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Animated cursors could prove risky for Windows users, Microsoft has warned.
The software giant is investigating reports that the way Windows handles alternatives to the traditional arrow cursor can leave PCs open to attack.

By booby-trapping a website or e-mail attachment with code that exploits the flaw, malicious hackers could hijack a Windows PC.

Microsoft warned users to be wary of attachments and urged them to update security software to combat the threat.

Open Windows

Malicious hackers are already known to be exploiting the flaw according to reports from the Sans Internet Storm Center.

In an alert, Sans said several security firms had seen evidence of websites being set up, hosting code that can exploit the bug. Information about it is being spread on bulletin boards malicious hackers are known to frequent.

PC users could fall victim by opening a booby-trapped attachment on an e-mail or by visiting a website that is hosting the code.

“Exploitation happens completely silently,” said security firm McAfee which was one of the first to find the bug. Once installed, the exploit code could download and run any other file, warned McAfee.

Microsoft urged people to update their security software so they could get hold of signature files that spot and stop the exploit code.

Simply blocking the .ani files that denote animated cursors will not work as many attackers are renaming booby-trapped files to disguise their dangerous nature.

Microsoft said that many different versions of Windows were vulnerable to the attack. The list of potential victims includes Windows Vista, XP, 2000 and Server 2003.

The software firm said those using Outlook Express would be vulnerable as would those who forward or reply to booby-trapped e-mail messages with Windows Mail on Vista.

However, it said that users of Outlook 2007 would be protected.

Security firms said users can stay safe from this vulnerability by using an alternative browser, such as Opera or Firefox 2.0, with Windows. Also protected are those using Windows Vista with Internet Explorer 7.0.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6509865.stm

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In the last post, posted those painted mouse, it is to celebrate the 45 years old of mouse.
For those who doesn’t know, it was invented in 1962 by Douglas Engelbart.
Check out the first mouse:

I honestly prefer the mouse of the last post and the mouse from this post
http://ageekfamily.blogspot.com/2007/03/cebit.html

http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/0,,MUL12386-6174-134,00.html

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I think these are cute, I wish I had a mouse like those ones, check out the pictures:

http://tecnologia.terra.com.br/interna/0,,OI1479189-EI8337,00.html

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There are a new website that lets you publish and discover documents online. It is like a big online library where anyone can upload.

Anything you can put in a Word (.doc), PDF (.pdf), text (.txt), PowerPoint (.ppt), Excel (.xls), Postscript (.ps), or LIT (.lit) file, you can upload to Scribd.

People can rate your documents and you have great stats information about your files, as you can see bellow:

You even can make money with the site. Every document you upload automatically has a link to the Print(fu) service, where readers can get a printed copy mailed to them for a few dollars. Every time someone orders a print copy of your document through Print(fu), Print(fu) will email you $1 using Paypal.

But, they advice:

Don’t get too excited - the amount of money you will make is likely to be trivial. This is a fun service, not a serious way to make money.

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Here’s the list of today top 5 smartphones according to Wirefly

1. Cingular BlackJack

Features a fully QWERTY keyboard, access to Cingular TV and Cingular Music, near-broadband Internet surfing, a camera/camcorder, Bluetooth, and music player.

2. BlackBerry Pearl (for Cingular and T-Mobile)

Is incredibly slim and compact for a BlackBerry, includes built-in camera and music player, a full HTML browser and the always accurate SureType QWERTY keyboard

3. 8700 series (for Cingular, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon)

It features a full-size QWERTY keyboard, large color screen and the side thumbwheel familiar to BlackBerry users.

4. Cingular BlackBerry 8800

Includes a full QWERTY keyboard, built-in GPS locator and GPS applications, a music and video player, push-to-talk, voice dialing and Bluetooth

5. Motorola Q for Verizon Wireless

With Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, Bluetooth with streaming stereo music support, high-speed data downloads.

And you? Which one is your favorite?

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