The Best Reasons to Buy a Tablet PC

• Tablet PC

The tablet PC is really the best of both worlds: it combines the design and functionality of a laptop, but once the convertible screen swivels around, it becomes a tablet – sensitive touchscreen and all.

Overall, the dimensions and weights of the systems we reviewed are about average for a smaller laptop. Most are 12.1 inches wide and between an inch and 1.5 inches thick when closed. They weigh between three and five pounds, so they could be considered a little on the bulky side with the heavier units. One unit is 10.1 inches, another is 13.3 inches.

All of the tablet PCs we reviewed feature full-blown versions of Windows 7, even on the small, netbook-like viliv S10 Blade. However, if you wish to pay for a “downgrade” to Windows XP, it’s available for most systems.

There aren’t any limits on processor types, either. Most of the units available feature the latest Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. One unit we looked at, the Fujitsu T4410, has an Intel Core 2 Duo, and the S10 Blade has an Intel Atom processor, which is ideal for its small size. Plus graphics, RAM, hard drive capacity and other features are competitive with great laptops.

When in tablet mode, these units respond well to touch, feature a virtual keyboard and most of the units have multitouch, for two finger scrolling and pinching to zoom. You can hold the unit in a landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) view, the latter of which is especially nice for reading eBooks.

• Laptop

By far, the laptop conquers the tablet PC and tablet. While the tablet PC can feature many of the same tech specs, the laptop can trounce it in overall screen size and, in some cases, graphics, sound quality and other tech specs. The “lowly” tablet can’t touch the laptop in most categories, except of course the touchscreen.

If you have a killer laptop, why would you want a tablet or tablet PC? For one thing, reading eBooks on a laptop isn’t nearly as satisfying. Being able to lie in bed and hold a tablet in your lap and read is just more comfortable. Watching movies is more fun, as are some videos games that use the touchscreen. And the touchscreen and multitouch features are sometimes better than using a mouse and keyboard. Besides, most folks with laptops will want a tablet, too.

• Tablet

A standard tablet computer, like the excellent Apple iPad, is usually smaller than a Tablet PC. Obviously there is no physical keyboard, but there are units such as Apple’s iPad Keyboard Dock, so if you’re doing some serious writing it won’t be a problem.

The operating system is usually a “stripped-down” version, like the Apple iOS or Windows 7 Starter Edition. There’s nothing wrong with that, but using more robust apps requires full versions of Mac OS X or Windows 7 (or earlier).

Tech specs are also limited, such as slower processors, less RAM, smaller hard drives and graphics that are decent, but not great. This way they keep costs down (the iPad starts at $499), the unit's thin, light to carry, and the overall power consumption and heat output are low.

Those limits on the operating system, screen size and tech specs will pretty much force a tablet owner to have a more powerful laptop or desktop, adding to the overall bottom line. You just can’t get the kind of higher-end software (think Adobe Photoshop or Apple Final Cut Pro) or great video games to work well, or at all, on a regular tablet.

But it’s great to be able to use the touchscreen and multitouch features, virtual keyboard and more. That’s the big advantage of using a tablet. Once you start using an iPad or other tablet, the computer experience seems to become more personal.

• Conclusion

The tablet PC’s design and tech specs truly make this the ultimate great buy: you get the functionality and speed of both a laptop and a tablet. You’re not lugging around two different computers on trips, which could be the case; you’re not dealing with two units. You also need to include the costs of ownership and repair. You have one unit that can do both. Now if only Apple would release a MacBook/iPad tablet PC running a full version of Mac OS X, we’d be very happy.

How to Reduce Risk on a Bloated Android Device

Determine where best to free up space. Take a look at the Pictures and Videos space used in particular. Look for the numerical value next to the descriptive label. Video and images, unlike music, often don't need to be stored on the device and can be moved. HD video is a major memory hog. Photographs and music are other forms of media that take up a lot of space.

It's a good idea to prune an Android device periodically, for a few reasons.

A mishmash of apps, some aging, have all kinds of on-device routines running that can negatively affect performance. Worse, some are continually accessing the Internet and eating into your data cap -- unlimited wireless Internet on mobile devices is practically nonexistent these days.

Plus, the accumulation of apps and their associated data hogs now limited storage memory. It's common to see no expandable storage options on may current phones.

• Offload Media

Media doesn't have to be stored on the device. Offload media to a PC if device storage is full.

