WordPress hit by massive botnet: Worse to come, experts warn

The performance and security firm CloudFare warned in a blog post today that the unknown attacker is using a "relatively weak botnet of home PCs in order to build a much larger botnet of beefy servers in preparation for a future attack," suggesting a calm before a heavier storm. The botnet is attempting to "brute force" attack WordPress websites using the username "admin", with thousands of different passwords. The botnet of machines — often individual machines infected with malware and subscribed to target servers and websites with vast amounts of data — is being used to hack web-based WordPress installations. This botnet channels some bandwidth from individual computers infected with malware, which in mass and collectively can cause the overloading of servers. Typically, this kind of attack is either used by willing participants to cause a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against websites to force them offline, or by "slave" computers that can be used to carry out hacking attempts. It comes only a week after WordPress enhanced user security by rolling out an optional two-factor authentication system. WordPress founder Matt Mullenwag criticized those who were offering "solutions" to the problem, such as CloudFare, and instead suggested changing default usernames as an additional step to protect their WordPress accounts. "If you still use 'admin' as a username on your blog, change it, use a strong password, if you're on WordPress.com turn on two-factor authentication, and of course make sure you’re up-to-date on the latest version of WordPress," he said. "Do this and you’ll be ahead of 99 percent of sites out there and probably never have a problem." WordPress remains a large target for hackers, which has around 64 million individual blogs and websites, with more than 370 million readers each month. Alexa ranks the blogging network as the 21 most visited site in the world.

For all your computer and website needs www.nicholspchelp.com

Google Translate app for Android gets offline support

Google today added offline language support to the Google Translate app for Android. Available for devices running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and up, the new feature allows for translation in 50 languages, even where a data connection is not present. To enable the offline capabilities on your device, simply download and install your desired language packs. While Google is quick to admit that the offline results pale in comparison to the online version, it should still help when you find yourself hiking in the Andes mountains. Those interested in kicking the tires on the new app experience are encouraged to head to Google Play, where you can download it for free. Samsung, for its part, recently introduced a similar translation app experience for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4. Dubbed S Translator, it can be embedded into e-mail, messaging, and ChatOn, or function as a standalone tool. Remember For all your technology needs www.nicholspchelp.com

Google Maps for iOS gets first big update

Google today pushed out its first update to its mapping software on Apple's iOS, adding a few new features. Chief among them is integration with a user's Google contact list, a feature that will pull up any addresses you have stored with Google, and not just on your phone. The update (iTunes) also adds a new option in the search menu that will quickly look for nearby points of interest, including restaurants, gas stations, movie theaters, and coffee shops. You could search for these things before, but the new menu means you don't actually have to type out the search. Google released a standalone maps app for iOS in December, three months after Apple replaced Google's technology with its own inside the Maps app that ships on iOS devices. The main attraction, besides Google's more mature set of mapping data, was spoken turn-by-turn directions, something that Android users had enjoyed for years but wasn't offered out of the box for iOS users until iOS 6. Other features in the update are the option to toggle between kilometers or miles, regardless of what country you're in, and the app's release in Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Google's iOS app is still missing a few things found on the Android version. That list includes mapping layers, the offline mode that lets you save mapping tiles to your phone for use if you're away from a data connection (though it will temporarily save them once loaded), biking directions, and indoor maps. Google has not spelled out if those features will be carried over. Remember for all your Computer Repair Needs. 928-399-9101 www.nicholspchelp.com

Custom Contractors Insurance

Happy to report www.custom-contractors-insurance.com is now at a 19% conversion rate. thats 5% higher then the national average. (conversions are how many people visit the site and buy the product.) Its amazing what a professionally designed website can do for your business! Remember for all your Web and Computer needs! 928-399-9101 www.nicholspchelp.com

Samsung owes Apple $1Billion

Samsung owes Apple more than $1 billion in damages for violating Apple hardware and software patents, a California jury ruled on Friday. The jury found that Samsung infringed upon Apple patents having to do with physical design and user interfaces, often willfully, and that several of the South Korean company’s products diluted Apple’s trade dress, especially as it related to various iPhone models.

The jury did not find that Samsung proved by clear and convincing evidence that Apple’s asserted utility and design patents were invalid, as Samsung had claimed, and found that many Samsung products violated those patents.

