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Apple iPhone/iPod 3.0 OS is finally here, and it’s brought some exciting new features. It’s about time too. Call me a Apple fan, but I’m actually quite excited about this new release. Although, saying that, these features should have been introduced with the launch of  the first iPhone, and Apple claiming that the iPhone is 5 years ahead of everyone else is a slight exaggeration in my books. Apple do a wonderful job of making these features sound new, fresh and exciting, totally covering the fact its a bit late in the day.

Google Maps & more: For the first time, developers will be able to create software with maps embedded into it with relative ease. This API will provide the tools, but developers will have to supply their own maps; they won’t be able to use the proprietary ones that are part of Google Maps.

In addition, Apple will start allowing developers to access the iPhone‘s location information to create navigation software with turn-by-turn directions. Bring on TomTom, or Garmin.

Peer-to-Peer Connectivity: This will allow two iPhone‘s or iPod touches to connect to each other over Bluetooth to play head-to-head games. Thanks to this upcoming feature, two devices that are near each other and are both running the same game will automatically seek each other out. While gaming is the most obvious use for this, Apple promised there would be others.

In-App-Purchase: This will allow companies to sell items from within applications. On-device e-book stores is one example, but developers will also be able to sell additional levels for their games. Naturally, this will still be tied to the iTunes App Store, and Apple will get 30% of the revenue.

Cut, Copy & Paste (Finally): Confirming the earlier rumors, iPhone 3.0 will – finally – allow iPhone users to cut & paste and copy & paste. Naturally, the process for selecting text will take advantage of this device’s multi-touch screen. This feature will be available in Apple‘s own software and third-party apps.
And it extends to more than just text. Users will be able to copy images and paste them into an email. You can also Cut, Copy & Paste between different apps, so from Safari to Mail for instance.

MMS, A2DP & more: iPhone 3.0 will also mark the arrival of other features long available in the iPhone‘s competitors, including MMS messaging, Stereo Bluetooth, device search, and voice memos. This should mean you can use already created hands free kits, or bluetooth music devices.
In addition, landscape support is being added to more of the bundled applications.
Apple is also going to release a new SDK (software developer kit) for handling streaming audio and video, including HDTV streaming.

A few other features that speak for themselves:

Forwarding of SMS
Search functionality in all applications like mail and even on an Exchange Server
Spotlight home screen with search
Notes Sync
Whole new set of API’s
New api for streaming video and audio
Use your iPhone to remotely control accessories
CalDAV Support
Updated Stocks app (Streaming news headlines, highs, lows, and PEs. Also a landscape mode)
Shake to Shuffle (iPod Nano feature)
Wifi Auto login
LDAP
iTunes account creation
YouTube ratings
Anti-Phishing
Call Log
Parental Controls
Media Scrubber
OTA Profiles
VPD on Demand
Languages
YouTube Subscriptions
YouTube Accounts
Encrypted Profiles
Tethering
Send/Receive files between devices

You can watch the Apple presentations of the new iPhone 3.o release here.

Thanks to Brighthand.com for some of the information.

The next installment of Microsoft Office may ship for FREE! Office 14 would be a free ad supported version, this could be ad’s to buy the bigger better version of Office, or maybe something along the lines of Google ads. Microsoft Business Division Chief Stephen Elop announced “There’s an opportunity to draw those pirate customers into the revenue stream. We want to draw them into the Windows family and maybe there’s an upsell opportunity later”. There could be a few reasons for this move.

1. Rival any other free alternatives such as OpenOffice.
2. Rival Piracy, by providing it free you take away the need to download it illegally and spend time cracking it.

You also have to wonder what the free version will be missing from the full paid for version, besides the ads.

Good news for IT Managers around the world, its rumoured that Office 14 will still support XP, and it definitely will support the new Windows 7.

Microsoft has issued a reward in return for capturing a worm creator. The worm is called Downadup/Conficker. Microsoft views the virus as a criminal attack and will do all they can to prevent it from going any further. “Our message is very clear – whoever wrote this caused significant pain to our customers and we are sending a message that we will do everything we can to help with your arrest,” said Mr Stathakopulos from Microsoft‘s Trustworthy Computing Group.

