study

A new study commissioned by Microsoft and carried out by researchers at IDC has found that most counterfeit software includes some kind of malware. The researchers also estimate that the total value of the counterfeit software market now exceeds ... $100 billion. IDC recently published its findings in a report titled "The Dangerous World of Counterfeit and Pirated Software: How Pirated Software Can Compromise the Cybersecurity of Consumers, Enterprises, and Nations ... and the Resultant Costs in Time and Money." Most Counterfeit Software Laced with Malware In that report (which can be viewed in ... (view more)

Personally, I find video games both relaxing and a lot of fun. And it appears that this isn't just the case for thirty-somethings like me; in fact, a new study shows that seniors who play video games are less likely to become depressed. Researchers ... at North Carolina State University recently studied the impact video games had on people aged 63 and older. Researchers separated the study's subjects (whose median age was 77) into three groups: regular gamers (who play games once a week), occasional gamers (who play games less than once per week), and people who never play video games. Senior ... (view more)

A new report suggests Santa might be more kind to Mac than Windows users this holiday season. The reason is simple: During the past year, they were considerably more generous about making donations to charity. Donation management company Qgiv ... recently examined the giving patterns of approximately 165,000 people, analyzing a total of 320,000 donations made by these people between November 2011 and November 2012. Mac Users Were 25% More Generous The results: The average Mac user gave non-profit charities $182, while the average Windows user donated only $137. If these statistics are to be ... (view more)

A new study reveals why we join Facebook, why we add new 'friends' and, why we dump those we have 'friended.' The study also reveals the impact our real-world relationships have on our Facebook interactions. The new study comes to us from Neilson, ... best known for its research on television viewing. The study focused on Facebook user behaviors, including why we join Facebook in the first place. Real-World Interactions Behind Online Friendships The study revealed that 82 per cent of people add friends on Facebook because they know and like the person in real life. Other reasons folks added ... (view more)

In recent years online bullying has been a hot topic, with many teens and children reporting online bullying. In some cases, severe bullying has even pushed kids to suicide, garnering much attention from mainstream media. A new study, however, ... reveals that online bullying isn't as frequent as many fear. In fact, the report says it's less likely that kids will be bullied online than in real life. The study was conducted by the Pew Internet ... (view more)

According to a new study, older people are able to read text off the iPad much faster than if they were using a "real" book. In fact, the iPad proved easier for reading than even e-readers like the Kindle. The study was performed by a research team ... from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, in Germany. "E-books and e-readers are playing an increasingly important role on the worldwide book market," the researchers said in their report. "However, readers can be particularly skeptical when it comes to e-books and electronic reading devices. The objective of the study was to investigate ... (view more)

A new report suggests that the costs associated with cyber crime continue to rise. According to a study funded by hardware firm Hewlett-Packard, on average cyber attacks are costing companies 56 per cent more money to resolve than the year previous. ... The study, which was conducted by the Ponemon Institute, is called the "Second Annual Cost of Cyber Crime." It finds that the median annualized cost of attacks rose to $5.9 million a year, up from $3.8 million last year. (Source: latimes.com ) Big Companies Face 70+ Attacks Each Week According to the report, 50 organizations participating in the ... (view more)

A recent study suggested that Internet Explorer user IQs are lower than those who do not use Internet Explorer. Now, those responsible for the post are informing the public that everything from the results of the study to the company itself (called ... "AptiQuant") was a hoax. The report went viral in large part due to the attractive headline used to describe the report: "Is Internet Explorer for the Dumb? A New Study Suggests Exactly That." The news should provide some semblance of relief for Microsoft as the results of the fake study claimed that users of the aging Internet Explorer 6 browser ... (view more)

For the first time in years, Microsoft's Windows XP operating system has sunk below a majority share of the operating system market. The report comes just as a new study finds that Microsoft Internet Explorer users are slightly less savvy than users ... of other web browsers. According to Microsoft, Windows XP is now used by 49.84 per cent of all Internet users world-wide. Although the operating system (OS) is still the most widely-used system in the world, that percentage of the total market represents its lowest point in several years. Luckily for Microsoft, the damage hasn't been done by ... (view more)

The iPhone may be a runaway favorite within the burgeoning smartphone market, but that doesn't mean its exclusive provider, AT ... (view more)