Behold, the Samsung Galaxy S4 in red

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zc06E4Ue8cxbhdfO0fd0zz54IQu3XvfRvngTQd-CXm0y-xWXkBG6FBBsCZ1oOVh7Hj4M6f9M04_HYivhZQCqXj9QnR9SA87nQyWtFeM2cvp_n5MQfl6gJyk200hRCXPXp9q3gpbhMQI/s1600/galaxy-s4-red-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zc06E4Ue8cxbhdfO0fd0zz54IQu3XvfRvngTQd-CXm0y-xWXkBG6FBBsCZ1oOVh7Hj4M6f9M04_HYivhZQCqXj9QnR9SA87nQyWtFeM2cvp_n5MQfl6gJyk200hRCXPXp9q3gpbhMQI/s1600/galaxy-s4-red-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Samsung didn't stop with just a handful of new devices today -- the company also gave its flagship best seller, the Galaxy S4, a new paint job. Five of them, actually.<br /><br />Among the colors introduced is Red Aurora, which reps had in tow at tonight's Pepcom event here in New York. It's a welcome addition to the standard black and white, and along with the purple, pink, and brown versions also introduced today, just about every taste should be satisfied.<br /><br />The red paint job is well done, and for now, appears to be limited to AT&T availability in the U.S. That could change, of course, but no word on when just yet. If you're in the market for an S4 and appreciate some color in your life, it might be worth holding out for the additions.

Behold, the Samsung Galaxy S4 in red

Samsung didn't stop with just a handful of new devices today -- the company also gave its flagship best seller, the Galaxy S4, a new pai...

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LG headed to New York City on Aug. 7

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cxoYLTRxIM7qkBU7Dplhyu2ZFUvo8dOExFPB4recgedoIZzl3YxRHC1VU5lLFnoNyV1qX53T5Yye3AYsft4IfheWSbqBTqpG5B0Dtq33mf7ra1VtXBEC0ZZRKZUhA0_ytaZStIF3LPk/s1600/androidcentral-bugdroid-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cxoYLTRxIM7qkBU7Dplhyu2ZFUvo8dOExFPB4recgedoIZzl3YxRHC1VU5lLFnoNyV1qX53T5Yye3AYsft4IfheWSbqBTqpG5B0Dtq33mf7ra1VtXBEC0ZZRKZUhA0_ytaZStIF3LPk/s1600/androidcentral-bugdroid-lg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />LG just dropped a little something in our inbox, giving advance warning of an "international media event" going down Aug. 7 in New York City. We're suckers for international media events, especially if they're in our backyard.<br /><br />What to expect? There's a pretty good possibility we'll see that "successor" to the Optimus G that both LG and Qualcomm were teasing just yesterday, with its Snapdragon 800 processor in tow.

LG headed to New York City on Aug. 7

LG just dropped a little something in our inbox, giving advance warning of an "international media event" going down Aug. 7 in New...

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Pakistan, Afghanistan trade accusations at UN over extremist havens

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdZuW1qVbHsObjfo449vK6ZF3KiggoKwvRWoeTkNrwondSyjGmpU6RZE-j4UtEKxkwwKGHxilJdnftmU0a_WDVwHIVmjjMHs15kLWuue-4tQdZd4g7Wh90cB7m6V5V3i8jwdmRsq_gQQ/s1600/51c35b406f44d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdZuW1qVbHsObjfo449vK6ZF3KiggoKwvRWoeTkNrwondSyjGmpU6RZE-j4UtEKxkwwKGHxilJdnftmU0a_WDVwHIVmjjMHs15kLWuue-4tQdZd4g7Wh90cB7m6V5V3i8jwdmRsq_gQQ/s1600/51c35b406f44d.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>UNITED NATIONS: Afghanistan and Pakistan traded accusations in the UN Security Council on Thursday over the whereabouts of extremists on their porous border as the United Nations described increased tensions between the neighbors as “unfortunate and dangerous.”</b><br /><br />Afghanistan's UN envoy, Zahir Tanin, told a council debate on the situation in Afghanistan that “terrorist sanctuaries continue to exist on Pakistan's soil and some elements continue to use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy.”<br /><br />Pakistan's UN ambassador, Masood Khan, said “terrorists operate on both sides of the porous border” and that many attacks against Pakistan were planned on Afghan soil. He said aggressive policing and border surveillance were needed.<br /><br />“We must not allow terrorists to manipulate and divide the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Khan told the council. <br /><br />“When President Karzai meets our leadership he's most gracious, engaging, he's a statesman, but when he talks to the media he says things which inflame sentiment and that's most unhelpful and destabilising,” Khan said. “We have given very restrained responses.”<br /><br />Pakistan's military played a key role in convincing Afghan Taliban leaders to hold talks with the United States, US and Pakistani officials said, although Afghan anger at fanfare over the opening of the Taliban's Qatar office this week has since delayed preliminary discussions.<br /><br />“We were talking to multiple interlocutors behind the scenes and we have been asking them to participate in these talks, (telling them) that we think the war should come to an end,” Khan told Reuters.

Pakistan, Afghanistan trade accusations at UN over extremist havens

UNITED NATIONS: Afghanistan and Pakistan traded accusations in the UN Security Council on Thursday over the whereabouts of extremists on the...

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Brazil in turmoil as thousands take to the streets

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhfthY0YD5bCFMvvMzd9XTtBhJyHn2MWGLXMB_Ootq9JwXUd85XBjPw1-b1UqBC7rC3_dEgI9iaNjNFjjcyiBtio-hBistbMSYHOlnCXcI582YwDTRpp-9Pwe0Nx7CSzIl6vLGq4UiJ4/s1600/51c3ddc9bce95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhfthY0YD5bCFMvvMzd9XTtBhJyHn2MWGLXMB_Ootq9JwXUd85XBjPw1-b1UqBC7rC3_dEgI9iaNjNFjjcyiBtio-hBistbMSYHOlnCXcI582YwDTRpp-9Pwe0Nx7CSzIl6vLGq4UiJ4/s1600/51c3ddc9bce95.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>SAO PAULO: Demonstrators took to the streets once again across Latin America's biggest country in a new wave of protests that have mobilized hundreds of thousands of people denouncing poor public services and government corruption.</b><br /><br />The biggest of the more than 80 protests appeared to hit Rio de Janeiro, where tens of thousands of people waving flags and carrying banners blocked several streets and avenues in a peaceful demonstration. Police cordoned off the area around Rio's iconic Maracana Stadium, worried that protesters would try to disrupt the Confederations Cup soccer match under way inside.<br /><br />Crowds also gathered in dozens of other towns as well on the main street of Brazil's biggest city, Sao Paulo, marking a week since protests first erupted there over a hike in subway and bus fares. The demonstrations have since ballooned into a national phenomenon, with many middle-class Brazilians hitting the streets to decry a spectrum of everyday problems amid a commodities-fueled economic boom. <br /><br />In the northeastern city of Salvador, police shot tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse a small crowd of protesters trying to break through a police barrier blocking one of the city's streets. One woman was injured in her foot. Elsewhere in Salvador some 5,000 protesters gathered in Campo Grand Square. <br /><br />Despite the energy on the street, many protesters said they were unsure how the movement would win real political concessions. People in the protests held up signs asking for everything from education reforms to free bus fare. They've also denounced the billions of public dollars spent on stadiums in advance of the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio. <br /><br />Several city leaders have already accepted protester demands to revoke an increase in bus and subway fares in the hopes that anti-government anger cools. In Sao Paulo, where demonstrators blocked Paulista Avenue, organizers said they would turn their demonstration into a party celebrating the lower transit fares. But many believe the protests are no longer just about bus fares and have become larger cries for systemic changes. That message went to the heart of Brazilian power, the capital of Brasilia, which saw its largest demonstration yet with 20.000 people gathered in the Esplanada dos Ministerios, the government center.<br /><br />The crowd marched down the enormous plaza with signs highlighting different causes and rainbow flags defending gay rights. Many also denounced a pending bill in Brazil's Congress that would allow psychologists to treat homosexuality as an illness. Police formed a barrier in front of Congress to keep protesters from climbing on the roof of the building as they did Monday, when 10,000 protesters filled the capital.

