Phishing is the process to acquire someone’s sensitive information like passwords and credit card details. It is a fraudulent and punishable criminal act.

From the last two or three months I am receiving phishing mails in my hotmail account. The mails are apparently from senders who are in my contact list or somehow I know them and the text is something like that:

Greetings!

Howdy? Had a damn boring day today :s
Whats up at your place?
Anyway, I can bet you’re going to smile after reading this…

It’s Easy, Secure and Free!

Try it Now, Click Here

Thanks

I clicked on the link to find out where the heck it leads to. So it led me to that phishing page asking the users to check who have blocked them on messenger. Clever because people are always curious to know as to who have blocked them! About five, six years ago there used to be such websites who had those applications where you would enter your email ID and it would tell if any of your contacts were online. With time the MSN transformed to Windows Live Messenger and with the introduction of new and improved privacy it became impossible to know using those block checkers which of your contacts were online and had you blocked.

One should be careful regarding personal details online. That’s why Yahoo urges the users to make a special sign in seal for the Yahoo Mail page so that one could identify his/her page for the particular computer.

This shows that the cyber miscreants and the programmers are always trying to get the better of each other.

Confession time: I had been once the victim of a phishing website

Just a couple of months back the whole world was buzzing in anticipation with two words: Google Wave. It naturally shot up my curiosity to the highest level. There was one hurdle, however, either the Google Wave team or some user would have to send me the invite. This made Google Wave even more coveted.

I clearly remember it was 2004 when I wanted to make an account on Gmail but the invite feature kept me from making one. I didn’t know anyone who would have invited me to Gmail. I don’t remember who finally sent me the invite a year or so later. But I made an account and immensely liked Gmail for its simplicity. I like using Google products and applications such as: Gmail, Google Talk, Blogger and Google search engine etc. while I have been an addicted user of Orkut at one time.

When I couldn’t resist anymore, I resorted to virtual (online) request. A couple of users responded and sent me the invite. Bingo! There I was using the much talked about Google Wave after a few days of invite. Like every new and innovative application it whirled my mind. I couldn’t make up my mind whether to watch some detailed tutorial or read an article in order to understand the use of it. And believe me, I’m still figuring how can Google Wave be put to a better and constructive use.

Google Wave has been described as a personal communication and collaboration tool. The interface of Google Wave is quite similar to any email application. But unlike email with the entire thread of messages the message documents on GW knows as waves could be easily sorted out. The interesting yet quite spooky feature is that if two or more people are chatting in real time, you can see the other person type and erase the message, while you can edit each other’s messages too. This makes it clear that GW would be best for the business collaborations.

A user can have a wave with friends in:inbox or go to public wave using the with:public. All one needs is to put the with:public in search with or without a keyword.

It can be used for sending messages (emails), chatting in real time, co-authoring and editing the documents, sharing photos and videos and communicating with customers etc.

The introduction of third party applications would make Google Wave more useful. It’s quite possible that GW would replace Facebook and email in future as social networking, email and IM besides real-time collaboration could be done at the single platform.

This application is in its initial or preview stage. So naturally it’s quite buggy at the moment. But all in all Google Wave holds less charm for a person like me who still prefers an IM instead of real time chat with no prospect of collaboration. It feels good to have an access to the talk of the town application but for now my interest ends here. Huh! Traditionalist I am!

iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation

It was last year when I was offered an iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation. I refused because I didn’t want it at that time. Then months elapsed and Apple introduced the new iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation. This time I am not offered it so I am going to ask it myself. iPod Shuffle is part of my wishlist for this year and the demand has been formally forwarded but it would take a few months before I’d be able to own this beauty.

So why iPod shuffle instead of iPod Nano? The answer is simple I want Shuffle for strictly audio purposes. Its audio quality is great. Besides, it is small, light and sleek.

iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation

iPod Shuffle 3G is available in 2GB (500 songs) and 4GB (1000 songs). The design has been totally different from the 2G. In the previous generation all the buttons were on the surface. While in this one except for the on and off button which is located on the top corner the rest of the controls are on the headphone wire. The plus and minus buttons are for turning up or down the volume. If the button is hit once it plays the song, hit again for pause, hit twice and the next song is played. If you hold the button down for a second it tells which song you are listening to.

Many people, who have been using iPod 3G says that the buttons on the earphone wire is convenient because one doesn’t need to dig hands in pocket again and again for turning off or changing the song.

For those who don’t like bud style earphones and prefer the bigger ones, the third party headphone adapters are available.

iPod Shuffle 3G was initially available in black and silver colors but later on it was introduced in three more colors. So all in all this new iPod Shuffle 3G is smaller, thinner but a little longer than the 2G. I hope it would be a nice experience with my first ever Apple product.

In the Box

• iPod shuffle
• Earphones with Remote
• iPod shuffle USB Cable (1.8 inches/45 mm)
• Quick Start guide

For other technical specifications please visit Apple

The world is moving ahead; the technology is advancing fast and several new gadgets are introduced every year. Where on the one hand, I like new gadgets immensely, on the other hand, I have started developing taste for the vintage – classic items.

There are times when I wish to dig my finger in the rotary dial to make a call. Though that is a sheer dream because it is an obsolete technology now. I remember our first telephone was rotary – of white in color. When we changed it with a new model; I got the old one and used to play with it like a toy phone. So what happened to it? As much as I recall, I opened the screws and took out all that was inside it and then of course I couldn’t put it back together. I wish I had kept it. It could have been a collectible item.

