TechnoSource

Yahoo Messenger 10 No Longer in Beta

2009-11-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Yahoo removed the beta mark off their 10th Yahoo messenger program. Yahoo Messenger 10 Beta can finally wave goodbye to "beta" after undergoing intense stages of fine-tuning over the past months.

The latest version adds a slew of enhancements to functionality and design and also adds support for Windows 7. Obviously, the latest version of Yahoo Messenger includes many bug fixes related to stability and the new video call feature. The new redesigned 1.1 webcam feature allows you to make high-quality video call to a friend with synced audio, right in the IM window and swap video windows, position the video windows side-by-side, mute the call or place it on hold. You can even view the windows in full screen, making it more user-friendly.

Y! Updates

Similar to the beta version, the final version incorporates the ability to view "Y Updates" in your contact list. Y! updates can essentially help you keep up with your friends, given that the list shows real-time stream of their updates, including Messenger status message changes, Twitter status, the song that they are currently listening to on last.fm, and more. Best of all, you don't have to consistently switch back and forth between windows to view your friends' latest status. A hover menu is integrated so that you can quickly IM a friend about their update.

Of course, the latest version allows to easily change languages on the log-in screen. You can choose from 16 different languages and the buttons, menus and various parts of the interface will change to that language. You can also access this feature under Messenger > Preferences > Language, but you must restart the program in order for this to take affect.

Try out the new Yahoo Messenger 10 now! If you are currently using the 9th version, you should be prompted to download a fresh version of Yahoo Messenger 10 soon.

Kindle For the PC

2009-11-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

Alright, I confess. I'm not an big fan of reading books on computer displays, because it simply blemishes the experience of reading an actual book. However, the arrival of Amazon's new highly usable e-book reader for the PC is rather promising. It shows off the Kindle platform well and handles the basics of its job. Although it lacks several features found in its iPhone cousin and in Kindle hardware, it is still a must-have PC app for avid ebook readers.

Kindle for PC

The Kindle for PC application is a free program for your Windows PC that allows you to access your library of Kindle books and the Kindle Store. This 5.2MB app's installation process completes in a blink of an eye, because the installer immediately offloads files and shortcuts to your computer once it's fired up. After you log in to your account, it presents a home screen with options to look at your archived items or to shop at the Kindle store. The books appear as thumbnails and you can organize them by the title, author, or the recent views. The Menu button on the right corner of the toolbar offers options for changing the account registration info, Kindle management, feedbacks (given that the app is currently in Beta), and synchronization. The synchronization feature works by synchronizing your last page read and annotations between devices with Whispersync.

Credit: CNET News

The reader itself offers many of the options you'll find on a Kindle reader. You can change the appearance of the page on the display by altering the font size, page width, and the amount of words per line. Navigation between pages is fairly easy, given that you can use the scroll wheel on your mouse or rely on Next and Previous buttons. You can also jump to a specific page, create bookmarks for future reference, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle. The ability to create annotations on the PC app is not supported yet.

Yep, the Kindle of PC application does not get fancier than that. Its UI and features are simple and intuitive. And unlike many makers of free software, Amazon does not come straight to your arms and beg you to buy a Kindle (though recommended) in order to use the free Windows PC application. Go ahead and give Kindle for PC a spin. Be sure to provide feedbacks in order for an improved version or a Mac version to be available.

[via daylenyang and Maximum PC]

Verizon Attacks AT&T With Elves, Toys and Blue Maps

2009-11-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

This time, Verizon casts AT&T and the iPhone to the Island of Misfit Toys where 3G coverage matters most. Despite the lawsuit by AT&T, Verizon is still using the same "There's a map for that" technique against AT&T. Just watch these 3 three Verizon Wireless commercials:

[via engadget]

Ford Adds Air Bags to Rear Seat Belts

2009-11-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

Image credit: Autoweek

Since the advent of airbags, car makers have tried to fit this vehicle safety device in every possible location in a car. When this technology was new and unfamiliar, frontal airbags, which now comes standard on every car, were only available as an option on high-end cars. Apparently, the addition of frontal airbags in cars did not decrease the rate of car accidents in America, so car makers added airbags to the side and the steering wheel. But wait, we also need protection for our poor knees, so knee airbags were eventually invented. So, what's next? An airbag to protect my dick since most men don't wear cups when they drive? Hell no, car makers such as Ford rather focused on the idea of having airbags on your seat belt.