Brazil in turmoil as thousands take to the streets

SAO PAULO: Demonstrators took to the streets once again across Latin America's biggest country in a new wave of protests that have mobil...

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Obama to nominate Jim Comey as next FBI chief on Friday: official

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VhJkCzQVJQCdyltBBhAP4D_DsaZSc5nRZ2mHzOIxCt0YokNw99q2SOX8UYTtJYBhyphenhyphenQPPWWDxtYzU9O_DcbcxDKcIcE1LwFv9ml6SHea68YovStliNZy0vFN2R3uonW9Ca4HP1hm2FFk/s1600/51c36b543620e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VhJkCzQVJQCdyltBBhAP4D_DsaZSc5nRZ2mHzOIxCt0YokNw99q2SOX8UYTtJYBhyphenhyphenQPPWWDxtYzU9O_DcbcxDKcIcE1LwFv9ml6SHea68YovStliNZy0vFN2R3uonW9Ca4HP1hm2FFk/s1600/51c36b543620e.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will nominate Jim Comey to be the next FBI director on Friday, picking a former Justice Department official who has deep experience in the US battle against terrorism, a White House official said on Thursday.</b><br /><br />If confirmed by the Senate, Comey, a Republican, would replace FBI Director Robert Mueller, who has led the agency since just before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Mueller is expected to step down this fall.

Obama to nominate Jim Comey as next FBI chief on Friday: official

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will nominate Jim Comey to be the next FBI director on Friday, picking a former Justice Department offici...

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Yahoo addresses privacy concerns over recycled user IDs

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheu5bRlVSoRPNibY8iavcSSWsith6eIAT8NBGdO8BUTsKFrwNl6VkYJvl82uIBDipgLKB9c-QZuWWpWac6D__0mslK6aCCMO5Ysst7zDi0kA8uQVKRHmeZTFq-hI-Znta5YvMtYUBMBQ/s1600/2014-06-20-image-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheu5bRlVSoRPNibY8iavcSSWsith6eIAT8NBGdO8BUTsKFrwNl6VkYJvl82uIBDipgLKB9c-QZuWWpWac6D__0mslK6aCCMO5Ysst7zDi0kA8uQVKRHmeZTFq-hI-Znta5YvMtYUBMBQ/s1600/2014-06-20-image-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Last week Yahoo revealed plans to reset and re-issue inactive user IDs. The idea here is to once again make available desirable Yahoo IDs that have long since gone unused. It sounds like a win-win for everybody involved as users could get a shot at their preferred ID while Yahoo gets to do some house cleaning and gain some publicity in the process.<br /><br /> Yahoo noted that any ID that has been inactive for over a year will be subject to deactivation and ultimately made available again. Using that premise, let’s say you own two e-mail accounts: one for everyday use and another that’s simply given out when you create a new account online (your Yahoo account) for activation purposes.<br /><br />Most would agree that this is a pretty common practice as it routes unnecessary or potentially spammy messages to the latter account, keeping your main inbox nice and tidy. Now let’s also say that it’s been slightly longer than a year since you last logged into your Yahoo account and you somehow happened to miss this bit of news from Yahoo in the media.<br /><br /> It seems like a plausible scenario but Yahoo has you covered, or so they say. In a statement released on the matter, Yahoo said they are confident in their ability to free up desirable namespace in a way that is safe and secure. Here’s how.<br /><br />First, Yahoo points out that the vast majority of inactive Yahoo IDs don’t have a mailbox associated with them. Furthermore, all accounts will be purged of any previous user data before being made available again.<br /><br />Also, the company will initiate a 30-day grace period between deactivation and making the ID available to someone else. During that time, Yahoo will send bounce back e-mails to senders notifying them of the deactivation as well as send notifications to merchants, e-commerce sites, financial institutions, social networks, email providers and other online properties on your behalf.

Security Yahoo addresses privacy concerns over recycled user IDs

Last week Yahoo revealed plans to reset and re-issue inactive user IDs. The idea here is to once again make available desirable Yahoo IDs th...

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AMD details first ARM-based server chip, codenamed "Seattle"

Late last year, following months of speculation, AMD finally revealed plans to build low-power server chips based on the ARM architecture. The move marked an interesting shift for the company in its attempt to challenge Intel’s dominance of the steadily growing data center market. AMD’s first 64-bit ARM-based chip isn’t expected to arrive until sometime in the second half of 2014 but this week the company offered up a few early details.<br /><br />Codenamed Seattle, the upcoming server part will be built around ARM's 64-bit Cortex-A57 and a 28nm manufacturing process. It will be made available in an 8-core configuration initially, with a 16-core variant to follow later, and is expected to reach clock speeds of at least 2GHz. Performance-wise, AMD says Seattle should be between 2 and 4 times faster than its Opteron X-Series with improvements in compute per watt.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zq74AUVSyn2BuBQj6U-sgEvuDqa8S-PDPPcUENLozS1MbJ1LfF5wZbsPfsGQWEZDgzVQX3fhZsEKdUGzmPKvAKbMCZibhaDvh07VRoLI5ro38s7ZSBYTdL5mgnzo0SgWWoO796sW9So/s1600/2014-06-20-image-12.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zq74AUVSyn2BuBQj6U-sgEvuDqa8S-PDPPcUENLozS1MbJ1LfF5wZbsPfsGQWEZDgzVQX3fhZsEKdUGzmPKvAKbMCZibhaDvh07VRoLI5ro38s7ZSBYTdL5mgnzo0SgWWoO796sW9So/s1600/2014-06-20-image-12.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Other features mentioned in AMD’s presentation include 128GB DRAM support, extensive offload engines for better power efficiency and reduced CPU loading, server calibre encryption and compression, and legacy networking including integrated 10GbE. This will also be the first AMD processor to utilize its Freedom Fabric technology for high-density low-power servers, acquired from SeaMicro last year.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5ZHy5tRZJKmwe2nYeXmJarI0yTtlV5pqsuClLSkh5ruSFJeqY5eMTDUhwVxrQ4XfeIeCynwt3s6ZrGUBlx6KllTVn4DQQy2-K5i-rqmXUEhSEkMSoF2nEDQVxjOtgytDgranZ0KlPOs/s1600/2014-06-20-image-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5ZHy5tRZJKmwe2nYeXmJarI0yTtlV5pqsuClLSkh5ruSFJeqY5eMTDUhwVxrQ4XfeIeCynwt3s6ZrGUBlx6KllTVn4DQQy2-K5i-rqmXUEhSEkMSoF2nEDQVxjOtgytDgranZ0KlPOs/s1600/2014-06-20-image-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />AMD is confident ARM designs will win out in the long run and expects the architecture to have double digit market share by 2016. That doesn’t mean they are abandoning their x86 roots anytime soon, however. The company also plans release the “Berlin” and “Warsaw” x86 processor lines in the first half of 2014.

Security AMD details first ARM-based server chip, codenamed "Seattle"

Late last year, following months of speculation, AMD finally revealed plans to build low-power server chips based on the ARM architecture. T...

