Google has come out with a tool (beta) for Windows to help users identify and remove rogue extensions and toolbars that are secretly tracking you. When malicious programs are using your Chrome browser to collect data, serve you ads or cause overall sluggishness, there’s a quick way to find out what’s causing the issues. Google recently published the Software Removal tool for Windows that will scan for software that is causing issues with the browser. A few words of caution before you use this tool: It is still in Beta so you may want to create a restore point just…
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Browsers extensions are great as they enhance the usability and your experience with your browser. However, there are some extensions out there that will actually do the opposite. This seems to be a bigger problem for Chrome but there are a couple known ‘spying’ extensions in Firefox. These ‘evil’ extensions may track you or as in the case with Scott Hanselman inject ads into sites you are viewing. My perspective on JavaScript-based browser extensions has been far too naïve until this point. We were all burned by bad toolbars or evil ActiveX add-ons in the past, so when I run IE I run it with…
Last year Microsoft discovered and acknowledged there was “mishap” with Windows 7 SP1 sold in the EU. Since 2009 Microsoft has been required for new installs of Windows in EU to present a “Browser Ballot” pop-up giving the user the choice of which will allow the user to choose which browser they wanted to use. This was a result of an Anti-Trust investigation against Microsoft which claimed that Microsoft was being anti-competitive for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows. More so, the EU felt Microsoft having the most common operating system was forcing Windows user to use Internet Explore with out letting them know up front of…
Google announced today they are going to be releasing a touchscreen Chrome laptop as early as next week. As I started looking over the specs and the prices, I can’t help but think of Apple. For $1300 (Wi-Fi) or $1449 (LTE due in April) you get a laptop with a 12.85-inch touchscreen with 2560 x 1700 resolution, an Intel i5 (dual-core) 1.8 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM, 2 USB 2.0 ports and a 32 GB Solid-State Drive and 3-years free 1 TB Cloud Storage. If it weren’t for the fact it runs the Chrome OS, I would think this had to be a Mac. For $1300 I…
That is what Microsoft is using a an excuse for the lack luster sales of Windows 8. Microsoft is saying that PC Vendors didn’t make enough ‘enticing touchscreen tablets’ powered by Windows 8 for the 2012 Christmas season. Seems Microsoft had offered guidelines for hardware that they wanted on all Windows 8 machines (mainly touchscreens) to take advantage of Windows 8 touch interface. The manufacturers responded by claiming “….if they had followed Microsoft’s hardware requirements and invested in production, all they would accomplish is building a variety of high-end expensive tablets that consumers weren’t interested in.” So Microsoft is blaming the PC vendors for not…
One of my favorite add-ons for Firefox is Copy Link Text (or CoLT). I like this add-on as it allows you to copy the link text, the link location or both (as an HTML, Wiki, BB Code or other link format). I’ve never really found one for Chrome until recently. The extension is also called Copy Link Text and unlike the Firefox extension though, does require a little setup (and a browser restart) to be able to copy both the link location and text as an HTML link. Once you have installed the extension from the Chrome Web Store you…
Normally, I don’t re-post from my Firefox Blog, but these browsers plugin vulnerabilities affect other browsers (such as Chrome & Safari) besides Firefox. Dangerous vulnerability in latest Java version Version: Java 7 Update 10 Issue: Can be used for Cyber attacks (even on fully patched Windows machines) Recommend Action: Browser plugin should be disabled or sandboxed (see Work Around below)) Work Around: For those who MUST have Java, use Firefox 17 is or newer. The Java plugin will be installed but ‘sandboxed’. The plugin will not execute/run until the user gives permission ‘click to play‘ on a per site basis. The user will…