SECURITY...

• Sober worm variant starts to spread - McAfee said a variant of the Sober worm, described as Sober.r, has started to land in people's inboxes. It raised its risk assessment to 'medium' on the worm, which it labels W32/Sober.r@mm! M51. The worm arises in your inbox in a .zip file attached to email and if it's activated, looks for email addresses on the machine that's been hit, sending out more examples of its itself.
• Bug spotted in Symantec antivirus - A buffer overflow flaw in the Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine could let remote attackers run code on vulnerable machines, Symantec said in an advisory Tuesday. The problem affects various versions of the engine, which is the part of the security software that actually scans for threats. Security patches are available to correct the problem, which Symantec rates 'high' on its risk impact scale.
• Kaspersky Antivirus Remote Heap Overflow - Successful exploitation of Kaspersky protected systems allows attackers unauthorized control of data and related privileges. It also provides leverage for further network compromise. Kaspersky Antivirus Library implementations are likely vulnerable in their default configuration.
• Trillian remote crashable - If Trillian using the ICQ protocol and a reverse connection is requested, then Trillian crashes.
• New mysql-dfsg-4.1 package fixes arbitrary code execution  - A stack-based buffer overflow in the init_syms function of MySQL, a popular database, has been discovered that allows remote authenticated users who can create user-defined functions to execute arbitrary code via a long function_name field. The ability to create user-defined functions is not typically granted to untrusted users.
• Patches available for critical flaws in HP Openview - David and Mark Litchfield of NGSSoftware have discovered a number of critical and high risk vulnerabilities in HP Openview. The flaws can be exploited by attackers without valid credentials to fully compromise a vulnerable server. Windows, Linux. HP-UX and Solaris are all affected. These issues have been now been addressed and patches are available from here.
• Windows Vista's New Security Features - Microsoft's new operating system won't be out until late 2006, but here's a look at some of the new security features expected

CRIME...

• Spyware maker to be shut down - Odysseus is about to be shut down by the FTC which believes its software is just a cover for spyware.The FTC claims that one bit of Odysseus software, called Clientman, lures users with the promise that it will give them free software that would make illegal peer-to-peer file sharing anonymous and hard to trace.
• Sony sent packing from Australian courts over mod-chips - Sony has been kicked out of the Australian courts after trying again to get Mod chips declared illegal in Australia . The High Court ruled that chips that allow imported games to be played do not breach any copyright law, and has allowed them to be sold. This final ruling by the Australian courts means that a four year battle between a seller of mod chips and Sony comes to an end.
• RIAA takes a Shotgun to traders according to legal experts - Hundreds of people are being wrongly sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for illegally trading music online, legal experts say. Attorneys representing some of the 14,000 people targeted for illegal music trading say their clients are being bullied into settling as the cheapest way to get out of trouble. Collection agencies posing as "settlement centers" are harassing their clients to pay thousands of dollars for claims about which they know nothing, they say.

OFF-TOPIC

• Sms.co.uk domain sale could be a 'record breaker' - The domain sms.co.uk is up for grabs and those behind the sale reckon it could net more than £100,000. Earlier this year, for example, website.com and property.com changed hands for $750,000, while porker.com reached $155,000, according to listings compiled by DN Journal.
• Epidemiologists play games to study plague, pestilence - Scientists are considering using the accidental spread of a "plague" in the online role playing game World of Warcraft in an attempt to correlate the response with real-life disease outbreaks. While players online were obviously more playful about the whole event, few genuinely wanted to catch the virtual ailment.
• Universal to Offer its Movies Online - Universal expects to be able to offer movies online by the end of the year or early next year, company chairman and CEO Bob Wright said Tuesday
• Single-play DVDs a Hoax - That's the lesson from the bogus story published in an obscure UK business magazine yesterday that claimed Microsoft is about to unleash a new single-play DVD format. Paul Thurrott reprinted the story without giving credit to the original source. Bink.nu picked up the story from Paul and reprinted it verbatim. Techdirt commented on the original story, with attribution but without any fact-checking. So did John Walkenbach. The funny part? There's no truth to the story.

TECHNOLOGY...

