ComputerNews

May 12, 2009 - A series of recent Internet security attacks on home and small office computers are compromising networks where users least expect it - their routers. These malicious software invasions, in which users unknowingly download a Trojan horse when performing common tasks, invade the router to detect wireless capabilities, then alter the victim's domain name system (DNS) records so that all future traffic is diverted through the, attackers' network first.

In response to the growing number of these attacks and subsequent user security concerns, D-Link has integrated CAPTCHA - a system, designed to detect whether responses are human or computer-generated - into its popular home and small office routers as an extra safety measure. CAPTCHAs are used to prevent malicious software from performing actions that degrade the quality of service on a network, such as those found in worms, viruses and Trojan horses.Read more

April 28, 2009 -- HP today announced a new brand of affordable notebook PCs that merge business functionality with sophisticated design to stand out from the crowd.

The HP ProBook series joins the award-winning HP EliteBook series to form one of the most versatile business notebook portfolios in the industry. Inspired by minimalism, the design of the new HP ProBook series combines matte and glossy surfaces while stripping out the extraneous, leaving only a stylish and clean look.

Distinguished by a choice of merlot or glossy noir finishes, a unique keyboard design and a set of professional innovations previously found only on higher-priced models, the HP ProBook series delivers HP’s best combination of business features, functionality and value. Read more

April 2009 - Leading security software vendor PC Tools is just released the "Security Savvy" test in response to increasing concern that the "digitally active," particularly Gen Y, are easy targets for cybercriminals. PC Tools is warning that social networking and phishing threats are becoming progressively more sophisticated and prevalent, requiring the digitally active to be both technically and security savvy. To help consumers identify their security vulnerability, PC Tools encourages consumers to take the "Security Savvy" test and find out how to stay better protected.

In conjunction with the launch of this initiative, PC Tools is donating 10,000 units of behavioral based security point solutions and packages to TechSoup, an international technology resource center for nonprofit organizations, based in San Francisco.

"Many would assume that Gen Y are too savvy to be fooled by online threats, but just because they are tech savvy doesn't mean that they are security savvy—and this is a very important distinction. Recent threats such as Koobface, a delivery threat from a well known courier company, Internet Banking Software Failure and compromised PDF readers are just a few of the many dangers facing internet users," said Michael Greene, Vice President Product Strategy, PC Tools.Read more

April 27, 2009--McAfee, Inc. today announced that it has completed an internal beta for a new offering that will help families oversee their kids' and teens' online interests, while keeping them safe as they learn and explore the Internet. The McAfee product is named "McAfee Family Protection" and will be available for sale later this quarter.

The McAfee Family Protection software allows parents to set up individual accounts for each of their children so it can be tailored for kids as they grow. Some features include the ability to approve a list of e-mail contacts, filter both categories of content as well as specific keywords, set up time limits and monitor personal information that users post on social networking sites.

As increasing numbers of kids and teens have their own PCs and use them not only for schoolwork, but for entertainment and to communicate with peers, research shows that U.S. parents have become more concerned with online safety issues. In particular, kids and teens support their parents' worries by communicating with strangers and hiding online activities:

• 52% of teens admitted having given out personal information to someone online they didn't know offline
• 16% of kids and teens admit they have private e-mail addresses or social networking profiles to hide what they do online from their parents
• 43% of parents do not know what personal information their children have been posted on the Internet
• 63% of parents are concerned with their children's security when they are online
• 52% are concerned about inappropriate content on Web sites

*Sources: 2008 Forrester Consumer Technographics survey; Virtual Parenting Report, March 2009; McAfee/Harris Interactive Moms and Teens Survey, 2009. Read more

April 16, 2009--Acer America, the third largest vendor in the PC market (1), today introduced numerous new design features to its popular Veriton line of business desktops. With an intuitive layout and leading technologies, the new ID brings greater peace of mind to business customers through features that improve productivity, reliability and serviceability.

The new productivity-enhancing design features can be found on three new desktops, including the Veriton M265, Veriton M421G and Veriton M670G.

"The new Acer Veriton desktop PCs were designed from the ground up to provide business customers with compelling features that make a big difference in value and productivity in the real world," said Leila Axelle Robert, Acer Desktop Business Manager. "From a more efficient design that improves serviceability to the easily accessible ports and our One Button Recovery capability, the new Veriton desktops combine great technology and user-friendly features for a tremendous value." Read more

April 15, 2009--To the delight of creative consumers and professional authoring providers, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today introduces its new BDR-2203 Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD internal computer writer. Delivering on the promise of a comprehensive solution for large file storage and high definition film functionality, the new device features an impressive 8X write speed capability for dual-layer BD-R Blu-ray Disc media. With the new writer, users can take advantage of the substantial 50 gigabyte (GB) storage capacity from Blu-ray Discs to ensure fast and successful preservation of standard and high definition data content along with the confidence that comes with using a Pioneer optical disc product. The multi-format BDR-2203 comes packaged with specialized software to fulfill the array of creative and professional needs of PC users. The Pioneer BDR-2203 Blu-ray Disc internal computer writer begins shipping in April for a suggested price of $249.99.

