New Technology Reviews!.: really

Does The Industry Really Want To End Computer Virus Attacks?

OK, show of hands: Who out there has spent loads of money on a nifty antivirus solution for their company-you know, the kind that makes all sorts of promises as to the safety you will enjoy, the effectiveness of their antiviral software, the fieriness of their firewall, so on and so forth-only to be infected a short time later? I think it is safe to say that most of us have been there, furiously trying to figure out how to clean the virus off our machines-a virus that our new super anti-viral solution can't seem to handle-without having to reformat the hard drive, reinstall Windows and then reinstall everything else. The question is, why?   The answer, of course, is that antivirus solutions work in much the same way as medicinal vaccines: They only work on known viruses. In other words, a given antiviral solution will protect you against an old virus, something the solution has a definition for. That can be useful, since once a virus is "released into the wild" it can linger on the Internet for years, posing a potential hazard for new machines coming online. The real hazard comes from the viruses that are being released today, viruses that have not been isolated, studied and defined.   The Failure of Traditional Antiviral Solutions   Antiviral software began its rise to prominence back in 1993, when viruses were passed from one computer to another via infected floppy discs. With the advent of the Internet to general use in 1995, the development of virus forums and kits, spyware and adware, worms and trojans; and the move from viruses being experiments or vandalism to being a big-money criminal activity, the scene has changed dramatically. Now, 15 years later, the traditional antiviral approaches are simply not effective. They just can't keep up.   Yet we rely on this technology, always hoping that this latest version will do the trick and yet, more frequently than we'd like to think, that latest version fails. It has to fail, the odds are simply overwhelming. In 1989 there were about 30 known viruses, today there are over 200,000 with more coming online every day. To make matters worse, new viruses are tested against the latest antiviral software to make sure it can get through. Not all of them, perhaps, but certainly the major ones like Norton and MacAfee.   Given that the approach of antiviral solutions has traditionally been to close the barn door after the horse escapes, it makes sense to try an alternative way of dealing with the problem that closes the door before the horse gets out.   The Alternative: Whitelisting   The traditional antiviral (and anti-malware solutions in general) approach is to blacklist suspicious programs and keep them from working. In other words, it is supposed to identify and kill the virus. As we have seen, this only works when the solution can see the virus for what it is, a fact that leads to a high failure rate.   To address this shortcoming, a switch should be made from blacklisting suspicious software to whitelisting trusted software. In this scenario, new programs (and viruses and other malware are programs) are either entirely prohibited from operating or are placed in quarantine until they are considered trustworthy. By maintaining a strict whitelisting strategy, you could easily reduce your malware threat to next to nothing.   Lumension Security came up with this in 2000, when it became clear to them that no matter what antiviral solutions businesses were using, they were still being hit by viral attacks in ever increasing numbers. Designed to protect networks, their Sanctuary Application and Device Control suites, which were previewed at the 2004 InfoSecurity tradeshow, are proven, end-point security solutions that control both applications and peripheral devices through the use of whitelists.   Sanctuary operates by calculating a cryptographic hash for each approved executable file. This 20-byte signature, generated using the state-of-the-art SHA-1 algorithm, serves to identify the file itself instead of weaker attributes such as a file name or date. Each and every time a user wishes to open an executable, Sanctuary performs an instantaneous signature check on the file to ensure its authenticity. If even one bit is incorrect, the file will not be allowed to automatically execute.   That means a file piggy-backed to an e-mail or smuggled in on a downloaded image from a website will be prevented from running since it is not on the whitelist of acceptable applications. It also means that the sales manager's teenage son can't install something he downloaded onto his mother's computer or plug an unauthorized peripheral device into the machine. This enhanced end-point security and IT policy enforcement are two additional reasons why whitelisting technology is something to consider.   The Weakest Link: People   The sad truth is that the majority of data losses come from within the company firewall, from employees. This isn't a big surprise; it has long been known that people are the weakest link in any security-related situation. According to the FBI, 15% of people are totally dishonest, 5% are totally honest and the rest fall somewhere in between. Honesty, however, does not always translate into responsible, much less intelligent. Yep, people do foolish and irresponsible things.   From an IT security point of view, these foolish and irresponsible things are usually done in complete innocence. They include downloading unapproved software or installing such software from a disc, plugging strange devices, such as a USB thumb drive, into their computer, just to see what it is; and other, similar activities. By employing a whitelist solution that covers both hardware and software, you mitigate problems caused by well-meaning but irresponsible employee activities.   It will also protect against those with a plot to steal information. If an intruder, whether they come from within your company or from the outside, cannot plug in the media they brought to copy data-thumb drives are the most often implicated technology here-then they cannot easily steal the data. True, there are other ways of stealing data but none that leave so little evidence.   The Bottom Line   Considering the amount of money that is lost to malware and physical data loss each year, it makes sense to get serious about getting rid of this kind of threat once and for all and protect yourself with technology that does not have to play catch-up with the malware it promises to stop. Whitelisting, as demonstrated by Lumension, is a very effective way to accomplish this and an approach you should consider for your business.

