Mozilla Firefox 3.6 Final Download

The final development milestone of Firefox 3.6 has been released to web and is currently available for download for users of Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Earlier this week, Mozilla was considering either January 21st, or January 25th, for the general availability of Firefox 3.6, formerly codenamed Namoroka. The January 21 deadline was decided just a couple of days ago, and today, Mozilla is moving forward with the release of the latest iteration of its open source browser. At this point in time, Firefox 3.6 is in the first stages of the official launch, but make no mistake about it, the final bits for version 3.6 are indeed available for download.

Yesterday, when I was telling you that Firefox 3.6 Final is scheduled to drop on January 21st, 2010, I also promised that Softpedia would do its best to get the bits to you before the official release. Currently Mozilla’s webpage for version 3.6 still notes: “Firefox 3.6 is coming soon!” and adds “We still have a few things left to do before it's ready. Here's a short video to show you what's new. If you can't wait, download a release candidate for a sneak peek!” Of course, the official deadline when downloads are scheduled to go live is Thursday, January 21st at 9:30am Pacific Standard Time.

However, Mozilla has already published the final development milestone of Firefox 3.6 to its FTP servers, and as a result users can already download the release. Firefox 3.6 is designed as a minor update to Firefox 3.5 which was released in the first half of 2009. Version 3.6 was initially planned for availability in November 2009, a deadline which Mozilla missed due to a variety of blockers (severe bugs) which needed to be resolved prior to GA. But now, Firefox 3.6 Final is here.
Mozilla has enumerated a range of improvements marking the evolution from Firefox 3.5 to Firefox 3.6:

“- Made some changes to how we allow third party software to integrate with Firefox in order to prevent crashes.
- The ability to run scripts asynchronously to speed up page load times.
- Users can now change their browser's appearance with a single click, with built in support for Personas.
- Firefox 3.6 will alert users about out of date plugins to keep them safe.
- Open, native video can now be displayed full screen, and supports poster frames.
- Support for the WOFF font format.
- Improved JavaScript performance, overall browser responsiveness and startup time.
- Support for new CSS, DOM and HTML5 web technologies.”

UPDATE: Mozilla has cut access to Firefox 3.6 via FTP, most probably due to the overload on their servers. At the time of this refresh, v3.6 is still only offered officially for download, albeit the release is not just hours away. However, using the links below you will have no problems in downloading Firefox 3.6 Final.

Firefox 3.6 Final for Windows is available for download here. Firefox 3.6 Final for Mac OS X is available for download here. Firefox 3.6 Final for Linux is available for download here.

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com

Kaspersky Says Google Spreads Malware, but Trojan.JS.Redirector.ar Is a False Positive

Kaspersky products incorrectly blocked access to legitimate websites reporting that ads from Google AdSense were infected with a Trojan horse labeled Trojan.JS.Redirector.ar. Russian-based antivirus maker Kaspersky managed to shoot itself in the foot and deliver a blow to its credibility and legitimacy as a maker of security solution. Again. But while shooting itself in the foot, Kaspersky also hurt its own users and damaged legitimate Internet-based businesses, by falsely alerting customers of its most recent and “top of the line” AV product that Google is spreading malware through AdSense. Again!

Despite the erroneous alerts from Kaspersky Internet Security 2010, Google AdSense is not infecting users with malware, and Trojan.JS.Redirector.ar is a false positive. In fact, customers, including Softpedia users, should disregard alerts from Kaspersky altogether when their very common sense is telling them otherwise. And it’s not just customers running Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 that were affected, but also users of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010, Kaspersky Internet Security 2009, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 for Windows Workstations MP4. Users need to know that Softpedia has taken extensive measure to ensure that its users are protected, and only serves advertising from legitimate sources, such as Google, that have a proven track record of also protecting customers.

They should definitely ignore reports associated with Trojan.JS.Redirector.ar infections in Google AdSense. “On the 25th of January, 2010, some Google web pages can be blocked by your Kaspersky Lab product because of virus detection. In this case the following message appears on the screen: Access denied. The following error was encountered: The requested object is INFECTED with the following viruses: Trojan.JS.Redirector.ar,” Kaspersky Lab stated.

But there are additional false positive alerts to be ignored. “In such cases Kaspersky Lab products may display the message that the requested object is infected with one of the following viruses:
- Backdoor.Win32.Hupigon.jrpd,
- Trojan.Win32.Generic,
- Trojan.Win32.Swisyn.nik,
- Win32.KillFiles.b,
- Win32.StartPage.c,
- Win32.StartPage.d,
- Win32.StartPage.e,
- Win32.StartPage.f,
- Win32.StartPage.g.
- Win32.StartPage.h,
- Win32.Trojan-Downloader.Generic.ac,
- Win32.Trojan-Downloader.Generic.ad,
- Win32.Trojan-Downloader.Generic.ai.
Such detections of the viruses mentioned above on some Google web pages are false alarms,” Kaspersky added.

