Archive for: July 2009

With security researchers focused on the Black Hat security conference, a Trojan called Clampi is still making its way across the Web looking for victims. Also known as Ligats, Ilomo or Rscan, Clampi is a Trojan that aims to steal credentials from infected systems. According to SecureWorks, hundreds of thousands of Windows computers may already be infected and many more are at risk. In one recent example, an auto-parts store lost about $75,000 to a group of attackers leveraging the power of Clamp in early July. Although Clampi is not a new threat — it has been harassing Windows users since 2007 — security researchers report it is gaining momentum. Joe Stewart, SecureWorks director of malware research for the counter threat unit, launched an in-depth investigation into the Trojan and its use of the psexec tools to spread earlier this year. What he discovered is troubling. “In recent months, Clampi has successfully spread across Microsoft networks in a worm-like fashion,” Stewart said. How Clampi Attacks Stewart has identified 1,400 of the 4,500 Web sites in 70 different countries Clampi attackers are targeting. The Clampi Trojan, he reported, requests information specifically from these sites via infected computers. A sophisticated organized-crime group from Eastern Europe is running Clampi and has been implicated in numerous high-dollar thefts from banking institutions. “Clampi’s recent success in infecting victims is accomplished by using domain-administrator credentials — either stolen by the Trojan or reused, or by virtue of the fact that a domain administrator has logged into an already infected system. Once domain-administrator privileges are granted, the Trojan uses the SysInternals tool psexec to copy itself to all computers on the domain,” Stewart said. “Clampi also serves as a proxy server used by criminals to anonymize their activity when logging into stolen accounts.” Although most major antivirus ...

Teens everywhere are dying from car accidents due to texting! Just kidding. Car + phone technologies have always been fascinating. Ever since the “car phone” ( yeah this one ) evolved into the BLuetooth speaker thingee you hang over your visor to receive calls, a company has now done the next big step . “Although playback of text messages using text-to-speech applications is available in certain vehicle models, outbound texting to date has been limited only to pre-scripted messages,” said Dr. Tom Schalk, ATX vice president of voice technology. “This service is unique in the market because it allows drivers to create and send completely customized text messages exclusively by voice, while on the go.” With voice activated commands as common (and perfected!) in several phones, why not apply this technology to cars themselves. You can pair your car with your phone to send SMS. The whole process is voice activated and you won’t even need to look down onto your mobile. No more present messages. The platform is seamless and liquid. Once again, the road is safe, thanks to ATX! [original image c/o Wikipedia ] Post from: Cellphone9

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So cars can now text while YOU drive. Neat.

Teens everywhere are dying from car accidents due to texting! Just kidding. Car + phone technologies have always been fascinating. Ever since the “car phone” ( yeah this one ) evolved into the BLuetooth speaker thingee you hang over your visor to receive calls, a company has now done the next big step . “Although playback of text messages using text-to-speech applications is available in certain vehicle models, outbound texting to date has been limited only to pre-scripted messages,” said Dr. Tom Schalk, ATX vice president of voice technology. “This service is unique in the market because it allows drivers to create and send completely customized text messages exclusively by voice, while on the go.” With voice activated commands as common (and perfected!) in several phones, why not apply this technology to cars themselves. You can pair your car with your phone to send SMS. The whole process is voice activated and you won’t even need to look down onto your mobile. No more present messages. The platform is seamless and liquid. Once again, the road is safe, thanks to ATX! [original image c/o Wikipedia ] Post from: Cellphone9

