Trend Micro announced the release of PC-cillin Internet Security, which will provide anti-virus and other protections for Windows Vista, the next generation of the Windows client operating system, as it becomes available for Windows Vista

A Windows Vista beta version of Trend Micro PC-cillin will be available for download at Microsoft’s “Security at Home” Web site, which provides a variety of security information to help customers prepare for Windows Vista.

Apple today announced the launch of its free computer take-back program, offering US customers environmentally friendly recycling of their old computer when they buy a new Mac. Beginning today, the Apple Store and Apple retail stores will give US customers the option of recycling their unwanted PCs, regardless of the manufacturer.

AMD has formally launched its answer to Intel’s Viiv media PC platform, touting not only a branded hardware specification but also a raft of content providers who will support the initiative with music and movie programming.

Source: TheRegister

Google has launched its first mashup–a map-based Web site with information about earth-friendly locations in five of the U.S.’s top travel destinations.

The site, at maps.google.com/green, features information on and video tours of spots in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and Orlando, Fla., as well as tips for “traveling green” during the summer using Google Maps.

Source: News.com

Walt Disney Co. and movie download store CinemaNow Inc. have joined forces to allow consumers to buy such films as “Glory Road,” “Flightplan” and “Chicken Little.”

The deal, which took effect Tuesday, will include films on the same day that they come out on DVD, such as “Eight Below” (June 20) and “Annapolis” (June 27). Prices will be about comparable to DVDs — about $20 for new releases and half that for other movies.

Usage rules remain restrictive for the movie downloads, which are encrypted and in Windows Media format. Although the files can be burned to a DVD, that disc will not be recognized by a DVD player.

Source: Reuters

Microsoft will release a fully supported version of its Windows Live OneCare software today, marking the software giant’s entry into the security software market.

OneCare will be available for download as of May 31 on Microsoft’s Web site, a day earlier than expected. By Thursday, the software is expected to be widely available in U.S. retail stores, said Microsoft’s Samantha McManus, a business strategy manager with Windows Live OneCare.

Source: PCWorld

Google recently launched new Australian operation. While Google has had a presence Down Under since late 2002, Google has only recently moved into their new water front building.

To coincide with the grand opening of the office, the Google team recently released street maps for Australia and New Zealand.

Japanese-language game and entertainment magazine, Famitsu conducted a survey and discovered that 88 percent of readers said the PS3 will be too expensive. Even worse for Sony, the survey reported that 69 percent are most anticipating the Wii this holiday season.

Source: News.com

Eyeing boosts in application performance, Sun Microsystems is researching how to improve handling of objects in multiprocessors with a project dubbed Maxwell.

Maxwell is intended to enable microprocessors to handle objects such as Java objects. The goal is to develop an object-aware memory architecture, with the benefit of making programs run faster.

Source: InfoWorld

Fake emails that claim to offer security advice from Microsoft are cloaking the presence of a password-stealing Trojan horse, security experts have warned.

The bogus emails claim to come from ‘patch@microsoft.com’ with the warning that a hole has been found in the Microsoft WinLogon service that could ‘allow a hacker to gain access to an unpatched computer’.

Source: webuser.co.uk

Poultry experts are turning to sophisticated computer imaging to help them prepare for the expected arrival of the deadly bird flu virus in the United States later this year.

Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is being used to pinpoint the location of commercial poultry flocks, feed mills and processing plants, said Sherrill Davison, professor of avian medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The information will be used to help create buffer zones around an infected flock and contain the H5N1 strain when it makes its U.S. appearance.

Since the beginning of the year, experts have also been using Google Earth, which combines satellite imagery, maps and the company’s search engine to span the globe. It gives extra details including the location of buildings, schools and roads near large chicken and turkey farms and production facilities.

Source: Reuters

Japanese police said they had arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of fraud after he allegedly used the Internet to steal personal details in Japan’s first case of phishing involving a minor.

The boy allegedly threatened people, mainly young girls, so they would send him naked photos of themselves after he had already obtained their identification details and other personal information, local media said.

Source: AFP