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com

WM7 Details: 6.x Compatibility, a 2010 Launch

Microsoft and its yet unannounced / unreleased Windows Mobile 7 operating system are making the rounds once again. The company is expected to unveil the OS flavor officially at the Mobile World Congress next month, and the entire industry has its eyes turned towards the event, mainly to see if the platform brings Microsoft back in the mobile game. We've already seen that there might be two versions of the OS released to the market, and that the handsets to sport them will pack a great deal of raw power, and now there are more details available on the matter.

First of all, we should mention that the latest report from gizmodo says that Windows Mobile 7 is set to make an appearance on the market during the ongoing year, and that the earlier rumors on it being pushed back to 2011 are false. One way or the other, the company will bring the OS to MWC next month, it seems, though there are small chances that it will also unveil an exact release date for the first mobile phones to sport WM7. Late 2010 is the best estimation that can be made for the time being.

At the same time, the news site also says that Windows Mobile 7 will sport compatibility with applications developed for previous flavors of the OS. However, things are not yet clear in this area for the time being. The support will be there, and even if it might not be native support in the end, it should come in the form of an emulator at least (the same as Microsoft did with Windows 7 and that XP mode). It would make better sense for existing apps to see support in the upcoming mobile client, so things might turn well for users after all.

Moreover, it seems that Microsoft might deliver a Windows Mobile SDK sometime in mid-2010, which will also prove useful for developers who want to make their software solutions fully compatible with the upcoming platform. On the other hand, this also shows that WM7 will indeed be different from the 6.x flavors that are already available around the world. And with WMPoweruser stating that WM7 will be based on Windows CE 7, things seem to have been confirmed already.

The upcoming OS flavor is expected to rise the bar when it comes to the capabilities smartphones are to include, as it features support for higher-performance processor, better graphics and more. According to WMPoweruser, Chelan, that new 7 kernel WM7 is based on, has the following features: “Dual Core Support (SMP, ARMv6), Visual Studio 2008 Plug in, WIFI Positioning System, Bluetooth 2.1, Cellcore, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), DRM, Media Transfer Protocol, IE7 Rendering Rich Media Plug-Ins, NDIS 6.1 support, UX C ++ XAML API using technologies like Windows Presentation Foundation and Silverlight for attractive and functional user interfaces, Touch Input.”

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com

Ubuntu 10.04 download

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Alpha 2

A few minutes ago, the Ubuntu development team unleashed the second alpha version of the upcoming Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) operating system, due for release in late April this year. As usual, we've downloaded a copy of it in order to keep you up-to-date with the latest changes in the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS development.

What's new in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Alpha 2? Well, the most important feature of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Alpha 2 is probably the inclusion of the Plymouth graphical boot manager utility from Red Hat, which replaces the old Usplash. The new Nvidia proprietary video driver 190.53 (the old 173.14.22 and 96.43.14 versions are still available and can be installed along with the new one), and Likewise Open version 5.4 are also part of this release.

The Linux kernel packages in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Alpha 2 have been upgraded to 2.6.32-10.14, based on Linux kernel 2.6.32, and the GNOME desktop environment to version 2.29.4, which brings new features, especially to Nautilus, which now offers twin-panel functionality, called Extra Pane (see the screenshot below for details).

Download Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Alpha 2 (Lucid Lynx) right now from Softpedia

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com

CouponPress - Wordpress Coupon site clone script

Demo | Download

Retail me or not clone script. CouponPress takes the power, security and flexibility of Wordpress and allows you to run your very own online coupon website! Running your own coupon website is easy with Couponpress, you simply download the theme, install it your Wordpress themes folder and your ready to go! With every download of CouponPress includes loads of easy to customize, changeable templates, professional coupon features and lots of help and support to get you started!

adopted from http://clonestop.com

Creating a Facebook-like Registration Form with jQuery

DEMO | DOWNLOAD

Facebook is a showcase of great UI design. And as it has become a major part of our lives, it has also raised the bar for web development, pushing developers to meet higher expectations.

This however has a good side – it challenges web developers and designers to better themselves and constantly improve their work.

In this tutorial, we are going to learn from the best, and create a facebook-like sign up form. So go ahead and download the demo files to start learning!

adopted from http://tutorialzine.com

Ubuntu Manual Will Be Available with Ubuntu

Everyone was waiting for this, so... we are proud to announce that the upcoming release of the popular Ubuntu operating system, due for launch in late April this year, will come with a comprehensive manual! The manual is created as we speak and it will be ready to accompany the final release of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. The Ubuntu manual will be designed for beginners in Linux and Ubuntu (of course) and it will contain essential how-tos, guides, basic information about Linux and its components, and everything one needs to know after installing Ubuntu.

