Wednesday Tech Madness - tech
(hx) 08:01 PM CEST - Aug,25 2004
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- Polish Cops Bust 100-Member Computer Piracy Gang - Polish police
have
broken up a gang of more than 100 hackers who sold pirated music and
films, using academic computer systems around the world to store their wares,
a police spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
- Microsoft offers SP2 compatibility guide - Microsoft has launched
a do-it-yourself kit to help IT professionals assess their software's
compatibility with Windows XP Service Pack 2. It covers the changes that
SP2 could wreak on machines running Windows XP, how to go about testing for
incompatibility issues and how to fix the problems that come up. The guide
also provides two possible deployment road maps for businesses unsure about
how to roll out the service pack.
- Critical Netscape Flaw Found - The problem stems from
a flaw in the way the NSS library handles requests for new SSLv2 sessions.
Servers using the NSS library do not check the length of a record field in the
first part of the negotiation between two systems attempting to establish an
SSLv2 session. Malicious hackers could use the absence of that length check in
the first record sent in the negotiation, known as the "hello message," to
cause a heap overflow, allowing them to place and run malicious code on a
vulnerable server, ISS says. The Mozilla Foundation
issued a patch for the NSS library that fixes the SSLv2 hole.
Alternatively, NetScape Enterprise users can disable the SSLv2 protocol, ISS
says.
- Internet Explorer Local File/Directory Detection - When a file or
directory is assigned iframe that does not exist, this navigator will generate
an error.
A
remote user can create code HTML that loads iframe and changes to the URL
from this resource to a file or local directory, and then detects if there is
that error to determine if that element exists.
- Limited buffer overflow in Painkiller 1.31 -
The problem is just in the password field (read by both protected and
non-protected game servers), in fact it is encoded using a specific algorithm
and the challenge string received from the server, but when the server tries
to "unscramble" a too long password (over 256 chars) some important memory
zones are overwritten.
- Off-topic: Polymer researchers probe self-healing fuel tanks - The
same material that makes golf balls tough may soon make bullet holes vanish
in "self-healing" aircraft fuel tanks, say US navy researchers. Recently,
US scientists discovered that a commercially sold polymer - used to coat
bowling pins, helmets, and golf balls - displays a curious property when shot
at: it can immediately "pave over" the bullet holes.
- Off-topic: Jamaica: Free Internet For Poorer Communities -
Jamaica's government has just announced
a $5 million program to provide free Internet access in poor communities
across the island. Phillip Paulwell, Jamaica's Commerce and Technology
Minister, said, "The "e-Jamaica" initiative will establish 60 Internet centers
across the country by 2010, mostly in post offices. The effort is directed at
communities that continue to operate on the outskirts of the communications
revolution."
- Off-topic: New technology tracks in-game ads - Nielsen
Entertainment Media announced in April that it was working with Activision,
Inc. to develop
a tracking technology that would monitor how many in-game advertisements a
user encounters and when. Michael Dowling, general manager at Nielsen, said
the technology is far more advanced than the People Meter, the device used by
Nielsen Media Research to monitor the nation’s television viewing habits.
- Another Format War: DVD -R9 v. +R9 - Because neither side has yet
to blink,
there will still be two different versions of DVD-R9 media (+/-). By the
time you read this the DVD+R9 media spec will be a matter of record. The
DVD-R9 specs will still be making their way through committee and DVD Forum
approval. One format won’t be better than the other (unless you ask someone
deeply committed to one camp or the other). However, it is a lot easier for
two companies to work on a common goal and have six others agree than have
multiple camps reach agreement and then get the coliseum of interested parties
to agree.
- CD on one side, DVD on the other - The consortium, which includes
major labels EMI Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group
and Warner Music Group, said
the DualDisc product has a full album on a CD side of the disc and the
album in enhanced sound--such as DVD-Audio--on the other side. The DVD side
also includes a range of features, such as music videos, interviews, photo
galleries, Web links, concert footage and lyrics, the DualDisc Consortium
said. DualDiscs are compatible with nearly any device that can currently play
a CD or a DVD, and will be available beginning in October, the consortium
said.
- AMD Athlon lineup in shortage, surge in demand follows price cuts -
A surge in demand for AMD Athlon processors has caused
a
supply shortage in the channels in Taiwan, China and Europe, and this may
undermine AMD's opportunity to boost its market share, according to sources in
the Taiwan channel. Demand for AMD Athlon processors began to pick up after
AMD cut its CPU prices by an average 30% in July, the source noted. The
shortage involves the complete lineup of AMD's Athlon processors, including
the Athlon 64 2800+, 3000+, 3200+ and the Athlon 64 FX53. In addition, the
supply of AMD's recently launched Sempron processors is insufficient, the
sources said.
- AMD desktop chips edge ahead of Intel - In a test, Intel's Pentium
4 560 running at 3.6GHz and the 3.4GHz Pentium 4 550
failed
to outperform alternatives from AMD. The Pentiums, both with the new
Prescott core and 1MB of onboard Level 2 cache, were pitted against the Athlon
64 3800+ running at 2.4GHz and the 2.2GHz 3500+.
