Nintendo patents “Massively Single-Player Online Game”

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 24px;"></span><br /> <div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 13px/19px Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0.6em; padding-right: 0.6em; padding-top: 0.6em;"> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Animal Crossing" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-84268" height="234" mce_src="http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1553/16animalcrossing.jpg" src="http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1553/16animalcrossing.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Animal Crossing" width="372" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> We’ve got a new patent to discuss today, and this time it’s not some a filing for another fancy cellphone airbag. Surprisingly the folks over at Nintendo managed to win the patent for a “Massively Single-Player Online Game”. If you’re wondering what it could mean, let us break it down for you. It’s basically a single game where a user’s actions change the world for him/herself – and everybody else who is playing the same game.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:yIl2AUoC8zA" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:yIl2AUoC8zA" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1414/66125530.gif" src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1414/66125530.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:qj6IDK7rITs" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:qj6IDK7rITs" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2226/75072526.gif" src="http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2226/75072526.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7576/27318048.gif" src="http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7576/27318048.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:-BTjWOF_DHI" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Fe2JuYAJLjM:aC21TNRqtE8:-BTjWOF_DHI" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/671/44927219.gif" src="http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/671/44927219.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a></div> </div> </div>

Nintendo patents “Massively Single-Player Online Game”

We’ve got a new patent to discuss today, and this time it’s not some a filing for another fancy cellphone airbag. Surprisingly the fol...

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Review: Sonos Play:3

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding: 0.6em;"> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="150" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/07Play3WhtAngle-200-200.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/07Play3WhtAngle-200-200.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="200" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Sonos has been leading the wireless multi-room music revolution since before anyone really knew what wirelessly streaming music was.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The idea being that you can stick a speaker in every room and wirelessly play your digital music tracks on any or all of them at once.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The company's last wireless speaker unit, the Play:5, was an excellent piece of kit – we gave it 4.5 stars – but the one thing that the it lacked was an affordable price tag.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> But, after a spot of rebranding, Sonos is back with the Play:3, a speaker set offering the same great functionality in a smaller, cheaper package.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price drop</span></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The lower price is big news - a single Sonos Play:3 will set you back £259 which may sound like a fair lump of cash, but it's a snip compared to the Play:5 units, which sell for around £100 more.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The beauty of the Sonos system is that you can start with one speaker attached wirelessly to the Sonos Bridge (which, in turn, is attached to your router by Ethernet cable), and later add more to the system in different rooms – as many speakers as you like up to 32 (in case you happen to live in a palace).</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Once you have speakers all over you house, you can control them all from your PC desktop. The other option is to use the free controller app on an iOS or Android device; perfect if you don't fancy shelling out over £200 for Sonos' own touchscreen controller.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281976-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281976-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Unfortunately you do have to go through Sonos' proprietary software, which takes an image of all the music and playlists stored on your PC and allows you to create a queue of songs to be played.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> But it also gives you the option of listening to the hundreds of digital and internet radio stations out there, or, wonderfully, hooking up to a premium Spotify account and a handful of other online music services.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The Play:3 comes with three speakers inside its plastic and mesh housing, where the Play:5 has five; this means you're looking at slightly less rich music playback – but we'll come back to that later.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> It does all come in a smaller housing, though – about half the size of the S5, meaning its small enough to slot onto a bookshelf or into a kitchen nook, with feet on both sides so you can stand it either on its side or on its end.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/04Play3BlkFrontVert-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/04Play3BlkFrontVert-420-90.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> There's also the wall mounting option, as the Play:3 comes with the necessary holes for a standard wall bracket (sold separately).</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Wireless multi-room music streaming may sound fairly daunting to a technophobe, but the Play:3 is very simple to set up. If you already have a Sonos system set up, it's a case of plug, pair and play, if not there are just a couple of extra steps to follow. Sonos really has made it incredibly easy.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> For such a small speaker, the Play:3 manages to fill a good-sized room with sound, although it's worth thinking carefully about placement as the drop off as you move to the side or back of the unit is quite significant.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281974-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281974-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Music playback from both a Spotify account and your existing MP3s is very satisfying; the Play:3 handles bass better than we'd expected with just a hint of fuzziness, but its trebles are occasionally a bit tinny, especially at higher volumes.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Inside the Play:3, there are three dedicated amps that work with the three interior speakers; one tweeter, two mid-range drivers and a bass radiator. This means it's lacking one tweeter and one subwoofer driver compared to the Play:5.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> So yes, there's a drop in sound quality – compared to the Play:5 you lose a that rich creamy quality to playback.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> It's not the speaker for audiophiles who'll notice and hate that slight fuzz, who'll pick up on when distortion is that little bit too distorted and a bit jarring on the ear.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> But there is the option to install two Play:3 units in one room for stereo playback, which should round the sound out. We haven't tried it yet, though; we're waiting on a second Play:3 unit to arrive, and will bring you our verdict on this next week.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Because you've got the option to turn the Play:3 on its side and slot it on to a shelf in portrait mode, you might think you're going to get unbalanced playback because the speakers are formatted for landscape – but you'd be wrong; there's an accelerometer inside the casing that detects when its turned on its side and adjusts the playback accordingly. It works really well; you'll notice the music shifting and the sound changing as you turn the speaker, and once its in place, there's minimal difference between the two.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281972-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281972-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> On the software side of things, we're not in love with Sonos' proprietary player; although it has no trouble finding music folders and syncing existing playlists from iTunes and Spotify, the queuing system is a bit clunky and, at times, slow to respond.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> However, the free Sonos iPhone app is excellent. Changes made to the volume and playlists are immediately reflected by the speaker and switching between playlists was straightforward.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281977-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/hands%20on/P7281977-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The only problem we had with the app was with navigation; at times it's easy to get bogged down in a mire of now playing and the existing queue, and a little too difficult to get back to the main home screen.</div> <div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sonos play3" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/07Play3WhtAngle-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Sonos%20Play3/press/07Play3WhtAngle-420-90.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The Sonos wireless system is so easy to set up and use that it's difficult not to rave nonsensically about how wonderful it is; and despite the lower price tag, the Play:3 doesn't let it down.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">We liked:</span></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The easy set up, the wealth of music options (digital radio, MP3s, Spotify, Last.fm etc.) and the size of the Play:3 are all major positives.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Being able to slot the unit into a nook or cranny where, previously, we'd have had to make do with a low-quality wired speaker is brilliant, and we're absolutely in favour of the lower price point.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> And despite that, you don't lose out much on sound quality with a full, filling sound that offers the depth and breadth of a larger system.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The free control apps for Android and iOS devices offer a brilliant remote control experience at no extra cost.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">We didn't like</span>:</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> We're still not massive fans of the price; for a system that is intended to be built up and added to, you're still looking at over £500 to kit out two rooms; and that's not even counting the premium Spotify account (£10/month) or any additional extras like the remote.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> While the Play:3 is brilliant for incidental rooms, like the kitchen or the bedroom, you're not going to want to replace your high-end living room hi-fi system with the dinky little speaker, and audiophiles will no doubt notice the grating trebles and slightly hollow bass more than most.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> We'd really like to see Sonos rethink its desktop software, which isn't very beautiful to look at and could be clearer to use.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict:</span></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The Play:3 is an excellent multi-room option and brings the Sonos system slightly closer to the realms of the common man's bank account; worth saving up for? We think so.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Related Links</span></div> <ul style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em;"> <li style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5;">TechRadar's reviews guarantee</li> </ul> </div> </span></div>

