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Video Software Guide
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Internet Security 101

New Releases This Month
Adobe Visual Communicator
Adobe Coldfusion 8
Pinnacle Studio 11 Software
Scansoft Omnipage Pro 16

News in Brief

1. Federal judge ruled class action lawsuit against “Windows Vista Capable” campaign may proceed.
2. The next edition of Symantec Norton Security software - the 2008 edition - is expected to ship this month.
3. Adobe denies that PDF spam is a security risk, after a surge of it this month.
4. Symantec software announced it has no plans to make more large acquisitions, and future deals will be smaller.
5. Nuance Communications completes acquisition of mobile software developer Tegic Communications.

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The first update to Microsoft Windows Vista will arrive in the first quarter of 2008 in the form of Service Pack 1. The update is mostly a collection of existing fixes and tweaks for improving stability and reliability; it’s not a delivery with a lot of features. There will be a few minor enhancements, though, like the ability to encrypt multiple hard drive partitions using Vista’s BitLocker feature. Support for exFAT, a file format for removable storage and for EFI (extensible firmware interface) will also be added. The update is expected to be a hefty 1GB download and will require 7GB of free hard drive space to install, though much of that will be returned to the user after installation. There is controversy over whether the release will have a large effect on the plans of businesses to move to Vista. Analysts are doubtful, while Microsoft expects the release to prove that the OS is ready for mass adoption. In June Microsoft agreed to make changes to the desktop search feature in response to complaints from Google. It appears they will keep the promise with the SP1 release. In addition to SP1 for Windows Vista, the final service pack for Windows XP will be released.

In a quiet move, AOL has stopped offering its free Active Virus Shield software in favor of using the McAfee VirusScan Plus program. AOL used Kapersky for about a year before quietly dropping it this month. The new AOL Portal, called AOL Internet Security Central, now offers McAfee VirusScan Plus, parental control software, identity theft protection and pop-up blockers. To install the McAfee software you simply have to sign up for an AOL account. One cited reason for the drop is that Kapersky was controversial and overly demanding, requiring that AOL permit spam or adware to users at some point in the future.

Adobe has announced that its next edition of the Flash video player, Flash Player 9 (“Moviestar”), will soon support the video standard known as H.264. This is the same technology behind high-definition (HD) DVDs. Major movie studios and video-sharing sites have yet to announce any intention to run the high-definition, although most expect they will jump on board quickly. The Flash Player 9 will also include support for High Efficiency AAC audio standards. These new video and audio functions are already supported by many digital video authoring tools such as Premiere Pro and After Effects. Flash Player 9 will be available this fall via download.

Corel Corporation has announced a partnership with CVS/Pharmacy to enhance the pharmacy’s photo customers experience with advanced photo editing, printing and sharing technology. Corel has developed CVS Photo Editor Plus, a solution based on Corel Snapfire, stating that “Corel understands how people interact with their digital images”. The Photo Editor will encourage customers to be more creative with their photos. It will allow customers to easily organize, enhance and share photos, as well as make stunning photo creations. It will be available on the CVS Picture CD or as a free download to millions of CVS/Pharmacy photo customers. CVS/Pharmacy is the largest pharmacy in North America, with 6,200 locations.