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Researchers crack iOS-generated hotspot passwords in 24 seconds

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFX993MB3HMRVl2r3nS-V6OOPUg8QP2r1So6wMDbpaFtxWJmmookpIgo6-L1WUq0EwmZVZrjvOHrK3LqV6t7EvKuihad2JeqtOeSW-XmPbAfVlJPyagFXqfPOwvPBB0_h0maTyzeJIeto/s1600/lock-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFX993MB3HMRVl2r3nS-V6OOPUg8QP2r1So6wMDbpaFtxWJmmookpIgo6-L1WUq0EwmZVZrjvOHrK3LqV6t7EvKuihad2JeqtOeSW-XmPbAfVlJPyagFXqfPOwvPBB0_h0maTyzeJIeto/s1600/lock-1.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /> If you're an iPhone or iPad owner who uses hotspot mode but never bothered to change the seemingly-random password suggested by iOS, now is definitely a good time. German researchers have discovered (pdf) the passwords iOS issues can be easily predicted, allowing them to be cracked in as little as one minute using consumer hardware.<br /><br />The algorithm iOS uses to generate hotspot keys takes a dictionary word, adds a couple of numbers and voila -- an easily memorable password is born. The problem though, is despite the endless variety of words available in the English language, iOS draws its password inspiration from a narrow selection of just 1,842 words.<br /><br /> The second issue is certain words appear several times more frequently than other words. For example, out of nearly 2,000 words, "suave" had a 1-in-125 chance of being used. Meanwhile, "macaws" -- the tenth most-likely word to be used -- appeared 1-in-345 times. Knowing iOS' preferred word selection allows brute force crackers to start with the most common ones first, further reducing the time needed.<br /><br />A PC armed with a Radeon HD 6990 GPU was able to crack the average iPhone hotspot in 52 seconds while four Radeon HD 7970s yielded an average of just 24 seconds. GPUs are favored amongst crackers for their ability to perform massively parallell computations.<br /><br /> Of course, Apple doesn't have a monopoly on devices with easily cracked hotspot passwords. Windows Phone and some Android handsets don't fare much better.<br /><br />Windows Phone, for example, auto-generates hotspot passwords consisting of eight numbers. This means you already know what the password could be, making Windows Phone susceptible to brute force attacks. More research may reveal an additional weakness though, which could narrow that selection of 10^8 possibilities down to something even more tractable.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Android's default password generator conjures sufficiently strong passwords, but some vendors have taken the liberty of greatly reducing its effectiveness. "Android-based models of the smartphone and tablet manufacturer HTC are even shipped with constant default passwords consisting of a static string (1234567890)" researchers noted.

Security Researchers crack iOS-generated hotspot passwords in 24 seconds

 If you're an iPhone or iPad owner who uses hotspot mode but never bothered to change the seemingly-random password suggested by iOS, no...

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ArtRage review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQbjiHwyf__xlYaD-7BUhLyJd9Uf1feInJh3jK9o1WOwzJ70M-25VlGD-WVKdA4CCQlD20xCPVQaCXqyI6K1aKbZcc5gkI4yu5RZC6Mtu_cGalZOMhMH3dwKZaZt5ioLiWdpbXRv48M8/s1600/Art_Rage_thumb.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQbjiHwyf__xlYaD-7BUhLyJd9Uf1feInJh3jK9o1WOwzJ70M-25VlGD-WVKdA4CCQlD20xCPVQaCXqyI6K1aKbZcc5gkI4yu5RZC6Mtu_cGalZOMhMH3dwKZaZt5ioLiWdpbXRv48M8/s1600/Art_Rage_thumb.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Painting is fun. Unfortunately, software for painting often gets a bad rep: I don't mean image-editing (Photoshop), but actual painting (Microsoft Paint). But Microsoft Paint is at the very bottom of the painting totem pole, often associated squiggly-looking Rage Guy memes. More modern tools like SpeedyPainter and Corel Painter Lite show that creating beautiful, natural-looking art using a computer is possible, and doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. ArtRage joins these accessible tools with its own touch-friendly interface and an attractive £25 price tag.<br /><br />ArtRage's interface is simple to pick up, with most functions in easy reach. I tested it with a simple stylus and one of the new breed of touchscreen-enabled laptops, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13. Radial toolbars at the bottom two corners of the screen let me quickly switch tools and adjust colors without fiddling with menus. Other tools show up as floating panels, which are easy to drag and resize using large, comfortable grippers, and automatically wink out of existence as you paint near them. You can pan, zoom, and rotate the canvas with two fingers, making for a very natural workflow. While most of the interface is touch-friendly, it's not all quite there yet: Adjusting layer opacity still requires the keyboard, for example.<br /><br /><b>ArtRage: friendly interface, simple tools</b><br />Once you get used to the friendly interface and simple tools, it's time to start playing around with some of the more creative features. Symmetry makes it possible to create interesting, kaleidoscope-like drawings, while stencils and rulers let you constrict your work in interesting ways, for a more accurate, geometric look. Stencils and rulers are made to look like physical objects lying on top of your canvas: You can drag them around and resize them, but they look like pieces of plastic or metal. ArtRage supports layers, too, and you can blur individual layers, adjust their blend modes, change their textures, and more.<br /><br />When zooming in for detail work, it often helps to keep the big picture in mind. When watching videos made with SpeedyPainter, I noticed just how often artists would zoom in and out, again and again, to get a sense of how the work is progressing. ArtRage helps avoid this by offering a feature called Views. A View works like a little Polaroid snap of your painting that lies on top of your canvas while you zoom in to work on the details. Just like a physical Polaroid, you can drag the View around and rotate it. Unlike its real-world counterpart, you can also change a View's size, and zoom in or out on its contents. The same concept is used to show pieces of scrap canvas or other files for referenc.

Reviews ArtRage review

Painting is fun. Unfortunately, software for painting often gets a bad rep: I don't mean image-editing (Photoshop), but actual painting ...

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Samsung Ativ Q hands-on review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpEn3X3tdDhZJ-vlLzKedYh8IgJmtz-qsDchPI7CXff4fZQbjD0if8FBDwb5cmU70LucMgHFRk_oW4dfyVzbyMtd2tifv9ZKgT5j3axk4gC25uSVeDwAdyzfo1fur0PmT7G383JsQKI4/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_laptop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpEn3X3tdDhZJ-vlLzKedYh8IgJmtz-qsDchPI7CXff4fZQbjD0if8FBDwb5cmU70LucMgHFRk_oW4dfyVzbyMtd2tifv9ZKgT5j3axk4gC25uSVeDwAdyzfo1fur0PmT7G383JsQKI4/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_laptop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />One of Samsung's new Ativ devices is the Ativ Q, a hybrid tablet and laptop running both Windows 8 and Android.<br /><br />The convertible PC can flip, fold and transform into different modes like Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga. Samsung calls them 'tablet', 'typing', 'stand' and 'floating'. The first two are self-explanatory while the others mean you can have the screen flipped right over to face the other way or at various different angles between this and being docked with the keyboard.<br /><br />There's not enough room for a trackpad but a touchscreen pretty much negates the need for this anyway.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRcpEBlzaWeQc6_jg318ZZtz3b9-7v0DuJ80OEg4enB5NQjY89bjOgnNMxeR6BYxTWtc6v1D2KkAb8S-rtMona-nAHqzOv7B_aPwIBclIAA7GCHTYLnZO4_lmSpxUmoxWrRz1kirCaRw/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_keyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRcpEBlzaWeQc6_jg318ZZtz3b9-7v0DuJ80OEg4enB5NQjY89bjOgnNMxeR6BYxTWtc6v1D2KkAb8S-rtMona-nAHqzOv7B_aPwIBclIAA7GCHTYLnZO4_lmSpxUmoxWrRz1kirCaRw/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_keyboard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The Ativ Q is reasonably thin at 13.6mm but is a lot heavier than a typical tablet at 1.29kg – usual for a hybrid, though. You can pick it up but you wouldn't want to hold it one handed for long.<br /><br />Specs are pretty impressive with an Intel fourth-generation Haswell Core i5 processor (placed inside the hinge) and a dazzling 13.3in screen with a huge 3200x1800 resolution – that’s a pixel density of 275ppi.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghatjOLaruNwzfvem3JUsnaQLWk7PvvuC8PUTlyPiFa63JoMpf3FPXWzjqSZixfdarKUCH7rK-Ozp1ScW4RRE4EdpjsdCra5pmVYnk4OGLXR2kT8wzdXOsyherSR0X-FGiDr1_Y6_Fjk/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_stand_mode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghatjOLaruNwzfvem3JUsnaQLWk7PvvuC8PUTlyPiFa63JoMpf3FPXWzjqSZixfdarKUCH7rK-Ozp1ScW4RRE4EdpjsdCra5pmVYnk4OGLXR2kT8wzdXOsyherSR0X-FGiDr1_Y6_Fjk/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_stand_mode.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Furthermore, the Ativ Q comes with Samsung's S Pen stylus with 1024 levels of sensitivity and SideSync software which means you can use a smartphone or tablet as a second screen or have it mirrored on the larger display.<br /><br />The Ativ Q really comes into its own because of its dual-OS setup – Windows 8 and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean come pre-loaded. You can switch quickly and easily between the two with appropriate buttons and even share files such as the photo gallery.<br /><br />Strangely Samsung has gone for stock Android as opposed to its regular TouchWiz interface. We asked why this was but were given no particular reason other than to keep it somewhat separate from the firm's Galaxy devices.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7vGvDImdxzslvNGSgm0oyETcCWbdp512rJULe2bm1yI9T8MuRYiVvjc9OxcZUqBsLELItaEs0GuZEux9C23sdwlyC9XDxo_ImmViQ_kLnMTBRb1yeEWgPW1U7I10pcgzH2DxfRAfUjg/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_Windows_8_and_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7vGvDImdxzslvNGSgm0oyETcCWbdp512rJULe2bm1yI9T8MuRYiVvjc9OxcZUqBsLELItaEs0GuZEux9C23sdwlyC9XDxo_ImmViQ_kLnMTBRb1yeEWgPW1U7I10pcgzH2DxfRAfUjg/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Q_Windows_8_and_Android.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />This is a real benefit as you can use Windows 8 in laptop mode to get all your work done which requires full-blown software then switch to Android and use all the apps and games you love on your phone. With Windows 8 Snap View you can even use Windows 8 side-by-side with Android.

