Google adds automatic blocking of malware downloads to latest Chrome build

Google today announced Chrome is getting an automatic download blocking feature for malware. Google has already added the new functionality to the latest build of Chrome Canary.

All versions of Chrome will soon automatically block downloads and let you know in a message at the bottom of your screen. You will be able to “Dismiss” the message, although it’s not clear if you will be able to stop or revert the block:

In its announcement, Google explains criminals regularly try to trick users into installing and running malicious software by bundling it with free and sometimes fake screensavers, video plugins, or even supposed security updates. In all these cases, Chrome is increasingly being targeted because its usage is growing.

As we know, these downloads are rarely what they claim to be. As Google notes:

These malicious programs disguise themselves so you won’t know they’re there and they may change your homepage or inject ads into the sites you browse. Worse, they block your ability to change your settings back and make themselves hard to uninstall, keeping you trapped in an undesired state.

The company also underlined other security features it already offers, such as its Safe Browsing service that protects over 1 billion Chrome, Firefox, and Safari users from malware and phishing sites (10,000 new websites flagged daily). In Chrome 29, Google also added a “reset browser settings” button (in Advanced Settings) to let users easily return Chrome to a factory-fresh state and revert whatever damage malware has done.

Google says Canary is “the most bleeding-edge official version of Chrome and somewhat of a mix between Chrome dev and the Chromium snapshot builds.” While the addition of any specific feature in Canary doesn’t guarantee it will ship in Chrome one day, the fact Google is announcing the feature means automatic malware download blocking is a question of “when” rather than “if.”

Top Image Credit: fcl1971

via The Next Web http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/F0JHZErSN1U/

Coursera and US Department of State launch Global Learning Hubs to bring online learning to the offline world

Coursera today launched a new initiative with the US Department of State. Called Global Learning Hubs, the partnership aims to give students physical spaces where they can access the Internet to take Coursera courses online as well as work with others in a group setting, for free.

More specifically, Learning Hub locations will have more than just peer students working the same course. Local “facilitators” – as Coursera calls them – with knowledge on the subjects will lead in-person sessions that revolve around discussions, tutoring, and projects. In other words, Coursera is taking online learning offline.

As such, accessing online courses across Coursera’s catalog isn’t the only option: students can enroll in sessions for select courses. These will run parallel to the online course, but they will depend on the technology availability and meeting frequency at each location.

“We are excited to be partnering with Coursera,” Meghann Curtis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs at the US State Department, said in a statement. “Together, we hope that we can identify new models for blended online and in-person learning, offer students new skills and knowledge, and help connect them to U.S. higher education institutions.”

In addition to the US Department of State, there are a few other Learning Hubs partners that will be providing on-the-ground support with physical space for learning, reliable Internet access, and local course facilitators. These include Bluebells School International and Lady Sriram College, Digital October, Overcoming Faith Academy Kenya (in collaboration with PiCreate and Tucklets.org), Learning Links Foundation, TAPtheTECH, and LEARN. TT and the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT).

These partners will help bring Coursera’s Learning Hubs to more than 30 Embassies, American Spaces, campuses, and other physical locations worldwide. The locations include: Baghdad, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Chennai, Hanoi, Helsinki, Juba, Kyiv, La Paz, Lima, Manila, Mountain View, Phnom Penh, Port au Prince, Port Louis, Prague, Santiago, Seoul, Shanghai, Tbilisi, Kakamega, Moscow, Mumbai, and Port of Spain.

As you might expect, this is just the start. Coursera is hoping to grow the number of locations slowly but surely over the next few months and beyond. The education startup has already started looking for additional partners to host Learning Hubs within their own communities.

See also – Coursera partners with 13 new institutions to pass 100 total, eclipses 5 million students and 500 courses too and Coursera leaps another online learning hurdle, partners with Chegg and 5 publishers to give students free textbooks

Top Image Credit: Fred Kuipers

via The Next Web http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/ww_t3Oy9PNQ/

Amazon’s Kindle Countdown Deals makes it easy to sell your ebooks for a limited-time discount

Amazon has announced a new Kindle Countdown Deals initiative, allowing publishers and authors to offer short-term discount on their ebooks.

The price promotions are designed to help authors reach more people with significantly cheaper prices, and a countdown clock displaying the remaining time for each deal. Publishers can control how long the book is discounted for and the level of discount (at least $1 off the regular price).

The program is available in the US and UK only, and can used by any publisher on any book – but there is a catch. The book has to be exclusive to the Kindle Store, and includes titles published by Amazon Publishing, as well as independent authors who have produced their work through KDP Select.

