New Plug-In for Anonymous Web Surfing
Last week Internet privacy company Anonymizer debuted a new plug-in that enables people to surf the Internet anonymously.
The plug-in, which is free, works with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. It adds a button to the browser window that keeps websites from tracing their visitors beyond Anonymizer's proxy servers. With the plug-in, users can hide their IP addresses from sites and prevent cookies from being placed on their machines.
An earlier version of the plug-in required users to type Web addresses in a box on Anonymizer.com. The free version of the company's new plug-in doesn't allow browsers to visit secure sites, like online bank accounts, but for $50 users can get a faster version that allows them to visit secure sites and filter advertisements.
Controller To Ease Multimedia Work
Contour Design Inc., a company specializing in ergonomic computer accessories, recently unleashed a new multimedia controller for Microsoft Windows 2000.
ShuttlePRO, as the new product is called, has 13 buttons, a jog wheel and a shuttle knob, all of which are programmable for any keyboard shortcut.
The shuttle knob is the outer ring of the controller; it enables the user to fast forward or rewind digital frames more quickly. The jog wheel is the internal part of the knob, and it provides frame-by-frame control. The device comes with software so users can customize audio, video and multimedia applications. The controller also works on Macintosh OS version 8.6 or later.
Russia Gets Nationwide Mobile Service
Finland's largest mobile service operator, Sonera, estimates that about 3 percent of the Russian population uses cell phones, a figure it expects to rise dramatically in the next five to seven years.
That expansion will likely be aided by the mobile company, which, along with two other companies, plans to launch the first nationwide cell phone service in Russia. The service is to cover 80 percent of the country's 146 million customers.
Sonera will be joined in the venture by Russian investment firm AO Telecominvest and Swedish wireless service provider Telia Mobile Ab. The business is expected to launch later this year.
New Wireless Chat System in the Works
Jambuck Corporation, a subsidiary of Q Multimedium, recently announced that it has signed a contract for a wireless chat service with Sprint PCS and Telstra Corp.
The contract is subject to a six-month testing period. Jambuck's specialty is hosted WAP, SMS and J2ME consumer services for mobile service operators. It also supplies wireless chat software and services to telecommunications companies worldwide.
Wireless Platform BREW to Debut in China
A deal has been reached by Qualcomm and Unicom Horizon Mobile Communications Co. that could have cell phone users in China using the BREW-enabled (binary runtime environment for wireless) platform early next year. BREW-enabled services include banking, weather, news, gaming, chat and
e-commerce applications.
Wang Ying Pei, chairman and general manager of Unicom Horizon, said the deal means subscribers will be presented with a broad new array of service and entertainment options from their cell phones.
The deal has the potential to draw millions of users to the platform. Qualcomm develops and provides CDMA (code division multiple access) digital wireless technology. Unicom Horizon is a subsidiary of China Unicom, the second largest wireless service provider in that country.
ATI Launches Next Generation of RADEON Processors
ATI Technologies Inc. this Tuesday released the next generation of its family of RADEON processors. The graphics chips are meant to give the user greater computing power when playing games, including better 3D quality.
The family of products includes the RADEON 8500, which features rendering technology that helps form natural-looking 3D images and takes advantage of the new Microsoft DirectX 8.1 application programming interface to enable more complex texture and lighting effects. The RADEON 7500 is touted as a combination of performance, 3D features and value for mainstream commercial and consumer computer users.
The RADEON 8500 will be available to consumers in late September and retails for US$399.