Reviews Samsung Ativ Q hands-on review

One of Samsung's new Ativ devices is the Ativ Q, a hybrid tablet and laptop running both Windows 8 and Android. The convertible PC can f...

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Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 Lite hands-on review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZvjyS8LSxhubVz1ZQYvCpWnvE7YI84HHThsilTBy_uxvHzO1tYM8aVDKiDejyE92cnc3Qbb9OVOyD-CFaubXsjeZY3lAr2fUCvaZo44t5fgTdjqQPWlYgT_yMYun2smicUV70N0SN8Y/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Plus_screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZvjyS8LSxhubVz1ZQYvCpWnvE7YI84HHThsilTBy_uxvHzO1tYM8aVDKiDejyE92cnc3Qbb9OVOyD-CFaubXsjeZY3lAr2fUCvaZo44t5fgTdjqQPWlYgT_yMYun2smicUV70N0SN8Y/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Plus_screen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 Lite are the new generation of Samsung's Series 9 laptop. Read our Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 Lite hands-on review to find out more.<br /><br />Samsung's Series 9 laptop has always been one of our favourite MacBook Air rivals so we were keen to get our mits on the Ativ Book 9 Plus.<br /><br />Design-wise, the device looks very similar with a thin aluminium uni-body. It's a 13.3in laptop measuring in at 13.6mm and 1.39kg. Like the Ativ Q, that touchscreen has a QHD+ resolution of 3200x1800 meaning a high pixel density of 275ppi. If you should want to, it folds completely flat but also locks at around 105 degrees so you don't push the screen back when using touch input.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D8pXXhRSmNs5cv7w_8t7UsIvgxnIk062JFlk-IVM1Sphil1iBmMiHtZ-Xd39fUG1ijpe1renpfzjN7_1yGXJ8nNpHThSeLTwUa92H9ZrqR0KZtIwwomtUXsBAFB0XsU-mb_uxZYtNP0/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Plus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D8pXXhRSmNs5cv7w_8t7UsIvgxnIk062JFlk-IVM1Sphil1iBmMiHtZ-Xd39fUG1ijpe1renpfzjN7_1yGXJ8nNpHThSeLTwUa92H9ZrqR0KZtIwwomtUXsBAFB0XsU-mb_uxZYtNP0/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Plus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />We have yet to benchmark the Ativ Book 9 Plus, of course, but it comes with an Intel Haswell (4th-gen) processor and built-in HD 4400 graphics. This is backed up by up to 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Samsung says it can boot up from cold in under six seconds.<br /><br />Matching the latest MacBook Air model, Samsung touts a battery life of up to 12 hours. We look forward to testing this out in the lab.<br /><br />As the name suggests, the Ativ Book 9 Lite is a lighter version of the Plus – but not in actual weight as its 16.9mm and 1.44kg.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkKpnhtH77WIWDuAi2JCIckK-6s2EqCkS3Qmth1WdVREeqQjdfcVQLMKUmUVxB8x_jKjhmBZDmthCKiAY5vp2WbDY9cr6UCgGsQAu-hwwy9LW_BkkjDjfTPm1fIgy3mI5mGDx5ZM_Anc/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Lite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkKpnhtH77WIWDuAi2JCIckK-6s2EqCkS3Qmth1WdVREeqQjdfcVQLMKUmUVxB8x_jKjhmBZDmthCKiAY5vp2WbDY9cr6UCgGsQAu-hwwy9LW_BkkjDjfTPm1fIgy3mI5mGDx5ZM_Anc/s1600/Samsung_Ativ_Book_9_Lite.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />It is lighter in terms of specs, though. The screen has a much lower resolution, a regular 1366 x 768 but it's still a touchscreen. It has a 'specially made' quad-core processor with a clock speed of 1.4GHz and 4GB of RAM. It has the same 256GB SSD, though.<br /><br />It too runs Windows 8 but Samsung said its battery life will reach 8.5 hours compared to 12.  <br /><br />There are a couple of connectivity differences too; both have Micro HDMI, mini VGA and USB 3.0 but the Plus model comes with an SD card slot and a security lock slot.

Reviews Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 Lite hands-on review

The Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 Lite are the new generation of Samsung's Series 9 laptop. Read our Ativ Book 9 Plus and Book 9 L...

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WD My Net Wifi Range Extender review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK01_tp4rEwYug8Ij8VNG0Sf4uYSxKF8YduiKM_em11blAcTV0GlGiz8T-J7CuWcn5PMyobJy4eQJqCYJ2MfK-P1NcpiLHTabL7IzeOA-L7ng6UHesuw9iu2vB4ZrgxzHkPK-QmpV_Fvs/s1600/WD_My_Net_Wifi_Range_Extender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK01_tp4rEwYug8Ij8VNG0Sf4uYSxKF8YduiKM_em11blAcTV0GlGiz8T-J7CuWcn5PMyobJy4eQJqCYJ2MfK-P1NcpiLHTabL7IzeOA-L7ng6UHesuw9iu2vB4ZrgxzHkPK-QmpV_Fvs/s1600/WD_My_Net_Wifi_Range_Extender.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />WD is relatively new to the networking market but looks determined to make a splash. That's evident from its wireless range extender, which is designed to extend both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks. Most interesting of all to anyone that values real performance, it uses a 3x3 MIMO antenna setup. All other rivals we've seen take the simpler and cheaper 2x2 antenna route for their extenders. This potentially allows better real-world performance from wireless technology that is notoriously unpredictable in quality.<br /><br />Build quality in the hand does feel a little less solid compared to units made by Linksys and Netgear, however once on the shelf or wall this is of less concern. The unit offers a single ethernet port, gigabit-spec, to connect peripherals such as a networked printer or NAS drive, but offers no USB ports.<br /><br />When we selected our wireless network from the list of those available the setup countdown simply hung. Each time we attempted to set up the extender (trying various routers) the countdown did not finish with a confirmation that everything was complete; a countdown clock terminated part way through the process.<br /><br />More worrying, the WD range extender could not even detect the 5 GHz network on our test router (an Apple Time Capsule). We finally managed to test this extender using a WD My Net N900 as router. This time the 5 GHz band network was detected and a connection was made.<br /><br /><b>Performance</b><br />To test the speed of this range extender we placed it on the stairwell 5 metres away from our router. The tests were then carried out using a laptop on floor 1, 2 and 3.<br /><br />Without the range extender connected the results were as follows ( 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz ): 56 / 60 Mb/s on floor 1, 20 / 0 Mb/s on floor 2 and 0 / 0 Mb/s on floor 3. As you can see the 5 GHz signal dropped out first on floor 2 followed by the 2.4 GHz on floor 3.<br /><br />With the WD range extender turned on the results were as follows: 63 / 62 Mb/s on floor 1, 38 / 46 Mb/s on floor 2, and 16 / 18 Mb/s on floor 3.<br /><br />It is also notable that the 5 GHz band gave increased data rate than the 2.4 GHz rate on more distant floors 2 and 3. This may be due to there being high levels of 2.4 GHz interference on those floors, from neighbouring networks, while the relatively clean 5 GHz band was unimpeded.