The worm replicates itself and buries deep into the system making it hard to remove. It hunts around and guesses network usernames and passwords. Compromised machines can be used to send spam, as dead drops for stolen or pirated data and to launch attacks on other machines.

Be sure to keep your network up to date with Microsoft‘s updates, especially KB958644.

Read more about it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7887577.stm

I have just got my hands on the new Sony KDL-40W4500. First impressions are amazing!

I have never walked passed a TV in the shops, and had to step back and take another look, till now that is. This Sony not only looks good on the outside, but the picture quality is amazingly sharp. Watching Blu-Ray on this puppy you can see every flaw, every strand of hair, and every colour. The blacks are deep, and whites are really white and bright. The build quality feels solid too, like it was built to last.

I have hooked up my PS3 to the KDL-40W4500, and might I say the clarity is amazing. Playing games even at 720p looks perfect and at 1080p its unbelievable, colours are vibrant and bright, you can even see the tiniest details. Even normal TV or Sky looks really decent for a big panel. Granted its not HD but it upscales really well.

Sound is great too, not the best I have ever heard but its good none the less.

The MotionFlow 100Hz is a nice option, but one that I will rarely use. I have tried movies on High or 100Hz and it makes them look unreal, and just not right at all. It almost adds in frames that weren’t there in the first place, so lip sync looks a bit off, when its not. The only good thing about using MotionFlow at High would be for sports. Watching normal TV or Movies on Standard MotionFlow looks great. So being able to up the Hz a little bit is a good thing, but going full 100Hz or even the new 200Hz is pointless.

Only downside I have to say,  when your in a dark room and have used the KDL-40W4500 for awhile I noticed there are some light corners. Its noticeable but not off putting. You can also remedy this problem by turning down the Backlight, altho this does not vanish altogether. Another thing some people have been experiencing slight clouding issues, altho I have not, Sony has released this fix for it:

To achieve a high level of performance and picture clarity, Sony utilises a very bright backlight setting. This helps deliver the brightest picture possible, as well as exceptional picture clarity even with the darkest image sources.

However, under certain dark viewing conditions, the setting may cause the screens on some of these televisions to exhibit a slight uneven uniformity, especially for a blank screen with no video source.

This condition is not normally visible under typical viewing situations, such as watching movies or television programmes, and should not affect viewing experience.

Should customers find that this condition affects their viewing enjoyment, we suggest adjusting the following settings to minimise this condition:

1) Setup Menu – select – Light Sensor: ON
2) Setup Menu – select – Power Saving: Low or High
3) Picture Menu — Reduce the Backlight Level eg ‘Standard’ or ‘Cinema
mode’ (Factory Setting = ‘MAX’)

The Sony KDL-40W4500 features:

• BRAVIA ENGINE 2
• DLNA home networking
• USB Photo Viewer
• Picture Frame Mode
• Easy-to-navigate XrossMediaBar to browse TV Functions (Like that on the PS3)
• 24p True Cinema
• Full HD 1080p
• BRAVIA Sync
• 3x HDMI inputs, 1 on the side, 2 at the back
• 2x Scart inputs
• Digital Media Port
• S-Force Front Surround Technology
• Digital Terrestrial Tuner
• Cable Tuner
• MotionFlow 100Hz
• 50,000:1 Contrast

Microsoft have released an update to IE7 where hackers could gain access to your computer, to steal your passwords and personal details. IT Managers are increasing their security rapidly.

Microsoft says it has detected attacks against IE 7.0 but said the “underlying vulnerability” was present in all versions of the browser. Would this be a good time to switch to the ever increasing Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome? And does this especially mean the end to supporting IE6?

“Based on our investigation, setting the internet zone security setting to High will protect users from known attacks,” advised Microsoft.

However, for the most effective protection, customers should evaluate a combination of using the High security setting in conjunction with one of the following workarounds:

- Disable XML Island functionality
- Restrict Internet Explorer from using OLEDB32.dll with an Integrity Level ACL
- Disable Row Position functionality of OLEDB32.dll
- Unregister OLEDB32.dll
- Use ACL to disable OLEDB32.dll