Stories by Tony Bradley

F-Secure report warns XP zero-day attack is imminent

Are you still using Windows XP? In its latest Threat Report, security vendor F-Secure warns that a powerful zero-day attack against Windows XP is a matter of when--not if--and provides some guidance for those stalwart (or foolhardy) PC warriors who plan to ignore the April 8 "XPocalypse" when Microsoft support for the OS officially expires.

Microsoft plagued by software piracy

500,000. That's the number of takedown requests Microsoft has submitted to Google just over the past month related to copyright infringement and software piracy.

R.I.P. Cisco Cius - another tablet bites the dust

Cisco is pulling the plug on its Cius tablet. Despite the fact that the Cius never really went head to head with more consumer-centric tablets, the Cisco device is nevertheless the latest victim of the iPad's dominance.

AOL patents: What's in it for Microsoft?

AOL announced that it has closed a deal to sell more than 800 patents to Microsoft. The deal is just north of a billion dollars, and it's easy to see why AOL might want to cash in on the intellectual property. What is less clear is why Microsoft is interested in the patent portfolio, or what Microsoft gains from the deal.

Opinion: Why Linux on the desktop is dead

Linux is awesome. It's a powerful, capable, flexible operating system with tremendous potential. But, it's never going to be a factor on the desktop, so don't even waste your time considering it.

Opinion: Tablets won't kill the PC, just replace it

I think the idea of the "post-PC era" needs some clarification. There is much hoopla and fanfare being dedicated to dwindling PC sales, and the idea that tablets - specifically the Apple iPad - are going to be the death knell for PCs. It's not a "death", it's an "evolution" and the tablet is just the new PC.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 doomed by price

There are reports of alleged pricing information being leaked for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Assuming the information is accurate, Samsung has apparently not learned any lessons from its tablet experience thus far, or from the challenges and failures of its rivals.

Five tips to avoid malware in mobile apps

Smartphones and tablets are evolving from niche luxury devices to mainstream consumer gadgets. As mobile devices become a ubiquitous part of the mainstream culture, malware developers are paying attention and are anxious to exploit the fertile new territory.

Kindle Fire creates dilemma for Android

The Amazon Kindle Fire is living up to its name by setting the tablet market on fire. Pre-orders of the as yet unreleased tablet have been phenomenal. The success of the Kindle Fire, however, puts Android tablets in general between a rock and a hard place.

HP delays decision on fate of webOS

A little birdie (The Verge) revealed earlier today that HP's new CEO Meg Whitman had scheduled an all-hands meeting for the WebOS crew. The news sparked speculation that HP had perhaps found a suitor for the mobile platform, but those predictions turned up false.

Microsoft leaves Duqu worm exploit unpatched

Today is Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for the month of November--the eleventh Patch Tuesday of 2011. It is a light month from Microsoft, with only four security bulletins. The big news, though, is that a zero day flaw being exploited by the Duqu worm is not among the vulnerabilities fixed by Microsoft today.

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