Review: Sonos Play:3

Sonos has been leading the wireless multi-room music revolution since before anyone really knew what wirelessly streaming music was. ...

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Nokia closes US and UK Internet stores

<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="180" src="http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1152/nokiacloseonlinestores.jpg" title="nokia-close-online-stores" width="180" />Here is another sign that Nokia is winding down its operations – the Finnish cell phone manufacturer has officially pulled the plug o its US and UK online shops, following the footsteps of Internet stores in Spain, France, and Finland. Guess the only operational ones at the moment include those in Portugal, China, and a bunch of South American countries. There is some light at the end of the tunnel though – Amazon Wireless as well as a bunch of other online retailers are still open for business, so the closure of Nokia’s own Internet stores shouldn’t be too much of a loss.</p><br/>The whole reason behind shutting down its Internet outlets? Nokia intends to shift its focus away from offering handsets straight to end customers, but will instead start selling more devices to wireless carriers. The tricky part is convincing wireless carriers to distribute the company’s handsets, as Nokia’s phones have certainly taken a tumble down the desirability chart, what with the iPhone and Android-powered handsets dominating sales charts everywhere these days.<br/><div><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=j3YMPWG7n8I:klqeLUfx-hs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/120/40283062.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=j3YMPWG7n8I:klqeLUfx-hs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4557/31703180.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=j3YMPWG7n8I:klqeLUfx-hs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5386/65595484.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=j3YMPWG7n8I:klqeLUfx-hs:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9070/45588534.gif" /></a></div><br/><div><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br/></span></div>

Nokia closes US and UK Internet stores

Here is another sign that Nokia is winding down its operations – the Finnish cell phone manufacturer has officially pulled the plug o its US...

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Darwin's library goes digital, annotations and all

Charles Darwin's personal library is being digitised and put online by Cambridge University.<br/><br/>The digitisation includes all of Darwin's own annotations and notes in the margins, with 330 of the most heavily annotated books already posted online for universal access.<br/><br/>Aside from making the works available to everyone everywhere, what's really impressive about the online library is that you can actually search for a keyword within Darwin's annotations, rather than trawl through hundreds of thousands of pages for his relevant thoughts.<br/><br/><strong>Digital Darwinism<br/></strong><br/><br/>Quite the bibliophile, Darwin had over 1480 books in his personal library, of which 730 have comprehensive notes scribbled in the margins; all of these annotated books will eventually end up in the online database.<br/><br/>University librarian Anne Jarvis classes these annotations as important as Darwin's letters and manuscripts: "The Darwin collections are among the most important and popular held within Cambridge University Library.<br/><br/>"While there has been much focus on his manuscripts and correspondence, his library hasn't always received the attention it deserves – for it is as he engaged with the ideas and theories of others that his own thinking evolved."<br/><br/>It's been quite a good week for antiquated books and written works; yesterday the British Library also announced a deal with Google which will see a number of 18 and 19th century works made scanned and added to the Google Books library.<br/><br/><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/106215389713/u/49/f/9809/c/669/s/160e8b11/a2.htm"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/9877/13045304.gif" /></a><img alt="" height="1" src="http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3167/77769859.gif" width="1" />

Darwin's library goes digital, annotations and all

Charles Darwin's personal library is being digitised and put online by Cambridge University. The digitisation includes all of Darwin...

