Google Pays 500$ for Chrome Bug Reports

Google has announced a bug-bounty program that will pay researchers $500 for each vulnerability they report in the Chrome browser and its underlying open-source code.

In a post to the Chromium project's blog , Chris Evans, who works on the Chrome security team, said the base bounty would be $500, but that "particularly severe or particularly clever" bugs would reap rewards of $1,337 each.

The latter amount is a reference to "leet," a kind of geek-speak used by some researchers; there, "leet" is rendered as "1337."

New vulnerabilities in Chrome, Chromium -- the open-source project that Google uses to craft Chrome -- and plug-ins that ship with Chrome, such as Google Gears, are eligible for bounties, said Evans. Bugs that are ranked "high" or "critical" in Chrome's rating system get preference, he added, but others may be considered.

"We are hoping that ... this program will encourage new individuals to participate in Chromium security," said Evans. "The more people involved in scrutinizing Chromium's code and behavior, the more secure our millions of users will be."

"Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox...those browsers have been out there for a long time," said Pedram Amini, manager of the security research team at 3com's Austin, Tex.-based TippingPoint, which operates Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), one of the two best-known bug-bounty programs. "But Chrome, and now Chrome OS, need researchers. Google needs people to put eyes on the target."

Google's new bounty program isn't the first from a software vendor looking for help rooting out vulnerabilities in its own code, but it's the largest company to step forward, Amini said. Microsoft , for example, has traditionally dismissed any calls that it pay for vulnerabilities. "This will be beneficial to Google," Amini added. "There are actually very few vendors who play in the bounty market, but Google doing it is definitely interesting."

Both Amini and Google's Evans cited Mozilla's similar program as the first notable vendor-sponsored bounty. Mozilla kicked off a $500-per-vulnerability bounty in August 2004 that it is still in operation. The Mozilla program pays for bugs in the code used to create Firefox, Thunderbird and other open-source applications.

Mozilla declined to comment on Google's decision to pay bounties, or answer questions about the current status of its own bug bounty program.

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12:28 AM | 0 comments

Apple video shows Flashed iPad

Will Apple's new iPad support Adobe Flash when it ships in March? Not if you trust Steve Jobs' much-picked-over presentation in San Francisco on Wednesday - or the current EULA attached to the device's beta SDK. But for some reason, the marketing materials on the Apple website tell a different story.

If you watch Apple's promo video - available either here (Apple) or here (YouTube), depending on whether you want to register your precious click in Cupertino or Mountain View - you'll notice that the iPad is displaying Flash content in a New York Times story.

We highly doubt the Apple video is displaying some sort of top-secret HTML5-enabled NYT page that was unavailable for Jobs to use during his demo. Either Apple has Flash running on its tablet or someone in Apple marketing didn't want to display NYT pages without colorful slideshows and had the video mocked up to look like a Flash browser.

In a blog post earlier this week Adobe's Adrian Ludwig barked that if you want to view one of the millions of web sites that use Flash on your iPad, you'll be "out of luck," citing images from Apple's iPad launch event.

If you were one of the few who attended the iPad's roll-out on Wednesday in San Francisco, you would have witnessed Flash content in an NYT demo not appearing when Steve Jobs scrolled through a Flash-enabled page.

Apple does not allow Flash on the iPhone, and iPad apps will share the same SDK. On Wednesday, Apple released a beta incarnation of the iPhone SDK - version 3.2 - that adds certain support for the iPad. As of Friday morning, Apple's iPhone Developer Program License Agreement (PDF) still says the platform can't run interpreted code, which includes Flash.

Image creadit: the register

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3:27 AM | 0 comments

Mozilla Released first mobile Firefox Browser

Mozilla has officially released the first mobile Firefox, a condensed version of the popular open-source browser that runs on Nokia's Maemo platform.

Codenamed 'Fennec,' Firefox 1.0 for Maemo was previously available only as a beta. Mozilla calls this the first mobile web browser to accomodate add-ons - long a staple of the Firefox desktop browser. More than 40 add-ons are already available for the new mobile platform, including AdBlock Plus, the most famous of Firefox extensions.

The inaugural mobile Firefox also offers Mozilla's Awesome Bar, a way of quickly returning to sites you've visited in the past; the new Weave Sync tool, for synchronizing bookmarks and other Firefox settings across multiple machines; and, yes, those familiar Firefox tabs.

Two days ago, when it pushed out a third release candidate for Firefox mobile 1.0, Mozilla removed support for an Adobe plug-in, saying it had "degraded the performance of the browser to the point where it didn't meet our standards." Instead, the open sourcers urge you to install a YouTube Enabler add-on that will at least let you watch Googlevideos on the browser.

The new browser runs on Maemo 5, which means your only smartphone option is the Nokia 990. You can download the browser here.

Mozilla is currently alpha testing a version of Fennec for Window Mobile, and it has prototyped Firefox browsers for Google's Android platform. But it has no intention of building anything for the iPhone. Apple, you see, doesn't allow interpreted code of the Jesus Phone, and Mozilla won't waste time trying to put Firefox where it's "not wanted." �

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3:22 AM | 0 comments

Samsung world's biggest technology company

HP Drops to Second Place

Samsung has becomes the world's biggest technology company, after 2009 sales of its devices hit $117.8 billion.

HP, who was formally number one in the technology sector, managed an impressive but not good enough $114.6 billion for the year, some three billion less than Samsung.

A major drive in the TV market, camera market and memory chips have shot Samsung up the technology charts. It was obvious by its massive presence at CES 2010 that the company was destined to reach the top spot at some point this year.

Gap in profits

The only sector where Samsung seems to have dropped the ball money-wise is in the mobile phone market.

Although its releasing a multitude of phones on to the market, Jae Lee, of Daiwa Securities, feels this is a place the company could strengthen, telling CNN: "Compare it with Apple. There is still a gap in profit margins of their phone businesses."

