Microsoft to offer free security

In a surprise move, Microsoft has announced it will offer a free anti-virus and security solution from the second half of next year.

It will stop selling OneCare, its all-in-one security and PC management service, from the end of June 2009.

The new software, code-named Morro, will be a no-frills program suited to smaller and less powerful computers.

The software will be free to download and will support Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

The move comes as sales of the OneCare subscription service are flagging - reportedly because the anti-virus marketplace is already flooded with big-name players such as Symantec and McAfee.

Since its launch in May 2006, OneCare has garnered less than 2% of the security software market share.

In a statement, Microsoft said that Morro would be designed specifically to be a small-footprint program that uses fewer system resources. This, it said, would be ideal for users with low-bandwidth connections or computers without much processing power.

That will be of particular interest to consumers buying comparatively low-powered "netbook" computers.

Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management in the online services division at Microsoft, said: "This new, no-cost offering will give us the ability to protect an even greater number of consumers, especially in markets where the growth of new PC purchases is outpaced only by the growth of malware."

----------------------------------------------------------------

WEBSPACE

QIK.COM www.qik.com

Have you been at a family event, like a wedding or birthday party, and thought to yourself: I wish so-and-so could be here? Well, now they can, as long as you have a mobile videophone.

It is really simple to sign up to this ingenious website. Just pop your mobile number in, and everything you need to stream live video to the net, will be sent to your phone.

It is still fairly new so the list of supported phones is modest but growing. Check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more information.

If your phone works, you can start streaming video straight away to the qik site, or even direct it to a Twitter account.

Capture all those magical moments and send them out live on the internet to your loved ones around the world. Streams are recorded and stored in your profile section so you can look at them time and again.

But do remember that others can watch them too, unless you choose to make them private.

----------------------------------------------------------------

BALLROOMDANCERS.COM (www.ballroomdancers.com)

Ballroom dancing is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the UK just now, thanks to televisions shows like Strictly Come Dancing, where celebrities battle it out on the dance floor. If you want to waltz your way through life, or do a little foxtrot after work, take a look at BallroomDancers.com.

This website is stuffed to the seams with videos stepping you, quite literally, through the moves. Use the navigation panel on the left to open the dance styles.

Each dance has an overview of the foot placings, a text description of both the male and female role in the dance, and then a video to help you piece it all together.

Once you click the video icon, you will need to choose between a Flash or Quicktime player before watching the no-nonsense films. Watch them again and again until you get the hang of it.

The website is simple and easy to navigate, and without many frills, so you will have to save the artistic impressions for the dance floor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EYE ON EARTH (www.eyeonearth.eu)"

A visit to www.eyeonearth.eu is a must if you are planning on taking a beach trip to anywhere in the EU. It will help you find your way to the cleanest spots in Europe.

Made by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the website allows users to check the EU water quality ratings for over 21,000 swimming spots in beaches, rivers and lakes around Europe.

It is laid out in a familiar click and zoom map style, so it is really easy to find the watery spot you are heading to marked on the map. You can switch between a graphical and satellite image version of the map by clicking between Road and Ariel.

The flags on the map represent either the EEA rating, or a user vote. See the key on the left for the options.

Once you zoom right in, you will see a tiny satellite picture of the location together with an option to leave your own vote.

As time goes by, this site should build into a really nice resource for beach lovers everywhere looking for a clean and safe spot to swim.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

SYMMETRY EXPLORER (http://symmetry.sytes.org)

At symmetry.sytes.org you can take the images from any web page and creating a symmetrical work of art.

The website uses an image searcher, so query a keyword or phrase of your choosing, to enjoy a selection of symmetrical images. Try clicking some of their suggested links if you lack inspiration.

These images can make a work of art out of the most unlikely objects. Click the link under the pair of pictures to see the original source image.

The only thing the website lacks is a link to go back and try another search. You will have to use the back button on your browser or enter the address again. But that is just a minor distraction from what is a fascinating journey.

Experts sound scam threat warning

Experts are warning of an increase in the number of fake anti-virus websites.

Hackers are tricking people with a false warning, saying that the computer is infected with a Trojan and getting users to buy a fake anti-virus product.

A number of sites were closed last year when authorities in the US took action to stop sellers of "scareware".

But despite the closures, the number of sites continues to grow, with one expert saying it was "the biggest threat facing computer users today".

Matthew Woolley, chairman of the Independent Trade Association of Computer Specialists, which represents independent computer retail and repair shops across Britain, said hackers were playing on people's fear.

"At my repair shop in Lincoln alone, we've had more than 300 users in the past six months come in with a computer infected with fake anti-virus software.

"This week, we've seen fake AVG anti-virus that was so good, one of my engineers was convinced that it was the real thing," said Mr Woolley.

"If we can't tell, what hope is there for Joe Public?"

Hackers have been employing more sophisticated tricks to dupe users into buying their fake software.

In early February, 2009, hackers put fake parking tickets on cars with a URL directing them to "view pictures with information about your parking preferences" that in reality downloaded a Trojan that then prompted the user to install fake anti-virus software.

And last weekend, a Facebook application that spread virally among users caused an error message for Facebook users.