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Gaining An Online Information Technology Degree

<P> </P><br /><P>As the field of information technology involves massively the use of technology, it is inevitable that it engages in items such as computer hardware, computer software, data constructs and programming languages. In other words, it is a boundary of rendering documentation information, knowledge or any perceived data in visual or audio format through the multimedia mechanism. The computer is the main appliance in the domain of IT application. In fact, this area of study is consistently progressing, developing into broader field and providing greater opportunities.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The continuous expansion is reasonable as the IT and computer science boundary is infinite to constant advancement. Therefore, the thought of earning an online IT degree is certainly sensible as the rapid transformation of using the technology has brought vast computational job opportunities to youngsters. Professionals with computer software or hardware knowledge are highly in demand, so if you happen to consider taking up the field of IT, you are absolutely taking the right track.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Due to the wide usage of technology, the information technology has come to be available via the internet. It is no longer the typical schooling system but studying through your computer, connection to an online network. It is similar to learning in the campus school as students will cover the learning of development, implementation, design and installation of various types of computer systems and networks. If you are still doubtful and vague of the course, you may conduct some research for deeper understanding.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Like many other field of studies, the online IT degree can deliver you more than just a future job. You will master the skills of working in a team, enhancing your sole ability and understand the importance of lifelong learning as IT is a broad field to slowly discover. There are endless opportunities that you can further pursue such as security specialist, network engineer, computer forensic analyst, and systems administrators. Besides, you are given the option to specialize in network development, systems advancement or forensics research.</P>

Gaining An Online Information Technology Degree

  As the field of information technology involves massively the use of technology, it is inevitable that it engages in items such as compute...

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Kaplan University Online Degree in Information Technology

<P> </P><br /><P>Kaplan University offers online information technology degrees and programs designed to help you expand your career opportunities and knowledge to be more competitive in the revolutionary IT field. Technology has transformed the way businesses and companies run. Whether you want to focus on web development, IT, networking, or any other technology field, Kaplan has IT online programs that can put you on the path to pursue your education and financial dreams. Their faculty of experienced teachers are experts in their fields and are there to make sure you get an education that is engaging, up to date, and focuses on the skills that are needed most in the IT field today. Kaplan University also has career focused areas, which are courses that prepare you with knowledge and skills in a chosen field in information technology. If you love working with computers or anything technology based, you should consider earning your online information technology degree. Kaplan's career focused areas can lead you to an area of study that fits you best and can help you achieve your dream career.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the IT sector of job opportunities will grow by 16 percent to 2016, making it much faster than other job industries out there. Networking, information security, and online marketing are some of the few career paths this degree has to offer. Many companies and businesses are looking for professionals in this field because businesses are expanding, but technology is expanding even faster. Some of the coursework you will face while earning your online degree include computer programming, network support, software and web design, network security, and many more. Earning your degree online is the choice most working students and parents take because you can access your courses in the comfort of your home or office without quitting your full time job because you can take your classes when you feel most convenient. With an online degree in information technology, there is nothing to lose and much to gain. Salaries for these graduates in the IT field ranged from $42,000 - $64,000 in 2007 according to the BLS.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Feel free to request more information on <a href="http://www.careerschooladvisor.com/enquire/?type=school&id=61" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Kaplan University</A> and they will be in touch with you shortly.</P>

Kaplan University Online Degree in Information Technology

  Kaplan University offers online information technology degrees and programs designed to help you expand your career opportunities and know...

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In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/people/Osama%20Bedier%20Google-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. </P><br /><P><br /><P>It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. </P><br /><P>What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "the iconic device of this decade" - to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping. </P><br /><P>"We're about to see some major changes. It has the promise to bring best of both worlds. Online you get unlimited inventory and the best prices; offline you get to touch and feel the product and you get to take it home with you immediately." </P><br /><P>Some UK stores are already combining the two, he points out, "Dominoes in the UK already gets a third of their delivery orders online. Tesco has the fifth most downloaded app on iTunes that allows you to scan grocery items in the store and put then on your online grocery cart for online checkout."</P><br /><P><STRONG>The Google vision</STRONG></P><br /><P>Bedier's vision of the future of commerce "begins to look like shopping did fifty years ago, when everyone shopped at the local store". But instead of the shopkeeper knowing you because you've shopped there for years, remembering your favourites and offering you credit if you've left your wallet at home, Bedier says technology can give shopping the personal and convenient touch. </P><br /><P>"I should be able to walk in the store and that store greets me. I decide to share my identity, I decide to share my location and when I walk in the store it greets me by name, it tells me the cheese I like is available. The fridge may have already looked at what I'm out of and created a shopping list - and it also included ingredients from recipes I liked on Epicurious.</P><br /><P>"And that shopping list turns into an in-store map where I navigate the most efficient way. If I get to an item that's out, I scan the barcode and it tells me where else I can buy it or have it delivered to my house. And when I go to check out I walk with that shopping cart directly out of the door. NFC stickers on all the items can actually tell whether the item is paid for or not and the sensor lets it go through."</P><br /><P><STRONG>Already possible</STRONG></P><br /><P>All the technology is there today, Bedier claims - the problem is making it interoperable. </P><br /><P>"First, payments need to go digital." Today shops make the choice of what payment methods to accept based on things like how much it costs them to process the payments; he wants to see the choice go to the customer. </P><br /><P>"All my cards - whether they're credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, private label cards - they need to move into the platform, they all need to be digital and they need to be available to me at any store I want to use them. I need to be able to use my choice of cards, not what the merchant wants to accept."</P><br /><P>And like web sites, stores should tell you what's in stock (think of a Google search that covers physical shops): "Consumers should be able to find an item in real time at any store online or off and to be able to pick it up and buy it right there. Inventory needs to live in the cloud. A merchant used to sell in a physical store and the web came along and they made a copy of that storefront. Now mobile is coming along and that model wont scale any more. Inventory needs to move and live in the cloud."</P><br /><P>None of that is going to work if you have to create an account to tell every shop you go into who you are. "Identity needs to be interoperable," says Bedier. "The whole idea of going to store by store by store and signing up for gift cards and credit cards, all this signing up - no. Identity needs to work seamlessly across merchants across devices, across use cases." </P><br /><P>It's a grand vision that needs shops and stores to reveal a lot more information - like inventory levels - than they usually make public; and we're not sure how well banks will take to making all your different cards work on the same payment system or how much we'd like shops that remember us a la <EM>Minority Report</EM>. </P>

In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credi...

