Important Intego Security Virus Alert
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A malicious Trojan Horse has been found on several pornography web sites, claiming to install a video codec necessary to view free pornographic videos on Macs. A great deal of spam has been posted to many Mac forums, in an attempt to lead users to these sites. When the users arrive on one of the web sites, they see still photos from reputed porn videos, and if they click on the stills, thinking they can view the videos, they arrive on a web page that says the following:
- Quicktime Player is unable to play movie file.
- Please click here to download new version of codec.
If the user then proceeds with installation, the Trojan horse installs; installation requires an administrator’s password, which grants the Trojan horse full root privileges. No video codec is installed, and if the user returns to the web site, they will simply come to the same page and receive a new download.
This Trojan horse, a form of DNSChanger, uses a sophisticated method, via the scutil command, to change the Mac’s DNS server (the server that is used to look up the correspondences between domain names and IP addresses for web sites and other Internet services). When this new, malicious, DNS server is active, it hijacks some web requests, leading users to phishing web sites (for sites such as Ebay, PayPal and some banks), or simply to web pages displaying ads for other pornographic web sites. In the first case, users may think they are on legitimate sites and enter a user name and password, a credit card, or an account number, which will then be hijacked. In the latter case, it seems that this is being done solely to generate ad revenue.
Under Mac OS X 10.4, there is no way to see the changed DNS server in the operating system’s GUI. Under Mac OS X 10.5, this can be seen in the Advanced Network preferences; the added DNS servers are dimmed, and cannot be removed manually. (Intego is currently testing previous versions of Mac OS X; it is likely that they can be infected as well, since all versions of Mac OS X have the scutil command.) The Trojan horse also installs a root crontab which checks every minute to ensure that its DNS server is still active. Since changing a network location could change the DNS server, this cron job ensures that, in such a case, the malicious DNS server remains the active server.
This Trojan horse also provides different versions of itself, perhaps according to the country in which the user is located to provide country-specific spoofing. Repeated downloads of the disk image show that there are several different versions.
Means of protection: The best way to protect against this exploit is to run Intego VirusBarrier X4 with its virus definitions dated October 31, 2007. Intego VirusBarrier X4 eradicates the malicious code and prevents the Trojan horse from being installed. Intego recommends that users never download and install software from untrusted sources or questionable web sites.
Labels: Apple News
Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies - Review
No sooner has the latest (and supposedly greatest) operating system from Apple landed on our doorsteps, that this surprise landed on mine. It seems like there is a Dummy book for more or less everything nowadays, but I certainly did not expect this one so quickly.Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies covers the new features in Leopard, and does it in a way that is suited for the first time user. It is presented in black and white, but fully illustrated with clear screen shots. You will find it is divided into sections that start with the basics of what the desktop, finder and icons do, moving on to how to organise your files and folders, before taking a look at dealing with CD's and DVD's. iChat and the new screen sharing, using Mail (the Mac email application) and iTunes are all covered. The writing is done in such a way that there is no technical language, and where there is, it is explained very clearly.
The various sections are marked up with easy to follow icons, that indicate things like a 'New Feature' or a 'Tip'. This is great, as it allows you to learn the subject at hand, but also pick up some handy tips along the way.
TextEdit, fonts, and setting up and using a printer are also explained. The book even moves into areas that are a bit more involved, like networking, backing up and how to re-install your system software should the need arise. Even these more complicated tasks are dealt with superbly in layman terms, so you should come away knowing how to really enjoy your Mac.
My only gripe is that a little splash of colour would make the book a more interesting read. That said, this may well effect the bargain £14.99 price, which is a steal. So if you need to learn how to use your Mac from the ground up, or perhaps you need a gift for a friend or relative who has just acquired a new Mac, then Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies is highly recommended.
Product: Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies
ISBN: 978-0-470-05433-8
Price: £14.99 / $21.99
Supplied by: Wiley Publishing Inc.
Labels: Reviews
Leopard Launch... so Leopard GeekPouch
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
It seems a bit obvious, but what with the Mac OS X Leopard launch and the slew of articles talking about it, we had to produce a GeekPouch in the same flavour. Head on over to the Geekanoids Shop and you can buy a fur effect pouch with Leopard design print for your iPhone, iPod touch, classic, 3rd gen Nano or 5th gen iPod. Same prices as before, starting at £5.99 for UK orders and £10.99 for international.I should also mention that our tan pouch for the iPod touch is almost completely gone, we are down to the last few.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Stacks in Mac OS X Leopard - Tidy Up!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
I have been reading on many forums that users are not too impressed with Stacks in OS X Leopard. Well, I have to agree, the way they are configured is not great. One of the main complaints is how to get the frontmost icon to look like something meaningful. I hope this short screencast helps a little.
