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Intel´s Tukwila chip contains more than 2 billion transistors - twice the number from two years ago. Intel has just announced the first microchip that contains more than two billion transistors - tiny switches that together perform the calculations in computers. The chip, known as Tukwila, marks a milestone in chip density technology. Intel explains that the quad-core chip is designed for high-end servers rather than personal computers. Many of the chip´s two billion transistors are used for on-board memory, helping the system process data faster. According to a news report by the BBC, the chip is based on...

My Windows xp crashed, again. It continually reboots even in safe mode.The blue screen of death flashes only for a split second so i cannot read the error code. Tried Recovery, it accepted the FIXBOOT command and rejected both \i386\NTLDR C: and \i386\NTDETECT.COM C: I`m certain a virus damaged the boot sector. What options do I have now so repair and save the xp?

If you've ever wished you could print photos directly from your cell phone, a new mobile photo printer from Polaroid is coming that can do just that. Perhaps even more intriguing is the technology the printer uses: it´s inkless. Designed by ZINK ("Zero-Ink") Imaging, the ZINK printer concept doesn´t require ink cartridges or even dye rolls. Instead, it incorporates dye crystals inside the specially patented ZINK paper, secured underneath a glossy protective layer. When heat from the printer is applied to the cyan, yellow, and magenta crystals in the paper, the appropriate crystals are "melted" to release color. While ZINK...

I need help. Out of the blue, my WindowsXP (SP2) system has gone crazy. It is frequently giving me a warning message in the System Tray that says: Windows - Delayed Write Failed Windows was unable to save all the data for the file D:/$BitMap. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere. That file is apparently hidden, but revealing hidden files doesn't show it. My WinXP volume is on C:/ and the D:/ drive volume is for data files. I've...

When I'm at a hotel that offers wireless access, I often must sign in and provide some sort of access code. It appears, furthermore, that this sign on process is required for ANY internet access at all, not just web access. For example, in the hotel example, if I just start my computer, and try to send or receive Outlook Express e-mail, it will fail. Then I realize that I must start my web browser and take care of signing on. After that, both web access and e-mail access is fine. How is this signon process handled? It looks like...

I have a desktop computer with a printer attached. I also have a second computer, a laptop, that can use the desktop printer, via my wireless connection. Both use XP. They have the same workgroup name. I just added a second laptop, a Sony Vaio, which runs Vista. I checked the system parameters, and this Vaio has the same workgroup name. However, when I try to add a printer, it doesn't see the remote desktop-attached printer. I just downloaded, for the desktop computer, the LLTD Responder, from Microsoft. How can I get the Vista computer to see the desktop printer?...

Saturday, January 19, 2008 International computer hackers threatening to hold cities ransom January 18, 2008 CIA says hackers pulled plug on overseas power grid Overseas attacks recently declassified, but some details obscure By Robert McMillan (IDG News Service) -- Criminals have been able to hack into computer systems via the Internet and cut power to several cities, a Central Intelligence Agency analyst said this week. Speaking at a conference of security professionals on Wednesday, CIA analyst Tom Donahue disclosed the recently declassified attacks while offering few specifics on what actually went wrong. Criminals have launched online attacks that disrupted power...

Have you ever wondered what it is that your kids are texting to each other? Here's a list of 50 that you need to know. Warning: mature language is being used. Click on the link for the list.

Boeing has been ordered to ensure passengers on its new 787 Dreamliner jet cannot hack into the flight system and take control of the plane. The ruling has come from America's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is concerned that the plane's computer system may be vulnerable. Boeing said it was in constant dialogue with the FAA to resolve the issue. The US giant will start to deliver the mid-sized planes from November. British Airways has ordered 24 Dreamliners. Rival UK carrier Virgin Atlantic has orders for 15.

An international team of mathematicians announced in May that they had factored a 307-digit number—a record for the largest factored number and a feat that suggests Internet security may be on its last legs. “Things are becoming less and less secure,” says Arjen Lenstra, a computer scientist at the École Polytechnique Fédérale (EPFL) in Switzerland, who organized the effort. Messages in cyberspace are encrypted with a random 1,024-bit number generated by multiplying two large primes together. But if hackers using factorization can break the number into its prime multipliers, they can intercept the message. Factorization currently takes too long to...