• Windows XP SP3 Preview Surfaces Online - Though Microsoft still won't confirm that it will release a third service pack for its Windows XP operating system, a preview version of the software update has been made available on the Web. An "unofficial" preview pack of Windows XP Service Pack 3 is available at The Hotfix, a software download site and discussion forum that focuses on patches and software updates.
• Network feud leads to Net blackout - On Wednesday, network company Level 3 Communications cut off its direct "peering" connections to another big network company called Cogent Communications. That technical action means that some customers on each company's network now will find it impossible, or slower, to get to Web sites on the other company's network.
• NVIDIA G72 to arrive in early 2006 - Citing sources at Taiwanese graphics card manufacturers, DigiTimes is reporting that NVIDIA's G72 graphics processor will arrive in early 2006. G72 is apparently a 90-nano version of the G70 GPU that powers the GeForce 7800 series.
• Game developers don't take x64 seriously - Very few games actually support Windows XP Pro x64 edition. The popular games that really have x64 binaries are: The Chronicles of Riddick, FarCry, and UT2004.
• ATI Explains Their Warranty Reduction - When LegitReviews spoke to ATI about the warranty changes they explained that it was done for a number of reasons. After studying the average "return rate over time" charts it was discovered that nearly 90% of all video card returns were done in the first 60 days. This means that consumers very seldom used their warranty on the second and third years per the old warranty plan. Since ATI's warranty plan covers production cards for three years a large inventory of cards has to be kept on hand for warranty work. Another reason for the warranty change was to give ATI's partners something unique. The bulk of ATI graphics processors are sold to card makers to build "ATI Powered" graphics cards. Instead of matching or offering a longer warranty period than some partners ATI has chosen to step away from the warranty race. 
• Intel explains main reason to back HD DVD instead of Blu-ray - Intel has weighed into the debate over high-definition DVD formats, explaining its decision to back HD DVD in preference to Blu-ray.  The company abandoned its usual neutrality over a single issue: copying. This was one of six problems with Blu-ray that Microsoft listed when it joined with Intel in backing HD DVD. The reason we provided support for HD-DVD is that basically it has committed to several features. Specifically, the mandatory managed copy,' said Donald McDonald. Managed copy ensures that users can copy the HD content to a PC or media centre for accessing anywhere in the home and on to portable devices. (ed note: HD is no use to me if I can't copy as I wish like DVD. So DVD is where I will stay...)
• AMD prices 2.4GHz Turion 64 - The Turion ML-42 is listed for $525, and its ML designation indicates a 35W TDP, but no other details are given. According to roadmaps published this summer, the ML-42 runs at 2.4GHz and has 512KB of L2 cache.
• Toshiba unveils first laptop with next-generation DVD drive - Toshiba has claimed that they have developed the first laptop computer with its new HD DVD drive. This supports the Microsoft’s claims that the format is suitable for the next generation portable computers. The company has collaborated with South Korean tech giants Samsung Corp and now plans to sell personal computers with a slim HD DVD drive designed specifically for laptops in Japan beginning next year.

HARDWARE... 

