How are you saying good-bye to 2009 tonight? Sleeping like any other day? Dinner with friends? Clubbing with strangers? Counting down with Dick Clark (or is it Ryan Seacrest now)? Here at SoftwareNewsDaily, we wanted to say farewell by reminiscing our top 10 technology news stories of 2009. When I say “our” top 10 stories, I suppose it’s really more “my” top 10 stories. That’s okay, I don’t mind dominating the office opinion; they’ll agree with me. Counting down to the number one story, here are “our” picks.
Recently tested in real-life conditions against the latest malware, Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 ranked within the top 3 of 12 products tested. Conducted with the latest malware implemented using custom methodology developed for this particular test, the German laboratory fired away at 12 popular Internet security products. According to Kaspersky.com, “Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 achieved a high score in the Real World test, coming second in the ‘Malware Detection’ category and third in the ‘Malware Block’ category and recording very few false positives.”
Did you get your invite for the Android press event from Google?
That’s okay, neither did we. But the announcement of this January 5th event is dominating tech sites right now. Everyone is expecting Google to present the highly anticipated Nexus One phone. According to the Boy Genius, this Android platform phone will be “sold directly and only by Google,” under T-Mobile service.
Backupify is dropping all charges and providing free services until January 31st. Securely back up all your online accounts automatically. As an attempt to gain a stronger and larger customer base, Backupify is providing its services without charge during this promotional duration. Backupify president Rob May urges internet users, “If you sign up during this time period, you get unlimited storage, for free. You get an account that is not a free trial, not free for a limited time, free forever.” Act now, before it’s too late!
There’s a rumor going around that Apple may be demonstrating the long-awaited Apple Tablet on January 26th, during a media event. Nick Bilton, blogger at the New York Times, proclaims 2010 as “the year of the tablet.” An inside source at Apple even told his colleague, “I can’t really say anything, but, let’s just say Steve is extremely happy with the new tablet.”
Business Insider tells us Apple has been telling select developers to begin making apps to support a full screen resolution mobile device. And Boy Genius Report is positive there will be a 7-inch Apple tablet to be announced in January.
Clever detective work led MacRumors.com’s Arnold Kim to find evidence that Apple purchased the domain iSlate.com back in 2007. The name, he predicts, that may be given to the new Apple tablet. Wired.com took to being Sherlock a bit further and found out more about the iSlate trademark — it was registered by a company called Slate Computing, perhaps a dummy corporation for Apple used to throw us off their scent?
The most intriguing Applet tablet rumor? Nick Bilton quotes an ex-Apple employee, “You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet.” What could it be?! How will technology freak me out now? Business Insider has 25 guesses.
Not too long ago, a judge gave Microsoft 60 days to halt sales for Microsoft Word 2007. And since Microsoft Office 2007 also contains that same Word program, it only seems logical that the injunction applies there too. The order came down due to patent infringement — a Toronto-based developer’s custom XML tagging patent.
The permanent injunction “prohibits Microsoft from selling or importing to the United States any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCS or DOCM files containing custom XML,” explains the plaintiff’s attorneys. In addition, Microsoft is forbidden from testing, demonstrating or marketing any Word products containing the patent. More information about the legal proceedings can be found at CNET or Wired.
Leave it to the Japanese to create the most intriguing and advanced technology. Behold, the Yotaro baby simulator.
Created at the University of Tsukuba, a city about an hour outside of Tokyo where research reigns supreme, the Yotaro baby doesn’t quite look like a baby at all… But rather, it mimics actions true-to-life to that of a baby. According to the University of Tsukuba website, Yotaro even holds a body temperature!
Lingt, a new startup, just launched in public beta today. And not only is it fun and addictive, but it’s also educational!
Lingt helps people learn the massive number of vocabulary terms required for basic competency in a foreign language. We think the biggest problem with learning a new language is simply giving up, so we’ve built something that we think makes learning more compelling.
It’s sort of like interactive flash cards. Remember studying for tests with home-made flash cards? I think I still have stacks and stacks somewhere in the basement somewhere… Well, my classmates and I would take turns quizzing each other before a test with those cards. Lingt is like that classmate that quizzes you.
Nuance has released another mobile application for iPhone, Dragon Search. Powered by their popular Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, the app lets you search the web just by saying the words. It’s the “fast, easy, and smart way to search online content on your iPhone using your voice,” declares Nuance. Voice your search and receive results from engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, Twitter and iTunes. Their top five reasons for getting it?
Most convenient way to search on your iPhone
Amazingly accurate
Up to five times faster than typing
Easy to use
Safer and more productive while you are out and about
And the best reason that’s not mentioned? It’s a free download (at least for now). Download either Dragon Dictation or Dragon Search at the Dragon Mobile Apps site; it’s also available through iTunes.
Videos feeds taken by unmanned military drones have been captured by Shiite militants until just this summer. Suspicions arose when a Shiite militant was apprehended with a laptop containing drone video feeds. Another incident in July led the U.S. military officials to conclude that militant groups were regularly duping the video feeds.
The feeds being broadcast by the American military drones were unencrypted, allowing Shiite militants to easily capture them with a software program such as SkyGrabber — a satellite downloading tool that’s available online for less than $26. Although days of video were discovered within enemy hands, U.S. officials report there was no evidence of direct interference. Those militants did not take control of any drones or interfere with any U.S. military flights. It is true that this incident may have given away a few tactical advantages though, such as the element of surprise and intel regarding surveilled locations.
I tried to learn more about the now infamous SkyGrabber program, but their site was down (down for everyone, not just me). Rummaging other sites, I found that it proudly boasts the ability to capture satellite feeds even while you are not connected to the internet — deadly.
How are you saying good-bye to 2009 tonight? Sleeping like any other day? Dinner with friends? Clubbing with strangers? Counting down with Dick Clark (or is it Ryan Seacrest now)? Here at SoftwareNewsDaily, we wanted to say farewell by reminiscing our top 10 technology news stories of 2009. When I say “our” top 10 stories, I suppose it’s really more “my” top 10 stories. That’s okay, I don’t mind dominating the office opinion; they’ll agree with me. Counting down to the number one story, here are “our” picks.
Recently tested in real-life conditions against the latest malware, 
Not too long ago, a judge gave Microsoft 60 days to halt sales for 
Lingt
Videos feeds taken by unmanned military drones have been captured by Shiite militants until just this summer. Suspicions arose when a Shiite militant was apprehended with a laptop containing drone video feeds. Another incident in July led the U.S. military officials to conclude that militant groups were regularly duping the video feeds.
