Microsoft Corp
will let users use Windows 7 Release Candidate for free. Next week you could download Windows 7 and use it till 2010. This is significantly longer than the timeframe it had set for Windows Vista’s candidate releases that remained fully functional for some eight months only.
The general public can download Windows 7 starting May 5, 2009 that will not expire until June 1, 2010. MSDN and TechNet subscribers however were slated for the download on April 30. Apparently, Microsoft’s download sites for both services were overloaded.
Free Windows 7 for over a year? But why?
We don’t know yet. Microsoft hasn’t explained why. Well may be it is a marketing strategy or a genuine attempt to get users feedback.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Categorize your Friends on Facebook
Facebook has recently updated their Friends page, giving the users more options to organize and manage their contacts. Now, you could organize hundreds of friends
into different categories making categorization and management easier for yourself. You can now divide your friends into “logical groups” like friends, relatives, college buddies, acquaintances, etc.
New Enhancements
You can…
1. Organize people into various lists. This will not show up anywhere on your profile page, but is only for own convenience.
2. Create Friend Groups and send bulk or private messages
easily.
3. Have up to 100 friend lists and up to 1,500 friends per friend list.
4. Have the same friend on multiple lists as well.
The new friends page also makes navigation simple within the friends page.
Here is the list of the the views you get now:
1. Friend Recommendations
2. Search
3. Browse by Network
4. Browse in Alphabetical Order
5. Phonebook
6. Recent Friends
7. Friend List Filters
into different categories making categorization and management easier for yourself. You can now divide your friends into “logical groups” like friends, relatives, college buddies, acquaintances, etc.
New Enhancements
You can…
1. Organize people into various lists. This will not show up anywhere on your profile page, but is only for own convenience.
2. Create Friend Groups and send bulk or private messages
easily.
3. Have up to 100 friend lists and up to 1,500 friends per friend list.
4. Have the same friend on multiple lists as well.
The new friends page also makes navigation simple within the friends page.
Here is the list of the the views you get now:
1. Friend Recommendations
2. Search
3. Browse by Network
4. Browse in Alphabetical Order
5. Phonebook
6. Recent Friends
7. Friend List Filters
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Security Problems with Google Chrome?
There was a security threat with Google’s web browser - Google Chrome. According to the Google Chrome Team, there was an error in handling URLs with a chromehtml: protocol. This allowed the attacker to run scripts of his choice on any page or enumerate files on the local disk under certain conditions.
Because of this problem, the attacker could endanger any user who browsed a malicious site using Internet Explorer and had Google Chrome installed.
As per IBM Rational Application Security Insider, this allowed a dangerous combination of new security vulnerabilities letting a malicious attacker to bypass the Same Origin Policy restrictions for any site using the victim’s Google Chrome.
The dangerous impact:
1. Cross-Site Scripting attack where the attacker could steal cookies, save form filler data, modify user-browsing experience and facilitate phishing attacks.
2. Leaking of information: from the victim’s files and directories on the local file-system.
But, the good news is that a FIX has been released: Version 1.0.154.59 of Chrome and hopefully, all the security issues revolving around Google Chrome are under control now.
(Source: GoogleChromeReleases | IBM watchfire)
Because of this problem, the attacker could endanger any user who browsed a malicious site using Internet Explorer and had Google Chrome installed.
As per IBM Rational Application Security Insider, this allowed a dangerous combination of new security vulnerabilities letting a malicious attacker to bypass the Same Origin Policy restrictions for any site using the victim’s Google Chrome.
The dangerous impact:
1. Cross-Site Scripting attack where the attacker could steal cookies, save form filler data, modify user-browsing experience and facilitate phishing attacks.
2. Leaking of information: from the victim’s files and directories on the local file-system.
But, the good news is that a FIX has been released: Version 1.0.154.59 of Chrome and hopefully, all the security issues revolving around Google Chrome are under control now.
(Source: GoogleChromeReleases | IBM watchfire)
Beware! Phishing scam on Facebook
Has anyone faced a hoax issue on Facebook yet? If you have a Facebook account, then be a little careful. There has been a major spur of phishing attacks on Facebook to steal usernames and passwords and spam your friends.
How is it being done?
Facebook’s mail system is being used by the attackers to send messages to the users, enticing them to go to - fbaction.net - a site that duplicates Facebook’s log-in screen.
The word has been around that Facebook has blocked this URL and this has hopefully brought an end to the entire nuisance.
Better safe than sorry…
It is still very important that we REMEMBER NOT TO LOG into a page that claims to be “Facebook” unless the URL is www.facebook.com. Wouldn’t hurt being just a little extra-cautious!
(Source: allFacebook)
How is it being done?
Facebook’s mail system is being used by the attackers to send messages to the users, enticing them to go to - fbaction.net - a site that duplicates Facebook’s log-in screen.
The word has been around that Facebook has blocked this URL and this has hopefully brought an end to the entire nuisance.