Although the application and message were themselves harmless, searching the error message "Error Check System" in Google came up with a number of websites that claimed to have information on the supposed threat, but were really designed to perform a fake anti-virus scan of your computer.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant with anti-virus firm Sophos, told the BBC that it was not known if the two were linked.

"This application automatically sent itself to all your friends, saying there was a problem.

"People panicked and did what most of us would do and put the term into Google to see what it was.


"Although Google has now addressed this, over the weekend, the first three or four links would take them to a dodgy site that would tell them that they were infected with a virus. It's rather a strange coincidence".

Hackers have also created fake reviews to trick users into buying fake anti-virus software. Websites from popular IT magazines are cloned, hosted on a hacker's website, and then pages created to look like an official review.

One, claiming to come from legitimate security firm Symantec had, in reality, nothing to do with the firm. Neither was the "review" written by the claimed author.

Speaking to the BBC, Tim Danton, editor of PC Pro magazine, said it was a growing problem.

"It doesn't take any expertise to copy a website and make it look realistic.

"What we have to rely on is that the public is aware enough to look not only at the logos but at the domain and URL. People need to download from reputable sites and if users are unsure, then tools like McAfee site advisor can help," he said.

"The fight between the bad guys making fake-anti virus software and the good guys trying to warn the public about their activities is a constant one. Trouble is, at the moment, the bad guys are winning".

But clicking on a rogue link does not mean you automatically become infected. Having up to date anti-virus software will prevent most infections and many web browsers also warn of possible hostile activity.

Cliff Evans, head of security and privacy for Microsoft in the UK, told the BBC that there were a number of measures users could take to keep themselves safe.

"If you keep your firewall turned on and have your anti-virus software up to date, you should be fairly well protected. The phishing filters on Internet Explorer 7 or 8 should also help.

"If users do have any kind of infection, Microsoft run a free online scanner at www.safety.live.com and there is also a free support line for anyone who has virus concerns, on 0870 6010100"

Online child abuse images warning

Children's charities have expressed "serious concerns" many UK households still have access to images showing child sex abuse via their computers.

The government had asked all internet service providers (ISPs) to block illegal websites by the end of 2007.

But firms providing 5% of broadband connections have still failed to act.

One of them, Zen Internet, said in a statement: "We have not yet implemented the IWF's recommended system because we have concerns over its effectiveness."

It is understood other ISPs have cited the cost of blocking the illegal material as a reason not to participate in the scheme.

But the NSPCC's Zoe Hilton said: "Allowing this loophole helps feed the appalling trade in images featuring real children being seriously sexually assaulted."

The blocked websites come from a list supplied by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), but some smaller providers refuse to use the list.

Easy access

The Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CCCIS) says self-regulation is not working and it is calling for firmer action by the government.

Ms Hilton said: "Over 700,000 households in the UK can still get uninterrupted and easy access to illegal child abuse image sites.

"We now need decisive action from the government to ensure the ISPs that are still refusing to block this foul material are forced to fall into line.

"Self-regulation on this issue is obviously failing - and in a seriously damaging way for children."

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: "In 2006 the government stated that they wished to see 100% of consumer broadband connections covered by blocking, which includes images of child abuse, by the end of 2007.

"Currently in the UK, 95% of consumer broadband connections are covered by blocking. The government is currently looking at ways to progress the final 5%."

Privacy law call in Facebook row

The row over Facebook's change in its terms of service governing users personal data highlights the need for a privacy law, claims a leading watchdog.

The Electronic Privacy Information Centre was on the brink of filing a legal complaint when Facebook announced it would revert to its old policy.

The new terms seemingly gave Facebook vast control over users' content.

"This row underlines the need for comprehensive privacy laws," said Epic's president Marc Rotenberg.

"It is great that Facebook has responded by going back to its old terms of service. That is a step in the right direction, but these issues don't go away.

"It's going to be an ongoing concern for users until we get privacy laws in place," Mr Rotenberg told the BBC.

"Feedback"

Epic, along with 12 other consumer and civil liberty groups, were intending to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about the policy changes when it was stopped in its tracks.

"We got a call late last night from Facebook and they said that they were thinking of going back to their original terms of service," said Mr Rotenberg.


"We said that if they would agree to do that, we wouldn't see the need to file the complaint."

In a blog post, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote: "Over the past few days, we have received a lot of feedback about the new terms we posted two weeks ago.

"Because of this response, we have decided to return to our previous Terms of Use while we resolve the issues people have raised."

Mr Zuckerberg said Facebook would draw up a new document in conjunction with its users. The company has set up a special group called "Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" to let users have their say.

The group had more than 55,000 members just a few hours after its creation.

"Overarching and scary"

Originally Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg defended the changes, unveiled on 4 February noting they were to "better reflect how users used the site."

He had said they were made to ensure that if a user deleted his or her account, any comments he or she had left on a friend's Facebook page would not also disappear.

That was not how they were interpreted.

Over the weekend, a popular consumer advocacy blog, The Consumerist , raised alarm bells over the issue.

It defined the changes as meaning "anything you upload to Facebook can be used by Facebook in any way they deem fit, forever, no matter what you do later".

