scattered technology news

Gmail AntiVirus Scan - Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Google seems to be working an anti-virus scanning program that will run behind the scenes for their Gmail email service. According to the FAQs page just like Yahoo and Hotmail, the new virus scan will check all incoming and outgoing messages for viruses. If a message with a virus is received it will be fixed if possible or deleted. If you try to send a message with a virus, Gmail won’t let the user send the message until the attachment has been removed. Gmail has currently been fairly safe due to the fact that they don’t allow attaching the “.exe” file formats in which most viruses travel through. Google already has good spam fighting services, but with this addition Gmail will become safer than ever.Google has not yet announced any information about this yet, but if Google does add a Virus Scan to Gmail it will definatly be a great addition to the service.

From the Gmail Help Center:

How does anti-virus scanning work?
Each time you send and receive attachments, Gmail automatically scans them for viruses.
If a virus is found in an attachment you’ve received, our system will attempt to remove it, or clean the file, so you can still access the information it contains. If the virus can’t be removed from the file, you won’t be able to download it.
If a virus is found in an attachment you’re trying to send, you won’t be able to send the message until you remove the attachment.

Link: Gmail Help Center
Recent: Firefox 1.5 | PSP v2.6

Mozilla Firefox v1.5 Released - Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Mozilla released the long awaited Firefox 1.5 today. (11.29.05) Firefox has been constantly growing popular as it is now a more powerful and safer browser than Microsoft Internet Explorer. This is a major update and everyone using previous versions should update when possible. Thunderbird is still at v1.07 and there are no signs of any major update yet. Firefox 1.5 will automatically take care of non-fuctioning extension issues and will disable them until an update is available. Mozilla has also re-designed their website and they are replacing the “Spread Firefox” site with a new marketing campaign called “Firefox Flicks”.

Full Firefox v1.5 Changelog:

• Automated update to streamline product upgrades. Notification of an update is more prominent, and updates to Firefox may now be half a megabyte or smaller. Updating extensions has also improved.
• Faster browser navigation with improvements to back and forward button performance.
• Drag and drop reordering for browser tabs.
• Improvements to popup blocking.
• Clear Private Data feature provides an easy way to quickly remove personal data through a menu item or keyboard shortcut.
• Answers.com is added to the search engine list.
• Improvements to product usability including descriptive error pages, redesigned options menu, RSS discovery, and “Safe Mode” experience.
• Better accessibility including support for DHTML accessibility and assistive technologies such as the Window-Eyes 5.5 beta screen reader for Microsoft Windows. Screen readers read aloud all available information in applications and documents or show the information on a Braille display, enabling blind and visually impaired users to use equivalent software functionality as their sighted peers.
• Report a broken Web site wizard to report Web sites that are not working in Firefox.
• Better support for Mac OS X (10.2 and greater) including profile migration from Safari and Mac Internet Explorer.
• New support for Web Standards including SVG, CSS 2 and CSS 3, and JavaScript 1.6.
• Many security enhancements.

Link: Get Firefox 1.5 (mozilla.com)
More: Firefox Extensions Home
Related: Get Thunderbird 1.0.7
Recent Posts: PSP Firmware v1.60

PSP Firmware v2.60 Released - Monday, November 28, 2005

Sony has released Firmware v2.6 for the PlayStation Portable on 11.28.05. The last update was v2.5 and it added a LocationFree Player, which allows streaming of video to the PSP. The update before that, v2.0, added a WebBrowser. This latest update’s main features include WMA support, DRM capabilities, and a RSS Reader. Read the full changelog provided below for a full list of changes.

PSP Firmware v2.60 ChangeLog:

• [RSS Channel] has been added as a feature under [Network].
• [Simplified Chinese (GB18030)] and [Traditional Chinese (Big5)] have been added as options to [Encoding] under [View] in the [Internet Browser] menu bar*.
• *Characters may be indistinct in some cases when these encoding options are selected.
• [Volume Adjustment] has been added as a feature to [LocationFree Player].
• You can now download video data that supports copyright protection using the [Internet Browser].
• WMA has been added as a codec that can be played under [Music]. (This applies to music data saved on Memory Stick.)
• Note that you must adjust system setting to enable playback of WMA format music data. A connection to the Internet is required to adjust the setting.

The RSS Reader will only work with RSS feeds that have compatible Mp3 tags. (will not work with Atom feeds.) The Reader does not actually display text but is rather is used to play podcasts directly on the PSP without having to either use a computer or having to visit a website to download a new episode everytime it becomes available. The only disadvantage while using this is that the you will not be able to save podcasts while using this interface. The audio will rather be streamed directly to the PSP and therefore you will need to be connected to the network for it to function.

