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Grisoft modifies its free AVG product after complaints

On Thursday, Webmasters around the world noticed unusual spikes in traffic. For some smaller sites the sudden surge of Web traffic toward their sites appeared to be almost a denial-of-service attack.

Turns out it was the free version of AVG Antivirus 8.0 just doing its job.

In a statement on Saturday, Grisoft said "We have actively listened to the Webmasters who have brought this to our attention, and as a company we have reacted quickly to solve them." What it did was issue a new build of the popular free program.

What's different in version 8 … Read more

Get Dell's wireless all-in-one printer for $60 shipped

Dell's V305w prints, scans, and copies, and it does it all without wires. That's right, it's a Wi-Fi-enabled all-in-one. And it's on sale for a measly 60 bucks, shipping included! (Make sure to choose "3-5 Day Delivery" when you get to the checkout.)

This is a brand new model from Dell; it launched just a week ago, so it's surprising to see such a steep discount already (it normally sells for $129).

The V305w features a 100-sheet input tray, borderless photo printing up to 8.5x14, and media-card slots for printing photos without … Read more

Brother releases professional class multifunction inkjet printer

Brother's newest inkjet multifunction printer, the MFC-6490CW is a milestone for the company--it's their first color inkjet that can print, copy, scan, and fax on 11 inch by 17-inch tabloid sized paper. This is also the first in a new line of "Professional Series" printers that accommodate the creative and innovative consumer.

The printer will have ports for direct printing from USB flash drives, PictBridge compatible ports, and external multimedia cards. In addition, the MFC-6490CW is also wireless and includes a built in auto-document feeder, dual paper input trays, and a four ink cartridge bay. We'… Read more

Firefox add-on WOT crowdsources site-ratings

If you're the type to favor user opinions over editorials, the Firefox plug-in WOT may be the site-rating service for you.

Unlike Grisoft LinkScanner (Pro and Lite), McAfee Site Advisor (for Internet Explorer and Firefox), or the NetCraft Toolbar (for Firefox and Internet Explorer), this extension, published by Web of Trust (WOT), relies on user-generated ratings seconded by Web-gathered statistics to determine key factors of site safety. Trustworthiness, vendor reliability, privacy, and child safety are the four vectors of participant voting. A lengthened color gradient from green (safe) to red (unsafe) offers five shades of ratings levels instead of … Read more

HP rolls out three new wallet-friendly printers for the home

Yesterday I posted about the Epson Stylus NX400, a printer geared toward people with a limited budget. Well, it looks like HP is also looking to ramp up their low-cost printer line--today, they released three printers designed to increase efficiency in the home. Let's take a look:

Let's start with the HP Photosmart C4480, an All-in-One printer, scanner, and copier for $99. This one looks like it will be a direct competitor to the aforementioned Epson Stylus NX400. Both have multifunctionality and an LCD screen, but the HP is only 1.5 inches and fixed in place, while … Read more

Epson's newest $100 multifunction printer

We're excited about Epson's newest multifunction printer, the Stylus NX400. The all-in-one printer, copier, and scanner is outfitted in a glossy black finish and uses Epson's DURABrite Ultra ink to produce photos that can reportedly last up to six times longer than the average printer using plain paper.

Under the hood, you'll find Epson's MicroPiezo DX3 print nozzle head that uses variable ink droplet sizes from 4 picoliters and up, which translates to finer detail in the quality of your photos. The printer also has a 2.5 inch tilt LCD screen, memory card slots, … Read more

Print wirelessly with $79.99 Lexmark all-in-one

Regular readers know I have a thing for wireless printers, like the $99 Wi-Fi laser I posted last month. Here's a more versatile model that costs even less: The Lexmark X4580 printer/copier/scanner, which Circuit City has on sale for $79.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).

Designed with home offices and small businesses in mind, the X4580 is a color inkjet that can churn out 26 pages per minute (black). It scans in 48-bit color and comes with OCR software. And it makes one-touch copies. There's no sheet feeder--it's a flatbed model--and there'… Read more

Xerox updates its Phaser series, adds 5 laser printers

Xerox officially added five new models to its line of Phaser laser printers today, and I had a chance to speak with a product manager over at Xerox to get the scoop on the new product offering (Phaser 3100, 3250, 3635, 3600, and 5500).

While none of these new printers include built-in wireless, a feature that's been growing in popularity (Xerox sells a separate wireless network adapter for the 3600 series), we're still excited to get a few of these MFPs into the lab for some heavy-duty testing. Let's take a peek at some of the models … Read more

Fujitsu gives biometrics a hand

For years, biometric finger scanners have been used in ATMs and at the cash register. But there are problems with finger scanners. Researchers have demonstrated how a flat photograph or molded fingertip can easily fool these devices into giving a false approval. And while face recognition is improving, especially 3D facial mapping, these devices aren't yet in wide use today.

Fujitsu PalmSecure is another option. Already in use in hospitals and government offices, the device reads the hand's vein pattern using near-infrared light. On this week's Security Bites podcast, I spoke with Joel Hagberg, vice president of … Read more