Users took notice and created Facebook groups to oppose the changes. One of the biggest, "People Against the New Terms of Service" grew to over 90,000 in a matter of days.

Group founder Julius Harper Jr of Los Angeles hypothesised that if Facebook wanted to it could take his photographs and "I could see my face on the side of a bus and there would be no recourse to complain".

Such situations were never intended said Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt.

"Facebook does not, nor have we ever, claimed ownership over people's content. Your content belongs to you," he stressed.

"Wake up"

The issue has raised concerns over who does own personal material, from photos to videos to comments stored on a social networking site.

Facebook is the world's biggest with 175 million users.


"This just reflects the ongoing process of people trying to figure out the internet," John Byrne, a senior analyst at Technology Business Research Inc. told Computerworld.com.

"The lesson that should be learned is that these content sites are not your own personal diaries. Consider it more as publishing and less about your personal circle of friends. People need to wake up," suggested Mr Byrne.

Simon Davies of Privacy International criticised Facebook for allowing commercial and legal concerns to override its commitment to users.

"It appears to be going down the same road as Google. Its halo is beginning to slip," Mr Davies told the BBC.

He advised users to "ratchet their privacy settings up to the maximum" to restrict advertisers' access to their data and ensure that their details are fully protected.

Back in 2007, Facebook faced a firestorm of criticism when it introduced a service called Beacon. Users were concerned Facebook would provide advertisers with too much of their information.

Mr Rotenberg said Facebook is not alone in trying to juggle the needs of users with the need to make money.

"There is always a tug of war over users' data."

However Mr Rotenberg said he was impressed with the speed in which Facebook acted and hoped such willingness to listen will continue.

"Mark Zuckerberg said users should be able to own and control their information. If everyone starts with that principle we can end up in a very good place. On a lot of these issues where there is confusion on that point, I see a lot of debate."


_______________________________________________________________________

WEBSPACE
-----------------------------------------------

THE WHITE ISLAND (www.thewhiteisland.com)

I love a good mystery which I can interact with, and solve puzzles and clues, in order to get to the bottom of it. Luckily for me the internet is full of great mysteries to be solved. Sadly for me, they are often so compelling I get wrapped up in them for hours - as happened when I visited The White Island.

In a website of the same name, you follow the adventures of an aspiring DJ and archaeologist Elizabeth Pearl. She goes to Ibiza to live and work for the summer as a research assistant for the Society For The Preservation of Ancient Ibiza, as far as I can make out.

Introduced by the real radio DJ Pete Tong, the story revolves around a missing USB stick containing the famous DJ's latest tracks, a missing archaeologist, namely one Elizabeth Pearl, and a mysterious message. The events involving 12 ancient symbols and the world's biggest DJs unfold. I'm not going to go into too much detail about the website itself as discovering the secrets it holds is half the fun. You will read Elizabeth's blog, watch CCTV footage, and be asked to solve some most cunning puzzles - all in your quest to unravel the mystery of The White Island.

-------------------------------------------------------------

BLIP.TV (www.blip.tv)

Blip.tv is another fine television channel full of diverse and brilliant content for your viewing pleasure.

This is a site that hosts a whole host of content from videobloggers, podcasters and internet television producers. They are a growing stable of visual creatives who make stuff on low budgets for us to enjoy for free.

If you register with the site you can save playlists and even publish your own shows - all accessible through the dashboard section at the top. The kinds of channels featured are review sites about games and films.

Cube News 1 is a satirical office news round up with some mildly adult innuendo. On the other hand Political Lunch is a round up of the days US politics in a very palatable format.

My favourite is a sitcom called The Guild, which is about a group of online gamers who meet in the real world. I love this series, but like some of the other content on this site, it does contain some adult humour. Nothing too over the top or graphic, but it is worth noting the suitability of certain channels before you let your children watch with you.

--------------------------------------------------------

IMPROV EVERYWHERE (http://improveverywhere.com)

Have you ever been walking down the street, minding your own business, when you see something really odd going on? If so, you might have inadvertently been a witness to an improveverywhere stunt.

It is basically a group of people who like to gather in large numbers and perform random acts of street theatre in order to amaze, perplex and entertain both us, and themselves.

The blog on the opening page runs through the most recent stunts, but take a look under missions if you want to experience their full repertoire. Each mission is nicely explained with text and photos, and then there is the all important video of the event taking place. Marvel at the camera flash experiment where 700 "agents" lined the Brooklyn Bridge to create a wave of flashing light.

Then there is the human mirror, where dozens of pairs of twins completely confounded passengers on a subway train. My favourite though is Frozen Grand Central Station, when over 200 "agents" literally made time stand still in this famous railway station.

----------------------------------------------------------

IAN'S SHOELACE SITE (www.shoe-lacing.com)

This is a simple yet brilliant website where the content is king. The guy featured, Ian, seriously knows how to tie his shoe laces in every which way you can think of.

I think this site will probably appeal to trainer wearing teenagers more than your average office worker. But if you have ever wanted to keep up with the cool kids then you will not go far wrong if you start at the bottom.