Reviews WD My Net Wifi Range Extender review

WD is relatively new to the networking market but looks determined to make a splash. That's evident from its wireless range extender, wh...

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QNAP TS-1079 Pro review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXd-_6y4ZtqgGDdywOdfsnkTlAbg66uFA9V0hprBArGmM1AC3iqH9271O7AOB1XyX20imubkwFApeIO3b7fEWC3nix6x-kMKi6QkhocO3vAzKpJpE-2aQcW2s-O5gaeYfU9mlvIqKKNZs/s1600/Qnap_TS-1079_Pro_small_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXd-_6y4ZtqgGDdywOdfsnkTlAbg66uFA9V0hprBArGmM1AC3iqH9271O7AOB1XyX20imubkwFApeIO3b7fEWC3nix6x-kMKi6QkhocO3vAzKpJpE-2aQcW2s-O5gaeYfU9mlvIqKKNZs/s1600/Qnap_TS-1079_Pro_small_thumb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Network attached storage (NAS) is the lynchpin of business, a single place to keep and maintain many users' data and other miscellaneous resources. We tend to see multi-bay NAS units up to six- or eight-bay as standalone desktop storage units, while eight-bay and larger tend to be rack-mount units for server room installation.<br /><br />The QNAP TS-1079 Pro is unusual, a large freestanding unit featuring 10 bays, supporting up to 10 3.5in SATA hard disks. Pre-drilled holes also allows 2.5in disks or SSDs to be fitted with ease too<br /><br />It's modelled closely on the company's eight-bay TS-879 Pro, here with eight disks mounted on their side, and a further two positioned horizontally below. This actually allows the exact same size chassis as the TS-879 Pro.<br /><br />Powering this NAS is a very powerful processor, in NAS terms – an Intel Core i3 dual-core chip running at 3.3 GHz. This Sandy Bridge-generation processor is supported with a generous 2 GB of memory. That's a combination that ought to take even high bandwidth, multi-user threads in its stride with ease.<br /><br />We didn't have an expansion card or supporting hardware to test the 10 GbE option, but in normal use the TS-1070 proved itself a very powerful unit. Ten suitable disks weren't available but we saw all the performance we'd hoped for from four 3 TB WD Red disks, set up as a RAID 5 array.<br /><br /><b>QNAP TS-1079: benchmarks</b><br />Synthetic benchmark tests provided some suspiciously slow results though, considering the unit's specification. Over AFP the QuickBench test returned decent sequential read speeds of around 111 MB/s but low writes only up to around 60 or 70 MB/s – figures we'd expect of a midrange semi-pro ARM NAS unit.<br /><br />And in Windows using SMB networking, the roles were strangely reversed, scoring up 111 MB/s sequential writes but just 70 MB/s reads. Some real-world transfer tests settled the argument. Trying large .iso files in both directions to a connected MacBook (AFP), the QNAP averaged 115 MB/s in write speeds, and a resounding 123 MB/s when reading the same files, constrained here just within the 125 MB/s theoretical maximum for gigabit networking.<br /><br />As with most QNAP NAS drives, the TS-1079 packs many, many features beyond simple file serving over the usual SMB, AFP and NFS network protocols.<br /><br />And external disk support is first-class,with two each USB 3.0 and eSATA for speedy connections. And unlike Synology, for instance, QNAP supports more than just EXT formatting, extending usefully to HFS+ too.<br /><br />Power consumption was higher than a typical SMB-level NAS drive, as you would expect for a high-power unit based on a desktop-class Intel x86 processor. But 39W when sat idle is not too excessive, while under load with four WD Red disks spinning it drew 59W of mains power.<br />

Reviews QNAP TS-1079 Pro review

Network attached storage (NAS) is the lynchpin of business, a single place to keep and maintain many users' data and other miscellaneous...

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Samsung Phone Below 27000rs / 450$ | Samsung Galaxy Note II