Step 1: Identify memory used by media assets by opening the device Settings. Settings is reached by touching the Settings cogwheel-like icon. Then scroll through to the Storage section.

You'll see a graphical representation of storage in use, along with available space.

Step 2: Determine where best to free up space. Take a look at the Pictures and Videos space used in particular. Look for the numerical value next to the descriptive label. Video and images, unlike music, often don't need to be stored on the device and can be moved.

Tip: HD video is a major memory hog. Photographs and music are other forms of media that take up a lot of space.

Step 3: Open the Settings option within Storage on the device. The Settings button within Storage is indicated by a vertical three-block icon.

Touch USB Connection on an Android KitKat OS device, and then connect as Media Device (MTP).

Step 4: Plug in a USB cable from the device to a PC and allow drivers to automatically install on the PC.

Tip: Mac users can click here to download similar, Mac-specific software for transferring files.

Step 5: Use the PC's Windows Explorer to browse the files on the device. Drag and drop memory-hogging media files from the device to the PC. After performing the copy, delete the files on the device.

Tip: Video is in the Internal Storage, DCIM, Camera folder on the device.

Older versions of Android use slightly different methods. If your device allows the installation of an external SD card, look for an option to Transfer Data to SD Card.

Insert a spare card, and choose Transfer Data to Storage Card.

• Organize your Screens

Install a lock screen-like Cover Lock Screen on your device if your home screens are full of app launch icons.

Cover Lock Screen, a recently updated app in beta, replaces the device's lock screen with a third-party app that delivers most-used apps as you need them.

It learns which apps you use most, and where.

Step 1: Browse to the Google Play store. You'll find it in the app drawer. Install the app by following the prompts.

Step 2: Open the Cover Lock Screen app and follow the prompts to enter your home and work addresses.

Step 3: Switch off the device's screen and then turn it back on again. Cover Lock Screen will start to learn your most used apps based on your location. Access those apps straight from the lock screen, rather than plowing through full home screens.

Smartphone Buying Guide 2014: 5 Things You Need to Know

You should be picky when it comes to buying a smartphone. After all, you two are going to be doing everything together, from capturing hundreds of photos and playing games to social networking, texting and email. Oh yeah, you’ll be making phone calls, too. But with multiple operating systems, screen sizes and carriers all screaming for your attention, picking the right device can feel like an endless maze. But it doesn’t have to. Use these seven tips to make the right call on your next smartphone.

1. Choose the Right OS

And then there were three. With BlackBerry struggling, most consumers are now deciding among Android, iOS (iPhone) and Windows Phone. Here’s a quick breakdown of the platforms’ strengths and weaknesses.

Android

Google’s OS isn’t the most popular smartphone platform for no reason. Compared to iOS and Windows Phone, there’s a much wider array of hardware options from several manufacturers (Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola, ZTE, etc.) in multiple sizes. Android is also much more open than iOS, which means smartphone makers can more easily innovate on top of Google’s software. That’s why a Samsung Galaxy S4 or Note 3, for example, can run two apps on the screen at once, and a Moto X can respond to your voice without you having to touch the phone.

With more than 1 million apps, the Google Play store has pretty much everything you need, but Apple’s App Store tends to get some hot apps and games first. And while we like that Android is so flexible and customizable, some interfaces can be cluttered and/or difficult to navigate.

iOS/iPhone

iOS 7 represents a fairly major overhaul for Apple, with a cleaner look, improved multitasking and a new Control Center for quickly changing settings. Some aspects of the update are confusing, such as the Notification Center with three separate tabs, but overall, iOS remains the most intuitive smartphone platform. Apple also benefits from having the best selection of high-quality apps and games (though Android is narrowing the gap). Siri has improved, and the new iTunes Radio is definitely a plus.

Windows Phone

Thanks, in large part, to Nokia’s well-received Lumia phones, more people are paying attention to Microsoft’s OS. The platform boasts a dynamic interface with Live Tiles that display updates, and it’s easy to resize and rearrange these tiles to customize the experience. Other benefits include Xbox games, video and music, as well as Office and Outlook integration. The Windows Phone Store recently surpassed 200,000 apps, and the collection now includes Instagram, but Microsoft’s platform still has about one-fifth of the apps available for Android and iOS.