See the original post here:
So cars can now text while YOU drive. Neat.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and other company executives said Thursday they are excited about Windows 7, cloud computing, and other directions — even as they tried to address the revenue loss reported for the company’s fiscal year that ended June 30. Ballmer acknowledged that the company, long the dominant force in consumer and business software, is getting “competition from a lot of different places.” Among operating systems, he mentioned Linux, Apple, Android and Google’s Chrome OS, although he noted that he doesn’t know “what Chrome OS is yet.” Windows 7 Is ‘Job One’ Even as he admitted competition from other operating systems, Ballmer expressed confidence in the upcoming Windows 7 release, adding that it is “absolutely job one” at Microsoft. He did not make specific projections, however. Speaking to a meeting of financial analysts in the company’s headquarters and noting a number of Macs among them, Ballmer said Apple gained some market share at the beginning of the company’s fiscal year and Windows regained some by year’s end. But he dismissed the amount of business that Apple has taken away from Microsoft as being the equivalent of “a rounding error.” He also defended this week’s 10-year deal with Yahoo where Microsoft’s Bing search engine and its adCenter platform will be used for Yahoo’s search-based advertising business. As part of the deal, Yahoo’s sales force will handle higher-level customers for both companies. A Senate committee has announced plans to investigate the deal. In addition to Windows 7 and search, Microsoft is heading in new directions this year. It is opening new retail stores in California and Arizona, pushing deeper into cloud computing, and launching updates of its Windows Server and Office products, among other things. Ballmer noted that one area — mobile — had “a tough year,” and added that the ...

Cincinnati, OH, July 30, 2009 — Vertical Solutions, Inc. (VSI), an award-winning developer of Contact Center and Service Management Solutions, announces that it has released a new module for its PowerHelp software to streamline the way companies access, track, and manage service revenues. The new Contract Revenue Recognition Module is designed for contact center and field service management teams that do not use, or need to bypass in-house ERP or other enterprise financial management systems for information relating to service contracts. The module integrates directly with other PowerHelp modules, including those that help companies streamline field service management, contact center management, contract management, and warranty management. Vertical Solutions’ new Contract Revenue Recognition Module offers a number of configurable features that enable companies to align service revenue management with internal accounting practices and to streamline financial processes. “Tracking and managing service contract revenue is an essential function of running a successful service business, but for many companies, it is a daily struggle to get the information they need,” says Ron Wegmann Sr., CEO of Vertical Solutions. “Our new PowerHelp Contract Revenue Recognition module gives small companies a workable, affordable solution, and enables large companies to gather data quickly and easily without navigating complex and restrictive enterprise systems.” PowerHelp is a next-generation, web-based technology that enables any external service center, customer service, service provider, or human resources environment to dynamically manage information. Its open platform helps contact centers combine various contact channels from different vendors and technology into a single view while providing seamless support that carries across all touch points in an organization. About Vertical Solutions, Inc. (VSI) Vertical Solutions, Inc., develops, implements, and supports its current best-in-class PowerHelp suite of Contact Center and Service Management Solutions, and its latest technology including VContactCenter. PowerHelp is a robust, modular application that offers ...

Tampa, Florida — July 30th, 2009. Gamma Engineers releases Interaction Search. Interaction Search is a call center reporting search tool. Interaction Search is designed to search all interactions that occur in a call center across all media (Voice, Chat, & Email) in real-time. Along with real-time search, other features of this tool include the ability to drill down into searches, unstructured search capability, access to customer information as well as call center information, and “cradle to grave” report of a call. What exactly does all of this mean? Have you ever needed to find out something like, “How many people from the 212 area code are calling with a warranty issue right now?” Interaction Search allows you to search callers from the 212 area code and then “drill down” to find out how many 212 callers have warranty issues, and all of this can be performed in real-time. Unstructured Searches are searches that do not require you to follow SQL rules or syntax rules or adhere to any specific language to perform searches. To perform a search, just type in your search criteria much the same way you would type in a Google search, in free form text. This product removes the need for technical expertise to perform searches. Interaction Search allows you to see the details of your call center without losing sight of the big picture, Interaction Search allows users to search for specific information relating to customers or for information relating to the call center as a whole. Need to know how many times “John Smith” called your call center about an issue with “Product X” today? Or, do you need to know how many calls your call center as a whole received regarding issues with “Product X” today? Interaction Search is capable of performing both customer…

