Technology Up To Date

Anyone familiar with the complex world of internet security will know all too well the nature of the dangers that can arise from their computers becoming infected by an internet virus.

Unfortunately, without adequate protection, such as Kaspersky antivirus software, it can be all too easy to become the unwilling victim of malicious online software.

This week, search engine giant Google has been forced to warn more than two million internet users that their computers have been infected by a virus, found while Google was carrying out routine maintenance at one of their data centres, with the virus apparently formed to hijack browser searches using Google, redirecting users to websites that offer fake security programs.

Google’s security engineer Damian Menscher revealed that the software may have reached users’ computers via a particularly malicious variant of fake antivirus software, which is unfortunately becoming more and more common online with the rise of cyber crime.

If you’re concerned that you may have been hit by this virus, simply go to Google as soon as you can, type in a search query, and see whether or not you’re presented with an obvious yellow warning box at the top of the page when your search results appear. If no yellow box pops up, you should be alright for now, but any regular internet user should look on this latest spread of malicious software as a reason to find the best free antivirus software available for their needs as soon as possible.

Although some internet users may feel reassured by the speedy and efficient response from Google to this latest virus, the fact remains that it is a real cause for concern that even large companies such as the search engine behemoth are being targeted in such an overt manner, and this is surely an issue that is only going to be compounded as more and more people across the globe gain faster access to the online world.

If you’re one of those who is looking to get your paws on the new BlackBerry 9900 on August 16th this is perhaps what you can expect. Well it was how we documented the devices use hands on, so you’ll probably have the same experience, hence sit up and pay attention if you want a BlackBerry 9900.

Well the phone looks great in all honesty – a huge improvement aesthetically on the last BlackBerry Bold. It’s very pretty for a BlackBerry and is also the slimmest ever one of the company’s devices. It was also a lovely shape in the hand as well as being quite light to hold for prolonged periods.

We loved the carbon fibre feel of the back, the thin and sleek design which was minimalist almost and really had certain sleekness about it. The buttons also felt amazing to touch and really have a nice balance between satisfying and light.

The screen was also great and for a 2.8inch display had a lovely feel about it. It is also just as good of capacitive screen as the iPhone 4 and offered an accurate experience that we really appreciated. The business applications were also great, although BlackBerry’s app store is a little limited and the likes of Apple and Google have a huge lead in this area.

The operating system meant we were more than happy to fiddle with the BlackBerry for hours. It is a lovely attempt at the OS for BlackBerry and is different enough to be pleasing in its own way. The device also came preloaded with a number of handy applications such as DropBox and Docs2Go which meant we could work on the move if we were enthusiastic enough.

The camera was also good and we were especially impressed with both the lowlight settings and also the autofocus abilities of the BlackBerry. The phone also can record in 720p which comes out well on the screen.

It is also possible to record plenty of footage as the device is capable of being upgraded from its decent 8GB card to a larger 32GB with micro SD.

So, if you are waiting for one of these you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised. The BlackBerry 9900 is one of the best for a while by RIM and will be a true contender for business users. BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals are expected to go on sale in the UK in August.

The advancement in technology is proving to be a boon as well as a bane for the mankind. Internet is the most powerful medium of communication used in recent times. However this increased use of internet has brought about some security issues.

IT security is one of the major concerns these days especially if you run some business. These days people tend to do all their work online may it be maintaining any kind of data or carrying out such financial problems. In such a scenario, it becomes all the more important to protect your data and other important stuff. There are some major threats that could be hazardous if ignored.

The first amongst them are the viruses. They enter your system from a number of sources like the internet or removable media and then corrupt your data. The worst part is that they duplicate themselves at an immense speed. So it is advisable to install reliable antivirus software and update it regularly. Also you must not open any attachments from an unknown address or browse suspicious websites.

The next most common attacks apart from the virus are the spywares. They enter your computer and then send your personal information as well as information about your system to some other system. They usually come along with the shareware or freeware downloads. They are not easily detected by antivirus software. You need to install antispyware software that can search the internal and system files too. It is also beneficial to install malware removal software to provide complete security to the system.

Apart from these, IP Spoofing is really become a concern wherein in order to gain access to your system, the intruder sends you a message with an address of a trusted host. Trojans are just like viruses which enter your system and corrupt your data. Trojans are also capable of sending your data, even passwords, to a third party. They by far are the most difficult to detect.

Do you ever see some advertisements that pop up on your screens even when you close the browser? If yes, then your system is affected by adware. It is advisable that you do not click on any kind of such advertisements as they can adversely harm your system. One of the most recent kind of threat is Phishing wherein you get emails that you look completely reliable like Ebay, Paypal or many other. These mails contains link that ask your personal information. The pages that the links direct to look official but are actually fake and are scam to gather your details. So always type the address in the address bar rather than clicking the links.

In today’s environmentally conscious world, more and more people are considering making greener choices when it comes to the kind of car they buy. A hybrid is a cross between an electric vehicle and a traditional internal combustion engine car. But, before deciding whether it’s the right kind of car for you, it’s worth making sure you understand a bit more about the different types of hybrid available.

One type is the ‘mild’ or ‘parallel’ hybrid car. Examples include the Honda Insight or Civic Hybrid. With this kind of hybrid, electric assistance is offered to the internal combustion engine under acceleration but neither the electric motor nor the engine works independently to drive the wheels.

In theory, full hybrids like the Toyota Prius can run on either electric or engine power. To be able to travel a reasonable distance as an electric vehicle, however, more and more full hybrids are now being offered as plug-ins – with larger battery capacities that can be charged on the mains. With this extra power boost, the engine should only be necessary on longer distance journeys.

Finally, there are ‘range extender’ hybrids. These rely completely on the electric motor for propulsion and the on-board engine is used solely as a generator to charge the electric motor and other systems. Models such as the Vauxhall Ampera are somewhere in between a hybrid and an electric vehicle and have been designed to extend the range of an electric motor beyond short urban trips.

Of course, beyond the type of hybrid you might choose, there are many other green factors to consider – miles per gallon and carbon dioxide emissions to name but two – when deciding which car is right for you.

The question; what will power cars in 2020? – is an interesting one to ponder. We’re already seeing huge leaps forward in fuel technology – mainly in the direction of electrically powered vehicles and hybrid cars which, as their name suggests, use a combination of petrol and battery power to drive themselves.

But perhaps the smartest money is being put on the future of hydrogen fuel cells to power our cars a decade or so from now. You may be surprised to realize they already exist.

Honda introduced its first ever fuel cell vehicle in 1999. Called the Honda FCX, the car was a prototype. Since then, Honda introduced its second generation fuel cell car – the FCX Clarity.

Then in 2007, Honda introduced the first ever production model of the FCX Clarity. The FCX Clarity FCEV is a purely electric car running only on hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity. The first production runs of the car have been very limited due to the lack of hydrogen fueling stations – but this may well change in the relatively near future.

The hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen to make electricity, which powers the electric motor, which in turn drives the vehicle. Water is the only substance FCX Clarity FCEV leaves behind.

In other words, the car is completely clean in terms of it emissions. Of course, it needs an on-board hydrogen tank and a lithium-ion battery to store electricity.

Despite limited hydrogen supply, Honda seems to have seen the future and reckons it could commence mass-producing hydrogen fuel vehicles based on the FCX concept by the year 2020. And at the moment, that looks the best bet for the future power source of family cars a decade or so from now.