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If you are using SlingPlayer on Mac OS X, you might have noticed that it expires today. Get the latests SlingPlayer for Mac OS X from Sling Media Website.
SlingPlayer for Mac OS X Public Beta3
Sling Player for Windows v1.4 is also available and supported under Windows Vista.
After a five long years of development, Windows Vista finally ships to consumers. Many have been using various incarnations of Windows Vista, from early beta to Release Candidate to the RTM version. I had a chance to play with Windows Vista back in its “Longhorn” day. Windows Vista has gone through so much transformations since its first conception. Windows Vista was such a mess during its Beta days, but with Microsoft managed to make it into a “pretty mess”. Aero and Glass are the eye candy of Windows Vista, but users will be left wanting more. To be fair, Windows Vista is an improvement over Windows XP, especially in its security model.
Is Windows Vista Secure?
Theoretically, Windows Vista has a much improved security model compared to its predecessors. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to draw any conclusions until Windows Vista actually being used by “regular” consumers. Those who are technically proficient can protect themselves from most of exploits and vulnerabilities in Windows Vista. In a few months we all will find out if Windows Vista security model do work.
There are much to discuss about Windows Vista, and I’ll be writing a lot more about it.
Read an opinion about Windows Vista here:
http://vondiggity.wordpress.com/2007/01/29/windows-vista/
Windows Vista is set to launch tonight at midnight. Bill Gates is scheduled to appear on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” tonight. Windows enthusiasts are going to Windows Vista Ultimate Celebration. Windows Vista is finally released, more than five years after the release of Windows XP (10.25.2001).
In this part of an ongoing report, we are taking a look at multimedia experience on Windows Vista Business and Ultimate Editions. By comparisons Windows Vista Business to Ultimate is Windows XP Professional to Windows XP Professional with Media Center. Windows XP Professional with Media Center doesn’t really exist.
For reference:
Windows XP Media Center Edition is succeded by Windows Vista Home Premium.
Windows XP Home Edition is succeded by Windows Vista Home Basic.
Windows Vista Business lacks the Media Center functionality such as DVD playback. To add DVD playback, softwares like WinDVD and PowerDVD are needed. I installed Intervideo’s WinDVD 8 Platinum on machine running Windows Vista Business. WinDVD 8 requires DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime and some specific version of .Net Framework. WinDVD 8 Platinum works without any problems so far. After the installations of WinDVD 8 (or any other Vista compatible DVD playback software), Windows Media Player supports DVD playback also.
I have also installed iTunes 7.0.2 and QuickTime 7.1.3 on Windows Vista Business. I have not encountered any major problems with both softwares. In addition to that, Apple Software Update works just fine.
DivX 6.5 is not officially supported under Windows Vista yet, but it is working without any major hick-ups.
As of midnight Tuesday (01.30.2007) Windows Vista goes on sale to the public. It will be available in multiple versions. Windows Vista can be purchased as a stand alone new/upgrade in retail and OEM package, and preinstalled in many PC computer.
A few weeks ago I wrote about LogMeIn Client support on Mac OS X. It has been working for the past 3 weeks without any problems. During a chat on Leo Laporte’s Radio Show chat, someone mentioned that he was not able to use LogMeIn Client on Mac OS X using Mozilla Firefox 2. I mentioned that I had been accessing LogMeIn Client using Safari and it had been working fine. A few minutes later, he informed me that he’s still having the same problem using Safari. I then found out that I was having the same problem.
The problem:
The remote access screen turns black when connecting to the remote computer.
The solution:
Do not open the remote connection in new window.
I will post a much more comprehensive instructions with some screen captures. Please check back.
Apple releases “Security Update 2007-001” to address QuickTime 7.1.3 vulnerability.
http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n61798
The update is available for QuickTime 7.1.3 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X Server v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.8, Mac OS X Server v10.4.8, Windows XP/2000.
Security Update 2007-001 (Mac OS X 10.4.8 Universal) – 4.9MB
Security Update 2007-001 (Mac OS X 10.3.9) – 2.4MB
From Apple Support:
Security Update 2007-001 is recommended for all users and improves QuickTime security.
