HP's reworked MediaSmart home servers now get along better with Macs, function better as photo-video servers within your home on across the Internet, and use faster processors. They will, for instance, automatically convert and rip to the server any DVD video on your PC. Any unprotected DVD, that is. The two models are the MediaSmart EX490, $550 with one 1 TB hard drive and Intel Celeron processor, and the MediaSmart EX495, $700 with a 1.5TB drive and an Intel Pentium Dual Core processor. Earlier versions, including the HP MediaSmart EX487, have won PCMag.com's Editors' Choice award for home servers.
One of the most useful new features is the Media Collector, which searches for and copies over media files across Macs and PCs. But if you've got, say, 12 copies of the same song, it only copies them over twice, once for the studio version that runs 3:51 and once for the live version that runs 4:08, along with pointers to all the locations.
Video including (unprotected) DVDs will be converted so you can stream it on home media devices or remotely. iPods and iPhones can download an app that streams music, photos, and video. It's controlled by an improved Web-based home page and can be controlled from Mac or PC. Anything you can see on your local PC you - or relatives, or clients if you're a small business - can see online if they have the proper permissions and passwords.
HP launched the MediaSmart line two years ago. Ongoing enhancements last year improved the Mac's ability to work with the MedarSmart servers. Now as then you get a four-bay network attached server (NAS) running Windows Home Server and the ability attach more drives externally, now allowing up to 17TB total, HP says. Think of it as a shoebox full of external hard drives you connect to over the network or Internet, not just a USB cable. The MediaSmart servers will automatically back up data on one or two drives, providing a duplicate copy if needed. This is boring but valuable stuff, especially if your Windows or now Mac PC goes south and you need to do a bare metal recreation of the hard drive including the operating system.
If you just want backup, there are cheaper solutions available. HP's MediaSmart servers aim to combine backup, ease of use, and more bells and whistles than most other home servers.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Move Over, U2: Foo Fighters Concert Streams Tonight
On Friday, the Foo Fighters are following in U2's footsteps, offering a free global stream of a live show.
Where Bono and company opted for YouTube, however, Grohl's gang is using Facebook. The set will be streaming from the Foo Fighters' own Studio 606 in California--a decidedly more intimate occasion than U2's Pasadena show.
The gig kicks off at 7PM PDT, 10PM EDT. Nearly 11,000 people have RSVP, as of this morning. The stream will be available to Facebook users and non-Facebook users alike around the globe.
Where Bono and company opted for YouTube, however, Grohl's gang is using Facebook. The set will be streaming from the Foo Fighters' own Studio 606 in California--a decidedly more intimate occasion than U2's Pasadena show.
The gig kicks off at 7PM PDT, 10PM EDT. Nearly 11,000 people have RSVP, as of this morning. The stream will be available to Facebook users and non-Facebook users alike around the globe.
IBM Replaces Exec Arrested for Insider Trading
NEW YORK, Oct 30 (Reuters) - IBM has replaced senior executive Robert Moffat as the head of its hardware division, saying he left the company two weeks after he was arrested in a high-profile insider trading scandal.
Moffat, once widely seen as a possible successor to IBM Chief Executive Sam Palmisano, was placed on a leave of absence on Oct. 19 following his arrest in the largest-ever insider trading scheme involving a hedge fund.
He is being succeeded as senior vice president of IBM's systems and technology group, the world's biggest maker of mainframe computers, by Rod Adkins, a 28-year company veteran who is IBM's highest-ranking black executive.
Moffat was charged with passing on insider information to a hedge fund, the Galleon Group.
"Bob Moffat, who had been placed on leave of absence as a result of a U.S. federal investigation into his personal activities, is no longer an employee," IBM spokesman Edward Barbini said on Friday.
He declined to elaborate, saying IBM does not discuss "personal issues" of current or former employees.
Moffat's attorney declined comment.
Adkins, 51, has served in a variety of management positions across the company, including general manager of IBM's PC division, which it has since sold to China's Lenovo Group.
