GOOGLE SENDS JOB OFFER TO STAR WINDOWS PHONE DEVELOPER

Rudy Huyn has developed some great apps for Windows Phone. Rudy has also worked with Microsoft on an official Windows Phone app as well. Amazingly, Google has sent a job offer to the developer but Microsoft never did.

Rudy stated in a tweet:

"I’ve already received an offer for a job from Google but never from Microsoft ???? "

Rudy has developed 6sec, 9Gag, 6snap, 6cret and 6tag. Some of his are third-party apps are way better than the official ones.

Source: wmpoweruser

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UNLIMITED ONE DRIVE STORAGE FOR OFFICE 365 USERS

Microsoft is giving all of its Office 365 subscribers free unlimited cloud storage space via its OneDrive service. Beginning yesterday, this roll out will continue over the next several months. People will be able to store unlimited data on OneDrive with a minimum Office 365 Personal subscription of $6.99 per month.

Microsoft says, "We've started rolling this out today to Office 365 Home, Personal, and University customers" adding that people who want to be one of the first to access the unlimited OneDrive storage can go to a special website to put themselves in front of the line. OneDrive for Business customers will be able to access the unlimited space sometime in 2015.

Microsoft added:

"While unlimited storage is another important milestone for OneDrive we believe the true value of cloud storage is only realized when it is tightly integrated with the tools people use to communicate, create, and collaborate, both personally and professionally. That is why unlimited storage is just one small part of our broader promise to deliver a single experience across work and life that helps people store, sync, share, and collaborate on all the files that are important to them, all while meeting the security and compliance needs of even the most stringent organizations."

If you are an Office 365 customer, how will you use this unlimited storage of OneDrive space?

Source: Microsoft

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NOW OPEN APPS FROM YOUR ACTION CENTER VIA QUICKY

Quicky is different than the usual shortcut apps. Read this article and find out how. This is the only app that lets you open other apps from the notification bar.

How does it work?Open the app and click on one of the items on the page SOCIAL. This will show a notification in the action center. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the action center and then click on the notification and it will open the app. The notification will stay in the action center until you swipe it away. You can use it to open the app at any time.

You can also pin the quick settings to the start screen. Just hold the item you want to pin for a couple seconds and then press pin to start.

Add your own shortcutsYou need to go the OWN APPS page and click on the add button in the app bar. A page will show up. On that page you need to give the shortcut a name and set the URI scheme of the app you want to launch. You can find over 3000 URI schemes of the app if you click on the button on the bottom of the page.

The app costs $1.99, but you can try the app for free. With the trial you can’t add your own shortcuts and you can only set notifications in the action center for Facebook and MetroTube.

Download it from the Windows Phone Store.

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NEW TECHNIQUE HIDES ANDROID MALWARE IN IMAGES

This is the second security flaw that has been detected in Android. (For the first one, read this post). A new technique allows attackers to hide encrypted malicious Android applications inside images. This can be used to evade detection by antivirus products and possibly Google Play’s malware scanner.

The attack was developed by a researcher at Fortinet, Axelle Apvrille, and reverse engineer Ange Albertini. It’s based on a technique devised by Albertini dubbed AngeCryption that allows controlling both the input and the output of a file encryption operation using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) by taking advantage of the properties of some file formats that allow files to remain valid despite having junk data appended to them.

AngeCryption allows the user to choose an input and an output file and makes the necessary modifications so that when the input file is encrypted with a specified key using AES in cipher-block chaining (CBC) mode, it produces the desired output file.

Apvrille and Albertini took the idea further and applied it to APK (Android application package) files. They created a proof-of-concept wrapping application that simply displays a PNG image of Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker. However, the app can also decrypt the image with a particular key in order to produce a second APK file that it can then install.

In their demonstration, the APK hidden inside the image was designed to display a picture of Darth Vader, but an actual attacker can use a malicious application to steal text messages, photos, contacts, or other data.

