Tech News Blog

Tech News Update
Between job interviews, research, teaching, and a close-up and personal visit between my dogs and a Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk), the tech news has been on hold for the last several weeks.
Before the tech news let me attempt to dispel some old myths. Tomato juice is not an effective remedy for removing the odor of skunk from Rover. If it is the only defense you have to combat the odor, it may help temporarily, but do not let it fool you into believing that you can let the skunked one in your house or vehicle. We tried several brands of scent removal products and none of them was able to break the aromatic bonds that are created by this striped kitty. Your best bet is to use one quart of hydrogen peroxide mixed with one-fourth cup of baking soda blended with two teaspoons of Dawn liquid dishwashing soap. Because we have large dogs, it was not possible to bathe them in the solution so I used micro-towels and applied the mixture copiously on the dogs. This will alleviate the odor, but it cannot completely eliminate the horrific odor that is emitted by this most vile creature. Two weeks and one day have passed since that visit from Pepe LePeeyou and the smell still lingers on our silly dogs.

ADV: Exploring Spyware and Adware Risk Assessment
“Explore new quantitative methods for measuring the impact of spyware and adware and learn about a pragmatic, user-defined model for determining risk levels. Learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods that are used to mitigate the risks of these harmful programs.” PC Mag: John C. Dvorak 11/2/05 2:18 PM

Mac OS X 10.4.3 (#3): More on increased fan activity; Motion sensor on some PowerBooks/iBooks no longer recognized; more
“More on increased fan activity Users continue to report problems with increased fan activity after installation of Mac OS X 10.4.3. In most cases, these issues can be resolved by either…” MacFixIt 11/2/05 8:00 AM

Safari is first browser to pass Acid2 test
“Apple's Safari Web browser became the first browser to pass the Acid2 test. Acid2 is a test page...” MacNN 11/2/05 11:00 AM

Study: IM threats zooming up
“Messaging security company says its data shows a 1,500 percent increase in worms, viruses and other pests targeting IM networks.” CNET News.com - Security 11/2/05 12:07 PM

Tiger's Improved Firewall (and How to Use It)
“Among Tiger's many enhancements, Apple introduced a whole new firewall called ipfw2. It works just the like the old firewall, but has new features that allow greater flexibility and more control. In this article, Peter Hickman shows you some of the new features and how you can use them to more easily manage your firewall.” O'Reilly MacDevCenter.com 11/1/05 4:54 P

Tech News Blog
The tech news for mutiple platforms users from October 5-12, 2005
Apple Unveils the New iPod
The new iPod, featuring a gorgeous 2.5-inch color screen, can display album artwork and photos, as well as play stunning video including music videos, video podcasts, home movies and television shows. The new iPod holds up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos or over 150 hours of video and is available in a 30GB model for $299 and a 60GB model for $399, with both models available in stunning white or black designs. Apple Hot News 10/12/05 12:00 AM

Apple Introduces the New iMac G5
The new iMac G5 features a built-in iSight video camera for out-of-the-box video conferencing and Apple’s new breakthrough Front Row media experience. Front Row gives users a simple, intuitive and powerful way to play their music, enjoy their photo slideshows and watch their DVDs and iMovies, as well as popular movie trailers from apple.com and music videos and television shows purchased from the iTunes Music Store, on their iMac from up to 30 feet away using the new bundled Apple Remote. Apple Hot News 10/12/05 12:00 AM

Apple releases QuickTime 7.0.3 -- required for iTunes 6.0, release notes
Apple has released QuickTime 7.0.3, which is required for proper operation of iTunes 6.0.
Several readers report that they are not able to locate the new QuickTime release in Software Up… MacFixIt 10/12/05 12:14 PM

Win2K Users Beware
Of the 14 vulnerabilities for which Microsoft issued patches on the latest Patch Tuesday, one is especially important: a newly discovered Windows 2000 worm hole. MS Watch--Mary Jo Foley 10/12/05 1:50 PM

Don't Let Fear Kill Muni Wi-Fi
You can count on internet service providers to scream bloody murder -- or bloody cybercrime -- to dampen support for municipal Wi-Fi. But the benefits of free and open access outweigh the risks. Commentary by Jennifer Granick. Wired News 10/12/05 1:50 PM

Microsoft Readies Eight Windows Patches
At least nine security fixes are due for October release. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 10/10/05 5:32 AM

Share files and internet connection between 10.4 and XP
A problem I ran into while trying to connect a simple network of a Mac running OS X 10.4 to a PC with Windows XP via a crossover cable was that if I wanted to share my dial-up internet connection from the Mac to the PC, I had... Mac OS X Hints 10/10/05 5:56 AM

