Apple Secedes from Environmental Certification Group

Software and hardware developer Apple has officially pulled its products from the certification process of EPEAT.

While Apple has long marketed its electronics as "environmentally friendly," citing it's numerous awards from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, the company can no longer make such claims.

Robert Frisbee, EPEAT CEO, said "They were important supporters and we are disappointed that they don't want to see their products measured by this standard anymore."

Though large companies and the US Government see fit to order a vast majority of their electronics from the EPEAT-certified list, Apple's direction with its devices has made it unfit to remain on this list. One of the main reasons is that EPEAT requires that electronics be easy to disassemble, aiding in the recycling process. Apple's efforts to make their electronics sealed and "safe" from user tampering flies right in the face of this specific requirement.

EPEAT calls itself the "leading global environmental rating system, connecting purchasers to environmentally preferable choices and benefiting producers who demonstrate environmental responsibility and innovation." Though it is unsure what the loss of such a powerful corporate standing will mean for Apple's sales and standing as a company, Apple executives seem confident that they will do better without the EPEAT's involvement than with it.

Obviously they must, or they would not have made such a decision to leave the EPEAT environment club. As for what this particular decision may have on their sales and marketing, only time will provide the answer.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57468103-37/apple-bows-out-of-program-for-environment-minded-products/

Fujitsu Offers Classes to Those Interested in Computer Building

August 9 will be the kick-off of Fujitsu's Hands-On Custom PC Assembly Service, a program dedicated to teaching average people how to assemble their very own computer.

Building on their previous experience running PC assembly workshops since 2004, Japanese electronic company Fujitsu has decided to provide a hands-on course that makes building a computer easy to understand. With many different options to choose from, the company's program will teach customers the ins and outs of building a PC from scratch, while also allowing them a fair amount of freedom in customizing their first creation.

The program provides a simple assembly kit, broken up into 15 sections of different components. These sections make it easier to identify the electronic components, aiding the instruction and assembly processes of the course.

While the Hands-On Custom PC Assembly Service is currently only available in Japan, the success of such a program would inspire companies all over the world into similar endeavors. This would certainly be an interesting turn for a tech industry largely invested in providing consumers with a finished, simple, intuitive product. Arming everyday citizens with the know-how to competitively price and create their own machine may just spark a surge in parts manufacturing, while also potentially slowing the market for pre-built computers.

Fujitsu's program offers the chance for people of any amount of technical knowledge to participate. They have tailored their system to allow new-comers an easy way to learn, yet also to provide tech-gurus a chance to sharpen their skills and perhaps learn something new. In a world that is becoming more and more computer-based, the ability to understand and build such machines on a deeper level would seem a great asset to anyone. Here's to hoping the course is a success.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/07/06/fuji-wants-to-teach-you-to-build-a-pc/

Internet Blackout Scheduled for Thousands of Users

The Internet, a perpetual source of connection and information, will be going dark for nearly 304,000 users on Monday, according to the FBI.

In November of 2011, the FBI caught and arrested six Estonian hackers on charges for designing and distributing a powerful computer virus, called DNSChanger. This virus would redirect customer's web searches, giving bogus search results with bogus advertisements. The sites that web users were sent to were dangerous in and of themselves, automatically downloading even more viruses and spyware onto their computers.

The true danger of this malicious virus, however, is the ability that it had to block virus scan programs from updating. Virus scan programs are used to clean your system of these kinds of dangers, but DNSChanger would stop your program from updating its virus database, meaning that no matter how many times you scanned your computer, it wouldn't ever realize there was a problem.

This capability was the most perplexing to users, as their software reported no problems, but it was also part of what made it so hard for computer gurus to fix. A virus this good at hiding its tracks requires extensive know-how in order to clean up, and many users still have the virus.

The FBI commissioned servers to be temporarily created, allowing users with the DNSChanger virus to retain their access to the internet. Users were contacted as quickly as possible, warned of the virus, and given instruction and directions to remove it as quickly as possible. Due to the large number of infected computers, the FBI have had to leave the servers up past their intended shutdown time.

On Monday, however, the servers will be shutdown regardless of the 304,000 people who still haven't cleaned up the virus. Access to the world's most pervasive and powerful resource of information, gone in the blink of an eye. Getting the virus cleaned up without internet access could prove to be a very tricky process.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/06/technology/dnschanger/index.htm

Microsoft Sweetens the Deal on Windows 8

Microsoft Windows has always been pricey, but it looks like the software giant is making a move to relieve some of that pressure.

In a somewhat surprising move, Microsoft made a statement yesterday that lowered the price of Windows 8 to around $40, given that customers meet the requirements for the low price.

From Microsoft's Windows Blog, "Starting at general availability, if your PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99..." This seems to follow directly in the footsteps of Apple's recent decisions to lower their OS upgrading prices as well, with the new Mountain Lion OS upgrade honing in on around $20 for current users.

Windows 8 is quite a change in direction for Microsoft's flagship OS, which has always catered to standard desktops ever since the days of MSDOS. The theme of the operating system is called "Metro," and it focuses mainly on touch screens and mobile devices. Even the desktop versions feature a much more mobile feeling, and that has caused a lot of controversy among PC users, especially in the gaming community.

"I like Windows the way it is, the classic desktop feel is what I'm used to. Who knows what will happen if I were to upgrade my PC, what kind of compatibility problems might come up?" said one gamer who insisted that he would wait to upgrade, if ever. "It seems to me like jumping into a pool of water without checking to see how deep it is."

Microsoft, however, has gone a step further in assuring sales for its new product. Customers who purchase a Windows 7 PC between now and January 31, 2013, will be able to upgrade for merely $15. This certainly seems like it is designed to carry Windows through the holidays, which is presumably when Windows 8 will become available to the public.

Windows 8 has a lot riding on its shoulders. The fate of Microsoft's definitive product could be hanging on this single piece of programming. If it holds up, Microsoft stands to catapult itself into even greater riches. If it crashes, then there is no telling what might happen to the software company.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/07/02/upgrade-to-windows-8-pro-for-39-99.aspx