IBM recently launched a new software that could be used in the office environment. The Tivoli Monitoring is offered for the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2). This is after previous moves by IBM to make deals with Amazon’s EC2 through lobbing a good portion of its middleware and its database software.

Just recently, Amazon announced that IBM’s Tivoli Monitoring is already available on EC2 as the online giant's machine image. The Tivoli Marketing software is not the only IBM business kit on EC2. Several others have preceded the Tivoli. Some of these software kits include the Informix Dynamic Server relational databases and the DB2, both from IBM. Other business kits include the Lotus Web Content Management program and WebSphere Portal. As with these previous software kits, an onsite software license can be used to run on the EC2.

What Tivoli Monitoring can offer

So what can the Tivoli Monitoring software offer companies that run their applications on the Amazon cloud or the Amazon Web Services? These companies can monitor their environments through the Tivoli. A particular company can check databases, applications, and systems through the Tivoli. A good thing about the Amazon cloud is that the users only pay for what they actually use and for the time they spent using the web services. Another good thing about the web service itself is that it is easy to use. Amazon cloud is also a great tool for developers.

So where can companies look for the Tivoli monitoring software from IBM? They could visit the AWS console and use the software from there. IBM offers helpful scripts to would-be users.

More about Tivoli Monitoring

The Tivoli Monitoring Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a 32-bit software that runs on Linux. The Tivoli AMI can come as a bundle with either agent-based or agent-less monitoring for the said operating system. It also comes in a bundle for Windows OS environments. Agents from IBM’s Tivoli will monitor the AMIs being developed or used in production in the EC2.

IBM’s move to share Tivoli is believed by experts as far from the company’s last contribution to the Amazon cloud. IBM’s constant offering of its software applications to the EC2 is part of a strategy. IBM aims to respond to all its consumers' varying needs. It is also able to distribute its software efficiently through the cloud. Strategic manager of IBM, Dave Mitchell recognizes the move towards hybrid environments. He and the rest of the IBM family want to be part of that hybrid future. Collaborating with other companies is one way that IBM can experience various environments. At the same time, IBM is able to introduce its new tools. This is what happened when IBM contributed its Tivoli Monitoring software to the Amazon cloud.

Even when Windows 7 has yet to take on a more massive world market, there are already talks about Microsoft Windows 8. As rumors would have it, the major OS upgrade is set to come out tentatively by 2012. This is according to hints and comments from Microsoft insiders. And it seems that, this early, a lot of people are already looking forward to Microsoft’s latest OS  upgrade.

Microsoft has a schedule to keep

According to talks, the software giant wants to speed up its major upgrade pace. Historically, the company has been releasing its Windows upgrades every six years. Case in point is the upgrade from Windows XP  to Windows Vista. Windows XP was released in 2001. Its follow-up, Windows Vista, came out in 2007, amidst lukewarm reception and bad reviews. Vista was originally slated for release in 2006.

It was this poor reception that pushed Microsoft to release Microsoft 7 only after two years, in 2009. Even so, the Microsoft product roadmap positioned Windows 7 as the much needed update to Vista, hence, the early release. Talks have it that Windows 8 is a major upgrade from Windows 7. Thus, there are many who doubt if Microsoft can push through with such a project in just a short period of time.

Windows 8: rumors and plans

This early, Windows 8 is already being touted as the end of 32-bit operating systems. With its planned 128-bit architecture, expectations are high and forecasts remain positive.

Word on the professional networking site LinkedIn even has it that Microsoft is now looking for program managers who can work with such 128-bit architecture, as planned for Windows 8 and Windows 9.

Forecasts on Windows 8

The early spotlight on Windows 8 has gotten the tech media practitioners talking. They’ve come out with expectations and the inevitable wish list.

Randall Kennedy of Infoworld is the one to first speak of Windows 8 overshadowing 32-bit operating systems. He also posits the integration of Live Mesh into Windows 8. As Microsoft’s cloud-based multi-computer document synchronization service, Live Mesh will be a significant improvement to Window 7’s document sync services. Windows 8 may soon allow online and multiple computer file sharing. In a way, this will also see how much influence Google’s Chrome OS  will have on the Microsoft OS, pending more popular acceptance of its web-only operating system.

Another tech commentator Preston Galla of Computerworld wants to see a simpler way to integrate between the operating systems of Mac, Linux, and Windows. Current status quo still has users jumping hoops when it comes to networking between different operating systems. Likewise, he wants a better and easier version of the Windows Media Center.

Because of what Windows 8 can offer to consumers and professionals, many are looking forward to Microsoft's latest version of its operating system.