Microsoft's Real deal
Software giant and RealNetworks hammer out deal that puts aside legal differences and aims to shore up their respective digital music strategies. CNET News.com 10/11/05 2:25 PM

Tech News Blog
Tech News for September 21 to September 28, 2005
Microsoft Office 2003 SP2 released
Released on Tuesday, Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 is designed to improve security, application stability and support. CNET News.com 9/28/05 6:32 AM

Apple confirms LCD flaw in "limited" iPod nanos
Apple today confirmed an LCD manufacturing flaw in some of its iPod nanos, while downplaying other... MacNN 9/28/05 8:00 AM

RealPlayer, Helix users at risk of attack
Media players running on Linux face a new security vulnerability that could leave users open to remote attacks, security experts say. CNET News.com - Security 9/27/05 10:53 AM

Yahoo Users Get Phished
Attackers use sophisticated new methods to tap users' IDs and passwords. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/27/05 8:43 AM

Linux.com: Auditor: The Security Tool Collection
"The Auditor security collection is a GPL-licensed live CD based on Knoppix, with more than 300 security software tools. Auditor gives you easy access to a broad range of tools in almost no time..." Linux Today 9/26/05 5:32 AM

Firefox Update Squashes Bug
Mozilla urges update to Firefox 1.0.7 to prevent security breach. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/25/05 5:32 AM

Toolbar, search site aim to guard against phishers
GeoTrust on Monday will unveil free services meant to protect people from unwittingly giving up personal data to fake sites. CNET News.com 9/25/05 9:00 PM

Apple releases iPod Updater 2005-09-23 -- software update for iPod Shuffle
Apple has released iPod Updater 2005-09-23 which includes new iPod Software 1.1.2 for the iPod shuffle. It contains the same software versions as iPod Updater 2005-09-06 for all other iPod models. MacFixIt 9/23/05 7:30

Apple releases Security Update 2005-008
Apple has posted Security Update 2005-008 for both Mac OS X 10.4.2 and Mac OS X 10.3.9.
The update includes changes to the following components, per Knowledge Base article…
MacFixIt 9/22/05 6:42 PM

Tech News Blog
Tech News from September 14 to September 21, 2005.
Mozilla Beats Back Firefox Security Concerns
Mozilla has released a new fix for Firefox vulnerabilities, but now finds the Linux/Korean download files of the stalwart browser have been infected with a virus. Linux Today 9/21/05 9:25 AM

Microsoft releases Office 2004 Service Pack 2
Microsoft has released Office 2004 Service Pack 2 through its AutoUpdate servers.
The new release includes enhancements for Exchange support in Entourage, which Microsoft says will… MacFixIt 9/20/05 9:00 AM

Apple releases iTunes 5.0.1: Fixes, lingering issues
Apple has released iTunes 5.0.1, solving a number of major issues with the 5.0 release (see our special report… MacFixIt 9/20/05 2:40 PM

Apple Introduces Major Enhancements to .Mac
The membership-based online service .Mac now features the following: .Mac Groups, a service that helps members communicate, coordinate schedules and stay in sync with private groups of friends or colleagues; an updated version of .Mac Backup software that makes it easy for members to archive their iLife and other important files; a four-fold increase in combined iDisk and email storage to 1GB for individuals and 2GB for families; and full French and German localization. Apple Hot News 9/20/05 12:00 AM

Steve Jobs to Labels: Just Say No to Greed
The major music labels must resist the urge to get greedy with online downloads, specifically downloads at the iTunes Music Store, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Mr. Jobs said that he will be resisting the labels, who have been urging the online music leader to raise its prices.
The Mac Observer Spin: The fact of the matter is that 99 cents for a digital download is already too much for a digital download, precisely because of the distribution issues afforded by the iTMS. That the labels see only an opportunity to make artificially higher profits, and cannot see that this will only further hurt themselves is simply par for the course… The Mac Observer 9/20/05 5:40 AM

Office 12 makeover takes on 'feature creep'
Microsoft's radical revamp could wake people up to overlooked features, but risks alienating longtime users… CNET News.com 9/20/05 4:00 AM

Spam Slayer: Katrina Scams Proliferate
Spammers take advantage of hurricane misery. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/20/05 5:32 AM

Security Vendor Warns of Google-spoofing Worm
Masquerades as a free version of a Lucasfilm game. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/17/05 5:32 AM