Today, Ford planned to offer inflatable rear seat belts in the next generation Ford Explorer, and more cars over time. This technology is aimed at reducing injuries to children and elderly passengers in a crash. The belts contain an accordion-folded bag that gently fills with air in the event of a collision, which helps spread the force of an impact across a wider area of the passenger's body and dampens the pressure. Ford also claims that the inflatable seat belt reduces the risk of head, neck, and chest injuries by forcing the passengers in the appropriate seating position. Ford hopes to attract attract more customers by developing and adding more intuitive features and functions into their car in the near future.

[via CNNMoney]

Boo! I am Steve Jobs and I am a PC!

2009-10-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hmm, Superman? LAME! How about portraying Hannah Montana for a day? Yikes! Forget your usual Halloween costumes. Halloween is the only legal holiday in which impersonation is tolerated. If impersonation is the main highlight of the holiday, we should all use Halloween to the fullest potential. So, dress up as your favorite CEO - Steve Jobs.

Why? All you need is an iPhone, a pair of blue Levi Jeans, black shirt, New Balance running shoes, and a pair of glasses. Now, this costume is darn sweet and perfect for owners of an iPhone or an iPod touch. If you don't own an iPhone or iPod touch, you are welcome to print Apple logos off the Internet and glue them onto your, um, Windows Mobile phone, your clunky 5 year-old Motorola, or just about any non-apple phone. Heck, you can even attach an "I am a PC" or "Windows 7" pin onto your shirt to offend more Apple fanboys. Oh, don't forget to print out this mask and give out apples instead of candy bars to scare the crap out of the kids in your neighborhood.

Click image to view the full-size version.

[via Cult of Mac]

Less Crapware on Windows 7 PCs?

2009-10-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

One thing for sure: that most PCs come with bloatware, or pre-installed software trials that have long annoyed PC buyers, is false in the Windows 7 era. Ever since the new Microsoft Store was opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, Windows 7 test drivers have noticed something interesting, apart from its similarities to Apple's retail outlets. Many computers that were on display were practically crapware-free and thus less clogs were experienced. Yay for Windows!

This Dell laptop is a Microsoft Signature PC.

The new bloatware-free Windows 7 computers are under a new initiative called "Microsoft Signature PCs" and they are Windows 7 PCs manufactured by Sony, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, Toshiba, and Lenovo. Microsoft Signature PCs are designed for users who want a clean PC out of the box and do not wish to waste countless hours in eradicating unwanted items. According to Microsoft's Online store, the only pre-loaded programs are Microsoft Security Essentials, Silverlight, Bing Maps 3D, Zune 4.0, Playready PC Runtime (for WMC), and the Windows Live Essentials suite, including Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Photo Gallery and several others, in addition to Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader. Now, one may consider Silverlight or even perhaps Bing Maps 3D as crapware, specifically Microsoft's crapware. Bottom line? The Microsoft Signature PCs represent the best Windows experience the company has ever created, but replacing third-party trialware with Microsoft programs does not make your PCs entirely crapware-free. We need Windows 7's annoyance level all the way down to at least 20, not 50.

[via Ars Technica]

Doors Open On First Microsoft Store

2009-10-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Microsoft opened its first retail store on Thursday to hundreds of people. Watch as excited fans storm the first Microsoft retail store in Scottsdale Arizona after the ribbon cutting ceremony. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...STAMPEDE!

[via @daylenyang]

Apple's All-in-One Wonder Explained By Apple

2009-10-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Apple introduced the first iMac more than a decade ago and the design philosophy remains the same: an all-in-one computer that’s as powerful as it is beautiful. The edge-to-edge glass, tapered pedestal, sexier display, and redesigned speakers make the new iMac an ultimate marvel. Watch the following video to take a closer look at its design.

Anatomy of Magic Mouse

2009-10-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

The latest iMac makes your desk more clutter-free because it ships with a low-profile wireless keyboard and the wireless Magic Mouse. Wait a minute, a "Magic Mouse"? Oh yeah, it's Apple's latest clever rodent. Watch the following video to learn about the latest Apple tech.

New Macs and "Magic Mouse"

2009-10-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

As expected, Apple revamped their iMac, MacBook, and Mac Mini today and unveiled upgrades to the AirPort Extreme Base Station and Time Capsule as well.

