John Lister

Microsoft's failure to offer European Windows users a clear choice of Internet browser has proven very costly. The European Union has fined the company a shocking 561 million euros, equivalent to US $732.2 million. Microsoft had agreed to provide ... new Window users with a browser choice screen (or "browser ballot" as it was popularly known). The deal was designed to settle claims that Microsoft's own browser, Internet Explorer, had an unfair advantage over other browsers because it came pre-installed on all Windows machines. Under the agreement, Microsoft began adding the choice ... (view more)

The days of repeatedly sliding or tapping your thumb to read longer web pages on a smartphone could be coming to an end. Samsung is reportedly getting ready to debut a phone that you navigate with your eyes. According to a New York Times report, the ... feature will debut on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S IV smartphone, which is expected to become Samsung's highest-profile handset. (Source: nytimes.com ) The feature will reportedly track a user's eyes as they read a lengthy page. Once the phone detects the user is looking at the bottom of the screen, it will automatically scroll the page down to ... (view more)

A recently-discovered browser flaw could allow hackers to manipulate a site visitor's physical hard drive. At the moment, Mozilla's Firefox is the only browser not affected by the problem. The technology involved is HTML5, the latest edition of the ... standard code used to produce websites. One of the key features of HTML5 allows web developers to include code for showing multimedia -- such as animations and videos -- without the website visitor having to install special plug-in software. Web browsers have always had the ability to write some data to a computer's hard drive, usually on a ... (view more)

Fujitsu has revealed a special, high-tech walking cane with built-in satellite navigation features. The firm has also unveiled a smartphone specially designed for elderly users. Fujitsu's 'Next Generation Cane' allows users to set a route and get ... directions through an LED display positioned at the top of the handle. That display provides directions in the form of a a large yellow arrow; if the user turns the wrong way, the handle vibrates to alert them. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) The device also allows friends and family to track a user's location. It's possible to set the cane to send an email ... (view more)

The war of words between China and the United States over alleged cyber-espionage continues. A Chinese government official has revealed data that he says shows US sources are behind more than a million annual attacks on two Chinese websites. An ... American security firm recently published a report indicating that a Chinese hacking group has carried out at least 140 security breaches of US websites in an attempt to steal sensitive information. US Firm Tracks Hacks Back to China The report said the group's attacks could be traced back to a specific building in Shanghai known to be operated by a ... (view more)

A new anti-piracy program, which gives users six warnings for suspected violations, has now taken effect. However, some experts worry that the program will have little effect on Internet piracy. The plan is the work of the Center for Copyright ... Information, a partnership of the major US industry associations in television, movies, and music. The group has reached a deal with the five largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including AT ... (view more)

Here's an example of a question we've heard several times recently: "Dear Infopackets team, I'm thinking of upgrading to Windows 8. The problem is that I've heard using it over multiple monitors can be difficult. I find using two monitors very ... useful because I can write and use the web at the same time without needing to keep switching back and forth. Can you give me any insight? George H." My response: Thanks for your email, George. Before I get to the way the new-look Windows 8 interface works with multiple monitors, let me just remind you that you can always switch to the ... (view more)

Facebook says it is doing everything possible to deal with offensive pages related to December's Sandy Hook school shooting. Three politicians have complained that the pages are not only abusive, but might even be designed to defraud Facebook users. ... Connecticut politicians George Jepsen (state attorney general) Elizabeth Esty (a member of the House of Representatives), and Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy (both state senators) recently wrote a joint letter to Facebook about the issue. (Source: senate.gov ) Politicians: Pages Violate Facebook Policy The letter notes that Facebook now ... (view more)

Mozilla says it will take steps to stop advertisers from violating Firefox user privacy. But advertisers have labeled the move an act of war. Mozilla has announced that it will change the Firefox browser so that third-party cookies -- such as those ... from advertisers -- are blocked by default. Cookies are small text files created by websites and stored on your computer. Cookies Key to Website Advertising In many cases cookies help the website visitor. For example, a cookie might store your username to make logging in faster, or it could store your ZIP code so you can instantly get customized ... (view more)

It seems like high-profile Twitter accounts have been under siege in recent days. The newest victim: 'hacktivist' group Anonymous. Anonymous has made headlines over the past few years for a series of attacks on major businesses and government sites. ... The group -- which has no formal structure and is made up of individuals largely acting independently -- practices what's known as 'hacktivism,' or politically-charged hacking. Although Anonymous doesn't have an official spokesman, members do issue public statements through a series of social media accounts, including @Anon_Central on Twitter. ... (view more)