2. Get the Right Size: Phablet or No Phablet?

Big-screen phones are growing on shoppers. In fact, phablets (phones with displays 5 inches or larger) now account for about a quarter of all smartphones sold. Nevertheless, the iPhone 5s, which sports a 4-inch screen, is the best-selling smartphone in the U.S. A smaller display allows for a more compact design. But if you want something bigger, you’ll want to opt for an Android or Windows Phone handset.

The 5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gives you a lot more real estate for watching movies, playing games and enjoying photos. The trade-off is that the phone isn’t easy to operate with one hand. Phones with displays even larger than this, such as the HTC One Max (5.9 inches) and Nokia Lumia 1520 (6 inches) tend to be heavier and can be a tight fit for front pockets. But some are willing to live with the larger size, especially those who don’t want to carry a separate tablet.

3. Pay Attention to These Specs

Processor

A phone’s processor is the brain of the device, and a fast one will enable you to open apps quickly, play games smoothly and even edit video. Today’s state-of-the-art chip for Android and Windows Phones is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800. (The 805 is coming soon.) This CPU offers swift multitasking and high-powered graphics in devices such as the Galaxy Note 3 and Lumia 1520.

The Snapdragon 600 (inside the HTC One) and S4 Pro (in the Moto X) are also very capable. On cheaper phones, you’ll find the Snapdragon 400 CPU, which offers fair performance for everyday tasks but isn’t designed for more intensive activities. For example, the Galaxy S4 Mini with this CPU took 7 minutes and 19 seconds to transcode a 1080p video clip, compared to just 5:15 for the Snapdragon 800-powered Galaxy Note 3.

For iOS, Apple’s A7 chip inside the iPhone 5s offers 64-bit power and about double the performance and graphics of its A6 CPU (in the iPhone 5c). That’s just one reason why you should invest in Apple’s higher-end device.

RAM

The amount of system memory plays a significant role in how well a smartphone performs. Today’s flagship devices offer 2GB to 3GB of RAM, while lower-end to midrange phones get away with 1 GB to 1.5 GB.  If you want to load applications from memory faster and switch between them faster, more RAM is better.

Screen

The size of the screen definitely matters, but so do the brightness, sharpness, color and viewing angles. Right now, 1080p screens (1920 x 1080 pixels) are the sharpest you’ll find on smartphones. However, we’ve seen some 720p displays (1280 x 720 pixels), such as the one on the Moto X, deliver fantastic image quality. We highly recommend putting the smartphone in your hand to evaluate the viewing angles; if the screen washes out when you tilt the device, think twice about that purchase.

When testing smartphones, we hit every one with a light meter to get a lux rating, so be sure to read our reviews to find out how each handset stacks up. As far as screen technology, AMOLED panels (found on many Samsung phones) tend to produce very rich and saturated colors, while LCDs tend to offer more realistic hues. It really comes down to personal preference.

Storage and Expansion

Given that you’ll store everything from photos and music to videos and apps on your smartphone, opt for as much internal memory up front as you can. Although 16GB is fairly standard, we suggest 32GB of storage so you don’t run out of room. The 32GB iPhone 5s, for example, costs $299. But you’ll also find some cheaper options with that much space, such as the HTC One; it starts at $199 for 32GB.

It’s becoming a lot harder to find, but if you like the idea of expandable storage, choose a device that has a microSD card slot, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Note 3 and Mega.

4. Get the Best Camera Possible (and Don’t Obsess Over Megapixels)

Just when you thought the megapixel war was over, there’s now a handful of smartphones with 20-MP cameras or higher — and more are certainly on the way. However, the quality of both the sensor and the images is more important. For instance, the iPhone 5s has an 8-MP camera, but its new sensor allows for bigger pixels and, therefore, sharper-looking photos.

Also look for camera features that you’ll actually use. The Galaxy S4 and Note 3 both sport a nifty Eraser mode feature that filters out photobombers from your images. The Nokia Lumia 1020 has prosumer-grade manual controls to help you get the best shot in all sorts of conditions. Optical image stabilization, which steadies your shots to reduce blur, is found in the LG G2 and Lumia 1020.

5. Don’t Settle for Low Battery Life

One way to tell how much juice your smartphone will provide on a charge is to take a look at the battery capacity. If you care about endurance, the closer you get to 3,000 mAh (milliamp hours) — or above the better. For example, the LG G2′s 3,000-mAh battery lasted a whopping 13 hours and 44 minutes over T-Mobile’s network on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous Web surfing over 4G LTE on 40 percent brightness. In contrast, the Galaxy S4′s 2,600-mAh battery for the same carrier lasted 6:41. The average phone lasts 6:46.

