online

The percentage of people willing to pay for online news appears to be on the rise. However, an international study suggests the vast majority of people are still unwilling to pay for the news they find on the Internet. Reuters has published a study ... based on research in nine countries. The study examines the way people consume news on the Internet, both via laptop and desktop computers and through portable devices, like smartphones. (Source: digitalnewsreport.org ) Researchers found the percentage of people who had paid for an online news service, such as a digital newspaper subscription, ... (view more)

A new report finds that phishers are increasingly targeting online gamers. The report, which was released this past week by the Anti Phishing Work Group, says that phishing attacks targeting gamers increased from 2.7 per cent in September 2012 to ... 14.7 per cent in December. Phishing involves luring targets into giving up important personal information, such as a name, address, password, and credit card number. Usually phishers use fake web forms accessed via bogus emails to get people to give up this critical data. Virtual Items Exchanged for Real-World Cash So, why target video gamers? ... (view more)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has had his credit information exposed by hackers. It's only the latest in a string of similar attacks launched against celebrities in recent weeks. According to reports, Gates' personal financial information was ... acquired by hackers and then shared online. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently trying to figure out how the data was accessed and who was responsible for the attack. Somewhat ironically, the attack occurred on the same day that Bill Gates discussed pressing cyber security threats with the Washington Post newspaper. Security Answers Found ... (view more)

The President of the United States has the right to authorize an online attack on another nation if he has credible evidence to suggest that country plans to attack the US. That's the conclusion of a secret review of rules governing the US ... military's online behavior. Officials are said to be planning the first comprehensive set of guidelines for the military's online activities, though the rules themselves will be classified. The review was prompted by concerns over the current division between the military and intelligence services. For example, the armed forces are only allowed to launch ... (view more)

"Hi Infopackets, I recently bought Windows 8 and naturally want to learn more about the new applications that come with it. In particular, I'm a huge fan of social media and would love to find out more about the new People app. Who better to explain ... it all than you, who have been helping me understand the computer world for half a dozen years. Thanks! Mary B." My response: Great question, because Windows 8's new People app is one of the more exciting features included in Microsoft's newest operating system. People App: A Central Hub for Social Media Basically, the new People app is a social ... (view more)

Note from Dennis: further down this article you'll find a quick-and-dirty list of items of the best Black Friday deals I've found online. The list is conveniently presented in ascending order according to discount markup. Proceeds help to support ... our website, staff and writers. Your support is greatly needed and appreciated! You can go straight to the discount list by clicking here , or continue reading below. Happy Thanksgiving! -- Thanksgiving is officially upon us, which means there's going to be a ton of great deals being offered online as a result of the Holiday season -- deals like ... (view more)

Bitcoin currency exchange BitFloor is in big trouble after a security blunder resulted in the theft of $250,000. The heist at the BitFloor "exchange" came after operators did the online equivalent of leaving the keys in the door. Bitcoin is a ... virtual currency that isn't controlled by a government and therefore isn't subject to any seizure of funds. With no government backing, Bitcoin has value only so long as enough people agree to use it. Unlike most currencies, Bitcoin exists only online, with no physical currency (like coins or bills). Each Bitcoin exists solely as a unique identification ... (view more)

Microsoft has confirmed its "Do Not Track" feature will be switched on by default in the new Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) web browser. The decision is intended to protect user privacy. However, it has earned a frosty reception from some online ... advertisers. The feature was introduced to prevent users' online activity from being reported to third-party groups, a concern when advertisers began gathering information from multiple websites to compile very detailed pictures about what individuals do online. Since then, browser makers have worked on a variety of measures to combat this ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that child safety measures built into the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) will be significantly different from those in Windows 7. It insists the new strategy will be more effective in keeping kids safe. According to the ... company, both Microsoft and third-party software developers have often been unsuccessful at helping parents and guardians to control exactly what children in their care can and can't do online. That's because such systems can be complicated and require constant parental involvement. For example, some children who sought to access certain websites ... (view more)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reportedly pushing for a change in the U.S. law related to wiretapping. If passed, the changes would allow government monitoring of Facebook, Skype, and some email services. The idea is to change the ... Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), which currently doesn't give investigators the right to monitor and intercept communications. Instead, the law forces telecommunications providers to set up their services in a way that makes such monitoring and intercepting technologically possible. Email, VoIP, Social Media to be Monitored? ... (view more)