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The Mozilla Foundation’s open-source Firefox browser passed the one billion download mark on Friday. That includes the latest 3.5 version back to the first release in 2004. About 11 a.m. Eastern time, a counter maintained by Otto de Voogd estimated the number of downloads at 1.0033 billion while spreadfirefox.com pegged the number at 1.004 billion. That is based on an average of 1.6 million downloads a day over the past 15 days. At the rollover point, the browser was being downloaded 24 times a second. Celebration planned Mozilla is preparing to celebrate the milestone at the onebillionplusyou.com Web site, which is expected to go live Monday. In tests by PC World, Mozilla ranked as the second-fastest browser in download times, about two-tenths of a second behind the fastest browser, Google’s Chrome. Firefox is estimated to have 31 percent of the browser market, behind Microsoft’s dominant Internet Explorer with 60 percent. The Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera browsers have less than five percent. Actions by the European Commission could give these alternatives to Internet Explorer a chance to gain even more market share by forcing Microsoft to provide its competitors with a more level playing field. Microsoft originally planned to install only Internet Explorer with Windows 7, but has since agreed to provide a “ballot” that would let European users choose a browser when installing Windows 7. Firefox 4.0 in Development The EC has not yet ruled on the concession. Until it does, Microsoft says it still plans to ship a special version of Windows 7 to Europe with no browser. That could create major problems for users, who would have to find another way to obtain a browser. Automatic updates are not included in the one billion total for Firefox downloads, but manual updates and multiple downloads by a single ...

Yeah I think I just made that term up. “DSR” stands for “Developer Service Representative.” If you hang a left and check out a recent (dramatized) conversation between the developer guys from VoiceCentral and Apple. Well, as the author said, it was barely a conversation as the guy on the other end of the line was an impenetrable wall. VoiceCentral allegedly duplicates features that the iPhone has and it was “confusing the community.” Here’s the cake. It’s basically a quote of a dramatization of the phone call: Me: “So how do we know whether it is still viable for us to consider Apple a partner if this is how the scenario plays out. If you were in my shoes would you continue to invest blood, sweat, tears and money in something that can be killed off at any moment without your say so?” Richard: “I understand your point but I can’t help you with that.” It is during times like these where I feel happy for the guys who develop for Symbian and Windows Mobile because at the very least, there is no moderating board that approves or disapproves applications. Strictly speaking, laissez faire is out the window when Apple makes phone calls such as these. Are these one in a million cases … or do they happen more often than you think? Yeah Apple’s soon to be the next Microsoft when it comes with over the top stringent measures that border on paranoia. [photo c/o author] Post from: Cellphone9

Continued here:
Apple Removes Apps: The Impenetrable DSR

Yeah I think I just made that term up. “DSR” stands for “Developer Service Representative.” If you hang a left and check out a recent (dramatized) conversation between the developer guys from VoiceCentral and Apple. Well, as the author said, it was barely a conversation as the guy on the other end of the line was an impenetrable wall. VoiceCentral allegedly duplicates features that the iPhone has and it was “confusing the community.” Here’s the cake. It’s basically a quote of a dramatization of the phone call: Me: “So how do we know whether it is still viable for us to consider Apple a partner if this is how the scenario plays out. If you were in my shoes would you continue to invest blood, sweat, tears and money in something that can be killed off at any moment without your say so?” Richard: “I understand your point but I can’t help you with that.” It is during times like these where I feel happy for the guys who develop for Symbian and Windows Mobile because at the very least, there is no moderating board that approves or disapproves applications. Strictly speaking, laissez faire is out the window when Apple makes phone calls such as these. Are these one in a million cases … or do they happen more often than you think? Yeah Apple’s soon to be the next Microsoft when it comes with over the top stringent measures that border on paranoia. [photo c/o author] Post from: Cellphone9

