In our recent look at eight encrypted portable drives, we considered two USB flash drives, including SanDisk's Cruzer Contour.

The Cruzer Contour ($100 for 16GB) isn't so much a security tool as it is a speedy flash-memory thumb drive with a nifty mechanism to retract the USB connector: The piece recesses inside a sliding cover that you can manipulate with just your thumb. Inside, it's a high-performance U3 drive with all the benefits: the ability to run programs from the drive itself, a feature that stores your documents on the drive automatically, and the U3 Launchpad, a clone of the Start menu for the drive's installed applications.

In the Launchpad menu is the check box to "lock" the AES-encrypted user-writable portion of the drive with a password. While the protection isn't enabled by default, it can put a password between anyone who finds your lost drive and your files. As long as the NSA isn't after your data, this setup will probably provide enough security for casual use.

For our recent look at eight encrypted portable drives, we considered two USB flash models, one of which was Kingston's DataTraveler Vault--Privacy Edition.

The DataTraveler Vault--Privacy Edition ($173 for 4GB) is a good but pricey option for anyone who needs an encrypted drive small enough to wear around the neck. A blue, metallic tube with a cap on one end, it's among the bulkier USB models we've seen. But what's inside is what counts: This drive's embedded encryption engine scrambles data with a 256-bit AES encryption key--a key that's twice as long as what other products offer. The longer key means thieves must take that much more time to try to crack the encryption.

Like Seagate's Maxtor BlackArmor drive (our number one pick among the eight we tested), the DataTraveler opens its utilities in a read-only partition that Windows interprets as a CD-ROM drive. Once you have created your password, the drive mounts the encrypted partition.

Like chocolate and episodes of Mad Men, there's no such thing as too much battery life. Alas, it's the rare notebook battery that'll give you more than a few hours-unless you know some tricks for squeezing extra juice. Remember these three tips the next time you travel:

Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Few airplanes offer Wi-Fi (yet), so turn off your notebook's power-sucking Wi-Fi radio. Same goes for Bluetooth.

Drop the screen brightness You can afford to keep screen brightness cranked up when your notebook is plugged into an outlet, but not when you're flying coach. Drop the brightness setting a few notches, then get back to work. Chances are you'll hardly notice the difference. Then drop it a few more notches. The lower, the better.

Watch downloads, not DVDs Notebooks are great for watching movies, but DVD drives consume a considerable amount of power. Therefore, leave the DVDs behind and choose digital downloads instead. Stock your hard drive with movies from Amazon or iTunes and you'll be able to watch longer. Don't want to pay for movies you already own? Use a tool like Handbrake to rip your DVDs, creating MPEG-4 files you can store on your hard drive (or put on your iPod, thus saving your notebook even more power).

source : PCWORLD

Today's monthly patch batch from Microsoft fixes a critical flaw in Internet Explorer 7 that could allow a malicious Web site to install malware on a vulnerable PC, along with a patch for the Visio diagramming software. And businesses that run a Microsoft Exchange or SQL server will want to apply essential fixes right away.

Microsoft's bulletin says attack code that targets the MS09-002 IE7 flaw "can be crafted easily," so be sure you get this one via Windows Update. The Internet Storm Center posts that there aren't yet any known attacks, but it affects both XP and Vista. But only IE7, interestingly, and not earlier versions of the browser.

You'll also find a fix for the Visio software which can allow an attacker to run any command if you open a hacked Visio file. The program is popular among network and server administrators who typically have far-reaching permissions on their networks, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a targeted attack come along that goes after this flaw. Get more info and the patch from the MS09-005 bulletin.

The other two fixes are for servers - Exchange and SQL server. There has been exploit code out there for the SQL server flaw since December, according to the ISC, so if you have a publicly accessible SQL server at your company (via a Web site) schedule an emergency fix to prevent a SQL injection or other attack. Get details at the MS09-004 page.

