John Lister

An Italian consumer agency is suing Microsoft because it experienced difficulty getting a refund for an "unwanted" copy of Windows 7 which came pre-bundled with a new PC. If it gets as far as a verdict, it could set a legal precedent. The case ... involves Vincenzo Donvito, a man which resides in Florence, Italy. He bought an ASUS Eee PC netbook that came pre-bundled with the starter edition of Windows 7 already installed. Donvito later decided he did not want to use Windows 7 Starter and instead wanted to replace it with an alternative operating system (OS) for his Eee PC. (Source: ... (view more)

Mozilla and Google have both followed Microsoft's lead in giving users a chance to opt out of having their activity tracked by advertisers. But the voluntary schemes may not be effective enough to stave off government action. The changes follow ... Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demands for both website and browser developers to make it easier for users to opt out of tracking. The call was designed to tackle fears that sites were abusing their ability to pass on details about what people do online to advertisers, allowing for better targeted advertisements, which typically command higher rates. ... (view more)

An international report says that the term "cyber war" overstates the genuine security risks that national governments face in the online age. It goes on to note that officials need to plan for accidental incidents as well as attacks. The report, ... from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, says that comparing online attacks to an armed military conflict exaggerates the potential effects. It also argues that a financial crisis or a health pandemic would also be much more serious than cyber attacks. The key finding of the report is that most forms of attack against ... (view more)

A hacker recently made a post stating he'll give anyone willing to pay $499 behind-the-scenes access to confidential network files, including those of the US Army. The hacker posted a price list for access to a range of sites on an underground ... digital forum, along with offers for other illicit services. While there's no way to be certain the offer is legitimate, at least one security expert says he's seen evidence which suggests that offer is in fact genuine. (Source: krebsonsecurity.com ) US Military Intelligence Website Vulnerable Among the most high profile web sites said to be vulnerable ... (view more)

Microsoft has refused to do future business with a company responsible for changing users' default web browser search without permission. The firm appears to have been one of the most prolific advertisers on Facebook. The company in question runs a ... website called make-my-baby.com, which includes a tool allowing users to simulate dressing a virtual baby. To use the tool, users had to install a plug-in for their browser. Unless users visited a link to a set of terms and conditions and read through the fine print, they wouldn't have been aware that the installation process also switched their ... (view more)

Ever since Microsoft released Kinect , its hands-free motion control system for the Xbox 360 console, enthusiasts have been trying desperately to use it on the Windows operating system (OS). Given their determination in the matter, it appears ... Microsoft has concluded that if you can't beat 'em, you may as well join 'em. The Kinect system uses what is effectively a robotically-mounted camera to identify humans and track their movements. This allows players to take part in games without the need for any controller: the player simply makes the appropriate movement for the game situation. Using ... (view more)

Microsoft and Apple have headed to court over a war of words, or at least, technicalities of their use. Microsoft has filed a petition requesting that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to deny Apple a trademark on the name "App Store." According ... to Microsoft, the term "App Store" is simply too generic to be the exclusive property of Apple. Apple first applied for the trademark in 2008 when it launched the iTunes App Store for the iPhone. It wanted to cover the term for any form of software retailing provided through the Internet. (Source: pcworld.com ) Microsoft: ... (view more)

Microsoft is set to plug a coding loophole that allows users of the new Windows Phone 7 system to run unauthorized software on it, an action known as jailbreaking . But it's agreed to meet the developers of the tool that took advantage of that ... loophole. The jailbreaking tool in question, called Chevron , helps users get around one of the key restrictions Microsoft put on the phones: that it's only possible to run applications that have been approved by, and downloaded from, Microsoft's own "Marketplace" store. Chevron to be Disabled in Upcoming Release Chevron worked by unlocking a special ... (view more)

Google is once again preparing to battle Apple to win customers in the mobile gadget field. The search giant is reported to be working on a "digital newsstand": a central resource for users of devices running its Android system to get hold of ... newspapers and magazines. The newsstand would aim to solve three problems with digital publishing on Android tablet devices. First, many titles are currently only available as web pages viewable through an ordinary browser, such as Google's Chrome. While that works, it can be quite unwieldy for users wanting to "browse" an entire issue rather than simply ... (view more)

The American Optometrist Association (AOA) says there's no need to worry about children playing the new 3D version of Nintendo's DS console. But Nintendo is sticking by its warnings that very young children should steer clear. Yes, you did read that ... right. Medical experts say it's okay to use the device, while Nintendo says it could be dangerous. As we noted last week, Nintendo officially warned that children aged under six should not use the 3DS , and suggested the device might damage the development of their vision. Now the AOA is reported to have said that the device should be safe for ... (view more)