Facebook Includes More Topical

Facebook may be feeling Twitter's heat, judging from its latest attempt to emulate it with a new trending topics feature. Both teens and advertisers have demonstrated growing interest in Twitter in recent months, which surely must be unnerving for Facebook. Its new Trending functionality could run into problems with Facebook users, however, as it's one more uninvited guest on the News Feed page.

Facebook on Thursday announced Trending, a new product designed to surface relevant and timely conversations occurring on the network.

Trending, displayed to the right of the user's News Feed, will feature a list of topics that have recently spiked in popularity, personalized according to subjects of interest to the user. It will include topics that are trending across Facebook in general, as well.

Each topic will be accompanied by a headline explaining why it is trending. Users can click on the headline to see posts from friends or Pages dedicated to the subject.

Trending is rolling out in select countries, including the U.S.

Initially, it will be viewable only on the full website, but Facebook plans to test the new feature for mobile as well.

• Similar to Twitter

Trending topics is one of Twitter's most popular features. Facebook presumably hopes its own offering will translate into more users -- or at least stickier users. Or, at the very least, that it will keep users from defecting to Twitter.

Among things likely concerning Facebook is last fall's survey, which found that Facebook's popularity with teens was slipping. Just 23 percent named it their most important social network, down from 33 percent six months earlier.

Twenty-six percent of teens surveyed said that Twitter had become their most important social network.

Perhaps more worrisome, Twitter has grown in popularity among advertisers, according to a survey by Ad Age and RBC Capital Markets published at the end of last year. It found that approximately six in 10 marketers advertising on Twitter planned to increase their Twitter ad budgets significantly over the next year.

• A Smart Move

Facebook's addition of Trending is a smart one, especially because it has the potential to increase national conversions, EVP of global digital strategy.

Over the past few months, Facebook has been trying to bring the human element back into the platform and decrease the amount of low-value content that, in essence, was the downfall of MySpace.

Trending topics removes the requirement of the user to Like pages that share information that matters to them. It's as much about being informed as it is engaging in a conversation with trusted peers.

Facebook is much more visual than Twitter, which can easily translate into users filtering through and consuming content faster and with more ease. Secondly, Facebook's content tends to maintain longer lifecycles, which leads to higher chances of social sharing.

• It Could Backfire

Trending does have the potential to offend some of Facebook's multitude of users.

Facebook has had similar features in the past that didn't work out very well.

For some, Trending's placement in the News Feed could seem "aggressive.

People are already annoyed by random advertisements by sponsors and will be more annoyed about trending topics.

Also, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that Facebook users are tired of being exposed to unwanted posts, even by friends or people in their social circle.

Facebook might want to compete against Twitter, but Facebook and Twitter are totally different social media networking tools. I just don't think it's wise for Facebook to move in this direction.

Drink Lemon Water In The Morning

Why You Should Drink Lemon Water In The Morning....

• Great source of Vitamins and Minerals: It is known that this yellow fruit is richer source of Vitamin C which is known to be anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and also helps in developing immune system, Vitamin B which is for production of energy, Riboflavin helps in growth, repair and development of tissue along with minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorous which help in adding strength to bones and teeth.

• Liver purification: Liver is the main organ which detoxifies, produces protein and bio-chemicals which are known to be responsible for proper body digestion. It has been found that lemon water helps liver to carry out all its responsibilities even more effectively since it increases the number of enzymes which detoxify liver, apart from this lemon is known to be diuretic which helps in increasing the rate at which urination happens which ultimately purifies the body.

• Halts age: Lemon is known to help in erasing the wrinkles also having a better appearance of skin on regular consumption. If the body has too many toxins then the skin does not look healthy which can be fought with lemon water to get clear and glowing skin. Lemon also has citric acid which helps in fighting against acne making this one of the cheapest and most commonly available remedy to treat wrinkles and get glowing skin at the same time.

• Helps in weight loss: Too many toxins and waste products in liver will have effect on the body metabolism which in turn increases body fat. Lemon water is known to help liver in removal of all the waste products also increasing the body fat however lemon has to be supported by proper diet and physical activity.