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Network Security Degree Online - Become A Well-Paid IT Professional

<P> </P><br /><P>If you are looking for a degree that combines information technology with criminal justice - then you ought to consider the network security degree online.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Computer network security is extremely vital to all types of organizations, government agencies and even private individuals. Each year, organization lose billions of dollars in productivity when their computer systems are hacked, under attack from viruses and spam.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>When systems are hacked, it is not only companies that suffer. Individuals suffer too because often times, hackers steal private information such as credit card and phone numbers.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Computer technology security measures have evolved to deal with these problems, however, so as the sophistication of cyber criminals to find news ways to continuing their criminal activities.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>It is for this reason that global spending on information security, including hiring more computer security specialists, has increased. These professionals are trained on how to monitor computer systems for external attacks and to make those systems more resilient to said attacks.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Most computer security specialist received their training at campus-based colleges or universities across the country. However, there are many of them that received their network security training online. Doing their degrees online gave them privileges that were just too good to ignore.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>For starters, some of them were already IT professionals when they decided that it was time to pursue a higher education. They wanted the benefit of being able to hold on to their jobs and get their degrees at the same time. This was something that while not impossible to do at a campus-based college, is easier to achieve at an online university.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Distance learning universities that offer network security degree online programs cater for students who want to mitigate their time and financial constraints. Online programs allow students to study at their own pace and at their own schedule. Wherever online students have access to internet-connected computers, it is possible for them to access their classes.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>From a financial standpoint, learning online is often cheaper too. This is because online colleges don't have a lot of the overhead expenses that traditional campus-based colleges have.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>If you serious about entry into the computer security industry, then realize that having a bachelor's degree is normally the minimum requirement.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>It is a good idea to know if this is a field that is suitable to you, what online colleges offer quality network security degrees and what you can do (besides getting a degree) to boost your career.</P>

Network Security Degree Online - Become A Well-Paid IT Professional

  If you are looking for a degree that combines information technology with criminal justice - then you ought to consider the network securi...

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The Best USB Disk Security Product Online

<P> </P><br /><P>The USB disk, or the Universal Serial Bus plugin, has become one of the most important platforms for storing very important documents or files and of course media intended for entertainment purposes. USBs can be connected virtually anywhere, since even cell phone developers make their devices compatible with these platforms.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>But one of the most important concerns of any USB holder, especially if very important files are being stored on the device, is the USB disk security. You do not want to have your security compromised, and you certainly want all files to stay completely secure on your little device, or on your laptop.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>One very good piece of news for both personal owners and small business owners is that experts have developed a unique and very safe software, that will protect your data from being copied from USB devices, cell phones, digital cameras, iPhones, etc. The USB disk security free download is absolutely safe, and will help you keep your confidential data very secure. Trial licenses and download are absolutely free, so that you can convince yourself of the reliability of this particular software.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>All you need is an operating system of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7- the software is compatible with all three operational platforms. Then, you need to have a Pentium processor of 300Mz or faster, and the software will take only around 25 mb of free space. It is definitely worth to try it out, since this is the best USB disk security software that you can currently find on the market.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>So what does this little software promise you?</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>? To protect all your data from unauthorized access. In a world where even the social media portals where you upload pictures, can put your security at risk, you need to know at least that all your devices are protected from unauthorized access to your files.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>? You can block all the unwanted devices on your laptop or desktop.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>? You can keep your computer absolutely virus -free, thanks to the embedded wise anti virus technology.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The software comes with many settings and reports that you will find very interesting and necessary. Once you will own the software, you will also have access to top notch customer service, in case you have any questions. The online and offline security of your personal data, files and media is the most important in a technology driven world. Stay safe and worriless using the best USB disk security software available at this moment.</P>

The Best USB Disk Security Product Online

  The USB disk, or the Universal Serial Bus plugin, has become one of the most important platforms for storing very important documents or f...

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Proven Security Tips, Tools, and Tactics To Stay Safe Online (Part 1 of 2)

