Nokia N900 handset soars into Indian market

Nokia has news for those looking out for a mobile computing solution that’s easy to fit into a pocket. Nokia has brought the N900 smartphone to Indian shores. The handset flaunts a high resolution 3.5″ WVGA touch screen and full slide-out QWERTY keypad for comfortable typing.

The device is fitted with a 5MP camera that boasts of Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. Users can enjoy multiple connectivity options like access to 3G networks, Ovi services and apps like Nokia Maps, messaging, IM, Ovi Files through the Ovi Store. This phone allows access to e-mail, social networking sites, music, websites, images, and more. It provides users with memory of up to 32GB that can be expanded by up to 48GB through a microSD card.

“Mobile computing has undergone a substantive evolution owing to changing consumer needs. Technology enthusiasts and mobile workers today seek much more from their mobile device more power, more ability, enhanced functionality and constant connectivity,” affirmed Jasmeet Gandhi, Head of Product and Services Marketing, Nokia India, while commenting on the N900’s unveiling.

Apart being powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor, the handset offers up to 1GB of application memory and OpenGL ES 2.0 for graphics acceleration. Users can switch between applications and access running content through the dashboard. The phone allows the home screen to be customized with favorite shortcuts, widgets and applications as per user requirements.

The N900 has been attributed with Nokia’s Linux based Maemo operating platform which is a web based program which complements Nokia’s smartphones that run the Symbian OS. This software equips developers to create various applications such as podcasting, IM apps and Twitter among others. The tag cloud UI allows users to share images and videos online directly from the phone. The device is touted to possess multi tasking capabilities that let users to open several applications simultaneous.

Automatic Maemo updates provide users with video calling and FB chat support, software upgrades, portrait browsing, e-mail and calendar improvements. This gadget is equipped with Mozilla technology that makes websites look the way they would appear on a PC. Additionally, the quality of the online videos and interactive apps is enhanced with full Adobe Flash 9.4 support. The device enables speedy internet connectivity via 10/2 HSPA and WLAN. Users can surf web pages while chatting on instant messaging or listening to music.

“The Nokia N900 has been designed specifically to address the unique needs of this section of consumers, who are obsessed with all new forms of technology. With an open source operating system, faster multitasking ability, incorporated technology like an OMAP processor, real time web widgets and the ability to be connected just about anywhere, the Nokia N900 has kick started a new era of powerful mobile computing,” added Gandhi.

The winning participant or ‘Maemo Master’ of Nokia’s newly launched ‘The Maemo Masters Invitational Series’ interactive web based initiative for mobile and technology buffs across India will be invited to purchase a special Maemo Master Edition of the N900. This special edition will encompass the Nokia N900, Nokia BH 214 Bluetooth stereo headset and more.

The Nokia N900 will be available for purchase from June 9 this year through Nokia branded outlets in major cities across India. The price tag attached to this handset is unclear for now.

Watch Out for Trojans Circulating in PDFs

Websense Security Labs warns of Zbot campaign; an information stealing trojan

That PDF File You Are Storing Can be Dangerous

New Zbot campaign comes in a PDF

Websense Security Labs has received several reports of a Zbot trojan campaign spreading via email that connects your PC to a malicious remote server in China. They have seen over 2,200 messages so far.

Zbot (also known as Zeus) is an information stealing trojan (infostealer) collecting confidential data from each infected computer. The main vector for spreading Zbot is a spam campaign where recipients are tricked into opening infected attachments on their computer.

This new variant uses a malicious PDF file which contains the threat as an embedded file. When recipients open the PDF, it asks to save a PDF file called Royal_Mail_Delivery_Notice.pdf. The user assumes that the file is just a PDF, and therefore safe to store on the local computer. The file, however, is really a Windows executable. The malicious PDF launches the dropped file, taking control of the computer. At the time of writing, this file has a 20 perecnt anti-virus detection rate (SHA1 : f1ff07104b7c6a08e06bededd57789e776098b1f).

Location of the Zbot:

The Zbot trojan creates a subdirectory under %SYSTEM32% with the name “lowsec” and drops the “local.ds” and “user.ds” files. The “local.ds” and “user.ds”  are configuration files for the threat. It also drops an executable “sdra64.exe” and modifies the registry entry “%SOFTWARE%\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit” to launch itself during system startup. When it runs, it injects malicious code into the Winlogon.exe instance in memory. This Zbot variant connects to malicious remote sever in China using an IP address of 59.44.[removed].[removed]:6010.
This is yet another hacking attempt pointing to China, which is kinda alarming and makes one wonder if China is quietly planning to go big on this. Make sure you’ve updated your anti-virus suites with latest definitions in order to keep your PC from malicious data. Also, avoid downloading any PDF from unknown senders.

PC maker, inspiration for Microsoft, dead

Atlanta: Henry Edward Roberts, a developer of an early personal computer that inspired Bill Gates to found Microsoft, died on Thursday in Georgia. He was 68.

Mr. Roberts, whose build-it-yourself kit concentrated thousands of dollars worth of computer capability in an affordable package, inspired Bill Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen to come up with Microsoft in 1975, after they saw an article about the MITS Altair 8800 in Popular Electronics.

Mr. Roberts, an ex-military man, later went on to build careers as a farmer and a physician, but continued to keep up with computer advances.

According to hi son David Roberts, he recently told Mr. Gates that he hoped to work with new, nanotechnology-enhanced machines.

“He did think it was pretty neat, some of the stuff they’re doing with the processors,” said Mr. David Roberts, who confirmed that Mr. Gates rushed to Georgia on Friday to be with his mentor.

According to his family, Mr. Roberts died in a Macon hospital after a long bout with pneumonia.

“Ed was willing to take a chance on us — two young guys interested in computers long before they were commonplace — and we have always been grateful to him,” Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen said in a joint statement released on Thursday .

“The day our first untested software worked on his Altair was the start of a lot of great things. We will always have many fond memories of working with Ed.”

The man often credited with kick-starting the modern computer era never intended to lead a revolution.

Born in Miami in 1941, Mr. Roberts spent time in the U.S. Air Force and earned an electrical engineering degree from Oklahoma State University in 1968.

He later parlayed his interest in technology into a business making calculators.

When large firms like Texas Instruments began cornering the business, Mr. Roberts soon found himself in debt, Mr. David Roberts said. Meanwhile, he was gaining an interest in computers at a time when hulking machines were available almost exclusively only at universities.

A funeral is planned Monday, in Cochran.