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7:54 AM | 0 comments

10 features Apple should include in Mac OS X 10.7

Mac websites exploded in a frenzy of excitement recently when it became clear development machines running Mac OS X 10.7 were online.

The thing is, you'd have been crazy to think that Apple was somehow done with its desktop operating system after Snow Leopard.

In fact, if Apple's track record's anything to go by, a road-map will be announced in the not-too-distant future, and we'll perhaps see a preview at WWDC, with a release date in early 2011.

But the fact that Apple's working on Mac OS X 10.7 - codenamed Lion, Ocelot, Lynx, or, er, Lolcat, depending on which rumour you subscribe to - isn't interesting in itself. What we'd love to know is what new features it'll bring to the party.

We've listed what we'd like to see below; post a comment if we've missed something from your wish list.

• A Unified Interface
• System-wide tagging and smart collections
• Superior Spotlight
• Better Stacks
• More multitouch
• Configurable Spaces
• Cloud services
• Finder tabs and enhancements
• Embrace third-party services
• Availabilty of more Mac App Store

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7:49 AM | 0 comments

Windows 7 reduced Vista laptops battery life

Laptop owners upgrading their Windows XP and Windows Vista machines to Windows 7 are complaining that Microsoft's new OS has severely reduced their available battery life.

One user tells The Reg that after upgrading his circa 2007 HP notebook from Vista to Windows 7, the machine's battery life dropped from two hours to a half hour, and countless others are voicing similar complaints on Microsoft's TechNet forums.

The problem is caused by a new tool designed to alert users when their battery needs replacing. In some cases, according to TechNet posts, this alert appears time and again - even as a battery continues to run as it always did - falsely warning that the machine may suddenly shutdown. But in other cases, the machine does shutdown prematurely. It would seem this occurs well before the battery has run out of juice.

In a statement sent to The Reg, Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, saying it's related to the way Windows 7 reads system firmware. "We are investigating this issue in conjunction with our hardware partners," the statement reads. "The warning received in Windows 7 uses firmware information to determine if battery replacement is needed. We are working with our partners to determine the root cause and will update the [Technet] forum with information and guidance as it becomes available."

According to some users posting to Technet, the issue dates back several months, to the Windows 7 beta. But others say they didn't see a problem until the final "release to manufacturing" (RTM) build. "I was having excellent battery life until I installed the RTM of Windows 7 - all RC and beta builds that I installed I had nearly three hours of battery. Now, I have about 20 minutes and Win7 shuts down my laptop," writes one user.

"This change in behavior happened when I went from an RC to RTM. Instant behavior change. Needless to say, I - like you that have posted here - [am] not happy."

Microsoft confirms that its "consider replacing your battery" warning is new to Windows 7. But the company also says that in some cases, the new tool may be working properly. In other words, if it says your battery needs replacing, it may need replacing. But for so many laptops owners posting to TechNet, this is clearly not the case.

One poster says the problem has occurred on the same machine with two different sets of batteries. "At first, I was thinking the laptop is a couple years old, and sat on a shelf gathering dust, not being stored properly," he writes. "I went to replace the batteries, and realized that HP had recalled them. So i replaced them with brand new batts from the factory. And wala! same issue."

According to posts, the issue occurs across many multiple laptop makes and models, and Microsoft's statement seems to confirm this is the case. �

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7:39 AM | 0 comments

Microsoft's Boost Windows 7 as Record Selling OS

With a boost from the release of Windows 7, Microsoft on Thursday said that its quarterly revenue topped $19 billion as the company sold a record number of copies of its operating system.

The software maker said it earned $6.66 billion, or 74 cents per share, on revenue of $19.02 billion for the three-month period that ended December 31. Those results included revenue deferred from the prior quarter, as the company was preparing for Windows 7 and offering free upgrades to those who bought Windows Vista-based computers. Excluding the deferred revenue, Microsoft said it had revenue of $17.31 billion, and diluted earnings per share would have totaled 60 cents per share.

"Exceptional demand for Windows 7 led to the positive top-line growth for the company," chief financial officer Peter Klein said in a statement. "Our continuing commitment to managing costs allowed us to drive earnings performance ahead of the revenue growth."

Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner touted the record quarter for Windows unit sales, spurred by the Oct. 22 launch of Windows 7. "We are thrilled by the consumer reception to Windows 7 and by business enthusiasm to adopt Windows 7," he said in a statement.

The company said that through the end of December it had sold more than 60 million Windows 7 licenses, which it said made Windows 7 the fastest selling operating system in history.

In October, Microsoft reported better-than-expected sales, also boosted by stronger demand for Windows.

The company said overall PC sales grew 15 percent to 17 percent in the quarter, although that was led by a 20 percent growth in consumer sales as the business market remained roughly flat. The market for new servers remained weak, down slightly year over year, although Microsoft's server and tools business unit managed to grow revenue 2 percent as compared with a year ago.

Microsoft's online unit saw its revenue dip 5 percent, led by a 2 percent drop in online advertising, although the company noted that its Bing search engine continues to gain market share.

The Microsoft Business Division, which includes Office, saw sales off 3 percent, perhaps as customers await this year's launch of Office 2010.

On the Xbox side, Microsoft said it sold 5.2 million consoles during the quarter, down 13 percent from a year ago, leading the entertainment and devices unit to post a double-digit decline in revenue.

The company didn't give a full forecast for the coming quarter, saying it would have more to say on a 2:30 p.m. PST conference call. It did tell analysts to expect operating expenses for the full fiscal year ending June 30 to total $26.2 billion to $26.5 billion.

Here's a chart of how each of Microsoft's individual business units performed:

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7:28 AM | 0 comments

Google likely to face questions on ads, says Microsoft

Microsoft Corp.'s top lawyer said Monday that Google will inevitably have to answer questions about its huge market share in selling advertisements linked to results from its search engine.