<P> </P><br /><P>The Internet serves as an incredible tool for educators and students to communicate, research information, and learn. The widespread availability of computers and connections to the Internet provides everyone around-the-clock access to information, credit and financial services, and shopping.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Unfortunately, there exist individuals who exploit the Internet through their criminal activities and other harmful acts. Cybercriminals use creative measures to gain unauthorized access to your computer and then use that access to steal your identity, commit fraud, or even launch cyber attacks against others.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Staying safe online is no longer a given, but a necessary extracurricular activity. Here are nine security measures you can employ immediate to protect yourself, your family, and your business. By following the recommended cyber security measures outlined here, you can limit the harm cyber criminals can do not only to your computer, but to everyone's computer. However, keep in mind that there is no single cyber security measure or technological solution that will prevent their cybercrime. These recommended cyber security measures highlight that using a set of common-sense precautions that include Internet habits as well as technology solutions can make a difference.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The National Cyber Security Alliance recommends eight measures. To that, I have added an additional. They are practical steps, in no particular order, you can take to stay safe online and avoid becoming a victim of fraud, identity theft, or cyber crime.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>1. Protect your children online.</STRONG> Implement parental control tools that are provided by some Internet Service Provider (ISPs) and available for purchase as separate software packages. <STRONG>Remember:</STRONG> No program is a substitute for parental supervision. Also check your browser to see if it would allow you to set some parental controls. (Internet Explorer allows you to restrict or allow certain web sites to be viewed on your computer, and you can protect these settings with a password. To find those options, click Tools on your menu bar, select Internet Options, choose the Content tab, and click the Enable button under Content Advisor.)</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>2. Back up important files regularly.</STRONG> No system is completely secure. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc, and store them in a secure place in a different building than your computer. If a different location isn't practical, consider encryption software. Encryption software scrambles a message or a file in a way that can be reversed only with a specific password. Also, make sure you keep your original software start-up disks handy and accessible for use in the event of a system crash.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>3. Protect your valuable personal and financial information.</STRONG> Don't open unsolicited or unknown email messages. If you do get an email or pop-up message asking for personal information, don't reply or click on the link in the message. To avoid opening such messages, you can turn off the "Preview Pane" functionality in email programs, and you can set your default options to view opened emails as plain text to avoid active links or pop-ups in the messages. Most importantly, do not respond to solicitations for your personal or financial information.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>If you believe there may be a need for such information by a company with whom you have an account or placed an order, contact that company directly in a way you know to be genuine. Never send your personal information via email because email is not a secure transmission method.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>4. Use strong passwords or strong authentication technology to help protect your personal information.</STRONG> To further increase the security of your online identity and to help protect you from account hi-jacking, take advantage of stronger authentication tools wherever available. This may take the form of two-factor authentication - the combination of a password or PIN number (something you know) with a token, smart card, or even a biometric device (something you have).</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Stronger authentication can also come from a behind-the-scenes identity-verification process, which uses various data to establish whether or not a user is genuine. Ask your bank, your regular online retailers, and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if they offer stronger authentication tools for more secure transactions.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>5. Know who you're dealing with online.</STRONG> Every day, millions of computer users share files online, either as email, documents, or photos. File-sharing can give people access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software. You download special software that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at one time. Often the software is free and easily accessible, but file-sharing can have a number of risks.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>(a)</STRONG> If you don't check the proper settings, you could allow access not just to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>(b)</STRONG>In addition, you may unwittingly download pornography labeled as something else. Or you may download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would mean you could be breaking the law.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Therefore, downloading file-sharing software is not advisable and could place your personal information and computer at risk. If you do decide to use file-sharing software, set it up very carefully. Take the time to read the End User License Agreement to be sure that you're sharing files legally and that you understand the potentially high risk of any free downloads. For example, some license agreements include an agreement to allow spyware to be installed on your machine.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Although the Internet basically provides a positive and productive experience, cyber-attacks against our personal privacy and security are reaching epidemic proportions. These attacks are occurring in our own homes and businesses. Our own computers are being used are being used as zombies to attack other people, businesses, and even our nation itself. As an average Internet user, you may not be aware of these threats nor have any idea about the dramatically increasing risks you face when connected to the Internet.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>On a campaign for internet safety awareness and protection, my mission is to bring critical awareness to individuals, families, and small business owners, and to provide access to the necessary tools and ongoing expertise to secure your computer and help you stay protected.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>I invite you to join the many thousands of others who have tested their computers, discovered these threats are real, and taken the necessary steps to protect themselves.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Now that you have become aware of these issues, I encourage you to share this vital information with your families, friends and communities. Together, we can reach many millions of people and inform them about the threats to their privacy and security, and help them get the protection they desperately need.</P><br /><P><STRONG></STRONG> </P><br /><P><STRONG>Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!© MMVII, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Internet Safety Advocate and Educator</STRONG></P>

Proven Security Tips, Tools, and Tactics To Stay Safe Online (Part 1 of 2)

  The Internet serves as an incredible tool for educators and students to communicate, research information, and learn. The widespread avail...

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Online Virus in Messengers, Emails, and Portable Storage Devices

<P> </P><br /><P>Did you know that your computer might be used for terrorist threats and illegal activities online at this moment?. It is possible that your computer is being infected with viruses as we speak and it might be doing activities as per the discretion of some unknown hacker for his activities. It might be tracking your financial data, prying on your computer for personal information or even trying to infect your friends as you chat with them. There are a lot of ways by which your computer can be affected with a virus, but mainly they come from three sources - Portable Data, Instant Messengers and emails. Though browsing unsecure sites and using pirated software can infect your computer, the above three ways are the most common and dangerous ways by which viruses spread across the internet.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Portable Data storage devices like CD-ROMS and USB sticks are very popular and hence virus creators specifically write spyware and Trojans which will affect these drives and hence propagate the virus as they are plugged or inserted into another computer. These viruses attack the auto-run settings and hence it will affect the victim the moment he inserts the drive into the computer. Viruses and Trojans spread through these means are done so that they are massively spread across the internet leeching on the victims PC and taking instructions from its creators and even sending your personal data across the internet.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Instant Messenger viruses are another popular type of viruses. Yahoo! And MSN viruses have been very annoying and disturbing to all users since the time they were popularized. These viruses usually spread in the form of links from the infected PC's. They send themselves as a harmless link to the friends to the victims virus affected PC and have a message attached to them. An example will be the popular MSN virus called the photo virus. It sends the friends of the infected user a message like - "Hey! Is that really you in this picture? OMG!" and a link to the virus. Most people thinking that this is some sort of a picture will click on the link and get infected themselves. And this chain continues across the internet.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Emails are traditionally the virus writers favourite. But this has been tackled to an extent with the help of technologies like Domain Keys and SPAM blacklists and other ways. Though the number of viruses that attach themselves to emails and mass send to all the people in the address book are almost gone, the ones that tend to phish out information from you still continues. For example, I usually get a lot of mails claiming to be from banks and that my account has been hacked up. It needs my password to reset my bank account . But when you check the links contained in the mail, you will see that it does not link to the bank, but to another site which looks exactly like the bank site. If you enter your username and password, they will get it and then your account will be hacked and money stolen by these virus creators.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>So, if your computer is infected with viruses, your security is compromised and hence your personal information is in danger. Make sure you use the internet with care and check where you are entering your information to and what type of links you click or the type of sites you visit. You can use an antivirus to clean your computer off viruses. Have a safe browsing experience!</P>

Online Virus in Messengers, Emails, and Portable Storage Devices

  Did you know that your computer might be used for terrorist threats and illegal activities online at this moment?. It is possible that you...

