Software Blog » Programs

Wikileaks Plunges Political World Into Turmoil

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:18:18 +0000

In what’s been called the “biggest leak in intelligence history,” more than 90,000 classified military documents about the war in Afghanistan came to light on Sunday and are wreaking havoc in political circles around the globe. Covering the period from January 2004 to December 2009, the reports were published Sunday by whistle-blowing site Wikileaks. Analyses of the material appeared simultaneously in The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Speigel. The documents reportedly include compelling evidence of widespread yet unreported abuses during the war.

How the Reality Distortion Field Is Hurting Ballmer and Could Kill Us

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

As I’m writing this, Microsoft is reporting a solid quarter with sales (or use) exceeding expectations significantly on four keystone products. While Steve Ballmer is clearly not performing at Steve Jobs’ incredible levels, Microsoft continues to generate cash at a rate that most companies, states and countries don’t seem able to approach. Yet he is also the CEO who is highest on the “soon to be ex-CEO” list. Underlying this is a recent study that found we, as a species, will avoid the truth if it conflicts with our beliefs. This not only helps Steve Jobs and hurts Steve Ballmer, but it could kill us.

Quickoffice Lets You Settle Into a Sweet Mobile Suite

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Muscular desktop applications like office suites can’t be run on downscale devices like the iPad, but that doesn’t mean Apple’s mighty tablet can’t be a valuable partner with those programs. A case in point is Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite for iPad. Quickoffice is designed to work with files compatible with three mainstays of Microsoft’s popular Office suite: Word, Excel and Powerpoint. With it, you can store Office documents with a “cloud” service provider like Google Docs, Dropbox, Mobileme or Box.net.

Flipboard Jumped the Gun

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

The idea of an online magazine with content that can be customized by its readers has been around for years. The execution of that idea, though, has produced less than stellar results. That may be about to change with a new free application released this week for the iPad called “Flipboard.” Flipboard combines information from Facebook and Twitter to create a personalized magazine on the iPad — a “social” magazine, as the service calls it. What really distinguishes Flipboard from other efforts in this vein is the stylish way it’s able lay out that information.

Security Gurus Scream for Microsoft Shell Patch

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:49:43 +0000

A Windows Shell flaw for which Microsoft released a security advisory Friday could lead to widespread attacks, security experts fear. The vulnerability attacks through Windows shortcuts, icons for which are displayed on users’ computer screens. It can be exploited through removable drives or over computer networks. Microsoft has suggested some workarounds, but security exports point out that these have problems of their own. In Windows 95 and later, the Windows Shell is explorer.exe, which resides in the Windows folder or in one of its subfolders, such as System32.

My Futile, Frustrating Hunt for a Decent iPhone Case

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

There’s only one thing worse than the death grip that iPhone 4 owners face: a lack of good cases. I’ve been looking for decent case options since I bought my iPhone 4, and I’ve got to say, I think I could find a wild goose with less trouble. I thought I had basic requirements: thin hardshell case to cover and protect the backside glass along with raised edge coverage along the front to protect the face if I happen to place it face-down. The Apple iPhone 4 Bumper has the right idea for side and corner coverage, but there’s no real back protection, and I’m a big fan of full rear coverage.

Microsoft Lets Devs Take a Spin on WinPho7

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:39:48 +0000

Microsoft has put its Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system out for technical preview. “Starting today, thousands of prototype phones from Asus, LG and Samsung are making their way into the hands of developers over the next few weeks,” Terry Myerson, corporate vice president, Windows phone engineering, announced on the Windows Phone blog Sunday. There’s still some way to go before the OS is ready for release, Myerson said. “The software is pretty zippy, and the way it lets you back into and out of an application is pretty cool,” IDC’s Will Stofega told TechNewsWorld.

A Brief History of Encryption

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Threats to computer and network security increase with each passing day and come from a growing number of sources. No computer or network is immune from attack. A recent concern is the susceptibility of the power grid and other national infrastructure to a systematic, organized attack on the United States from other nations or terrorist organizations. Encryption, or the ability to store and transmit information in a form that is unreadable to anyone other than intended persons, is a critical element of our defense to these attacks.

Could a China/US Partnership Cure Oil Addiction?

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

There is a growing consensus that China will replace the U.S. as the world’s leading superpower in this century, just as the U.S. replaced Great Britain in last one. In the last century, it was the difference between world commerce and manufacturing capacity that mattered; now, the shift could actually be tied to technological advancement in areas like transportation and electrical power. If there is one thing that China and the U.S. have in common, it is the desperate need to get off fossil fuels.