Microsoft's general counsel Brad Smith said the search advertising market has become "the fundamental economic engine for content online" and "the gateway to content on the Internet."

"Whenever you have a company that has more than a 90 percent market share in a key market, it is inevitable that people will have questions to ask. We say that with some experience," he said after giving a speech in Brussels.

Unlike Microsoft, Google Inc. has never been formally investigated by the European Union executive and the only EU scrutiny of its advertising business came when it asked regulators to approve its $3.1 billion purchase of online ad tracker DoubleClick. The EU waved through the deal in March 2008.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this month that French antitrust regulators should look at Google's dominant position in the online ad sector.

However, the European Commission, which would deal with any Europe-wide competition problem, has said it sees no issue with Google's dominant position in advertising unless there is "any implication or suspicion" that it is abusing its near-monopoly to hike prices or squeeze rivals and suppliers.

Smith confirmed that Microsoft sees Google as a direct rival, saying they were both active in some of the same product markets.

Microsoft trails Google in search, with a European market share of 2 percent. But Microsoft provides the most-used Web browser, Internet Explorer, which competes with Google's Chrome and others.

Smith laid out his vision of what regulatory changes are needed to keep pace with a shift toward cloud computing -- where software services are used online, on-demand, instead of stored on a user's computer.

He said that calls for new thinking on data privacy, saying ultimately a global treaty on data protection or free trade agreements may be needed to govern the constant data transfers across the world that will be part of cloud computing.

He said Europe's 27 governments should set an EU-wide deadline on how long companies should store data -- Smith suggested 12 months -- to replace the current patchwork of limits between six months and two years.

Microsoft also advocates a federal privacy law in the United States, he said, and is concerned about different laws emerging at state level.

Smith said security concerns may require giving the right to cloud service providers -- such as Microsoft -- to take legal action to sue hackers or others who try to hack into data hosted in "the cloud."

He said Microsoft's vision of cloud computing saw its own proprietary software in use alongside open source programs -- with both using "open formats" to allow different software to work smoothly together.

EU regulators fined Microsoft in 2004 for not providing technical information to rivals that wanted to make software compatible with Microsoft's servers. The company last year promised changes to share some data on its products with others.

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7:22 AM | 0 comments

Is Windows 8 for July 2011?

Is Microsoft looking to close the gaps between major OS updates? A posting on an MSDN blog may shed some serious light on Microsoft�s upcoming release schedule. According to Chris Green, a developer who recently finished working for Microsoft, Windows 8 mainstream support is targeted for 07/01/2011 which is the first date that we have seen regarding the release of Microsoft�s next OS.

Other dates of interest are for Office 2012 which shows a targeted date 7/2/2012. While there is a lot of speculation involved with the release dates mentioned, some of the dates are correct for previous launches. The chart stipulates Office 2010 for a June release and we know that this has already been confirmed by Microsoft.

The dates, as always, should be taken with a grain of salt. But, the depth and detail of the chart is impressive and should give us a rough estimate of Microsoft�s upcoming plans. The full chart is posted below, (warning: PDF).

Download: MS Roadmap

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6:52 AM | 0 comments

Apple iPad Announced, Starting Price $499

Today, Apple�s CEO Steve Jobs took to the stage to introduce a new device named the Apple iPad.

Jobs began by revealing that Apple has reached 250 million iPod sales to date. He then revealed that �Apple is the largest mobile devices business in the world today.� Moving on throughout Jobs speech he questioned whether there is room for a third category device in-between a laptop or a smart-phone. Jobs then mocked competitors for investing in netbooks and immediately revealed the iPad.

Jobs went on to demonstrate several features including browsing, Photos and built-in slideshows. The iTunes store is also built in and the usual suspects of a mail, contacts and calendar applications are available. Jobs also demonstrated the maps application and its location features.

YouTube HD support is also included and Jobs demonstrated various videos during his keynote. After the video demonstrations Jobs moved onto the specifications:

* 0.5? thin
* Weighs 1.5 pounds
* 9.7? IPS display
* 1GHz Apple A4 processor
* 16, 32, or 64GB of flash storage
* 802.11n, WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1
* 10 hours battery life

Various applications were demonstrated on the new iPad, some run at full resolution with slight pixelation whilst others run at their native resolution which seems far from ideal. A New York Times application was also demonstrated briefly that syncs between the iPhone app and includes in-line video clips.

Later in his speech Jobs priced up data plans for the iPad over 3G, AT&T will be offering the following:

* 250MB monthly data limit for $14.99 � No contract
* Unlimited data for $29.99 � No contract

International data plans will be revealed in June.

The iPad will be available in two months time for the WiFi only version and three months time for the WiFi and 3G version. Pricing of the devices will be:

* 16GB WiFi only $499, WiFi + 3G $629
* 32GB WiFi only $599, WiFi + 3G $729
* 64GB WiFi only $699, WiFi + 3G $829

Apple also announced a case and keyboard dock accessory for �when you really need to do a lot of typing� said Jobs.

News of the announcement saw Apple�s (AAPL) stock drop over 1% initially and later recovered and rose 1%.

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6:43 AM | 0 comments

Latest Video of Google Voice in iPhone

Check this video of Google Voice in your iPhone and Mobile browser.

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11:01 AM | 0 comments

No Limits on Google Android says China

China assure mobile phone companies using Google's Android operating system that they won't be hurt by a dispute over Web censorship, saying the technology will be allowed if it complies with regulations.

Google Inc. postponed the launch of its own smart phone in China following its Jan. 12 announcement that it will no longer censor search results. Others also are developing Android-based phones and could be hurt if Beijing tries to penalize Google by barring its use.

"As long as it fulfills Chinese laws and regulations and has good communication with telecom operators, I think its application should not have restrictions," said Zhu Hongren, a spokeman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, at a regular news briefing when asked whether Beijing would permit use of Android.

The comments reflect the conflicting pressures on the communist government, which insists on controlling information but needs foreign companies like Google to help achieve its goal of making China a technology leader.