Labels: Mac Software, Mac Tips, Reviews
MacLive Expo London 2007 - Show Report
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Having recovered from a manic day (mainly travelling) at this years MacLive Expo, I am now in the right frame of mind to give you my feelings about the exhibition. Before I kick off with all the good bits (and there are plenty) I want to get my anger and disappointment out of the way. As I was stomping the show floor, the main complaint from both exhibitors and members of the public was Apple’s absence from the event. Companies paying top prices to take stand and show their wares felt let down that Apple had chosen NOT to show the same commitment to the UK public. Visitors, who had paid their £15 to get into the Expo, were equally annoyed. Many had not even known that Apple would not be there. They were expecting to see the whole line-up of Macs, iPods and more importantly wanted some hands-on time with the new Mac OS X Leopard. OK, enough moaning, with or without the big A, the show went on.As with all Mac Expo’s, I am always amazed at the enthusiasm that buzzes around the hall. The main central area is taken up by the bigger companies, with the likes of Quark, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Intego, to name just a few. VMWare had a largish stand, showing their superb software that enables the Mac to run Windows. Avanquest was also at the Expo, with their competing Parallels software, that does the same. It’ll be interesting when I review these two products to see which one performs better of the two. In this central area Simms International Accessories were selling their latest range of computer bags and pouches from Crumpler and BuiltNY. They certainly get my vote for the most fun and endearing company at this years show. The likes of Accountz (with their accounting software) and Elgato (freeview and recording on your Mac) also proved popular with visitors. Whilst on the subject of accounting, MYOB won ‘Best of Show’, which is amazing when you think of how accounting is perceived. I had a chat to them, and was amazed at how passionate they were to make their software so sexy and easy to use.
Over the next month or so, Geekanoids will be announcing some awards for our product reviews. Ahead of time though, we will also be looking at the company behind the product and acknowledging good service. Our ‘Most Friendly’ company award cannot wait that long and this goes to Konica Minolta. Their range of printers speak for themselves, but the fact that they take the time to speak to end users on a level playing field, taking that one extra step to make sure they have happy punters, really is noticeable.
On the outer perimeter of the Expo hall there were many smaller vendors. A chance to meet not only the salesman, but often the programmers behind the software or hardware on offer. A quick shout out to our sponsors Realmac Software and Eazy Draw, who were busy answering questions from visitors. Kensington were also on the wings showing their range of Mac compatible keyboards and mice. We were also lucky enough to pick up a couple of iPhone cases from Contour Design, who are also expecting their iPod touch case to land in about ten days.
All in all this years MacLive Expo was on a much smaller scale, mainly due to Apple not being there. Adobe also chose not to exhibit, so two of last years biggest stands meant everything was condensed. This was a big shame and casts a shadow of doubt in my mind, whether we will see a show next year, unless Apple commit to attending. I hope the show does continue, as it is the only real chance for UK users to feel part of the Mac community. The opportunity to talk with people from the companies whose products we use every day is very valuable, so I really hope to see details of MacLive Expo 2008 announced sooner rather than later.
Labels: Apple News, General News, Opinion
Leopard - First Few Hours
I stood in line today for Leopard and was amongst the first in the Western Hemisphere to get my hands on this predator. Quite aside from the fun I had actually spending my hard-earned cash on this upgrade, installation was a breeze and the feeling overall is very positive.Initial Impression
To label this a minor release would be preposterous. It is a major release in every way and well worth checking out the list of 300 new features of Leopard on the Apple website. The main thing with all the new gizmos I've been using on Leopard is that yet again Apple has come up with something where everything 'just works'. Exactly the way it should and without further fuss. I've not had ANY issues after using 10.5 for about 3 hours, editing video etc, everything has been a breeze. If there are major bugs, I haven't come across any.
Notable points
- The system runs faster. This is apparently a speedup specifically with Core 2 Duo systems (like mine)
- Spaces works as advertised. It could be a little bit confusing for someone who's not familiar with the mac and it's also not turned on by default. After using it for a couple of hours now, it really is a great productivity tool. It is one of those things you just end up using naturally which proves its usefulness.
