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A second strain of malware targeting Mac OS X has been discovered days after a Mac OS X Trojan appeared on the scene. The latest malware, Inqtana-A, is a proof-of-concept worm that attempts to spread using a Bluetooth vulnerability.

The worm is not spreading in the wild and uses an internal counter that means it will expire on February 24, so it's unlikely to ever be much of a problem. Nonetheless, Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) users are still advised to make sure they're patched up in order to guard against attack from any future worm that uses the same exploit.

Earlier this week, security researchers discovered a Trojan (or what many are classifying as a worm), dubbed Leap-A (AKA Oomp-A), that spreads via the iChat instant messaging system. Mac fans have to unzip the file and enter security codes to run it so that, in practice, Leap is also scarcely much of a threat. Most anti-virus vendors categorise it - like Inqtana - as low risk.

SOURCE: www.theregister.com

British telecommunications firm BT Group PLC is investing $21 million on a global platform to provide voice calling over the Internet.

It is believed that half of the investment will go into developing the platform for the Asia-Pacific region. The new platform will allow telephone customers to save money by switching from the company's traditional phone system to the new VOIP infrastructure. VoIP breaks sounds into data packets that travel over the Internet and get reassembled on the recipient's end and played back in real-time allowing telephone quality conversations

The BT platform will be able to support services such as voice calls, e-mails and videoconferences. Upon completion this year, it will cover 17 countries including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

Last year, BT invested $48 million to roll out an Internet-based network in Asia-Pacific. The network helps boost the company's capacity in handling larger volumes of traffic and serves as an integrated platform for voice, data and video transmission.

In Australia prominent pharmacy company Soul Patternsons subsidiary Soul Patterson Telemedia owns and operates an extensive IP network providing VOIP, Video and teleconferencing and other products.

In Sydney it apparently took six months until anyone noticed he was gone. Not even a full letter box raised suspicions. A man lived in a housing department block of units in Sydney where claim that it's dangerous not to mind your own business.

But that is no consolation for Sydney's loneliest man who was nothing but bone by the time three neighbours entered his ground-floor flat.

The discovery of a 62-year-old man whose skeletal remains were found in Sydney alerted postal workers on the Central Coast that there may be a similar tragedy in their neighbourhood. A 79-year-old-woman's mail had been piling up at Umina Beach post office since last August.

When the post office alerted the police to check on her, they found the old lady's decomposed body in her bed. Like the man found in Surry Hills, she had been lying there for some six months.

Is it possible that they used technology to help them live a worry free life as they got older? Many agencies recommend to pensioners to use direct debits from their pensions, so as the fortnightly pension hits the account their rent, water, electricity, gas and other utilities are taken out in proportions to match the expected usuage.

So as the pension payments go into the account and the utilities payments come out and continue on all automatically and unchecked and could effectively go on forever unless if there is no need for human interaction to adjust them.

Perhaps this highlights the need for constant human interaction for automatic computerized payments.

According to the register.com - Google is preparing its own distribution of Linux for the desktop, in a possible bid to take on Microsoft in its core business - desktop software.

A version of the increasingly popular Ubuntu desktop Linux distribution, based on Debian and the Gnome desktop, it is known internally as 'Goobuntu'.

Google has confirmed it is working on a desktop linux project called Goobuntu, but declined to supply further details, including what the project is for.

It could be for wider deployments on the company's own desktops, as an alternative to Microsoft, but still for internal use only.

But it is also very possible that Google plans to distribute it to the general public, as a free alternative to Windows. Then watch the levels of viruses for Linux explode.

A computer virus, thought to be the first to attack Apple’s Mac OS X operating system, has been identified by internet security companies.

The Leap-A, or Oompa Loompa, virus is a potentially malicious program that is disguised as a simple image file. Experts are worried that its discovery will prompt hackers to mount the first serious campaign against Apple users. The news is a blow to Apple’s reputation for security and to users of its Macintosh computers, which have long been regarded as far less vulnerable to virus attacks as PCs.

According to the times on line, some owners of Mac computers have held the belief that Mac OS X is incapable of harbouring computer viruses, but Leap-A will leave them shell-shocked. Some people are also blaming the fact MAC has moved away from its traditional hardware processor the power pc to the intel based pc.

I still love my Macintosh computers and I doubt I will be too concerned but I will be installing a new antivirus package. If they are starting to attack the Mac OS which is built on Unix/Linux and will only be a matter of time before Linux users will be feeling the heartache of virus makers creating bugs to attach Microsoft’s only real credible threat. Which is of course linux.

ABC America reports - If you think you're an expert at communicating via e-mail and instant message, you may want to reconsider.

In reality most people are often sending and receiving mixed signals in their electronic communications, according to new research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

"We've known for a long time that when we design our speech, we do so egocentrically," said Justin Kruger, one of the paper's authors and an associate professor at NYU. "We imagine how our utterances will sound from the vantage point, essentially, of ourselves.