Through extensive write speed testing, the company's engineering group found that it will take users approximately 15 minutes to write 25 GB of information to a single-layer BD disc and about 30 minutes to write 50 GB worth of information (the equivalent of more than 10 single-layer DVD-R discs) when using the new writer. Read more

April 15, 2009--Acer America, part of the world's third largest PC company (Source: Gartner data, 4Q 2008), today announced U.S. availability of the Aspire 3935-6504, a thin-and-light notebook series which combines distinctive style with cutting-edge technologies, and the Aspire 8935, the next generation in the highly-touted series of large-screen Gemstone notebook PCs.

Acer Aspire 3935-6504: Mobility and Functionality in a Sleek Design

For consumers who seek ultra-slim, ultra-light elegant notebook styling with dynamic HD entertainment functionality, the Aspire 3935-6504 features a 13.3-inch frameless, widescreen CineCrystal LED display. The edge-to-edge LED backlit technology design has 1366x768 pixel resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, for increased visual quality in low-light situations and for efficiently depicting bright, lifelike HD images.

The full-featured notebook PC is less than one-inch thick and is housed in a rich, golden brown brushed metal chassis that weighs only 4.18 pounds. The Aspire 3935-6504 utilizes unique design elements including the Acer FineTip full-size keyboard with large key caps and increased key gaps for an effortless typing experience, along with touch-sensitive hotkeys for easy access to frequently used functions. Users can conveniently back-up important data in one touch via the Back-up Button, while a single touch to the Acer SmartPower Button will save power to extend battery life. Read more

Samsung Mondi Provides Full Broadband Speeds, HTML Web Experience and Mobile WiMAX/WiFi Access in Compact Touch Screen Device

April 1, 2009 -- Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) just announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Mondi, the most advanced mobile WiMAX enabled handheld device in the U.S. The touch screen Mondi, which takes its name from the Latin word for "world," is designed for use with the Clear mobile WiMAX service from Clearwire.

The Mondi carries many of the powerful features and uses of a laptop computer or netbook, but its compact slider form factor easily fits into the hand or pocket. GPS Navigation provided by Route 66 adds to the Mondi’s versatility. Available in a solid black finish, this device extends horizontally to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. The Mondi is packed with multimedia features that offer instant access to E-mail, Internet, video content and business applications.

Mondi packs a full-featured web browser, powered by Opera 9.5, which takes full advantage of the device's 4.3-inch touch screen. To keep connected while on-the-go, Mondi offers best-in-class location based services and instant access to social networking websites. It also supports various services including Fring, Gypsii, and MS Live Messenger. Read more

March 17, 2009 – Iomega today announced exciting new features for the Iomega StorCenter ix2 Network Drive, including remote access and peer-to-peer file sharing, as well as ease-of-use enhancements that make the ix2 NAS appliance one of the most versatile home and small business network storage drives available today.

“With the simplest set-up process in the industry, the ix2 not only provides home and small business network storage users with such important features as media serving, Bluetooth and video surveillance capabilities, now we’ve added remote access so users can connect to their files from anywhere in the world, as well as the new standard in peer-to-peer file sharing and much more,” said Jonathan Huberman, President of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “That’s the power of network computing with Iomega and EMC.”Read more

March 10, 2009 -- NewTech Infosystems, Inc. (NTI), an early pioneer in the backup and recovery industry, announced today NTI Shadow v4.0, the industry’s most convenient, always-on, data backup solution for PC, Mac and network users. Shadow v4.0 has been enhanced with many new convenience features such as bi-directional sync, a graphical destination display, threshold capacity warnings and NTI Ninja tools for encryption/password protection and public/private partitioning on external USB drives.

NTI Shadow’s no-hassle approach to backing up and restoring data, photo, audio, and video files has made it the continuous backup solution of choice for consumers and businesses worldwide, and a key reason leading OEMs like MicroNet Technology, Freecom and Toshiba have bundled the software with their hardware products. By adding convenience and value to the features that have made NTI Shadow an award winner, the new version provides a compelling solution for anyone that wants an easy way to safeguard their data against loss.

With Shadow, backup jobs are conveniently executed transparently in the background without disturbing the user and without slowing system performance. Files or file groups can be automatically backed up in their native format every time a change occurs. With files preserved in their native format, they can be quickly restored without requiring additional software. Read more