Maximum PC update RSS Feed

Windows Mobile App Store Gets Upgrades

Pulkit Chandna — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:50:39 -0600

It took quite a while for Microsoft to be fully convinced that its mobile OS is long due for an overhaul. Last month, although it did not quite deliver an overhaul, it took a small step toward bringing its mobile offering up to speed with the competition. It launched the Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store on October 6th, the very day it released Windows Mobile 6.5.

Now, the company has upgraded its app store to offer enhanced anti-piracy protection, a better developer’s portal for its registered independent software vendors (ISVs), and the ability to make application purchases from the PC.

But the enhancement that should interest WinMo users the most is the ability to “browse and buy applications from the PC.” All applications bought from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile site will be delivered wirelessly to the user’s Windows phone. Microsoft will make the store accessible to Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 customers later this month.

Image Credit: Windows Marketplace for Mobile

Bing's Mobile Site Works Well with iPhones, Touchscreens

Bart Salisbury — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:08:13 -0600

Bing for Mobile has received a nifty little upgrade from Microsoft. The Bing for Mobile site has been touch-optimized, so it now takes advantage of the touch-screen functionality of many smartphones. The upgrade builds on Windows Mobile 6.5, which makes touch-screen ability part of this smartphone operating system.

Right now it appears that Bing for Mobile, which can be accessed at m.bing.com, will work on a limited number of devices. Justin Jed at the bing community blog reports touch-screen ability is available on the iPhone, T-Mobile G1, VErizon Imagio, Samsung Omnia and the Apple iPhone. It also works with the Zune HD and the iPod Touch. Jed is promising support for new devices “over the next couple months.”

Image Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Introduces Platform Updates for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008

Bart Salisbury — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:22:38 -0500

With all the hoopla over the release of Windows 7, it’s time to recognize that the must hated Vista isn’t going away any time soon. To underscore this point, Microsoft has released platform updates for Vista and Windows Server 2008.

The updates, which include some runtime libraries to handle new technology, include improvements to: Windows ribbon and animation manager library; Windows graphics, imaging, and XPS library; Windows automation API; and Windows portable devices platform.

For those still Vista bound, information on the updates can be found at Microsoft’s support site.

Image Credit: Microsoft

Mozilla Releases Firefox 3.5.4 Patch to Fix 16 Vulnerabilities

Bart Salisbury — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:35:12 -0500

Clearly there is nothing that hackers won’t go after in the attempt to monkey about with your computer’s innards. Any opening, no matter how insignificant, needs to be closed before it can be exploited. With this in mind Mozilla today released an update to Firefox, upping its version to 3.5.4, that patches 16 weaknesses, eleven of which are critical.

Hackers were busy on the obvious: the browser engine, JavaScript, and open-source media libraries; as well as the less obvious: the GIF color map parser and the string-to-number converter. In its security advisory, Mozilla reports: “Some of these crashes showed evidence of memory corruption under certain circumstances and we presume that with enough effort at least some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code.”

Mozilla notes that the JavaScript vulnerabilities can cause browser crashes. Those not able or unwilling to upgrade are recommended to turn JavaScript off.

If you’re still hanging out in Firefox 3 you’ve also got a security patch waiting for you. Version 3.0.15 was released, addressing nine problems, four of which Mozilla tagged as critical.

Image Credit: Mozilla

Microsoft Blocks AutoRun/AutoPlay Vulnerability in XP, Vista, and Windows Server [Updated!]

Mark Edward Soper — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:41:03 -0500

AutoRun was originally intended to help automatically start programs stored on optical media. However, once USB drives became popular, AutoRun also became a popular way to launch programs from hard disks and thumb drives by working with Windows' built-in AutoPlay functionality.

AutoRun Versus AutoPlay

AutoRun uses an AutoRun.inf file in the root folder of CD or DVD media and other removable drives to specify what happens when the media is inserted or the drive is plugged into a USB or other hot-swap port. Allowable actions include launching a program, displaying an icon, and so on.

AutoPlay is a hot-swap-drive-specific technology in Windows that displays a list of actions that are specific to the media and its content. For example, if you insert a music CD, the AutoPlay menu would provide options for music playback with Windows Media Player or other installed media playback programs. If you connect a USB thumb drive or hard disk that contains different types of media, the AutoPlay list displays programs that can be used to view or play back each of the supported media types (such as photos, music, videos, and so on) stored on the drive. In Windows XP, AutoPlay is configured on a drive-by-drive basis, using programs such as TweakUI. Windows Vista and Windows 7 control AutoPlay on a media-type basis through the Control Panel's AutoPlay applet.

On removable drives, any executable files included in the AutoRun.inf file are automatically added to the AutoPlay menu [thanks to reader MRrelabled for suggesting this new section - updated 8-31-2009].