- Inno3D 6800 CoolViva -
The "Chilled" Inno3D
GeForce6800 CoolViva Premium Edition relies on a custom cooling solution
provided by Cooler Master that delivers core speeds up to 350MHz and memory
speeds up to 800MHz. The CoolViva comes with Heat Pipe Technology that allows
liquid to vaporize while condensation occurs to penetrate the heat to keep
temperatures low.
- Sony DVD burners hit sweet 16x -
Sony Electronics
has unveiled its latest generation of DVD+R Double Layer (DL) burners that
support 16x DVD+R recording. Burning a full write-once single layer disc in
approximately six minutes, the internal DRU-710A and external DRX-710UL drives
will be targeted at consumers.
- LinuxCertified LC2430 Linux Laptop review -
The laptop works exactly as promised, providing a fully functional Linux
system that has all the power of a desktop system. It has a 3.06GHz processor
(with Hyper Threading support), 1 Gigabyte of RAM, and an ATI Radeon Mobility
9000 with 64Mb VGA ram. The screen is a 15" SXGA+ TFT resolution, at 1400x1050
pixels. The hard drive is 40Gb. There is a combination DVD & CD-R/W drive, as
well as a 3 in 1 card reader, supporting SD/MMC/MS cards. 10/100 networking is
built in and there is a 56k modem.
- Hewlett Packard iPAQ H6315 - Phone Edition preview -
The HP PAQ
Pocket PC H6315 - Phone Edition is part of the new iPAQ Pocket PC h6300
series, the first handheld from HP with integrated three-way wireless
capabilities (GSM/GPRS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology) to give
mobile users access to high-speed wireless voice and data networks from a
single device.
- SonyEricsson K700i Triband Camera Phone review - A few months ago,
the successor to one of the most wildly successful mobile phones seemingly of
all time was announced. The replacement to Sony Ericsson's T610 was on its way
to the public after much rumor (originally thought to be called T650) and
anticipation among the SE community, and
this phone was called The K700.
- PDP PC3200 & PC4000 Dual Channel Kits - OverclockersOnline take a
look at
the Patriot Memory Dual Channel 1GB PC4000 eased latency and Patriot
Memory Dual Channel 1GB PC3200 low latency memory kits.
- MSI GeForce 6800 review - In conclusion, the MSI GeForce 6800 is a
quality graphics card. Right now
it has no
competition in the $300 price point, and if $300 is what you want to spend
on a graphics card, the MSI GeForce 6800 is one you'll definitely want to take
into consideration.
- Power Color Radeon 9250 GameFX Board - The main reason anyone would
want to make a graphic card using old technology should be quite obvious- it's
cheap. This graphic processor can be purchased online
for
just over $50 USD, making it perfect for anyone who has a really old card
(GeForce 4 or earlier) and want to be able play some of the latest games.
- Sapphire Tech X600 Pro VIVO 256MB Video Card review -
The package is as flashy and eye-catching as they come. I really liked the
inclusion of the window on the back so you can take a peek at the card itself.
If the extra 128MB over their competitors don't work then maybe the sexy,
black PCB will.
- Prolink Pixelview PlayTV@P7000 Media Centre review -
It combines the same Philips TV and FM tuner that ATI spec for their
recent All-In-Wonder hardware, fed into a Conexant decoder, coupled with some
Windows-friendly software for most of the features you'd expect from a 'Media
Centre' product.
- Ultra X-Connect 500W PSU review - Overall,
we were very impressed with this Ultra Products power supply, with the
only downfall being the slight difference in voltages. Some of the highlights
included customizable cabling technology, 500 watts of power, UV reactive 2 x
80mm fans, and an exceptional metallic blue finish. The Ultra X-Connect costs
about $129 (EpowerHousePC.com is selling the X-Connect for only $99.99
currently), which is fairly expensive for a power supply but well worth it for
the customizable cabling. The staff here at Phoronix would recommend the Ultra
X-Connect 500Watt PSU from Ultra Products.
- Cooler Master Real Power 450W -
The Real Power 450W was certainly designed with the future in mind. Seven
four-pin molex connections should be sufficient for most users, and the two
SATA power connections was a good idea on Cooler Master's part as SATA
replaces IDE in the near future as a standard choice for enthusiasts. As
faster Pentium 4 CPUs come to market, the extra four pins on the main ATX
connection will definitely come in handy.
- KHypermedia 8x4x8 DVD+RW IDE Drive review -
The KHypermedia 8X DVD+RW burner pleasantly surprised me. It performed
exceptionally with everything I threw at it. So far I have backed up the
majority of my data and not one coaster. What more can you ask from a very
inexpensive DVD Burner? Computer Geeks sells this drive for an incredible
$48.90. For less than $50.00 you get yourself a +RW burner capable of burning
at 8X speeds, a nice deal all around.
