Geekly Update - July 6

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

• Microsoft has finally released their free security software -- an anti-virus and anti-malware package codenamed Morro this week. Replacing the paid service Windows Live OneCare, the company says it will still support those users as well as help them to make the transition. For now it is limited in areas in the US, Israel and Brazil but should be available to all later this year.
• Those who live in Europe will be pleased that an agreement has been reached to make micro-USB a phone charger standard. Companies involved are Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Apple, LG, NEC, Qualcomm, Research in Motion, Samsung, and Texas Instruments. This means you won’t have to buy a new charger every time you buy a new phone. I tend to go for limited government, but if the US congress passed a law making this mandatory, I'd be the first to stand up and cheer. Micro-USB on everything... yesterday!
• The guys from Pirate Bay have ratcheted copyright violation up to the next level. Their Video Bay service is now in beta, and there are audio and video sneak peeks on the site. Video Bay promises streaming video in a flash player, similar to YouTube, but without all that annoying legal stuff. I have doubts that this site will survive, since the founders of Pirate Bay were recently sentenced by a Swedish court to a year in prison and fines 30 million kronor (about US$3.8 million). See related article: Is Pirate Bay Sinking?
• Watch out for two new malware attacks. Someone will ask you to click on a link to the new “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" movie to get a free online viewing and will ask you to download, but instead of Harry, you get nastyware. Also keep an eye out for anything having to do with Michael Jackson, as they are likely to be fake video, blog or news sites.
• Sony is offering a great deal if you are looking for a new music player. Purchase a Sony Ericsson W995a Walkman phone, W705 Walkman phone or X Series Walkman player and you will receive 100 free music downloads. After purchase, go to Sony Music Pass and enter the PIN from the box.
• Verizon customers will be pleased to know that the Blackberry Tour will be available next month. The phone runs on 3G, has a 480×360 display, a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus, Bluetooth and GPS. It will equal the price of the iPhone 3GS at $199.99 with a new 2 year activation. But the phone I'd really like to get ahold of is the HTC Hero, which runs on Google's Android platform. The HTC Hero phone is available in Europe now, and will come to the US later this year. Please Verizon... please?
• Apple is still working on their iPhone 3.1 which will include improvements such as voice control with Bluetooth, updated firmware, APIs for 3rd party apps to access and edit videos, and a fun vibration when moving icons.
• Archos will be shipping its Archos 9 PCtablet to the US. Due in the fall, it will be one of the first devices to have Windows 7 packed inside. The touchscreen device is 9 inches across and only 0.6 inches thick, so I see it as a netbook/tablet hybrid. The American version will have Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi capability, a 1.2GHz Atom chip but will probably not have the DVB-T TV tuner as it isn’t supported in North America. Also look for their Android mini-tablet to debut in September.
• Facebook will finally update its privacy settings. There are presently six separate pages and 40 settings. Apparently they were so complicated that members often ignored them. With the help of "transition tools" users can toggle how open they would like their profile to be. The change will be tested on 40,000 US users before becoming available to all.
• Want to know how your smartphone stacks up against the others? Consumer Reports recently announced that the iPhone 3GS is on top in most areas except voice quality. The Palm Pre made a close second.

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