Does The Industry Really Want To End Computer Virus Attacks?

OK, show of hands: Who out there has spent loads of money on a nifty antivirus solution for their company-you know, the kind that makes al...

Updated: 50 really useful iPad tips and tricks

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/Hands%20on%20pics/iPad_2_05-200-200.jpg"> With great new features like two video cameras, a faster processor and a thinner design, the iPad 2 is the world's best tablet device. It's also fully capable of running the latest version of Apple's iOS operating system and great apps like iMovie and GarageBand. Here we present 50 really useful iPad 2 tips. We cover everything from customising your Home screen through to getting more from built-in apps like Mail and Safari. The vast majority of these tips will also work on the original iPad, so owners of the first generation device shouldn't feel neglected. 1. Create folders iOS now supports folders. To create a folder all you need to do is tap and hold on an app until they all start to jiggle, then drag the app over another icon and release. Your iPad will create a folder with both the apps in. The folder will be named according to the category of the apps it contains, but you can rename it as you like. <img alt="iPad 2 folders" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/1%20folders-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 2. Access all running apps Double-clicking the Home button shows you all the apps that are running on your iPad in a bar along the bottom of the screen. To switch to a running app just tap on it here in this bar. Just swipe the screen downwards to remove this bar. <img alt="iPad 2 running apps" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/2%20access-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 3. Orientation Lock or Mute? The internet got mightily upset when Orientation Lock was replaced with Mute on the iPad during the last iOS update. Apple listened, and now you can head to Settings > General to choose between Lock Rotation and Mute. <img alt="iPad 2 orientation" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/3%20OrientLock-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 4. Passcode Denied… DELETE ALL! If you're carrying around sensitive data, you can now enable a feature that'll erase all the data on the device if someone inputs the incorrect passcode 10 times. Navigate to Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Erase Data. <img alt="iPad 2 passcode" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/4%20Passcode-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 5. Home Sharing First, turn on Home Sharing in iTunes (Advanced menu) and on your iPad (Settings > iPod and enter your Apple ID). Next, launch the iPod app on your iPad. In the left column, find the little house with "Library" next to it. Tap on that and then on one of the Shared Libraries. It might take a few minutes to update, but then you can watch and listen to all of that Library's media on your iPad. <img alt="iPad 2 home sharing" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/5%20Home%20Share-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 6. Control iPad notifications Have you ever played Tap Tap Revenge on the iPhone? Good, then you know how annoying notifications can be. These messages pop up on the iPad as well. but you can control them. Go to Settings, Notifications, and configure which alerts (and accompanying sounds) will appear. <img alt="iPad 2 notifications" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/6%20notify-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 7. Go VPN The iPad supports a VPN connection. To configure it, go to Settings, then General > Network. Select the VPN and move the slider to On, then add a VPN configuration with your server and account details. <img alt="iPad 2 vpn" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/7%20vpn-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 8. Stop asking to join Wi-Fi networks If you're fed up of getting bugged by messages asking if you'd like to join this or that Wi- Fi network all the time then head to Settings, Wi-Fi and turn off Ask to Join Networks. You can still join any network that will have you from this same screen, it just won't bug you constantly when the opportunity arises. <img alt="iPad 2 wifi" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/8%20wifi-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 9. Turn battery percentage off Do you find the battery charge percentage distracting? The good news is you can turn it off very easily. Go to Settings, General, Usage and you can turn it off here. <img alt="iPad 2 battery percentage" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/9%20battery-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 10. Quick volume mute When the iPad first launched, there was no dedicated mute button anywhere on the device. However, with iOS 4.3 Apple has given you the choice of using the lock switch to mute the sound or lock the iPad's orientation. Either way, a good tip for quickly muting your iPad is to press and hold the Volume-down button. <img alt="iPad 2 volume mute" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/10%20tip1mute-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 11. Use an Apple keyboard Missing a real keyboard? Any Apple Wireless Keyboard will work with the iPad. In fact, your iPad will work with any Bluetooth keyboard. Some iPad cases have a keyboard built in, which can be handy. 