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Proven Security Tips, Tools, and Tactics To Stay Safe Online (Part 2 of 2)

<br /> <p><strong>6. Learn what to do if something goes wrong.</strong></p><p>(a) If a scammer takes advantage of you through an Internet auction, when you're shopping online, or in any other way, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.</p><p>(b) If you get deceptive spam, including email pishing for your information, forward it to <strong>"spam at uce.gov"</strong> (replace "at" with the @ sign).</p><p>Be sure to include the full Internet header of the email. In many email programs, the full "Internet header" is not automatically included in forwarded email messages, so you may need to take additional measures to include the full information needed to detect deceptive pam.</p><p><strong>(c)</strong> If you believe you have mistakenly given your information to a fraudster, file a complaint at the FTC's website and then visit their Identity Theft website to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from a potential theft of your identity.</p><p><strong>7. Use anti-virus software, a firewall, and anti-spyware software to help keep your computer safe and secure.</strong> Don't be put off by the word "firewall." It's not necessary to fully understand how it works; it's enough to know what it does and why you need it. Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications from and to sources you don't permit. Some spammers search the Internet for unprotected computers they can control and use anonymously to send unwanted spam emails. They refer to these as "zombie computers".</p><p>If you don't have up-to-date anti-virus protection and a firewall, spammers may try to install software that lets them route email through your computer, often to thousands of recipients, so that it appears to have come from your account. If this happens, you may receive an overwhelming number of complaints from recipients, and your email account could be shut down by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).</p><p>Some operating systems and hardware devices come with a built-in firewall that may be shipped in the "off" mode. Make sure you turn it on. For your firewall to be effective, it needs to be set up properly and updated regularly. Check your online "Help" feature for specific instructions.</p><p><strong>8. Be sure to set up your operating system and Web browser software properly, and update them regularly.</strong> Hackers also take advantage of unsecured Web browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) and operating system software (like Windows or Linux). Lessen your risk by changing the settings in your browser or operating system and increasing your online security. Check the "Tools" or "Options" menus for built-in security features. If you need help understanding your choices, use your "Help" function.</p><p>Your operating system also may offer free software patches that close holes in the system that hackers could exploit. In fact, some common operating systems can be set to automatically retrieve and install patches for you. If your system does not do this, bookmark the website for your system's manufacturer so you can regularly visit and update your system with defenses against the latest attacks. Updating can be as simple as one click. Your email software may help you avoid viruses by giving you the ability to filter certain types of spam. It's up to you to activate the filter. In addition, consider using operating systems that allow automatic updates.</p><p><strong>9. Subscribe to a managed security services.</strong> As the best form of protection available today, you get much more than just software. You get professional grade technology coupled with having a team of security experts available to help with any security problem. This level of protection has never been available for homes and small businesses until now, and, because of the increase in online security threats, risks, and attacks, it is becoming the future of Internet security.</p><p>Although the Internet basically provides a positive and productive experience, cyber-attacks against our personal privacy and security are reaching epidemic proportions. These attacks are occurring in our own homes and businesses. Our own computers are being used are being used as zombies to attack other people, businesses, and even our nation itself. As an average Internet user, you may not be aware of these threats nor have any idea about the dramatically increasing risks you face when connected to the Internet.</p><p>On a campaign for internet safety awareness and protection, my mission is to bring critical awareness to individuals, families, and small business owners, and to provide access to the necessary tools and ongoing expertise to secure your computer and help you stay protected.</p><p>I invite you to join the many thousands of others who have tested their computers, discovered these threats are real, and taken the necessary steps to protect themselves.</p><p>Now that you have become aware of these issues, I encourage you to share this vital information with your families, friends and communities. Together, we can reach many millions of people and inform them about the threats to their privacy and security, and help them get the protection they desperately need.</p><p><strong>Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!</strong> © MMVII, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Internet Safety Advocate and Educator</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Proven Security Tips, Tools, and Tactics To Stay Safe Online (Part 2 of 2)

6. Learn what to do if something goes wrong. (a) If a scammer takes advantage of you through an Internet auction, when you're shoppin...

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How an IP Hider Ensures Your Online Security

<br /> <p>The the world has become too dependent on computers and the Internet that it is now a necessity to be properly informed about the technologies behind them. Because of this, we have also become nearly helpless without the option to process our transactions electronically. Today, we just want to do everything online from shopping to banking. Unfortunately, while we feel so lucky to have been born in this age when almost everything can be done digitally, we might not be as lucky as being able to do all these without any threats to our safety.</p><p>Yes, the Internet has become a haven for hackers, scammers, and every other individual who thinks making a living out of preying on others' personal information is the noblest money-making venture of all. The question is, can we protect ourselves from these unscrupulous individuals who will stop at nothing to advance their interests? Experts say there are actually steps we can take.</p><p>So far, the best way to ensure safety on the Internet is still knowledge. We have to now what makes hackers want to target us. By simply knowing what makes us vulnerable to attacks and the actual risks we face, we know what to avoid. What we would ultimately want is to keep all hackers from getting into our system. For this reason, we need to be extra careful in the websites we visit because these could be infected with all sorts of contaminants that could well find their way into our computers. It would also be wise to be cautious about opening our emails, especially attachments which can be vehicles for all sorts of viruses, trojans, worms and the like. Other things to avoid are emails that seek personal information without an authentication process. When we know about all these, we know what things we're better off doing and not. Naturally, we are protected.</p><p>Now that you know what to protect yourself from, the question is how. You may install and run a virus scanner frequently to make sure your anti-virus software is able to recognize the latest viruses that have been created. A firewall is definitely essential to ensure that all unwanted traffic is blocked. Anti-spyware and anti-adware are two other software you need to be able to protect yourself. The point is simply to keep all of these risks at bay because they could be used as tools by hackers to extract your personal information.</p><p>There are, in fact, many ways to protect yourself online but if you simply want to erase all chances of being hacked, just remove that link between you and your possible hacker. Your IP address is your computer's unique identifier and it is through this IP address that a hacker can get to your system for whatever purpose. When you hide your IP, it would be as though you didn't exist. Thus, no hacker can possibly find his way to you.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

How an IP Hider Ensures Your Online Security

The the world has become too dependent on computers and the Internet that it is now a necessity to be properly informed about the technol...