Android Army to Conquer Mobile Market by 2015

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Linux will dominate the non-smartphone mobile device market by 2015, a study by ABI Research indicates, and Google will likely play a prominent role in this. “Linux-enabled mobile devices, led by the success of Google’s Android and upcoming Chrome OSes, will comprise 62 percent of the operating systems shipping in all non-smartphone mobile devices by 2015,” ABI Research said. Android will be the operating system of choice in Linux-based non-smartphone mobile devices, ABI Research senior analyst Victoria Fodale told LinuxInsider.

New Rules Lay Out ‘Meaningful Use’ Requirements for Electronic Health Records

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:29:26 +0000

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released its final version of rules that define the parameters under which physicians and hospitals can qualify for funding to upgrade their electronic medical records systems. Included are new definitions for what will constitute “meaningful use” of electronic records to meet objectives of the programs. Changes have been made to previous drafts of the meaningful use criteria, which received comments from healthcare providers and other interested citizens numbering in the thousands.

New Rules Lay Out ‘Meaningful Use’ Requirements for Electronic Health Records

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:29:26 +0000

Skype and Fring Fulminate in Disconnect Drama

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:36:00 +0000

The launch of the iPhone 4 may have brought mobile video calling to the public’s attention, but, the fact is, the capability has been available for some time from software makers both large and small. One such player in the video-calling space is Fring, a UK-based company that makes an app for a range of smartphones, including Android devices and the iPhone. Fring aggregates users’ contact lists and channels access to a range of communication tools — including Twitter, AIM and GoogleTalk — through its software. For the last four years, one of those communication tools has been Skype.

Ballmer: The Slates Are Coming

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:26:45 +0000

Microsoft will roll out multiple Windows 7 slate devices “over the course of the next several months,” company CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed in a keynote speech on Monday. “This year one of the most important things that we will do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7-based slates, and with Windows 7 phones,” Ballmer said in his speech at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington, D.C. “This is a terribly important area for us,” he added.

Do We Need a Cellphone Lemon Law?

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

When Apple brings out a new phone, my advice typically is to wait a couple of months for the problems to surface, and then they will either be fixed or known and you can make a more educated decision. However we haven’t seen the number of problems with the latest iPhone since, well, ever. To summarize, the antenna is badly designed, the signal strength software is inaccurate, the proximity sensor that’s supposed to keep your face from dialing the phone is broken, battery life is in the toilet again, and the new OS is crashing.

Extra Features Could Add More Snap and Crackle to Popplet

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

When traveling from one place to another, sometimes a map can be more useful than a set of directions. The same can be true for planning projects, such as essays, presentations, or for noodling with less structured activities, such as brainstorming. One popular way of visualizing projects is with “mind maps.” The maps can be very simple. An organizational chart is a prosaic example of a mind map. So, too, are the bracket graphics accompanying sports tournaments like the World Cup or the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tourney.

Lessons Learned From a Career Tweeted Away

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

It may be hard to believe in our current overheated cable news climate, but in the days and months after Sept. 11 — and in the weeks following the 2003 invasion of Iraq — CNN was actually doing its best to provide in-depth reporting and analysis of the Middle East. CNN International’s Octavia Nasr was a key player for the network during that time. I know this for a fact because as an anchor for CNN Headline News, and fill-in anchor for CNN, I shared the set with her on several occasions.

Google May Steer Devs Web-Ward With Mobile YouTube Refresh

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:31:59 +0000

YouTube’s decision to make its mobile Web site compatible with HTML5 may one day be viewed as a turning point in what is shaping up as an epic battle for control of the mobile device landscape. In unveiling the new site on Wednesday, YouTube said its goal is to give mobile device users the same video viewing experience they get on desktop computers. Part of that experience is being able to access the site and play videos directly through a Web browser rather than relying on a dedicated application that must be loaded on the device.

AT&T Lays Idle iPhone Uploads at Alcatel-Lucent’s Feet

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:07:04 +0000

Another day, another iPhone 4 problem — or so it seems. The latest snafu in the iPhone 4 saga involves slow uploads in a number of markets serviced by the mobile’s U.S. carrier, AT&T. The carrier has traced the problem to a flaw in the software used by one of its hardware vendors, Alcatel-Lucent, although there’s at least a coincidental relationship between the malfunctioning software and the introduction of the iPhone 4. A fix is forthcoming; meanwhile, AT&T has restored conventional upload speeds to the 3G markets affected by the bug.

AT&T Lays Idle iPhone Uploads at Alcatel-Lucent’s Feet

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:07:04 +0000

Software Blog » Programs

Wikileaks Plunges Political World Into Turmoil

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