12. Connect to an HD TV You can connect the iPad 2 to your HD television using Apple's new Digital AV Adapter (which connects from your 30-pin Dock adaptor to a HDMI port) or a plain old Apple VGA Adaptor. Both are available from the Apple Store. The iPad 2 supports video mirroring, so your entire Home screen will appear on the TV, not just the videos you play. <img alt="Connect ipad 2 to hdtv" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/12%20connect%20TV-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 13. AirPlay: Stream movies, photos and music Whenever you see the AirPlay icon on your iPad it means you can stream whatever media you're viewing to your Apple TV, which is usually connected to your living room TV. All you need to do is tap the AirPlay icon (which looks like a rectangle with a triangle in it) and it starts playing automatically - it's so simple! <img alt="Stream ipad 2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/13%20stream-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 14. Take an iPad screenshot You can take a screenshot on your iPad by pressing Home and then the Sleep/Wake button. The screen will flash and you'll hear a click, indicating that a photo has been taken. Your screen shots are saved automatically in your Photos gallery. Here, you can view or email them as you see fit. 15. Avoid underpowered USB docks The iPad does not charge when you connect it to some USB docks or even certain ports on some notebooks. Instead, plug in to a high power USB port (check you computer's specs, or use a powered USB dock). On some PCs, USB ports on the front of the computer are lower power, so you will need to plug into one on the back. 16. Use Multitasking Gestures Multitasking Gestures, which utilise four and five finger gestures, are available in Settings only to iPad owners who have installed Xcode on a Mac. You need to buy Xcode from the Mac App Store ($5/£2.99) and install it, then from the Xcode homescreen, select your iPad and click on the Use for Development button. You'll be asked for your developer account details, but if you click on Cancel at this stage it still works. <img alt="iPad 2 multitasking gestures" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/16%20gestures-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 17. Restrict your Spotlight searches Swipe left on the Home screen to reveal the Spotlight search. By default it searches everything including songs in your iPod, podcasts, apps and events. To restrict the areas it searches, since you may not want all these categories included, look in Settings > General > Spotlight Search. <img alt="iPAd 2 spotlight searches" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/17%20restrict%20spot-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 18. Add a Google Calendar Want to add your Google Calendar to the iPad's Calendar app? No problem. In Settings open Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Add an account and tap on Other. Tap on Add CalDAV Account and enter your Google Account credentials (the Server is www.google.com). Exit the Settings app and tap on the Calendar app and all your events should appear. By default all calendars are displayed, but you can tap on the Calendars button to choose which ones are shown. <img alt="iPad 2 google calendar" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/18%20Calendar%20Google-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 19. Find My iPhone (or iPad) is now free Apple's Find My iPad works for MobileMe subscribers, but you can set it up for free on your iPad. In Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars tap the Add Account button and select MobileMe. If you have an iTunes or MobileMe account then enter it here. Alternatively, tap on Create Free Apple ID. You may need to check your inbox and verify your account now. Return to the MobileMe screen and switch on Find My iPad. Now sign into me.com to see your iPad on a map, or install the Find My iPhone app from the App Store. <img alt="Find my iphone" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/19%20find-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 20. Use AirPrint Thanks to AirPrint you can print right from your iPad, provided you've got a compatible printer, of course. If you've got an AirPrint ready printer then you just choose Print from the Share menu for virtually any open document. AirPrint works with the new range of printers from HP, and you can use a Mac app called Printopia (www.ecamm.com) to print to any printer connected to a Mac. <img alt="AirPrint" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/20%20airprint-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 21. Use a Smart Cover Apple's new iPad Smart Cover (from £35/$39) is a must have iPad accessory - it's not just a dumb cover. When you draw it over the iPad's screen it puts it to sleep for you, and wakes it up when you open it. Also, it latches onto special magnets built into the side of the iPad 2, so it's a perfect fit. <img alt="Smart cover" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/21%20smart-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 22. Share from Pages Transferring Pages documents from your iPad by syncing with iTunes on your Mac or PC is a real hassle. It's much quicker to use the Share menu to email the finished document to wherever you need it to be. Also, you can email it as a Word or PDF document if you like. <img alt="Share from pages" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/22%20pages%20share-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 23. Turn iPad caps lock on To type a capital letter on the onscreen keyboard you first tap the left or right shift key, then the letter. If you need to type a whole word in caps this can be painful. Save time typing in caps by turning the caps lock on. To do this double tap on either shift key. <img alt="iPad caps lock" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/23%20tip9CAPS-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 24. Copy and paste You can quickly copy and paste text by tapping and holding down, and then choosing Select to select the exact portion of text you'd like the copy. Next tap Copy, then go to a different app, and tap and hold down again, then tap Paste from the menu that appears. Top tip: To select an entire paragraph of text you need to tap four times. <img alt="iPad 