MicroSoft is making the Release Candidate for Windows Vista Operating System available to the public at the URL link above. I very recently purchased a new computer which came with Vista, there have been many "gliches" in using this new computer with Vista. I finished installing the Sevice Pack RC about 6 hours ago and I've found significant improvement in the performance and stability of the system. My personal tips: 1) The download is approximately 448MB in size so you you might want to consider your download speed when and if you choose to download this RC. 2) The install...

A computer instructor (left) teaches boys ages 11 to early teens how to use a computer during a computer literacy course at the community center in Assiriyah. Photo by 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. ASSIRIYAH — Thanks to recent improvements in security, local leaders with a little help from Soldiers in Troop D, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are bringing civic improvement projects to residents throughout this village of more than 2,600 people. The Troop D Soldiers leant a hand in one such project by donating computers for...

JOSH SHENKLE knew that he couldn’t hook up any old PC to the 106-inch Panasonic projection television in his home theater. Most computers come with buzzing fans, whirring disk drives and whining capacitors that compete with the sound system. “After a while, the noise gets to you during quiet scenes,” he said. “It overwhelms you and takes you away from the movie.” Computer users who want silent offices and living rooms are starting to ask for quiet computers. Manufacturers are taking notice. Some new computers like the Apple iMac or the Alienware Area-51 7500 are marketed for their silence. A...

Hey all!I have a real quick question that someone should answer in about 5 posts. My mom bought a Toshiba lap top. We have wireless cable internet. The lap top automatically connects to the wireless network but the internet will not come up!I do a diagnostic and the laptop shows my wireless network but there is evidently an issue with the IP address. As in the lap top doesn’t have the IP address. Do I have to restart the wireless network? Please help me! Thanks.PS-Not to start a war, but this kind of thing is why I'm switching to MAC...

This week, Uruguay became the first-ever real, non-pilot deployment site of OLPC XO laptops. And I was there to hand out the first one. A bit of backstory Early on, when talking to countries interested in OLPC laptops, we heard one serious concern repeatedly: theft. In places where the price of an XO is several times larger than the annual per capita income, the laptop is an obvious target. To mitigate the issue, the Bitfrost security platform features a three-prong theft deterrence system; without going into too much detail (more information is available), one key protection feature deters XO...

After seeing Mozilla recommended on FR over IE I decided to try it. My reason was dissatisfaction with IE7 in that I got many "Explorer has detected a problem and must close" messages. After installing Mozilla I noticed one thing that puzzles me. When visiting forums that have HTML tags in their menu bar on the posting page, I noticed that when using Mozilla this option is gone and the tags must be manually assigned as we do here on FR. Can any of you explain why this is happening and how to correct it, if it can be corrected.

Our church provides Christmas presents for foster children and families where the father is in prison. This year, my family and another family have signed up to get gifts for a family of five children. They need coats and clothes, which we are getting along with toys. However, the oldest child asked for a computer. I wanted to see if anyone out there on FR had an old one they would be willing to donate (if you are in Maryland outside DC, I can pick it up. Otherwise, I would be willing to pay shipping). If you are interested, please...

Hackers have newer methods to hack into your systems. They are smart enough to detect security loop holes in your PC and enter through open ports,unencrypted Wi-Fi connections,malicious websites or internet servers. It is better you check your PC periodically for invasions and protect your system to prevent pilfering and damage of data. Detecting security loopholes. Eliminating malicious programs. Tracking hackers .

My Tiger Direct computer wont start this am. It is a stand alone used for my children's homeschooling software. The screen says that the screen is working. The computer is pinging and the green normal light is on and the red light that flashes on during start up is staying on. I dont know what to do. any ideas? Should I hock it up to the web to fix it?

I have, at home, a wireless network. Computer C and computer V are part of this network, run Windows XP Home, SP2, and also are part of Windows workgroup S_NET. Computer V has a USB printer, to which computer C can print wirelessly. When I look at workgroup computers on computer C, I see computers C and V. I now want to add computer M to this workgroup. I run the workgroup setup wizard, give it the name of the workgroup S_NET, and the wizard finishes fine. However, afterwards, I cannot print wirelessly from computer M to computer V. Also,...