The operating system is one of a mobile phone's most basic elements and changing it after products already have been launched would be costly, said Ted Dean, managing director of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing research firm.

"There's a pretty significant upfront investment in developing a phone on one operating system," Dean said. "So you don't want to change course on so basic a system as what operating system it works on."

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8:16 AM | 0 comments

Facebook Top Social Network on Opera Mini in 2009

Since Opera is extremely popular in South Asia, Opera�s state of the mobile web report is some what skewed towards South Asian countries. Due to this reason VKontakte used to be the top social network on Opera Mini � as it is extremely popular in Russian speaking countries. However, Facebook has overtaken VKontakte in terms of unique users in 2009. Twitter is another success story, which has managed to grow by almost 2,900% amongst Opera�s users. The only social network to lose users is Frienster, which saw a usage decline of 29%.

From this report, as is also evident from a lot of other reports before it, 2009 could really be termed as the year of Facebook by all counts. From Facebook�s performance during the previous year, we can safely say that it is not a question of �if�, but �when� Facebook becomes the top web property world wide.

Source: AllFacebook

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8:10 AM | 0 comments

Google Voice finally on iPhone 3Gs

Google's end run around Apple's App Store is complete: Google Voice is ready as a Web application.

Owners of the iPhone and Palm's WebOS devices can now get in on the mobile Google Voice experience with the Web app, which will run in the browsers of iPhones with the 3.0 software installed and all Palm WebOS devices, said Vincent Paquet, senior product manager at Google. The application should be available for current users of Google Voice--which is still an invitation-only service--as of Tuesday at m.google.com/voice.

Google Voice allows incoming calls to ring mobile phones, office phones, or desk phones depending on how the user sets their Google Voice profile. It also treats voice mail like e-mail, transcribing voice messages into an in-box where they can be read and deleted.

Last year Google submitted a native version of Google Voice to Apple in hopes of getting the software onto the iPhone. As most will recall, Apple and Google then entered into a semantic war of words over whether Apple rejected the application (Google's version) or merely continues to study it (Apple's version). Either way, the FCC got involved and Google Voice remains in App Store limbo, Paquet said.

"We haven't had any updates regarding our native app for the iPhone, unfortunately," Paquet said. However, now that the Web app is ready iPhone users will be able to get essentially the same experience that the native app would have delivered, although the user interface will be slightly different because the application will be running in the browser. Paquet declined to comment on whether Google plans to continue the App Store approval process with the native version.

The Web application is another sign of Google's strong desire to encourage people to think of Web-based applications as a ready alternative to native applications. The company has spoken about its plans for Web development at length, and even plans to develop a lightweight operating system based on its Chrome browser as a sort of proof-of-concept for the Web development mindset.

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7:52 AM | 0 comments

Google to ape Apple with Nexus One 3G patch

Google's Nexus One is following in the iPhone's footsteps. Its 3G connectivity is spotty, and Google is hurrying a patch, just as Apple was forced to do when it introduced the iPhone 3G.

Thanks to some sharp eyes at Cnet's Deep Tech, we've been alerted to a blog post in the Nexus One help forum in which an apologetic Googler writes that, yes, Mountain View is aware of the 3G problems "some of you have been facing," and that help is on the way.

"Our engineers have uncovered specific cases for which a software fix should improve connectivity to 3G for some users," he writes. "We are testing this fix now, initial results are positive, and if everything progresses as planned, we will provide an over-the-air software update to your phone in the next week or so."

If this sounds like the proverbial d�j� vu all over again, that's because Google's 3G travails mirror those of Apple's iPhone 3G, which also had a rough time out of the gate when it came to 3G connectivity.

The iPhone 3G's OS was patched not once but twice before the problems faded - but not before Apple was threatened with a class-action lawsuit due to its poor initial performance.

The relationship between Apple and Google may be icing up - so much so that Apple is reportedly thinking of jumping in bed with Bing - but it appears that Mountain View still has a thing or two to learn from Apple.

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7:46 AM | 0 comments

PlayStation 3 Firmware Cracks by iPhone Hacker

With the arrival of every new console comes a race for hackers to crack their way through the new toy's security, and the PS3, after just over six months, has finally been defeated.

An exploit has been found in versions 1.10 and 1.11 of the PS3 firmware which has allowed one cunning hacker to boot up copied versions of PS3 games.

Up to this point, just about every gaming console--from the Xbox 360 to the Nintendo DS--has been hacked in some way, usually to allow it to play pirated games. This excluded the PlayStation 3, which remained unhacked for over three years, leading many to believe that it is virtually impossible to hack.

Unfortunately for Sony, the PS 3�s security streak ended today. George Hotz, most famous for being the first person to hack the iPhone at the age of seventeen, announced that he has done the �impossible� by successfully hacking the PS3, and it only took him a total of five weeks. Hotz (who goes by the alias geohot) does, however, give credit to the PS3 as being a �pretty secure system.�

�It�s supposed to be unhackable, but nothing is unhackable,� Hotz told the BBC. Hotz admitted that while he had not managed to hack the entire system, he was able to �trick� the console into doing whatever he wanted by using a hardware exploit.

The hack could potentially allow the PS3 to play older PS2 games, and could also allow people to play pirated games or run homebrew software. However, Hotz has officially stated that he created the hack for research purposes only, and that he in fact does not condone piracy at all.

Hotz has not released the full details of the hack/exploit, but says that he will eventually, just as he did with the iPhone, and he continues to work on the hack as we speak.

�I have hacked the PS3. The rest is just software. And reversing. I have a lot of reversing ahead of me,� writes Hotz on the personal blog that he uses to record his progress. At the time of this writing, Hotz is currently able to read and write to the PS3's memory, and is discovering the function (coding) names used the system�s software.

