YouTube videos go HD with a simple hack

Wired, with the help of users on the VR-Zone forums, has uncovered a simple way to get high-quality uploaded videos to display in 1280 x 720--also known as 720p.

YouTube has long been expected to roll out high-definition video playback, and this appears to be the first viable way to do it. The hack in question is similar to the one that was first used to toggle on the "high quality" mode. It is done simply by adding "&fmt=22" to the end of the video URL.

I got it to work without any problems on a video I uploaded earlier this morning. What's interesting here is that it was not ready at the same time the Flash version was.
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USB devices spreading viruses

USB thumb drives are convenient, popular and often free--and they're spreading viruses like sailors on shore leave.*

The US-CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) issued a warning on Thursday that malicious code is increasingly propagating via USB flash drive devices.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense has temporarily banned the use of thumb drives, CDs, and other removable storage devices because of the spread of the Agent.bzt virus, a variant of the SillyFDC worm, according to Wired.

We've seen this before with portable external storage devices. Floppy disks were the culprit in the early 1990s, followed by CDs. The fact that USB thumb drives are being used by so many people makes them an attractive target for virus writers.


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IDC lowers IT spending forecast for 2009

Industry analyst firm IDC is revising its yearly forecast on the IT budgets of companies around the world.

Because of the worldwide financial crisis, the firm expects spending on technology by enterprise companies to grow by just 2.6 percent next year compared with 2008. Before the late-September Wall Street meltdown, IDC was predicting a worldwide spending growth rate of 5.9 percent. In the US, it was expecting 4.2 percent growth, but now IDC is revising that to just 0.9 percent.

Companies like Cisco, Nortel, Dell, and others have already indicated they've seen or expect to see IT spending drop.

With the exception of storage, hardware will be the hardest hit by the spending cutbacks, while software and services will be relatively safer, according to IDC.

Regionally, spending in Japan, Western Europe, and the US will take the biggest hit. Emerging markets like Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America will still experience "healthy" growth, according to the new forecast.

But IDC's report wasn't all doom and gloom. The firm says it expects IT spending to make "a full recovery" and reach 6 percent growth by 2012.

Via CNET News

Samsung starts mass production of 256GB SSDs

The main things keeping solid-state drives out of the mainstream are their high costs and low capacities. Currently, 128GB SSDs sell for around US$400, far more expensive than comparable traditional mechanical drives while still holding less data. Samsung's aiming to fix that with its new 256GB SSD, which it's just put into mass production. The storage size is close to being on par with current laptop hard drives, and by producing them in mass quantities it should be able to bring the price down dramatically. Currently, Axiom 256GB SSDs can go for as much as US$7,500, really not giving enough value to the average user.

No word on Samsung's target pricing at launch, but when you consider its 128GB SSDs go for about US$550 to US$800 you can guess these will come in at a more attainable price point, we'd guess around the US$1,000 to US$1,400 mark. Still not as cheap as traditional laptop drives, but a large step in that direction.

Via Crave CNET

MSI announces three all-in-one PCs, calls them Wind Netons for some reason

MSI appears to be the only thing standing in the way of ASUS and its attempt to take over the world with Eee-branded products, including an Eee Nettop that is on tap to be announced. MSI sees ASUS' Eee Top and raises it three Wind Netons, MSI's (odd) name for its new line of all-in-one Nettops.

At the low end is the Neton M16, which features a 15.6-inch screen and a US$400 price. In the middle sits the M19, an 18.5-inch model for US$500, and at the top of the line is the still reasonably priced US$799 M22 with, you guessed it, a 22-inch display. The two low-end models serve up 1,366 x 768 resolutions, while the M22 does 1,920 x 1,080 while also including a Blu-ray drive. All three have touch screens.

I assume the prices quoted are for the single-core Atom chip but MSI will also offer the dual-core Atom. Linux isn't offered, but you do get a choice of OS: XP with a single-core chip and Vista with a dual-core chip.

You won't see these Netons until next year--the M19 in January, the M16 in February, and the M22 in March. By then, perhaps someone will explain to me why I'd want a computer based on an Intel Atom processor that doesn't also include a battery.

Via Engadget China, which has photos from the MSI event. Our counterparts in Taiwan also have also some interesting images of the new lineup.

Via CNET Crave

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