2 copy paste" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/24%20copypaste-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 25. Replace a word When you hold down on a word to copy it, choose Select, then you will see a new option: Replace. Tap this and, you can see suggestions for alternative words that have similar spellings. It's a good way of quickly correcting typos. <img alt="iPad 2 replace word" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/25%20replace-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 26. Hidden apostrophe key on the keyboard This is a great tip for any app, such as Notes, Pages or Mail, that you type into using the iPad's virtual keyboard. Rather than having to go to the second screen of the keyboard every time you want to type an apostrophe (which is a real pain) just tap and hold on the ! key and a hidden apostrophe option will appear - then just slide your finger up to access it. <img alt="iPad apostrophe" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/26%20iPad%20hidden-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 27. Quick quotes You don't have to move the iPad's second keyboard screen to enter a quotation mark either. Simply tap and hold over the ? key and a quotation symbol appears, which you can select by moving your finger upwards. <img alt="iPad quote marks" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/27%20quick%20quotes-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 28. Add a full stop Another great keyboard tip for typing in apps such as Pages, Notes or Mail is to doubletap the space bar at the end of a sentence. This adds a full stop and a space for you, which can be enormously time-saving when you're writing long articles. <img alt="iPad full stop" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/28%20ipad%20double%20space-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 29. Dim your iBooks You can lower the brightness setting down to a low level using the Brightness option under Settings. But the iBooks app has its own brightness slider, which you can use to lower the level down more conveniently. <img alt="iBooks brightness" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/29%20ibooksbrightness-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 30. Change days There's no way to swipe to change between days in the Calendar app, but don't forget the navigation bar along the bottom of the screen - this can be used to switch to different days (or weeks/months, depending on the view you've chosen). The current day is always shown in blue, or you can just tap the Today button to return to the current day. <img alt="iPad calendar" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/30%20Calendar%20change%20days-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 31. Street View in Maps The Maps app running Google's Street View is one of the coolest features of the iPad, yet accessing it is so confusing few people even know it's there. To access Street View you need to have dropped a red pin on the map (which happens when you do a search). You then tap the red and white icon of a person to enter Street View. <img alt="iPad street view" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/31%20Maps%20street%20view-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 32. Directions in Maps There's no free sat nav for the iPad, but directions in Maps are a substitute if you're walking, driving or taking the bus. Just tap Directions on the top left of Maps and the iPad even works out where you are right now, then takes you step-by-step through each stage of your journey. <img alt="iPad maps" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/32%20Maps%20step%20by%20step-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 33. Display PDFs There are two ways to display PDFs on your iPad: you can either email them to your iPad, in which case you get an Open in iBooks button appear, or you can sync PDFs from your Mac or PC via the Books tab in iTunes. To do this just drag and drop the PDF into iTunes, then when you sync your iPad click on the Books tab and select the PDFs you'd like to sync. In iBooks you click on PDFs in your library to see the PDFs you have ready to display. <img alt="iBooks pdf" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/33%20iBooks%20PDF-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 34. Camera focus and meter In the Camera app, tap on your subject to both focus on and meter the light properly. In this shot, notice how the chair is dark and the boy outside is properly metered. You can reverse that by simply tapping on the chair. <img alt="iPad camera focus" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/34%20Focus-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 35. Get a grip You'll probably hold the iPad by its sides, but it'll rotate to put the shutter button at the bottom, making you wobble when you reach for it. So use the orientation lock to put the shutter where you can easily thumb it, then just rotate your images or videos afterward in an image editor. <img alt="iPad rotate" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/35%20LockForGrip-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 36. Take charge in FaceTime Once you've started a video call, you can move the picture-in-picture window that shows you by simply dragging it around with your finger. <img alt="iPad 2 facetime" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/36%20FaceTime-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 37. Photo Booth fun Sure, you're great, but Photo Booth is even more fun if you point it at friends or family. Simply tap the 'twirly camera' icon in the bottom right. to use the camera on the back You can also snap stills by hitting the shutter button, but Photo Booth doesn't do video. <img alt="Photo booth" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/37%20PhotoBooth-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 38. Download photos straight from your camera to your iPad You can't plug an SD card from a digital camera straight into your iPad to view the photos, but you can purchase the iPad Camera Connection kit from Apple. With this device attached you can transfer photos straight from your camera's memory card. Get it from the Apple Store online. 