• CPU - Dothan vs. Turion comparison
• Memory - Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-5300 / Crucial Ballistix PC4000 2GB Dual Channel memory / Corsair XMS TWINX2048-PC4400PRO 2GB Dual Channel RAM / Gigabyte i-RAM / Mushkin eXtreme Performace XP400 2GB Memory / OCZ Gold PC4000 2GB Dual Channel Kit memory(1) / OCZ 2GB (1GBx2) EL DDR PC-4000 Gold Dual Channel (2)
• Motherboard - Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI / Epox EP-8NPA SLI Socket 754 / Foxconn 955X7AA-8EKRS2
• Complete / SFF Systems - beblu Media Center
• Storage - Western Digital Caviar SE16 / Western Digital Caviar SE 2500JS HDD – SATA vs. SATA-II  || USB Flash Drive Roundup / OCZ Rally 2GB Flash memory(1) / OCZ 2GB Rally Flash drive (2) / OCZ Rally 1GB USB Stick /Swissbit 512MB Minitwist USB Drive || Corsair Flash Media: 40X CF & 60X SD || Lite-On SHW-1635S DVD burner / Panasonic SW-9585 16x Internal DVD Writer
• Video - Asus GeForce 7800 GTX TOP Edition  / Asus GeForce 6800GT PCI-E / ATI All-In-Wonder X800XL 256MB PCI-E (video-review) / ATI Radeon X800GT Head to Head - HIS vs. PowerColor / GeForce Go 7800 GTX / Gigabyte Radeon X800XL 512MB PCI-E / HIS ICEQ II Radeon X800GT Turbo PCI-E / HIS ICEQ II Radeon X800GT Turbo PCI-E / PowerColor X800 GT EVO Liquid Cooled / Leadtek 7800 GT and Forceware 78.03 / Leadtek PX7800 TDH MyVIVO Extreme / MSI NX7800GTX-VT2D256E SLI / MSI NX7800GT / MSI Radeon X1300 PRO 256 MB / NVIDIA GeForce 6100 vs. ATI RS482 / PowerColor X800 GT EVO Liquid Cooled(1) / PowerColor X800GT EVO with Factory Watercooling / Sapphire Radeon X800GTO / Sapphire Radeon X550  / TerraTec Cinergy Hybrid USB XS DVB-T/Analog TV Tuner / XFX GeForce 7800 GT 256MB
• Monitor/Display - BrightSide DR37-P Extreme Dynamic Range Display / Samsung SyncMaster 730B LCD monitor / Samsung 940B LCD monitor
• Cooling - Sharkoon Silent Eagle 2000 80mm Case Fan / ThermalTake Golden Orb II Socket 939 Cooler
• WaterCooling - Cooler Master Aquagate Mini Water Cooling / Titan Robela watercase / Thermaltake Aquabay M2 5.25" Bay Reservoir tip / Zalman Reserator 1 Plus Liquid Cooling System
• Case - Antec Sonata 2 case / Enermax CA3030 Pandora / Gigabyte 3D Aurora Full ATX case / Silverstone SST-TJ05B-X / Thermaltake Tai Chi Case
• Modding - Logisys Wireless Remote MultiFunction Panel
• PSU - Aspire Darkside 600W PSU  / Enermax MaximumPlus 660W SLI PSU / Enermax EG565P-VE FMA 535-watt PSU / HEC Group ACE 580UB ATX Power Supply / Joujye Super Silent 350W PSU . SinTek 500 SLI 500W PSU
• Sound - Creative X-Fi soundcard  / Grado SR325i High-End Headphones / Logitech mm50 Portable Speakers / Steelsound 5H Headset
• Peripheral - A4Tech NB-90 Battery Free Wireless Optical Mouse / IOGear 5-Button 1600 DPI USB Laser Mouse / Logitech Desktop Laser Mice Line-up for Q4 2005  / Logitech G5 Laser Mouse / Razer Copperhead Laser Mouse / Wacom Graphire 4x5
• Networking - MSI Dual Net Card  / SMC Wireless Hotspot Gateway/Mini-POS Ticket Printer
• Printer/Scanner - Canon CanoScan 5200F: Inexpensive Scanner with Hardware Dust and Scratches Reduction  / Samsung ML-2010 laser printer /
• Misc - Cellboost For PSP / Logitech PlayGear PSP Roundup / MPIO PD100 Portable DAB Radio / Hip Gear S-Video AV System Selector
• Notebook - Spartan Z8000 gaming notebook / Vantec LapCool 3 Notebook Cooler
• Cameras, MP3/DVD players/recorders - Creative Labs Zen Vision portable media player / MobiBLU DAH-1500i MP3 Player / Sony HDR-HC1E High Definition Camcorder / Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F20
• Phones/Headsets -

GUIDES...

• CPU Overclocking Guide - With our new guide CPU overclocking will be as easy as ABC!
• Build a PC with the Best Bang  - The objective was to take a set of components, each of which represented the best price/performance ratio for that component - and build a PC with them.
• Call of Duty 2 Demo Tweak Guide - TweakGuides prepared this Call of Duty 2 Demo Tweak Guide to provide descriptions of the in-game settings, as well as a range of advanced tweaks including full details of the major command variables you can use in the console.
• BIOS Optimization Guide Revision 8.4 - 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. Every system is different and every user has different requirements.
• Step-by-Step Guide to Making and Promoting Your Own Podcast - Think of it like an audio blog; a podcast is a recorded program similar to radio (sans commercials, of course) made available via MP3 files on websites or RSS feeds. TheTechZone show you the step by step on creating your own podcast.
• TweakHound's Super XP Tweaking Guide - SP2 version 2.0 Final - Tweakhound's Eric Vaughan has updated his Windows XP tweaking guide to revision SP2 version 2.0 Final! this has to be one of the best tweaking guides around. This guide is all about optimizing XP.

SOFTWARE...

