Brandon Dimmel

Web security gurus from Sophos have found another reason to keep your zipper up and belt firmly buckled. As if it weren't already good practice to avoid nudies on the Internet, a new Trojan horse is teasing web users with explicit images and videos. ... The problems have arisen via emails. No surprise there. Although the folks at Sophos (and Infopackets, too) are still finding it hard to believe that people could be duped into something so blatantly laced with threats, there are those out there who are clicking. (source: hackinthebox.org ) What happens to those individuals is not quite as ... (view more)

Last summer, Microsoft made a rather big mess of things with WGA, or the Windows Genuine Advantage program. The company had only recently delayed Windows Vista, and the public was primed and ready to jump on them for any other slip ups. That came ... with the aforementioned WGA, MS' attempt to introduce antipiracy software. The problem wasn't necessarily the concept so much as it was the nature in which Microsoft implemented the program. Well, it appears the Redmond-based company has drastically updated WGA, and some of the harshest critics from mid-year are now slightly less annoyed. Although ... (view more)

With the launch of the Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 now underway, the next-gen war between these two gaming powerhouses and Microsoft (producers of the Xbox 360) is now officially on. That should make for some mudslinging in the media and ... ambitious attempts to trump one another in the general gaming realm. However, although the former two systems -- the Wii and PS3 -- are produced by makers who do depend on the success of their consoles, it's surprising to hear Microsoft's Xbox 360 chief Peter Moore tell the media that the software giant (which has its hands in pretty much everything) ... (view more)

Isn't that sweet. Just when you get the impression that no other company -- even a partner like Novell -- can cooperate with software giant Microsoft, along comes Dell. It appears this new relationship has spawned offspring, in the form of one ... heckuva powerful custom-built PC. It's part of Dell and Microsoft's celebration of the Vista release, and either signifies future joint endeavors, or that MS simply pays hardware producers handsomely. Regardless of your feelings towards either company -- whether you're anti-Windows, anti-Internet Explorer, or even anti-Dell -- the two have certainly ... (view more)

One of the media's most prominent seniors, Larry King, of Larry King Live, recently informed the world on his show that he has never used the Internet. In an on-air interview with popular female comedian and (former) star Roseanne Barr, King told ... his guest and viewers that "I've never done it, never gone searching." For those who have criticized King for his cultural ignorance for years, it's only an affirmation of his age. But, is age the real factor? Studies show that senior usage of the Internet on the rise, making King look... not so good. It's Larry King's 49th year in broadcasting. It ... (view more)

The whole point of releasing Mozilla's Firefox 2 and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7, aside from some flashy buttons and a few bucks for the makers, was to upgrade the security of each browser. And although the first Firefox was heralded as a ... divinely secure gift from the web surfing Gods (in the wake of IE6's massive loopholes), both Firefox 2 and Internet Explorer 7 are reportedly susceptible to a new and potent login spoof, which gives hackers the ability to easily swipe passwords and other sensitive information. Like Taking Candy From A Baby According to security guru Robert Chapin, web ... (view more)

Love 'em or hate 'em, thus far TomKat's marriage has been a rosier adventure than the recent joining of Microsoft and Novell, which, just weeks in is already on rocky footing. That's because the two tech companies are already squabbling over certain ... patent rights disclosed within the deal, and the result could lead to anything but a worthwhile relationship between the powerhouse companies. Most of the outrage is the result of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's recent remark that Novell's signing of the deal acknowledges that the company is infringing on MS intellectual property. Apparently, Novell ... (view more)

When a technology product goes "gold", generally it means all systems are go, and the final version should soon be lined along retail shelves soon. It's often reason to celebrate, for gamers anticipating the next big title, or in this case, ... businesses anxiously awaiting the release of Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows Vista. However, reports suggest that although Vista is indeed "gold" for corporate users, the OS will be subject to a plethora of updates and patches in the weeks after its first install. Windows Vista is due to launch in just over a week, as November comes to an end ... (view more)

It pays to play doctor. Although in real life -- where people get hurt and receive unfortunate diseases -- doctors are paid handsomely for saving lives. And, in the sometimes strange tech world, those who merely pretend to be doctors reap all of the ... rewards. That's because those developers who helped test Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, are being offered free copies of the upcoming OS. There's just one little white lining to the proceedings: they must have found a potentially sickening bug in the system. The requirements really are simple. If you were one of the exclusive beta ... (view more)

While the world shakes its head in disbelief at gamers stabbing and shooting their way to Sony's Playstation 3, Microsoft is relaxed and awaiting the release of its own highly anticipated product, Windows Vista. Although the Redmond-based company ... went through some similar insanity over the release of its Xbox 360 console a year ago, Gates and the gang are squarely focused on a smooth launch for Windows Vista. When asked what his favorite feature in the new Vista OS was, Gates replied, "that's hard to pick", but did eventually settle upon "desktop search". DS is part of Vista's quick and ... (view more)