The new iMac is rid of the standard screen size configuration. Nope, they are not available in 20" and 24" versions anymore. The latest iMacs include an LED-backlit, high-definition display with a 178-degree viewing angle, better speakers, and a built-in SD card slot located under the slot-loading CD/DVD drive.. The 27" model features a 2560-by-1440 pixel screen that offers 60% more pixels than the previous 24-inch model. The old 20" version is replaced with a 21.5" iMac that offers 1920 x 1080 resolution. The 21.5" iMac starts at $1,199 with a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of memory, a 500 GB hard drive and a Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics processor. The 27" model starts at $1,699 with the same Intel Core 2 Duo processor and system memory configuration as the smaller version, but with a 1 TB hard drive and an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics chip with 256 MB of cache. The 27" model offers an optional upgrade to Intel Core i5 (i5-750) and Core i7 (i7-860) processors, 16 GB of memory, and a 2 TB hard drive.

The latest Mac Mini is refreshed as well. The $599 model includes a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of memory, 160 GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. If you have $200 more to spend, you can purchase the $799 version which includes 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of memory, and 320 GB hard drive. It is also available for $999 with Snow Leopard Server, a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of memory, dual 500 GB hard drives and a Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics processor.

The latest MacBook has become more like its cousin, the MacBook Pro, with its new ploycarbonate unibody design that features an LED-backlit display, a glass multi-touch trackpad and up to seven hours of battery life. The 13" laptop includes a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2 GB of memory, 250 GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor. There is no optional upgrade to an SSD hard drive, or even a 7200 RPM hard drive.

The latest Apple sensation is perhaps the new Magic Mouse. Apple claims that their Magic Mouse is the world's first Multi-Touch mouse. The new Mighty Mouse replacement offers a seamless top shell that is big multi-touch sensor. It's still an ergonomic conventional mouse, but also brings iPhone-like scrolling to the desktop. The Magic Mouse comes with the new iMacs, and sells separately for $69.

Apple also introduced a sexier remote that allows users to control an iPod that is connected to a home stereo, powered speakers, or a TV set and a Mac. The remote retails for $19. The Time Capsule and Airport Extreme Base Station are now "up to 50 percent better performance and up to 25 percent better range than with the previous-generation Time Capsule and Airport Extreme base Station."

How To Burn ISO Images In Windows 7

2009-10-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Microsoft finally added native support for burning disc images in Windows 7. Windows 7's Disc Image Burner may not overjoy most power users, but it can certainly make the majority of people happy.
It easy to burn ISO images within Windows 7 without the need of a third party tool. To burn an ISO image in Windows 7, all you need to do is simply right-click on an ISO image and choose "Burn disc image" or double-click the ISO image file to launch Windows Disc Image Burner. This utility offers you several basic options to burn the ISO image to either a CD or DVD. The "Verify disc after burning" feature verifies that the ISO image is burned correctly after the burning process, but choosing to verify a disc you burned requires additional time. Windows Disc Image Burner only supports the basic file types, so burning complex ISO images may require sophisticated applications like Nero ($70 for full version or $0 for the free version) or ImgBurn (free). Overall, this handy utility is phenomenal for simple ISO burning.

Mobile Photoshop For iPhone

2009-10-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Adobe Friday rolled a mobile version of Photoshop for the iPhone to let users edit and create on-the-go photos. The new Photoshop.com Mobile iPhone app only brings some basic photo-editing functionality to the iPhone and features several basic filters and functions. It also allows direct uploads of photos from the iPhone to Photoshop.com, where users can take advantage of 2 GB of free storage. The app's overall functionality does not go beyond being able to edit pictures with simple options (i.e., crop rotate, apply simple effects), given that the app is less than 4 MB. The bottom line? If you are expecting a professional photo-editing app, this may not be the perfect one. However, if you are looking for an app that allows you to easily fine-tune a photo with a drag of a finger, this app is the way to go. Oh, did I mention that this app is free? Go ahead and give this free mobile version of Photoshop a spin.

AVG Reveals Version 9

2009-10-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

AVG 9 has arrived - and like many makers of security software for the new upcoming year, AVG emphasized their 9th version on speed, top-notch performance, and ease-of-use.

AVG Technologies definitely has the right to claim faster scan times, faster boot times, and other under-the-hood improvements. According to AVG, scan times are "up to 50 percent" faster, based on marking files safe until their file structure changes, and boot times are "10 to 15 percent" faster. AVG 9 consumes lesser memory than the previous version as well. Even the installation process has been streamlined, with only 11 screens to face, instead of 22. The new Firewall uses a new database for automatically determining if certain programs are safe to access the Internet without a user's consent. A new Phishing protection is added to verify the "identity" of a website. Other than that, AVG 9 looks very similar to its predecessor, given that most of the changes are under the hood. AVG Internet Security 9 is available for $49.99, and AVG Anti-Virus costs $34.99. Both come with a one-year license. As always, a 30-day trial is available as well.