"We assume that if we understand what we're saying, the person on the other end of our communication will as well."

But studies show that's not always the case.

Though text-based communication has been around for millenia, e-mail and instant message are still evolving, so be warned that there may be a few bruised egos and unnecessary tiffs to deal with along the way.

EMOTICONS HELP BUT NOT ALWAYS THE BEST IN CORPERATE EMAILS.

Emoticons were developed to indicate such emotions in emails but unfortunately they are not common use in corporate emails and are also frowned upon.

PC world magazine in Australia reports that while the Australian PC market grew an impressive 14.6 per cent in 2005, the market is seeing shrinking price tags and vanishing margins are creating a market fit for consolidation at all levels.

The magazines wrbsite claims that the 2006 PC market will be a case of survival of the fittest.

Overall, HP retained its number one position with 16.5 per cent market share, followed by Dell (13.5). Acer moved into third position (11.3). Lenovo (6.6) and Toshiba (5.6) rounded out the top five.

At this time of year many people are looking for a cut price PC the student in the family so they can do there assignments. Families often do not have a lot money often and a second hand pc can be the way out for many but things can go wrong and some times it can be easier if you may have spent the extra dosh.

The Victorian department of consumer affairs has some great tips for buying and I have put them below. These are tips for general purchasing of any PC buying.

Understanding the products available. It helps to understand how a computer works and what the jargon means before making a decision. To get a handle on the jargon try www.webopedia.com or go to http://whatis.techtarget.com
2. What kind of computer do you need? Salespeople may try to persuade you to buy expensive packages with features that you will hardly use. If you mainly use your computer for word processing and spreadsheets, a lower end model should do the job.
3. Shop around. Get at least three quotes in writing with every component listed. That way you can make sure that you’re getting everything you need and you can make real comparisons. Ask about after sales service and support, warranties and payment plans. Consumers should also carefully examine the conditions, exclusions and amount payable under extended warranty policies.
4. Big brand or custom built? With ready-to-go brand name packages, you have the guarantee that all the hardware is compatible and well-matched. Built-to-order systems require more homework and research but may save you quite a lot of money.
5. New or second-hand? Second hand or refurbished computers are cheaper but you need to be careful. It’s better to buy from a registered business rather than at auctions, swap meets, online or from private dealers. You’ll have more chance of redress if things go wrong.
6. Buy, lease or flexi-rent? Leasing has advantages if you will be using the computer for work as well. Just remember to read the fine print of the contract and be clear about all the costs involved and what you’re getting in return for your money.

Source: Victorian Consumer Affairs

According to Reuters, people who sell their old computers put themselves at risk of being defrauded or having their identities stolen because many terminals are not properly wiped of data, according to a study released recently.
Second-hand computers, which account for one in 12 computers in use worldwide, are a potential treasure trove of personal information which can be exploited to devastating effect, the study Second-Hand Computers and Identity Fraud
Apparently, just imply reformatting a hard drive is not enough to make data irretrievable. Anyone disposing of a personal computer must ensure that all data is securely wiped using specialist software to wipe over every sector of the hard drive.
Source SMH & Reuters

An AAP report says that a man in Louisiana man is suing Apple claiming that the iPod is "inherently defective" because it can pump up the volume to ear-damaging levels and that Apple hasn't done enough to warn him of the risks.
The plaintiff, John Kiel Patterson, is seeking unspecified compensatory damages presumably for hearing loss he may have suffered, though the lawsuit, filed with the San Jose District Court, doesn't say as much, according to the Associated Press' report on the matter.
When asked outside the court why he was brining this case against Apple he replied “What, Huh?? What did you say?” (Ed – official joke)
However, this is nothing new loud personal stereos and walkmans that came out in the 1980’s were also attributed to hearing loss. Apparently, anything over about 80 decibels can cause damage to hearing.

It appears that after more than 155 years during which millions of telegrams were delivered around the world, bringing news of births, deaths, weddings, wars and more, Western Union delivered its last telegram messages last Friday, ending a means of communication that began before the U.S. Civil War.
Western Union has confirmed that the company ended its telegram services quietly on Jan. 27 by laying off 30 workers who still operated the telegram business.
From a peak of 200 million telegrams in 1929, Western Union’s telegram business had plunged in recent years, and only 20,000 messages were sent in 2005, Wheeler said. “The telegram was the beginning of Western Union, and obviously, over time, with the introduction of the telephone, the Internet and e-mail ... Western Union changed its business and became a financial services company," he said. "Dropping the telegram services was the last step in becoming a full-time financial services business.”
In its heyday, Western Union telegrams were an important part of person-to-person communications across America. A message could be dictated at one end of the country, sent over telegraph lines strung nationwide, and printed out and delivered to its destination before telephones and other means of communication were available.
The telegram was transmitted via radio or wire communications usually via morse code but later on in its development the telex took over the actual encoding and sending which meant that some year prior to this historic cut of date for the Western Union Telegram, Morse Code was deregistered as an international language.

Source: Computer world