Five weeks and--eight blog posts--later, geohot has been able to get farther than anyone has in the past three years. Whether you�re a gamer, fellow hacker, or game company, you can either love or hate the guy, but you will have admit it: he�s good.

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8:15 AM | 0 comments

SkyPe Rival Google Voice with Chrome Support

Google Voice is still restricted to its long waiting period, but if you're registered for Google's forwarding system the update to the Google Voice Notifier makes it a must-have. It brings both Google Voice features and some smartphone-style one-click powers to the Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The features themselves are not remarkable, but do bring Voice some parity with similar Skype features and add-ons. The extension makes phone numbers on Web sites callable via Google Voice by just clicking on them. You can place calls and send free text messages by typing any number or contact name, and you can view the most recent messages you've received. The toolbar button displays the number of unread messages you've gotten and offers fairly quick access to recent messages and their transcripts.

Most phone numbers are clickable, but not all of them. For those that aren't, which includes numbers in Google Calendar, highlighting a phone number will open the click-to-call pop-up. In the extension's Options menu, you can toggle the clickable numbers option and set which tab the toolbar button defaults to, or deactivate it entirely.

Voicemail playback isn't supported in the current version, although Google says that it's being worked on.

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8:03 AM | 0 comments

Android to overtake iPhone by 2013

Accoring to the new report of IDC. It can be possible that Google Nexus One android operating system could overtake iPhone and Blackberry in near future.

Android will rise to be the second most used mobile OS in the world by 2013, according to a new IDC estimate. Analysts still expect Symbian to hold on to its lead but that Google's OS will have grown 100 times larger since starting off in 2008, reaching 68 million phones three years from today. The prediction doesn't immediately gauge the position of BlackBerry, iPhone or Windows Mobile but expects all three to be eclipsed.

The upset would come about as a virtue of the Android ecosystem. As more companies start making Android phones, the platform should become the default choice for those who aren't making their own operating systems and will replace both Linux and Windows Mobile in these areas. Apple and RIM are the only manufacturers for their platforms and limit their exposure as a result.

Nokia's security, meanwhile, should come from its established dominance in areas outside of North America. Linux and webOS are the only major platforms expected to struggle, as the former will likely lose out to Android while webOS' relatively limited availability could hurt, even as it grows overall.

Android remained small for most of its first year but has rapidly grown through late 2009 and early 2010 as companies like Acer, Dell, LG, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson have all launched their own phones using the software. In some cases, companies have either started off using Android for their first smartphones or even replaced some if not all of their Linux and Windows Mobile devices with the more modern, open OS.

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7:42 AM | 0 comments

Review of Apple iTablet

ThumZ uP:-

1) High Specs
Nobody likes a slow laggy device and the good news for Apple, and all who sail with her, is that this is usually something the company gets right. The combination of software and hardware design means that Jobs and Co. know just what level of components are required to make their machines run properly. The word is that the iSlate won't have an Intel Atom chip at its heart which leads us to wonder whether it's going to be something similar or the kind you'd find in a full size latop; maybe something with more than one core? Combine that with a good chunk of RAM and GPU at least as powerful as the graphics device inside the iPhone and there's all the foundations of a really interesting unit.

2) Multitasking
With a multi-core CPU and enough number crunching memory too, there's every reason a tablet could multitask. Let's face it, plenty of other smartphones offer this already. Until now, Apple has kept this out of its mobile offerings but with a home tablet, you're going to need a little more flexibility at your fingertips. Someone's on a call with you, video or otherwise, and maybe you want to send them a link or browse some pertinent information on the internet and you'll need to be running more than one application at a time. The very fact that a tablet is for such a fluid environment means that it's going to need to be a bit of a Swiss Army Knife - often with two of those blades out at any one time.

3) You can watch your TV on it
One classic hope for a home tablet would be to be able to take the TV show you're watching on your main set to another room as you need. Whether by a TV adaptor or otherwise, catching transmissions direct from your main panel and display them on the small portable screen anywhere about the house would be a real bonus. Perfect for keeping up with domestic life while bringing the entertainment with you. Take this one step further and perhaps you could even tap into the source over the internet and 3G network while out and about but with mobile data speeds and prices, that might be pushing it.

4) An HD or OLED screen
Doubtless viewing videos is going to be a big part of life on the Apple tablet. So as good a screen as possible would be a real winner. An OLED or AMOLED would be the obvious choice here to provide glorious crisp contrast, wonderful deep colours and all at a low power outage to keep the battery lasting as long as possible. The downside, of course, is that such a display would probably send the price of thing through the roof. So, an equally good shout would be an HD resolution LCD. Pixel density makes watching films on the iPhone a great experience, so factor that up to a tablet size device and we really have to be talking about a 1080p display.

5) E-ink mode
It seems that the New York Times and others are brokering deals with Apple to supply newspaper and magazine content for the tablet and there's even word of book publishers like Harper Collins getting in on the action too. As much as we're getting used to reading on LCD screens for longer periods of time, if the iSlate could switch the display to e-ink or e-paper mode, then not only would it be the first to be able to do so but it would mean it could grab a massive chunk of the eReader market too. That alone could offer financial success. For the consumer, of course, it would mean one less device to carry around a break for dry-balls everywhere.

ThumZ DowN:-

1) It runs OS X
We're not slating the Mac OS. Everyone knows it's good but to really get it to work, you need a keyboard. Touchscreens are all fun and games but the minute you need to do a fair bit of typing, it'll start to lose it's edge. OS X is a desktop operating system. iPhone OS is for touchscreens. The functionality of the full Apple software would certainly be appealing, and perhaps very tempting seeing as there's a good chance that the hardware in the iTablet would allow people to run it, but it's really too fiddly for finger operation alone - finger and thumb too.

The way to get round that might be to add a slideout QWERTY but there's all sorts of cascading problems out of that decision too. First, it makes it bigger, heavier and more clunky and, second, there's something of admitting defeat about it. It would almost be saying that Apple couldn't engineer something simple and intuitive enough to work without having to drop a big old piece of kit on top of such a lovely svelte device. That's not what the Cupertino creed is about.