Description: A buffer overflow exists in QuickTime’s handling of RTSP URLs. By enticing a user to access a maliciously-crafted RTSP URL, an attacker can trigger the buffer overflow, which may lead to arbitrary code execution. A QTL file that triggers this issue has been published on the Month of Apple Bugs web site (MOAB-01-01-2007). This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of RTSP URLs.
The update can be obtained through Apple Software Updates (Mac OS X and Windows XP/2000) or Apple Support Downloads page.
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
Continue reading “Apple Releases “Security Update 2007-001””
Previously, I downloaded SlingPlayer for Mac OS X Public Beta2 1.0.1.144 on January 1st 2007 and had a few trouble using it. It required SlingBox firmware upgrade but whenever I launched Slingbox Setup Assistant it always said that it was expired. After a little bit of fiddling around, the SlingPlayer worked without upgrading Slingbox firmware. The Slingbox Setup Assistant still unusable because it’s still expired.
Today I downloaded SlingPlayer for Mac OS X Public Beta2 and the version turned out to be 1.0.1.145. I have yet tried upgrading the Slingbox firmware.
This time I ran the SlingPlayer Uninstaller before installing the latest SlingPlayer. I then launched Slingbox Setup Assistant and it didn’t come up with expiration message. So far, so good. The next thing I need to do next is to upgrade the Slingbox firmware from within the local network.
http://www.slingmedia.com/
http://us.slingmedia.com/object/KB-005161.html
SlingBox Pro @ Amazon
SlingBox AV @ Amazon
SlingBox Tuner @ Amazon
This is the second part of my ongoing experience with Windows Vista.
Windows Vista Business Key Management Service (KMS) Server
From Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/default.mspx)
Key Management Service
Your organization can host the Key Management Service (KMS) internally to automatically activate computers running Windows Vista. To use the KMS, you must have a minimum of 25 computers running Windows Vista that are connected together. Computers that have been activated through KMS will be required to reactivate by connecting to your organization’s network at least every six months.
Currently the KMS software runs on a local computer running Windows Vista or the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name “Longhorn” operating system. In the future, it will run on the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system.
For Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) customers using Windows Vista Business Edition:
Multiple Activation Key
The Multiple Activation Key (MAK) activates either individual computers or a group of computers by connecting directly to Microsoft servers over the Internet or by telephone. The keys can be used a limited number of times. This activation limit can be increased by calling your Microsoft Activation Center.
There are two ways to activate a computer using a MAK:
- Proxy Activation: With Proxy Activation, multiple computers are activated at the same time by using a single connection to Microsoft. Proxy Activation is the most similar to the Volume Activation 1.0 that customers have been using up to now.
- Independent Activation: Each computer connects to Microsoft servers and is activated individually.
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According to Microsoft article, each computer running Windows Vista Business Edition with Volume License needs to reactivate its license at least every six months. As of now, I have been having problems activating Windows Vista Business from remote location. One way to do so is to connect to the network through VPN. I need to use Cisco VPN Client, but unfortunately it is not fully compatible with Windows Vista yet. For the moment I was unable to activate the copy of Windows Vista Busines from remote location.
The KMS server keeps track on the amount of Windows Vista installations. Windows Vista reactivation wouldn’t be a problem at all for desktop computer inside the corporate network. Unfortunately, this might cause some inconvenient with portable computer. For example, a laptop running Windows Vista Business was (re)activated 5 months and 3 weeks ago. the laptop was taken on a business trip by an employee for two week period. What would happen when Windows Vista was up for another reactivation? In many cases VPN wouldn’t be available. We won’t know untill then.
Overall, Windows Vista activation scheme is slightly inconvenient. Microsoft has gone this far to impose stricter licensing scheme on enterprise customers. By all means, Microsoft still can make it even stricter (and worse) to control Windows Vista distributions.
I’ll wait for another 6 months or so to find out if such licensing scheme would cause any problems.
to be continued…