Windows 8 Upgrades the Blue Screen of Death

If you are or ever were a Windows user, you’re likely familiar with the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD). The bug check screen, with its lines of error codes, has been part of Windows since version 1.0. It has represented the crashing of computers — and the frustration of users — for decades.

The BSoD was never intended to be user friendly, though. It was made for engineers who wanted to figure out why a PC crashed. For the rest of the world, it signifies the downside of owning a Windows device.

The iconic Stop Error screen is getting a facelift with Windows 8. The redesigned OS also includes speed and stability improvements, a Metro interface optimized for touchscreens and an app store.

The new BSoD doesn’t include all of the bug checks or lines of code that have defined the error screen for years. Instead, the Windows 8 BSoD includes a giant sad emoticon and a simple message that “your PC ran into a problem” and that it has to restart.

We’re fans of the new error screen — it’s much clearer and more user-friendly — though we hope there’ll be fewer chances to see it. But we want to hear your thoughts. Do you like the new Blue Screen of Death? Let us know in the comments.


Source: Mashable

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Cybercriminals trick Windows users into paying £88 in "ransomware" scam

Scam tries to scare users by with claims they're running counterfeit copies of Windows

Cybercriminals are trying to trick Windows users into paying £88 ($143) by claiming that they're running a counterfeit copy of the operating system, a security expert said today.

The scam, a kind dubbed "ransomware" for the way criminals try to extort money, poses as a message from Microsoft that alleges Windows is pirated. In reality, the user is infected with malware acquired after following instructions received in malicious email messages or through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.

"This is not the first time cybercriminals have tried to pose as Microsoft in order to gain enough credibility so users are fooled and will pay money, said Luis Corrons, the technical director of Panda Security's lab. "But this time they are getting a bit greedy."

Previous ransomware attempts that leverage Microsoft's brand have demanded only $15 to $20 (a maximum of £12.50), said Corrons. In April, for example, Finnish antivirus vendor F-Secure reported a similar Windows activation scam that racked up charges by keeping users on hold to a high-priced long-distance number.

The malware and subsequent scam is being primarily pitched to German-language speakers, said Corrons.

Another prevalent scam affecting Windows users in Europe and Southeast Asia is the ongoing Microsoft support scam where users are cold-called by a company claiming to be Microsoft, who convince the user to have a security check on their computer, then remote-access the PC, show the user fake security alerts (malware they have just installed) and then offer to sell them anti-virus software.

The "black" screen of death
To enhance the believability of the scheme, the malware displays Microsoft's logo and the notorious black screen that Microsoft forces on counterfeit copies of Windows when its validation software recognizes a counterfeit.

According to Corrons, the on-screen instructions claim that unless the victim pays the ransom, all data on the machine will be lost. Local prosecutors will be notified unless payment is made within 48 hours, the scam adds.

"They have played two cards here," said Corrons, "saying they are Microsoft and that [prosecutors] are aware of the situation."

Both claims are fake, Corrons added. "After two days, nothing happens. You can still use your computer [and] no files are deleted," he said.

Payments must be made through one of two payment services relatively unknown in the US, but more widely used in Europe: Ukash and Paysafecard.

Panda has obtained the activation code that the scammers eventually send to paying customers. Like legitimate Windows activation codes, it's a 25-character alpha-numeric string: QRT5T-5FJQE-53BGX-T9HHJ-W53YT

"For all of you [who] wouldn't like to pay anything to these bastards, this is the code you can use to deactivate it," said Corrons.


Source: Tech World

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Skype to Buy GroupMe Group Messaging Service

Mail Group heated just struggle with the announcement Sunday that Skype has signed a definitive agreement to acquire GroupM, a group messaging service that will boost Skype's ability to facilitate text and picture messaging.

With this acquisition, Skype said in a press release that gives GroupM "features best-in-class text-based communication and innovative products that allow users to connect, share locations, pictures and make plans for their closer ties".

Since the hyper-competitive against the backdrop of this thriving group of field posts, it's no surprise that the CEO of Skype, Tony Bates, told the Wall Street Journal thinks it is important that the area of ​​mobile messaging a group of his company. And 'demonstrated by a series of deals for that space, while last year, as the purchase of a slide Google corporate group messaging in August last year, the introduction of features about the Facebook group, when has acquired a group of Beluga messaging application in March this year, and Apple in June 5 statement IMessage IOS, which is also able to group messaging.

While Skype is agreed in May to sell itself to Microsoft for $ 8.5 billion, this is not over yet. CEO of Skype did not specify the terms of the agreement between Skype and GroupM, which is expected to close on Monday.

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IE Users Have Lower IQ Than Users of Other Web Browsers [STUDY]

A recent study links intelligence test results with browser usage — and the results don’t look good for users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, especially its older versions.

The study, titled “Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Browser Usage” by Canadian company AptiQuant, compiled IQ test scores of 101,326 individuals older than the age of 16 and divided them into groups according to the browser they use.

The results are fascinating. Users of Internet Explorer 6 have an average IQ score barely more than 80; Firefox and Chrome users fare much better, with average IQ scores of around 110, while Opera and Camino users have an average IQ score more than 120.

It’s also interesting to note that average IQ scores of IE6 users were significantly higher in 2006, and that the IQ scores get better with newer versions of IE.

Internet Explorer 6 has long been a thorn in the side of developers who hated it for its non-compliance with web standards, while users struggled with its many security flaws. This new study will probably induce more mockery of the ancient (but still sometimes found on older computers) browser and its users, but it’s probably not telling us that much about the browser itself — it’s about unwillingness to upgrade to a new version of any software.

The study concludes that “individuals on the lower side of the IQ scale tend to resist a change/upgrade of their browsers.” It’s only logical that users with a higher IQ are more likely to experiment, choose a different software version or variant (notice that users of IE with Chrome frame score very high on IQ tests) or listen to upgrade suggestions and security advice.

In March, Microsoft started a campaign to get users to stop using Internet Explorer 6. But did it take into account the fact that many IE6 users tend to have lower than average IQ scores? Maybe that’s the key to finally getting rid of the world’s most hated web browser.

“Individuals on the lower side of the IQ scale tend to resist a change/upgrade of their browsers. … Now that we have a statistical pattern on the continuous usage of incompatible browsers, better steps can be taken to eradicate this nuisance,” the study concludes.

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