Link: USA PlayStation Portable Update Page
Related: PSP Firmware v2.50 Released
Recent Posts: Free PS3 Conga | Skatter Tech Widget

Free PS3s Conga (FreePay) - Monday, November 28, 2005

As the Sony PS3 is getting closer and closer, FreePay has launched a free site for the PlayStation 3. This site will work just like the Free iPods (video, nano, and shuffle), Mini Macs, Xbox 360s, and PSPs sites. (ps3s.freepay.com) To get your own PS3 signup using the directions below and refer a few friends and you will be ready to get your own PS3 as soon as it is released. (expected early 2006) FreePay, formerly known as Gratis Network, is a credible and legit site. I personally have received both a PSP and an iPod Nano from them. The most successful conga line setup by Skatter Tech is for a Free iPod Nano Conga from FreePay.

To sign up to the Skatter Tech Free PS3 Conga Line Do the following: (READ EVERYTHING) First create an account using the highlighted link provided below. (Make sure the referal code shows up above the box where you choose your username and password) Once you create an account comeback and post a comment including your First Name, Email Address Used, and your Referal Link so we can add you to the list. (write down the email address of the person you signed up for) To become the first person on the list you must complete an offer within 2 weeks. Each person will stay at the top of the list until he or she has received 7 completed offers. This page will be updated as often as possible. Note: posting links and spamming the comments with links to other “free sites” or other “free items” will not be tolerated and all IPs will be banned.

Start Here:
effward@gmail.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=25784763 (0/8)

In Queue:
pbehroozi27@gmail.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=25978248
Laediii@msn.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=26301109
freepay@pixellyte.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=26314821
tatkinsru@yahoo.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=26391500
boomsheika@gmail.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=28628001
onerandomgamer@gmail.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=29491776
f0xinc@yahoo.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=29496452
decker.jonathan@hotmail.com: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=29928856
Complete:
Skatter Tech: http://ps3s.freepay.com/?r=25411883 (0/8)

SORRY, Conga is CLOSED

Too many spammers hitting our site and only a few good users to help each other out.
If you are already on the list we will leave you up to get more referrals.

Skatter Tech Widget - Sunday, November 27, 2005

Skatter Tech has just created a “Widget” for all our readers. To use this widget you must have Konfabulator installed. Konfabulator is a free tool that allows placing widgets on your desktop on either a Windows or a Mac machine. These widgets can display any type of information such as news, weather, time, stock quotes, and much more. This specific widget will show the latest five stories posted on this site. As soon as a new story is posted the widget will automatically update itself with the newest items. Clicking on the title of any item will directly open the story in your default browser. The arrow mark will take you to our homepage www.skattertech.com. This widget works on both operating systems, but is currently still in BETA. Please install and tryout our widget, it is available in Konfabulator’s Widget Gallery. Note: Konfabulator was recently purchased by Yahoo and their product is now called Yahoo Widgets. The service still offers the exact same features and has not been compromised with ads or anything else.

Link: Get The Skatter Tech Widget | Get Konfabulator
Related: Yahoo Widgets | Widget Gallery
Recent Posts: TiVo 2 Go 2 PSP + iPod | Top 10 Majors

TiVoToGo 2 iPod Video & PSP - Wednesday, November 23, 2005

TiVo announced last Monday that they would soon be launching a new service as part of the currently TiVoToGo (TTG) service, which would allow transferring recorded shows to both the Sony PSP and the Apple iPod. In CES 2005 TiVo released the second edition of TTG which let Windows users transfer recorded shows over a home network to their computers. They later updated that service so that the DRM enabled shows would then be compatible with Portable Windows Media Players. (EX: Creative Zen)

“The increasing popularity of mobile devices for viewing video such as Apple’s iPod and the PSP device demonstrate the enormous consumer demand for entertainment on the go.” Tom Rogers - TiVo CEO.

TiVo now plans to release the third update to the TTG service sometime in the first quarter of 2006. This will let users transfer videos to either the PSP or the iPod. Unlike the previous free editions of TiVo Desktop, this program is expected to be priced at $15-30. TiVo stated that the reason for charging customers is to deal with paying royalty fees to both Apple and Sony for the use of the Mp4 format. TiVo also stated that the first editions of this service would lack DRM and therefore they would instead place watermarks onto all converted videos to prevent piracy. The feature that is expected to be the most popular is the “Overnight Season Pass Sync,” which will transfer all your scheduled shows onto your portable device overnight.