See the rest here:
Apple Removes Apps: The Impenetrable DSR

Boredom, not the recession, may be Nintendo’s biggest villain. Sales of the once unstoppable Wii console have tumbled for the first time since its launch three years ago, sending the gaming giant’s quarterly profit down 61 percent. Nintendo blames a dearth of blockbuster games, without which enthusiasm for the Wii floundered. “These casual gamers and light users, they’re getting bored,” said Satoru Kikuchi, an analyst at Deutsche Securities in Japan. “Nintendo needs to keep their attention with new software, but that hasn’t happened.” The Kyoto-based company said Thursday its April-June net profit retreated to 42.3 billion yen ($445.2 million) from 107.3 billion yen a year earlier. Sales declined 40 percent to 253.5 billion yen, while operating profit — a measure of its core business — fell 66 percent to 40.4 billion yen. The figures are a dramatic reversal from just a half year ago, when the Wii and DS handheld device smashed holiday sales records in the U.S. Popular new game titles last year like “Mario Kart Wii” and “Wii Fit” fed the fervor. Nintendo sold 2.23 million Wii units during the three months through June 30, compared with 5.17 million last year. Global sales of Wii software slipped to 31.07 million units from 40.41 million the previous year. Customers bought 5.97 million DS devices, down 14 percent on year. “I knew the results were going to be bad, but this was even worse than my expectations,” Kikuchi said. Nintendo’s sales in the Americas fell 38 percent, while those to Europe plunged by more than half — troubling signs for a company that derives 87 percent of its revenue from overseas markets. The company was also hurt by a stronger-than-expected yen, which reduces the value of overseas profits when repatriated to Japan. It estimated an exchange rate of 100 yen ...

HTC is priming the pump for sales of its latest Windows Mobile device in the U.S. The HTC Touch Pro2 will be available from T-Mobile with a touchscreen and user interface that aims to help customers streamline their communication and mobile Internet experiences. The device will be available on Aug. 12. “This summer, many people are balancing summer vacations and time away from the office with the pressures of the workplace,” said Travis Warren, director of product marketing for T-Mobile USA. “We are pleased to announce the HTC Touch Pro2, a uniquely designed device that will help customers manage their day-to-day activities, whether they are in the office or working from an airport, the local playground, or the car.” Streamlining Communications The HTC Touch Pro2 will run on T-Mobile’s 3G network and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g). The device has a 3.6-inch color WVGA touchscreen that slides back and tilts up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. The device comes equipped with a Web browser, built-in GPS and location-based services, and a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus for photos and video. A single contact view displays an individual’s conversation history regardless of whether voice, text or e-mail was used. The HTC Touch Pro2 also includes Straight Talk technology, an integrated e-mail, voice and speakerphone experience that provides a way to respond to e-mail via a call and allows organizing conference calls from group e-mail. Straight Talk delivers a high-fidelity voice and sound experience enhanced by asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression with full-duplex acoustics. HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface is integrated into a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1 to deliver maximum consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus. This is designed to make it easier for customers to view, edit and update Microsoft documents, access calendars, and manage to-do lists. Access to ...

Once the exclusive purview of enterprises, terabyte storage drives with advanced capabilities are fast becoming an affordable option for consumers in need of massive amounts of memory to preserve and transport multimedia content. This week, Apple rolled out a new two-terabyte Time Capsule for $499 that doubles the capacity of its consumer storage lineup. Moreover, the company slashed the cost of its older 1TB model from $499 to just $299. Both models, which integrate wireless Airport Extreme base station capabilities, are designed to run seamlessly on Mac computers using Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard. However, computing devices running the Windows and Mac OS X Tiger operating systems also can access either Time Capsule directly from the wireless network, Apple said. 1TB Over the Internet Apple’s Time Capsules integrate dual-band wireless routers with network attached storage (NAS) capabilities for delivering file-based data storage services to devices running on a home network. The two machines’ 802.11n capability delivers the fastest possible wireless data transfers, while the addition of the 802.11g flavor of Wi-Fi means that the Time Capsule can be accessed by mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch. Time Capsules sport three gigabit Ethernet ports as well as a USB port for connecting additional storage or adding a shared printer to the network. Both devices operate in the 2.4-GHz and five-GHz bands simultaneously to ensure the best possible performance and range for all Wi-Fi-enabled devices running on a home network, Apple said. MobileMe members using a Mac running Leopard can even access their home Time Capsules remotely over the Internet. All users need to do is register their drives with their MobileMe accounts, Apple said, and the device will appear in each user’s Finder sidebar on the Mac, just like any other attached drive. On the other hand, 1TB ...