39. Quicker websites Save time typing web addresses in Safari by using the iPad's ".com" key when typing in a URL. A little-known timesaver is that if you hold down the .com key you get access to a menu that offers a .co.uk and other options too. <img alt="iPad com key" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/39%20tip8quick-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 40. Quick Safari scroll You can jump up to the top of any web site - indeed any list - by tapping on the top of the title window. It's much faster than scrolling by hand. <img alt="iPad quick scroll" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/40%20quick%20scroll-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 41. Zoom in on websites You can zoom in on any website by pinching out with two fingers on the screen. This also makes it easier to select words and tap links. To zoom out again, just pinch in with two fingers. Double-tap on any text or image to auto-zoom so it fills the screen. <img alt="iPad zoom in website" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/41%20zoominweb-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 42. Turn on Bookmarks bar in Safari We all know you can tap the bookmarks icon in the Safari toolbar to access your bookmarks, but you can significantly cut down the number of taps it takes to get to them by turning on your Safari Bookmarks Bar permanently. In the Settings app, tap Safari, then turn Always Show Bookmarks Bar to ON. <img alt="iPad safari bookmarks" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/42%20Safari%20bookmark-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 43. Clear browsing history in Safari Need to cover your tracks online? You can delete your Safari browser history in a flash. Just open the Settings app, then tap Safari and tap on Clear History. Note you can also wipe your Cookies and clear your Cache here too. <img alt="iPad clear browsing history" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/43%20Safari%20clear-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 44. Open Safari links in a new page You can open links in a new Safari window, rather than always opening them in the current one. Just tap and hold on the link and a pop-over menu appears giving you the option to open the link in a new page. <img alt="iPad open links in new page" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/44%20Safari%20open-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 45. Find text on a page You can search for a particular word on an open page in Safari. Type your word into the Google search box. You'll see a list of suggestions appear, and near the bottom you'll see "On This Page", showing how many times that word appears on the page. Tap the Find option to go to the first instance of the word. <img alt="Find text on a page" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/45%20find-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 46. Turn off iPad email alert chimes You can turn off the chime for new emails. Go to Settings, then General, then Sounds and turn off the New Mail sound. You can also adjust sound levels here. <img alt="iPad email alert" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/46%20turn%20off%20email-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 47. Preview more of your emails The iPad's Mail app defaults to previewing two lines of each email before you tap on it. Sometimes however it would be handier to be able to see more of an email before loading the whole thing in, especially if you are on a slow connection. To do this open the Settings app, then tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars and change the Preview options to add more lines. <img alt="iPad mail preview" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/47%20Mail%20preview-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 48. Turn off iPad push mail Most mail accounts default to Push as a delivery mechanism, if available. This automatically 'pushes' any new emails your way as soon as they are available. If you find this annoying or distracting you can set your Mail accounts to check for new messages at intervals, or manually so they only check for new messages when you tap the Refresh button. To turn off Push, select the Settings app and Mail, Contacts, Calendars and choose Fetch New Data, then turn Push on or off. <img alt="Turn off push mail" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/48%20Mail%20push-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 49. Make an iPad backup If you want to make sure your iPad's data is properly backed up then you can force iTunes to back it up. When you're conencted to your Mac or PC, open up iTunes and right-click on your iPad in the Devices list and select Back up. <img alt="iPad backup" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/49%20backup-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> 50. iPad is flat and won't charge If your iPad battery is completely flat then it can take a while for the red battery symbol to appear when you plug it in to charge, indicating that it is charging. Don't panic, just leave it plugged in and wait - the charging symbol will appear eventually. <img alt="iPad won't charge" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad2/iPad_2_tips/50%20charge-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG><img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/9809/s/13c4a152/mf.gif" width="1"> <DIV class=mf-related><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/kj4kEZxeGIo/story01.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Article</A></DIV>

