UserAssist uncovers hidden Windows activity logs
It's no secret that Windows records many details about how your PC is being used. A quick look at the Start menu will probably uncover the programs you've launched recently, and the documents you've opened, for instance, while histories in WordPad, Paint, the Run box and so on reveal even more about your recent activities.
What's not quite as well known, though, is that Windows also maintains a longer and separate history of all the programs launched on your computer, including details like the number of times they've been run, and the last execution date and time. This information is stored in the Registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\UserAssist), but it's encrypted, so you'll need something like the free UserAssist tool to find out more (for Windows 7 use this version --for Windows XP or Vista go here).
Last year's tech is good enough for Sprint's new push-to-talk Android phone
Sprint Nextel on Monday announced it will be replacing the year-old Motorola i1 in its product lineup with the Motorola Titanium, the second rugged Android phone to support the 800/900 MHz iDEN network protocol and the Nextel Direct Connect push to talk service.
Motorola Titanium includes a portrait QWERTY keyboard, 3.1" touchscreen display in a ruggedized design meeting Military Specification 810G (MIL-STD-810G) for environmental stress resistance to dust, shock, air pressure, temperature and sunshine. It has a 5 megapixel LED flash camera, stereo bluetooth, 802.11b/g, AGPS, and a micro USB port.
Google issues temporary fix for the 'there aren't enough native Honeycomb apps' problem
Today, Google formally announced Android 3.2, an "incremental release" that addresses a big perception problem: Not enough native Honeycomb tablet apps. Apple's iPad has 100,000, while Android has, well, you don't really want to know.
Google announced the new capability a week ago. Now developers will have access to it: "'Stretch to fill screen' is normal layout resizing (using your app's alternative resources for size and density) and 'Zoom to fill screen' is the new screen compatibility mode" Scott Main, lead tech writer for developer.android.com, writes in a July 11 blog post.
After getting booted from Google+, Anonymous announces its own social network
Responding to Google's ban of +YourAnonNews on new social network Google+, "hacktivist" group Anonymous and Presstorm Media began discussing the possibility of a new social network called AnonPlus (or Anon+).
"This project is not overnight and will take many of those out there who simply want a better internet," the site's landing page says. "We will not be stopped by those looking to troll or those willing to stop the spreading of the truth. One thing i would like to point out that this project is for ALL people not just anonymous, this idea is a presstorm idea and only takes the name anon because of the Anonymity of the social network."
Pssst, want to save a bundle on textbooks?
That's the question raised by Amazon's new Kindle Textbook Rental service, announced today. Amazon claims 80-percent savings when renting rather than buying. Would you go for it?
Amazon says it has "tens of thousands" of e-textbooks available to rent for initial 30 day-periods with extensions that could go as little as one day more up to a total of 360 days. The rental program is available for Kindle ereaders or any device capable of running the Kindle software, including Android handsets or tablets, iPad, iPhone, Macs or PCs.
Adobe acquires e-signature tech company EchoSign
Software company Adobe Systems Inc. has acquired e-signature technology company EchoSign, the two parties announced on Monday. EchoSign's technology will be integrated with Adobe's document solutions including SendNow, FormsCentral, and CreatePDF.
EchoSign's e-signature technology has already been integrated into Salesforce, Google Docs, NetSuite, Oracle CRM on Demand, SugarCRM, and SAP CLM, so Adobe, in addition to gaining the tech for its own document solutions, gains a foothold into document authentication for these major enterprise solutions.
I'm having doubts about cutting cable's cord
Second in a series. On Saturday, I let AT&T bill me for another month of U-verse service, even as I try to switch to over-the-air broadcasts and Internet streaming. To be honest, cutting cable's cord is more difficult than I anticipated.
Key points in this post: 1) I don't get OTA reception with antenna attached to Tivo. 2) I do get nearly a dozen stations clearly with antenna attached to TV. 3) TiVo, which was supposed to be the hub to OTA/streaming, has proved incapable. 4) There are more local channels available OTA than are typically carried on cable/IPTV.
Has Google made Twitter boring?
For the past few days I've been hanging out in Jackson Hole with a bunch of geeks and one thing I've noticed over and over is how boring Twitter has gotten when compared to Google+.
Why has Twitter turned boring?
Can Sony sell a tablet you'd really want to buy? [poll]
When Sony provided a select group of journalists and bloggers a sneak peek at the two new tablets planned to launch later this year, it also offered a glimpse into its strategy for separating itself from the growing pack of iPad rivals.
Along the way, Sony also gave us a gander at something else: The huge risk it's taking in coming to market with something so different, perhaps even too different, for you to buy.
Solve Windows problem with these handy tools
When things go wrong with your Windows PC, or someone else's, you don't want to fish around or Google for the appropriate tool. Have it right there when you need it, and you'll feel clever for it.
I usually carry a key ring of USB thumb drives with me with a variety of tools on them. Yes, some people laugh at me for it, but they turn out to be handy more often than you'd think.
How China stopped spam and malware distribution on its domains
I stopped following the spam problem in detail a while ago, but assumed that China was a major source of the stuff.
It just sort of seems like it would be, but it turns out this is no longer the case.
Apple patches, does not acknowledge, iOS malware vulnerabilities
Friday, Apple released an update to its mobile operating system (iOS 4.3.4) which patches a couple of vulnerabilities that left a door open for malware infections on the iPad, 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS.
Apple's update describes the CoreGraphics vulnerability as "A buffer overflow…in FreeType's handling of TrueType fonts. Viewing a maliciously crafted PDF file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution."
Which matters more to you, Android or iOS? [poll]
Yesterday's Flurry blog post "iPad 2 and Verizon iPhone Take Some Wind Out of Android's Sail" sent the Apple Fanclub of bloggers and journalists into a tizzy. They're still blogging about this great news today. But is it really so great?
I don't think so, because the data is limited in reach and the analysis supporting it overlooks too much. So I'm asking for your help in getting different perspective. If you develop for multiple mobile operating systems, please tell us which matter more to you -- in comments or by sending email to joe at betanews dot com. I'll explain more in the closing paragraphs. Meanwhile please answer the two polls below -- one for developers and another for mobile device buyers (which could be developers, too).
Microsoft's Tulalip slip-up may have revealed its new social network
It's got a funny name, and it may be Microsoft's next big thing. Microsoft Research employees accidentally published this week an internal project known as "Tulalip" which appears to be some type of social networking platform. The site has since been removed, but the questions still remain.
The name Tulalip comes from the name for a group of Native American tribes that call the Redmond, Washington area home. It's not known why Microsoft chose the name as the company isn't answering many questions on it.
Microsoft releases apps to hook up Windows Phone with Windows Home Server 2011
The Windows Home Server team on Friday announced the final release of Windows Server Solutions Phone Connector, an add-in utility that lets users turn their Windows phone into a remote Windows Home Server 2011 management terminal or media streamer.
With the server-side add-in and the appropriate mobile application, the user's Windows Phone gets a hub specifically for "My Home Server" where he can view alerts, initiate backups, manage user access, or view and access content located on the server.
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