Only a few days ago, Microsoft announced plans to integrate IT into its cloud technology platform. The company wants to do this by connecting the current corporate networks with cloud services. This integration will ascertain the more efficient functions and processes of a single infrastructure.

This idea came to fruition during the company’s recent Professional Developers Conference. The goal is to move above and beyond the current trends in cloud computing. At present, cloud computing is defined by raw resources from Microsoft, Google, and other providers. Microsoft wants the next phase to be about running applications across local and cloud networks, particularly those on the Azure cloud OS of Microsoft.

Aloft with Azure

The Azure cloud operating system can open up several possibilities in cloud computing. According to Gartner analyst Ray Valdez, Azure is definitely looking at the 2nd wave, which happens after the raw infrastructure. This happens when companies move real systems into the cloud. These hybrid systems then have to connect back to legacy environments. Microsoft sees this as both a big challenge and opportunity.

Microsoft is taking the first steps in making the most of these possibilities. The company has moved forward with developments in the projects, such as the System Center Cloud, ApFabric, and the Next Generation Active Directory. Likewise, it is seeing updates that can expand functions and processes within the .Net Framework. All these projects are slated for beta release.

The goal behind all this is to push an infrastructure that blends software and services. This makes for a more satisfying and less costly user experience. But then, the underlying issue remains on how a giant like Microsoft can eventually release and maintain such an integrated infrastructure that spans several online networks.

Apparently, before releasing this concept to the rest of the world, Microsoft is already trying it out internally. According to a company insider, Microsoft is already testing Azure, looking at how it blends with the corporate network. However, this part of the development process is still early and developers still have unanswered questions. Microsoft will be able to look at and test these tools once they are available.

This early, feedback – positive and otherwise – has gotten around. According to Amitabh Srivastava, a senior vice president at Microsoft, not all will move their IT into the cloud. Due to privacy and competitive issues, and sensitive data sets, some people will store information in the data center. Plenty of applications may have to be divided into cloud and IT, so Microsoft is also planning to offer tools and services for application partition. In this way, the various needs of different users will be met, whether they store their information in a data center or through a cloud.

As the race between web browsers heat up, Microsoft makes public its plan to use the computer’s graphic processor to make image and text rendering faster on its to-be-released browser, Internet Explorer 9 (IE9). But then again, the company is really not the only one to think of this next step. Its closest competitors Firefox and Opera are also in the process of integrating the PC’s graphic processor unit in the functions of their browsers.

IE9 details

Plans for the new IE9 were revealed just recently by Steven Sinofsky, Windows and Windows Live president. According to Sinofsky, IE9 work has made significant progress so far. Further details were given by Dean Hachamovitch, IE’s general manager.

According to Hachamovitch, IE9 will switch from using Window’s Graphic Device Interface to making the most of Direct2D and DirectWrite APIs. This way, images and text are rendered faster and without compromising as much RAM. According to him, one good reason why consumers get so much from their PC hardware is because of the machine's graphics. This is why IE9 is placed on top of the graphics engine of Windows, which is DirectX.

The Direct2D and DirectWrite APIs will move the burden of processing to the GPU, instead of the CPU. Hachamovitch also stated that the acceleration of the graphics hardware will result in faster rendering for graphically rich sites without slowing down the CPU.

Early results of IE9 development show a promising 40 to 60 frames per second using Direct2D. This is akin to gaming graphic quality, a great improvement from the 5 to 10 frames per second using GDI. On the other hand, DirectWrite APIs have resulted in sharper text rendering.

Hachamovitch claims that there’s nothing more that website developers can do to make their pages run faster on IE9. He claims that because of this development, web creators can maximize the changes in the hardware ecosystem's graphics without having to redo the whole site.

Microsoft and others

Clearly, the immediate issues for IE9 seem to not be about the details of the new browser. These have more to do with competitors that are on the same page and are developing similar technologies. Both Mozilla (Firefox) and Opera are working on the same browser acceleration through improved graphics and text rendering.

Mozilla’s efforts are focused on the OpenGL for open platforms and the different APIs for Windows. This is an expansion of the Windows IE9 project since it seeks to develop faster browsers even for those not using the Windows platform. The same efforts are being made by Opera.

Both companies are also exploring the possibilities of extending the benefits of graphics-based browsers from the web to mobile devices like smartphones. These will be under Firefox’s Fennec and Opera’s mobile version.