Do the same for your company Exchange server, which could be taken over by a specially crafted TNEF message sent to it by an attacker. No known attacks against this one just yet, according to the ISC, but don't wait for one to show up. This one's MS09-003.

Update: Regarding the MS09-004 SQL server vulnerability, Microsoft says that while the flaw can be targeted after a successful SQL injection attack, the MS09-004 flaw isn't itself a SQL injection vulnerability.

source : PCWORLD

When Windows 7 is released later this year or in early 2010, many PC users who upgrade will be coming from Windows XP. Unlike Vista users, they can't do an "in-place upgrade," in which the new OS overwrites the old one, preserving their installed applications, preferences, and data. Instead, they'll have to do a clean install, which means they have to back up their data, install Win 7 (either deleting or XP or installing as a separate environment), reinstall their apps, restore their data, and re-create their preferences.

For Windows XP users who avoided Vista because of its many problems, that upgrade work may seem as adding insult to injury, making it harder for them to finally adopt a new version of Windows. Through its PR agency, Microsoft confirms to InfoWorld that there will be no "in-place upgrade" option for XP users, but it declines to explain why not. "More materials on your question are in the works," the spokesman says.

Why a clean-install requirement may make sense

But there may be good reason not to support an in-place upgrade, suggests Michael Silver, a Gartner analyst who follows Microsoft technologies. That's because viruses, registry errors, and other performance-sapping flaws in the user's Windows environment would be carried over into Windows 7; something that would not happen with a clean install.

Business IT typically does clean installs on user systems to avoid these issues, Silver notes, so the lack of an in-place upgrade will be a nonissue for most enterprises.

Consumers and small businesses are the ones who tend to prefer the in-place upgrade option, Silver notes, and they're the ones who may be annoyed by the clean-install requirement if coming from XP. "Microsoft is in a bit of a no-win situation here: Support the upgrade and live with whatever bad experiences users have or don't support the upgrade and make it harder for people to do it," Silver says.

"Most users will be better off doing the clean install anyway," he says, so he recommends that even Vista users avoid the in-place upgrade and proceed to the clean install.

Silver also notes that users who did not upgrade to Vista often have hardware that can't run Windows 7 or Vista (typically, PCs from 2006 or earlier), so they would likely get a new computer at the same time with Windows 7 preinstalled, which means reinstalling their apps, preferences, and data anyhow.

A precedent for providing in-place upgrades for earlier generations

When Microsoft shipped Windows Vista, it offered XP users the choice of an in-place upgrade or a clean install, but users of earlier Windows versions could do only a clean install. So the requirement for Windows XP and earlier users to do a clean install of Windows 7 follows that precedent.

But when Microsoft shipped Windows XP in late 2001, it gave not only users of the predecessor Windows 2000 but also users of the earlier generations (Windows 98, Windows Millennium, and Windows 98 Second Edition) the in-place upgrade option. In some ways, the situation then was similar to that situation today. Microsoft Millennium was a technical failure that customers avoided, causing Microsoft to issue Windows 98 SE. Then came Windows 2000, replacing the OS kernel and much of the architecture, which meant it needed newer hardware and was incompatible with many peripherals and applications. So most users stuck with Windows 98 or 98 SE, and Microsoft eased the path to XP by allowing in-place upgrades for them all.

Technically, the shift from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is small, so it should be easier to support an in-place upgrade from XP to Windows 7 than it was from Windows 98 to Windows XP. But Silver cites the performance and security issues that an in-place upgrade preserves as a reason that Microsoft may have chosen not to do so this time.

Silver contrasts Microsoft's situation with that of Apple, which lets users do an in-place upgrade three versions back (from Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar, 10.3 Panther, and 10.4 Tiger) to the current Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. "This is an area -- efficiency, ease, and success of upgrade -- where Apple has an edge," he notes, due to its greater control over the hardware and the more focused reach of the OS.

source : PCWORLD

O2 may have the iPhone all to itself in the UK, but that hasn't stopped the company from continuing with its own Xda range of smart phones. The Xda Zest is the latest addition to the clan but, instead of being targeted at business types, this time O2 is aiming the handset at pay as you go users. As such, the handset is available for the relatively low price of around £250, without the need to take out a hefty contract.