Dual Monitors: Use a Different Wallpaper on Each Desktop in Vista or XP

One of the most popular articles around here has been the article I wrote a year ago about using different wallpapers on each desktop using Active Desktop in Windows XP. The problem with that article is that it didn't work in Windows Vista… but now we have a great solution that is also free.

Instead of paying money for software to use separate wallpapers, or creating a wallpaper in Photoshop, Jon Tackabury has created a Free piece of software that lets you easily set separate wallpapers for each desktop.

Once the software is installed, you'll notice a new tray icon. Clicking the Desktop Wallpaper item from the menu will open up the dialog where you can set the wallpaper.



You can click on each desktop in the display, and set display settings differently for each monitor, or span the wallpaper across the two.



Or you can even load wallpaper from Flickr, which is an incredibly cool feature. Type in "vista wallpaper" for some really nice images.



If you chose the Settings from the tray icon popup menu, you'll notice that this application also adds a set of shortcut keys that can be used to move windows from one monitor to the other.



This is now a must-have application for my multi-monitor configuration. This application is donationware, which means you don't have to donate anything, but you really should consider it.

Download DisplayFusion from Binaryfortress (Vista/XP)

Backup and Restore Firefox Passwords List

Somebody recently wrote in asking how to backup the list of saved passwords in Firefox into a spreadsheet, so I'm writing the solution here for everybody: All you need is the Password Exporter extension.

If you'd like to backup your entire profile including passwords, cookies, bookmarks, etc, you can use this method.

Open up the Add-ons screen and find Password Exporter in the list, where you can click the Options button to bring up the Import/Export Passwords dialog.



You can either import or export your passwords using this dialog, and you can choose to encrypt them if you want.



You can export in either XML or CSV format. If you are trying to create a spreadsheet with all your passwords the CSV file would be a better choice.



Just be very careful with the list of passwords you exported.

Download Password Exporter from Mozilla Add-ons

Microsoft bounty for worm creator

A reward of $250,000 (£172,000) has been offered by Microsoft to find who is behind the Downadup/Conficker virus.

Since it started circulating in October 2008 the Conficker worm has managed to infect millions of computers worldwide.

The software giant is offering the cash reward because it views the Conficker worm as a criminal attack.


"People who write this malware have to be held accountable," said George Stathakopulos, of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Group.

He told BBC News the company was "not prepared to sit back and let this kind of activity go unchecked".

"Our message is very clear - whoever wrote this caused significant pain to our customers and we are sending a message that we will do everything we can to help with your arrest," said Mr Stathakopulos.

Arbor Networks said as many as 12 million computers could be affected globally by Conficker/Downadup since it began prowling the web looking for vulnerable machines to infect in October.

Malicious payload

The Conficker worm is a self-replicating program that takes advantage of networks or computers that have not kept up to date with Windows security patches.

It can infect machines via a net connection or by hiding on USB memory drives used to ferry data from one computer to another. Once in a computer it digs deep, setting up defences that make it hard to extract.

The worm slithers through networks by guessing usernames and passwords. Security specialists recommend hardening passwords by mixing in numbers, punctuation marks and capital letters.

The virus reports in to its creators for updates by visiting a web domain. It generates the name of the domain itself using a complicated code which security firms have cracked to track the growth of the worm and block its progress.

Malware such as Downadup can be triggered to steal data or turn control of infected computers over to malicious hackers which pool them into larger armies of so-called botnets.

These networks of compromised machines can be used to send spam, as dead drops for stolen or pirated data and to launch attacks on other machines.

Although Downadup is widespread its creators have yet to activate its payload to steal data or launch other attacks.

It has caused costly headaches for network administrators dealing with users locked out of their accounts when the worm correctly guesses a password.

While Microsoft says it does not know the intention of the worm's creator, it wants to ensure it does not wreak any more havoc.

Experts say users should have up-to-date anti-virus software and install Microsoft's MS08-067 patch - also known as KB958644.

Global response

Microsoft has also partnered with security companies, domain name providers, academia, internet companies such as AOL and others on a co-ordinated global response to the worm.


Also included is the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

"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 adviser at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).

"Icann represents a community that's all about co-ordinating those kinds of efforts to keep the internet globally secure and stable."

Sasser worm

In 2003 Microsoft created its reward programme with $5m (£3.4m) in funding to help law enforcement agencies bring computer virus and worm authors to justice.

This reward for help in tracking the creators of Downadup is the first time in four years that the company has put up some cash in response to a worm outbreak.

"We have not seen this type of worm or one of its class since 2004," said Mr Stathakopulos.

In 2005 Microsoft paid out $250,000 (£171,000) to two individuals who helped identify the creator of the notorious Sasser worm. The author was arrested and sentenced by the German authorities.

Rewards of $250,000 were offered over three other major computer worm threats known as Blaster, MyDoom and Sobig worms.

Those perpetrators have never been caught.
-------------------------------------------------------

WEBSPACE

COMICBRUSH (www.comicbrush.com)


Are you the kind of person who picks up a newspaper and turns to the comic strip section first?

