This week’s edition of WIG is filled with news links covering topics such as a startup funded by Microsoft aims to kill BitTorrent traffic, a reset feature has been added to Firefox 13 beta, Windows 8 upgrades for new PC buyers will cost $14.99, and more.

Weekly News Links

• Microsoft opines: Vista was ‘cheesy’; drops Aero
  Microsoft has ditched Aero Glass for the Windows 8 desktop. Microsoft said it has “moved beyond” Aero Glass on the Windows 8 desktop, in this past Friday’s Building Windows 8 post
• Windows 8 Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, and other apps updated for Release Preview
  Microsoft has started to update a range of its core Windows 8 communications applications ahead of the Release Preview debut next month. The updates, available in the latest internal builds of Windows 8, include UI improvements, new features, and drop the “app preview” banner from the top of the application.
• Microsoft to offer Windows 8 Pro upgrade to new PC buyers for $14.99 (No free upgrades thanks to SKU consolidation)
  Buying a new computer but afraid you’ll get caught in a few months by the Windows 8 upgrade cycle? Fear not. According to a report from Paul Thurrott, Microsoft will launch a promotion in June that allows new PC purchasers to lock-in an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $14.99.
• SkyDrive’s Shorter URLs Powered by Bit.ly and SDRV.MS
  Recently, Microsoft announced a range of improvements brought to its SkyDrive cloud service, in an attempt to provide users with a better experience at all times, including when sharing docs or links with their contacts.
• Reset Firefox – easily fix most problems
  Over time Firefox can develop problems like slowness, crashing, unwanted toolbars and more. Troubleshooting and fixing these issues can be difficult and time consuming. The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. The Reset Feature is available in the latest Firefox 13 beta release.
• Google brings further tweaks to Gmail
  Company announces changes meant to “continue to bring people front and center in Gmail.” Google+ is of course part of the equation.
• Google to centralize Android development and sales
  According to a Wall Street Journal report, Google is going to radically shift how it works with its partners in developing and selling Android.
• Google, Microsoft said to be creating new cloud services
  The two rivaling software giants are rumored to be in a run-off to introduce new Infrastructure as a Service platforms for the cloud, which could mean trouble for Amazon.
• Windows 8: Does Metro actually work?
  Using Microsoft’s Metro technology in Windows 8 is like going to a flashy restaurant where your plate is delivered with a tiny morsel of food in the middle, but the rest of the plate is unused, says one tester.
• Google Music upsetting users with device-deauthorization rule
  A forum posting on XDA-Developers claims Google is now only allowing users to deauthorize four devices per year for its Google Music platform.
• EU regulators: We’ll scrutinize Windows RT browser behavior
  The European Commission’s competition overseers “will remain vigilant” that Microsoft abides by an antitrust settlement involving Windows and browsers, but leave themselves plenty of wiggle room.
• Senate panel eyes Windows RT browser restrictions
  The judiciary committee could start an antitrust investigation against Microsoft, after the company said IE 10 would be the only desktop browser in its upcoming tablet operating system.
• Microsoft Funded Startup Aims to Kill BitTorrent Traffic
  The Russian based “Pirate Pay” startup is promising the entertainment industry a pirate-free future. With help from Microsoft, the developers have built a system that claims to track and shut down the distribution of copyrighted works on BitTorrent. Their first project successfully stopped tens of thousands of downloads.
• Flashback removal tool arrives for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
  Apple has announced the release of a standalone Flashback malware removal tool for computers running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, even though the operating system is no longer officially supported.
• Kaspersky: Apple needs to face up to Mac threats
  The security company says it analyzed Mac OS X vulnerabilities and new forms of malware on its own initiative, but that “Apple is open to collaborating with us.”
• Money! That’s what Flashback’s creators want (but they can’t get it)
  A Flashback botnet of Macs could bring in up to $10,000 per day, but it doesn’t. Symantec has published a new report after having followed OSX.Flashback’s advertising component for a few weeks, concluding that the creators have only garnered about $14,000 in three weeks and have yet to figure out how to get the money into their bank accounts.
• Android users warned of fake app store malware risk
  Malware authors are setting up alternative app marketplaces to defraud unwitting Android phone users, according to anti-virus software vendor AVAST.
• Facebook Takes Aim at Cross-Browser ‘LilyJade’ Worm
  Facebook is attempting to nip in the bud a new social networking worm that spreads via an application built to run seamlessly as a plugin across multiple browsers and operating systems.
• New fraud tools turn Pinterest scams into point-and-click exercise
  With all the attention being showered on Pinterest lately, it was inevitable that criminals would figure out a way to cash in on the popular social-media pinup site. New point-and-click software available in underground markets does just that by helping even the most technically unsophisticated people prey on the gullibility of other users.
• Global Payments Breach Now Dates Back to Jan. 2011
  The data breach at Atlanta-based credit and debit card processor Global Payments just keeps getting bigger. Now it appears the breach jeopardized cards processed by Global as far back as January 2011.