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Dash, AT&T and Verizon wi-fi editions have LTE 4G along with 3G, while the T-Mobile design has 3G HSPA+ (which T-Mo contacting 4G and is reasonably fast). A very quick New samsung Exynos 1.6GHz quad primary processer abilities the cellphone with 2 jobs of RAM. Other offerings include NFC, double group WiFi, Wireless bluetooth 4.0, a front 1.9MP digital camera and back 8MP digital camera with BSI indicator and quick contacts (same as the outstanding Universe S III camera). The cellphone has 16 jobs of inner storage space and there's a microSD cards slot as well. And yes, the tremendous 3100 mAh Lithium Ion Plastic battery power is removable: go Samsung!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Design and Ergonomics</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this evaluation, we look at the Dash, T-Mobile and Verizon wi-fi editions, though all Observe II versions have similar components (other than mobile receivers and logos) and carrier-added applications. The Observe II is available in white or titanium, and in either situation it's completed in Samsung's dearest incredibly shiny plastic materials. The cellphone is a little bit higher and ever so a little bit smaller than the first gen Observe, so it's no more difficult to hold in one side. That said, this is a very huge cellphone, though not as ungainly as the 4:3 element rate LG Instinct on Verizon wi-fi. It creates the New samsung Universe S III look petite and the iPhone 5 seems like a mini-phone.</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-io9Em6V-hKw/UcMmnnsJ4fI/AAAAAAAABWw/6mhZ5Hzp05o/s1600/galnote2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="samsung galaxy note ii,samsung below 27000rs" border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-io9Em6V-hKw/UcMmnnsJ4fI/AAAAAAAABWw/6mhZ5Hzp05o/s320/galnote2.jpg" title="samsung galaxy note ii" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a slick cellphone, and regardless of shade you get the same ultra-glossy nasty that wants to slide through your fingertips or glide off irregular areas. It's a bit frustrating, and including a situation to enhance hold creates the cellphone even bigger and bulkier. We really like the cellphone, but we'll keep harping on Samsung's shiny completes that yell nasty until they enhance.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The cellphone has two capacitive control buttons for Selection and Returning, and a components key for House (the Verizon wi-fi edition has a undesirable Verizon wi-fi Logo applied on the House button). The small USB slot is on the end, and as per regular for New samsung the power key is on the higher right part while the quantity musician is on the left. The microSD cards slot is under the back cover (no need to eliminate battery power to exchange a card) and the small SIM cards is under there as well.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Big Screen Experience</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Universe Observe II has a 1280 x 720 display (down a bit from the first Note's 1280 x 800 display) but it's bigger at 5.5". You're actually getting the same high quality as the Universe S III and other great end Android operating system mobile phones, but everything on-screen is expanded to complete the bigger display. That means bigger web page written text that's understandable without cruising, and films that are immersive on the huge display. At 264 ppi pixel solidity is decreased from the 306 ppi GS III, but the Extremely AMOLED HD display still looks distinct. New samsung has enhanced the display to an irregular RGB red stripe (bye-bye Pentile Matrix, though this is still not far from Pentile's irregular sub-pixel shade stripe). Though the pixel solidity isn't extremely great, video clips and pictures look charming, even if written text isn't as blade distinct as on greater PPI mobile phones and pills. Those of you who read a lot of guides would probably still choose greater solidity shows to the Observe II's if you have outstanding sight. If you don't and thus benefit bigger written text dimensions, you'll probably like the Observe II better. Color fringing isn't an issue. Shades are very soaked in comparison to IPS shows, but many people enjoy a lot of shade vividness along with the great comparison and strong shades of black of Samsung's Extremely AMOLED HD shows.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Samsung creates use of the hd and S-Pen with customized application, similar to that found on the Observe 10.1 product. There's S-Note for note-taking, complete with system and hand composing identification. And there's a side-by-side app perspective for choose applications like the web web browser, e-mail, S-Note and movie gamer so you can see and use two applications at once. In fact, the screen cunt is flexible so you can have the web web browser complete 2/3 of the screen and S-Note the staying 1/3. It's a amazing use of the big display, though it still creates most sense with 10" pills. As of this composing, the T-Mobile, Dash and Verizon wi-fi designs have the side-by-side app function, and AT&T should offer it as an OTA upgrade soon. Finally, Samsung's fancy sailing movie gamer is on panel, so you can perform video clips clip in a resizable, transparency-adjustable screen on top of any app or the desltop.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hxTyCJjEMfI/UcMmn0lR05I/AAAAAAAABW8/-aTs6o4nAJU/s1600/galaxy-note-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="awesome samsung mobile,samsung galaxy note ii under 450$" border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hxTyCJjEMfI/UcMmn0lR05I/AAAAAAAABW8/-aTs6o4nAJU/s320/galaxy-note-2.jpg" title="awesome samsung galaxy note ii" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since many other Android operating system mobile mobile phones are encroaching on the Observe II's hd act, the application and S-Pen are important items that set the Observe II apart from the competitors. But what if you don't find divided screen perspective attractive or perhaps you don't have a need for the digital pen, there's the 4.8" New samsung Universe S III, 4.7" HTC One X and One X+ and the hd LG Optimus G. Is there a place for the Universe Observe II? For those who really like a hd for bigger written text and for viewing video clips, the response is certainly yes. But for many people, the more wallet and side helpful 4.5" to 4.8" mobile mobile phones operating at the same high quality will do the key for less money and wallet property. The Observe II, compared with the first Observe, is no longer the finest high quality smart phone, and other mobile mobile phones have encroached on the exclusive Note's monitor dimension. Who's the current high quality leader? The HTC Android DNA on Verizon wi-fi with a 5", 1920 x 1080 Extremely LCD3 display.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Call Quality and Data</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As mentioned, the Dash, AT&T and Verizon wi-fi editions have 4G LTE, while the T-Mobile edition (coincidentally the nearest to the worldwide version) has HSPA+, which is officially a very quick taste of 3G, though both T-Mobile and AT&T contact it 4G as well. Why doesn't T-Mobile's Observe II have LTE? Because that service provider currently does not have an LTE system. The LTE editions offered the predicted publish and obtain rates of rate in comparison to other mobile mobile phones on their specific systems. T-Mobile's edition did as well as their other HSPA+ devices, which is quite outstanding in the Facilities place, and sometimes as quick as LTE. Sprint's LTE system is in its beginnings, but we're among the first marketplaces here in Facilities, and we saw obtain rates of rate of 9 Megabyte per second and publish rates of rate of 3 Megabyte per second on regular. AT&T has the quickest information system in our place, and we averaged 19 Megabyte per second down and 6.8 Megabyte per second up. Verizon wi-fi responded to with 12.6 Megabyte per second down and 5.1 Megabyte per second up. All four versions have the mobile hot spot function, so you can use the cellphone as a high-speed wi-fi device for your product or laptop (depending on your information plan). Websites fill very quickly and Search engines Play Store downloading are quick.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Voice high quality on all four versions is very outstanding for both inbound and confident speech. Calls audio clear and our contact individuals and we could easily understand each other. The cellphone performed perfectly with our vehicle's built-in Wireless bluetooth and a wide range of Samsung, New samsung and Jawbone Wireless bluetooth headphones. Given the cell phone's dimension, it's likely you'll want to use a Wireless ear phones.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Horsepower and Performance</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The smart phone operates on Samsung's highly effective 1.6GHz quad primary Exynos CPU with MALI 400 design. It consumes up standards, it fun at 3D assessments. The Observe II obtained 6,001 on Quadrant, which is quicker than older Tegra 3 designs and it only drops a little bit behind Qualcomm's S4 Pro quad primary CPU and more than a little bit behind the more recent Tegra 3 in the HTC One X+. On GLBenchmark 2.5 it surpasses everything except the HTC Android DNA. This Android operating system smart phone won't feel slowly a year into your agreement.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Camera</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Like the Universe S III, the Observe II has an similar 8 mega-pixel digital camera that can capture 1080p movie. We still mentioned some visibility problems in shiny outside photos where the digital camera delivered obscure pictures, but the new HDR function helps significantly with that. Devoted picture handling snacks are the next big thing in great end mobile phones (the HTC One X has one too), and that allows for extremely quick taken times. Again, like the Universe S III, HTC One X and HTC One S, you can capture pictures while at the same time documenting movie but there's no slowly movement option like that of the One X and One X+. There are a lot of results to perform with: visibility, macro method, face identification, grin identification and surroundings. This is a very capable digital camera.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Video high quality is outstanding at 1080p and 30fps: movie is distinct and vibrant with sleek movement and little in the way of blockiness. The ongoing auto-focus sometimes tracks when several topics are in movement at once, but overall it's great things.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Conclusion</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As with the first creation New samsung Universe Observe, if you don't mind a very huge cellphone and your use tends more toward web, e-mail and movie rather than contacting, the New samsung Universe Observe II is a exclusive cross-over cellphone that works both as a small product and a cellphone. It's not very portable, nor is it easy to use with one side, but nothing surpasses the hd encounter when viewing video clips or browsing the web without panning and cruising. Our dream? The Observe II with the screen high company's HTC One X+ and the iPhone 5!</span></div>

Samsung Phone Below 27000rs / 450$ | Samsung Galaxy Note II

The Dash, AT&T and Verizon wi-fi editions have LTE 4G along with 3G, while the T-Mobile design has 3G HSPA+ (which T-Mo contacting 4G an...

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HTC Mobile Below 590$ / 35000rs | HTC Droid DNA

