Hasta La Gadget!

It’s already changed the behavior in Windows 7, and Microsoft has now finally rolled out an update for earlier versions of Windows that prevents a program from executing automatically when a USB drive is plugged into a PC. That behavior has been blamed for the spread of malware in recent years — including the infamous Conficker worm — and Microsoft had actually already made it possible to disable the functionality back in November of 2009, albeit only through an update available from its Download Center website. It’s now finally pushed the update out through the Windows Update channel, though, which should cause it to be much more broadly deployed (particularly in large organizations). As explained in a rather lengthy blog post, however, Microsoft has decided to simply make it an “important, non-security update” rather than a mandatory update, as it doesn’t technically see AutoRun as a “vulnerability” — it was by design, after all. That means you’ll have to look for the option in Windows Update and check it off to install it — if you choose, you can also re-enable it at anytime with a patch.

Microsoft rolls out long, long-awaited Windows update to disable AutoRun for USB drives originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 23:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You’re probably a lot like us: more handsome and socially adept, naturally, but with a similar fear of robots and penchant for living fast and loose with pre-release developer builds. As such, the latest changes to the stable release of the Chrome browser won’t be of much use to you. Nevertheless, Google’s official window to the web was just injected with a speed bump, 3D WebGL graphics, Google Chrome Instant search results, and the Chrome Web Store already available in Chrome’s beta channel. If nothing else, please, we beg you, do the right thing and inform the local luddite.

Google Chrome 9 update brings speed, WebGL, and apps originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 02:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got yourself a Nook Color, did you? If you’re not the type to wait for OTA updates to hit you upside the head, Barnes & Noble has just let loose a software update that’s free to download. Version 1.1.0 promises to improve the Nook Color’s WiFi connectivity, improve Home and Shop performance and to “enhance the reading experience for magazines and children’s books.” Frankly, the latter is quite a curious promise, but we suppose we’d rather have it than not. In other news, the update is adding pinch-to-zoom capabilities in the browser, and B&N also swears that other miscellaneous bugs were squashed in the making of v1.1.0. Hit the source link to get those bytes a-streaming, or just wait for it to be delivered over-the-air in the coming days. On second thought, just download it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Barnes & Noble brings pinch-to-zoom browsing, improved WiFi connectivity in Nook Color update originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not to be outdone by its Samsung successor, the Nexus One’s getting a miniature over-the-air update as well, sending users on a mind-bending ride from Android 2.2.1 (version FRG83D) to the FRG83G build of Android 2.2.2. When they emerge thoroughly dazzled and confused on the other side, what will they find? We spoke to Google and it’s just a few bug fixes, but one of them’s rather important — this update will go down in the annals of history as the one that doesn’t inadvertently send humorous texts intended for your co-workers to your deathly serious boss. Oh, and if that sounds like something you’d like to have immediately, rather than waiting for a formal rollout, you can find the file you need at Google’s servers right now.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nexus One gets tiny update to Android 2.2.2, fixes SMS routing issues originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android and Me  |  FRG83D update (Google)  | Email this | Comments

The story of the Trojan Horse must be a favorite among video game console manufacturers, because software updates these days often come with more than bargained for — today, Microsoft issued a mandatory Xbox 360 update, reportedly for a single bugfix, but which seems to have coincidentally halted scores of pirates and hackers from playing Call of Duty: Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 on the console. Members of the Xbox-Scene forums noted the update was taking suspiciously long to download, discovered that backup copies of these games ceased to work, and presently believe that Microsoft included a patch for these two games to enable an anti-piracy feature that specifically targets burned copies. What does the mandatory update do for you if you’re not part of the hacking scene? It merely enables the console to automatically boot a pre-inserted game when you power it on, a feature that was accidentally disabled in November.

[Thanks, Brian]

Xbox 360 mandatory update restores boot to disc, detains Call of Duty pirates for a tad originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WinRumors, NeoGaf  |  Major Nelson, Xbox-Scene  | Email this | Comments