2) Connectivity Issues
As a portable tablet for home and on the go, it's going to need the holy trinity of connection - 3G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. What's more, if it can't stream content over your home network, then it's a dead loss too. Naturally, 3G is a must to do anything with it internet based and away from home, and Wi-Fi it will most certainly have. If there's no media streaming option, then the user is stuck with side-loading or synching over the internet at best. The first would be a terrible ball and chain and the second both laborious and costly once you've factored in the MobileMe subscription.

Bluetooth might seem like an odd one but there's one important use and that's for making hands free phone calls. It could be circumvented partially by a really good speakerphone system but then everyone's going to hear both sides of your conversation which you might not necessarily want.

3) Poor battery life
For any mobile device these days, functionality versus battery life is the million dollar trade off. Get this one wrong and you cripple your product. With so much expected and so much possible from the iTablet , it's going to need one hell of an efficient and powerful battery. It has to keep up with the demands of being left on the sofa for a couple of hours before being needed again. Some efficient power management from the software would be a big help as would a low-voltage processors. It's also another reason why we might not see multitasking. How the company organises docking will also be an interesting one to watch for.

4) No stand and no speakers
Obvious ones really but this tablet is going to need to be totally hands free from time to time. A 10-inch, or thereabouts, device is going to get tiring to hold for the length of an entire film, so some kind of clever kick stand or perhaps dock is going to be needed. Its omission might not be a total disaster and naturally would spring dollar signs onto the eyeballs of Belkin and Griffin and pals but having no built-in speakers might be harder to stomach. If this thing is to be taken about the house and used in different settings, then chaining it to you ears via headphones cable would be both taxing and rather impractical, particularly if you're trying to do the washing up while listening to Spotify at the same time, say.

5) It's thick and heavy
Make this thing too big and there's going to be little point in choosing a tablet over a laptop. Apple, of course, is unlikely to make this kind of mistake. One of the pillars on which the company has rebuilt its comeback is that of design and with Jonathan Ive at the helm, it'd be a shocker to say the least if the iTablet wasn't as carefully created as the iPhone, iPod and all the iMacs before it. That said, anyone can make a mistake.

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7:28 AM | 0 comments

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 Review

BlueTrack� Technology
Microsoft BlueTrack Technology combines the power of optical with the precision of laser for remarkable tracking on virtually any surface.*

Plug-And-Go Nano Transceiver
Leave the Nano Transceiver plugged in when you�re on the go, or stow it in the mouse.

2.4 GHz Reliable Wireless
Microsoft 2.4 GHz wireless delivers a reliable connection with up to a 30-foot range, with virtually no interference.

10-Month Battery Life
Use your mouse without power interruption for up to 10 months on a single battery. Battery status indicator tells you when battery power is low.

Windows Flip in Windows� 7
Easily switch between open windows with the click of a button.

4-way Scrolling
Scroll four ways for greater efficiency and comfort with Tilt Wheel Technology.

4 Customizable Buttons
Get quick access to the media, programs, and files you use most often with customizable buttons.

3 Year Warranty

More Detail

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7:17 AM | 0 comments

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5.3 SDK

Microsoft published a software development kit (SDK) of Windows Mobile 6.5.3 on January 22 but abruptly pulled the release this week.

The SDK was available for download and included emulator images to run a virtual copy of Windows Mobile 6.5.3. According to Microsoft�s Windows Mobile Dev Twitter page:

�With regards to 6.5 SDK, we prematurely released an untested SDK which was not ready. We pulled it so proper testing can be completed�. we�ll def make an official announce when the SDK is ready to go. Those responsible have been sent to the dungeons for execution.�

In other news, the mobile industry is eagerly awaiting next months Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. It is widely expected that Microsoft will share details of Windows Mobile 7 during a press briefing at MWC.

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7:09 AM | 0 comments

Microsoft Xbox 360 Console, 60GB Review

Thumbs Up:

High definition games can now be played, user friendly dash board interface, great communication and online gamming through Xbox 360, also works as an excellent media hub, you can watch movies, play songs, view data on memory cards, Marketplace lets you purchase TV shows, games, movies online, the console has 1080p HDMI support, cooler quieter processor.

Thumbs Down:

You need to pay for subscription to Xbox Live, no Blu-ray player, �red ring of death� still lurks.

Inside the Trunk:

Bundled accessories � 60GB external hard drive, Xbox Live headset, Ethernet network cable

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

The Microsoft Xbox 360 is powered by IBM PowerPC 3 cores 3.2 GHz. RAM is 512 MB ( 512 MB ) GDDR3 SDRAM � Integrated, of 1 MB cache memory, the hard disk is 60 GB.

Graphics card is ATI Xbox 360 � 256-bit � 2D/3D graphics acceleration and the maximum resolution is 1920X1080 or 1080p. Connectors include AV cable port, USB 2.0, HDMI output, Ethernet (RJ-45). The console is compatible with MS Windows XP Media Center compatible. The optical drive is DVD-ROM

Razzle Dazzle:

We all know what the Xbox 360 looks like, and this new update is nothing different from the previous product. But looks hardly matter when it comes to consoles; they just fit in a small place below your TV and sometimes are even not visible. Performance is what matters the most because you are not going to flaunt this console like you would with a mobile phone or a camera. This model weighs 8.8 pounds, is 3.27 inches high, 12.15 inches wide. 10.5 inches deep, this is a bit smaller than the previous Xbox, but weighs the same. If you really want your console to look good you can buy the faceplates which cost about $20.

Inside Dope:

We always thought that Xbox 360 was made by Microsoft because it looked at Sony�s play station consoles as substitutes for computers and not to mention the great gaming experience. But then Microsoft has worked really hard and since then it hasn�t looked back. It first came in on November 2005 as the first next-gen console and had about an year before the nearest competitor would launch their products. So they have quite a lot of time to make an impression on the market.