- Zalman Poweroid TNN 500A PC / Poweroid Silent PC - Lowering noise
volumes on powerful PCs requires excellent engineering. One could go down the
watercooling route or choose a traditional air-cooling setup using
high-quality fans that are controlled by a rheobus. Each method takes careful
thought and implementation. Wouldn't it be nice, then, if someone could do the
hard work for you and deliver a near-silent system that incorporated
high-performance components?. Zalman reckons it can. With the help of
Poweroid to provide the innards and performance, Zalman's launching a range of
fanless PCs that appear to break the unwritten rule that powerful PCs cannot
be noiseless. It's a tall order, sure, but Zalman's got a few tricks up its
sleeve to make believers of us.
Let's take a closer look at this intriguing product.
- WaterChill CPU/VGA/Chipset Power kit - KT12A-L30 - Bjorn Endre
looks at a way to keep his PC cool with
the
WaterChill CPU/VGA/Chipset Power kit - KT12A-L30.
- Netgear WGE101 Wireless Ethernet Bridge -
The WGE101 is a fair bit larger than the ME101 with dimensions of 178 x
118 x 28mm (WxDxH), but it has to be said that it’s a much better looking
unit. Netgear obviously felt the need to instil some coherence into its range,
and WGE101 looks like a miniature version of the Netgear wireless routers.
- Niro 1.1 Pro Home Theater System review - Designtechnica
take a look at the Niro 1.1 Pro Home Theater System.
- TrackIR3 Pro review - Flight sims have been around for a long time.
Unfortunately, the learning curve required to truly master the controls can be
quite steep. This is especially true when it comes to checking your six when
dogfighting.
Enter the TrackIR3 Pro cursor control system, which allows the PC-based
pilot to scan the virtual skies without keyboarding or mousing. (thanks Robert
Richelson)
- Sleeping Around Wirelessly - The Tech Zone has posted
an
editorial explaining why you should never leave your wireless network wide
open.
- Opera Tips - Speeding up Opera -
Here's some tips to speed up Opera.
- VSYNC, Frame Rates, Refresh Rates Guide - BigBadBob over at
FutureMark's Forum has published his
VSYNC, Frame Rates, Refresh Rates Info guide.
- cuetools 1.0 (unix) -
cuetools is a set of
utilities for working with cue files and TOC files. It includes programs for
conversion between the formats, file renaming based on cue/TOC information,
and track breakpoint printing.
- Domain Rename (Rendom.exe) tools released - Windows group released
an updated set of
Domain Rename tools. You'll still need to understand and follow the steps
for the
XDR-FIXUP utility. The domain rename operation and the use of the
domain rename tools is not supported in an Active Directory forest that has
any version of Microsoft Exchange Server prior to Exchange Server 2003 SP1
deployed in it.
- Opera 7.60 Preview 1 -
This "Preview 1" version (download)
adds much better support for GMail.
- Flexbeta Firetweaker XP 1.0 Final -
Flexbeta FireTweaker XP has reached Final Release and is ready for
download. FireTweaker XP is a tweaking and optimizing software for Mozilla
Firefox. FireTweaker XP bundles more than 20 different tweaks to optimize or
customize Mozilla Firefox. FireTweaker XP does not contain any spyware or
adware, it is 100% clean for your tweaking pleasures. FireTweaker XP currently
supports Windows 98/Me, 2000, XP and 2003
- FirePanel XP v1.0.1695 -
FirePanel XP
is a tool that will configure & monitor your Windows Firewall activity, and
keep tabs on what exactly you're being exposed to, in real-time. You can set
custom IP range or specific port rules, limiting the surface of attack on your
PC. If its not on your ruleset, it isnt getting through. Applications can be
limited to a certain scope of IPs, or just your localsubnet if you like.
Routing table, and also a packet content viewer
- BB FlashBack 1.3.13.66 -
BB FlashBack (download)
is a screen recorder. Press a record button on your PC, and carry on working.
Press stop, and the software produces a movie of exactly what you saw on your
screen.
- DU Meter 3.07 Build 192 -
DU Meter (download)
is an award winning utility from Hagel Technologies which provides an accurate
account of the data which is flowing through your computer's network
connection at any given moment. This readout is presented in both numerical
and graphical format, in real time.
- Omega Catalyst Drivers 2.5.67 -
Omega Catalyst Drivers will provide gamers with an alternate set of
drivers, ones that have more options and features than the original sets. The
drivers contain optimizations, extra features (like OC capabilities), more
resolutions and internal tweaks that can give them the edge in a gaming
enviroment over the normal drivers, which are often tailored for synthetic
benchmarks.
- Official Realtek RTL8139(A/B/C/D/8130)/810X Series Drivers v6.16-
Realtek have released
a new drivers for the RTL8139 (A/B/C/D/8130)/810X series.
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Updated:12:47 AM CEST Jun,04
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