SECURITY...

• IM worm speaks your language - The worm, dubbed Kelvir.HI, tailors the language of its attack message to the compromised system. It can send messages in English, Dutch, French, German, Greek (English alphabet), Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Spanish and Turkish.
• Zotob worm hole also affects Windows XP - Vulnerability that downed Windows 2000 computers last week also holds a serious risk for some Windows XP users
• Bypassing Windows Heap Protections - Nicolas Falliere posted an article explaining how to bypass Windows heap protections (PDF) and to perform heap overflow in general. In this article Nicolas presents a new way to exploit heap-based buffer overflows..
• Remote IIS 5.x and IIS 6.0 Server Name Spoof - It is possible to remotely spoof the "SERVER_NAME" Microsoft Internet Information Server® 5.0, 5.1 and 6.0 server variable by doing a modified HTTP request.

TECHNOLOGY...

• Fall IDF 2005 coverage: Day 1: Coverage of Everything @ AnandTech | Day 1 Highlights & LegitReviews | Coverage. Day 1 @ XbitLabs | Intel to move to common CPU architecture @ Techreport |  Day 2: Intel Introduces their VIIV Brand @ AnandTech | 802.11n - Next Gen Wifi @ Hexus | 955, X800GT, X800GTO - Crossfired @ Hexus | ATI to validate 955X chipset for CrossFire @ TechReport | Intel unveils 'Golden Gate' Pentium M system for VIIV @ Bit-Tech | DDR3 confirmed for 2007, ramps to 1.6GHz @ Bit-Tech
• AMD stealth launches x54 - Strange though it may be, AMD seems to have stealth launched the latest in single core chips. The 2.8GHz x54 models are out with nary a press release, much less a dog and pony show.
• Google Talk Beta review - Google is working on inviting more people to join Gmail and therefore making more people available to chat to using Google Talk beta. Starting today, anyone in the U.S. who has a phone with SMS text capabilities can visit the Gmail site, enter their phone number, and receive a text invite and code from Google for a Gmail account.
• Sony adds Web browser to PSP - The firmware 2.0 upgrade is designed to let users surf the Internet from hotspots using the device's built-in Wi-Fi functions. In addition, the upgrade features Wi-Fi security, tools for photo sharing and enhanced video and audio playback. The software can be downloaded from the PSP Web site directly to the PSP via a wireless connection, or downloaded to a PC and transferred through a USB cable.
• Windows 95 Turns 10 - Twelve million dollars was spent simply securing the rights to a theme song for the hoopla, the opening chords of the Rolling Stones hit "Start Me Up." The music will accompany Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates as he boots up the new program in a ceremony at company headquarters in Redmond, Wash., to be broadcast today live via satellite at launch events and retail outlets nationwide.
• New notebook battery to deliver 8 hours of power - Intel and Panasonic announced at IDF a newly designed notebook battery that promises to dramatically improve the operation time of notebooks. The device increases overall capacity from a typical 2.0 ampere hours (Ah) in mainstream batteries to 2.9 Ah

HARDWARE... 

• CPU - AMD Athlon 64 FX-57
• Motherboard - ABIT AW8-MAX i955x | ECS KN1 Extreme (AVault) | ECS KN1 Extreme Motherboard (Extreme Resources) | EPoX 5NVA+SLI (NF4 SLI Intel edition) | eVGA nForce 4 SLI Motherboard | Foxconn 925XE7AA | Foxconn NF4SK8AA-8EKRS | Jetway 939GT4-SLI: Gem with a New SLI Twist
• Complete / SFF Systems: 3 HSF Investigated  | AOpen i915GMm-HFS
• RAM - DDR2 SDRAM DDR2-1067 and DDR2-800
• Storage - HP dvd640e External DVD Writer with LightScribe | Luxurae Hard Drive Silencing Solution
• Video - ASUS Extreme N7800GTX TOP/2DHTV | BFG Tech GeForce 7800 GT OC  | eVGA 7800 GT PCI-E 256MB | GeForce 7800 GT from ASUS and eVGA | GeCube X800GT | Gigabyte X700 Pro | MSI Geforce 7800 GTX | MSI NX7800 GTX Video Cards (SLI) | NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE in SLI
• Cooling - Asetek VapoChill Micro Ultra Low Noise Heatsink Fan | Copper Silent 3 (Copper Lite) Socket A Heatsink CPU cooler
• WaterCooling - Water Cooling Madness - Corsair vs. Thermaltake vs. Gigabyte | Corsair COOL Water-Cooling Kit | Thermaltake Symphony | Vapochill Micro Ultra Low Noise Water Cooling
• Case - Antec Overture 2 ATX Desktop Case | Antec TX1050B SOHO File Server Case | Chenbro Gaming Bomb II | Thermalrock Eclipse Silver Case W- Side Window
• PSU/UPS - SLI Ready Power Supply Roundup | Akasa PowerPlus AK-P550FF 550 Watt PSU | Antec Phantom 500 PSU | Hiper Type R 480 Watt PSU | MGE Magnum 500 PSU | OCZ Preps 750W PSU for Enthusiasts | OCZ 520w ModStream PSU
• Sound - Creative Labs X-Fi | Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music and X-Fi Elite Pro | Icemat Siberia Multi-Headset | SoundBlaster X-Fi Fatality FPS | Speed Link Medusa 5.1 Surround Headset
• Peripheral - Ergodex DX1 Input System (Gamers' Dream) | Flexiglow Cyber Snipa Game pad | Razer Copperhead Gaming Mouse
• Network - Netgear FVS318v3 Prosafe VPN Router 
• Modding - Matrix Orbital MX6 Series PLED Kit
• Miscelanous - Timex Bodylink System with Data Recorder
• Notebook / Bluetooth -BlueTake BT510 Bluetooth Mini Mouse & BT009Si Bluetooth USB Adapter
• Cameras, MP3 players - Fujifilm Z1 Digital Camera | MobiBLU DAH-1500i  Digital Music Player | VL System M-Play 202 Media Center VFD
• Cell phones - Nokia N90 | Panasonic VS3