Positives
The first thing you notice when you start up the Zest is that, although it uses Windows Mobile 6.1, the menu system looks completely different. This is because O2 has loaded the Zest with its own touch interface (a reworked version of Spb's Mobile Shell), providing you with a 3D grid interface with large, chunky buttons that you can press with your finger. It's easy to use, responsive (thanks, no doubt, to the handset's speedy 624MHz Marvell processor) and does a good job of hiding away most of the traditional, wonky Windows Mobile menus.

The phone's screen may be small, but it's still impressive. Thanks to its 480x640-pixel resolution, photos and Web pages look sharp, and, because it's bright, the screen's easy to read even in direct sunlight. With both Wi-Fi and HSDPA support, it's no surprise that Web pages load very quickly. O2 has also sensibly pre-loaded the Opera Mobile browser on the phone, which is much more useable than the usual Internet Explorer Mobile.

The handset also has built-in GPS and comes with a trial version of the Co-Pilot Live 7 navigation software. This works for two weeks before asking you to shell out £50 to activate the full version.

On the storage front, you get 256MB of Flash ROM and 128MB of RAM, so there's plenty of space onboard for storing extra applications and data, and you can also add more space via microSD cards.

When it comes to call quality, the Zest puts in an excellent performance, and battery life is good too. We got around two days' use out of it before it needed a recharge.

Negatives
The Zest's styling is rather workman-like and certainly won't turn any heads. It's quite wide and also relatively thick -- no-one could describe it as sleek. The glossy rear panel also tends to pick up smudges from fingerprints and the like.

At 71mm (2.8 inches), the screen is on the small side compared to many other Windows smart phones, and the SD card slot is rather awkwardly placed underneath the SIM card holder, which means you have to take out the battery to swap memory cards.

The phone's camera is also relatively basic. Although it has a decent, 3-megapixel resolution, there's no flash so, while shots taken in sunlight look okay, those taken indoors in pubs and clubs descend into a sea of blocky, dark pixels.

Conclusion
The Zest isn't the sexiest-looking smart phone on the market at the moment, but it is easy to use and a great little performer. We love the simple interface O2 has tacked on over the top of Windows Mobile, and the broad range of features on offer is surprising, given the handset's relatively low price. If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful smart phone, make sure to check it out.

source : http://www.cnet.co.uk/

RIM rarely veers away from its classic screen and Qwerty keypad combo which has done so well over many years. Making sure that it doesn't fall behind though, RIM has produced the BlackBerry Storm that features a touchscreen. But, unlike any other touchscreen, this one clicks.

Read our review to see if a clickable touchscreen is the best thing to ever be invented or if you're better off with the BlackBerry Bold. If by the end of the review you think you want a Storm, then you can pick one up from Vodafone for free on a monthly contract.

Design
Whether or not you're a veteran BlackBerry user, the first time you see the Storm you'll want to try it out. Its large touchscreen invites you to touch it and a sleek, curvy design slips easily into a pocket.

Similar to the BlackBerry Bold the BlackBerry Storm feels like a quality product made up of a combination of metal and high-quality plastic. It's solid enough to take a few tumbles and isn't too heavy or too light.

While many touchscreen phone manufacturers seem to borrow heavily from the iPhone's design the Storm manages to retain a strong BlackBerry identity and fits in well with the rest of RIM's portfolio.

The Storm's large touchscreen is one of the brightest and sharpest we've seen so far, providing a great video viewing experience. As touchscreens go, the Storm's is responsive to even gentle taps but you need to click it fully in order to select an option.