Better safe than sorry…
It is still very important that we REMEMBER NOT TO LOG into a page that claims to be “Facebook” unless the URL is www.facebook.com. Wouldn’t hurt being just a little extra-cautious!
(Source: allFacebook)
Google Web Search in your Gmail
Google’s got something new in their labs yet again. This time it’s a cool feature that adds the Google search box right in your Gmail inbox. A sigh of relief! This could make life online so much more simpler!
Wonder what took them so long to come up with this?
Now, there is no need to leave your inbox to search for something online while chatting or writing an email, toggle between windows, and waste time.
How does this feature work?
* Type your search and begin searching.
* Your search results will display in something that appears to be a bigger version of a chat window, at the bottom of your screen.
* Click on the search results to read more (which will open in a new tab).
* Once you’ve found what you want, hover your mouse over the search result back in your Gmail window and you will see a pull-down menu with some options like:
- Send result while your composing email
- Reply result while chatting with someone
Enabling the feature
Just follow some simple steps below:
1. Login to your Gmail account
2. Go to the Labs tab under Settings
3. Scroll down to turn on the ‘Google Search’
4. Hit ‘Save Changes’ button
Problem solved! Try it out.
(Source: Gmail blog)
Wonder what took them so long to come up with this?
Now, there is no need to leave your inbox to search for something online while chatting or writing an email, toggle between windows, and waste time.
How does this feature work?
* Type your search and begin searching.
* Your search results will display in something that appears to be a bigger version of a chat window, at the bottom of your screen.
* Click on the search results to read more (which will open in a new tab).
* Once you’ve found what you want, hover your mouse over the search result back in your Gmail window and you will see a pull-down menu with some options like:
- Send result while your composing email
- Reply result while chatting with someone
Enabling the feature
Just follow some simple steps below:
1. Login to your Gmail account
2. Go to the Labs tab under Settings
3. Scroll down to turn on the ‘Google Search’
4. Hit ‘Save Changes’ button
Problem solved! Try it out.
(Source: Gmail blog)
Extra Emoji brings over 1000 emoticons to Gmail
A picture’s worth a thousand words. And it gets better when you have more than a thousand to choose from! With Gmail’s new Extra Emoji Icons, you can add more than 1000 emoticons in your emails.
Good news - Now you get a chance to express better without words.
Bad news - Now you spend ages wondering which emoticon to use when and where!
All these extra emoticons come from the so called “secret underground labs” of some top Japanese mobile carriers. Of course, Gmail has taken the permission to use them.
The icons are divided into 13 different categories, the first two being the standard ones from Gmail. Some of the new stuff includes animals, various road signs, national flags, and animated icons.
Enable your extra Emoji icons:
Just follow the simple steps below:
1. Login to your Gmail account
2. Go to the ‘Labs’ tab under Settings
3. Scroll down to the ‘Extra Emoji’ option
4. Check the ‘Enable’ box
5. Hit ‘Save Changes’ button
Bingo! You got it…
from gmail blog
Good news - Now you get a chance to express better without words.
Bad news - Now you spend ages wondering which emoticon to use when and where!
All these extra emoticons come from the so called “secret underground labs” of some top Japanese mobile carriers. Of course, Gmail has taken the permission to use them.
The icons are divided into 13 different categories, the first two being the standard ones from Gmail. Some of the new stuff includes animals, various road signs, national flags, and animated icons.
Enable your extra Emoji icons:
Just follow the simple steps below:
1. Login to your Gmail account
2. Go to the ‘Labs’ tab under Settings
3. Scroll down to the ‘Extra Emoji’ option
4. Check the ‘Enable’ box
5. Hit ‘Save Changes’ button
Bingo! You got it…
from gmail blog
What do the codes in your SMS mean?
Have you ever received an SMS from your bank, service provider, or a company, that has been prefixed with codes? For example: An SMS from ICICI Bank that reads: IZ-ICICIBANK. Ever wondered what these codes really mean?
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) introduced these codes in order to curb bulk SMS providers from unsolicited commercial communication. Now that these codes are implemented, the sender can be traced, if necessary, as these codes reveal the location, the name of the company and the service provider.
This is how the code should look like:
XY-name of the company
X = Code of the service provider
Y = Location
Which means, IZ-ICICIBANK would be:
I = Idea Cellular (service provider)
Z = Maharashtra (location)
A list of Service Provider codes & Service Area codes:
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) introduced these codes in order to curb bulk SMS providers from unsolicited commercial communication. Now that these codes are implemented, the sender can be traced, if necessary, as these codes reveal the location, the name of the company and the service provider.
This is how the code should look like:
XY-name of the company
X = Code of the service provider
Y = Location
Which means, IZ-ICICIBANK would be:
I = Idea Cellular (service provider)
Z = Maharashtra (location)
A list of Service Provider codes & Service Area codes:
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