My son will love this...female Minecraft avatars now available!

This week, Minecraft on all Xbox and PlayStation consoles will receive an update. While some of the new features will vary between the two platforms, they will all share one new addition in common: a free set of female "skins" for the game's main character.

The "Alex" skin pack, which launched on the PC version in August and the mobile version in December, will broaden the default options for the game's avatar for all console players on Wednesday. Alex's default style is a mess of red hair tied up in a ponytail that has been drawn in such a way that it appears as pixels on her shoulder. Alex, just like the male "Steve" character before her, comes in eight versions in all, which means Alex also gets a "boxer," "cyclist," and even "Scottish" style. (There's one exception: "Tuxedo Steve" is balanced with "Pantsuit Alex.")

This news follows last week's Temple Run 2 update, which added the series' first free default female character. These changes come after a 12-year-old girl wrote a Washington Post story in March in which she concluded that most popular "endless runner" games on iOS and Android forced users to pay if they wanted to switch from a male character to a female one—and that over half of the games didn't offer female characters at all. As that author concluded, "these biases affect young girls like me. The lack of girl characters implies that girls are not equal to boys and they don’t deserve characters that look like them."

On Wednesday, PlayStation versions of Minecraft will also get the Simpsons skin pack that launched on Xbox in January, while the Xbox 360 version will be updated with more of the songs that newer-gen versions have already had for some time. (And if you care, there are more 360 achievements as well).

Lenovo's free OS recovery media eradicates Superfish for good

Lenovo in February admitted to preloading Superfish on some consumer notebooks, and now the company has taken steps so the dangerous adware doesn’t reappear when users reinstall Windows.

The China-based company is shipping free recovery media for affected customers that will contain an image of the Windows OS and preloaded software, but not Superfish. With the recovery media, users will be able reinstall Windows on laptops and not worry about Superfish showing up again.

Lenovo was hit with criticism and lawsuits after admitting it “messed up” by preloading Superfish on laptops. The adware plugs product recommendations into search results, but also could leave computers vulnerable to malicious attacks by hijacking SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) connections and opening major security holes.

A removal tool was provided to remove Superfish from affected laptops. The tool, however, did not remove Superfish from a backup image on PCs. Affected PCs have a recovery partition that stores a backup image of the OS and the preloaded software, including Superfish, with which the laptop shipped. So there is a danger of Superfish reappearing on laptops if a user reinstalls the OS from the recovery partition on the PC. It is difficult to make changes in the recovery partition.

Lenovo has confirmed it is shipping a clean version of the recovery media for free, though it wasn’t immediately known if would come in a DVD or USB drive. The company isn’t shipping the media in bulk to all affected users, so users will need to call customer service to check eligibility.

Laptops affected by Superfish include some consumer laptops that shipped between September 2014 and February 2015. A full list of laptops is available on Lenovo’s website, but include E series, Edge series , Flex series, G series, Miix series, S series, U series, Y series, Yoga series and Z series models

ThinkPad laptops are not affected by Superfish.

Lenovo has since implemented a stricter process for evaluating and loading bloatware on PCs. Like Hewlett-Packard and Dell, the company believes that some preloaded such as antivirus and productivity software are important for computer users.

HBO serious about VPN use, don't use it!

If you’re a paying HBO Now subscriber and have no idea what a VPN is, your account is safe. However, if you happen to love HBO’s new streaming deal but you are paying for it from outside the U.S. and connecting through a VPN service, then you might be in trouble.

Just like Netflix, HBO doesn’t like that you use VPNs to subscribe to its new streaming service, even if you’re a paying customer. But unlike Netflix, HBO is apparently interested in taking serious and immediate action against these customers from other countries who are pretending to be Americans by using VPN programs.

According to to TorrentFreak, the company has apparently started sending emails to accounts suspected of streaming with help of VPN or a proxy.

“It has come to our attention that you may have signed up for and viewed video content on the HBO NOW streaming service from outside of the authorized service area (the United States, including D.C. and certain US territories),” HBO says in its email (see the image below).

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the HBO NOW streaming service is only available to residents of the United States, for use within the United States. Any other access is prohibited by our Terms of Use,” the company added.

HBO also lists a number that users have to call to explain the situation in order not to have their account canceled without any further warning.

If you happen to be an American citizen travelling to other parts of the world and you’re looking to enjoy HBO Now with help of VPNs, you might still receive one of these emails.

One way of really trolling HBO would be watching HBO Now via a VPN service on an Android device, at least until your account inevitably gets shut down. Currently, the service is available only in the U.S., as an Apple TV exclusive.