Updated: 50 really useful iPad tips and tricks

With great new features like two video cameras, a faster processor and a thinner design, the iPad 2 is the world's best tablet device. ...

FCC report finds 68 percent of US broadband connections aren't really broadband

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwash2KfeDJnIVblxo6A5bp9PVUlbm72TPezaHw7dISPGXPHIWdEaeJ9SCK24uO4tP59d4r3hB3MX0cSpue1i035tKnpDDCyRNhqx502pNopwdA7o8MjY2yBhj9VNxqWlWyxkVv6OrUOA/s1600/fcc-broadband-12-10-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwash2KfeDJnIVblxo6A5bp9PVUlbm72TPezaHw7dISPGXPHIWdEaeJ9SCK24uO4tP59d4r3hB3MX0cSpue1i035tKnpDDCyRNhqx502pNopwdA7o8MjY2yBhj9VNxqWlWyxkVv6OrUOA/s320/fcc-broadband-12-10-2010.jpg" width="320"></a></div> 
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=latesttecompu-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001V7AYLG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>As the FCC itself has made abundantly clear, the definition of "broadband" is an ever-changing one, and its latest report has now revealed just how hard it is for the US to keep up with those changes.

FCC report finds 68 percent of US broadband connections aren't really broadband

As the FCC itself has made abundantly clear, the definition of "broadband" is an ever-changing one, and its latest report has now...

Is Cloud Computing Really a Good Idea?

Those of us in the IT world are generally in favor of all the latest developments in the computer technology field. For instance, the explosion of the Internet from a handful of local bulletin boards to a global network was universally accepted by geeks the world over. We were equally impressed with HTML, Java, scalable servers, and the new tablet computer. But one emerging technology has some of us a little nervous. The technology I'm referring to is cloud computing.In the simplest possible terms, cloud computing is Internet computing. In other words, the typical desktop PC is a self-contained unit with its own GUI, applications, drivers, and so forth. But with cloud computing the PC is really non-existent. The box on the user's desk is nothing more than a modem which connects to an internet mainframe where all function takes place.Perhaps you've heard the hype regarding Google's attempt to create its own operating system called Chrome OS. If you're confused between Chrome OS and Google's Chrome web browser, don't worry; that's the intent. Chrome OS, and its open source twin, Chromium OS, are both cloud-based operating systems. They consist of a modified Chrome web browser which connects you to a cloud. The cloud is where all your applications reside and work. Your email, media player, office suite, and productivity software are all in the cloud.This may sound like a great idea to a lot of people. But the concept is rife with dangers and pitfalls, not the least of which is personal privacy and security. We already face a mountain of privacy invasion just based on the fact that we use the Google search engine which mines data from our machines and uses it to target us for advertising. We also continue to hear the horror stories of corporate computer systems being hacked and compromised.The fact is that while centralization may improve efficiency and cost, it also opens the door for exponentially increasing problems. Take retail business for example. In the traditional environment, every store in a national chain operates its computer systems independently. If one store goes down none of the others are affected. In a centralized model, a main server that goes down may cripple every store along the east coast. This very scenario happened with a major retailer just a few weeks ago.Where computing is concerned, centralization requires more complicated technology and infrastructure to accommodate the needs of everyone involved. And the more complicated a system becomes, the easier it is to bring the entire system down. Cloud computing is just a scenario.If the whole world were to be operating in a handful of clouds, it would take very little effort to bring it all to a screeching halt. Until security experts demonstrate a consistent ability to stop attacks from hackers and malware within our current framework, moving to the cloud is a big risk many of us are unwilling to take.	 	 		 			 				 					 						<a href="http://www.rackspacecloudreview.com/" target="_new">Rackspace Cloud</a> is one of the most reputable cloud computing companies out there. It has revolutionized the business by introducing utility billing of computing resources from a centered cloud pool. Alternatives include managed VPS hosting, in which, <a href="http://www.wiredtreecouponcode.com/" target="_new">WiredTree</a> is one of the best.

Is Cloud Computing Really a Good Idea?

Those of us in the IT world are generally in favor of all the latest developments in the computer technology field. For instance, the exp...

