This week’s edition of WIG is filled with news link goodness covering topics such as new details and screenshots of Windows 8, the existence of a Google tablet has been confirmed, an Australian online retailer has introduced a special tax on IE 7 users, and more.
Chainlink fence clipart courtesy of For Web Designer.
Weekly News Links
Chainlink fence clipart courtesy of For Web Designer.
- Dropbox to kill off public folders?
The popular storage service is reportedly ditching its public folders after July 31, telling developers that they should make a change to their application functionality. - Windows 8 Secrets: New Desktop Theme
This past week, Winunleaked posted a number of tiringly similar screenshots that depict the coming Windows 8 desktop theme that will replace Aero. The new theme features squared off window edges, new default white window chrome, and a less translucent taskbar. - Designing the Windows 8 Calendar app
This post shares details and multiple screenshots showing the look and design of the Windows 8 Calendar app. - Windows 8 Mail app to get IMAP support
Perhaps one of the most criticized aspect of the new Metro-style Mail app in Windows 8 Release Preview is it’s lack of support for IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), a protocol still popular amongst several email providers. - Cinnamon To Get A 2D Session, Other New Features
The first Cinnamon version was released back in December and until March, the GNOME Shell fork used by default in Linux Mint 13 (Cinnamon edition) has seen many new versions, but there have not been any new releases since then. In case you were wondering, the development continues and the next Cinnamon version should come with some very cool improvements. - Mozilla invites users to build “the internet of the future”
Mozilla and the US National Science Foundation have launched Mozilla Ignite, a web site that challenges “designers, developers and everyday people” to design web applications that will run on “the internet of the future”. - Google tablet confirmed by Asus representative, report says
The long-rumored Google tablet does exist, and it’s going to launch by the end of the month, according to a new report. - Do Not Track arrives in Opera 12
Support for the “Do Not Track” (DNT) header has arrived in version 12 of the Opera web browser along with other privacy and security-focused improvements. The DNT privacy setting is a developing standard being used to tell web sites that the browser user wishes to opt-out of online behavioural tracking. - Flash update for Mac adds silent background updating
Adobe’s new updating process should keep Mac users running the latest version of Adobe’s popular Web plug-in. - Firefox 13 tripped up by Flash patch
The latest release of the Flash Player plugin, version 11.3, is causing frequent crashes in Firefox 13 on Windows. The problem seems to be related to the recently introduced Protection Mode, which is supposed to make the plugin run in a sandbox to isolate it from the rest of the system. The number of users experiencing this problem is now so large that Mozilla and Adobe are both offering differing solutions for a fix. - Skype to serve display ads to Window users
If you have a free Skype account, expect targeted advertisements based on your demographics. And do be sure to engage in “meaningful conversations about brands.” - World’s first ‘tax’ on Microsoft’s Internet Explorer
The Australian online retailer Kogan.com has introduced the world’s first “tax” on Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) browser. - Linus Torvalds on Windows 8, UEFI, and Fedora
Microsoft has made it so that Windows 8 approved PCs can only run Windows 8. Fedora Linux has forged a way around it, but not everyone likes their approach. Torvalds gives his thoughts on the issue. - Justice Department probes Internet video data caps
Antitrust investigation is looking into whether cable company data limits unfairly quash online video competition, sources tell The Wall Street Journal. - $422,000 to stream a movie? The continued “success” of phone cramming
From July 2009 until December 2010, a Minneapolis-based company called Streaming Flix allegedly hit on a hugely profitable business model—slapping steep monthly fees for its online movie service on the phone bills of 253,269 customers. In total, $9.7 million was billed in that year and a half. How many movies did Americans watch after spending all that cash? 23. - Losses from security breaches becoming significant for firms
Cybersecurity breach losses are becoming a significant component of companies’ accounting records with implications from intangible costs such as reputational damage, security watchers observe, who say IT risk assessment in cyber insurance can differ due to company size and industry type. - Google closes persistent XSS holes in Gmail
Google has closed several cross-site scripting (XSS) holes in its Gmail email service – which has more than 350 million active users – that could have allowed an attacker to inject a malicious client-side script into a victim’s system. - State-sponsored attackers likely used IE exploit to target Gmail accounts
Active attacks via an IE vulnerability appear linked to at least some of the state-sponsored attacks Google is warning Gmail users about. - James Bond-style malware targets firm that secures industrial systems
To get a sense of just how advanced some malware-based espionage campaigns have become, consider one recently perpetrated against Digital Bond, a security consultancy that specializes in safeguarding computer systems used to control dams, gasoline refineries, and other critical infrastructure against attack. - Disaster awaits U.S. power grid as cybersecurity lags
Digital signatures that protect access to power-plant control systems are highly insecure, an industry leader warns — and some companies want to make the problem worse.