As if its decided lead in spiders, searches, and engines is not enough, Google launches its new Chrome OS, the company’s browser-based operating system. The new OS offers marked differences in data handling, such as cloud data storage, adding more user security and ease of use. It is also a very light operating system and does not eat up a lot of RAM. This is ideal for netbooks and systems that rely on cloud computing.  Being a by-product of the Chrome browser, the Chrome OS also boasts of similar security features that the browser has been known for.

How it works

Security is one of the key components in the Chrome OS. The system fuses typical system-level security systems with exploit mitigation techniques. Thus, it successfully decreases the venues for attack and the system codes that can be attacked by malicious programs. And because all applications run through the browser, the operating system is more compact and easier to control and protect.

Sandboxing has been crucial in how Chrome functions. Through sandboxing, processes and applications have minimal interactions with each other and the operating system kernel. This partitioning of processes and applications makes it difficult for any malicious attacks to affect the whole system. Crashes become seldom, if these occur at all.

Security

Security is also one of the trademarks of the Chrome OS. Contrary to current trends in operating systems, Chrome limits the ability of applications to download and run any binary. This minimizes any application compromises that open up the whole system to attacks.

Likewise, the Chrome OS boasts of a verified boot process. This boot process allows the system to start up and boot without possible harm to the system’s memory, the Linux kernel, and the partition tables. This is done through cryptography.

Since the whole Chrome OS  is secured by Google, it is close to impossible for any malicious program to penetrate and run. And even when some freak malicious programs do manage to get through the doubly secured kernel hardening and processing infrastructure, this will be immediately detected upon reboot. This sends a prompt to the user. It also initiates  self-cleaning program within the system.

The cleaning process has less hassle too than the others. Since the system data is set apart from the user data, the system can fix itself without causing the user any setting changes and lost data. Cached data is also kept intact, within the “cloud” of Google servers. Adding to user specification security, the user data within the browser, OS , and plug-ins are encrypted. Devices cannot share user data.

For any bugs found upon installation, the Chrome OS has set up an auto system update and patch. All this is done in the background, even while the user keeps on working online.
Now, that makes for a lot of exciting new stuff from a technology company that’s been very reliable and attentive to its users.

Recent tests have found a security hole in the Firefox web browser, brought about by a Microsoft plug-in, called the Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation. This has prompted the Mozilla developers to block the said plug-in, even when Microsoft has already released a bug fix for this. To fortify user security, Mozilla has implemented the Plug-in Check Page, which can be used to scan installed plug-ins and detect vulnerable and outdated ones. Likewise, users can download newer and more secure versions of Firefox, such as the 3.0.15 or 3.5.5 updates. These versions are designed to block attacks from Javascript programs and other malicious programs.

And while Microsoft approves the blocking of its Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation plug-in, this incident highlights Microsoft’s proneness to web-based security attacks. Historically, the company has been the target of and suffered the most from these attacks.

The patch rush

With this recent run-in with the ever popular Firefox web browser, Microsoft now adds up to eight patches just recently. All these bugs expose computers to web-based attacks and are critical to the system’s security.  This same patch used to fix the Firefox plug-in bug has versions for Internet Explorers 5, 6, 7, and 8, across Microsoft’s different operating systems Windows 2000, Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003 and 2008, and Windows 7. This update has been available from Microsoft’s support site for a while now.
 
Likewise, patches have been made available for attacks through Window’s Graphic Device Interface. Bugs in this system allow attack programs to take control of your computer when a malicious image or website is viewed. The patch has been made available for those running the operating systems Win 2000, XP, Vista, and Server 2003 and 2008.

Bugs have also been found when streaming .asf streaming media files. Fixes have been released specifically for this, through patches for the Windows Media Runtime for Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003 and 2008.

The already bug-ridden Microsoft Active Template Library gets another round of patches, designed to disable ActiveX controls in Windows 2000 and XP systems. A similar fix is also introduced for Microsoft Office initiated ActiveX controls.

Apparently, if you are running a Microsoft OS, it might be required to have Silverlight installed. Silverlight should ideally protect your system from malicious web pages. However, even for this, a patch has been released to fix an SMB problem for those running Server 2008 and Vista. Those without this critical patch are more prone to web-based attacks.

Yet, on a slightly non-Microsoft bug news, the software provider Adobe has released a critical patch for those running Adobe Reader and Acrobat on Unix, Mac, and Windows computers. This patch is important to almost everyone, regardless of the OS  that you use, and is available on the Adobe website.