• Resolves respiratory problems: Lemon water is known to treat any chest infections and stop any smaller coughs, also lemon is known to be best treatment for people suffering from asthma and allergies. Lemon is also known to treat bad breath and any tooth ache along with gingivitis due to the higher rate of citric acid which when taken in increased content will cause harm to tooth enamel.

Here is the process in which homemade lemon water can be prepared for consumption in morning:

Take a glass full of water either cool or even at room temperature and those suffering with any digestion problems can use hot water.

Now squeeze juice from half slice of fresh lemon into this glass of water

Stir this and drink without any sugar.

NOTE: It is advised to not use bottled lemon water due to increased presence of sulphites which results in allergy among several people.

Disk Recovery Software Review

Few people find themselves looking for the best recovery software before they need it. Frequently, these searches come after having tried other avenues. You may have simply deleted your data and cleared the Recycle Bin or Trash Can before realizing that you actually needed that file. Your pertinent data might be stuck on some incorrectly burned CD or DVD. You could have lost a partition or whole hard drive and just aren’t sure what you’re going to do. Data loss doesn’t just cost millions in dollars to the economy, but also in hours as we desperately scratch around our hard drives seeking what might just be the file we’re looking for.

Maybe it’s time to change your approach to data loss and file recovery. Hard disk recovery software works in a few ways, most of which involve looking in the places where your own computer system failed to adequately delete a file. When you delete a file from your computer, you don’t actually remove the file. What is erased is the information that associates the file with the Directory Tree, which opens the sector on the drive where it was stored so that it can be used to save future files.

We compared the best disk recovery software to find the most capable and simple-to-use solutions. To find the best product to help you resolve your data-loss issue, read the reviews of our top selections – Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery, EaseUs Data Recovery Wizard and R-Studio.

Data recovery Software: What to Look For

Perhaps the most important thing to look for in Disk recovery software is whether it operates within your system’s specs. Do you have the right operating system and available resources? We looked for disk recovery software that didn’t just look for your deleted files, but offered to recover a broad range of media types. We also examined what features and options were available, as well as surveying the help and support options you'll have access to after making your choice.

• Recoverable Devices

Top disk recovery software goes beyond simply being able to recover files from an emptied recycle bin and includes tools for recovery from a variety of devices. We looked for file recovery software that can not only recover deleted files from hard drives, but also from damaged disks, USB drives, email clients, external drives and camera cards. Because there are so many ways to lose files – accidental deletion, disk damage, a virus attack or inadvertent hard drive reformat – the best file recovery software can help you no matter what your data-loss scenario is.

• Search Options

It would be nice if recovered files reappeared with their original file names, but most often they do not. Since most lost-file situations involve the pathway to the file being unrecognizable, the file name is usually lost also. Recovered files come back with file names such as "$1275dLf4.xls," so search and filter tools within the recovery software are extremely useful. Most file recovery software allows you to search for and filter files by attributes such as file name, extension type, date and file size. Some products will even help you search for a specific version of a lost file; however, most recovery software lists only the last-modified and last-accessed dates. Because discovered file lists can be long and messy, a good file preview feature is extremely helpful.

• Recovery Features

We compared recovery features side by side to help you find the right software to recover your files. Most disk recovery solutions include similar basic features, but the best products offer additional features such as the ability to recover files from an unbootable drive and the ability to create an image of a damaged drive to help you retrieve files safely. Another consideration when you choose disk recovery software is file system support. Most products support a variety of FAT and NTFS file systems. If you do not know what file system your PC uses, select a product that can recover from both file systems.

• Help & Support

Recovering lost or deleted files can be stressful and complicated. Although the best disk recovery software is simple to use, help ought to be readily available when you need it. We checked the direct support options each company offers, such as telephone, email and online chat support, as well as support documentation such as user manuals and FAQs. If you need additional assistance, some companies offer professional data recovery as an additional – but often expensive – service.

You are not alone in your search for lost files. Even when it looks like your data is gone, it’s not likely gone forever and finding the best hard disk recovery software for you is the best place to start getting it back.

Microsoft extends virus warnings for Windows XP to 2015

Microsoft has decided to continue providing virus warnings for the ageing Windows XP operating system until 2015.

The warnings were due to end on 8 April 2014 when all other support for the software is scheduled to stop.

However, the numbers still running the 12-year-old operating system convinced it to provide more help.

About 30% of all desktop computers are still running XP, according to figures from research firm Net Applications.

Microsoft explained its change of policy saying the feed of security information was the only support XP users would receive after 8 April this year.