Microsoft Cuts Security Essentials's Beta Tag

2009-09-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Security Essentials finally dropped its beta tag today. Windows users who are scouring the Internet for a free anti-virus alternative can now take advantage of Microsoft Security Essentials anti-virus program. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free comprehensive virus scanner that provides real-time protection for your home PC and guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Microsoft's new freebie is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. One caveat: your Windows operating system must also pass Microsoft's Genuine Validation (anti-piracy) check, which checks to verify that you are running a legitimate, licensed copy of Windows. You are also recommended to remove any existing anti-virus program before installing Security Essentials, since having two active anti-virus programs can slow down your PC by a huge proportion. Current beta users of Security Essentials should upgrade to the latest version, even though the latest version comprises pretty much the same features. Yes, downloading and processing new virus definitions and updates still takes forever to complete. But then again, this program is free, so why complain? To learn more, visit microsoft.com/securityessentials.

Google's Logo Mispelled? No, It's Cake Time For Google

2009-09-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

The next time you suspect your monitor disobeying you, why don't you roll up the windows and toss it out? If your new Apple Cinema display happens to be a follow-up, go about your business. Let's say that you fired up your favorite Internet browser and went to Google today. At first glance, you may have noticed that Google was spelled will two l's. So, you uninstalled your so-called favorite Internet browser and made a few adjustments to your display. Sure enough, Google was still spelled with two l's. It certainly could not be Google's fault, for Google's a big company. Another toss through the windows? WAIT! It ain't your monitor's fault this time (and possibly the last two times also), and we are sure of it.

The search engine giant only redesigns their classic logo for special occasions. Today falls under the category "special," because it's Google's 11th birthday! No one truly knows of the exact date of Google's birthday, because it is still a subject of dispute.

Mashable says the google.com domain was registered on Sept. 15, 1997, and the company was incorporated on Sept. 4, 1997. "Google opened its doors in September 1998. The exact date when we celebrate our birthday has moved around over the years, depending on when people feel like having cake," said Mashable.

So there you have it. Google wants to celebrate its birthday today. You view an archive of previous special Google logos here.

New Windows 7 Ads: Bling-Bling?

2009-09-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

The old Laptop Hunters days are gone. The next generation is all about the bling and shizzles, am I correct? According to Microsoft, yes. Microsoft just launched 3 kwl videos to demonstrate the kwlness of Windows 7 and focus on its new UI elements.

Adobe Announced 8th Version of Photoshop and Premiere Elements

2009-09-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

Comparison between PSE 8, 7, and 6

Yesterday Adobe Systems Incorporated debuted Photoshop Elements 8 for Windows and Mac and Premiere Elements 8 for Windows only. Adobe's new versions of the No. 1 selling consumer photo- and video-editing software are also available as a bundled package that offers the most complete video and photo solution. Adobe added numerous new cutting-edge features for users who want powerful yet easy-to-use tools to tell stories with their compelling photos and videos. The new version of Photoshop Elements includes an enhanced Organizer, more sophisticated face-recognition technology, and automatic synchronization. Smarter, quicker tools for exposure, teeth whitening, bluer skies, and contrast make photo-editing easier and snappier. Premiere Elements 8, too, offers a smarter, full-featured Organizer that includes a powerful media management hub for both video- and photo-related activities. In addition, Premiere Elements 8 has new SmartFix, SmartMix Smart Trim features, more professional-quality effects, and more themes, making it simple to create impressive movies.

Both Photoshop and Premiere Elements 8 users can get more online storage (20GB versus 2GB), tutorials, artwork, and templates of working with their videos by purchasing Plus. Photoshop Elements 8, Premiere Elements 8, or the bundle can be now purchased at adobe.com. However, these new products will be available soon at retail outlets. Adobe offers free trials of Photoshop and Premiere Elements as well, but applying for an Adobe account, if you are a new user, is required.

Microsoft Security Essentials To Be Announced Soon

2009-09-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

Last night, the boys at Redmond launched e-mails to testers of the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta program to tell them that the final version of their free security program is just around the corner. Redmond planned to release Microsoft Security Essentials to the public "in the coming weeks" and also asked testers to upgrade to the latest beta version, if they haven't already. Here is the full body message:

Dear Beta User,

Thank you for participating in the Microsoft® Security Essentials Beta. Your participation has been instrumental to ensuring the best possible product release quality.