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7:02 AM | 0 comments

Cold War between iPhone and Android ?

On the same day the iPad is unveiled, it sounds like Apple�s exclusivity deal with AT&T may be expiring. If true, I can imagine Steve Jobs making this an important part of his announcements on January 27th:

�I�m excited to announce that starting today, the new iPhone will be available for any carrier in the United States to sell.�

What does this mean for Google though? One advantage of Google�s Android strategy is that it�s not limited to only one carrier � it�s available where the iPhone isn�t, and so far, that has worked alright. On the other hand, I don�t believe they have tapped the potential that exists outside of AT&T.

On Wednesday, Android may be directly competing with the iPhone. The question is what percentage of people who want to buy an iPhone has already left their carrier and moved to AT&T, and how many are looking to jump ship as soon as possible from the carrier.

Considering the Nexus One flop (some say only 20,000 units sold on the first week), it will be interesting to see how no exclusivity for iPhone could make it even more difficult for Android to gain momentum.

If the non-exclusive thing happens, what do you think Android�s future looks like?

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7:58 AM | 0 comments

China Denies Cyber Attack on Google

After warning of strained U.S.-China relations, China's government has issued statements denying any state involvement in the cyberattacks on Google and defending its online censorship.

The statements, issued Monday Beijing time and carried on the state news agency Xinhua, come nearly two weeks after Google threatened to pull out of the country after finding that e-mail accounts belonging to human rights activists had been compromised and separately deciding it was no longer interested in self-censoring search results.

China's state-controlled media has torn into the US position, accusing America of "information imperialism", "hypocrisy" and "double standards" in order to preserve its status as the unchallenged global super-power.

Industry analysts are now waiting for the outcome of Google's talks with the Chinese authorities after Eric Schmidt, the company's CEO, said after releasing company results last week that he expected that Google would change its Chinese search engine in "a short time".

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7:52 AM | 0 comments

Speed Up Windows 7 in 4 Steps

Windows 7, supposedly the faster of the operating systems from Microsoft, shows gradual signs of slowing down when continually used over a long stretch.

Before installing this operating system on your computer
, you should make sure that your computer meets the following basic requirements:

* Processor: 1 Ghz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)
* RAM: 1 GB (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
* Available Hard Disk Space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
* Graphics Device: DirectX 9 with WDDM 1.0 or a higher driver

If your computer meets the aforementioned requirements then you can go ahead and install Windows 7 on your computer.

Steps:
* Shutting-it-down:The proper system configuration is a necessity for the speedy functioning of the system, but again it is not the only factor effecting the computer�s performance. The system tends to slow down even if used over a prolonged period of time. As such, you should make sure that you give your computer a bit of �rest� at least once every week and completely shut it down.
* Periodically delete the temporary files from your PC: This helps the applications to run faster on your system. For this type %Temp% in the run dialog box and press �OK�. A new folder will open up with the name �Temp� on the top menu bar. Here click Edit�>Select All and then File�>Delete.
* Perform a scandisk: This test checks if your drive is in a healthy condition and also helps your computer run faster.
* Defragment the drives:Even though Windows 7 is said to be the smarter and more efficient OS, it still suffers from disk fragmentation when involving allocation of free space to files on a magnetic disk. Consequently, more time is spent when inputting/outputting the files when the disk is highly fragmented. Thus, a regular disk defragmentation is necessary.To defragment the disk goto Start�>All Programs�>Accessories�>System Tools�>Disk Defragmenter. Here, you can select the volume to be defragmented and the click �Analyze� and then �Defragment� to begin the disk defragmentation.You can select to defragment the volume one by one or all at once.

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7:18 AM | 0 comments

Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 to enhance tabbed browsing

Microsoft has filed a patent that reveals Internet Explorer 9 is set to have better tab management options and enhanced functionality.

The patent, spotted by Microsoft MVP Manan Kakkar, describes a system and method for selecting a tab within a tabbed browser. Originally filed in September 2009, the patent reveals that the Quick Tabs feature in Internet Explorer is likely to be enhanced with better functionality and greater tab management options. In Internet Explorer 8 Quick Tabs simply display thumbails of all tabs open with the option to close them individually. The patent images reveal that the following features will be included:

* Drag and move the tabs within the Quick Tabs interface.
* Tab thumbnails will enlarge on mouse-hover.
* In case your tab row was over flowing with tabs and in Quick Tabs you were to hover the mouse on a tab not currently visible on the tab bar, the overflow icons would change appearance.

Microsoft originally announced and demonstrated Internet Explorer 9 at PDC 2009. IE 9 will take advantage of the power of the GPU for all page rendering and developers can exploit this using CSS, DHTML and javascript. Microsoft believes IE9 will result in smoother rendering and improved performance. Interoperability and standards support is increasing and features such as rounded corner CSS support will be built in. A new JS engine will also be built into Internet Explorer 9. Microsoft officials offered no time lines or indications as to when a build of Internet Explorer 9 will be available publicly. Neowin understands Microsoft are on target to provide an early technical preview build at MIX 2010 in March.
Source: neowin

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7:09 AM | 0 comments

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Review.

After successful launched of Google Nexus One mobile technology now Sony Ericsson is all set to launched it first ever Android mobile technology, the XPERIA X10, in London two months ago, but I had to wait for CES to get my first look at the device on this side of the Atlantic.

As you'd expect, the Sony Ericsson stand at the massive Sony Electronics booth was crowded with people wanting to get a look at the handset. And there's no wonder why--the X10 is a sight to behold. Its slim profile and clean lines hit high on the beauty scale, and I enjoyed how sturdy and comfortable it felt in my hand. Front and center is a brilliant display that measures 4 inches; that's bigger than the display on the Moto Droid.