"As a beginner user once upon a time, I found myself struggling to find useful and easy to understand documentation in an accessible location. The Official Ubuntu Book is great, but it is expensive. The Pocket Guide by Keir Thomas is informative, but doesn't delve into enough detail in some areas, and is now out of date (written for 8.04/8.10). The Community Docs are excellent, but are not structured and do not follow a consistent writing style. The Ubuntu Help pages inside the Operating System are the best option for newcomers, but are often underused and lack screenshots." – the Ubuntu Manual Team said.

The Ubuntu manual is distributed as a PDF file and it will be revised every 6 months. The manual will be well written (it appears that only in English, but no one stops you to translate it), with a professional appearance and very easy to follow, even by the users that just heard about Linux or Ubuntu. And it is created and maintained by the Ubuntu community! At the moment, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) is in an alpha state, with just one release out. The second alpha release is expected next Thursday, January 14th. We remind everyone that Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) will be a quality and stable release. Canonical plans to make Ubuntu 10.04 LTS a bug-free operating system, with lots of quality improvements to the user interface, installation & boot experience and support for the latest hardware components. Another important goal for the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) release will be to improve the startup speed to about or less than 10 seconds! The Lucid Lynx will be the 12th release of the Ubuntu operating system, and the third LTS (Long Term Support) release, supported for 5 years on the server and 3 years on the desktop. Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) will ship on April 29th, 2010. About Ubuntu: Ubuntu is a Linux distribution for your desktop or server, with a fast and easy install, regular releases, a tight selection of excellent packages installed by default, every other package you can imagine available from the network, and professional technical support from Canonical Ltd and hundreds of other companies around the world.

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com

2009 Browser Market Shares Based on Softpedia Web Traffic Stats

As 2009 comes to an end, our news editors are busy putting together all sorts of roundups and tops. I was curious to see how the main web browsers fared this year in terms of market share. On Softpedia, of course! We checked our 2009 web traffic analytics info and think the data is pretty interesting, so we’re going to share it with you fellow webmasters or regular readers. As a bonus, we’ve added the top 5 screen resolutions used by Softpedia visitors. Don’t forget to check out the shiny charts!

To kick things off, while the blue slice tells us that Internet Explorer is still in the lead with 44.45%, Firefox has continued its chase and has come dangerously close, at 38.75%.

With the upcoming release of Firefox 3.7 and other browsers nibbling at IE’s share, the 6% distance will probably decrease even more in 2010. The latest Internet Explorer version (IE8) does not seem to pack what’s needed to sway users back, despite Microsoft’s efforts to innovate and also provide a much more standards compliant browser.

However, there’s a new rising star on the web browser market and it’s one we definitely cannot ignore if we look at the share trends over the course of 2009. Google’s Chrome stands at 4.66% overall (3^rd place), but has had an impressive evolution from 2.8% in January to 7.3% in December. This is consistent with recent global market share reports. It simply shames long-time players such as Opera and Safari, considering this is a browser that’s a little over 1 year old. In any case, it’s safe to say that Chrome was able to get a solid following among Softpedians in a relatively short period of time.

Apple’s Safari has also gained some traction, going up from 3.7% to 5.03% towards the end of 2009 (4.43% overall in 2009). What’s very interesting is that these two seem to have taken a bite, albeit a small one, from Firefox and Opera as well, not just Internet Explorer. Over the year, Mozilla’s “champion” has gone 1.01% down from 38.89% in January to 37.88% in December, while Opera’s seemingly negligible setback of 0.18% overall has had dramatic effects: in January it was ranking 3^rd with 4.48%, while the 4.3% share in December sent it to the very last place of the “big league”.

Although essentially an outcast now, Opera has seen a slight comeback towards the end of the year and, in 2010, it might benefit greatly from the upcoming 10.5 release (previews are available already) which has kept the developers busy for quite some time now. It promises various technology improvements such as new Javascript, HTML and graphics engines.

On to display resolution stats. Although the top 5 is dominated by widescreen resolutions, the all time favorite and veteran 1024x768 is still going strong on 1^st place with 31.78%. Laptops are responsible for the 2^nd place (1280x800 with 17.85%) and 4^th place (1440x900 with 8.36%), while the now classic 4:3 17” and 19” desktop monitors bring 1280x1024 to the 3^rd place with 13.83%.

22 and 24 inch 16:10 widescreen monitors have really emerged this year, which is why 1680x1050 is ranked 5^th with 6.60% higher than 800x600, 1152x864 and other resolutions that didn’t make the top 5. This trend will certainly continue during 2010 and we might finally see 1024x768 phasing out.

As a side note, HD displays haven’t taken off yet, so to speak – only 2.21% of the Softpedia visitors cruise the Internet at 1920x1200.

adopted from http://www.softpedia.com