During the demonstration, Android displayed a permission request when the wrapper application tried to install the decrypted APK file, but this can be bypassed using a method called DexClassLoader so that the user doesn’t see anything, Apvrille said. The image wouldn’t even have to be included in the wrapper application and could be downloaded from a remote server after installation, she said.

In order for the attack to work, some data needs to be appended at the end of the original application, but the APK format, which is derived from ZIP, does not allow appended data after a marker called the End of Central Directory (EOCD), which signals the end of the file.

However, the researchers found that adding a second EOCD after the appended data tricks Android into accepting the file as valid. According to Apvrille, this is the result of an error in Android’s APK parser.

The attack works on the latest version of Android, 4.4.2, but the Android security team has been notified and is developing a fix, Apvrille said.

Because of fragmentation in the Android ecosystem, especially when it comes to firmware updates, many devices will likely remain vulnerable to this attack for a long time, giving Android malware authors ample time to take advantage of it.

Source: pcworld

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LUMIA DENIM TO START ROLLING OUT IN 2 WEEKS

NokiaPowerUser has received a tip from one of their trusted sources that Nokia’s firmware update for their Lumia handsets will start rolling out soon.

"Lumia Denim may start rolling out in phases to Lumia devices starting last week of October to First week of November. The complete roll-out schedule may stretch to 2 months and it may not be before end of December that it rolls out to all the Lumia devices out there."

Nokia's schedule always get affected by last minute changes. We have to wait and see when the software will actually hit our phones.

Check this post for the complete list of features included in Lumia Denim Update

Are you excited about Lumia Denim Update?

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COMPLETE LIST OF FEATURES INCLUDED IN LUMIA DENIM UPDATE

Following are the Nokia exclusive features included in the Denim update.

• Lumia Camera – Replacing Nokia Camera, Lumia Camera is faster and more intuitive than before to make the best camera experience, even better.
• Speed – Pocket to capture speeds are superfast, and it only takes milliseconds going from shot to shot.
• Moment Capture – A long press of the camera button starts 4K-quality video recording at 24 FPS. With each frame at 8.3 megapixels, you can save individual frames as high quality still images.
• Rich Capture – Auto HDR and Dynamic Flash are now welcomed into the already-impressive feature set. Shoot first and adjust the camera settings later for that perfect photo.
• Improved image processing algorithms – Updated to give you clearer photos, even in lowlight.
• “Hey Cortana” Voice Activation – Gone are the days of pressing the microphone button to wake-up Cortana. Simply say “Hey Cortana” while the phone is idle and Cortana will activate. This is possible thanks to the SensorCore technology.
• Glance Screen – Compatible Lumia devices can now show more at a glance with Bing Weather, or Bing Health & Fitness data, in addition to time and date, notifications and application data.

Lumia Denim update will also include Windows Phone 8.1 update features.

• Cortana – The most personal digital assistant on the market will now be available in the UK and China as a Beta. India, Canada and Australia will have access to Cortana as a public Alpha. For US residents, Cortana now includes an improved natural language, car kit integration via Bluetooth for contacts, snooze reminders and calendar improvements.
• Live folders – If you prefer to keep your apps or games organised, you can now put them into folders. Simply press, hold and drag an app over another to create a new folder on the Start screen. Each folder can be renamed by tapping on the text field above the open folder.
• Apps Corner – Create a customised Start screen, where only specific apps or games are accessible. This could be particularly useful in the workplace if you’re issuing Windows Phones to employees.
• SMS merge and forwarding – Select individual text messages to either delete them out of a messaging thread, or to copy and past them into a new message in order to forward them.
• Snooze Times – It’s now possible to customise the snooze time within the Alarm app.
• Consumer VPN – Maintain privacy and security when using data while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots or even with your home Wi-Fi.
• Mobile Web Site improvements in IE – Connect and browse even faster with improved downloading speeds on mobile websites.
• Store Live Tile (US only) – The Store Live Tile displays featured apps and games that are the most popular in the Store, or most relevant for you.

