Google Now lets you Video/Voice chat!!

After checking out some of what Google has been doing.  I find out that you can now Video Conference for free.  That is to say that you can conference with someone on line and do cloud computing.   According to Google:



To Get this Video and Voice chat Click this link

[ad#ad2-right]Now I might not a lot but this will be most likely be used in association with the new Google Phone, the G1. So I thought about how this will be used? This will be used in several ways. To keep in touch with family, to make it easier to telecommute and to Video Conference with associates from work. Google Model is "DO NO EVIL". There is a flaw to this I am sure, this is a Internet Protocol to Internet Protocol connection and in doing so you create so much possibility of a virus getting through. There is no doubt that this is using flash. It also is know to make the infrastructure of a business weak. The Intranet of the business would be compromised. I am sure there are vulnerabilities in this and we will hear them shortly. I'd give it a week or two, remember the problem with Google Chrome and how un-secure it is. These are just a few of what would cause security headaches to all who work in the IT field. I just want to bring that up to prove a point. Google's mantra isn't perfect, it is what it is.

Windows update is getting a revision!

[ad#ad2-right]According to Computer World, dated Oct 31, 2008 and I'll quote:

"Over the next couple of months, we'll be rolling out another infrastructure update to the Windows Update agent (client code)," said an unidentified Microsoft employee on the Windows Update team's official blog. "This update makes it possible for users to install more than 80 updates at the same time."

[via Computer World]

Now if your like me and have several computers who need to be updated at a given schedule, you sometimes worry about these updates that come along that might just break your system. I have been using a program call Offline Updater, which does what Autopatcher does really nicely. So why is Microsoft sending out this patch? Two reasons, one they want you to be able to update your operating System without hurting your system integrity.

Now lets talk about the integrity of having to reboot your system. You see, every time you reboot the system, it causes the system hardware some strain.  It is something like having starting up a car, sooner or later you will have the starter go out, because of to much start up.

[ad#ad2-left]Second reason for this is, basically the update software needs to be update yet again for any security flaws or features that might be exploitable.  I am sure there are some and Microsoft probably knows about that we do not.   So that is the second reason, which it is the most obvious reason yet to push out another revision of the Windows update.

What about stopping the update from effecting your system.  The only way that I know of is to prevent Windows from checking for updates.  Which is simple:

Windows XP Version:

[Category View and Classic View]


<Start> / Control Panel / Security / Click Windows Updates

For Windows Vista:

<Orb> / Control Panel/ Security Center/ Windows Update / click "change Settings"

With both ways, you will be able to control four ways to handle Windows updating and they are:

• Automatic - Will download all necessary updates and install them without your permission or knowledge.  Note some of the updates will automatically reboot your system.  Most commonly they are set to do this every day in the 12am to 4 am period of time.   So when you wake up you would see an log in screen.

[ad#ad2-right]

• Download updates but let me choice which ones to install and when -  This is most commonly used by people who don't want to bother having to check manually.  It will check and download, then it will let you know.




• Check for updates but don't Download them -  This is like the previous one but this will only tell you.  The rest of the decision is in your hands not the computer.  This is good for people who have limited system resources, like Hard drive space.  It still reminds you like the previous one but won't download any updates.




• Never check for updates -  This is used for people who don't want to be bothered with updates and have a way to update manually.  This is commonly used by businesses who have several systems on and don't want to risk an update causing trouble or weigh down the companies internet by downloading updates un-necessarily.   This option is not to be messed with because it leaves your system with quite a lot of vulnerabilities.  You do this one if you have a set schedule to update each and everyone system. (Extremely Dangerous to do)

With what I talked about, I am hoping you find this useful and to share your discoveries with other people who might want to be able to change how Windows updates are handled on other systems.  If you have comments or questions, please post them in the comment section and someone will be more than glad to help you out.

Hulu United States Only -- FAQ

In a Comment on there Hulu Blog,

August 16th, 2008 at 08:52 AM Umm, when exactly did Hulu decide to shut its doors to everyone outside of America? The site's title is "Watch your Favorites. Anytime. For Free". I'm sorry Hulu, this is a complete lie, as anyone viewing your site outside of the US is banned from viewing your videos. All the time. So that you know, I intend on writing a letter to Joss Whedon asking that he pull his Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog video from your network and redistribute it to a video site that isn't run by people who embrace the philosophy "Defective By Design". That way, the thousands of other people wanting to see this video, like me, don't have to resort to downloading the thing via the piratebay.

Well, This is something I wanted to discuss for everyone who reads my blog why Hulu isn't allowing anyone outside of America to see the videos.   It's all have to do with there contracts they have with certain providers.

Let me explain it to you another way, Hulu is now being watch all over North America.  Hulu is obligated to make sure no one out side of the US can watch these movies because they have "NO RIGHTS" to share this with anyone out side of the US.  When Hulu makes deals with these major distributors, they sign a contract.  In the contract somewhere at sometime, they are explicitly forbidden to stream this material outside of the US.

Is there ways around this?

Having experience in the computer repair and understand of what is required for someone to get around this type of "Protection" is somewhat hard.  Here is the reason, when Hulu banned people from watching outside of the US they did so by banning a group of Internet Protocols.

Here are Three ways at which I know you can watch HULU programming.  Be advised that these are ways to get around the protection and by doing this, You hold me not responsible for any and all actions.  I talk about this because it would be unfair not to, I've got to have some responsibility to my readers.

• USE A PROXY Server in the United States --  Now this one is the hardest because I don't know of any.  I am not going to do your homework for you, but I will say there has to be several in the US.  Be Warned that using this will greatly reduce quality and speed.  You will sooner or later be found out and blocked, so use this one is at your own risk.


• Ask Major Media Distributors to join HULU -- Writing to them and asking them to join Hulu will increase the likely hood of them opening up the resources to let people view outside of HULU.  You see the other distributors have the rights to distribute outside of the US.  If you get them to come to Hulu, you will be giving them the power to allow certain content to be streamed outside of HULU.  If you want to contact the distributors and ask them to join Hulu, by all means go through the IMDB and look for the distributors you want on HULU and find out how to email them or Snail Mail them!!


• USE an VPN to Access HULU -- This one is like Proxy Servers but this one is most often used by people who are traveling outside of the US.  That's right if your company has a VPN inside of the US you can watch shows.  This too could get your IP banned from Hulu, although I tell you this for those business men and women who are traveling and live in the United States and Military people too.  Has all the same flaws as Proxy, will slow you down, and quality will take a hit also!!
  

These are just a few of the ways you could stream information from HULU but use at your own risk.  If you have any other comments to add just go ahead and add them.  I want to hear what people think or what they want me to talk about.

QuickTime Flaw Update

A few days ago, there was a report that there is a new QuickTime flaw that has been discovered. It was confirmed that it can be exploited on Windows XP and Vista operating systems.

Earlier today, The Register has posted an article about the flaw which tell the readers that it can also be exploited on Mac operating systems, particularly on Tiger and Leopard versions. The exploit works on both Intel processors and PowerPC chips according to a researcher named Lorenzo Hernandez.

There is a belief that Internet Explorer and Opera browsers are more resistant to this attack.

Source: The Register

Well people there is bound to be an update to quicktime shortly. Now since apple knows about this it wouldn't surprise me.