HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
As we celebrate Memorial Day in the
U.S., we would like to thank those who
have surved or who are serving in the
Military.
We're off today, but will be back tomorrow
covering all the Apple news and rumors
you can handle!
Month: May 2014
Hackers hit eBay – Change your password NOW
CNNMoney.comCriminals now have possession of eBay (EBAY, Fortune 500) customer names, account passwords, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers and birth dates.
The company said the passwords were encrypted, but there's no telling when or if the hackers can decrypt them. As a precaution, eBay is resetting everyone's passwords.
The company isn't saying how many of its 148 million active accounts were affected -- or even how many customers had information stored in that database. But an eBay spokeswoman said the hack impacted "a large number of accounts."
EBay's subsidiary, PayPal, said it was untouched by the data breach. PayPal data, which is sensitive because it includes payment information, is kept on a separate network.
To hack into the eBay database, the cyber attackers managed to get their hands on "a small number" of eBay employee log-in credentials, the company said. They then used that to worm their way into eBay's corporate network. The hackers grabbed the customer database between late February and early March.
It wasn't until two weeks ago that eBay discovered employee credentials had been stolen, the company said. The company then conducted a forensic investigation of its computers and found the extent of the theft.
The company said it hasn't spotted any increase in fraudulent activity on eBay yet.
This is only the latest major data breach compromising people's digital lives. In April, AOL(AOL) announced hackers stole "a significant number" of its 120 million users' email addresses, passwords, contact lists and more. 
Official Press Release for Microsoft's Surface Pro 3
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Photo Credit: Microsoft[/caption]
NEW YORK — May 20, 2014 — On Tuesday, Microsoft Corp. introduced Surface Pro 3 — the lightweight tablet that packs the power and performance you expect from a laptop.
Surface Pro 3 is a tablet and a laptop: multiple processor, RAM and storage options intersect with a sleek design that, with a simple snap or click, transform the device from a perfectly balanced tablet to a full-functioning laptop and back again — all in a beautiful package that is 30 percent thinner than an 11-inch MacBook Air. Its stunning 12-inch display and new, continuous kickstand provide the screen real estate and multiple viewing angles people need for work and play. And the new Surface Pen — completely redesigned with form and function in mind — delivers a precise, luxurious drawing and note-taking experience with a single click of the pen.
“So many people carry both a laptop and a tablet but really want just one device that serves all purposes,” said Panos Panay, corporate vice president, Microsoft Surface. “Surface Pro 3 is thetablet that can replace your laptop — packing all the performance of a fully powered laptop into a thin, light and beautifully designed device. You’ll love being able to carry a single device for your next class, workday or weekend getaway knowing you have all the power you need.”
Surface Pro 3 and Surface accessories
Surface Pro 3 features a 12-inch full HD display, 4th-generation Intel® Core™ processor options, amazing click-in keyboards, and a multiposition kickstand that goes from movie mode to working mode and all the way to writing mode. Because it runs Windows 8.1 Pro, people can run the desktop software they rely on, including Microsoft Office , multitask with side-by-side windows, and use it at work. Surface Pro 3 delivers the best writing and drawing experience with Surface Pen included and an amazing new capability where with just a click of the pen, Surface launches a fresh page in OneNote, so you can capture your thoughts immediately — as quickly as a pen and piece of paper. And it delivers big-screen entertainment anywhere with the larger, full HD screen, the kickstand, great speakers with Dolby® Audio enhanced sound, and up to nine hours of Web-browsing battery life.
New Surface accessories like the improved Surface Pro Type Cover will take Surface Pro 3 from tablet to laptop in a snap. The new premium Surface Pen with pressure sensitivity enables a more natural writing experience, while a full-size USB 3.0 port, microSD card reader and Mini DisplayPort allow for quick file transfers and easy connections to a range of peripherals.
Coupled with additional optional accessories, including a new Docking Station for Surface Pro 3and a Surface Ethernet Adapter, Surface Pro 3 has all the features and capabilities of a complete laptop. The new Surface accessories can be found here.
Surface Pro 3 for business
With the introduction of Surface Pro 3, our commitment to business has never been stronger. Since introducing commercial availability less than a year ago, Surface has expanded into 31 commercial markets, celebrating new customers along the way. Surface Pro 3’s versatile features allow commercial customers to deploy a laptop replacement that delivers the power, manageability and security they need to conduct business with confidence. Companies such as BMW Group, The Coca-Cola Company and LVMH - Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton have already committed to purchasing and deploying the device as one of the choices inside their organizations.
“Surface Pro 3 is a truly innovative device that will replace both a tablet and a powerful laptop,” said Mario Müeller, vice president IT infrastructure, BMW Group.
Microsoft is proud that these esteemed brands are adopting Surface Pro 3 to harness the promise of mobility to transform their customer experiences.
Pre-order and availability
Starting at an estimated retail price of just $799, Surface Pro 3 will be offered in multiple configurations featuring 4th-generation Intel® Core™ i3, i5 and i7 processors. Specs are availablehere.
Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro Type Cover and Surface Pen will be available for pre-order starting May 21 at 12:01 a.m. EDT through Microsoftstore.com, Microsoft retail stores and select third-party retailers. Commercial customers should speak to their authorized reseller.
Beginning June 20 in Canada and the United States, customers can visit Microsoftstore.com, Microsoft retail stores, select third-party retailers and commercial resellers to purchase Intel® Core™ i5 Surface Pro 3 and select accessories. Additional configurations will become available during August, and additional accessories will be available in the next few months.
By the end of August, Surface Pro 3 and select new accessories will become available for purchase in 26 additional markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
More information on Surface can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/surface.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Some information relates to a pre-release product, which may be substantially modified before it is commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
For broadcast download:
Visit Surface Newsroom at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/presskits/surface for b-roll clips.
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed athttp://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.
Microsoft announces Surface Pro 3
Source: MacNN.com / Microsoft
At a special event today, Microsoft announced an update to its Surface Pro line.
The device measures just 9.1mm (0.35 inch) thick, and while it has a larger display compared to previous versions, it weighs a relatively light 800 grams (1.76 pounds).
Increasing the size of the display from 10.6-inches in the Surface Pro 2 to 12 inches with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2160x1440. Inside is an Intel Core i7 processor, and while it still uses a fan, Microsoft has updated the body to minimize the "ridge" from the earlier Pro models. Microsoft is also machining magnesium for the device after optically measuring each part, with the new body claimed to be stronger and more resilient to drops than before.
Read more here:
