Brandon Dimmel

As might be expected, new horizons bring new threats. As the browser and website world expands, so too do security risks that offer anything from Spyware annoyances and popups to viruses that damn the functionality of the average PC. Recently, ... insiders have revealed that this new generation of Internet technology is growing so fast that it is outpacing the safety of security updates. Web 2.0 is the common term used for websites that offer increased functionality and interactivity beyond simple HTML (no-flash) text. Undoubtedly, many of the pages who proudly describe themselves as proponents ... (view more)

It seems the iPod is everywhere these days. Recently, Infopackets discussed the announcement by Ford, GM, and Mazda that Apple and its iPod would be fully integrated in many future models. However, the most reasonable and yet elusive place for the ... iPod is the cellular phone market. There are rumblings an announcement will be made by Apple in the coming months on such a product, but many insiders are skeptical about how it will work. Without a question, there is a place for an iPod phone. A significantly powerful one -- and we're talking more than 50-100 songs -- could effectively combine the ... (view more)

Although yours truly reported a few days ago that the recently released specfications for the upcoming Nintendo Wii were a little modest -- and in some insiders' opinions, barely an improvement on the Gamecube -- the gaming industry's biggest ... developer is coming out in support of the system. Electronic Arts (EA), makers of everything from strategy to sports (including the massively popular Madden series) have gone public with not only their support for the Wii, but also candid statements about where it might finish in the next-gen showdown. Despite its reported sluggish specs, Nintendo's Wii ... (view more)

With the North American automotive industry in a tailspin at the moment, automakers are turning to the latest and most popular technology to regain appeal. And, for anyone not stuck in a cave or buried by a landslide for the last five years, the ... clearest way to catch a techie's eye is to flash an Apple iPod -- the industry's current undisputed "Golden Toy". That's exactly what Ford, General Motors, and even Mazda are doing, as they work with engineers to integrate Apple's wares into future audio systems. Isn't this technology already out there? At this time, most iPod owners are forced to ... (view more)

Recently, we reported the launch of Microsoft's new MSN Live Spaces , an upgrade to its previous MSN MySpace. Although the new Live Spaces is seeking to improve on the rampant popularity of MySpace by introducing a slew of new options (including ... quirky little gadgets, exclusive friends groups, blogs, and security measures to keep sickos away from kids), the launch day was reportedly a complete disaster. Even Microsoft has openly admitted that there were significant problems, and have publicly apologized to Spaces' junkies. In the first 12 hours of its launch, MSN Live Spaces experienced major ... (view more)

As the fall releases of the Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) grow closer, the former has revealed the specifications for its newest console. At first glance, the numbers are not overly impressive, and many gaming insiders are concerned that ... Nintendo has not pushed itself hard enough to match the competition. The result may be a system so underpowered that it loses the few third-party developers left associated with Nintendo, the single greatest problem in marketing the Gamecube. (Source: theinquirer.net ) The Nintendo Wii's engine, or operating speed, clicks along at a reported 729 ... (view more)

Just weeks after the European Union (EU) levied them with a hefty 280.5 million Euro (or $357 million) antitrust fine, Microsoft appears to be getting its act together. As discussed previously , the fine was issued because Microsoft refused to share ... information of its operating systems with foreign competitors. This was just one example of a rather infamous month or two for the Redmond-based company, which saw itself attacked in the media for a number of controversial decisions -- including its security program Windows Genuine Advantage . This was not the first time Microsoft has been found ... (view more)

Want to let everyone know what you think of your neighbor's barking dog or the latest episode of Lost? Microsoft has now made it easier for you to rant, this time in pretty colors. On Tuesday, August 1st, Microsoft launched its Windows Live Spaces: ... a revamped and updated version of its previous Spaces brand. The immensely popular MSN Space lets users showcase pictures of themselves, friends, pets, and pretty much anyone ever photographed/drawn. The new version upgrades these abilities, allowing users to present blogs, music lists, and, like, oh-so-many more photos. Although personalization ( ... (view more)

The next theatre of war for Google and Microsoft might be a realm previously and popularly unassociated with information technology: healthcare and medicine. Amidst rumors that Google is strongly considering the release of a Health search and/or ... service, Microsoft is apparently closing in on a constructive build of its Windows Live Healthcare. The exact message for the Redmond-based company is still unclear, as Microsoft executives, including corporate vice president of Health Solutions Peter Neupert, remain very hush when it comes to details. (Source: microsoft-watch.com ) For months, both ... (view more)

Oh, the irony. In the middle of an industry firestorm launched by Microsoft against software pirates, the tech world's most hardcore investigators have discovered that the Redmond-based company has been using cracked .wav files in its Windows Media ... Player. In its most recent operating system -- XP -- Microsoft is allegedly running hacked music files for its background sound. Microsoft has attracted intense scrutiny in recent weeks over the release of the Windows Genuine Advantage ( WGA ). WGA is Microsoft's pioneer program in the war against software piracy, as it rather forcefully "offers" ... (view more)