Random TinyHacker Links

• Important updates to Metro apps in the Windows 8 Release Preview
  Paul Thurrott shares an inside look on the changes made for the main Metro apps in the next test release of Windows 8. There are some exciting changes to come.
• How Bullguard has lowered the usability of their 2012 products
  This review of BullGuard Internet Security 12 shows how BullGuard transformed an extremely user friendly security suite into a not so friendly one. This, for the sake of making changes and declaring that they have a new, ‘improved’ version.
• Free ebooks from Microsoft Press
  Free ebooks: Great content from Microsoft Press that won’t cost you a penny.
• How to find lots of free music online
  Check this guide on how to listen to free music online.
• TED: A History of the 404 Page Error
  A humorous TED discussion video.
• Belkin N600 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ – Is it a Good Router?
  The Belkin N600 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router: it looks good, it’s sexy and promises lots of cool features but…is it any good? Find out from this review.
• A book for LEGO geeks
  The Cult of Lego is a book for all LEGO geeks out there. Check this review to learn more about it.
• Oatmeal episode about Nikola Tesla
  Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived from The Oatmeal.

Super User Questions

• What are the pros and cons of using an alternative DNS instead of the ISP server?
• Does disabling IPv6 decrease my surface area of attack and increase performance?
• How do I format a drive as EXT4 on Windows 7?
• Make a file non-deletable in USB
• What is the best way to ‘clean’ my computer?
• What are the advantages of upgrading Internet Explorer if you don’t use it?
• Does builtin flash player in Google Chrome on Linux x64 work?
• “This program might not have installed correctly” in Windows 7
• Does my system has any potential Malware as Chrome is showing “This page has insecure content” pop-up?
• Is there any benefit of using HDMI over DVI?

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

• How To Hide Passwords in an Encrypted Drive Even the FBI Can’t Get Into
• The Best Tips and Tweaks for Getting the Most Out of Google Chrome
• Desktop Fun: Wilderness Pathways Wallpaper Collection
• How to Browse Anonymously With Tor
• How To Make Line Tone Art (Like on Money) With Photoshop and No Filters
• How to Change Your IP Address Using PowerShell
• How to Share CD & DVD Drives Over the Network on Windows
• Beginner: How To Launch any Program in Windows with a Hotkey
• How To Use Calibre To Correctly Order Your Ebook Series
• How to Automate Repetitive Web Browser Tasks With iMacros

Geeky Goodness from the ETC Side

• Researchers Prove Tin Foil Hats Boost Receptivity To Government Signals
• Water Soaked Laptop? Not a Problem! [Humorous Images]
• The Worst Office Ever [Humorous Image]
• Getting a New Phone – Expectations versus Reality [Humorous Comic]
• 60,000 Dominoes Come Crashing Down [Video]
• Improvising on the Spot (So to Speak) [Humorous Image]
• Learning from History [Humorous Image]
• Earth from Space: A 121 Megapixel Peek at Our Planet [Video]
• How To Scan Film Negatives with a DSLR
• Hack a Garage Remote Into a Wireless Shutter Release Button

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

• How to Sync Google Chrome Bookmarks with Your Android Phone
• How to Back Up Your iPhone’s App Data to Dropbox
• How to Encrypt and Delete Your iPhone or iPad Backups
• Switching From Jailbroken iOS to Android? Here’s What You Need to Know
• How to Receive Your Android Phone’s Alerts on Your Desktop Computer

How-To Geek Comics Weekly Roundup

• Exploring New Revenue Streams
• The Dangers of Obsessive Gaming
• Always Been a Geek
• Proved That His Theory was True
• His Mute Button is Stuck
• There are FAQs and There are SAQs
• The Same System as Always

How-To Geek Weekly Trivia Roundup

• Who Is The Longest Recurring Actor In Any Video Game Franchise?
• Auto-Tune, A Widely Used Music Processor, Was Originally Created For What Purpose?
• The Oldest Planetarium In The World Is Located Where?
• Which Comic Book Artist’s Ashes Were Mixed Into Ink Used To Print Comics?
• The First Wearable Computer Was Used For What?
• The Acronym SSD Stands For What?
• Pagers Were First Developed To Assist Which Professionals?