Are Macs Really More Secure Than PCs?

For years, Apple has claimed that Macs are unassailable to attack, while rebuking Windows as being filled with security holes. Now not only has a Trojan been able to infect Macs and create a botnet, but many famous researchers caution that the Mac's Operating System is more vulnerable than both Windows or Linux.There has been a lot of media hype recently about the detection of the world's first Mac botnet. On downloading a pirated copy of iLife, Mac users found that their machines were corrupted by a Trojan which opens a port on the local connection hosts by acting as a back door.While addressing the Trojan, Apple claimed that the chances of being infected by this virus is negligible. But the very fact of its existence, and a botnet run by it, proves that Apple's declaration that Macs are impenetrable to attacks is simply false.Hackers say that they find Macs less secure than their present Windows equivalent. They say the code quality, in terms of security, is superior in Windows. Apple has fallen behind as far as security is concerned in the last several years.  This is largely because the spotlight has been on Window's OS but not as much on Mac's.The general perception that Macs are invulnerable to attacks is fast changing. On the contrary, more people these days assert that Macs are far easier to exploit than Windows. The steps taken by Windows to ensure that it is harder for an exploit to work are not followed by Mac. This makes hacking into Macs so much easier as one does not have to jump hoops and deal with all the anti-exploit measures that can be found in Windows.The security aspect also has to do more with the operating system than with the target program. Firefox on Mac is very easy to hack into. The underlying OS does not have built-in anti-exploit patches. Firefox on Windows is another matter altogether, rated one of the most secure browsers across all platforms.There is another simple explanation as to why Macs are easier to hack into than Windows.  Bugs that pop up on all platforms are mostly the same, but it is very difficult to write an application for Windows. Hence, it is equally difficult to write an exploit for Windows, making hacking Macs comparatively easier.From the start, Mac has had a UNIX foundation. This is why several years ago Mac was more secure than Windows. But the latest kinds of Trojans can override all the UNIX protections and hence the edge that Mac has held over Windows has been nullified and Macs are now inherently less secure than the latest versions of Windows.There is also the belief that Apple's polished reputation has little to do with its hardware, but is all because of excellent marketing. It may be that the legend of the Mac's superior security is more about marketing genius and less about actual facts.So for those in the Mac community who are still under the impression that the Mac is invincible: Sorry to break it to you but that is a thing of the past.You can find more great articles, resources and free downloads for the Mac at <a href="http://www.macintosh-tools.com" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Macintosh Tools</a>.	 	 		 			 				 					 						<a href="http://www.macintosh-tools.com" target="_new">Macintosh Tools</a> has the latest articles, resources, software and tools for your Mac.

Are Macs Really More Secure Than PCs?

For years, Apple has claimed that Macs are unassailable to attack, while rebuking Windows as being filled with security holes. Now not on...

Is Twitter really worth $3 billion?

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/internet-and-broadband/images/twitter-icon-200-200.jpg"> Twitter is currently looking to raise over $100 million investment funds, suggesting that the company is valued at around $3 billion (£1.89 billion). The latest Twitter news comes courtesy of reports on TechCrunch, which claim that Russian tech investor DST Global is looking to lead the next funding round into the microblogging phenomemon. Twitter triples in value? Twitter currently has around 175 million users and has only recently introduced a <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/twitter-launches-new-ad-promoting-account-702062">limited ad-revenue based model</A> to generate some cash. Back in 2009, Twitter raised $100 million from investors including Insight Venture Partners, Spark Capital and T. Rowe Price. At that time, the company was valued at $1 billion. Which means, if the latest reports are true, that the company has tripled in value in less than a year. DST Chairman Yuri Milner said during an on-stage interview at the Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco this week that DST invests in companies that typically have a $1 billion-dollar plus valuation, that are in the "social Internet space," and can be located anywhere. "My guess is there are probably 25 to 30 companies like that," said the tech investment guru. Meanwhile, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams said his company was not running low on capital, claiming that Twitter has "a lot of money in the bank." Williams added that Twitter was in talks with Facebook, looking at new ways in which the two companies can work together. "We're talking to them often to see if there is a way to work together, but so far neither side has found out a way to do that," Williams told the Web 2.0 crowd.

Is Twitter really worth $3 billion?

Twitter is currently looking to raise over $100 million investment funds, suggesting that the company is valued at around $3 billion (£1.89 ...