IBM named him interim head of the hardware group after Moffat was put on administrative leave. (Reporting by Jim Finkle and Anupreeta Das; editing by Andre Grenon)
Moffat, once widely seen as a possible successor to IBM Chief Executive Sam Palmisano, was placed on a leave of absence on Oct. 19 following his arrest in the largest-ever insider trading scheme involving a hedge fund.
He is being succeeded as senior vice president of IBM's systems and technology group, the world's biggest maker of mainframe computers, by Rod Adkins, a 28-year company veteran who is IBM's highest-ranking black executive.
Moffat was charged with passing on insider information to a hedge fund, the Galleon Group.
"Bob Moffat, who had been placed on leave of absence as a result of a U.S. federal investigation into his personal activities, is no longer an employee," IBM spokesman Edward Barbini said on Friday.
He declined to elaborate, saying IBM does not discuss "personal issues" of current or former employees.
Moffat's attorney declined comment.
Adkins, 51, has served in a variety of management positions across the company, including general manager of IBM's PC division, which it has since sold to China's Lenovo Group.
IBM named him interim head of the hardware group after Moffat was put on administrative leave. (Reporting by Jim Finkle and Anupreeta Das; editing by Andre Grenon)
ICANN Approves Non-Latin Domain Name Characters
The Internet's governing body has approved a new domain name process that will allow for non-Latin characters.
The Fast Track Process will launch on November 16, and will allow countries and territories to apply for domain names in their native language with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). If ICANN approves the application, those countries will then be able to start approving registrations.
"The coming introduction of non-Latin characters represents the biggest technical change to the Internet since it was created four decades ago," ICANN chairman Peter Dengate Thrush said in a statement. "Right now Internet address endings are limited to Latin characters - A to Z. But the Fast Track Process is the first step in bringing the 100,000 characters of the languages of the world online for domain names."
Rod Beckstrom, ICANN's President and CEO, speculated that the move could bring billions of more people online - people who have never used Roman characters in their daily lives, he said.
The effort has been in the works for years, ICANN said, but organizers had to get around technical issues, policy development, and global cooperation.
"Our work on IDNs [internationalized domain names] has gone through numerous drafts, dozens of tests, and an incredible amount of development by volunteers since we started this project," said Tina Dam, ICANN's Senior Director for IDNs. "The launch of the Fast Track Process will be an amazing change to make the Internet an even more valuable tool, and for even more people around the globe."
The Fast Track Process will launch on November 16, and will allow countries and territories to apply for domain names in their native language with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). If ICANN approves the application, those countries will then be able to start approving registrations.
"The coming introduction of non-Latin characters represents the biggest technical change to the Internet since it was created four decades ago," ICANN chairman Peter Dengate Thrush said in a statement. "Right now Internet address endings are limited to Latin characters - A to Z. But the Fast Track Process is the first step in bringing the 100,000 characters of the languages of the world online for domain names."
Rod Beckstrom, ICANN's President and CEO, speculated that the move could bring billions of more people online - people who have never used Roman characters in their daily lives, he said.
The effort has been in the works for years, ICANN said, but organizers had to get around technical issues, policy development, and global cooperation.
"Our work on IDNs [internationalized domain names] has gone through numerous drafts, dozens of tests, and an incredible amount of development by volunteers since we started this project," said Tina Dam, ICANN's Senior Director for IDNs. "The launch of the Fast Track Process will be an amazing change to make the Internet an even more valuable tool, and for even more people around the globe."
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Amazon Launches 'PayPhrase' for Partner Shopping
Just in time for the holiday, Amazon is introducing PayPhrase, a new, easier way to help you part with your hard-earned cash. The feature lets users create "phrases"--up to 20 per user, in fact--which can be associated with such vital cash funneling information as credit card numbers, PINs, and shipping address.
Examples of phrases (theirs, not mine) include "Knick Knack," "Home Sweet Home," and "Jake's Allowance." Users enter the phrase on a partner site, then a four-digit PIN, and the purchase is automatically sent to the registered address using the credit card Amazon has on file.