- FrontRow has finally adopted the Apple TV Interface which is nice. It doesn't have YouTube though which I feel should have been included as it's a useful option. With the lack of fancy integrations from the desktop, Apple has given Frontrow its pride of place in the home entertainment arena. It feels more like a mode of the computer rather than an app that is depending on there being enough RAM to play a song. You can now also specify the sources like you can on the Apple TV.
- The new improved Dock is an evolution of the familiar tool we've come to know and love. It now features reflective 3D effects which work well. 'Stacks' is a neat feature which is fast and enables clutter free access to your files.
- Spotlight has been improved and seems faster. It launches apps by just selecting the item and tapping the space bar. That's nice because you end up not having to use the mouse to open applications.
- The main thing I like in the new Finder is Coverflow. It works fantastically and until you use it in the Finder, it's hard to describe how useful it is. I would have said that finder had its limitations when compared to Windows Explorer. But with Leopard in Coverflow, it really makes it easier to go through your files and find what you are looking for. Coupled with Quicklook, you end up being able to go through your files and find what you like without launching a bunch of applications. The smart folder and networking capabilities work fantastically and if smartly set up, negate any need to rumble through your computer for hours, trying to find "that one file".
- Time Machine: I don't have an external hard drive (yet) so wasn't able to test this one.
- The only issue I found is that Quicklook should include previews of folder contents. Its such an obvious omission that it will surely be included in a future software update.
Labels: Mac Software, Reviews
Leopard Launch - Bluewater
Friday, October 26, 2007
It is pretty much common knowledge that Mac OS X Leopard was launched at 6pm today. Mine was delivered whilst at the London MacLive Expo (report coming soon). Felix managed to nab a copy at the Apple Store Bluewater, UK. Above is a quick snap of how busy it was, the complete set of photos can be found here. Expect to see a Leopard install overview on Geekanoids over the weekend.Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
MacLive Expo Gallery
I am back from the big city and MacLive Expo. Busy putting together a show review for all my loyal (and new) readers. In the interim period, you can catch some photos below.
Labels: Apple News, General News
MacLive Expo Day Two
So, I finally made it to MacLive Expo. What a surprise to find a much smaller event and NO APPLE. Come on Apple, wake up, Leopard is launching today and you had the opportunity to get some real press coverage.
Anyway, putting that big disappointment aside the exhibitors that are here, are very enthusiastic. Our sponsors Realmac Software, Eazy Draw, Simms International and Quark are showing their latest wares. It seems appropriate to point out that Realmac Software are one of my fave bunch of people, nice, honest and working to bring their excellent software to the Mac. Over at EazyDraw, Dave is underplaying his big news. Support for MacDraw is a big thing, it gives users the opportunity to use their old files, whilst moving over to Apple's own iWork for the rest of their office type files. Simms International make me smile, they always have. Being a long time user of their products it was nice to see them all kitted up promoting the Crumpler range, and the BuiltNY range of laptop accessories. I just love their enthusiasm, it is nice to see. Quark have a nice big arena, for product demos and they were just as busy as last year.
Of the other exhibitors here, Computer Warehouse are very busy, poised for the Mac OS X Leopard launch later today. Netgear have some of their juicy items here, including their NAS drive, which certainly looks the part. It was also nice to see both Parallels and VMWare showing how popular their products are. Mac users don't like to boast about being able to run Windows, but most of us need to sometimes, so both these products are on my list for pre-Christmas reviews. Konica Minolta have their great range of printers on the show floor and certainly seemed one of the busier stands.
Check back later for more coverage and photos.
Labels: Apple News, General News
Delay to MacLive Expo Coverage
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Just a quick note for you all. Due to personal reasons my MacLive Expo coverage will be delayed until tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.
Labels: General News
MacLive Expo Coverage Starts Tomorrow
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Heading down to London tomorrow? You bet I am, and I will be bringing you updates throughout the day.If you check back regularly, things will kick off with mini-reports during the day. The first will be around 12noon, with more to follow. It looks like be an exciting Expo, so there should be some interesting stuff for you.
A full photo gallery will be posted here, so if you just want the pics without the writing (you might miss something), then click the link.
Labels: Apple News, General News
iFold Stand - Ease the neck pain!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Matias today announced the iFold, a laptop stand that folds flat for travel. By raising your notebook to monitor height and attaching a keyboard & mouse, you get the comfort level of a desktop computer, without losing the convenience of your laptop."We've created an instant classic," said Vesna Vojnic, Marketing Director for Matias. "Made from beautiful black acrylic, the iFold is simply gorgeous. The folding mechanism is zinc alloy and fully visible. You can see one in person at flagship Apple Stores. It's really cool. "
"With laptops out-selling desktops, the landscape has really changed. Lots of problems that were solved in the desktop era are now reappearing. For example, displays are too low, so people are getting neck pain from looking down. Laptop keyboards are cramped and lack a number pad. Most of the products out now are not portable. In the coming weeks, Matias will be offering solutions to all these new problems," said Vojnic.