Though Apple was awarded less than the $2.5 billion it originally sought, this was clearly a resounding win for the company. And it could have far-reaching consequences to the smartphone and tablet industry, ranging from product injunctions, like we just saw happen in South Korea Friday morning, to the need for mobile device makers to overhaul the designs and UIs of their products.

For the ’381 patent, which covers the “bounce-back” feature in document scrolling, all applicable Samsung products were found to be infringing for Samsung Electronics Ltd, Samsung Electronics America, and Samsung Telecommunications America, with the exception of the Galaxy Tab under Samsung Telecommunications America. This is a total of 21 smartphones and tablets including the Samsung Nexus S 4G, Galaxy s II (AT&T and i9100), Galaxy Tab, and Galaxy Tab 10.1.

One bit of good news for Samsung: The jurors found that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet did not infringe on any physical iPad design patents, as Apple had claimed.

After delivering its rulings, the jury was excused for approximately 15 minutes while Judge Lucy Koh and lawyers for Apple and Samsung examined the conclusions for any inconsistencies.

The jury reached a verdict after only three days of deliberations, which came as a surprise, given the complexity of the case, which has touched upon everything from device design to the way data is transmitted over a 3G network. Many observers expected the largely non-technically inclined jury to take at least a week to sort through the morass of evidence, arguments, and other information presented over the course of the trial.

Samsung and Apple have been embroiled in a multi-pronged intellectual property battle in courtrooms across the globe for over a year. Apple claimed that Samsung had infringed on patents covering the design of the iPhone and iPad, as well as utility patents over a few iOS user interface features. Samsung said Apple was in violation of its essential 3G transmission patent holdings.

In all counts but the claims about iPad design, the jury ruled overwhelmingly in Apple’s favor.

For all your Computer and Webdesign needs www.nicholspchelp.com

Particularly useful for restaurants as people on the move may be looking for somewhere to eat. London Restaurant, Da Paolo's have launched a mobile version of their website.

The site detects whether a mobile device is being used and automatically diverts the visitor to the appropriate mobile website design. This now being developed so that the individual property details are also mobile friendly. The additional advantage of this is that the website is effectively increasing its SEO equity in terms of content as each version has its own unique URL.

http://www.studio5usa.com/website-design/mobile-website-design.htm

For all your technology needs www.nicholspchelp.com

Explosive Combination

When Timon Pratt arrived in Sedona equipped with just his PC which he had lovingly carried through hand luggage to start a web design business things did not quite go to plan. UK computers use 240 volts and despite his care with transformers and adapters the minute he flicked the switch there was an

unnerving fizzing sound and that acrid electrical burning smell. It was this incident that actually led him to a new beginning here in Sedona when he called Nichols PC Help to get him out of the fix.

Timon & Ryan met and while discussing the options for the recovery of his system the conversation lead to each other’s’ skills and expertise. It wasn’t long before they decided to team up and work together on providing a total technology solution for clients in Arizona.

Ryan Nichols has lived in Sedona for over 20 years. After graduating from Full Sail University in 2009 at the top of his class, with a Bachelors of Science for Digital Arts & Design found there were no jobs for a fresh graduate in the mist of the financial issues burdening our country. Nichols started
freelancing locally doing whatever kind of work he could find; web design, video editing, software installation tutoring and computer repair and maintenance.

Situated in West Sedona their offices provide a hub for the website design and technology studio. Timon heads up Studio 5 USA LLC and has spent more than 15 years in website design from its very infancy in the mid 1990’s and the UK client base remains on board as Studio 5 broadens its horizons to
the USA.

“Ironically two of the first jobs we looked at here in the USA were in NYC, but we’ve actually built a site already for a Sedona based artist and there are a couple more about to go live.” says Timon, whose UK client base covers the entire country. “By teaming up with Ryan we’re offering a one stop
shop for technical issues, from professionally designed websites, custom content management and e-commerce systems to social media management, WordPress site setup and tutoring as well as computer performance enhancements and hardware installation and repair.

Their first joint project was for a local artist and the website was up and running in just over 10 days, a totally bespoke website with a tailored content management system to allow the client to manage and update the website pages with new work and news of events and workshops he organizes. The
intention is to add in an e-commerce facility at some point in the future. The project also involved working with a local Graphic Designer, Tonita Abeyta, who will likely be involved with other projects in the future.

“It’s refreshing to be working with a real professional web designer” says Ryan “who builds custom websites tailored to the client’s needs with an understanding of their business aims. “

Remember for all your Website and Computer needs www.nicholspchelp.com