“I can sit in front of the PC in the morning and say I want this show, this show and this special event, and transfer over the file to a PC–happening in about real time–and you could watch it on your mobile device,” Jim Denney - Marketing TiVo.

This service will only work with Series 2 boxes that are broadband enabled. TiVo will relase the BETA versions of their program to specially selected TiVo subscribers within a few weeks. TiVo has also promised to release a Mac version that would have the same capablities as the Windows editon. (current Mac edition doesn’t allow transfering shows, only music and photos) TiVo expects that their conversion format will require about 1GB of space for every 2.5hrs of video. Many people currently use opensource programs on the web to accomplish converting shows for both units, but most average users will have trouble figuring out how to do so.

Link: TiVo Desktop | Sony PSP | Apple iPod
Coverage: BetaNews | CNet | MacWorld | Forbes | Yahoo
Related: TiVo Downloads | TiVo + Yahoo Team Up
Recent Posts: Popular Majors | Google Reader Button

Top 10 Most Popular Majors - Monday, November 21, 2005

The Princeton Review has just posted the “Ten Most Popular Majors” students are taking today. They have collected data from colleges of the amounts of students enroled in each program. Princeton Review has put all the information together and they have come up with the following:

1. Business Administration and Management
2. Psychology
3. Elementary Education
4. Biology
5. Nursing
6. Education
7. English
8. Communications
9. Computer Science
10. Political Science

To get more details on each of the ten items please visit Princton Review’s website using the link below. Here is a list of the Best 361 Colleges ranked by Princton Review.

Link: Top 10 Most Popular Majors [Princton Review]
Related: Top 1,000 in the U.S. 2005
Recent Posts: TiVo Exclusive Download | Free iPod Nanos

TiVo Exclusive Download - Sunday, November 20, 2005

A few days ago TiVo started to make downloadable content available not only to BETA testers, but all broadband connected TiVo Series 2 owners. Current free downloadable content included short CNet reviews, which are available from TiVo Central, but more programing is expected to be available soon. TiVo also is letting TiVo Series 2 owners download a free movie as part of a TiVo Research project. To get this free download go to TiVo Research’s page and enter your TiVo Central Online username and your TiVo Service Number. If you qualify, which most people should, then the movie will be downloaded onto your TiVo around November 23.

Note: This is not available to people who own DIRECTV DVRs and only service numbers starting with 110, 130, 140, 230, 240, 264, 275, 540, 565, 590, or 595 are elgible. You can find your service number either in your TiVo Central Online page or under System Information on your TiVo.

Link: TiVo Research Register | TiVo Central Online
Related: TiVo and Yahoo Team Up
Recent Posts: Google Reader Button | PSP December Games

“Add to Google Reader” Button - Saturday, November 19, 2005

Google launched a Google Reader BETA service last month and since then there have been no major improvements to the service to make it better than their competitor’s services. When the service was released the only way to subscribe to feeds was to copy the actual RSS or Atom URL and paste it into Google Reader; there were no 1-click subscription methods. And even now Google has not announced this information on their website, but there is actually a way to create 1-click subscriptions with a special URL. To add a “Add to Google Reader” button on your website do the following: If you would like to use a button, you may wish to use the 80×15 .gif image I have created. Please save it and upload it to your ownserver. Link the image or any text to the URL provided below after replacing the “FeedHere” text with a link to your own feed. When someone clicks on the button or link it will load a page asking you whether you would like it to the personalized Google homepage or Google Reader.

(right-click save as)
URL: “http://fusion.google.com/add?feedurl=FeedHere”

Update: If you want a link that adds your feed directly to Google Reader instead of prompting the user, use the following:

URL: “http://www.google.com/reader/preview/*/feed/FeedHere”

Link: Google Reader BETA | Add SkatterTech 2 Google Reader
Related: Google Reader Launched (10.08.05)
Recent Posts: PSP Games 4 December | Google Analytics

Upcoming PSP Games for December - Thursday, November 17, 2005

The following is the Offical list of games, as published by SCEA, that will be released for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) in December 2005. Note: This was the accurate list of games as of 11.18.05, games may be removed and new ones may be added. Check PlayStation.com for updates.

• Armored Core: Formula Front - Agetec
• Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play - Midway
• Pac-Man World 3 - Namco
• Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Offical Game - UbiSoft
• PoPoLoCrois - Agetec
• Prince of Persia Revelations - UbiSoft
• The Sims 2 - Electronic Arts
• World Championship Poker 2 - Crave Entertainment
• WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 - THQ

Other games that were released recently include Need For Speed: Most Wanted, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Lord of the Rings Tactics.

Related: Upcoming PSP Games for October
Recent Posts: Google Analytics | Russell Peters: NY