Make your Android mobile look like Windows Phone 7
Apple's iOS devices may have something of a stranglehold on the mobile market, but for anyone that has tired of the iPhone and iPad's dominance, the ever-increasing range of Android devices is something to be welcomed. Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 brought a new player to the arena and, as is customary with operating systems, there have been endless comparisons between Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7. Launcher 7 is a free utility for Android users who like the way their device works but are taken in by the look of Windows Phone 7.
The app is a combination of a skin and a launcher tool, and it closely mimics the Windows Phone approach with its interface. The app breaks the screen up into a series of tiles that can be used to house all manner of shortcuts. The main screen provides access to common features such as the dialer for your phone, displays information about your inbox and much more. As you would expect, the function and look of each of the tiles can be completely customized.
Want a site attacked? Call the LulzSec request line
LulzSec has started crowdsourcing its nefarious online activities by opening a request line for future assaults.
Yesterday, the hotline number went out via LulzSec's Twitter account: "Call into 614-LULZSEC and pick a target and we'll obliterate it. Nobody wants to mess with The Lulz Cannon -- take aim for us, twitter. #FIRE." I called the number today. There's something there. I didn't leave a take-down request.
How stupid could Citi be?
In what is an embarrassing oversight for Citigroup, attackers that got away with information on over 200,000 credit card holders only needed to make a change in the string of the URL itself. This means that as long as you had the account number, you would be able to access all personal data associated with that particular account.
Citigroup should consider itself lucky that more customers did not have their accounts compromised. How the hackers got the credit card numbers themselves is not clear yet, but the vulnerability allowed them to jump among accounts automatically by just being logged in and running a script.
Say, what's Google's progress solving that Android fragmentation problem?
I got wondering, because the noise about it has quieted down since Google I/O last month. So I looked and, gasp, not much is different at all.
On April 1, only 2.5 percent of Android devices ran the newest versions -- 2.3 or 2.3.3, according to official Android Developers stats. The others: 63.9 percent Android 2.2; 27.2 percent v2.1; 3.5 percent v1.6; and 2.7 percent v1.5. Android 2.3 released about four months earlier.
Breaking into iPhone? Try '1234' or '0000' first
Developer Daniel Amitay has some words of caution for those locking their iPhones down with a four-digit password: use something that isn't on his list of most commonly used passcodes. Amitay created the Big Brother Camera Security app for iOS, and anonymously collected passcode data from users.
The app can take pictures remotely of whomever's using your device with the front-facing camera, as well as its location. What Amitay collected was the passcode information for the app itself, which is nearly identical to the iOS lock screen. He figures the data collected on 204,508 user passcodes would be similar.
AMD APU ignites new chip war with Intel
Let the mobile device wars begin. Like AMD and Intel battled for desktop chip dominance in the 1990s and Noughties -- the megahertz and gigahertz wars -- mobile devices are their new territory. But instead of speed, the new marketing mantra is longer battery life, lower power consumption and better graphics capabilities. Following last month's Intel announcements for Ultrabook and "Medfield" processors, today AMD jumped in with Accelerated Processing Units (APUs).
The nomenclature makes me think of some wonky, scifi "B" movie or George Orwellian-like novel. But AMD's APU pitch is something more monumental.
LulzSec hacks US Senate website, although no data taken
LulzSec continued to push its collective luck over the weekend, breaking into US Senate computers and publishing the directory structure on its website. The move is LulzSec's most brazen yet: breaking into government computers is a serious offense.
The group is responsible for hacks on FBI-related sites and Nintendo, and has also claimed responsibility for attacks on PBS' site where it posted an article claiming late rapper Tupac Shakur was still alive, as well as at least a half-dozen attacks on Sony.
Google introduces pre-rendered search results with Instant Pages
Last year, Google debuted Google Instant, a feature that took search suggestions a step further, and instantly returned search results as the user typed.
Today, Google announced it has taken it yet another step further and it can now pre-render the pages it pulls up in search results, so when users click away, the page has no load time.
Google adds one-touch buttons to mobile search site
Google on Tuesday launched a newly designed search page for mobile devices that incorporates features of Google's search apps directly into the the Web interface and adds easy-to-touch quick search buttons for commonly used mobile/location-based searches.
The new Google.com for mobile devices looks just about the same as it did before, but adds touchable icons across the bottom of the page for "restaurants," "coffee," "bars," and "more." When "coffee" is clicked, for example, all the nearby coffee shops show up under Google Places. When users click "more," a page with nine icons appears, which adds: fast food, what's nearby, shops, ATMs, gas stations, and attractions.
RockMelt becomes 'the Facebook browser' with Beta 3 release
Chromium-based "social" Web browser RockMelt on Tuesday received an update to Beta 3, which adds about 30 new features and a tighter integration with Facebook which comes as a result of working directly with the popular social network.
"Our goal is to build a browser that makes surfing the web better, easier, and more fun. We couldn't be more excited to work with Facebook to make social a core browser component and to continue the browser revolution," the RockMelt blog said today.
Kaspersky Internet Security 2012: Better protection using fewer PC resources
If you like your security suites to be feature-rich then Kaspersky's offerings have always been worth a look, as most editions come packed with functionality that you won't find elsewhere. Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 (KIS 2012) is a little quieter than usual, though; its release notes show no big additions this time around, just interface tweaks and various engine optimisations. So what does this mean in real life? We took a closer look.
Tweaks and Tucks
Apple raises the price on grey market iPhones
But that's OK, there's no carrier contract to break.
An unlocked iPhone 4 is now available to any American who might want one, but the real demand more likely will be overseas. It is mostly pointless to use an unlocked iPhone within the United States, since the only supported GSM carrier is AT&T -- at least for fast data. But in international markets, there are many more supported networks -- and iPhone already is a hot export item because of the high markup.
Apple and Nokia settle patent dispute, but who wins?
Today, Nokia announced that it had resolved all patent claims with Apple, which will pay on-going royalties to the Finnish phone manufacturer. Apple also will make a one-time payment to Nokia. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"We are very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees," Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, says in a statement. "This settlement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market."
Samsung Series 5 Chromebook first impression review
The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook isn't instant-on. Don't believe any marketing messaging suggesting it. I had to wait an agonizing 4 seconds when flipping the lid before the Chrome logo appeared -- first bootup out of the box.
Instant On, Instant Setup, Instant Update
If you're a juror, don't 'friend' the defendant
A juror in a drug trial in England will face contempt of court charges for contacting one of the defendants in her trial through Facebook, according to a ripping good story in the Telegraph. Corruption and stupidity compete for space in this episode which also involves a police officer who sold sensitive information to drug dealers for a BMW and Premier League match tickets.
Joanne Fraill, 40, is the juror who allegedly chatted online to Jamie Sewart. Sewart had already been acquitted, but verdicts on other defendants were still being discussed. Sewart also faces contempt charges for asking Fraill for details on the jury deliberations. Both could face jail time if convicted.
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