The final version of Microsoft Security Essentials will be released to the public in the coming weeks. If you are running the older version of the beta (1.0.1407.0), we encourage you to upgrade to a newer version of the beta (1.0.1500.0). To ensure a smoothest possible experience, please follow one of these options:

Click on the ‘Upgrade Now’ button on the Microsoft Security Essentials Home tab. OR
Select ‘Upgrade Microsoft Security Essentials’ under the Help drop-down menu

Thank you again for your participation in the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta!

Best regards,

Microsoft Security Essentials Team

Well, the release of Microsoft's free antivirus application can possibly coincide with the upcoming release of Windows 7. That way, Windows 7 users will have less to worry since Windows 7 will technically have decent virus protection out of the box. Microsoft sure knows how to pick the perfect dates, eh?

Windows 7's Pricing On Par With Snow Leopard's... Sort Of

2009-09-18T16:26:00.001-07:00

Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system will be available for $30, approximately the same price as Apples's competing OS X Snow Leopard. However, this special offer can only be obtained if you are a student. Students can acquire this update at win741.com, a Microsoft website designed to promote this offer, after October 22. This offer applies to the Home Premium and Professional versions of Windows 7, and students are permitted to buy either from the online store. Similar offers, but different pricing, are available in the U.K., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Korea, and Mexico as well. Hurry, this offer ends January 3, 2010 at 12 A.M. CST.

Apple Special Event Keynote Is Up

2009-09-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

You've heard about it. Your friends are twittering about it. It's practically everywhere! And you? Don't leave the conversation just because you don't know the pieces to the big puzzle. If you did not attend this morning's Apple Special Event or read the tech blogs, you should probably watch the full keynote. You can view the entire keynote presentation at events.apple.com.

New iPods, iTunes, and Steve Jobs

2009-09-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

Apple today introduced updates to the iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and the iPod classic, as well as a finely-tuned version of their iTunes software. CEO Steve Jobs, along with Phil Schiller, took the stage at Apple's annual music event today in San Francisco. So, what's new about the updated Apple products?

iPod touch

8GB: $199
32GB: $299
64GB: $399
New features: faster processor, OpenGL support, $4.95 iPod touch 3.1 Software Update
Note: Note: lacks video camera and microphone (We believe that hardware issues with the camera caused Apple to remove it from the product.)

iPod nano

8GB: $149
16GB: $179
New features: built-in video camera, speaker, Genius Mixes, FM radio tuner with Live Pause and iTunes tagging, built-in pedometer, larger 2.2-in. display, 9 colors (silver, black, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, pink, purple), environmentally-friendly, speakers

iPod shuffle

2GB: $59
4GB: $79
New features: Colors (pink, green, silver, blue, black, special edition stainless steel), VoiceOver meter, multiple playlists support

iPod classic

160GB: $249
New features: none

iTunes 9

Price: free (download at apple.com/itunes)
New features: "Welcome to iTunes" window, Genius Mixes, improved iPod/iPhone synchronization, ability to transfer media content between five authorized computers in your house, redesigned iTunes Store, app organization and management, iTunes LP, includes "Share to" links for Facebook and Twitter, slicker user interface

Intel Introduces New Core i7 and Core i5 CPUs

2009-09-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Intel released several high-performance desktop processors yesterday. Unlike the high-end Core i7 900 series, the new Intel Core i5 processor family and two new Intel Core i7 processors bring Intel's latest Nehalem microarchitecture to mainstream desktop markets. These "Lynnfield" processors are designed for consumers who need top-of-the-line performance for gaming, digital media and applications that place a high demand on processing power at an affordable price.

The new Core i7 processors include the $562 2.93GHz Core i7 870 and the $284 2.8GHz Core i7 860, as well as the $196 2.6GHz Core i5 750 chip. The new Intel chips are the first to feature a 16-lane PCI Express 2 graphics port and two-channel memory controller, forcing all input/output and manageability functions to be handled by the new single-chip Intel P55 Express Chipset. The new Core i7 processors still retain Intel's Hyper-threading technology, a technique that doubles the number of processing thread, but the Core i5 chip lacks this technology. All of the newly-released CPUs boast Intel's exclusive Turbo Boost Technology. These new Intel processors, along with the new Intel P55 express chipset, are available today.

[via Reuters]

Apple's 09/09/09 Event is Official

2009-08-31T10:21:00.000-07:00

Apple's highly anticipated event is now officially confirmed through an e-mail invitation that was widely distributed today. The annual event in San Francisco will be held at 10 a.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, located next to the site in which the Macworld Expo and Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) take place.