Other than the rotary phone what interest me is the classic (portable) typewriter. Modern day typewriter looks more like the fusion of a computer and printer with loads of features. I like the one in the photo – with only black and blue ribbon. I have never used a typewriter and I know it would be disastrous given the amount of typos I make but still its design, font and the clanking sounds charms me.

Such typewriters are up for sale on eBay. Let’s see if I could (ever) get hold of one!

PS: The photos are taken from Flickr

I am traditional. I like and prefer real books. I like the feel of real page, print and the usually colorful cover of the book.

I can read an article or small tidbits online but reading a whole book in the PDF format online or reading it on the e-reader is something I am not very used to. The idea of compact computer, notebook, palm PC sounds good because you can not take the desktop to bed and work on it while lying in an easy position. But book is something that could be taken everywhere. I, however, see only one benefit of the e-reader that it can store up to hundreds of books while it can play the audio book  as well. So it could be really handy for those who travel a lot.

While traveling I’d prefer an audio book. I have never listened to the whole audio book but once I tested it and listened to a chapter. It was a great experience. And guess what hearing a tale in an audio format lulled me to sleep too.

What is your choice? E-book or the real book?

Apple has recently released a new and improved iPhone. The BBC’s Rory Cellan Jones compares Apple’s iPhone with Nokia’s smart phone N97.

I was a little surprised to know that iPhone had just 2 MP camera while it had no video recording feature. The new iPhone has 3 MP camera and video recording has been introduced as well as the feature of MMS. The speed in new iPhone is better. iPhone has compass, mini piano and video editing.

For information about full specifications visit Apple store.

Apple Store

Nokia N97 on the other hand, has Carl Zeiss optics, 5 MP camera, 3.5″ touch display, maps, improved web browsing and the key pad.

Smart Phones Compared

PS: I wonder does Apple iPhone available in Pakistan? Because I have never seen anyone using it. Nokia N97 computer phone has already hit the local market.

I have tested Bing. To me it almost looks like Google. The difference is that Bing offers wonderful backgrounds that change daily. Although I like trying new pages and layouts but personally the uncluttered and simple look of Google appeals to me.

This means I have no plans of making Bing my default search engine

That’s how the search results look like

There is so much gloom all around that has taken away my ability to write anything meaningful. I can’t concentrate, I can’t think of something pleasing to write. And above all I can’t run away either. The most I can do is to keep the ‘box’ a.k.a television off so that I don’t see the terrified faces that speak numerous tales of miseries without uttering a single word.

So a few days back I watched an ad of the new Samsung cell phone and as if I was waiting for something like that. I mean I have vowed not to change my cell phone for at least next 3 years, while 2 years have left yet (I had bought my present cell phone exactly a year ago). Times are bad, we are in recession and I don’t want to spend thousands on phone anyway. But I am sharing photos of some of the phones I like. If someone own any of those, feel free to drop a one or two line review.

Nokia 6300

Last year I wanted to buy that but then I bought the other one because its camera was a few degrees better.

Nokia N85

I haven’t checked the specifications of this phone in detail but I like its design. It is very stylish

Samsung Ultra Touch

I like that phone too. I am sure 8 MP camera must be something. Amazingly, I’ve never had a slide phone ever

Not that I have recently discovered this tweety website but yes, lately for some reason I have started liking it. Although, I don’t understand one thing that why do I respond to that question, ‘what are you doing?’ I don’t update it for days and weeks in a row but still it’s fun reading others and rarely contributing my own what I am doing update.

The website is basically very simple and can bore you to death if you don’t have many friends to follow. Like if you have close friends and family members then it could be interesting reading their thoughts or getting updates about their activities.

I have a few suggestions for the improvement of this website.

1. They should introduce emoticons.
2. Should increase a number of words from 140 to at least 200.
3. Should introduce more colorful themes.

I am smiling as I am typing these lines because really the concept of this website looks so silly to me but the owners have made fortunes. It is one of the world’s successful websites. Even Obama used it during his election campaign to keep people updated.

It offers the privacy option so if you don’t want to be read by the whole wide world then you can change the settings and only the people you approve can read the updates.

I should stop here because I have nothing better to write… writer’s block is fierce… I must say!

Windows Live Messenger Beta (Old)

I remember it was January 2007 when I had installed Windows Live Messenger Beta version. It was totally different in terms of look and features than what was called MSN messenger.

Windows has released the new version of messenger called Version 2009/14.0: It is once again completely different from the previous one. When it comes to customizable interface no one can beat Windows. Here are some of the interesting new features that messenger offers:

There is a whole new set of display photos to choose from.

Besides color schemes, a new feature called “scene” has been introduced. You can select from 23 available scenes or upload any photo of your choice from your computer that would be displayed on top of messenger (Something like skin).

Version 2009

You can further customize the layout of the messenger and add or remove groups, favorites, “What’s new list”, that shows display photo updates of your contacts etc.

The chat window has also been changed. You can hide the participants display photos that are now displayed on the left side, if you want. You can drag up and down the message tray (where message is typed).

And of course the regular features such as file sharing, voice and video chat are also there.

If you ask me, I liked it immensely