Performance

Firefox 3 gets several performance improvement gains. Among them, profile guided optimizations (PGO) provides an optimized Firefox build based on the way it internally works. So far it is only available for Windows. Linux should follow shortly and Mac OS X could also make it before final release.

A very noticeable gain can be seen in JavaScript: it is about three times faster than Firefox 2 implementation. JavaScript is twice as important for Firefox since it is not only used in a large number of web pages but it’s also what makes Firefox UI work.

Memory wise, a much needed memory cycle collector is now in place to take care of freeing memory no longer used by modules that requested it but failed to release it properly. This and other memory oriented tweaks, seem to have paid off so far: a set of tests I recently ran suggests a noticeable increase in memory management efficiency with more memory freed as tabs and windows are closed and no mysterious memory eat up when Firefox is idle as it has been reported several times in the past for Firefox 2.

Places

A much announced and expected feature is Places, the integrated history and bookmarks manager interface powered by SQLite, a small open source database engine that provides much more robust querying capabilities.

With Places you are able to search your history, tags and bookmarks with a fully fledged search interface. You can select where to search (History, Bookmarks Menu, Bookmarks Toolbar, All Bookmarks or the selected folder), what to search (visited date, web address or title), combine criteria and then save the search as a Smart Bookmark that updates as your personal web grows and changes.

The Library, Places manager, also adds backup and restore UI so it is easier to recover a damaged file or incorrectly deleted bookmark.

Tagging is a new Firefox feature tightly related with Places and some of the changes to the location bar: click on an empty star icon in the location bar to save the current page as a bookmark. Click it again and you can specify a folder to save the bookmark to, create a new one (new in Beta 5) and add tags you can later search on.

The Location Bar

The autocomplete list that appears when you start entering letters in the location bar is no longer restricted to web addresses but also looks into bookmark and history page titles and tags which make it more comprehensive.

More Review at Mozilla Links

Download : Firefox 3 Beta 5 Final beta

Zlob (Trojan.Zlob) Descriptions:

Zlob, also known as Zlob.Trojan or Trojan.Zlob, is a “Backdoor Trojan” that gives the invader or attacker a bridge to remotely control your computer. By remotely controlling your computer, it allows them to install all kind of malicious softwares to your computer. It can also delete and modify files, and put your privacy in danger.

Technically, a Trojan, or Trojan horse, is a piece of software codes or scripts that seems to perform one thing but does something else. It is not a computer virus by itself. However, it can open a door for wealth of computer viruses or spywares to be installed on targeted machines.

Zlob.Trojan is known to install fake anti-spyware program such as IE Defender, AntiVirGear, VirusProtect, SpyCrush and SpyLocked. Therefore, it’s very critical to remove Zlob from from your computer if it was infected. You can try our recommended SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility, which is very intuitive and highly efficient. Zlob or Zlob.Trojan can be removed automatically. However, if you are familiar with registry edit and dll files in Windows, we strongly recommend you to try Zlob manual removal instructions. It might take time and patience, but it is equally effective if you get it right.

As always, we will constantly update the instructions to combat against Zlob or Zlob.Trojan / Trojan.Zlob. Please feel free to post comments if you have any questions or suggestions regarding Zlob. This is a great community and I am sure that you would find the answers. Good luck!

Download SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility.

Manual Removal Instructions:

Stop Zlob Processes:
(Learn how to stop a process)
nvctrl.exe
msmsgs.exe

Unregister Zlob DLL Files:
(Learn how to do this)
oyopu.dll
yronl.dll
isadd.dll
pkgvyg.dll
qzviz.dll
Ygjun.dll
yuspej.dll
czxtyx.dll
bpvol.dll
splug.dll
dxovx.dll
lcsrsrv.dll
iesplg.dll (new)
iesbpl.dll (new)
vzfhprk.dll (new)
hymww.dll (new)

Remove Zlob Registry Values:
(Learn how to delete a registry value)
Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer\SharedTaskScheduler\{aed6f6a3-183c-488d-9f90-23db99f56e7f}
Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer\SharedTaskScheduler\{634be415-da12-496b-b89e-329b73c4807f}
Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer\SharedTaskScheduler\{8329660f-e248-4872-98cc-fb9c4fec7ba8}
SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\Windows \CURRENTVersion \POLICIES\EXPLORER\RUN\C:\Windows \System32\issrch.exe
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer\SharedTaskScheduler\{2016a466-91a2-43c6-97d8-2fd380f065ef}

