I have a thing for full-screen text editing. I use WriteMonkey for my creative writing needs, and VIM in a full-screen PuTTY session for my Web development work. That being the case, I’m all over the monospace, dark-background, focused editing scene.

OmmWriter attempts to take that aesthetic and make it somehow more spiritual, with three picturesque backgrounds and ambient background audio tracks (there are seven of each in the paid version).

I’m of two minds about this app. On the one hand, yes, it’s beautiful. But if you want music as a background to your writing, why not pick your own soundtrack with Winamp or Foobar2000 running in the background?

OmmWriter also offers three keyboard-clicking sounds, which are kind of nice. None of these features are groundbreaking, really. OmmWriter could be seen as a way to gently ease into the world of distraction-free writing — in case something like WriteMonkey’s dark background is just too oppressive for you.

After the fold you can see a video showcasing several of OmmWriter’s features and creative soundscapes.

Continue reading OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows

OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/ommwriter-brings-its-clean-calm-writing-interface-to-windows/

MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS MICROSOFT

Over the last few days, a mass SQL injection attack has been quickly gathering speed. Just three days ago only 28,000 URLs were affected, but at the time of writing, there could be up to 3.8 million infected URLs.

Websense has a complete write up the attack, dubbed ‘LizaMoon,’ but here’s the basic gist: it looks like someone is exploiting a vulnerabilty (or vulnerabilities) in hundreds of thousands of websites running on Microsoft SQL Server 2003 and 2005. It’s not yet known whether this is a vulnerability in SQL Server, or simply a case of outdated, unmaintained, and easily-exploitable CMSes.

The attack takes the form of an SQL injection, which then inserts a link to a JavaScript file hosted on the attacker’s server. This is repeated over and over until every Web page in the SQL database has been infected — and considering 3.8 million URLs have been infected, you can see that this is a very easy, and automated, attack.

Fortunately, the JavaScript isn’t particularly malicious: it pops up a rogue AV program called Windows Stability Center, but that’s it. Better yet, the rogue antivirus is already recognized by a bunch of real antivirus suites, including Avast, Panda and Microsoft Security Essentials.

The real problem with SQL injection attacks is that there’s nothing we surfers can do about them. There will always be old and unmaintained websites, and thus SQL injections will remain one of the easiest and most lucrative tools of hackers and spammers alike. All you can do is keep your antivirus and anti-malware software up to date, and pray.

Gargantuan SQL injection infects 3.8 million URLs, installs rogue antivirus originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/massive-sql-injection-infects-3-8-million-urls-installs-rogue-a/

TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS

Have a Sony NEX-5/5N?  Don’t you just wish it had an actual hotshoe instead of Sony’s proprietary accessory port?  NEX Pro Shop just released an unofficial hotshoe adapter to fit in your Sony NEX-5/5N.  The Shadow allows you to connect an off camera flash and have it triggered by the NEX-5/5N.  It’s priced at $79.99 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/04/30/unofficial-hotshoe-for-the-sony-nex-55n/

SALESFORCE COM SAIC ROCKWELL AUTOMATION

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

New Zealand-based designer Chris Thomson and filmmaker Ben Ryan found that motion-control time lapse gear too expensive, too complicated and too bulky. So they set about building the Genie, a box that moves your camera around under its own power. Designed to be cheap(er than the competition) and user-friendly, the device will let you choose from a variety of presets or build your own to turn and position the camera. It will also draw itself along a guide rope, either on a dolly track or cable-cam for stunning landscape photography. It’s reached $42,542 of its $150,000 goal and if successful, each unit will cost $1,000.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Genie turns any camera into a world-class time lapse rig

Insert Coin: Genie turns any camera into a world-class time lapse rig originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/01/insert-coin-genie/

NVIDIA ORACLE POWERCHIP SEMICONDUCTOR

We’ve actually already seen one completely home-built 8-bit computer but, while Jake Eisenmann wasn’t afraid to show off his creation, Kyle Hovey is actually inviting us along for the ride. The project started up last week when Hovey gathered his first batch of parts and a pair of books and started designing a simple 8-bit computer based on the SAP-1 architecture (SAP stands for Simple as Possible). The transistor-transistor logic (TTL) design is slowly coming together and every step of the process is being documented by Hovey on his blog so that others may follow along and learn from his experience (and, most likely, his mistakes as well). For more details on this rather impressive project, and to monitor its progress, check out the source.

Watch as a DIY 8-bit computer comes together, learn something in the process originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/watch-as-a-diy-8-bit-computer-comes-together/

LSI LINEAR TECHNOLOGY LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL

Select Microsoft Connect partners — major players like HP — have been given their first taste of Windows 8. According to various sources, the build string currently sits at 7971.0.110324-1900, which is the third milestone build of the successor to Windows 7.

So far, there haven’t been many details revealed about Windows 8. An actual System Restore — which is being referred to as History Vault — has been reported, and the feature will allow users and administrators to completely roll back a system to a previous state. A factory reset option is also said to be included.

We’ve also seen Windows Live integration taking shape on the desktop. It’s believed that you’ll be able to log in to Windows 8 using your Windows Live credentials, not just a traditional offline Windows username and password.

All that’s left now is for a leaked Windows 8 build to show up on a torrent site. Feel free to tip us if you see that happen.

Windows 8 now available to OEMs via Microsoft Connect originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/windows-8-now-available-to-oems-via-microsoft-connect/

SYBASE SUN MICROSYSTEMS STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS

The AeroPad Two dock station for iPad from Jarre Technologies is another beautiful audio device.  The AeroPad Two has a 30-pin connector for use with Apple’s iPhones, iPods, and iPads.  It has a 3.5mm audio jack to attach non-Apple devices and a USB input with WMA, AIFF, WAVE  and MP3 decoder.  It has four speakers [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/04/29/jarre-aeropad-two-dock-station-for-ipad/

INGRAM MICRO INFORMATICA INFOCUS