Inside, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 offers plenty to gape at. It runs on a Snapdragon 1GHz processor and offers an 8.1-megapixel camera with flash and video recording, a music and video player, Wi-Fi, GPS, a full Web browser, PC syncing and USB mass storage, a personal organizer, and a speakerphone.

The X10 runs Google Android, and Sony Ericsson adds on another interface layer with its User Experience Platform. Though we don't see any reason to hide Android behind a mask, the Timescape feature was somewhat appealing. Like Motoblur on the Motorola Cliq, it organizes your communication in a central place.

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7:19 AM | 0 comments

Search Engine Optimization. (SEO Google)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines. Now a days Search Engine Optimization is really getting engaged with a new website because with marketing you cannot reached to your global audience. So every new website need online presence which can only be done with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) There are many factors include in Search Engine Optimization process.

Search Engine Optimization Includes:

• On Page Optimization
• Off Page Optimization
• Content Optimization
• Link Building
  
• Image Optimization
• Keywords Optimization
• Meta's Optimization
• Interlinking
• SEO friendly Website
  
• URL Structure etc.
  

These are the basic factors of Search Engine Optimization, But there are several things include in it. Many SEO Companies are providing SEO services but a great time to hire is when you�re considering a site redesign, or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. However, a good SEO can also help improve an existing site.

Search Engine Optimization and Website Page Rank

Search Engine Optimization can also helps a website to achieve better and high PageRank which is now consider a most effective thing. Link building and proper SEO can helps your website to get higher and effective PageRank.
PageRank is Google's way of deciding a page's importance. It matters because it is one of the factors that determines a page's ranking in the search results. It isn't the only factor that Google uses to rank pages, but it is an important one.

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1:00 AM | 0 comments

Google Nexus One Vs. iPhone 3Gs

Google Nexus One

Google Nexus One is google's new mobile technology which was introduce on 5, Jan 2010. This phone is seems to be Google first ever mobile technology. The phone is already in use, and website log data suggest it is running Android 2.1. Nexus One is based on Android programming which Google own. Many people are comparing Google Nexus with Apple iPhone 3Gs. But whats behind it we will comes to know soon.

Comparison of Google Nexus One with iPhone 3Gs.

Google Nexus One is slightly thinner than the iPhone 3GS, and slightly lighter. No hard specs were thrown around, unfortunately, since Google didn't even let people who they gave the phone to know that. The back is definitely not cheap and plasticky, like the iPhone's backing, and feels like some sort of rubbery material. So, not smooth like the iPhone, but not as rubbery as the Droid. It's halfway in-between.

You can call the design the antithesis of the Droid: smooth, curved, and light, instead of hard, square and pointy. It feels long and silky and natural in your hand�even more so than the iPhone 3GS. There are also three gold contacts on the bottom designed for future docking (possibly charging?) use, but there aren't any accessories available for the phone now. It plugs in via microUSB at the moment.

As mentioned above, that an iPhone 3GS is still competitive � and more than competitive in many areas like media, user experience, apps, etc. � with devices released this week like the Nexus One is a testament to just how well Apple can make and support an iPhone. Even people still on the original iPhone 2G are enjoying a large part of the iPhone 3.1.2 OS release just a few months ago. That�s Apple�s forte � integrated devices with killer usability and software updates that reset the standards of expectation.

The Nexus One, however, has all the best and brightest of the new technologies, like 1 GHz processors and AMOLED screens, augmented reality and awesome voice support in the built-in apps. Some people really do consider phones to be fashion, or always want to have the very newest thing on the market, and given Android�s model � which produced the Droid two months ago and the Nexus One today � Google is going to be very appealing to them.

If you buy a phone every year or two, and want to build up your apps and accessories, the iPhone will likely keep you happy longer and more effortlessly. If you get bored easily and want something fresh faster, with more diversity, Android in general and the Nexus One right now are where it�s at.

More information regarding iPhone 3Gs.
More information regarding Google Nexus One.

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11:54 PM | 0 comments

Earn Free Gifts and Products at LOCKERZ

Today, i am sharring one of the popular and amazing website with you. Whos name is LOCKERZ. This website was launched early 2010. The basic concept of this website is to promote product online and Send Free Gifts to their valuable users they didn't charge any thing for any product you just have to earn PTZ by various ways and then you can get any prize of your choice at free of cost of course. Many people had already received their Free Gifts. You guys can also try it once at least. You have nothing to loose but have many free gifts to earn.

Basic Concept of LOCKERZ

Lockerz is an invitation-only website created to connect members through commerce, content and social networking. Once invited, you'll be able to watch exclusive video, buy great products, discover new music, play games, and connect with friends. You'll be able to do this all in one place, AND you'll get rewarded for just doing the things you love. When you watch a video, play a game, or even log in, you'll earn Pointz (or "PTZ") Lockerz own form of currency. Turn around and redeem your PTZ for incredible merchandise, unique experiences and exclusive deals and sales.

Our mission is to be your daily habit, not a site for your parents or grandparents looking for their long-lost friends from kindergarten. Thanks to our millions of members around the world, Lockerz is already taking off beyond our greatest expectations. While still in beta, we've been sending today's most coveted items, from iPods to Xboxes, to members around the globe who have redeemed their PTZ and earned great prizes.

Too good to be true? Why are we doing this? To thank you for joining early. To build a Lockerz community of leaders and trendsetters. To give you a taste of how PTZ will work when we go live in early 2010. And to test out different prizes and PTZ levels. That's key. This version of PTZ Place is a test. PTZ levels will change when the full Lockerz site launches.

We're excited to have our early members join now, and explore and help shape the site before our official launch. We hope you'll join us.

If you guys wants to try and earn Free Gifts then just leave your E-Mail Address here in Comments and i will invite you all within 24 hours or you can also Subscribe to this Blog or you can send us E-Mail directly by Contact Us at upper top right corner.

Official Website: http://www.lockerz.com

Happy Earning!

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6:26 AM | 0 comments