An image showing HBO’s email warning follows below.

Core i5 or Core i7, which to buy?

For many consumers who are on the hunt for a new desktop or laptop PC, one of the biggest considerations is the type of processor. Two of the CPUs most often in contention are the Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7. Discounting Core i3 (mainly found in budget systems) and AMD processors (another story entirely), the difference between Intel Core i5 and Core i7 can seem daunting, especially when the prices seem so close together once they're in completed systems. We break down the differences for you.

Price and Marketing
Simply put, Core i5-equipped systems will be less expensive than Core i7-equipped PCs. Intel has moved away from the star ratings it used with previous-generation Core processors in favor of a capability-driven marketing message. Essentially, the Core i7 processors have more capabilities than Core i5 CPUs. They will be better for multitasking, multimedia tasks, high-end gaming, and scientific work. Core i7 processors are certainly aimed at people who complain that their current system is "too slow." Spot-checking a system like the Dell XPS 13 Touch ultrabook, you'll find the Core i5 to be about $200 less expensive than a similarly equipped Core i7 system.

Core Confusion
For the most part, you'll get faster CPU performance from Core i7 than Core i5. The majority of Core i7 desktop CPUs are quad-core processors, but so are the majority of Core i5 desktop CPUs. This is not always the case, as there are dual-core mobile Core i7 processors and many dual-core mobile Core i5 CPUs. You might also see the rare six- or eight-core Core i7, but that's usually found with the desktop-only, top-of-the-line Extreme Edition models.

The Core nomenclature has been used for several generations of CPUs. Nehalem and Westmere use three-digit model names (i.e., Intel Core i7-920), while Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, Haswell, and Broadwell CPUs use four-digit model names (such as the Intel Core i7-5500). Thankfully, unless you're shopping the used PC market, you'll find Ivy Bridge processors in closeout systems and budget PCs, while you'll find Haswell or Broadwell processors in most new PCs. Older-generation Nehalem, Westmere, and Sandy Bridge cores are found in older PCs and generally have lower performance. The essential takeaway is that to get better performance in each generation, buy a processor with a higher model number. For instance, an Intel Core i7-5500U generally has better performance than an Intel Core i5-5200U.

Give Me the Cache
In addition to generally faster base clock speeds, Core i7 processors have larger cache (on-board memory) to help the processor deal with repetitive tasks faster. If you're editing and calculating spreadsheets, your CPU shouldn't have to reload the framework where the numbers sit. This info will sit in the cache, so when you change a number, the calculations are almost instantaneous. Larger cache sizes help with multitasking as well, since background tasks will be ready for when you switch focus to another window. On currently available desktop processors, i5 CPUs have 3MB to 6MB of L3 cache, while i7 processors have 4MB to 8MB.

A Word on Turbo Boost
Turbo Boost is an overclocking feature that Intel built into its processors. Essentially, it allows the processor to run faster than its base clock speed when only one or two processor cores are needed (like when you're running a single-threaded task that you want done now). Both Core i5 and Core i7 processors use Turbo Boost, with Core i7 processors achieving higher clock speeds.

Hyper-Threading
Intel Hyper-Threading uses multithreading technology to make the operating system and applications think that a processor has more cores than it actually does. Hyper-Threading technology is used to increase performance on multithreaded tasks. The simplest multithreaded situation is a user running several programs simultaneously, but there are other activities that take advantage of Hyper-Threading, like multimedia operations (such as transcoding and rendering) and Web surfing (loading different elements, like Flash content and images, simultaneously).

The quick explanation is that all Core i7 CPUs use Hyper-Threading, so a six-core CPU can handle 12 streams, a four-core can handle eight streams, and a dual-core can handle four streams. Core i5 uses Hyper-Threading to make a dual-core CPU act like a four-core one, but if you have a Core i5 processor with four true cores, it won't have Hyper-Threading. For the time being, Core i5 tops out at handling four streams, using four real cores or two cores with Hyper-Threading.

Integrated Graphics
The Westmere generation of Core processors introduced Intel HD graphics, which are integrated graphics built into the CPU core itself. Previous Intel-integrated graphics were built onto the motherboard chipsets, rather than on the processor. You'll find DX10 Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000 in older Sandy Bridge processors, and new DX11-compatible Intel HD Graphics 2500/4000 in the third generation's Ivy Bridge processors. Newer Haswell fourth generation and Broadwell fifth generation processors have either updated Intel HD graphics (for example Intel HD Graphics 5000), or Intel Iris/Iris Pro options. Note that while high-end Intel processors will let you play 3D games at low quality settings, you will still need discrete GPUs from AMD or Nvidia to play 3D games at 1080p with ultra quality settings turned on.