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Keep Your PC Healthy With Online Computer Support

<br /> <p>Computer is a basic requirement nowadays and to meet pace with the modern lifestyle, your computer must be equipped with all the latest advancements and technology.</p><p>Computers are borne with few problems occasionally and at those moments online computer support helps you and everybody look for resources providing computer technical support.</p><p>Multiple reasons are there due to which popularity of remote computer support model has been increasing rapidly. The prior supportive reason is its reasonable and much cheaper on-site tech support, which saves travel time and cost of fuel as for even minor issues you need to take your computer or laptop to the repair center.</p><p>Online support is available 24?7 and all through the year, just required to dial the number of the service provider. And to avail online PC support it is required to pay very small amount for enjoying state of the art diagnostic and troubleshoot service for hassle-free computing.</p><p>The support works efficiently for all issues either software or hardware. You require computer to carry normal tasks like browsing the internet, checking your email, using Microsoft office and similar tasks, you just need to ensure that your computer remains updated on the software front. Updating and installing relevant software on your computer will benefit you significantly.</p><p>The supports services ensure not only the protection of equipments but also create a back up for your data, and protect your network from cyber crimes such as hacking, e-mail bombing, unauthorized access and virus attacks.</p><p>Online computer support services are the most preferred alternative of millions of customers. They assist in fixing all the problems pertaining to your computer at the software end. The most attractive part is its availability which is throughout the day, 365 days an year at relatively cheaper payments.</p><p>Online services provide you with every kind of computer services like computer and laptop repair, PC maintenance, networking solutions, and several other IT enabled services. Online services are exclusively advantageous for small businesses which cannot afford to hire a full fledged IT department.</p><p>Online support resolves all types of PC problems including most critical problems too, which may be Operating System Support, Internet Setup Support, Virus Removal Support, PC Security Support, Software Support, Computer Optimization support, are just few from the list.</p><p>Online technicians resolve all the issues of the customer's PC at their level best and help to satisfy the customer's needs and enhance their goodwill too. Almost all online support providers hire best tech support technicians for the job.</p><p>Multiple online service providers are competing in the market with their outstanding services, but it is suggested to conduct some research before choosing any of them.</p><p>Online computer support is gaining its share of importance from the popularity by providing secure online remote tech support for our customers, so just sit back and relax as our technicians will solve just about any type of computer problem you may have.</p><p>Multiple online computer support service providers are competing in the market with their outstanding services, but it is suggested to conduct some research before choosing any of them.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Keep Your PC Healthy With Online Computer Support

Computer is a basic requirement nowadays and to meet pace with the modern lifestyle, your computer must be equipped with all the latest a...

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How to View Your Northeastern University Grades Online

<P>Log into your Northeastern University "myNEU" account using your username and password on the online student login website (see Resources). If you do not have a myNEU account, activate your account by following the link below the "Login" button that says 'How do I get a myNEU username and password?' Once you have a username and password, enter it and click "Login" to access your account.</P><P>Locate the "View Grades" tab located on the left side of the webpage. Choose either the spring, fall or summer semester and the year. Click "Continue" to pull up your grades for the selected semester. Give your professors about two weeks after a final examination for grades to be posted online.</P><P>Log on to the Northeastern University Blackboard Online website (see Resources) for classes taken online or as part of a hybrid (partial online and partial class time) course. Click on the "My Grades" link on the left side of the course menu.</P><br /><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_7745437_northeastern-university-grades-online.html">Source.</a>

How to View Your Northeastern University Grades Online

Log into your Northeastern University "myNEU" account using your username and password on the online student login website (see R...

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How to Edit Work Online

<P>Create an account with an online word-processing application such as Google Docs. These websites allow you to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more.</P><P>Upload the work to be edited to the online word processing application by clicking "File" and then "Upload."</P><P>Edit your work online the way you would with any word-processing program.</P><br /><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_7724892_edit-work-online.html">Source.</a>

How to Edit Work Online

Create an account with an online word-processing application such as Google Docs. These websites allow you to create documents, spreadsheet...

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Online profile site About.me gets snapped up by AOL

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/images/aboutme-200-200.jpg"></P> <br /><P>AOL has decided that fledgling online profile site <a href="https://about.me/">About.me</A> is prime real estate, announcing it has bought the site a mere four days after launch.</P><br /><P>About.me is a simple concept: it allows you to build a personal profile page that can be used as a calling card for what you do web wise.</P><br /><P>It's about as far removed as the fussiness of Facebook and the constant information stream that is Twitter but it serves the same purpose – exposure.</P><br /><P>It also acts as a landing page for your myriad social-networking profiles that litter the web.</P><br /><P><STRONG>About turn</STRONG></P><br /><P>A major bonus is that the site offers personal analytics for you to peruse. So you can see how many people have checked your profile and what they do when they go on to your page.</P><br /><P>Tony Conrad is the person behind About.me and is no stranger to being under AOL's wing. </P><br /><P>In 2008 he sold his company Sphere to AOL for the around £16 million and AOL Ventures was one of the investors in About.me.</P><br /><P>The About.me team is staying put when AOL takes over, so don't expect <a href="https://about.me/about#team%20">the information on their profiles</A> to change for a while.</P>

Online profile site About.me gets snapped up by AOL

AOL has decided that fledgling online profile site About.me is prime real estate, announcing it has bought the site a mere four days after...