Is the U.S. Protecting Crucial Networks?
Businesses say power grids, communications are secure--but Congress wonders if we're really safe. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/16/05 5:32 AM

Apple fixes Java flaws in Mac OS
Updates fix a handful of vulnerabilities that could be used to bypass security restrictions.
CNET News.com å 9/14/05 11:11 AM

Tech News Blog
Tech News for September 7th to the 14th, 2005
Can Spies Decipher Keyboard Clicks?
Researchers 'eavesdrop' and transcribe, warning of security risks. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 9/14/05 10:59 AM

Apple releases Java security update for Mac OS X 10.3.9
The release notes state that this update delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh us… MacFixIt 9/14/05 8:31 AM

Microsoft Reissues Windows 2000 Rollup
Microsoft on Tuesday (9.13.05) reissued the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 Update Rollup that has been causing problems for myriad Windows 2000 customers for the past few months. MS Watch--Mary Jo Foley 9/13/05 4:00 PM

QuickTime 7.0.2 (#3): Downgrading to QuickTime 7.0.1; Causing problems with Mail.app?; more
Downgrading to QuickTime 7.0.1 Apple has now posted a package that will remove QuickTime 7.0.2 and re-install QuickTime 7.0.1 for users experiencing significant issues with the new release. MacFixIt 9/13/05 8:00 AM

internetnews.com: New Linux Kernel Patched
"A pair of potential security vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel has been patched with a new point release..." Linux Today 9/13/05 4:00 PM

ADV: Stopping Crimeware and Malware: How to Close the Vulnerability Window
Computer users can no longer wait for a new vaccine every time a new security threat appears. TruPrevent is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) that caught and killed all variants of the recent Zotab worm without requiring updates or generating false positives. This whitepaper describes how TruPrevent achieves this level of accuracy. PC Mag: John C. Dvorak 9/12/05 8:23 PM

Virtual goods, real scams
Online game players are spending millions on fantasy assets. Now phishers want a piece of the action. CNET News.com 9/12/05 04:00AM

Mozilla offers temporary fix for Firefox flaw
The patch protects against exploitation of a serious flaw by disabling the browser feature that contains the vulnerability. CNET News.com 9/9/05 05:32PM

Microsoft pulls 'critical' Windows update
A quality issue has moved the software maker to pull the security update that it planned to release on Patch Tuesday. CNET News.com 9/9/05 03:30PM

Putting the squeeze on credit card fraud
At session hosted by Visa, expert offers tips. One eye-opener: Brick-and-mortar stores are favorite targets for thieves. CNET News.com 9/9/05 08:54AM

Katrina victims at risk for ID theft
Ruined homes and businesses are likely to contain documents that criminals can use to hijack an identity, experts say. CNET News.com 9/8/05 04:46PM

Suse Linux 10.0 to hit retail in October
Novell said Wednesday that a retail version of its latest Linux operating system will ship in early October. CNET News.com 9/7/05 8:10 AM Enterprise Software

New Cisco flaw could pose threat to Net
Networking giant warns that a serious flaw in its software puts computer networks at risk of cyberattack, prompting security vendor Symantec to raise its Internet threat level. CNET News.com 9/705 04:35PM

Tech News Blog
Tech News from August 31st to September 7th, 2005
Apple introduces iPod nano
Apple on Wednesday introduced the iPod nano, its replacement for the popular iPod mini. MacCentral 9/7/05 11:40 AM

Apple introduces iTunes 5: New search bar; new shuffle features; more
Apple has announced iTunes 5, the latest release of its music playing,
purchasing and podcasting software. MacFixIt 9/7/05 11:00 AM

New Ebook: Take Control of Customizing Microsoft Office
Take Control of Customizing Microsoft OfficeKirk McElhearn82 pages. A TidBITS ebook - $10Buy from TidBITS Work faster and more efficiently in Microsoft Office X and Office 2004!You know Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are powerful, but are you harnessing that power effectively? Microsof... Kirkville 9/7/05 12:49 PM

FEMA relief services Windows-only
Hurricane survivors using Mac and Linux computers have been unable to use Federal disaster relief cl... MacNN 9/7/05 5:55 AM

Create Windows-compatible zip files via AppleScript
While I love working on a Mac, I really hate the fact that you don't have an option to remove Mac-specific files from the zip file created by Finder's Create Archive. I often find myself creating an archive on the Mac only to... Mac OS X Hints 9/7/05 5:51 AM

Knowing Too Much
As a civilization, we've gone too far in impinging on individual rights. What's next? Whatever it is, it won't be good. PC Mag: John C. Dvorak 9/7/05 12:49 PM

