February 16, 2006, 4:57 PM PST
Apple users welcome the iVirus
Posted by: Tom Merritt

It's actually called the Oompa Loompa Trojan horse, and it's not, in fact, really a virus. But there is some malware out there that some are touting as the first OS X virus. Except that it's not really a virus. And it's a really low-level threat. But hey, it gave us a break from talking about iPods for a bit.

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February 16, 2006, 4:55 PM PST
Microsoft to open up Office?
Posted by: Tom Merritt

Seriously, not joking here--not even being inflammatory. Microsoft expects that its use of XML in the upcoming version of Office will encourage others to build suites that use the format. Microsoft even wants it to become a standard. Just what we need: cheap Office knockoffs to go along with the 42 other varieties Microsoft makes.

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February 16, 2006, 4:07 PM PST
So you thought ripping CDs was legal
Posted by: Jasmine France

Think again. Apparently, the RIAA is thinking better of its statement in the MGM vs. Grokster case. If you followed the case, you may be aware that the RIAA stated that "it's perfectly lawful to take a CD that you've purchased, upload it on to your computer, and put it on to your iPod." No doubt concerned with the collective pocketbooks of its members, the organization is now changing its tune, stating that CD owners are not actually authorized to rip music to their computers at all. Oh, come on...like you're really surprised. Or are you? Please share your feelings on this matter below. And while you're at it, check out the excellent graphic that Gizmodo has posted for the occasion. (Thanks, EFF...for much more than just this.)

Addendum: Concerned about your digital rights? Please visit the EFF Action Center to support the Electronic Frontier Foundation's efforts to protect our civil liberties.

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February 16, 2006, 2:18 PM PST
New Windows Media Player flaw exploited
Posted by: Robert Vamosi

According to SANS.org, someone has released onto the Internet a proof of concept exploit for MS06-005. The exploit crafts a malicious BMP file that causes a buffer overflow within unpatched Windows Media Player applications. The existence of an exploit creates the possibility of a virus or a worm taking advantage of this vulnerability in the near future. If you haven't already applied the February 2006 Windows Updates, you should do so now.

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February 16, 2006, 10:16 AM PST
19-inch laptop alert: the Eurocom M590K Emperor
Posted by: Justin Jaffe

I just got an e-mail from the folks at Eurocom announcing a 19-inch laptop called the M590K Emperor. It has some hot specs (see below), though they're not quite as hot as the ones that were in the message the company sent me earlier this month. A few weeks ago, Eurocom was saying that the M590K Emperor, in addition to being one of the first 19-inch laptops in the world, would have an Nvidia SLI 7800 Go graphics card, making it the first SLI laptop on the market, too (though Widow PC tried to stake that claim a few weeks ago, before being muzzled by Nvidia). In any event, the Emperor isn't the first 19-inch laptop we've heard about, but if Eurocom hits the March 9 shipping date that the company claims on its site, the Emperor could be the first 19-incher that you could actually buy in the United States. For $3,500.

Now kneel before the Eurocom M590K Emperor's base specs:
- AMD Mobile Turion64 MT-40; 64-bit; 1MB L2 cache
- 256MB DDR3 video with Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX or ATI Mobility Radeon x800 XT Platinum Edition
- Up to 2GB of DDR400 SODIMM RAM
- Up to 120GB 7,200rpm SATA-2 hard drive
- 8X multi-DVD burner
- 4-in-1 media card reader
- SRS Wow; surround sound system
- Internal TV tuner
- Wireless: WLAN 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth
- 1 Gig Ethernet
- 5 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, HDTV port, DVI-I port for dual display
- Full-size 102-key keyboard with a separate numeric keypad
- Weight: 6.5 kilograms (14.3 pounds)

Also: Another 19-inch laptop sighted at Engadget.

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February 16, 2006, 9:29 AM PST
Coed computing
Posted by: Dan Ackerman

Today's New York Post--not our usual first stop for high-tech trend news--reports that women are surpassing men as consumers of technology in several key categories. The article cites a report from MarketResearch.com that says "women actually outpace men in personal computer, DVD, and video game ownership." Women shell out some $55 billion a year on technology.

While most tech types think this somehow means more pink gadgets in our future, looking past the cliché shows us a trend toward "design-conscious computers and other high-tech gadgets."

According to the report, 64 percent of women in the United States own a personal computer, as opposed to only 63 percent of men, and the percentage of Internet users who are women is expected to hit 53 percent by 2008. Guys don't have to worry about being left behind, as we still lead in areas such as television purchases, and I don't see pink plasma TVs ever catching on. (Kidding!)

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