Find and Delete these Zlob Files:
(Learn how to do this)
Trojan.Zlob.D
nvctrl.exe
msmsgs.exe
Trojan.Zlob
hp[X].tmp
msvol.tlb
ncompat.tlb
RSA
Protect
vnp7s.net
zxserv0.com
dumpserv.com
oyopu.dll
yronl.dll
isadd.dll
pmsnrr.exe
pmmnt.exe
isamntr.exe
avD.exe
codecaddon1169[1].exe
pkgvyg.dll
qzviz.dll
Ygjun.dll
yuspej.dll
czxtyx.dll
bpvol.dll
splug.dll
dxovx.dll
lcsrsrv.dll
iesplg.dll (new)
iesbpl.dll (new)
vzfhprk.dll (new)
hymww.dll (new)

Get the SpyHunter* Spyware Detection Utility.

When you have a vista pc with office 2007 in a domain you will encounter the following bug when you try to create a new user profile.

Outlook Crashed and needs to close
(The fault is in the wwlib.dll)

You can simply resolve this by opening word 2007 and acknowledge the first screen after you have done this Outlook 2007 will run happily.
I really have no idea why this is this is happening with normal users and even domain administrator (I did just a test for it I do not use it)

For all Windows XP operating system users, a third and final patch for the common computer operating system is pegged to be released late this April. This will be the last patch update for the operating system as most Windows users are being egged to use the Windows Vista OS which has likewise released it first Vista Service Pack recently.

The service pack, when final, should offer a number of enhancements over the current version of the OS. It includes all updates issued since Windows XP Service Pack 2 was released in 2004, and some new elements.

Among them: A feature called Network Access Protection that’s borrowed from the newer Windows Vista operating system. NAP automatically validates a computer’s health, ensuring that it’s free of bugs and viruses before allowing it access to a network.

Windows XP SP3 also includes improved “black hole” router detection — a feature that automatically detects routers that are silently discarding packets. In XP SP3, the feature is turned on by default, according to Microsoft.

Windows XP SP3 also steals a page from Vista’s product activation model, meaning that product keys for each copy of the operating system don’t need to be entered during setup. The feature should prove popular with corporate IT managers, who often need to oversee hundreds, or even thousands, of operating system installations.

Microsoft is in a bit of a Catch-22 with XP. The more it strengthens the OS, the less reason users have to upgrade to Vista, which by many accounts has failed to catch on with computer users in both the home and office since it debuted last year.

(Source) InformationWeek

We have been witness to a lot of patch updates mainly because the initial releases of these Windows operating systems are not that full proof. Intrusions and system errors which are normally discovered during the duration of their use by the end-users have been the focal point of developing these service packs to help safeguard the continuous patronage of authentic Windows users today.

With that said, expect a better Windows XP system on your computer setting but at the same time open up your doors for the potential shift towards the new Windows Vista series. Being the final patch update, further problems that may be incurred will no longer be attended to as this is the last installment of the usual service packs being released by Bill Gates and company.

Yesterday, our friends on the Windows Mobile Team have announced Windows Mobile 6.1 at CTIA Wireless 2008 in Las Vegas. Windows Mobile Program Manager Mel Sampat made the announcement on the Windows Mobile Team Blog which also includes information on devices and carriers that will get upgrades to Windows Mobile 6.1. Keep your eyes on their blog for more Windows Mobile 6.1 information in the near future. You can also watch Microsoft President of Entertainment and Devices Division Robbie Bach's CTIA Keynote from CTIA Wireless 2008 by clicking here!

I've had the pleasure of running around with Windows Mobile 6.1 on my Samsung BlackJack II for the last few weeks and would like to share some notable improvements and new features I've taken notice of with you.

The first thing I took notice of with Windows Mobile 6.1 was the new Home Screen. The Home Screen has been redesigned to accommodate easier navigation with "tiles". This is pretty much my most favorite feature and improvement in Windows Mobile 6.1.