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Online profile site About.me gets snapped up by AOL

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/images/aboutme-200-200.jpg"></P> <br /><P>AOL has decided that fledgling online profile site <a href="https://about.me/">About.me</A> is prime real estate, announcing it has bought the site a mere four days after launch.</P><br /><P>About.me is a simple concept: it allows you to build a personal profile page that can be used as a calling card for what you do web wise.</P><br /><P>It's about as far removed as the fussiness of Facebook and the constant information stream that is Twitter but it serves the same purpose – exposure.</P><br /><P>It also acts as a landing page for your myriad social-networking profiles that litter the web.</P><br /><P><STRONG>About turn</STRONG></P><br /><P>A major bonus is that the site offers personal analytics for you to peruse. So you can see how many people have checked your profile and what they do when they go on to your page.</P><br /><P>Tony Conrad is the person behind About.me and is no stranger to being under AOL's wing. </P><br /><P>In 2008 he sold his company Sphere to AOL for the around £16 million and AOL Ventures was one of the investors in About.me.</P><br /><P>The About.me team is staying put when AOL takes over, so don't expect <a href="https://about.me/about#team%20">the information on their profiles</A> to change for a while.</P>

Online profile site About.me gets snapped up by AOL

AOL has decided that fledgling online profile site About.me is prime real estate, announcing it has bought the site a mere four days after...

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Apple owns 66% of online music market, Amazon a distant second place

<DIV class=separator style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGnFDC4_32m6rlLc8Hjutsbi33ntddd4CtbltLgWBFFKEXaxLihS93-piCfGRKAb4zsECPSAik_5OyTwYWpPCme_NYZDeOL7-k9mnpFD1NpA_YEc2XFvuQHHOaTdGSEwzHcl4oLYg20w/s1600/applejuststeppingoveramazon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGnFDC4_32m6rlLc8Hjutsbi33ntddd4CtbltLgWBFFKEXaxLihS93-piCfGRKAb4zsECPSAik_5OyTwYWpPCme_NYZDeOL7-k9mnpFD1NpA_YEc2XFvuQHHOaTdGSEwzHcl4oLYg20w/s1600/applejuststeppingoveramazon.jpg"></A></DIV>As if Apple's share of the online music world wasn't big enough, financial research firm NPD Group is reporting that iTunes is now responsible for 66.2% of the market for online music purchases. That's up from 63.2% earlier in the year, despite intense competition from Amazon, which is way behind in second place at 13.3%. Remarkably enough, Amazon also saw growth this year, raising its share from around 11% earlier in 2010. <br /><P></P><br /><P>The online retailer has been promoting "daily deal" albums that are priced much lower than the same music on the iTunes store, actually selling many of the albums below cost in order to attract new customers. Amazon has also been doing a monthly promotion of 100 albums for $5, which is done with the cooperation of record labels and artists. Despite such aggressive action, the company has yet to make a visible dent in Apple's dominance of the online music market.</P><br /><P>According to an article in today's Wall Street Journal, digital album sales have grown rapidly in an industry where CD sales are plummeting and sales of digital single-song downloads are stalling. Apple's album prices are generally higher than those on the Amazon music store, resulting in higher revenues. Amazon's promotion of their online music store has taken the back seat to advertising for the company's Kindle ebook reader, so it will be interesting to see if they decide to actively promote their music business in the future.</P>

Apple owns 66% of online music market, Amazon a distant second place

As if Apple's share of the online music world wasn't big enough, financial research firm NPD Group is reporting that iTunes is now r...

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Fanatec Porsche 911 GT2 racing wheel steers its way into online availability

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TxTCkcVfUl01q1A-1_SgDglmCMFiTOQMsLxyed5jh7Xcqpy261esN9kv3N5fk5sluboRCd5b4vp6p4rzXpyqKtHqAp1kuRyS80ccC9VJRVmUBqz6PLjsF9B80c-m5FlLXVl8jztr43I/s1600/lacie-usb-3.0-hdd-hands-on8798_thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-IlXZGfcbUBLSbbfDZMpIii0Hht0xcwbDN8mDroycxYPCO9CgcO0WsM7kzsE4BsMi-rJyOM7psbsYMwEBQb1PriIXm3dGxU7d2uj97ISHZAP4RjD5sp6xOzfTDLmmkfjp7bZMGBkklE/s1600/12-16-10-fanatecgt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-IlXZGfcbUBLSbbfDZMpIii0Hht0xcwbDN8mDroycxYPCO9CgcO0WsM7kzsE4BsMi-rJyOM7psbsYMwEBQb1PriIXm3dGxU7d2uj97ISHZAP4RjD5sp6xOzfTDLmmkfjp7bZMGBkklE/s320/12-16-10-fanatecgt2.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br> For some of you, it wouldn't be Gran Turismo 5 unless there's a force-feedback steering wheel at the helm, but which one to choose? If history's any judge, that depends on how just how badly you want to feel like you're driving a Porsche. $250 buys you the Fanatec Porsche 911 GT2, another officially-licensed Xbox 360 wireless wheel, which features fourteen hidden buttons, a 900° steering angle, and the exact same soft Alacantra leather you'll find on the real deal.<br> <br>

Fanatec Porsche 911 GT2 racing wheel steers its way into online availability

For some of you, it wouldn't be Gran Turismo 5 unless there's a force-feedback steering wheel at the helm, but which one to choose?...

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