This would mean that it continued to provide signatures for well-known malicious programs that will help Windows XP spot when viruses, trojans and other cyber-threats try to compromise a PC. The malware-spotting updates will be provided for Microsoft's Security Essentials and for a wide variety of corporate tools used to protect large numbers of PCs.

These security updates will be produced until 14 July, 2015.

However, security patches, regular updates and bug fixes for XP will stop as scheduled on 8 April.

In its blogpost, Microsoft warned users to stop using XP to ensure they stay safe.

"The effectiveness of anti-malware solutions on out-of-support operating systems is limited," said Microsoft. "Running a well-protected solution starts with using modern software and hardware designed to help protect against today's threat landscape."

Despite its age, Windows XP has proved to have a long life on desktops in homes and businesses. This led Microsoft to keep selling it long past the date it was due to be removed from shop shelves.

This longevity is partly because of the poor reception that its successor Windows Vista received and because some businesses have found it hard to adapt to the changes introduced in Windows 7 and 8.

Chrome 32 Launches With Tab Indicators For Sound And Video.

Google today released  the latest stable version of its Chrome browser . Version 32 includes  many of the features that recently arrived in the beta channel, including improved malware blocking and tab indicators for when a site is playing sound, accessing the webcam and sending video to your Chromecast . Google uses a speaker icon, blue rectangle and red dot to indicate these different functions.

Those indicators are a godsend for anybody who has ever tried to figure out which tab suddenly started playing music or a video. Google first started playing with this idea in early 2013 , but the beta only got this feature in November.

• New Win8 Metro Design:

• Improved Malware Blocking

This new version also includes Google’s new malware blocker, which arrived in the experimental Canary build of Chrome last October . With this, Google will automatically block any downloads its systems have flagged as malware.

For Windows 8 users, the new version now sports a new look in “Metro” mode (Google still uses that term, even though Microsoft itself has moved away from it and left it rather unclear what the new terminology should be). In Metro mode, Chrome now looks like ChromeOS  with its integrated app launched on Windows. In previous versions, the Metro mode simply presented users with the regular Chrome interface. This never looked quite right, but with this new interface, Google is actually using the Metro mode to its advantage and is basically bringing ChromeOS to Windows.

Also new in this version is support for Chrome’s “supervised users ” feature, which is officially still in beta. With this, family members can check on a kid’s browsing history, for example, and set up site restrictions through chrome.com/manage .

As always, this release also includes a good number of security fixes (21 in total), as well as stability and performance updates. 

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Coming Soon: HP Smartphone Game With 6- And 7-Inch Monster Handsets

HP isn’t letting a little thing like its Palm’s WebOS debacle stop it from trying to crack the lucrative smartphone market – it revealed to Re/code  today that it will ship new 6- and 7-inch Android-powered smartphones beginning in February , kicking off in the growing Indian mobile market.

The smartphones (no they’re not tablets, though their size would seem to indicate otherwise) distinguish themselves by being voice-operated, and based on HP’s first render pictured above, look an awful lot like a scaled up BlackBerry Z10 or Z30, with the pixelated back panel of a Nexus 4.

The HP Slate 6 and Slate 7, as they’re called, are powered by Android 4.2, sport a quad core processor and each have 16GB of onboard storage, complete with MicroSD card expandability for adding up to 32GB more. Neither is full HD resolution, with the Slate 6 offering 1,280 x 700 pixels on its IPS display, and the Slate 7 bumping that up a notch with 1,280 x 800. They’re both under 10mm thick, and they sport a modest 5-megapixel rear shooter, with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. They also have front-facing speakers, a rarity among tablets or phones.

According to what HP told Re/code, these won’t necessarily be coming to North America or anywhere else in the world. HP is targeting them at India specifically because it has a tremendous foothold there, where it leads the PC industry by a good margin, and because they found the strongest interest there from consumes when polling various markets.

One thing I’ll give HP right away: They’re officially referring to these things as “voice tablets,” which makes much more sense than trying to get away with referring to them primarily as smartphones, given their size. They still support standard phone voice contracts, however. Who knows? Maybe there will only be voice tablets by the year 2020, and anything remotely smartphone-sized will have gone the way of the dodo. Note that I’d do anything to prevent this bleak dystopian future from coming to pass.