Price & Availability
The iFold is $59.95 (US) available today from the Apple Store, eCost.com, Amazon.com, and Matias.ca.
Labels: Mac Accessories
MacLive Expo Skype Giveaway at SIA Crumpler
It goes without saying that we will be covering the MacLive Expo in London, which starts on Thursday 25th October. We will be posting a link up tomorrow to our Flickr album, where photos will appear throughout the day. We will also have updates on the Geekanoids site throughout the day. But, that is not what this news snippet is all about.If you head on over to the Simms International Accessories stand at the exhibition, you will find a large range of Crumpler bags and laptop sleeves available. Ten lucky visitors to the stand can pick up a free Skype for Mac Starter Kit, which contains some exclusively designed USB stereo earbuds and a microphone, courtesy of Skype and Geekanoids. Fingers crossed, you might be one of the lucky ones.
Labels: General News
Let's Get Ready for Leopard
Monday, October 22, 2007
It's about that time again; the time where we get organized, back up our files, and prepare for an update to Apple's premiere operating system; Mac OS X, better known this time around as Leopard. You've undoubtedly seen the major changes to the operating system, including nice new features such as Spaces and Time Machine. While these are nice and (hopefully) useful, many have their own small list of changes they hope to see. Most of the changes I hope for reside within the Finder.Network Storage is becoming more common these days, even for the average person. The problem is that the Finder does not have great support for two common protocols: FTP and SMB. FTP in Finder has always been read-only. This forces you to find (and possibly purchase) a third-party client or learn how to use the client built into Terminal. What I'd like to see is FTP support where read and write are both enabled. Unlike FTP, Samba does have read and write support within the Finder, yet it's unbearably slow. Perhaps it's fine for a 100 Mbps network, but the sub-100 Mbps performance on a Gigabit network is unsatisfactory.
Another feature lacked in the Finder is with "Column View". This is undoubtedly my most-used view when navigating folders, which is why this next "fix" makes sense. the column view needs to have an option to expand to the size of the longest file name in the folder automatically. It's a pain in the butt to frequently look for files with similar but different names and have to expand every column manually.
Safari, which had (emphasize "had") been my browser of choice for the previous few years. It's a great browser, but the "bloat" is setting in as it matures. As of now I'm using Camino, which is super light and fast. If the next version of Safari can manage to feel less like Firefox and more like Camino, as well as provide a little bit of plug-in support, I may move back again. I'd love a lean-mean browser with Del.icio.us support.
Lastly is iTunes, which like Safari is starting to feel a lot more resource intensive than it's previous releases. I'm sorry to say that I don't particularly like iTunes, but since I need it to sync with my iPod touch, it's a necessary evil. Apple needs to put this guy on the treadmill or I may build my own media player for just listening to music. I'd love to reserve more resources for other, more important applications.
Mac OS X has matured a lot over the years, there's no doubt about it, but there is still a long way to go before it becomes the Holy Grail of all operating systems. I'd love to hear what undocumented changes our readers hope for in Leopard. Please post your opinions and have a good day!
Frank Sandoval (Geekanoids Newbie)
www.shouldbefree.net
Labels: Mac Software, Opinion
Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound - Now Shipping
Griffin Technology, maker of all things iPod, today announced it has begun shipping its highly anticipated Evolve Wireless Sound System. Evolve is available exclusively through its launch partner Best Buy, and online at BestBuy.com, at the retail price of $299.99."Evolve will change the way people listen to music," said Paul Griffin, President of Griffin Technology. "We did away with the limitations from traditional sound systems -- the wires. Evolve gives users the freedom to listen to their music wherever they choose."
Evolve is the first widely available digital sound system for iPod and other digital devices that features speakers that are both rechargeable and wireless; they need no power outlets or physical connection to the base station. Evolve is built for everyone who wants a simple, elegant way to play music throughout the home or workplace without the hassle of speaker and power wires.
Evolve consists of a base unit with a dock for your iPod (and line-in RCA jacks for other players) and a pair of matched speakers with internal lithium-ion batteries that play up to 10 hours on a single charge. Speakers can be easily carried from room to room throughout the home, apartment, office, patio, etc.