Video: Demo: Windows Mobile 6.1 Home Screen

By default, I had tiles for my clock, communications (missed calls, emails, etc), Appointments, and Settings. I can scroll up or down on my BlackJack II to access different tiles and when I'm on a specific tile - I can then navigate left or right to access different parts of that tile.

As you see in the above screenshots - I can navigate to both my Hotmail and Outlook email in the same tile. I'm calling the tile my communications tile because it essentially handles all my communications like missed calls, voicemails, text messages and email - not an official name by any means. When this tile isn't selected, the UI is designed to display everything in a single line. That means at quick glance I can always see how many emails, voicemails and text messages I have.

The Settings tile allowed me to quickly change my ringtone or background as well as quickly access Wireless Manager. It also showcases the brand new Task Manager in Windows Mobile 6.1.

The new Task Manager allows me to quickly stop apps I have running on my phone to clear up some memory. The new Task Manager is slick but honestly - I've not used it much.

 However I can tell you about another feature I do use quite a bit: threaded SMS messaging.

This is awesome especially when sending text messages back and forth to the same person.

So what else is there? I've experienced improved performance and battery life after going to Windows Mobile 6.1. I could definitely feel a performance change after going from Windows Mobile 6 to 6.1 which is great.

Windows Mobile 6.1 also comes with improved Windows Live for Windows Mobile integration. Matter a fact, as you saw in the video above - there is a specific tile for Windows Live. This tile displays your Messenger display picture and personal status message. Your Hotmail isn't the only thing that gets synced - your Windows Live Contacts are synced to your phone as well. I rely on the close Windows Live integration extensively. I'm going to talk about Windows Live on Windows Mobile and syncing my Windows Live stuff to my Windows Mobile phone more in-depth in a later post.

Overall, I find Windows Mobile 6.1 an exciting release. It has certainly improved my mobile device experience. Windows Mobile 6.1 devices should work just fine with Windows Mobile Device Center. I use Windows Mobile Device Center quite a bit to get photos of my Windows Mobile phone into Windows Live Photo Gallery or to throw a song or two on to my phone. You can download Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 for Windows Vista here.

Another announcement that happened at CTIA Wireless 2008 is that a new version of Live Search for Windows Mobile is on its way. Phil Holden, a Director here at Microsoft that works on the marketing group responsible for the Live Services on Windows Mobile (such as Live Search), has a detailed blog post explaining the new things we can expect in the upcoming new release of Live Search for Windows Mobile. Some of the new features coming in the new release is the ability to map your contacts using Live Search Maps, access your Live Search Maps Collections, and Weather. I use the current version of Live Search Maps for Windows Mobile on my phone today and love it. It helps me quite a bit - especially in regards to traveling and tracking traffic with Live Search Maps.

If you want to share information, such as a group events schedule, with people in different organizations, you can use Outlook 2000 Net Folders to share information with anyone who also uses Outlook. First, create a group calendar. Then send everyone you want to be a subscriber (member) a copy of the group calendar Net Folder. Each person in the group can enter events, activities, and other information if you've granted them the appropriate permission level. Each time an appointment or event is added or changed, each member's shared calendar will be updated automatically. To share a calendar, you must place the calendar folder in a personal folders file (.pst) that's stored on your computer. You cannot share folders stored on a Microsoft Exchange server.

First, create the group calendar

1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.
2. In the Name box, enter a name for the folder.
3. In the Folder contains list, click Appointment items.
4. In the Select where to place the folder list, click a location for the folder.

Next, publish a Net Folder

1. In the Folder List, select the group calendar folder that you want to share.
2. On the File menu, point to Share, and then click This folder.
3. Click Next.
4. Click Add.
5. In the Type name or select from list box, enter the names of the people you want to share the folder.
   After you enter each name, click To. When you finish entering names, click OK.
6. Click a name in the Member List list, click Permissions, and then assign a level of permission to that person. You can select multiple names to give them all the same level of permission.
7. Click Next.
8. If you want, type some text to describe the folder to subscribers, and then click Finish.

An automatic invitation is sent to each of the potential subscribers. They must click the Accept button in the invitation in order to subscribe.