PowerLocker Takes Ransomware to a New Level

Net bandits have been flocking to ransomware because it is proving an easy way to make a quick buck. You infect someone's computer, encrypt all their files, and demand a ransom to decrypt them. It's becoming more popular due to new capabilities -- e.g., the ability to detect virtual machines and alter its behavior, the ability to detect sandboxes, and the use of Bitcoins for anonymous payments.

Up to now, the malware program CryptoLocker has been king of the ransomware roost, but PowerLocker (formerly PrisonLocker) may present a new challenge.

Among those countermeasures are the ability to determine if it's running on a virtual machine -- and if so, to alter its behavior. Researchers will run questionable programs on virtual systems to avoid infecting a networked box.

PowerLocker also has sandbox detection. Software sandboxes are used to isolate an app's behavior and prevent it from spreading any nastiness it may contain.

• Bitcoin Connection

One way to thwart ransomware is to maintain a good backup regimen, so if one data set gets involuntarily encrypted, a backup set can be used to restore it. PowerLocker's authors appear to have thought of that angle, too.

It can scan removable devices, looking for potential backups or other tertiary files so it can encrypt those as well.

Ransomware has been around for sometime, but its recent rise in popularity may be linked to better means for collecting unjust rewards.

What makes ransomware more popular now is the anonymity by which you can make and receive payments.

One of those ways is through the digital currency Bitcoin, which "allows people to get money anonymously".

• Yahoo Serves Up Malads

Poisoning advertising on Web pages is a common tactic used by online miscreants to spread malware. The practice was scaled up bit last week when a Yahoo server began distributing infected ads.

The technique used to infect the Yahoo ads is called "cross-site scripting." In this case, a Web page element called an "iframe," which is invisible to users, was used to direct them to a malicious website.

There was no user interaction needed for the exploit to be downloaded. Simply visiting a page with an infected ad could have resulted in infection".

The criminal enterprises behind today's malware want to infect as many systems as possible, he added. The more systems they can infect, the greater their profit will be. So I believe that they will use this iframe attack type again in the future, because it has proven to work.

Google Gives Gmail More Pluses

It's time for Google+ users to consider their privacy settings again. Google has introduced new functionality that will allow Gmail to be sent via the social network by people who don't otherwise have access. This is likely to push the buttons of privacy advocates, but with ample opt-out provisions, it shouldn't ruffle any feathers for too long. Marketers, in the meantime, are delighted.

Google on Thursday started rolling out changes designed to further integrate its Gmail and Google+ platforms. The updates make it easier for Google+ users to contact other users without knowing their email addresses.

Going forward, when users with both a Gmail and a Google+ account begin typing a contact's name into an email draft, a list of Google+ contacts will appear along with other contacts. For instance, if a user typed "Michael" into the "To" field while composing an email, Google would suggest, say, three Michaels from email contacts, along with another two from Google+ circles.

Address Protection

The email addresses of those Google+ connections would not be displayed. The user would be able to send an email via Google+ but would not have access to the email addresses until the recipients allowed it by replying to the message.

Users will have control over how many people will be able to email them via Google+. They can extend the ability to just the people they've accepted into their Google+ circles, to those in extended circles -- meaning people with whom they share a mutual connection -- or to any Google+ user. They also can opt out entirely.

The updates will be rolling out over the next few days to Gmail and Google+ users, who will be notified via email when the features are available on their account.

Too Much Access?

This opens the door for total strangers to contact you. After trying hard to unseat Facebook from the undisputed No. 1 position as the mass social media network, Google has been desperately trying to force people to join Google+.

The Gmail updates also could provide another way for advertisers to target new consumers. Marketing advantages often come hand-in-hand with privacy concerns, however, and this new Gmail feature is no exception.

There are some marketers who don't view themselves as spammers, but other people see them that way.

Google Wins

Google has made efforts to keep consumers' in-boxes free from spam, though, Carter noted. The company recently made changes that give users options to sort their email by primary, social and promotional messages.

With the new feature, emails sent to someone via Google+ from a user within their circles will appear in the primary category. An email from someone outside of circles would show up in the social filter.

Gmail has done a pretty good job of filtering and categorizing incoming emails. Some marketers who have already secured opt-in permission to send emails are having trouble reaching those people via Gmail.

Even if marketers do reach those people via Gmail, it's not likely it will spark more than mild annoyance, said Varghese. Users can opt out, or they can simply adjust.

I'm sure people will be angry about it, but will people cancel accounts? I don't think so. After some time, we just get used to it.