Well you might be interested to know the internet is the new favourite hangout of the cartoon maker. And now you can join them at comicbrush.com

On this site even those of us with the most rudimentary artistic skills can be a comic strip maker. The simple form-based operation gives you whatever level of control you want when making a comic.

First you need to get some images to work with. The site is not too clear about the artpacks, but you have to download them from the store. It is 600 points for a pack - and the website starts you off with 1,000 points for free.

After that you will have to pay for more images, unless of course you want to upload your own photos. You can use the e-mail or Facebook features to share your interpretation of an event with your friends and family. This is a very nice site that will only get better as more content is added.

-----------------------------------------------

NING(www.ning.com)


Social networking sites are all the rage these days. But what happens if you cannot find a network you want to be social with? Well make your own of course.

Whatever your interest area, Ning makes it so simple to start up a group, you will be wondering why you did not do it sooner. Just pick a name and relevant address, and you can step through the simple process in a matter of minutes.

Add a section for pictures, videos, a forum and even a blog spot so your community can keep in touch. I like the picture uploader applet, because it makes bulk uploads very easy indeed. It runs on java though, so just click to use the simple uploader if you are not happy running that application.

Now all you need is a community to fill your network. Send out invites to anyone you think will be interested. And do not forget to do a good thorough job with your meta tags, if you are expecting people you do not know to find the network and sign up.

---------------------------------------------------

SESAME STREET )www.sesamestreet.org)


It has been a little while since we included anything for our younger viewers. So time to boot the parents off the PC and get ready for some fun and games at sesamestreet.org.

I remember this TV show from when I was growing up. It has been running for such a long time - and yet it still looks just the same - if only that were true of its viewers.

This site totally lives up to its TV parent, and is even better, as you can control and customise the games and videos you watch. To do this, use the really neat playlists function.

All the old favourites are on the site, including Elmo the cookie monster and Oscar the grouch. If your child has a favourite, click the muppets button to build a playlist based just on that character.

Parents should keep and eye on the note pinned to the right of the screening area. There are some nice little tips for you to help extend the educational aspects of the content.

----------------------------------------------------

GOOGLE MAIL(http://mail.google.com)

We covered Gmail more than two years ago, but I have just discovered the Labs feature with a brilliant new addition that could save a lot of embarrassment.

Log in to your Gmail account and click to go into settings, then choose the tab labelled Labs. This page holds a whole list of cool little widgets and gadgets to help your customise and control the mail client.

I love Email Addict - it enforces a 15 minute break from your PC every now and then. But it is Mail Goggles that really tickled me.

Ever had one of those mornings and thought to yourself "why did I send that embarrassing e-mail to my boss, or boyfriend, or ex last night?"

Well with Mail Goggles activated, on particular days of the week set by you, you will have 60 seconds to answer a few simple maths problems before you can hit send.

This is just to make sure your mind is fully fit and awake. Fail and the client will advise you to drink some water and go to bed - brilliant.

Microsoft debuts quick fix clicks

Common Windows problems could soon be solved by clicking a "Fix It" button.

Microsoft has started putting the button on its web-based support pages that detail the most common problems hitting PC and Windows users.

Clicking the button kicks off a download that, once run, carries out the series of steps needed to fix a specific problem or remove a bug.

Microsoft also has plans to extend the click-to-fix system to help users recover from a crash.

Problem pages

The "Fix It" button first started to appear on Microsoft's support pages in late 2008. Now it appears on more than 100 separate entries, Lori Brownell, Microsoft's general manager of product quality and support told tech news website Cnet.

Microsoft has kicked off a project to trawl through the thousands of pages in its support system to find problems that can be fixed by the quick fix tool.

The button helps Windows users fix common problems, such as restoring the Internet Explorer icon to the desktop and enabling a DVD library in Vista's media centre.

Using the tool is not mandatory and people will be able to follow the steps outlined in support articles themselves, rather than rely on the scripted fix.

Microsoft is also planning to extend the quick fix system to its bug reporting system, so it comes to life after a crash or other software problem. In the future, rather than simply report a problem, Windows users will get the chance to fix it.

"Microsoft has a huge database of all the problems that people experience," said Tim Danton, editor of PC Pro, "and they'll know the common pages that people go to as well."

"But," he added, "the trouble is that computers are horribly complicated things and there are so many companies loading up different pieces of software."

Problems can emerge when those different programs conflict, said Mr Danton, and teasing out which one is the culprit can be tricky.

However, he added, a small number of problems have obvious symptoms that could be fixed automatically.

Beyond that small number Microsoft might be better advised to leave well alone because of the "diminishing returns" involved in too much tinkering.

"The best way to get help is to find someone that knows their way around computers," he said.


WEBSPACE


GLADINET (www.gladinet.com)



Cloud computing is a phrase you may have heard if you use a lot of online storage facilities, like Picasa & Google Docs.

It refers to the Internet as a cloud space - taken from the way the Internet is represented in computer network diagrams.

There is a brilliant free utility I have found that removes the web interface from many of these applications and allows you to access them as local files from your own desktop.

Gladinet.com is the URL - all you have to do is download and install and the Gladinet Cloud becomes resident in your sys tray (on the task bar usually at the bottom right of your screen on Windows).