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MANY DROPBOX ACCOUNTS GOT COMPROMISED VIA THIRD PARTY SERVICE

Earlier today, a thread appeared on Reddit offering almost 400 Dropbox usernames and passwords in plain text. with a note that over seven million accounts have been compromised in total.

Dropbox has announced on its Blog that it wasn't hacked, and the leaked passwords were stolen from a third party service.

“Recent news articles claiming that Dropbox was hacked aren’t true. Your stuff is safe. The usernames and passwords referenced in these articles were stolen from unrelated services, not Dropbox. Attackers then used these stolen credentials to try to log in to sites across the internet, including Dropbox. We have measures in place to detect suspicious login activity and we automatically reset passwords when it happens.
Attacks like these are one of the reasons why we strongly encourage users not to reuse passwords across services. For an added layer of security, we always recommend enabling 2 step verification on your account.”

Dropbox later updated the Blog and claimed that the usernames and passwords are not linked with Dropbox.

“A subsequent list of usernames and passwords has been posted online. We’ve checked and these are not associated with Dropbox accounts.”

Just to be safe and secure, I recommend to enable two-step login on each service do you use including email and cloud storages.

Which cloud service do you use?

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DROPBOX EXPERIENCED A BUG – USERS’ FILES DELETED

Dropbox has provided reminder not to place trust in cloud storage. Those who rely on Dropbox to store their personal files may have lost some of the data. The service has experienced a bug in desktop apps.

The bug was tied to Dropbox's Selective Sync feature, which only download selected folders to local storage. In previous versions of Dropbox's desktop app, the bug could delete files if users restarted or shut down their system while Selective Sync was in progress.

Dropbox says the glitch affected a small number of people who were using out-of-date versions of Dropbox's desktop software. The company has been reaching out to these users and offering a year of Dropbox Pro service for their troubles.

Dropbox says it has patched the desktop client and retired the older versions, forcing everyone to update. The good news is Dropbox has been busy working to restore files where possible.

Let me know if you are among the affected users. Which cloud-based storage service do you use?

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BUILD AN ULTIMATE PC SECURITY SUITE FOR FREE

“If you have a PC, you’re a target.”

These kinds of statements makes me wonder, do a person really needs to spend money to have protection from the viruses? I used to believe that the answer was yes. Now, after the enough exposure to computers and technology, I can say “NO” is the answer.

There are many free (and good) apps that can help you fight viruses and secure your PC from the threats. Today, I am going to tell you about all those apps that you can install on your PC and stop worrying about Virus attacks.

Antivirus Program

There are numerous free anti-virus programs available. AVG free has topped the charts of many of the free antiviruses list. AVG does a good job in blocking malicious downloads and eliminating malware that has already slipped onto your machine.

The other option is Windows Defender that is pre-loaded on Windows 8 systems. It does a decent job in protecting your system from viruses. I am using it for a quite a while and have also used Microsoft Security Essentials. They both have not let me down. You should give it a try.

However, no antivirus product is perfect. If any virus gets past your antivirus, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can be your last line of defense. It is a scan-on-demand program which focuses on “zero day” threats rather than usual offenders. It can gives you a strong secondary option when your PC starts behaving suspiciously.

Read this post for more insight: One Antivirus Program Is Better Than Two

Other options: Avira, Panda

Firewall

The other member of the Security Team is the Firewall. Firewall prevents other to infiltrate your system. There are many options to choose from.

Windows Firewall should be enough for most people. It sits quietly in the background and it doesn’t require much attention and maintenance. But it can detect only incoming penetration attempts.

Comodo’s Firewall is another option for users who want to keep an eye on every incoming and outgoing connection request to and from their PCs. It’s good at guarding your network and alert you of any connection request made from your computer. It also blocks incoming connections. It has an easy to use interface.

Other options: ZoneAlarm Firewall

Enhance your browser

With the Anti-virus and Firewall set in places, it’s time to turn towards the Web. The Internet is full with infected or absolutely malicious websites. But don’t worry, you can setup your browser to fight the malicious websites.

First, verify that security options are enabled. Every popular browsers includes some basic security and privacy settings. Though most are enabled by default, you should confirm they haven’t been disabled.