The feature works with both Amazon and Amazon partner sites like KNY, Jockey, Patagonia, Buy.com, and J&R Electronics. PayPhrase lets users buy items without having to give vital information to third-party sites, Amazon said.
"PayPhrase solves the headache of trying to keep track of all the different usernames and passwords people use to shop on various sites across the Web," said PayPhrase general manager, Matt Williams. "With PayPhrase all you need is one phrase and one PIN to pay online."
Another application for the feature, according to Amazon: "PayPhrase also makes it easy for parents to set up an online allowance and monitor their teens' purchases." Happy holidays, kids.
Examples of phrases (theirs, not mine) include "Knick Knack," "Home Sweet Home," and "Jake's Allowance." Users enter the phrase on a partner site, then a four-digit PIN, and the purchase is automatically sent to the registered address using the credit card Amazon has on file.
The feature works with both Amazon and Amazon partner sites like KNY, Jockey, Patagonia, Buy.com, and J&R Electronics. PayPhrase lets users buy items without having to give vital information to third-party sites, Amazon said.
"PayPhrase solves the headache of trying to keep track of all the different usernames and passwords people use to shop on various sites across the Web," said PayPhrase general manager, Matt Williams. "With PayPhrase all you need is one phrase and one PIN to pay online."
Another application for the feature, according to Amazon: "PayPhrase also makes it easy for parents to set up an online allowance and monitor their teens' purchases." Happy holidays, kids.
Scareware Tops Microsoft's Malware List
An entry in the Microsoft Malware Protection Center's Threat Research & Response Blog shows that rogue AV, also known as scareware, is ruling the malware roost, as 6 top of the 10 malicious programs removed by the MSRT (Malicious Software Removal Tool) in the US in October were rogues.
Overall the MSRT has cleaned 2,516,235 machines world-wide, with different malware families predominating in different countries, as you would expect. The Microsoft blog shows data from the US, China and Brazil; no rogues are in the top 11 list (yes, 11, I'm not sure why) for China and only one in Brazil, while the majority in the US are rogues.
This list shows the top malware for the US:
Malware Family
# Threats
# Machines Cleaned
Alureon
147,387
117,351
Taterf
121,988
116,217
FakeXPA(R)
108,026
103,578
Renos(R)
69,147
55,461
FakeRean(R)
78,067
53,376
Yektel(R)
52,259
51,061
FakeScanti(R)
70,120
50,260
Frethog
51,038
49,526
Daurso
32,205
32,150
Koobface
43,640
27,793
FakeSpypro(R)
26,530
26,242(R)—denotes rogues.
Koobface shows up on the list, but not near the top. Conficker is huge in the rest of the world, but not in the US. 6 of the top threats in Brazil and China are password stealers. Microsoft claims that in China these are used for stealing gaming credentials, whereas in Brazil they are used to steal bank account credentials.
Overall the MSRT has cleaned 2,516,235 machines world-wide, with different malware families predominating in different countries, as you would expect. The Microsoft blog shows data from the US, China and Brazil; no rogues are in the top 11 list (yes, 11, I'm not sure why) for China and only one in Brazil, while the majority in the US are rogues.
This list shows the top malware for the US:
Malware Family
# Threats
# Machines Cleaned
Alureon
147,387
117,351
Taterf
121,988
116,217
FakeXPA(R)
108,026
103,578
Renos(R)
69,147
55,461
FakeRean(R)
78,067
53,376
Yektel(R)
52,259
51,061
FakeScanti(R)
70,120
50,260
Frethog
51,038
49,526
Daurso
32,205
32,150
Koobface
43,640
27,793
FakeSpypro(R)
26,530
26,242(R)—denotes rogues.
Koobface shows up on the list, but not near the top. Conficker is huge in the rest of the world, but not in the US. 6 of the top threats in Brazil and China are password stealers. Microsoft claims that in China these are used for stealing gaming credentials, whereas in Brazil they are used to steal bank account credentials.