I had a conflict with Skype when I installed because it uses the same port. Don't worry though - the error message gives you a link to a trouble-shooting guide that will simply step you through the solution.

Once installed all you have to do is enter your username and password for the sites you want to connect to, and then the cloud desktop opens from your sys tray and appears like any other windows explorer tree on your computer.

This is the perfect utility for people who trade a lot of files between their PC and their cloud spaces as it allows you to treat the applications and storage sites like any other local folder or file on your computer.

And if you want more information on the intricate workings of your cloud desktop, just pop along to YouTube and do a search for Gladinet.

You will find plenty of step-by-step videos to help you along the way. This is a Windows only utility at present, but hopefully when they pass through beta stage they'll open it up to other operating systems and online applications.


---------------------------------------------------

ROBOFORM (www.roboform.com)

Roboform

As I use more and more sites and online applications my capacity to remember passwords, and to be honest my patience in filling out lengthy forms, has become eroded. Enter Roboform - my new online best friend.

Roboform.com is the URL - and after a quick download and install you'll be asked to set a master password to protect all your data and then launched onto a webpage containing both video & online tutorials for all the aspects of this utility.

One of the features is password manager. You need to set up a passcard for all the sites you log in to - this is super easy as the form opens up automatically the first time you perform the login process.

You can also add passcards & logins through the browser bar. Once done, simply clicking on the Roboform passcard will open the site and enter all your user data without any more clicks from you.

And how about those dreaded Internet forms? By creating an identity, again through the Roboform menu bar in your browser window, you can input all the data fields you might be asked for - including name, date of birth, address - and even your bank and credit card details if you wish.

Once you have saved the data, when you come across a form that needs filling in just click your identity in the toolbar and ask Roboform to fill out the form.

------------------------------------------------------

RECYCLING REVOLUTION (http://www.recycling-revolution.com)

Recycling Revolution

You hear a lot of talk these days about the environment - and the need to recycle in order to preserve precious resources. Sounds easy. But how much do you really know about recycling and how to live in harmony with the planet?

Recycling-revolution.com is a website I've found that offers a really down-to-earth introduction to all things recycle related. And it's not as simple as you might imagine. There are all sorts of rules and guidelines to adhere to if you want to make your recycling the most efficient, and ways to recycle you might not have thought about before - such as selling old clothes and toys in a yard sale or carboot sale.

This site was created by a lady trying to educate her husband on what can and cannot be recycled. It's plain and to the point and emphasises the fact that every little counts.

----------------------------------------------------

INTROVERSION (www.introversion.com)

Introversion

Now to possibly the slickest blog on the Internet - painstakingly put together by a creative New Yorker known only as PK.

There aren't many words on the site - but I simply love the concept. Many of the entries are interactive and involve music and sound and pictures and video all lovingly crafted together into a singular form of artistic expression.

I especially like the Biographic page which you can access through a link at the top. As you drag your mouse about the screen you'll compose a twinkly tune, at the same as revealing little nuggets of information about the site creator. Beautifully done. A prince among blogs.

--------------------------------------------------

KELKOO - UK ONLY (http:/m.kelkoo.co.uk)

Here is a really neat service for UK shoppers out hunting for a bargain. Imagine you're in a store, about to buy the latest PC notebook or LCD TV and there isn't a sales rep available to tell you about the features.

More than that though - how do you know you won't get it cheaper online? Well whip out your mobile phone and head to m.kelkoo.co.uk.

Just plug in the product details and the kelkoo search engine will return all the information you need to make an informed buying decision.

The website claims a 15-20% saving is possible compared to High Street prices - and now you won't have to wait until you get home to check where the best deals are to be had. Happy shopping.

Marriage end 'posted on Facebook'

A woman found out her six-year marriage was over when her husband posted it on the internet, a court heard.

Emma Brady, 35, said she learnt of the divorce when her spouse changed his Facebook status to read: "Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady."

Details of the break-up came as Brady was sentenced by Blackburn magistrates for assaulting his wife at their home in Accrington, Lancashire.

Brady pleaded guilty and was fined £580 with £75 costs and £100 compensation.

Mrs Brady said a friend in Denmark saw the online posting and called to ask her how she was.

'Strained' relationship

She said she was "shell-shocked", despite the relationship having "ups and downs".

The couple had been on separate nights out last Christmas and a row broke out when they both arrived back at the marital home, the court head.

The court heard Brady, 39, wanted to see his wife's mobile phone.

She refused to hand it over and he grabbed and injured her wrist before throwing her out of the house, the court was told.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client denied that his wife first learnt of the divorce on Facebook and said the relationship had become increasingly strained.

Dance show for Apple co-founder

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak will be among the 13 competitors on the new season of Dancing with the Stars, US television network ABC has announced.

The Strictly Come Dancing spinoff will feature a range of entertainment and sport figures and former competitors from the show.

The roster includes singers Jewel and Belinda Carlisle, rapper Lil' Kim, and 17-year-old Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Shawn Johnson.

The new season will start 9 March.