Random TinyHacker Links
- Problem Steps Recorder – A hidden gem in Windows 7 & Windows 8
A great tutorial about a useful but hidden Windows app. - Hack Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Sync Your Sticky Notes
An awesome hack on how to sync Sticky Notes across users and computers in 7 steps. - Found Makes Finding Data Easier on Mac
This app for Mac not only finds stuff on your computer but also on Dropbox, Gmail, Google Docs. It’s very fast too. - What Apple Launched in WWDC 2012
Here’s a nice rundown of all the Apple announcements and their implications in the recently held WWDC. - Blocking Phone Numbers and Texts on Android
Got someone calling you unnecessarily and wasting your time? Maybe he is sending a barrage of text messages that you find hard to keep deleting. These two articles talk about 2 solutions for blocking such numbers on your Android phone. - The Most Purchased Paid Apps by Windows Phone Users
An interesting roundup. - Get Your Images Cropped Automatically
This tool claims to take the hassle out of image cropping. - Best Online Tools For Video Chatting
Bored with the old and conventional chat and want to talk with your group using video? Check out this list of the best free web based tools for group video chats. - Know When Your Friends Make the News
An interesting news monitoring service that keeps a tab on news about your friends or anyone who matters to you. - Protect Your Memories Before That Great Gig In The Sky
An infographic detailing ways to protect yourself online before you die. - LinkedIn, Security Tuned Out.
Great article via the New York Times on how a trusted company with no history of compromising data was easily breached, emphasis on easily.
Super User Questions
- How to Diagnose a Pre-Operating System Load or Hardware Issue?
- Can we boot up our notebook with Linux disc and get access to file?
- How do I find out the file type without an extension?
- What is the fastest (accurate) way to search for a string of text in files on a Windows machine?
- What are the disadvantages of removing the application directories instead of using uninstallers?
- Windows 7 [virtualized] resolutions in Macbook Pro Retina
How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap
- The Best Application Launchers and Docks for Organizing Your Desktop
- Desktop Fun: Sunsets Wallpaper Collection Series 1
- Hack Your Kindle for Easy Font Customization
- How to Turn Your Ubuntu Laptop into a Wireless Access Point
- 6 Steam Troubleshooting Tips
- HTG Explains: What Is Windows RT and What Does It Mean To Me?
- HTG Explains: How Windows 8’s Secure Boot Feature Works & What It Means for Linux
- How to Display RSS Feeds on Your Windows Desktop
- How to Recover an Encrypted Home Directory on Ubuntu
- From the Tips Box: Multi-monitor Gaming, Making Super Glue Stronger, and Batch Downloading Tumblr Photos
Geeky Goodness from the ETC Side
- 10 Easy DIY Father’s Day Gift Ideas
- There is Hardly a Scratch on It! [Humorous Image]
- Map of the Planet’s Most Visited Websites by Country
- It Can be Hard to Accept the Truth [Humorous Image]
- World Map of Social Networks
- Windows 8 Metro Version of Google Chrome now Available for Download
- Roll Your Own DIY Solar-Powered Security Camera Setup
- Ray Bradbury’s Predictions about Future Technology that have been Fulfilled
- Repurpose Old Phones As Intercoms
- DeskLights Turns Desk Surface Into Giant Multi-Purpose Notifier
One Year Ago on How-To Geek
- How To Easily Change Your Dual-Booting PC’s Default OS
- Cleanup Your Windows 7 Login Screen and Remove Unwanted Logon Items
- From the Tips Box: Pin Any File to the Windows 7 Taskbar
- Stupid Geek Tricks: Disable Windows 7 Aero Peek in Two Clicks
- Force Your Mac to Sort Folders on Top of Files (Windows Style)
How-To Geek Comics Weekly Roundup
- How did He Pull a Muscle?
- A Very Forward-Thinking Child
- Not the Strip Club He was Looking For
- Winning versus Losing on the iPad
- A Different Definition of Digital Influence
- The Theory has Some Flaws
- Trying to Skip Out on a Technicality
How-To Geek Weekly Trivia Roundup
- Cameras Hidden In What Office Equipment Helped The U.S. Gain Access to Soviet Secrets?
- Which Hollywood Action Hero Has A Spider Named After Him?
- What Genetic Condition Enhances A Person’s Perception Of Color?
- What Iconic Children’s Show Character Got His Start In An IBM Training Film?
- The Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Only Non-Star Tiles Are In Honor Of What Event?
- The Creator Of Which Iconic Comic Book Character Also Helped Create The Lie Detector?
- Which Star Wars Actor Went On To Become A Prolific Voice Actor?