Facebook launches video chat function in partnership with Skype

Last night, Facebook announced the introduction o video-chat in partnership with Skype. The video chatwill be introduced within the next few weeks, which will allow users to make free video calls to theirFacebook friends.

This is seen as an attempt by Facebook to retain its users, after Google announced the introduction of Google+, its own version of social network. Google+ offers Hangouts, a multi-user video chat.

Facebook, which was founded by Mark Zuckerberg andlaunched in February 2004, is operated and privately owned by Facebook Inc. As of July 2011, Facebook is said to have more than 750 million active users (source: Wikipedia.com)

Google Search provider missing from Microsoft UK IE Add-ons page? Here is the solution!

After a long time I finally decided to upgrade my four year old Toshiba laptop to Windows 7. Being a student, I obtained a licensed version of Windows 7 Professional through the MSDNAA program. The OS installed fine, and after a few hours I managed to update all the drivers. Unfortunately Toshiba does not provide updated Windows 7 drivers for my Tecra M7, so I had to source them using various methods.

I use Google Chrome as my default search engine, but unfortunately cannot dismiss Internet Explorer completely, as I still need it to access my devices that use directX, and sometimes when certain pages do not display correctly in Chrome. So I downloaded the latest version, Internet Explorer 9 from the Microsoft website and installed it. At first glance, it looks good, and they added the ability to search directly from the address bar. However, there is a problem with that. Microsoft's own Bing search engine is enabled by default and I like to search using Google. I have done many comparisons between the two, and for me, Google's search engine offered better search results every single time. So I tried to change it from Bing to Google. In order to do that, you have to start typing a search term in the address bar, and if you have 'suggested sites' enabled, you will see the Bing icon displayed at the bottom. By clicking the Add button, you will be able to add other search providers. Clicking Add will open a new IE page, taking you to the Internet Explorer gallery website, which displays a list of search providers. Most of them are useless for general search, but you can find good ones such as Yahoo, Ask and of course Bing. However, it seems Microsoft have removed Google from their UK add-ons website. Searching for Google only yields their Accelerator, but nothing under Search Providers. Is this a convenient omission from Microsoft? Your guess is as good as mine. Performing a search on the web, I found many people have had the same problem, but here is the solution, if you want to use Internet Explorer 9 with Google as the default search engine: go to the US version of IE addons website and you can find Google under search providers category. Install it and it will now appear in the search providers list in your Internet Explorer 9. Here is the link: http://www.iegallery.com/us/addons/default.aspx#/search .

Then you can delete Bing, like I have done, or leave it there as a secondary option.

Would you buy a replica Rolex watch online? Read this first.

We all get hundreds of spam emails every day. I usually delete mine without opening, as they can contain a lot of malicious things. Would I like a bigger breast? Sure! How about some blue pills that would help me have a bigger... appetite? Absolutely! I could do my entire shopping using just the spam emails I receive every day. However, this morning, unlike other mornings, there was only one spam email. How strange! Did they get tired of spamming me?

The title said ‘Buy a genuine replica Rolex’!!! Can there be such a thing? A ‘genuine’ replica? The site name sounded reassuring ‘cheapnicewatchs dot com’, however, a quick search on Google and I soon found out that it was pointing towards a Russian site. Wow, you cannot go wrong with a Russian Rolex! I decided to see how ‘safe’ it is. Enter Hotspot Shield, to cover my real IP address. And I’m in. Professional looking website, lots of watches, handbags, jewellery. You can get your fake Louis Vouitton handbag for $100, all the latest replica Rolex watches at unbelievable prices. This is fashion paradise! Or is it? Let’s have a look!

I looked at their FAQ section. They reassure you that their replica watches are 99.9 % like the genuine ones, only at a fraction of the price. Gold plated, they will not rust, last you a lifetime, waterproof, crushproof, idiot-proof . Wow, not even Rolex can sustain such a claim.

How safe is it to order from them? Well, they say it is ‘safer than ordering in real life’.

How safe is ordering from your site?

Our site uses the most updated and encrypted software. We can guarantee you that ordering from our site is safer than ordering in real life. All of your personal information is secured using 124 bit encryption programs.

124-bit encryption programs? Wow, this must be cutting edge technology, which nobody seems to have heard of so far. I only know about 128-bit encryption, but hey, I’m way out of date with the latest advances in encryption, and my University IT Security professor must be an idiot.  This new encryption program must have been invented by the scammer himself.  Let’s put it to the test.

I decided to treat myself to a nice looking Rolex sports model, which on their site costs $179. The website lists the shipping fee $29 to the US and $39 to other International destinations. They are giving me the option to pay another $29 for a 1 year warranty. Well, let’s do it, you never know what can go wrong in a year. Grand total is $208.95. Go to check-out before I spend more money on some more ‘genuine’ replicas. Name, address, credit card details. Let’s test their ‘124-bit encryption’. No HTTPS? You gotta be kidding, HTTP is much better to use with 124-bit encryption... Well, what do I know? Let’s test my brand new fake name, address and credit card. If the website does any credit card check, it will definitely reject the order. Enter 16 random digits. Press the magic key ‘Enter’. Order is received! That was easy, the 124-bit encryption worked wonders, all without using any HTTPS, can you believe it? And they didn't even bill me for shipping! I scammed them! Or have I?

Now back to being serious... This is an example of one of the thousands of websites that are out there for one purpose only: to STEAL your credit card details! They look genuine, professional webpage design (probably cloned some real website). Thousands of people fall prey to these scams every day. Don’t let it be you! Do not buy anything from an email received as spam! Or you will live to regret it.