Among the other competitors will be star of MTV's Jackass Steve-O and former Bond girl Denise Richards.

The list also includes couples; Jewel will be joined by her rodeo champion husband Ty Murray.

Two-time champion of the show Julianne Hough will feature alongside her beau, country music singer Chuck Wicks.

Wozniak made his name as the designer of the electronics inside the first Apple computer, joining up with Steve Jobs to form the company in 1976.

He ceased full-time employment at the company in 1987 but is still on the payroll.

Fasthosts faces user complaints

Customers are protesting over the measures taken by web firm Fasthosts following a security breach.

Following the attack on its customer database, Fasthosts asked customers to change their password for the webspace that Fasthosts looks after for them.

Last week Fasthosts unilaterally changed the passwords of customers who ignored this plea.

But the change has meant many small firms cannot access their website to administer their online shop or site.

Password post

The initial attack on Fasthosts took place in late October and the unilateral re-setting of passwords was carried out on 29 November.

A spokesman for Fasthosts said it took action after it became aware that a few customers who had not changed their passwords had "experienced a compromise" to their web space account.

Fasthosts will not say how many customers had their passwords reset only that a "number" were affected by its action.

The new passwords have been sent via the post to customers.

But many have complained that posting the password has effectively locked them out of their website until the delivery of the letter containing the new password.

In protest, some have set up websites to share information with other Fasthost customers.

'Severe problems'

The BBC has received many e-mail messages criticising Fasthosts for re-setting the passwords.

"This is causing severe problems for thousands of businesses and is only going to get worse," said Simon Metcalfe of SDM Insight.

Russell Wilkes of T6 consultancy said Fasthosts was doing a poor job of handling complaints and that phone calls and e-mail queries were going unanswered.

The Fasthosts spokesman said that the company had brought in extra staff to handle the volume of calls it was getting. It also said that customers could get their new passwords over the phone once the company had authenticated their identity.

The spokesman said further changes were due on 13 December when all passwords for e-mail services hosted by Fasthosts will be changed and apologised for the inconvenience this will cause.

"He added: "Unfortunately, the measures are necessary to fully ensure our customers' websites and data are fully secure."

Google Earth dives under the sea

Google has lifted the lid on its first major upgrade to its global mapping software, Google Earth.

Google Ocean expands this map to include large swathes of the ocean floor and abyssal plain.
Users can dive beneath a dynamic water surface to explore the 3D sea floor terrain.
The map also includes 20 content layers, containing information from the world's leading scientists, researchers, and ocean explorers.
Al Gore was at the launch event in San Francisco which, Google hopes, will take its mapping software a step closer to total coverage of the entire globe.

In a statement, Mr Gore said that the update would make Google Earth a "magical experience".

"You can not only zoom into whatever part of our planet's surface you wish to examine in closer detail, you can now dive into the world's ocean that covers almost three-quarters of the planet and discover new wonders that had not been accessible in previous versions."

Approximately 70% of the world's surface is covered by water, which contains nearly 80% of all life - yet less than 5% of it has actually been explored.

Google Ocean aims to let users visit some of the more interesting locations, including underwater volcanoes, as well as running videos on marine life, shipwrecks and clips of favourite surf and dive spots.

Conservation organisations hope the tool will improve awareness of issues facing undersea life.

"With this, everybody can see the unbelievable beauty of our marine life and how incredibly threatened it is," said Carl Gustaf Lundin, head of the global marine programme at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"We hope this major technological innovation will get the public more involved in marine conservation and encourage governments and businesses to stop driving ocean species to extinction."


Coloured worlds

The new features were developed in close collaboration with oceanographer Sylvia Earle and an advisory council of more than 25 ocean advocates and scientists.

Sylvia Earle, the National Geographic Society's explorer in residence, said the new features would bring the blue planet to life.

"I cannot imagine a more effective way to inspire awareness and caring for the blue heart of the planet than the new ocean in Google Earth.


"For the first time, everyone from curious kids to serious researchers can see the world, the whole world, with new eyes," she added.

There are also updates on the terrestrial side, including GPS tracking, virtual time travel (where users can observe changes in satellite images, such as the 2006 World Cup stadium or the desertification of Africa's Lake Chad) and narrated tours of imagery and content in Google Earth.

There are also updates to the Mars 3D section, so if users have had enough of the blue planet, they can always look at the red one.

NOW I AM INTRODUCING IN MY BLOGGER WEBSPACE

(Today's Webspace)

That Websites Which could be very useful for u........

Finerday
www.finerday.com/

Everyone is talking about social networking sites. There are oodles and oodles to choose from, but for some people the internet is a complicated and sometimes frightening place. If you know someone who feels that way about the online world, then perhaps this site is the place for you to connect?

After logging in for the first time you'll be prompted to invite your family or friends to join your closed network. There's a very clear video tutorial to help you do this.

All the buttons and text are presented in large contrasting fonts, making it super easy for those with poor eyesight to find their way around. In fact the whole website concept was designed by a qualified care home worker who wanted to provide an online networking service for older people to enjoy and feel safe in.

It's early days for the site so some of the services are not yet available, but you can send emails and share photos, simplifying the family communication tools into something that even your great grandmother should feel comfortable using.

