News for Wednesday, 12 July 2006

Rumor has it that Google (who else?) is about to launch a service that looks promising: GDrive would give users an unlimited online storage space, along with a tool to backup and synchronise your data. That would allow users to backup their whole computer on Google's servers.
That would seriously hit on Apple's .Mac, especially regarding the storage space (.Mac is 1GB).
Now the question is would you trust Google with all your personal files?
[moose: yeah and if it is free, like, ad-based, maybe when you print that nice report you did for work, there will be some carefully placed Google Ads in the text? or when printing that picture of your girlfriend, it will have adds for WeightWatchers watermarked... Gee, Google is starting to really get creepy!]

Yann tells us that his (non pro) MacBook battery has the same oversized inflated ego problem than some of their MacBookPro bigger brothers.
Until now, this is the one and only case we heard about for MacBooks.
If we report this, it is mainly to warn you that, should that happen to your computer, you should stop immediately to use that battery, since it might be dangerous. Simply call Apple and they will send you a replacement one ASAP.

According to the rumor mill, here is what the upcoming M$ "iPod killer" will look like.

The screen is larger that the iPod's, but you will experience a strong "déjà vu" feeling when looking at the buttons (2G iPod anyone) and at the overall shiny white body.
By the way, Engadget also think they got their hands on the logo and name of the product: the iPod slayer is supposed to be called "zune"... nowe how are you supposed to pronounce that? But, hey!, it no worse than Nintendo Wii.

Even if it is not that widely used, everyone knows about FileVault, the tool that allows users to encrypt their home directory in Tiger.
Microsoft now offers a tool that does the same, but on user-defined folders. PrivateFolder 1.0 is available as a free download form M$'s site [but Microsoft won provide tec h support for it they said] as long as your XP install has passed the Windows Genuine Advantage test (i.e. it has to be legit).
It would be nice to see Apple offer the possibility to encrypt only selected files/folders instead of the whole user home directory (it is possible to do with a small hack, but, hey!, it a hack).

Apple released a 1.0.2 minor revision of Boot Camp last night.
Like (too) often, you have to download the whole software again instead of a lightweight patch... and the details on what the revision does are quite scarce. According to MacFixIt, it would include some new and updated drivers for Windows XP.

The EC is tired of discussing and requesting Microsoft to follow the European laws. Rumors are emerging that the EC could require Microsoft to pay 3 Millions euros/day till Redmond's Giant finally agrees to the rules.
In addition, a fee of 400 Millions Euros could also be issues for not having performed the requested modifications on MS software before the deadline.

This updqte is qvqilqble from Microsoft website: Microsoft (version 11.2.5, 57,5 Mo).

This update fixes vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code. This update also fixes issues in Microsoft Entourage 2004 for Mac and includes all of the improvements released in all previous Office 2004 updates.
Applies to: Office 2004 Standard Edition, Office 2004 Student and Teacher Edition, Office 2004 Professional Edition, Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac, Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint 2004 for Mac, Entourage 2004.