Sebastian Rupley

After years of customer requests for relief from annoying Web pop-up advertisements, America Online has announced AOL Web Pop-Up Controls, which can block pop-up and pop-under ads. Users access the controls via a prominent icon at the bottom of the AOL version 8.0 browser. “AOLs new Pop-Up Controls will allow our members to explore the […]

After first showing the chip at Novembers Comdex trade show in Las Vegas, Transmeta has officially taken the wraps off its next-generation TM8000 processor, formerly known by the code-name Astro. Transmeta president and CEO Matthew R. Perry said the CPU “will play a key role in the companys future growth.” The chip, which is based […]

Theres a lot of news about Sun Microsystems, these days. A court has ordered Microsoft to include Suns version of Java in Windows XP (although that ruling has been stayed pending a decision on Microsofts appeal). Sun recently announced that 1 million developers have downloaded its 2-year-old peer-to-peer networking software—dubbed JXTA (for the word juxtapose)—and […]

While 802.11b Wi-Fi wireless networks have been one of the hottest technology categories of the past couple of years, a new, faster standard for wireless networking is upon us: 802.11g. We saw some of the first 802.11g products at this years massive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Although 802.11b wireless networking products, which […]

It is always on, passively listening. The Personal Awareness Assistant prototype from consulting firm Accenture has a speech recognition engine, two small microphones, a small camera and a scrolling audio buffer. But its more than a recording system. For example, if a user meets someone new and says “its nice to meet you,” the Assistant […]

According to recent data from several sources, the widely reported Klez worm and KaZaA file-swapping software virus have become increasingly pesky security threats because of their unusual methods of propagation. In fact, a variant of the Klez worm called Klez.H has taken on the distinction of being the most widely distributed virus or worm of […]

Security software maker Symantec is warning of a new worm that uses the blended threat technique found in other recent worms. The worm comes in two forms, W32.Aphex@mm and W32.Aplore@mm. Its primary function is to mass-mail itself via a Microsoft Outlook address book, but it also uses IRC and AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) to propagate. […]

The ongoing troubles in the telecommunications industry, the downturn among telecommunications equipment makers, and troubles of the whole high-tech industry arent necessarily due to the fact that Internet traffic growth is slowing. According to a recent report from market researchers at IDC, Internet traffic is still growing fast enough to hit some key milestones over […]

Security and antivirus software maker Central Command—in conjunction with partners—is warning all Internet users that one of the worlds most common Internet worms—Worm/Klez-E—is a timed worm scheduled to activate a file-deletion payload on Wednesday, March 6. The file spreads by e-mail and can execute, in some cases, without the recipient clicking on a file attachment. […]

New research released this week by Riptech Inc., a Virginia-based company that provides security services to companies and organizations, suggests that there are widely varying rates of cyber attacks across countries, industries, and types of organizations. The companys “Internet Security Threat Report,” which tracked cyber-attack data from 300 companies in more than 25 countries between […]

Computer Associates has released its list of the top 10 viruses for 2001. The list appears at the end of each calendar year, and three of the top four viruses on the list for 2001 — as measured by frequency of system infection — were variations of the Badtrans and Sircam worms. Computer Associates annual […]

Microsoft is increasing its focus on the world of streaming media. Between now and mid-2002, the company plans to release a new suite of digital media technologies, dubbed Corona, designed to create home-theater level streaming media quality for broadband users. Will Poole, vice president of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft, announced the Corona […]