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Performance and Horsepower</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But it doesn't stop there; this 5 ounces cellphone operates on a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU. The "Pro" is important, it indicates that this is the quad primary version of the S4 previously discovered on the rapid LG Optimus G and Nexus 4. The HTC DNA, operating Android operating system 4.1.1 Jam Vegetable with the HTC Sense UI absolutely goes. It seems clearly quicker than other great end Android operating system mobile phones, despite forcing all those extra p. It has 2 jobs of RAM and 16 jobs of storage space. That's a painful point for us: we'd really like to see more than 16 jobs of storage space since there's no microSD cards slot. Of that 16 jobs, our cellphone had 11 jobs available after setting up a few applications (none of which were particularly large).</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The HTC DNA has no trouble experiencing 1080p MPEG4 top great quality movie or experiencing modern innovative 3D activities. Since this isn't a Tegra CPU, you won't get the effects like water insights and splashes in TegraZone activities, but we can stay with that.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More Specifications at a Glance</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The cellphone has a 2020 mAh battery power, double group WiFi, Wireless 4.0, a GPS and NFC that's not suitable with Google Pockets. As you'd expect from HTC, it has Surpasses audio that sneakers in when you connect in headsets and there's a 2.5v audio preamp within. The DNA has 3G EV-DO Rev. A and 4G LTE on Verizon and it's a globe cellphone than can manage GSM/HSPA wandering overseas. The Android operating system DNA has a extensive position front 2.1MP digital camera and an outstanding returning 8MP digital camera with BSI, quick f/2.0 contacts and 28mm extensive position contacts.</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-95s_UOV6fSM/UcMhuQqr3oI/AAAAAAAABWc/UTsfgjfQUpM/s1600/htc-droid-dna-j-butterfly-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="htc phone below 35000rs,htc droid under 590$" border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-95s_UOV6fSM/UcMhuQqr3oI/AAAAAAAABWc/UTsfgjfQUpM/s320/htc-droid-dna-j-butterfly-0.jpg" title="HTC Droid DNA" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Design and Ergonomics</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Android operating system DNA has a enclosed unibody style with a smooth touch grilling dark returning. It’s a beauty and seems great in side, though it does not look quite as exciting as the thermoplastic unibody style of the One X. At 0.38” it’s extremely thin for a big cellphone and we love the metal red lines on the part along with the red returning digital camera contacts band and top energy key. The DNA creates the shiny plastic material Observe II and Universe S III look a little cheap: HTC has always been excellent at top quality materials. Where does the Observe II take ahead? For those of you who enjoy the Wacom digital pen, you will not discover that here. You also will not get the Observe II’s neato side-by-side app view or the capability to play movie in a sailing window on top of any app.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unlike the HTC One X and One X+, the digital camera contacts is cleanse so the cellphone does not move when relaxing on its returning on a table or table. The pierced red steel part pieces might look like amazingly thin presenter grilles, but the presenter is actually situated on the returning near the end where you will discover it on most mobile phones.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The red steel energy key rests on the top advantage, and while it looks very awesome, it’s also difficult to media because it’s nearly cleanse with the covering and has little travel. The same is true of the quantity controls on the higher right part. The 3.5mm audio slot, small SIM cards slot (requires the involved device or a paperclip to open) and two mic gaps stay up top. The small USB slot and another mic opening stay on the base.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Voice and Data</span></h3><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTUIJtZ5Wcw/UcMhuSswUuI/AAAAAAAABWg/7bJBd2xY92o/s1600/141112_htc_droid_dna_t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="htc dna phone,droid htc phone,top htc below 35000rs" border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTUIJtZ5Wcw/UcMhuSswUuI/AAAAAAAABWg/7bJBd2xY92o/s320/141112_htc_droid_dna_t.jpg" title="Beautiful HTC Droid DNA" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Call great quality is outstanding for inbound calling with complete audio and excellent quantity, but we discovered confident quantity to be regular with some periodic digitization of speech. It’s nothing to worry about, but the DNA does not stand out above the audience of strong cell mobile phones on the market for confident speech great quality.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Data rates of speed on Verizon’s LTE 4G system are par for the course, which is to say very excellent, though Verizon paths AT&T for LTE rates of speed at the moment in our area. The HTC Android operating system DNA controls the same rates of speed as the Samsung Android operating system RAZR MAXX HD and Universe S III according to the Speedtest.net app (13Mbps down and 5.7Mbps up).</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a globe cellphone that also works on GSM and HSPA+ systems for you globe tourists. Our evaluation unit actually proved helpful with an AT&T SIM cards (Verizon usually changes off interface with US GSM carriers). This may be because we have a pre-release cellphone, so no guarantees it will work for you. We suppose it’s a pre-release issue because after using an AT&T SIM cards and experiencing HSPA+ information on AT&T’s system, we had to difficult totally reset the cellphone (wipe it out and start fresh) to get it to sign-up on Verizon’s system again.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Display and Sound</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is undoubtedly one of the best mobile shows on the globe. At a mind-boggling 440 ppi, you will not discover anything clearer than this, not even the 264ppi iPad with Retina Show. The complete 1080p means you can watch complete HD films without scaling—on a cellphone. Wow. The merged cup on the Extremely LCD3 display creates pictures look coloured on, much like the HTC One X and iPhone 5. Watching perspectives are very extensive and shades are wealthy and more natural than on Extremely AMOLED shows. The display’s factors have a simple bend (again like the One X and also like the Htc Lumia 920) and it looks awesome. We have not had any problems with dirt getting trapped in the cracks where the cup satisfies the cell phone's body. The display has excellent lighting, but it’s not particularly blessed at battling shiny sunshine (the Htc Lumia 920 and iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 get that honor). Glare and insights are relatively well managed on the shine Gorilla Glass 2 display.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Android operating system DNA has a 2.5v audio pre-amp and Surpasses audio, but that miracle stands out through headsets rather than the returning presenter. That is not to say the presenter is not pretty loud and complete for a cellphone, but it does not increase the bar either. Sound through the ear phones slot is high quality with a reasonable set of headphones: audio is not only insane loud (be awesome to your hearing and avoid max volume), but it’s wealthy and complete. This is not the mindlessly large Surpasses audio of old, but something more healthy and attractive for a extensive range of songs. Yes, fish is still more than adequate, but the quality of trebles and the weak whispers of qualifications paths like a sweep on cymbals instantly become clear and present.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Camera</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HTC places outstanding digital cameras into their great end cell mobile phones, and their Android operating system digital camera app is high quality for providing variety capturing options, such as HDR and the capability to catch images while at the same time capturing movie. The returning digital camera can capture 1080p movie at 30fps, though in low mild the structure rate may fall. The returning digital camera has a BSI indicator and a quick f/2.0 contacts to further improve low mild digital photography. Indeed, the 8 mega-pixel digital camera with LED display can take some highly effective night images of road moments and irritable cafes, though we mentioned more disturbance than with the extremely amazing Lumia 920. That said, the DNA’s night sky shades of black look dark rather than loud greyish, and that creates for a very stunning night catch.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Battery Life</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As with other latest HTC unibody mobile phones, battery power is enclosed within, so you cannot exchange in a extra as needed on the road. As a comfort, the 2020 mAh Lithium Ion Plastic battery power has excellent endurance despite the big great res display and 4G LTE. Chalk that up to outstanding energy management and the Qualcomm S4 Professionals energy frugalness. Like most highly effective, big screen cell mobile phones, you will likely have to charge the cellphone every night with regular use (some contacting, web, force email, songs and 30 minutes of movie playback), but we regularly ran the cellphone from 8am to 10pm without operating out of energy.</span><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Conclusion</span></h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After two weeks using the HTC Android operating system DNA, I can securely say it’s one of my top smart phone choices for 2012 and early 2013. This is not only a quick cellphone with the newest quad primary Qualcomm S4 CPU, but it has a class-leading 1080p display that’s a food for the eyes. At 5”, you might think this is an large cellphone, but it’s much more hand-friendly than the New samsung Universe Observe II, and not that much larger than 4.7 and 4.8” Android operating system cell mobile phones like the HTC One X+ and New samsung Universe SIII. The style is stylish, the construction is outstanding and it’s a satisfaction to hold and use. As long as you can stay with the 16 jobs of storage space, I suggest the DNA.</span></div>

HTC Mobile Below 590$ / 35000rs | HTC Droid DNA

Performance and Horsepower But it doesn't stop there; this 5 ounces cellphone operates on a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU. The &...

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Microsoft liberates 2 million PCs from malicious Citadel botnets

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsKO-VjCUQ61vnM0e1HKP8qxXN0JRJkM9H2BBj4yzFvJMNRWbfckTobutC5ITV3HGSwCL3W_G6Z7Fu6uqLPoJbSM7R5GHNblP-I53Zm2REqvJ1xb2ThG1OicUrXUxoa4zlGyOXu20BAk/s1600/2014-06-19-image-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsKO-VjCUQ61vnM0e1HKP8qxXN0JRJkM9H2BBj4yzFvJMNRWbfckTobutC5ITV3HGSwCL3W_G6Z7Fu6uqLPoJbSM7R5GHNblP-I53Zm2REqvJ1xb2ThG1OicUrXUxoa4zlGyOXu20BAk/s1600/2014-06-19-image-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /> Earlier this month, we were made aware that Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit successfully brought down over 1,000 of the estimated 1,400 malicious computer networks, commonly referred to as the Citadel botnets. However, a statement made by Richard Domingues Boscovich, the assistant general counsel of Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, casts a new light on just how many machines have been freed by their efforts. He said, "We definitely have liberated at least 2 million PCs globally. That is a conservative estimate."<br /><br />The Citadel botnets, which are run by a ringleader known only by the alias Aquabox, have been used to steal upwards of $500 million from major financial institutions. Some of their victims include American Express, Citigroup, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Canada, Wells Fargo, and PayPal.<br /><br />According to Reuters, computers that have been infected with the software can collect valuable financial information by tracking and saving the user’s keystrokes. Due to the program’s ability to disable pre-existing antivirus software, the PC owner is left essentially defenseless.<br /><br />Unfortunately, not everything related to the case has been resolved. Aquabox and several other Citadel operators have yet to be tracked down. Many analysts suspect that the culprits are residing in Eastern Europe, most likely in either Russia or Ukraine. The big clue is that the Citadel software is nowhere to be found in these two countries; a possible indication that the crime ring doesn’t want to attract any local attention. Although this is only a small tidbit of information, it is the first step in determining the true identities of the criminals.

Security Microsoft liberates 2 million PCs from malicious Citadel botnets

 Earlier this month, we were made aware that Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit successfully brought down over 1,000 of the estimated 1,400 mal...