AutoRun is Not Your Friend (Unless You're a Malware Developer)

Unfortunately, AutoRun's ability to provide instant launching for programs has also been widely exploited by malware such as the notorious Conficker/Downadup worm and others.

First Windows 7, Now the Rest

Back in May, we reported how Microsoft changed how AutoPlay and AutoRun work in Windows 7, preventing USB drives from automatically starting programs using AutoRun. Now, as promised, Redmond's reining in AutoRun's interaction with AutoPlay on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2003 with its KB971029 security update. It's not available on Windows Update yet, so if you want the update, download and install it manually.

Once you install KB971029, only CD and DVD drives (and programs that emulate CD/DVD drives, such as U3, which is used by SanDisk and other USB flash drive makers) can use AutoRun.

Better Security, But at a Price

Are there downsides to disabling AutoRun? Microsoft points out that you'll need to launch programs from USB drives manually - unless the USB drive emulates a CD drive when you plug it in (such as SanDisk Cruzers and others that use U3 software).

Like the improved security? Find it annoying? Want to report problems with some of your favorite utilities? Hit Comment and sound off.

Team Fortress 2 Rolls out “Classless" Update

Nathan Grayson — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:13:22 -0500

Is it really time for a new Team Fortress 2 update already? Yessiree, this new update’s as real as that last question was entirely rhetorical. But wait, Team Fortress 2 update, something’s different. Did you get a haircut? Buy a new outfit? Manifest yourself in the physical world so that you might be able to get a haircut or buy a new outfit? Nope! You’re just not serving as a vehicle for crummy class-related stuff anymore. You’re your own man!

Instead, this TF2 update seems to have given form the nod over function. Translation: New hats – and plenty of them. Day one of the update touts 18 new hats, including a Viking helmet and a fireman’s hat, among others.

A new community map rounds out the revelation du jour. Called Arena Offblast, the map’s a “fast-paced, high-altitude community map set in a top secret missile silo wedged into the top of a hollowed-out mountain.” You know, one of those stupidly dangerous places that only people with guns in their hands and chips on their shoulders seem to congregate around.

The teaser site also plays host to a number of hidden pages that – if you’re willing to dig them up – will give you a bit of dirt on the rest of the update’s content. If you’d rather not sully your hands with such menial labor, however, Shacknews found the bonus pages and put them on display.

So, any guesses as to what’s in the pipeline for the rest of the update? Personally, we’re hoping for the ability to don multiple hats at once. If our head’s going to be one giant target, we’ll at least make it a headache for our opponents to hit the part that actually kills us.

New Chrome Beta is Faster, Shinier Than Ever

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:27:45 -0500

Yesterday Google released a brand new beta for their Chrome web browser, this time in the interest of ironing out kinks with some new features that they’ve added. Among the new features are an updated “New Tab,” the Omnibox, and the ability to beautify your browser by using colors, patterns and images.

The New Tab feature is being slightly tweaked by allowing you to move around your most visited sites by simply clicking and dragging, letting you show off just how not into Twitter you really are. You can even pin thumbnails to specific spots. The Omnibox (read: the address bar) is getting a facelift, and giving you Google search results and related history items whenever you type anything in.

Most notably though, the color changing feature will allow you to alter exactly how Chrome looks. Should you want to be reminded of fresh cut grass each time you browse the net, you may do so. Or if you want to have cute kittens gazing at you while you read the day’s news, you can do that as well, we’re not here to judge.

You can check out the beta here, but there’s no word as to when these updates will make their way to the official release.

Image Credit: Google

Palm Used USB Trickery to Re-enable iTunes Sync on Pre

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:01:29 -0500

Palm managed to re-enable iTunes sync on the Pre barely days after Apple had managed to block it using iTunes update 8.2.1. The said update had ephemerally pulled the plug on the ability of non-Apple devices to sync with iTunes by rejecting all Vendor IDs apart from Apple’s.

Palm soon responded with an ingenious solution, the legality of which may be probed in coming days. Palm chose the WebOs 1.1 update to deliver its riposte. The WebOs 1.1 update changes the USB Vendor ID associated with the Palm Pre to the one assigned to Apple. This hoodwinks iTunes into treating the Pre just like a legitimate Apple device.

Palm is very serious about its role as the archpriest of “openness and interoperability.” It reckons that it is in fact Apple that is misusing its Vendor ID number and has notified the USB Implementers Forum about the same.

“Palm believes that openness and interoperability offer better experiences for users by allowing them the freedom to use the content they own without interference across devices and services, so on behalf of consumers, we have notified the USB Implementers Forum of what we believe is improper use of the Vendor ID number by another member.” Palm told AllThingsD.

Image Credit: EveryJoe