With Windows 7 making the news since its launch, security firm Sophos decided to see how safe the new OS was and this is what they found.

On October 22nd, SophosLabs loaded a full release copy of Windows 7 on a clean machine. They configured it to follow the system defaults for User Account Control (UAC) and did not load any anti-virus software. They used the next 10 unique malware samples that arrived in the SophosLabs feed to see how well the newer, more secure version ofWindows and UAC held up. Despite Microsoft's claims that "the infection rate of Windows Vista SP1 was 61.9 percent less than that of Windows XP SP3", Windows 7 disappointed just like earlier versions of Windows.

The only good thing was that out of the 10 malware samples that arrived, 2 would not operate correctly under Windows 7.

User Account Control blocked only one malware sample. It's failure to block others points to the fact that the UAC's default configuration is not effective at protecting a PC from modern malware.

Read the complete analysis here.

In partnership with the OpenOffice.org community, WarMouse has announced the release of the OpenOfficeMouse, the first multi-button application mouse designed for OpenOffice. Thus now the "slower than tolerance level permits" suite can be coupled with a nifty device with a revolutionary and patented design, featuring 18 buttons, an analog joystick, and support for as many as 52 key commands.

The features of the OpenOfficeMouse include:

• 18 programmable mouse buttons with double-click functionality
• Three different button modes: Key, Keypress, and Macro
• Analog Xbox 360-style joystick with optional 4, 8, and 16-key command modes
• Clickable scroll wheel
• 512k of flash memory
• 63 on-mouse application profiles with hardware, software, and autoswitching capability
• 1024-character macro support.
• Open source support software for creating, managing, and customizing application profiles
• Import and export of custom profiles in XML format
• Optional audio notification of profile switching with customizable wave files
• PDF export of profile button assignments
• Adjustable resolution from 400 to 1,600 CPI
• Default profiles for Writer, Calc, Impress, Base, and Draw based on actual usage statistics compiled for OpenOffice.org 3.1
• 20 default profiles for popular games and applications, including Adobe Photoshop, the Gnu Image Manipulation Program, World of Warcraft, and the Call of Duty series.

John McCreesh, Marketing Project Lead at OpenOffice.org, welcomed the announcement, saying, "The OpenOffice Mouse is a really cool addition to the desk of any keen OpenOffice.org user. The Mouse team have worked closely with experts from the OpenOffice.org User Experience project to deliver the full benefits of the world's leading open-source office software to the fingertips of users. The prototypes are stunning - I can't wait to get my hands on the finished product."

The suggested retail price is $75, and it should sail to our Indian shores soon.

Nokia’s Xpressmusic range of handsets have enjoyed quite a lot of attention especially in India and their 5800 touchscreen handset is still making waves with new applications and better prices. We’re still awaiting the launch of the new modes viz. the 5530 and 5230 which should be out soon. But what I’m personally looking forward to are the new X Series touch handsets that include the X3 and X6 models, which were announced at this year's Nokia World.

On the global market, the Nokia X6 is already available on pre-order. According to reports, the handset is also part of Nokia’s Comes with Music series. The handset will be running on a Symbian OS v9.4, with Series 60 UI and will feature -

• 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen with a 360 x 640 pixel resolution (scratch resistant glass)
• 3G support with HSDPA, EDGE/GPRS
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0
• GPS with A-GPS (Ovi Maps)
• 5 megapixel camera with DUAL LED flash
• FM Radio
• 32GB internal memory
• 3.5mm handsfree socket, TV Out

The handset is expected to launch on November 12th of this year but we’ll have to wait and see. As of now, the pre order price is a whopping Rs. 41,181 (approx) which is 530 Pounds. WOW!

Adobe has introduced the Photoshop.com Mobile for Android software, extending Adobe industry-leading digital imaging technology to users of the Google Mobile operating system. The Android application equips consumers with quick and easy image-editing tools, color adjustments and instant photo-sharing capabilities. Photoshop.com Mobile is designed to optimize the camera-phone experience by allowing users to browse for their photos online and on their phone, directly from the application. The application is free and available today at the Android Market.

"Adobe is excited to extend its digital imaging capabilities to Android phone users so they can take control of their growing collections of mobile photos," said Doug Mack, vice president and general manager of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. "Photoshop.com Mobile is a great resource to edit, upload and share photos in a few short moments. It's the perfect complement to the mobilephone cameras found on Android devices."

Mobile Photo Sharing and Editing Features
Photoshop.com Mobile for Android offers user-friendly photo-editing tools like crop, rotate and flip. The Soft Focus filter can be used to create a subtle blur effect, and for performing color adjustments such as exposure, saturation, tint changes and classic black-and-white. Since all edits and changes can be undone, users can be confident that their original photo will be safe. After making edits on theirAndroid device, users can upload photos from their phone to their Photoshop.com account to view and retrieve their images at a later time from any Internet-connected computer.

In addition, Photoshop.com Mobile for Android offers features only available on Android phones. Users can automatically upload pictures to Photoshop.com albums in the background, even when the Photoshop.com Mobile application is not running. Photoshop.com accounts provide 2GB of free online photo storage. Made possible by theAndroid API, the new tab-based user interface enables users to view local and online content.

The Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile for Android application is available as a free download from the Android Market. More information on Photoshop.com Mobile for Android can be found at http://mobile.photoshop.com/android. The application is currently available in the U.S. and Canada only.

Technology in printing and imaging is advancing at such a rapid pace that there has not only been shrinking sizes but falling prices as well. Imagine owning a printer, scanner, fax machine, copier and phone, all separately. Not only will they occupy a significant portion of your desktop’s real estate but also make it look cluttered. Thanks to convergence, we have All-in-one printers that can handle all the tasks seamlessly.
AIO printers not only print, but also work as a scanner, fax machine and photocopier. They make your desk less cluttered but also add a certain level of grace and classiness, and more than anything else, they come integrated with three or four functions in one package. Some AIOs come with PictBridge technology that enables users to print photos directly from their digital cameras. Some even come equipped with an LCD display for previewing images before printing them. Printing photos cannot get easier with the presence of a flash memory card reader and image editing functions built into the device. You have to insert your memory card containing the images you want to print, enhance the pictures on the fly and fire a print command—as simple as that! You don’t need to rush to a photo lab which will take another few hours to do the job.

Some AIO printers which have a built-in network adapter are a boon for office users. You can not only fire print commands over the network but share such a device with multiple users on the network. A Wi-Fi adapter is more advantageous as you can print wirelessly from Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as laptops or smartphones.

Such printers not only eliminate wire clutter but also make life a whole lot simpler. If your daily tasks involve sending and receiving faxes, an AIO with built-in fax function will be a blessing. Those featuring an answering machine and a handset are the most advanced all-in-one devices. Apart from these features, they also have an automatic document feeder so you don’t need to feed paper manually into the scanner when you want to copy or send faxes. Such machines may seem intimidating at the first glance, but even a first-timer will be able to use them without any hassles, thanks to the user-friendly interface AIOs offer today. We now have devices that come with navigational aids such as jog dials an directional buttons that make operation a breeze.

In this comparison we tested seven AIO devices. While some are ideal for home use, others are best suited for photographers or office desks. And yes, owning such a device is no longer expensive. You can buy one for as low as Rs 5,600.