Xandros Co-Founder Berenstein Dies
"'I have the sad duty to announce that Dr. Frederick H. Berenstein, our co-founder and Chairman, died on September 6, 2005, after a courageous battle over many years,' Xandros CEO, Andreas Typaldos, announced today..." Linux Today 9/7/05 12:49 PM

Indian call center worker arrested
In a new case of alleged data theft, Indian police have arrested a call center employee in the outsourcing hub of Gurgaon. CNET News.com 9/7/05 7:44 AM

Today@Playlist: Using iPods in a cross-platform environment
Need to use an iPod formatted for your Mac on a Windows PC (or vice versa)? Not a problem. I have the key to cross-platform cooperation. MacCentral 9/6/05 1:52 PM

Google Gmail Notifier for Mac OS X
A quick tour of Google's new Gmail Notifier for Mac OS X. It's easy to install and it works great. O'Reilly MacDevCenter.com 9/4/05 10:16 AM

New technology may increase identity theft
British researcher warns that dependence on technology is leading to a breakdown in individual vigilance. CNET News.com September 05, 2005 04:35PM PDT

'DVD Jon' targets Media Player file encryption
Programmer develops tool for removing encoding surrounding multicasts, in effort to give open-source media players access. CNET News.com September 02, 2005 05:28PM PDT

A Windows Media Tip
If you're a Mac user desperate to read some DRM-protected Windows Media files, this tip might help. It's only for oldies and it may not be groundbreaking but hey, it's a start!
O'Reilly MacDevCenter.com 9/1/05 8:16 AM

Virus-infected Creative Zen MP3 players found
And you don't even have to go to the trouble of installing Wullik.B yourself.
CNET News.com September 01, 2005 09:18AM PDT

Mac mini offer quickly dropped
Less than 12 hours after the promotion was launched, Apple Computer pulls 30-day trial offer for Mac mini. Speculation as to why abounds. CNET News.com September 01, 2005 06:42AM PDT

Tech News Blog
Tech News from August 24th to August 31st, 2005

Please help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by making a donation to any of the following organizations supplying relief aid:

The Salvation Army: Call 1-800-SALARMY or www.1800salarmy.org

American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund: 1-800-HELP NOW, or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Mail contributions to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or online at www.redcross.org

Key Web links for tracking Katrina's aftermath
Sites around the Web offer details on Hurricane Katrina's devastation and information on how you can help. CNET News.com 8/31/05 10:26 AM The Net

Opera offers free registrations for its 10th anniversary
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Opera Software is offering free registrations for its popular Web browser Opera... MacMinute 8/31/05 6:50 AM

Is Malware Hiding in Your Windows Registry?
Security company says vulnerability could allow malicious software to lurk undetected. PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories 8/31/05 1:54 PM

Timbuktu Pro 8.5 for Mac OS X released (Editors note: this is a great tool for Multiple Platforms users)
Netopia today released version 8.5 of its Timbuktu remote control software for Mac OS X. Simple setup... MacNN 8/31/05 10:55 AM

With 25-song cap, iTunes phone may underwhelm
Also: Sony starts build-to-order PC sales.
CNET News.com 8/31/05 1:54 PM

Create an iPod with both HFS and FAT32 partitions
I'm not a specialist, but I studied the Create a bootable HFS+ partition and a FAT32 partition on one external drive hint to do this. It works for me, with a Powerbook, iPod mini 4GB, Tiger, and tested on Windows XP. Mac OS X Hints 8/29/05 4:28 AM System

Apple offers Mac Mini 'test drive'
Online promotion lets customers return the Mini after 30 days. Is it a sign the company's foray into low-cost computing has fizzled? CNET News.com 8/31/05 12:46 PM

Zotob worm linked to credit card fraud ring
Turkish authorities have linked one of the suspects in the Zotob worm investigation to individuals thought to be part of a credit card fraud ring. CNET News.com 8/30/05 02:33PM PDT

Microsoft investigates another IE flaw report
Software giant probes report of a new browser flaw that, according to its discoverer, could let attackers run malicious code on users' PCs. CNET News.com Monday August 29, 2005 10:30PM PDT

ID theft creates opportunities for data companies
Identity theft is spurring credit bureaus and banks to offer services designed to protect against fraud. CNET News.com Sunday August 28, 2005 05:55PM PDT

U.S. defense networks attacked via China
Web sites in China are being used as a staging ground for attacks on U.S. Defense Department networks, according to reports. CNET News.com Thursday August 25, 2005 05:42AM PDT