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Pirate Bay co-founder can be extradited to Denmark to face hacking charges

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6WBXpYOoBoij59VnqsDn-x7kJmJbjchyytGbu-XOpjXAkKDMCb8aAYClvBouna8nAKnkBjZqSSvrC9Npygh4PdXyPWOmNkwJPX3Lv0O7UVuoe3TrJgCJjFdYNGM0lRAlWNiXossUflA/s1600/2014-06-18-image-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6WBXpYOoBoij59VnqsDn-x7kJmJbjchyytGbu-XOpjXAkKDMCb8aAYClvBouna8nAKnkBjZqSSvrC9Npygh4PdXyPWOmNkwJPX3Lv0O7UVuoe3TrJgCJjFdYNGM0lRAlWNiXossUflA/s1600/2014-06-18-image-15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /> A Swedish district court has ruled that Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg can be extradited to Denmark to face charges that he was involved in one of the country’s largest hacking attacks. What’s more, Warg must remain in custody until he can be transferred and will have restrictions placed on who he can have contact with.<br /><br />In an e-mail to ComputerSweden magazine, district magistrate Jonas Alberg said the transfer must take place no later than five days after the ruling goes into effect. Whether or not the transfer will take place and when it will happen isn’t up to the district court. Instead, the state prosecutor must determine that in cooperation with Dutch authorities.<br /><br />Warg and another unnamed Danish co-defendant were accused last month of hacking into the country’s social security database, driver’s license database, a shared IT system in the Schengen zone as well as accessing e-mail accounts and passwords of 10,000 tax officials and police officers. We’re hearing that the data was all managed by IT contractor CSC.<br /><br />Theft of social security numbers could prove most problematic as Danish social security numbers also include an individual’s birthday as part of the string of numbers. This makes them difficult to reissue and potentially more valuable with regards to identity theft. There are already reports of similar data being sold on the black market although it is unrelated to this case.

Security Pirate Bay co-founder can be extradited to Denmark to face hacking charges

 A Swedish district court has ruled that Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg can be extradited to Denmark to face charges that he ...

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Microsoft backtracks: Drops daily check-ins, used games restrictions on Xbox One

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZTgxhbJbaGwsWvndtY8E_DNvtsK3jX2iwVztGNoT2qukRrbUtLOtGfNvn23pGzltTQB167x7RpoQS788WDdgNda-aIpUw-Jnt4hM7I6ddeQoV36cZutonHDLHdQ_HDlMgqlwhaf7nE0/s1600/2014-06-19-image-16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZTgxhbJbaGwsWvndtY8E_DNvtsK3jX2iwVztGNoT2qukRrbUtLOtGfNvn23pGzltTQB167x7RpoQS788WDdgNda-aIpUw-Jnt4hM7I6ddeQoV36cZutonHDLHdQ_HDlMgqlwhaf7nE0/s1600/2014-06-19-image-16.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />It appears that all the negative feedback directed at the Xbox One has forced Microsoft to reconsider its stance on several of the console’s requirements. In an updated Q&A page, the company just revealed that their next generation console will no longer need to check in with the company’s servers at least once every 24 hours in order to let you play games, and that there will be no limitations to using and sharing discs.<br /><br />The move comes amidst heavy criticism following E3, where Sony took a few jabs at Microsoft and essentially won the gaming crowd over by announcing all the things that the PlayStation 4 wouldn’t do.<br /><br />Microsoft says an online connection will be required during setup, but once that’s done you’ll be able to play games offline and take your Xbox One anywhere. Likewise, sharing will work as it does today on Xbox 360 -- that is, gamers will be able to trade or gift physical copies of games without paying any additional fees.<br /><br />Regional restrictions have been dropped too, and games downloaded from Xbox Live will be playable offline.<br /><br />Microsoft warns that some of these changes will impact some of the scenarios previously announced for Xbox One. For one thing, downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold, and though it’s unclear if games are still installed on the hard drive, playing disc based games will now require that the disc be in the tray.

Microsoft Microsoft backtracks: Drops daily check-ins, used games restrictions on Xbox One

It appears that all the negative feedback directed at the Xbox One has forced Microsoft to reconsider its stance on several of the console’s...

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Microsoft Surface RT drops to $199... for schools and colleges

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr-baeyFpfC1aQ7cFJ6c6oOaM9whjRCwmojt-_PTLmd6RsN36k3hmmuYt4qCuL1z7B6ubS2MNJT4on7IxoXBJ4qnDfmpiDcooygXV_BwmMdgexxLUflL9h2DDoV6QiCvYWMcg10e_V_c/s1600/2012-06-18-image-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr-baeyFpfC1aQ7cFJ6c6oOaM9whjRCwmojt-_PTLmd6RsN36k3hmmuYt4qCuL1z7B6ubS2MNJT4on7IxoXBJ4qnDfmpiDcooygXV_BwmMdgexxLUflL9h2DDoV6QiCvYWMcg10e_V_c/s1600/2012-06-18-image-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /> Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet hasn’t exactly been a smashing retail hit but the tablet is about to get a much needed shot in the arm thanks to a limited-time offer for schools and colleges. Under the program, which will run between June 24 and August 31, the ARM-based slate will be available starting at $199 (or $249 with a touch keyboard cover) to K12 and higher education institutions in a number of countries.<br /><br />That’s a significant reduction from the normal starting price of $499 for the base 32GB model -- or $599 with the touch keyboard cover. Microsoft also provides the option to get the type cover instead for $289 (ERP $629).<br /><br /> The offer is available directly from Microsoft in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China (via Digital China), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.<br /><br />Microsoft isn’t specifying an order minimum or limit for institutions but is recommending that they get their orders early “while supplies last.” The move comes less than a month since Microsoft announced it would be giving away 10,000 Surface RT units to teachers attending a recent education convention in San Antonio.

Microsoft Microsoft Surface RT drops to $199... for schools and colleges

 Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet hasn’t exactly been a smashing retail hit but the tablet is about to get a much needed shot in the arm thanks...

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Microsoft liberates 2 million PCs from malicious Citadel botnets

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_EuULdwHKWp_vN_AD3aw_-2GIiQMuUzMcCpXs-4bLlo8CFvLnlD_vCg3UBQ3u5_b1vqCxvy7f5ixcZ5QQgfaFfq8GI3EJF1Zbe_oDAO2QhTJYLdcxz1pZbE5NnJHaM5-oHZmNpa5o74/s1600/2014-06-19-image-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_EuULdwHKWp_vN_AD3aw_-2GIiQMuUzMcCpXs-4bLlo8CFvLnlD_vCg3UBQ3u5_b1vqCxvy7f5ixcZ5QQgfaFfq8GI3EJF1Zbe_oDAO2QhTJYLdcxz1pZbE5NnJHaM5-oHZmNpa5o74/s1600/2014-06-19-image-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /> Earlier this month, we were made aware that Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit successfully brought down over 1,000 of the estimated 1,400 malicious computer networks, commonly referred to as the Citadel botnets. However, a statement made by Richard Domingues Boscovich, the assistant general counsel of Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, casts a new light on just how many machines have been freed by their efforts. He said, "We definitely have liberated at least 2 million PCs globally. That is a conservative estimate."<br /><br />The Citadel botnets, which are run by a ringleader known only by the alias Aquabox, have been used to steal upwards of $500 million from major financial institutions. Some of their victims include American Express, Citigroup, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Canada, Wells Fargo, and PayPal.<br /><br />According to Reuters, computers that have been infected with the software can collect valuable financial information by tracking and saving the user’s keystrokes. Due to the program’s ability to disable pre-existing antivirus software, the PC owner is left essentially defenseless.<br /><br />It is currently unknown how many of the infected machines are still at large, but Boscovich believes that Microsoft's eradication program has surpassed any and all expectations. “We feel confident that we really got most of the ones that we are after,” he explained. “It was a very, very successful disruptive action.”<br /><br />Unfortunately, not everything related to the case has been resolved. Aquabox and several other Citadel operators have yet to be tracked down. Many analysts suspect that the culprits are residing in Eastern Europe, most likely in either Russia or Ukraine. The big clue is that the Citadel software is nowhere to be found in these two countries; a possible indication that the crime ring doesn’t want to attract any local attention. Although this is only a small tidbit of information, it is the first step in determining the true identities of the criminals.

Microsoft Microsoft liberates 2 million PCs from malicious Citadel botnets

 Earlier this month, we were made aware that Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit successfully brought down over 1,000 of the estimated 1,400 mal...

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