Microsoft has just warned that the End-of-Support time for Windows XP SP2 and the initial release of Windows Vista is nearing:

If you currently use one of the above-mentioned operating systems, you will no longer receive updates and patches after the specified dates. Fortunately, the solution is easy: install the latest service pack…

P.S. Windows 2000 heads: your EOL time is in July…irregardless of the service pack you use!

PCWorld reports the following:

…

Once installed in the router’s memory, the bot blocks remote communication ports and begins to scan the network for other vulnerable machines. It is controlled via IRC.

Because the Chuck Norris botnet lives in the router’s RAM, it can be removed with a restart.

…

So: change that default password, folks!

So far, the common assumption was that cell phones will not be tracked without a court order. Unfortunately, this is untrue. CNet News reports the following:

In that case, the Obama administration has argued that warrantless tracking is permitted because Americans enjoy no “reasonable expectation of privacy” in their–or at least their cell phones’–whereabouts. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers say that “a customer’s Fourth Amendment rights are not violated when the phone company reveals to the government its own records” that show where a mobile device placed and received calls.

The message is short and sweet here: if your phone is on in the USA, the US government knows where you are. Do with that what you want to, and don’t hold us liable…

A press release has just gone out. It states the following:

KANSAS CITY, MO and LONDON, UK – January 27, 2010 – Handmark®, the world’s leading developer and distributor of mobile applications and services, today announced it has spun off its mobile games studio, Astraware, as the company streamlines its business to focus on other strategic areas of mobile development and support.

Astraware returns to the management of Howard Tomlinson and David Oakley, two of the original founders, and will remain a Handmark preferred partner. Handmark will continue to support Astraware on a variety of distribution and promotional opportunities.

“We saw a great opportunity to join forces with Astraware to help create and extend a collection of fun, well-designed mobile games titles to a new audience, and we did just that,” said Paul Reddick, Handmark CEO. “I still see a great opportunity for their team to continue proving their leadership as a major player in mobile games and we will continue to work alongside them.”

…

The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

P.S. I asked them about specifics of the deal at a tradeshow two years ago – and got a really really pissed off HandMark manager on my back…

I am thus extremely happy to report that FireFox 3.6 has just been released:

It brings a significant performance increase, which should also lead to longer battery life on mobile devices. Hit the URL below for that download ASAP, folks:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/3.6/releasenotes/

While we usually ignore these beautiful critters on the Tamoggemon Content network, Gizmodo’s most-useless gadgets of the decade list struck my interest.

While most of the victims are weird, largely useless gadgets, the following boxen also made it on the list:

• Sony Clié PEG-NZ90 (IMHO undeserved)
• Nokia N-Gage (all incarnations)
• AppleTV (oh, the horror)
• Motorola Q9m (not sure about the Verizon UI)
• Omnia II (IMHO undeserved)

Feel that the ratings are justified? Let us know in the comments!

The folks at Engadget mobile have posted videos, a transcript and loads of shots from the event.

Hit the link below to learn more:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/samsung-teases-bada-at-event-questions-still-outnumber-answers/

The bended adapter doesn’t bother at all.
The device even displays the symbol for an attached adapter.
The bended adapter doesn’t bother at all. The device even displays the symbol for an attached adapter.

An additional disadvantage of the HTC USB adapter is the impossibility to attach an earphone and a charging cable at the same time. But there is a solution as well:

With this adapter it is possible to attach a charging cable and an eraphone at togehter – a little LED notifies if the device is charging.

Unfortunately it is not possible to use both adapters together as the bended adapter blocks the other port.

When attaching a normal USB cable instead of the charging one data exchange with a PC is possible.

In my opinion both cables must be shipped with a HTC device which uses such an USB port… but well….

Both adapters can be purchased via USB Fever:

Audio Jack to 3.5mm Plug Adapter for G1 / HTC (Right Angle): $4,99
HTC 2-in-1 USB Audio & Charger Adapter for HTC ExtUSB Smartphone: $8.99

As Amazon is a very large seller of paperback books, publishers who want to act up can be silenced effectively and quickly by threatening them with a de-listing of all their stuff. This has apparently happened to the publisher behind Dan Brown – CNet reports the following:

…

The Kindle version of “The Lost Symbol” was in limbo since Amazon first placed the hardcover version on its site for preorder. Its publisher, Random House, was concerned with releasing a Kindle version on the same day as the hardcover version. The company reasoned that with such a low price ($9.99 on the Kindle) compared with the hardcover version, which Amazon is currently offering for $16.17, that Kindle sales would cannibalize hardcover sales.

…

“Now that all of our security and logistical issues surrounding the e-book of ‘The Lost Symbol’ have been resolved, the e-book will be released simultaneously with the hardcover on September 15,” the publisher announced. It didn’t elaborate on what those issues were.

…

If things really happened as I have predicted above, the ebook party is now well on its way (and will not be hampered by the content sources). Authors tend to understand very well when something threatens their pocketbook, and act accordingly – I can only hope that the boys at Amazon’s keep up their strict measures when the first union starts to go bonkers…

Text message scams targeting users of handheld mobile
devices, such as cell phones and smart phones, are
becoming a common fraud tactic. At least two or three
new campaigns have surfaced every week since the start
of 2009. The spike in frequency can be attributed partly
to the economic downturn, but it’s also the massive—and
still growing—size of the mobile device audience that is
making this new frontier for fraud irresistible to criminals.

…

The report goes on to claim that various kinds of social-engineering based methods are used – a particulariuly devious one is outlined below:

Customers were contacted
by either SMS or phone and asked to provide “verification
details,” such as bank account numbers, to collect a
grand prize. Victims were also asked to purchase scratch
cards worth QR500 (approximately US$135) and provide
those numbers as “security” when they collected their
fictitious prize

Further information can be had in the PDF below – page thirteen, onwards:
http://cisco.com/web/about/security/intelligence/Cisco_2009_Midyear_Security_Report.PDF