And the site has already been translated into Welsh, Polish and Punjabi.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AutoHotkey
www.autohotkey.com/

RSI is a common complaint for regular computer users. In the case of computing it's caused by repeating the same keystrokes or mouse movements over and over again, which is where this natty little tool comes into play.

At this site you can download a custom macro script writer which sits in your system tray and overrides Windows' default hotkeys so that you can design your own.

At first glance this looks incredibly complicated, but once you've stepped through the quick start tutorial you'll realise it's really not that hard at all. By loading up your script files with instructions to do pretty much anything you would want to do regularly, you can not only preserve your body from the strains of RSI but you can also save valuable time.

Want to open your favourite search engine? Write a macro so that you can do it on one keystroke. Need to write your signature and contact details in an email or on a letter? Yet again you can easily create a hotkey that performs this task at the press of a button.

There's actually a lot more you can do with this tool, especially if you're into customising your UI. But I won't blow your mind with too much now; just take a look and see what you think.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Samurize
www.samurize.com/modules/news/

Talking of customising your desktop, anyone who is that way inclined will be most interested in Samurize.

This is one of those must have tools if you're a gamer, overclocker or desktop modder. Samurize provides all the information you need about all your computers in one central location in the form of a 'config', similar to a widget or gadget, that can be placed anywhere on your desktop.

To this you can add information such as CPU usage, disk utilization, network traffic, system temperatures, top processes, memory information and loads more.

There are scripts or plugins which can display weather reports, news headlines, music controllers - you can even use the scripts to create a text file to be displayed on your desktop, for example a to-do list.

Combine this with an autohotkey command to update the list when you think of something new to do and you're well on your way to calling yourself a serious desktop modder!

I will warn you that this is for total tech heads only. It's designed for use on Windows XP and 2000, with Vista fixes due out in the next build.

If you fancy having a go and need more help than the rather dry text tutorial on the website, check out YouTube as there are plenty of great visual guides if you search for Samurize.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uniqlock
www.uniqlo.jp/uniqlock/

Uniqlock displays the time in Tokyo, Japan on their web page, interspersed every five seconds with short bursts of modern dance interpretations performed by dancers in woolly jumpers and gloves. All this is accompanied by some funky music which changes in mood depending on the time of day.

This is actually a viral advert from a clothing company, so the dance segments will change as the new season of clothing is released. It's very stylish and artfully done, and oddly compelling after a hard days web surfing.

If you like it enough, you can download it as a screen-saver or embed it in your website or blog. You can even change the time displayed to your home location, which is a really nice touch that has already made this a very popular viral.

Google Trick

got awesome pages of google...... which are rare
this links are not found in any indexing this pages are all unique it may help you to find new thing jus add google.co.in before every link and see the magic

/news?output=xhtml&
/news?output=xhtml
/search
/groups
/images
/catalogs
/catalogues
/news
/nwshp
/news?btcid=
/news?btcid=*&
/news?btaid=
/news?btaid=*&
/setnewsprefs?
/index.html?
/?
/addurl/image?
/pagead/
/relpage/
/relcontent
/sorry/
/imgres
/keyword/
/u/
/univ/
/cobrand
/custom
/advanced_group_search
/googlesite
/preferences
/setprefs
/swr
/url
/default
/m?
/m/?
/m/lcb
/m/news?
/m/setnewsprefs?
/m/search?
/wml?
/wml/?
/wml/search?
/xhtml?
/xhtml/?
/xhtml/search?
/xml?
/imode?
/imode/?
/imode/search?
/jsky?
/jsky/?
/jsky/search?
/pda?
/pda/?
/pda/search?
/sprint_xhtml
/sprint_wml
/pqa
/palm
/gwt/
/purchases
/hws
/bsd?
/linux?
/mac?
/microsoft?
/unclesam?
/answers/search?q=
/local?
/local_url
/froogle?
/products?
/froogle_
/product_
/products_
/print
/books
/patents?
/scholar?
/complete
/sponsoredlinks
/videosearch?
/videopreview?
/videoprograminfo?
/maps?
/mapstt?
/mapslt?
/maps/stk/
/mapabcpoi?
/translate?
/center
/ie?
/sms/demo?
/bl

'Human error' hits Google search

Google's search service has been hit by technical problems, with users unable to access search results.

For a period on Saturday, all search results were flagged as potentially harmful, with users warned that the site "may harm your computer".
Users who clicked on their preferred search result were advised to pick another one.
Google attributed the fault to human error and said most users were affected for about 40 minutes.
"What happened? Very simply, human error," wrote Marissa Mayer, vice president, search products and user experience, on the Official Google Blog.
The internet search engine works with stopbadware.org to ascertain which sites install malicious software on people's computers and merit a warning.
Stopbadware.org investigates consumer complaints to decide which sites are dangerous.
The list of malevolent sites is regularly updated and handed to Google.
When Google updated the list on Saturday, it mistakenly flagged all sites as potentially dangerous.
"We will carefully investigate this incident and put more robust file checks in place to prevent it from happening again," Ms Mayer wrote.