Category Archives: Techno Joy

Googles new and improved smarter search

Leave a reply

Google has released its new search engine power, using technology they are calling “semantic web technology”.

This essentially give a couple of improvements to its search results. From what I understand you can now give longer and improved search queries, and as a result the results snippets also contain more information. Apparently these snippets might even give you enough info so you dont actually have to visit the page to get your answer. The other improvement is the results may also contain information related to your search criteria.

Googles Example is as follows “The search query “principles of physics.” The related searches offer will include terms such as “special relativity,” “angular momentum,” “big bang” and “quantum mechanics.

Check out Googles Official Blog for more information.

Tesco Tills… Computer Says NO

Leave a reply

It would appear Tesco had to keep some of its stores closed after some routine overnight upgrades stopped the tills working.

It doesnt say what sort of updates these were, but apparently a reboot got them all working again. I can only assume that perhaps some of the tills tested where not running the same versions of those with issues, so they reverted back, or perhaps it was just some form of corruption.

Just goes to show even the big boys have testing issues, seems they did a nifty job of getting the stores quickly up and running again.

Windows 7 RC Released.. So has a W7 Rootkit :)

Leave a reply

I dont know much about this one, as I am only just back from hols, but as I am downloading W7 RC, I also see that a Rootkit is already around. I assume this is in an attempt to get Microsoft to fix the issues. Hope so, as this should be out soon.

BTW, for those who have not tried W7 yet, you should. It really is a good OS, just how Vista should have been really.

FreeLoader Solar Charger, Handy Bit of Kit

Leave a reply

freeloader
I have just returned from my holidays in Mexico, no Swine Flu just yet 🙂

Anyway before I went I purchased a little gadget called the FreeLoader. Its a great bit of kit, and can give you that little boost in power between charges when your out an about. I found this most handy with my phone and ipod. Its about £30, so not super cheap, but I think it was worth the money, and also everyone who see’s it is interested in what its all about.

  • 120mA premium quality crystalline solar cells
  • 1000mAh environmentally friendly Li-ion battery – typical battery life is 2 years.
  • Freeloader’s solar panels can charge its internal battery in as little as 5 hours or 3 hours when using the supplied USB charging cable
  • Impact resistant, rust free aluminium body.
  • Freeloader holds its battery charge for up to 3 months
  • Freeloader will supply 3.5 – 5.5v. It a DC to DC converter which detects the voltage command of the appliance & supplies the correct voltage to that appliance. Should the appliance have a higher voltage than 5.5v, then this is not possible with this product.

Super Super Tuesday, Mainstream XP Support Ends

Leave a reply

Today on 14th April 2009, Microsoft have ended mainstream support for the Microsoft XP Operating System.
Microsoft have announced they will continue to provide free security fixes until 2014, but platform bugs and fixes will only be available to paying customers.

This is interesting with over 60% of the worlds Internet computers running XP. For me the real concern is how MS will clasify what is a security fix, and what is a bug etc.
I do think that most people should have been looking to move to newer OS’s like Vista, but we know organisations are slow to move, and I am sure still many running instances of NT and 98 so we know its a slllllooooowwww uptake.

Check the Microsoft Support Lifecycle

Smartphones survive the Pwn2Own contest.

Leave a reply

As previously mentioned, the Pwn2Own hacking contest, also featured events to target the ever popular smartphones.
Surprisingly they all managed to survive and not be compromised.  This may be for various reasons, such as the lack of processing power of the phones when it comes to exploitation, or the fact that not much time has spent previously around targeting these devices.

All I know is that it doesnt mean we should think there is nothing to worry about, as the use becomes more popular, and data more valuable trends will change.

I recently got a new smartphone, and I dont think it will be long until AV products become more popular on these platforms, so watch this space.