Browser security has become a raging debate these days, with the myriad of plugins and extensions you can install on your computer to customize your internet experience. However plugins like Java, Silverlight, Flash etc. are powerful stuff that if found vulnerable can give hackers multiple attack points targeting a huge audience.

So what Mozilla is trying to do is trying to make plugin management as easy as managing extensions in Firefox is. Though the plugin check page is limited by what it can do at the moment, it will be fully utilized starting Firefox 3.6 to update plugins just like extensions do so now.

For now the scripts on the page will check for installed plugins and compare the version of the installed plugin with the latest version that is available. At the moment some of the plugins supported are (among others) Apple Quicktime, Shockwave Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Java, Silverlight, RealPlayer and Windows Media Player plugins.

The Plugin Check page will show you a Green “Up To Date” button if you are running the latest version of the plugin, a yellow “Update” button if a new version button is available, and a red “Update Now” button if you are running a version that has a critical security exploit fixed in the latest version.

It is hearty to see Mozilla taking these steps to ensure a safe browsing experience for all of us. Looks like Firefox 3.6 will be an awesome release! Looking forward to it

Mozilla Plugin Check

If you ever wondered why changing themes in Firefox was so time consuming, then Mozilla has got an answer for you. Mozilla has just released an extension called Personas that takes the pain out of changing the look of your Firefox. After a quick install you can change the look and feel of Firefox at the click of a button without having to restart the browser.

Personas is a prototype that builds upon the ideas that:

• themes today are too hard to find, install and use
• graphic designers should be able to style the browser without having to code
• browsers can be more than just desktop software, they can include online components
• people just want their computer to be a little more fun and personal

Well here’s how it works. First you download the extension from here and install it.  Restart the browser, and once Firefox comes back look for the small Fox icon in the lower left corner, click on it and select from the available list of themes. Once done. voila you’ve got a new look to your Firefox. This couldn’t get any better.

The most interesting feature is the automatic updation of the available themes. The list of themes that are available to Personas are updated regularly. I guess Mozilla labs just made browser skinning so easy that our parents could do it?

What do you have to say about Personas?

The IE7 Browser will be available from today on Windows Update for Windows XPSP2, x64 Server and Windows 2003 Server.

Microsoft has made up a pretty good reason for the removal of WGA Validation, and here is what the official statement from the IE7 blog reads :

Because Microsoft takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem seriously, we’re updating the IE7 installation experience to make it available as broadly as possible to all Windows users. With today’s “Installation and Availability Update,” Internet Explorer 7 installation will no longer require Windows Genuine Advantage validation and will be available to all Windows XP users.

I am sure that can’t be justifiable enough. I feel Microsoft is trying to regain lost users of the IE platform who have now shifted to free alternatives like Firefox and Opera who left IE mainly because it didn’t feature Tabbed Browsing, a major point of highlight in IE7.

I am pretty sure, you can expect IE7 to climb browser ratings starting next week.

• Disable WordPress Core Update

Completely disables the core update checking system which is a new feature in WordPress 2.3. The plugin prevents WordPress from checking for updates, and prevents any notifications from being displayed in the admin area. Ideal for administrators of multiple WordPress installations.

• Disable WordPress Plugin Updates

Completely disables the plugin update checking system which is a new feature in WordPress 2.3. The plugin prevents WordPress from checking for updates, and prevents any notifications from being displayed on the Plugins page. Ideal for administrators of multiple WordPress installations.

If you use the plugins for Wrdpress, then I suggest you manually update your WordPress Installation and Plugins everytime a new update comes out, because they include a lot of security fixes and new features.

Via Quick Online Tips

Microsoft is up on its heels again and plans to release the Internet TV addon for the Vista Media Center. All the existing users of Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate should get updates early tomorrow that would give them Internet TV on their Vista PC.

The Initial Offering would include over 100 Hours of free content, that would include some of the following :

• Full episodes of TV shows such as the critically acclaimed “Arrested Development”
• Full-length music concerts by artists such as Chris Cornell, Snoop Dogg, Elton John, Pink, John Mayer and the Pussycat Dolls
• High-quality movie trailers from major movie studios
• The latest news segments from MSNBC
• Sports clips from FOX Sports

The Success of Internet TV in WIndows Vista depends on the availability of new content on a regular basis. I would also like to see Internet TV be a free service and ad supported rather than subscription based.

If Microsoft is able to get Media Moghuls to offer content on Windows, then I am sure that Vista Media Center TV would be a great hit.

Image Credits : Engadget and Cybernet

       

The iPod Touch is just the iPhone minus the phone. With its revolutionary touchscreen and the Safari Browser making into iPod touch, I am pretty much sure that iPod Touch will be a instant hit worldwide. The iPod touch is just about same dimensions of the the iPhone but it is a lot more lighter than the iPhone. The iPod touch also features WiFi so that you can watch youtube Videos and browse the web through the amazing Safari Web Browser.

With the latest batch of updates to iPod line, Apple has got itself a clear run ahead of its competitors. On a related the iPhone 4GB is discontinued and the 8GB model now becomes cheaper by about 200$ to cost only 399$.

Orkut finally is moving in the right direction in the social network scene. Right now Orkut has traction only in India and Brazil but things are likely to change in the future. Only last week orkut redesigned its interface, which has received a lot of positive feedback from its users.

The latest entry to Orkut is similar to what Facebook already provides. Orkut now displays notification from your friends when they make changes to their profile, adds photos to the album, videos, testimonials etc…

While this feature is being slowly rolled out, ala typical google fashion and you can expect to see it within the next week. You can see if Notifications is enabled for you by going over to this page. If you see something like the screenshot below then you have it enabled, otherwise you got to wait for Orkut to enable this feature for you.

Google is finally taking Orkut seriously and I would like to see something Facebook apps in orkut so that I can show my Flickr Photos etc.. Also giving Users to choose differant layouts for their profiles will be a nice idea.

Via Google System

How do you keep track of the latest versions for all your installed applications? Apple’s built-in Software Update helps keep software like iTunes and Mac OS X updated, but what about the rest? A lot of applications on your Mac don’t include their own update checker and even if they do, they don’t work from a central place. With AppFresh, you’re in control to decide what updates get installed. Spend your time using your applications, not keeping them up to date.If you are still wondering what AppFresh is all about, then here you go,

AppFresh helps you to keep all applications (third-party and Apple), widgets, preference panes and application plugins on your Mac up to date, from one place. It works by checking the excellent iusethis.com for new versions and lets you download and install available updates easily.

AppFresh also includes Time Machine that allows you to revert back to previous version of an app incase you felt that the new version is not so good as the older version or it is buggy. This handy addition to AppFresh makes it a must have for all the Mac Users out there.. Here is a Screenshot of AppFresh

So download AppFresh today and make your computing life all the more better and productive, and the best part is that AppFresh is free.