Evolve streams music digitally from its Base Unit to wherever you place the speakers -- inside, outside, in the next room -- up to 150 feet away. Evolve's powerful RF remote control puts you in command of Evolve and your iPod through walls and windows. It's the next evolutionary step in speaker systems for the home.
Videos of the Evolve Wireless Sound System in action can be found here.
Labels: Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Apple Store Lakeside Opening! Fun had by all!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
The Apple Store in Lakeside, Thurrock, UK opened today and as with all store openings it seems that fun was had by all. By kind permission of Felix, here are a couple of photos and his rundown of the opening. You can find the full Flickr set of images here.I went to the opening of the newest Apple Store in the UK today. This is at Lakeside Shopping Center in Thurrock, Essex. Its bigger than the Bluewater store, which has been open for some time now. I saw some of the staff from Bluewater there, they seem to have trucked them in from Regent Street as well. It was actually more exciting than I thought it would be and I managed to get 2 T-shirts and entered the Sweepstake.
The store's layout is two rows of tables half way down the store, along with tables along the walls. Genius bar is right in the back with the accessories and software. There's a kids area as well which you don't get in all the stores. It didn't seem to be as full as you would expect for an opening. However the entire mall was deserted, the Apple Store was the place where all the action was. They must have gotten everyone in the entire place to come to the Apple Store.They seemed to have the new iPod Touch almost tucked away, only four on display. They do the same in Bluewater, don't know why. The staff are really pushing one-on-one selling and also the personal shopper scheme. Got spoken to three times about that.
They had the alarms go off and I took pictures of the system they use to disarm them. Actually kind of cool. But I decided not to publish the pictures, I think that's a responsible choice. There seemed to be a load of Apple Corporate staff around who looked nervous when the alarm went off. They were trying, but failing to be non-conspicuous.
All in all it was very exciting and I can see why they put this store in this location as the river is a sort of north-south divide.
I hope the guy in this picture is eyeing up a new iMac purchase. Go on, you know you want it ! [Ed].Labels: Apple News
Apple features Leopard Guided Tour Video
Friday, October 19, 2007
Apple have posted a video to the new features guided tour of Mac OS X Leopard. You can either stream the video or download it in two different sizes. It is well worth a look and can be found here. You can also check out the new feature list on this page.Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
iPhone (in the UK) Video Review
Thursday, October 18, 2007
It has been such a busy month at Geekanoids, so busy that it has taken me longer than normal to edit the iPhone video footage taken a couple of weeks ago. If you skip below, you will find a video review of the iPhone, where we take a look at the user interface.I should also add, that having used this device for around two weeks now, I am in love. The iPhone really has replaced my old mobile phone and my iPod too. It behaves impeccably for my mobile communications. Email on the move is a real joy, as is web browsing (although a bit slow over EDGE). As an iPod, I really cannot emphasize how great the screen is. Being able to watch video footage back with popping colours and in widescreen to boot is brilliant. The iPhone comes highly recommended.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
Be-ez introduce LA Dolce Vita Bag
Be.ez, a leading manufacturer of multimedia accessories in Europe and Asia, announced today the new LA Dolce Vita bags, an innovative space-saving Laptop bag that can transport your notebook during the day and your clothes in the night.The LA Dolce Vita is an ultra sleek bag that offers style-conscious users a simple solution for carrying and protecting their MacBook in complete safety. Be.ez have included a removable compartment in LA Dolce Vita offering users the ability to change the bag as required, a Mac carry case during the day and a fashionista’s holdall during the night. The bag, made from original Tarpaulin material shines with its versatility, it comes in three different colours - Ristretto, Zucchero and Moka. With its ingenious removable flap (invisible to the naked eye…), the most original of users will be able to change their companion to reflect their personality and style, over and over again…
Nicolas Cottard, CEO, Be-ez, commented: “Here at Be-ez we are dedicated to producing the most fashionable yet intelligent protection for mobile devices, it is all about being sleek in the Apple world this season. We offer the best available material and design that people on the move will really appreciate. Featuring a cross-shoulder carrying style, Be-ez LA Dolce Vita clings snugly to your body bringing comfort with style. The removable compartment means you can carry your notebook to work and your running trainer’s home. The LA Dolce Vita bag is the ultimate in practicality and style.”
Pricing and availability
The LA Dolce Vita is available on 15th November and costs £49.95, a list of retailers can be found here.
Labels: Mac Accessories