Firefox is one of the most popular pieces of software out there.  With its functionality, speed, resource-efficiency, and customizable features, it is no wonder why this browser is still the head honcho in the category of Internet browsers.  Now five years old, Mozilla Firefox is still making waves in the Internet realm and it is likely to stay at the top of the pack for years to come.  One of the biggest factors contributing to Firefox's success is the seemingly endless list of extensions that are available for the flexible browser.  Firefox extensions are small software add-ons that expand the functionality of your browser.  Here are some of the best extensions that you can download for your Firefox setup:

AdBlock Plus

AdBlock Plus, commonly abbreviated as ABP, is perhaps the best and most comprehensive ad-blocking software for Firefox.  After installing this piece of software, all you have to do is subscribe to one of the many ad-blocking feeds that are shown to you when you install the extension.  You can then customize the ad-blocking settings to your personal preferences.  For example, if there are sites that you love and normally visit, then you may want to enable the ads for that site.

Greasemonkey

Greasemonkey is an extension that can take a little getting used to, but it is an extension that can change the way you use the Internet forever.  Greasemonkey is an extension that makes use of Java Scripts developed by programmers and script writers around the world.  Basically, these scripts customize the way that you view and use the Internet.  For example, you can get scripts that automatically buffer and load high-def versions of the YouTube videos you click on, or you can find scripts that allow for keyboard shortcuts or customized views in Facebook.  The options that Greasemonkey and its associated scripts have to offer are nearly limitless.

DownThemAll

DownThemAll is an exceptional download manager that works seamlessly with Firefox.  This extension allows you to make mass downloads, downloading all of the images and links from the current page, or filtering which ones to download.  DownThemAll also allows you to choose download directories, pause and resume downloads, customize download filters, customize file names for downloaded files, and more.

Tab Mix Plus

Another great Firefox extension is Tab Mix Plus, which turbo charges your tabbed browsing.  You can manage browser sessions, customize your tab controls, configure which links should be opened in new tabs, customize how your tabs behave when opening and closing tabs, and improve the overall look and feel of your tabbed browsing.  Be sure to download Tab Mix Plus to see the wide array of settings and options that it gives you when tab browsing in Firefox.

It's that time of the year again.  Time to set up the Christmas tree, hang the lights, enjoy some eggnog, put on a smile, grab your coat, and buy some gifts for your loved ones.  However, the gift of giving is oftentimes a lot more difficult than it sounds.  Finding the perfect gift for your relatives, friends, and co-workers, can take a lot of time, effort, money, and waiting-in-line at the cashier.  If you can't seem to think of the right gift for someone on your Christmas list, you may want to consider giving the gift of great software.  Computers are playing an increasingly more involved role in our lives as they help us with just about everything at the office, at home, and on the go.  So why not consider one of these great pieces of software as a Christmas gift to your loved ones?

1.  Operating systems

Two of the best operating systems in the software market these days are Microsoft's Windows 7 for personal computers and Apple's Snow Leopard for Mac.  Although these software programs can cost hundreds of dollars, they are great upgrades over older operating systems and they are sure to last for years to come, since Apple and Microsoft both offer free updates for licensed copies of their operating system.  Also, whoever receives the gift of an operating system is likely to remember you and the Christmas that they received the software every time they boot up their computer.

2.  System security

System security is essential for any and all computers these days.  Viruses, malware, spyware, hacker intrusions, phishing attempts, and worms are just a few of the many types of cyber attacks that can ruin your system and put your data at risk.  The gift of a year's subscription to a top-notch security suite software is the perfect way to show your love and care for someone.  AVG Internet Security 9.0 is a top-rated security software suite for Windows-based systems that costs $54.99 for a one-year subscription.  If your gift is for a Mac user, then you may want to get Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac, which comes from the award-winning computer security software developer Kaspersky, and costs $39.95 per year.

3.  Productivity

The gift of productivity is always welcomed and appreciated.  There are tons of productivity software out there for both Windows and Mac, but none are quite as comprehensive as the office suites.  For Windows, the Microsoft Office Standard 2007 suite provides a powerful set of programs, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.  Microsoft Office Standard 2007 costs approximately $400, but you can upgrade from previous versions for less than $300.  You can also opt for the Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 suite, which costs less than $200.  Office 2008 for Mac is a great productivity tool for Mac users.  The Business Edition of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac costs less than $400, while the upgrade version costs less than $300. As for the Home and Student version for Mac, it costs less than $200.

When you purchase a computer or a laptop, one of the big expenses that you will encounter is the operating system.  Operating systems such as Apple's Mac OS X or Microsoft's Windows can cost hundreds of dollars, which is a lot of money.  The operating system is the basic software platform that brings functionality, features, and usability to your hardware.  If you want to avoid having to pay for your operating system, however, there are a few alternatives to big names such as Windows and OS X.  One such alternative is Fedora, which is a Linux-based, Unix-like operating system that is both free and open source.  Read on for the 411 on the Fedora Project and their latest release called Fedora 12.

