually exploited) claims that Vista is “more secure than OS X and Linux.” In fact, the much maligned XP even crushes the competition using their calculations. Of course, it’s worth noting that Jeff is a member of Microsoft’s Security business unit which will probably sway your opinion as to the integrity of the data. Still, as incomplete as the assessment may be, it certainly appears to be a good showing for Vista considering the vast community of hackers attempting to thwart its security. Of course you know what Billy G’s probably saying right about now? Dy-no-mite JJ!
[Via vnunet]
Read — 6 Month Vulnerability Report [warning: PDF]
Read — JJ’s blog entry
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
[EnGadget]
Final Draft of GPLv3 Allows Novell-Microsoft Deal
Final Draft of GPLv3 Allows Novell-Microsoft Deal – famicommie writes “All of Novell’s fingernail biting has been for naught. In a display of forgiveness and bridge building on behalf of the FSF, ZDNet reports that the final draft of the GPLv3 will close the infamous MS-Novell loophole while allowing deals made previously to continue. From the article: ‘The final, last-call GPLv3 draft bans only future deals for what it described as tactical reasons in a 32-page explanation of changes. That means Novell doesn’t have to worry about distributing software in SLES that’s governed by the GPLv3 … Drafting the new license has been a fractious process, but Eben Moglen, the Columbia University law school professor who has led much of the effort, believes consensus is forming. That agreement is particularly important in the open-source realm, where differing license requirements can erect barriers between different open-source projects.'”Read more of this story at Slashdot.
[Slasdot]
P2P Remains Dominant Protocol
P2P Remains Dominant Protocol – An anonymous reader writes “Last week, a press release was issued by Ellacotya that suggested something quite startling — HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, aka Web traffic) had for the first time in four years overtaken P2P traffic. However a new article from Slyck disputes this, and contends that P2P remains the bandwidth heavyweight.”Read more of this story at Slashdot.
[Slasdot]
Spam: Keep your email address from spambots with Text to ASCII
Spam: Keep your email address from spambots with Text to ASCII –
Webapp Text to ASCII converts plain text into its ASCII equivalent - meaning it can obscure your email address or other private data from automated spambots online. This isn't a foolproof method, as spambots can be programmed to decode ASCII, however, a good majority of them aren't. Go ahead and check out Text to ASCII's capabilities -- this entire post is written in ASCII. View the source code and verify! The next time you want to leave your email address in a web form, head over to Text to ASCII, convert your email address to ASCII and you'll be good to go.
[LifeHacker]