At first we found the clickable screen difficult to get to grips with, particularly when texting because you need to click each key and that can slow things down -- eventually we got used to it. Compared to the iPhone the Storm's clickable screen is definitely slower to use.

If you desperately want to make the transition to a standard touchscreen but like using mechanical keys then this could be the halfway house you've been looking for. We're not convinced that it's the best touchscreen system out there and feel it can be clunky at times.

Another concern we have regarding the Storm's screen is that there's a gap around the edge so that it has enough space to pivot, which we think will get filled with dust and dirt after a while and may cause aesthetic damage.

We're very glad to see that there's a 3.5mm headphone jack on the side of the Storm making it simple to plug headphones straight in and start listening to music -- a feature we would like to see on many more phones.

One area of the Storm's design that we weren't overly keen on are the mute and lock keys at the top that curve in and aren't always easy to find in your pocket, which is annoying if you're trying to silence a call in the middle of a meeting.

Features
The BlackBerry Storm runs a touchscreen version of the BlackBerry OS with necessary touchscreen additions, such as an-on-screen touchscreen keypad that can be set to be a standard 'Multitap' keypad, put into predictive 'SureType' mode or a full Qwerty keyboard.

When you hold the phone upright during texting you automatically get a standard or SureType or Multitap keypad and when you hold it sideways you get a full Qwerty one. We actually found the SureType (predictive) mode the easiest of the bunch and the full Qwerty took us a while to master.

RIM's attempt at porting the BlackBerry OS is far more finger-friendly than Windows Mobile on a touchscreen, featuring large icons so that you can tap them with ease. The interface is a little cluttered though and an overal simplification of the menu structure wouldn't go amiss.

Another change we would like to see made is that the accelerometer that changes the screen from landscape to potrait mode seems to be overly sensitive. On several occasions the screen put itself into landscape mode when we didn't want it to and occasionally froze.

An interesting addition to the menu is the Application Centre that allows you to access apps for the Storm, such as Flickr and Facebook, in a similar way to the iPhone's app store. It's straightforward to use and a sensible move by RIM.

In order to download apps you need to connect to the Internet which you can only do via HSDPA as disappointingly there's no Wi-Fi, which may annoy some users. If for example you want to stream video content 3G isn't always the best option.

The Storm's browser displays full pages which you can scroll through using your finger. Zooming in and out of pages has to be done using specific keys, which isn't as intuitive as the iPhone's pinch system and disappointingly there's no option to open a new tab or a new window.

In terms of the Storm's email capabilities it's fairly easy to set up but you may need to ask your IT administrator for help. The Storm supports BlackBerry Servers and Microsoft Exchange, in addition to Web-based email clients such as Yahoo Mail and Gmail.

The Storm's media player supports all the major formats and offers an interface that echoes the iPhone's, such as a scrolling list of songs, artists, etc. It's easy to play music or video and video footage looks fantastic on the Storm's large crisp screen.

Performance
Audio quality from the music player is loud an clear, made even better by the fact that you can plug your headphones straight in and don't need to use an adaptor. That said, it is a shame that the jack isn't at the top of the Storm instead of the side, which means the headphone pin sticks out.

If you get lost you can use the Storm's GPS with Google Maps or BlackBerry Maps to find your way. We found it fairly easy to pick up satellites, but it won't pick them up indoors of course.

Finally, at first we thought Storm's 3.2-megapixel camera performed well and then we slowly started to realise that it wasn't the case all of the time. In daylight it takes clear shots if you hold it very still, but in lowlight conditions shots mostly came out looking blurry.

Battery life is quoted at 15 days standby and six hours using 3G. We found that with moderate use it lasted for around two days before needing to be recharged, which is impressive compared to certain other smart phones.

As we mentioned earlier, audio quality during music playback was great as is audio quality during calls. The loudspeaker is loud enough to use as a handsfree solution but you're better off using a Bluetooth headset.