• DirectX 9.0c October 2005 - This download provides the DirectX 9.0c end-user redistributable that developers can include with their product.
• XP AntiSpy v3.95 - The program now offer 2 modes, the 'Standard' and the 'Accessible' mode. In the latter it is possible for blind and color-blind people to get access to the xp-AntiSpy. (thanks Csimbi)
• Cool winXP Update - Install this update to add a Tools tab to the System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe). The Tools tab will allow further diagnostic tools to be launched from within the System Configuration Utility.
• McAfee AVERT Stinger 2.5.8 - Stinger (download) is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses.
• EliteToolbar Remover 2.1.0 - The new EliteToolbar Remover (download) deletes any traces of the persistent malwares.
• AbiWord 2.4.0 - AbiWord (download) is a free word processing program similar to Microsoft Word. It is suitable for typing papers, letters, reports, memos, and so forth.
• Update for Windows 2000 (KB904368) - Install this update to resolve an issue in which Microsoft Office programs may stop responding when you try to save new files to a floppy disk drive after installing Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. After you install this update, you may have to restart your computer.
• CCleaner 1.24.180 - CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space.
• Belarc Advisor 7.0t - The Belarc Advisor (download) builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, including Microsoft Hotfixes, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server
• Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0.7  - I mentioned this new Thunderbird version earlier, but if you missed it then download it!
• Google Talk 1.0.0.72 Beta - Google Talk (download) enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world
• GNOME 2.12.1 - GNOME project has built a complete free and easy-to-use desktop environment for the user, as well as a powerful application framework for the software developer.
• µTorrent 1.1.3 - This release brings many fixes and new features, highlights being: greatly improved connectivity with peers (and thus better transfer rates) along with support for language translations. µTorrent is now available in English, Swedish and French
• Messenger Plus! 3.61.145 - Messenger Plus! Extension (download) is a program that adds functionalities to the MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger chat program. Some of the added features are logging, personalized Away Messages, transparency effects.
• Messenger Plus! Extension 3.61.145 - download
• AIM Fix (10/05/05) - AIM Fix was created to remove all known AIM viruses in one consolidated removal tool.
• Maxthon v1.5 build 90 - Maxthon (MyIE2) (download combo / download standard) is a powerful web browser with a highly customizable interface. It is based on the Internet Explorer engine (your most likely current web browser) which means that what works in IE, works the same in Maxthon but with many additional efficient features.
• PowerStrip 3.62.531 (shw) - PowerStrip (download) provides advanced, multi-monitor, programmable hardware support to a wide range of graphics cards - from the venerable Matrox Millennium I to the latest video cards.
• Paint.NET 2.5 Beta 2 - Paint.NET v2.5 Beta 2 is now available that fixes a critical bug in Beta 1. If you already have a previous build of v2.5 instealled then we prefer that you install this update via the built-in update mechanism within Paint.NET.
• WindowBlinds 5 beta - Stardock has released a beta version of their Windows-skinning software. Still beta, but this gives you an 'almost Vista' UI on standard Windows XP, including transperancy and glass-effects.
• nLite 1.0 RC1 - nLite is a GUI for permanent Windows component removal by your choice. After removal there is an option to make bootable image ready for burning on cd or testing in virtual machines. With nLite you will be able to have Windows installation which on install doesn't include, or even contain on cd, unwanted components.
• FastStone Image Viewer 2.26 Beta Build 2005-10-03 - FastStone Image Viewer (download) is an image browser, viewer, converter and editor with an easy to use interface and a nice array of features that include resizing, renaming, cropping, color adjustments and more.
• foobar2000 Normal 0.9 Beta 10 - Foobar2000 Media Player (download) is a very very recommendable player. It is developed by Peter Pawlowski who is or used to work on Winamp3.
• 1by1 1.50 - 1by1 (requires mpglb.dll v0.92)  is a very small sized player which is not only small: It plays whole directories without any playlis
• VirtualDub 1.6.11 - VirtualDub (changelog / download standard version / download AMD 64 version) is a video capture and processing program. It features fast capturing, process files larger than the 2 gigabyte limit, optimized for linear editing, support for Motion-JPEG, MPEG-1 video and layer 3 audio, real-time and near-realtime video processing, video job queues, and much more.
• BlindWrite Suite 5.2.18 (shw) - Blindwrite Suite (download) is the best set of tools to reproduce or clone any CD, even protected ones. Blindwrite Suite is the most powerfull tool to create a perfect copy from your original CD for personal private copy.
• Memtest86+ 1.65 - Based on the well-known original memtest86 written by Chris Brady, Memtest86+ is a port by some members of the x86-secret team.
• NVIDIA nTune v2.05.15.08 - NVIDIA nTune is the ultimate utility for accessing, monitoring, and adjusting your system components, including temperature and voltages with clear, user-friendly control panels.
• NvTempLogger v3.33 - This is a simple program that is used to watch the temperature (Core and Ambient) of NVIDIA based GPUs. You have the options to check the graph for the last 10 mins approx. or make a log file for as long as you like or export it to an Excel graph and sheet.
• Realtek AC'97 Drivers 3.77 WHQL - This driver supports all ALC series audio chipsets from ALC101 up to ALC861. It is used as onboard sound on many motherboards. Chips covered include ALC101/201/202/203/250/650/653/655/658/861.
• zer0point Catalyst 0.59 - if you want 10 more points in 3dmark these drivers aren't for you, if you want your games to look great and play great without stability issues then I think you'll enjoy our drivers.
• zer0point ForceWare 0.8182 - Currently these drivers are for all GeForce based desktop cards. (If it’s not on a laptop, and says either GeForce or Quadro in the name, it’s supported).
• ForceWare 81.84 beta - The new _beta_ drivers (release notes) include specific optimizations for dual-core processors, an HDTV setup wizard with a full-screen calibration tool, and SLI support for TV and HDTV output.  Word is: "BETA driver to support the availability of the game Black and White 2."