GUIDES...

• CE-ATA Standard - Learn about the new CE-ATA standard, a new hard disk drive standard targeted to consumer electronics products.
• Setting Up a Dual Display Desktop - Displaying your desktop on multiple monitors is natively supported by Windows XP, 2000, ME, and 98, as well as in the popular distributions of Linux. Although this Tech Tip will focus on configuring a dual display setup in Windows, it is possible to go much higher than two monitors if your needs and budget should allow
• Rojak Pot's BIOS optimization guide rev. 8.21 - This guide serves as a repository of knowledge on various BIOS options. It also serves as a guide on how best to optimize your BIOS.
• Configuring Internet Authentication Service for Network Access Protection (NAP) in Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 1 - You configure NAP health requirements and enforcement behaviors with Internet Authentication Service in Windows Server 'Longhorn.'
• How to quickly improve your computer's performance - BonaFideReviews has posted a guide about How to quickly improve your computer's performance.

SOFTWARE...

• ERUNT & NTREGOPT 1.1i - ERUNT (includes NTREGOPT!): The Emergency Recovery Utility NT: Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP.
• AVG Free Edition 7.344 - A free, reliable tool for computer protection against viruses.
• Vcleaner 0.995 - Vcleaner removal utility will detect and remove following viruses: BackDoor.Agent.A-Z, AA-BG, ownloader.Agent.AS, I-Worm/Atak.A-I, I-Worm/Bagle.A-Z, AA-BA, I-Worm/Bugbear.D, I-Worm/Netsky.A-Z, AA-AD, I-Worm/Sasser.A-F, I-Worm/Zafi.A-D, PSW.Bispy.A-.
• Microsoft Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter (August 2005) - This optional update (download) provides the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 with a more current definition of which e-mail messages should be considered junk e-mail. This update was released in August 2005.
• Google Talk 1.0.0.64 Beta - Call or send instant messages (download) to your friends for free–anytime. Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail username and password.
• Morpheus 5.0.0.737 Beta - Morpheus (download beta) ushers in a new era in file-sharing technology. A completely redesigned Smart User Interface makes it quick and easy to search, discover, download and play all types of media files including MP3 audio, music, movies, videos, games, photos, documents and more
• MSN Messenger 7.5 Build 0299 Final - Microsoft has released for download an updated version of MSN Messenger - this is the final version 7.5 (build 0299). Among the new features are Dymanic Backgrounds and Voice Clips. Dynamic Backgrounds fill your MSN Messenger conversations and subtly animate during the conversation. Voice Clips allow you to send short audio clips (15 secs max) to your friends on MSN Messenger.
• PSPad UNICODE 4.5.0 (2125) Beta - PSPad (download package + installator) is a text and code editor.
  Futuris Imager 5.3.1 - Futuris Imager (download / plugins) is a compact and simple image viewer. It is capable of opening more then 30 graphical formats, including all popular ones (GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, JPEG2000 and so on).
• K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 1.37 - This new version adds three BSplayer skins and includes ffdshow build 2005-08-22, MP4 splitter build 2005-08-18, Matroska splitter (Haali) build 2005-08-18, CoreAAC version 1.2.0.573, CoreVorbis version 1.1.0.79, DC-DSP Filter version 1.03.
• RatDVD 0.75 - The new version gives you more control about the encoded video. DVDs can be analyzed and the new "Constant Average Bitrate" mode allows users to specify the bitrate of the encoded ratDVDs and thus the size of the encoded ratDVD.
• PlexTools Professional v2.25 - With PlexTools you can perform various tasks, using your Plextor optical drive, ranging from digital audio extraction, burning CD/DVD compilations and advanced quality measurements. Users who have an original PlexTools installation CD can install the upgrade for free, if you haven't got this CD you can purchase the software online :]
• Microsoft IntelliPoint 5.2
• Firmware R 4.3.2 for THOMSON Speedtouch 500v4 Series (510 & 530) - This latest official version adds support for advanced firewall configuration, gaming & application NAPT assignment, dynamic DNS, user mgnt, local network mgnt, advanced remote mgnt, advanced diagnostic tools, easy task selection GUI. (thanks Siegfried)