PayPal Gets an Early Jump on Holiday Deals
While the holidays aren't quite upon us, retailers and e-tailers would love for you to start planning your holiday shopping. If you're in that kind of mood, PayPal would like to alert you to its holiday deals Web site, where the online payment merchant has begun collecting incentives with some of its premium partners.
According to Giles Cassels, a seasonal shopping expert at PayPal, the company will be hosting weekly updates to the PayPal.com/holiday site, with even sweeter deals set for Black Friday. PayPal launched a similar program last year, but Cassels said that PayPal has expanded the program to more point-of-sale discounts, as well as free shipping offers.
PayPal has already added numerous deals, including a $20 discount on all Best Buy purchases.
November 27, or "Black Friday," is typically considered to be the most popular shopping day of the year in terms of purchases made at brick-and-mortar stores. The following Monday, however, has been known as "Cyber Monday" because analysts expected online purchases to peak then. According to PayPal, that's not true; last year, the second Monday in December, now characterized as "Green Monday," represented the highest point of online sales. If history holds, that will be December 14.
According to Cassels, most of the deals before "Green Monday" will focus on physical goods and gifts. On or around December 14, however, PayPal will shift to deals that involve electronic transactions (online purchases of MP3s, for example) where shipping is instantaneous.
A PayPal spokesperson said that the site was unable to offer any predictions of how holiday sales would fare this year. Cassels said that the mood was one of "cautious optimism," a phrase I've heard on numerous occasions already.
And now, the deals:
Discounts:
Best Buy will offer $20 cash-back on purchases of $100 or more when you pay with PayPal between November 10 and November 16.
Southwest Airlines, Omaha Steaks and Smart Bargains will offer up to 20 percent savings on all PayPal purchases.
Free shipping:
Walmart.com will offer free Site to Store shipping.
Beauty.com will offer PayPal customers free shipping from November 3 through November 9.
Zappos.com will offer free shipping both ways on shoes and free overnight shipping on clothing from November 10 through November 16.
PayPal said it is also working with MicroPlace.com, a microfinance Web site. Shoppers who purchase a gift certificate on MicroPlace.com will get a free $20 gift certificate to give to someone else on their list.
According to Giles Cassels, a seasonal shopping expert at PayPal, the company will be hosting weekly updates to the PayPal.com/holiday site, with even sweeter deals set for Black Friday. PayPal launched a similar program last year, but Cassels said that PayPal has expanded the program to more point-of-sale discounts, as well as free shipping offers.
PayPal has already added numerous deals, including a $20 discount on all Best Buy purchases.
November 27, or "Black Friday," is typically considered to be the most popular shopping day of the year in terms of purchases made at brick-and-mortar stores. The following Monday, however, has been known as "Cyber Monday" because analysts expected online purchases to peak then. According to PayPal, that's not true; last year, the second Monday in December, now characterized as "Green Monday," represented the highest point of online sales. If history holds, that will be December 14.
According to Cassels, most of the deals before "Green Monday" will focus on physical goods and gifts. On or around December 14, however, PayPal will shift to deals that involve electronic transactions (online purchases of MP3s, for example) where shipping is instantaneous.
A PayPal spokesperson said that the site was unable to offer any predictions of how holiday sales would fare this year. Cassels said that the mood was one of "cautious optimism," a phrase I've heard on numerous occasions already.
And now, the deals:
Discounts:
Best Buy will offer $20 cash-back on purchases of $100 or more when you pay with PayPal between November 10 and November 16.
Southwest Airlines, Omaha Steaks and Smart Bargains will offer up to 20 percent savings on all PayPal purchases.
Free shipping:
Walmart.com will offer free Site to Store shipping.
Beauty.com will offer PayPal customers free shipping from November 3 through November 9.
Zappos.com will offer free shipping both ways on shoes and free overnight shipping on clothing from November 10 through November 16.
PayPal said it is also working with MicroPlace.com, a microfinance Web site. Shoppers who purchase a gift certificate on MicroPlace.com will get a free $20 gift certificate to give to someone else on their list.
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