Secondly, install these add-ons for added protection:

• NoScript - helps you control which sites can use JavaScript, Silverlight, Flash, and other embedded content.
• Adblock Plus - blocks banners, pop-ups, and video advertisements. Therefore reducing the chance of accidentally stumbling upon adware, malware, and phishing attacks.
• Web of Trust (WOT) -  shows the user ratings of sites and blocks dangerous sites.
• HTTPS Finder - automatically detects and enforces HTTPS/SSL-encrypted connections when available.
• Xpnd.it! Short URL Expander - allows you to hover over shortened links to see the real URL and other basic information.

Keep Your PC Updated

Old, outdated software is often riddled with vulnerabilities that canny crooks can use to gain access to your PC. Keep your system up-to-date.

Other Tips

I believe 95% of the viruses today comes from the USB flash drives. The autoplay allows any exe to run when the USB is inserted. Therefore Disable the Autoplay for USB and other drives.

Conclusion

It is possible to keep your PC safe using free software. Premium software mostly provides all-in-one security suites along with Customer Support. However, we just saw that one can build a PC Suite from a combination of Free Software.

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BELVEDERE AUTOMATED FILE MANAGER

Belvedere is an automated file manager for Windows, developed by Lifehacker editor Adam Pash. You can create rules to move, copy, delete, or rename files based on their name, extension, size, creation date, and more. It is a great tool for keeping your Desktop and Downloads folder organized and clean.

The image below shows the easy-to-use interface of the Belvedere. At the right sides, it shows rules that are set up for a folder. The left side shows the list of folders that are listed for maintenance. You set up rules as per your needs and Belvedere will take care of your folders.

The second image shows the interface for setting up the rule. It’s REALLY EASY to use. Type the description, set conditions, and set the action.

The Belvedere can also take care of your recycle bin. Yes, you read it correctly. It can empty your recycle bin after the time limit, set by you. Moreover, you can also change the interval for Belvedere to check the folders for the files that match any of the rule.

What Else?
Belvedere is licensed under GNU Public License. With Belvedere, you can basically perform every file managing task. Just create a rule, enable it, and let Belvedere do its job. The program constantly runs in the background, but consumes less than 5 MB of memory when idle.

Final Words?
It is an indispensable tool for automating the files and folders on your computer. With Belvedere, you can automatically move, copy, delete, rename, or open files based on the conditions you want. Install it, set the rules, and all your files will be organized without your help.

Download Belvedere and give it a try.

Source: pctonic

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WHY NOT WINDOWS 9 – SECRET REVEALED

Many of us remember that two versions of Windows that began with the number 9, Windows 95 and Windows 98.

To save time, some third-party Windows desktop developers used a quick method to check the version name (not number) of Windows they were installing their application to. Instead of coding apps to check for Windows 95 or Windows 98, developers coded to check for "Windows 9."

This made sense at that time since there were only two versions of Windows that had a nine in their name. It was an easier method to find the version of Windows the program was dealing with.
Microsoft chose Windows 10 to avoid an annoying rewrite for all those programs and skipped Windows 9.

Accommodating legacy code sounds like an acceptable explanation and, if true, it's a smart move by Microsoft!


Source: pcworld

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THE BLOG GOT SOME UPDATES

I wanted to do this for a quiet while. Now, I have finally done that. The Blog got some modification today. It has new design template which is completely different with the previous one. The Blog is best viewed on Chrome. Mobile users might see the old template.

Also, if you have noticed, the Blog title has been changed. The Blog is now more centred around the Technology News, Updates and Reviews. But of course, the Blog will continue to help you make your PC experience better by Technical Tips.

What's new:

• Blog title has changed.
• Feeds are now available.
• You can now also email me suggestions/tips/requests etc.

Do you like this new design? Feel free to comment.

I apologise for not publishing updates. I was re-designing the Blog.

What's coming up:
-Post about a software that I am sure most of the users want. Read here
-Build an Ultimate PC Suite. Read here

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