The same numerical rules apply here, so Intel Iris Pro 5200 performs better than Intel HD Graphics 4600, which performs better than Intel HD Graphics 2500. You'll find Iris Pro and Intel HD 4600 on Core i7 CPUs, while Core i5 processors feature one of the myriad versions of Intel HD graphics, depending on the part number. Integrated graphics save power, since there's no extra graphics chip on your laptop or desktop's motherboard using power.

Long story short: Intel Core i5 is made for mainstream users who care about performance, and Intel Core i7 is made for enthusiasts and high-end users. If you follow this mantra, you're likely going to find the system you need.

Antivirus doesn’t work. So why are you still using it?

For years, companies have relied on antivirus (AV) software to help detect, prevent and remove malicious code before it becomes a problem.

But standalone AV is no longer effective at stopping today’s increasingly sophisticated barrage of key loggers, backdoors, rootkits, Trojan horses, worms and spyware.

“It is clear that traditional signature-based anti-malware solutions are increasingly ineffective,” says Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald. “In cases where an enterprise is subject to an advanced targeted attack, it may provide no protection at all. [And] in cases where the end user is targeted directly, runs with full administrative rights on their PC and is tricked into running some kind of Trojan, traditional anti-malware solutions are of little value.”

For the whole article, click here.

3 easy steps to save yourself from stupid passwords

Passwords are stupid.

Yet what’s stupid about passwords is not that they are inherently insecure, but they allow users—and in fact, encourage users—to do insecure things. When faced with the creation, and subsequent memorizing, of a new password, most users decide to use the same, stupid, easy-to-remember password they’ve used elsewhere. That’s just the kind of vulnerability hackers are looking for.

Don’t be that victim. You can turn all your stupid passwords into safer ones that are easier to manage, in three easy steps.

1. Acknowledge you have a password problem 

Everyone has stupid passwords. Take the findings of managed security firm Trustwave, which regularly tests the security of its clients to find vulnerabilities. During its security tests in 2014, the company collected 625,000 password hashes (the scrambled form in which passwords are stored), and its researchers tried to break them. Within two minutes, more than half—54 percent—fell to common password guessing techniques. In a month, the company had recovered 92 percent of the passwords.

The most common passwords? “Password1,” followed by “Hello123” and, yes, “password.”

“The inherent problem with passwords is that they give the users far too much ability to do something stupid, but good security controls should not allow users to do stupid things,” says Charles Henderson, vice president of Trustwave.

No wonder tech companies and online services are looking for alternatives. The recent announcement by Yahoo! that the company will allow devices to store and send passwords—thus, eliminating the need for the user to remember them—is one example. Adding a second factor, such as the fingerprint sensor on Apple’s TouchID or the facial recognition of Windows 10, is another.

Source: Trustwave 2014 Business Password Analysis

The most common patterns of passwords are 6 letters and a number or six numbers, according to Trustwave. Nearly 30 percent of passwords are one of those two combinations

Yet, these solutions have their own problems. Consumer-level biometrics are often easy to defeat, because companies trade security for convenience. Apple’s TouchID fell to hackers within months, and other fingerprint sensors have had similar problems.

“Everyone in the security community agrees that passwords stink, but we are not going to get rid of passwords anytime soon,” says Henderson.

2. Use a password manager to create new codes

Creating secure passwords means using long strings of characters, numbers and special characters. While passwords are stored as one-way “hashes,” attackers have learned a variety of tricks to crunch through millions of possibilities very quickly, making complex passwords a necessity.

But let’s be honest: You can’t create them all by yourself. A variety of password managers—from LastPass to Dashlane to 1Password to KeePass—allow users to generate complex passwords, manage them across devices, and autofill login forms. There are even mobile-app password managers readily available. 

3. DIfferent account, different password

The average user holds between 30 and 60 online accounts. With so many breaches of online services, there’s every reason to have a different password for each service. Otherwise, a breach at one site allows a attacker to try the same username and password on other sites.

Assigning a single password to each account, however, means the number of tricky passwords or passphrases that people have to remember has skyrocketed, according to password-management service Dashlane. “Now, we not only need several tens of passwords, but we also need to use them on various devices at different times,” says Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of Dashlane. “The complexity has blown up and become too much for human beings to manage.”

This is the other reason to use a password manager. Just remember to use them for good, not stupid. Avoid storing the same bad passwords in your password manager. Create the longest, most complex passwords possible, and a different one for every account.