The Fedora Project

The Fedora Project is a collection of community members who develop and distribute free, open-source software.  The idea of the Fedora Project is to create partnerships to form a community that makes a collaborative effort to advance such software.  Those who are part of the Fedora Project are not only software engineers, but the team is also composed of writers, artists, documenters, system administrators, translators, speakers, and web designers.  The main platform that has been developed by the Fedora Project is the Fedora operating system, which is the second most popular Linux-based operating system (the first being Ubuntu).  The Fedora Project is actively accepting members from around the world to help their cause.

Introducing the Fedora 12

Fedora 12, codename Constantine, is the latest and most feature-packed version of the Linux-based operating system produced by the Fedora Project.  Here is a list of some of the best features of Fedora 12:

*  Empathy instant messenger -  This instant messenger allows you to communicate with contacts on Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, Live (MSN), MySpace, AIM, and more.  Empathy has support for regular instant messenger chatting, as well as both audio and video chat.  The software also allows you to connect and share your desktop with others, giving a whole new level of functionality, communication, and connectivity.

*  Support for Bluetooth audio devices -  Fedora 12 has Bluetooth support that allows you to make use of Bluetooth audio devices and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as your MP3 player or smartphone.

*  NetworkManager -  This software makes networking easy, giving you support for Bluetooth phone tethering, mobile broadband, LAN, IPv6 networking, and more.

*  PackageKit -  PackageKit is a feature that helps you find, download, and install software provided by Fedora, GNOME, and KDE.  You can keep your system up-to-date and secure through this easy-to-use, intuitive software.

*  Improved tablet support -  Fedora 12 has a set of tools and features that allows you to get started using your tablet straight out of the box.
  There are a wide range of other updates made to Fedora 12, so if you want to see a full list of changes and updates, you may want to visit the Fedora Project website to get more information on this powerful, new, free, open-source operating system.

Ever since Sony first released the Playstation 3, they have advertised the powerful piece of hardware as more than just a gaming console.  While gaming is perhaps the primary use for the console, its many features and powerful hardware allow it to do so much more than just gaming.  It has now been three years since the Playstation 3 was released for retail availability, and now, the system is truly starting to shine for what it's worth.  An upcoming firmware release proves just how far the Playstation 3 has come as a full-fledged entertainment console.  Read on to learn about the upcoming 3.10 firmware for the Playstation 3.

Overview of current Playstation 3 functionality

Before we get into the details of firmware 3.10, let's go over what the Playstation 3 currently has to offer.  First, the console allows you to play Playstation 3-compatible games from a BluRay disc, DVD, or in the form of downloaded games from the Playstation Network Store.  Second, the Playstation 3 has a wide variety of multimedia tools that allow you to watch video and movie files, listen to music files, and view image files.  The console also has Wi-Fi and LAN hardware, which allow you to connect to the Internet or to other networks.  Furthermore, you can insert and access removable media, such as flash drives, external hard drives, DVD, CD, and BluRay discs.  Update your Playstation 3 to the latest firmware (3.01), so you can get expanded functionality with a wide range of features, including YouTube support.  The console also has Netflix support in the form of a software disc, which you can get for free if you are a Netflix subscriber.

What firmware 3.10 has to offer

Just last week, rumors surfaced about the release of 3.10 and what features the firmware will bring to the Playstation 3.  Leaked pictures originating from the European website of Sony Computer Entertainment gave some hints into what the new firmware will have to offer.  Perhaps the biggest rave that came with the leaked pictures was the hint that the Playstation 3's firmware 3.10 will give users access to one of the most popular social networking services in the world: Facebook.  Days after the leaked images hit the Internet, all suspicions were confirmed on the Official Playstation Blog, as one of the posts detailed some of the updates that will come with the PS3 via firmware 3.10.  Here's a list of the few updates that firmware 3.10 will bring to your console:

1.  Facebook integration that allows users to link their Playstation Network account, updating Facebook news with trophy information, PlayStation Store activity, and game event information.

2.  The XMB will have an improved Photo category with a thumbnail grid-view that allows you to view and navigate through your image collection more easily.

3.  The friends list for your PSN account will be modified, allowing you to choose the color for your PSN ID.

As mentioned on the Playstation Blog, you can expect a lot more Facebook functionality in the future, but at least it's good to see that Sony is actually dedicated to making it happen.