➤ Press Release | Introducing Kindle Countdown Deals

via The Next Web http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/SjYXmKAgbyE/

Following Brazil debut, Telefonica to launch Firefox OS smartphones in Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay this week

Mozilla today announced Telefonica is launching Firefox OS phones this week in Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. Both the ZTE Open and the Alcatel One Touch Fire are arriving in Mexico today, while Peru gets the ZTE Open, and Uruguay gets the Alcatel One Touch Fire.

Mozilla says this week’s debut means Firefox OS is now available in nine countries. More are coming soon, but the timeline continues to shift around because multiple carriers are on board with multiple devices in multiple countries.

Telefonica already offers Firefox OS phones in Spain, Colombia, and Venezuela. Just last week, the carrier debuted the LG Fireweb in Brazil.

Deutsche Telekom, meanwhile, offers Firefox OS phones in Poland and Germany, but is also planning respective launches in Hungary and Greece this fall. Telenor has also confirmed plans to roll out Firefox OS phones in Hungary, Serbia, and Montenegro by the end of this year.

All new Firefox OS phones ship with the latest version of Firefox OS (1.1). Mozilla says existing Firefox OS users will be upgraded to the latest version “soon,” but it wouldn’t detail exactly when that would occur.

Firefox OS version 1.1 adds new features such as MMS messaging, a better search interface, Gmail and Hotmail contacts import, as well as auto-correction while typing. It also includes support for a number of new languages, which are of course necessary as Firefox OS ships to more and more countries.

Mozilla has yet to disclose sales figures for Firefox OS devices. Right now, there appears to be some interest in the new smartphones, but it’s difficult to gauge just how much.

See also – Mozilla unveils ‘aggressive’ Firefox OS schedule: Quarterly feature releases, security updates every six weeks and Mozilla unveils Firefox OS App Manager, a developer tool coming in Firefox 26 for building and debugging apps

Top Image Credit: Joseph Lago/AFP/Getty Images

via The Next Web http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/an55BZGMcpM/

Apple to fix "unresponsive" 13-inch MacBook Pros

A few early adopters of Apple's new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro are reporting problems with the keyboard and trackpad not working properly. Apple confirmed on its support site that a fix is on the way. While you wait for the patch to arrive, Apple says you can close the display for 60 seconds and then open it to reset the affected hardware.

[Via Engadget]

Share





via TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/31/apple-to-fix-unresponsive-13-inch-macbook-pros/

Papernomad, the iPad covers you customize

I don't typically write about cases for the iPad and iPhone, but the Papernomad deserves special attention. These cushioned sleeves are wrapped in a patented paper that you're free to decorate with your own drawings, sketches, notes, writing...whatever.

Don't be put off but the word "paper." The outer layer is a special recipe that's tear resistant, dries cleanly after getting wet and has less environmental impact than cotton products. I love the combination of high-tech and low here.

They have sleeves for the iPhone, iPad mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro as well. Prices start around US$48.

Share





via TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/31/papernomad-the-ipad-covers-you-customize/

Nexus 5 Launch Likely Coming Today, Here's What We Know So Far

Google’s Nexus 5 is not a real thing yet, but at this point it’s a foregone conclusion; Google will update its Android reference smartphone, which comes with the clean stock version of its mobile operating system, and it’ll probably do it today. Which is why it makes perfect sense that the leaks are now flying fast and furious.

The Nexus 5 will reportedly be unveiled later today, sometime around 8 AM PST according to a report from GottaBeMobile, and it’ll begin shipping tomorrow, November 1 with orders starting immediately. Whether or not it happens right at that time, the case remains that we’re probably going to see the phone today at some point, since a number of earlier reports also indicated Oct. 31 as the time for its official debut.

Google’s Nexus 5 is likely sourced from hardware partner LG, just like the Nexus 4, and it is said to have a 4.95-inch, 1080p display, with a Snapdragon 800 processor running at 2.3GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32 GB of storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera/1.3 megapixel front, and Android 4.4 KitKat. It’ll likely be the first KitKat device, which is a software update that brings a lot of refinements, along with replacing the stock SMS app with Google Hangouts now that it has SMS integration, we’re hearing.

According to one T-Mobile employee, the Nexus 5 will be available at that carrier the same day it’s announced, and will cost roughly the same as the Nexus 4 did on T-Mo last year (which is to say, at a considerable markup). Google has also updated the look and design of the Play Devices web store, prompting some to note that this could be in preparation for a Nexus 5 listing.

Google’s Nexus 5 seems like it’ll be a match for the current crop of top Android smartphones, at least on paper, and it’s a handsome device if early render and photo leaks are to be believed. Price and international availability remain the biggest question marks at this point, as well as the exact timing of availability, but we’ll be sure to bring you more as soon as we get any official info from Google.

via TechCrunch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/vHwoLCV4JiI/