It's rare and special to have an event set on a date that contains the same number for the month, day, and year, so Apple's music-themed event is a must to attend (if you are invited). Apple offered no details about the event, but the caption “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it" showed hope for something special to happen at the event. Will there be an announcement regarding a homage, perhaps, to The Rolling Stones’s 1974 classic “It’s only rock ‘n’ roll"? We don't know, but CNET hinted that September 9 is also the day The Beatles's remastered digital albums will be released. Hmm...

Snow Leopard Lacks Decent Security Protection

2009-08-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

The somewhat successful Friday release of Snow Leopard, also known by the moniker "OS X 10.6", filled the feeble Apple workers' heart with jubilation. But their joy was shattered when Snow Leopard evoked criticisms from computer security companies, which could be a potential threat to Apple if Apple's latest operating system lessens interest in third-party security software. On top of that, Snow Leopard's security was strongly criticized by our trusted cybercrime stoppers, Symantec and McAfee.

Apple's latest all-terrain operating system includes security enhancements such as support for 64-bit applications, which Apple claims are more secure than 32-bit applications due to how 64-bit applications "keep their data out of harm's way thanks to a more secure function argument-passing mechanism and the use of hardware-based execute disable for heap memory." The 64-bit transition offers stronger checksums for preventing memory corruption attacks and basic security protection, but Symantec is not happy with Apple's antivirus capabilities. Symantec stated that Snow Leopard's File Quarantine feature only offers basic malware protection, and thus it is not suited for heavy porn-hunting on the Web. "It is not a full-featured antivirus solution and does not have the ability to remove malware from the system," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "File Quarantine is also signature-based only. Malware signatures are only as good as the definitions, requiring Apple to provide regular, timely updates." Symantec added that Mac OS X's Software Update mechanism is not fully automatic and lacks a user interface that manages downloaded signatures or their statuses.

McAfee looked at the situation otherwise. McAfee's response suggested that Apple's move is equivalent to convincing more hackers to create more and new malware. They claimed that "...the growth rate of malware (notably PC malware) is partly due to the success of defenses; the bad guys react and pump out more and more malware in an effort to circumvent those defenses." In other words, if hackers and scoundrels can't bypass anti-malware by means of using a hammer and screwdriver, they will try to mass-produce them to overwhelm it.

The logic behind the argument will probably get to nowhere. In my opinion, Snow Leopard's security enhancements are better than nothing, which are good enough for me. The verdict: although a Mac provides protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box, the system can still be immune from every threat. Because no system is 100% virus-proof, an antivirus software is recommended.

[via PC Magazine]

TechSmith Unveils Mac Version of Camtasia

2009-08-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Newsflash: Camtasia, a popular screen recording software for Windows, just got a Mac release. TechSmith launched Camtasia for Mac on Tuesday with a price tag of $149, though it's currently available for $99. As always, a 30-day trial is available for download on TechSmith's website.

Review
Mac users have been drooling over Camtasia for the past several years due to TechSmith's awesome recipe. Camtasia is a user-friendly program that allows you to record content off your computer display and edit your recording with their bundled movie-making software. With the extras, you can incorporate audio and video (from an iSight webcam, microphone, or a camcorder connected via firewire), add dynamic effects to audio and video, and then share it online. Camtasia is practically considered an all-in-one suite and thus it tops other Mac screen recording software in terms of post-production, editing, and producing. Although Camtasia for Mac is outfitted with a new user interface, the program itself is fairly similar to the Windows version. You can still "capture what you see on your screen, edit it into a stunning movie, and share it in the most universal formats - all from a single application."

The Bottom Line
Sure, Camtasia for Mac may be superior to Ambrosia Software's Snapz Pro X utility and all the other similar tech toys, but it's already too late for TechSmith to create a Mac version of Camtasia. This release should happen more than two years ago in which screen recording was NOT a feature that was integrated in OS X! Mac users were salivating over Camtasia, but the drooling and the drama ended when QuickTime X came along with an addition of a 'Screen recording' option in the File menu of the new media player. With that being said, you can theoretically capture what you see on your screen with QuickTime X and edit the recording with iMovie - without spending an extra penny. But, if you want advanced screen recording options (i.e., frames-per-second adjustments and more supported video formats), Camtasia is there to help. Otherwise, Camtasia would be just another stick-with-what-you-have-unless-resorted-to-something program.

Screen Recording in QuickTime X