This week we learned how to “read Blue Screen codes, clean your computer, & get started with scripting”, upgrade or install Mac OS X Lion on a Hackintosh using UniBeast, use Amazon’s barcode scanner to easily buy anything from your phone, had fun with a great set of geeky do-it-yourself projects for pets, got introduced to How-To Geek’s new Google+ account, and more.

Photo by mac_filko.

Weekly News Links

• Men more likely to fall for Facebook scams thanks to sexy women
  We’ve often heard the saying that men are more visual than women. That just might land them in hot water. A recent study commissioned by anti-virus software company Bitdefender reveals that males are more likely to fall for Facebook scams, especially if the predator is a sexy female.
• Firefox 8 cracks down on add-ons
  Mozilla released Firefox 8 this past Tuesday, a version that weeds out some add-ons and that will shoulder more responsibility for the organization’s new fast-development process.
• Why GNOME refugees love Xfce
  GNOME 3 has become something of a polarising moment for the popular Linux desktop. In chasing visions of tablets, touchscreens and the mythical “everyday user”, the GNOME 3 Shell has left many Linux power users scratching their heads, wondering why the GNOME developers decided to fix a desktop that wasn’t broken.
• Online anonymity hard to achieve but not impossible
  It is difficult to trust Web sites to protect personal information, especially amid reports of data leaks and privacy breaches, but online anonymity may still be possible if consumers are aware of what they’re sharing online and organizations observe best practices.
• China Telecom sets its sights on a US wireless network
  The Chinese are coming, and their first target is your wireless phone. China Telecom announced Thursday that it plans to offer wireless service in the United States beginning early next year.
• Expert: Regulators “slow to catch up” to Microsoft patent bullying
  Google and at least one of its Android partners—Barnes and Noble—have been agitating for a government antitrust investigation of Microsoft’s patent licensing practices. Last month, Barnes and Noble submitted a formal request for the Department of Justice to launch a probe.
• FTC, Facebook reportedly settling 2009 privacy complaint
  The Federal Trade Commission and Facebook are close to finalizing a settlement over a complaint about deceptive privacy practices on the social network from nearly two years ago.
• Facebook faces lawsuit over facial-recognition feature
  Facebook is facing legal action in Germany over its controversial facial-recognition feature. The state data protection authority in Hamburg is preparing to sue the social-networking giant over the feature, which automatically recognizes and tags photos in Facebook users’ networks, according to a report in Deutsche Welle.
• Apple boots security guru who exposed iPhone exploit
  Security researcher Charlie Miller has been ejected from participating in Apple’s developer programs, shortly after releasing early findings of a security hole in the company’s iOS software.
• DuquDetector released to forensically detect pest
  The researchers at the lab credited with identifying the zero-day delivery mechanism of the Duqu bot, the Hungarian Laboratory of Cryptography and System Security (CrySyS), have released a toolkit for detecting the pest, even after components of it have been removed from a system.
• Two new kernels for Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
  Canonical is distributing two new kernels – 2.6.32-35 and 2.6.38-12 – for Ubuntu 10.04 LTS via the Ubuntu repositories.
• DNS poisoning hits Brazilian ISPs
  Brazilian ISPs are becoming victims of a series of DNS cache poisoning attacks which are directing the ISPs’ users to install malware.
• Steam Web sites hacked, gamer data exposed
  Hackers broke into a database with customer information at the Steam online gaming site, accessed user forum accounts and defaced a forum site, the company said.
• Phishing activities targeting Chinese sites on rise
  Phishing attacks targeted at Chinese e-commerce and banking Web sites rose in the first half of 2011, with a majority of the domain names created by local cybercriminals eyeing local brands and enterprises.
• Digital image can dupe Android face-based lock
  A new feature in Android 4.0 will allow you to unlock the phone using facial recognition. But if you want high security, don’t rely on it.

Random TinyHacker Links

• How to Hide a Partition in Windows
  Do you need a partition to be hidden from a specific Windows installation? If you do, then check out this tutorial. It works for all versions of Windows, starting with XP and ending with Windows 8.
• Connect Your Computer to Your Phone via Bluetooth
  Do you want to connect your phones with your laptop or any other computer via Bluetooth? You can exchange files, folders, data and do cool tricks like: listen to music from your phone on your computer, use your computer to answer calls, etc. These two guides show everything you need to know.
• Update iOS to 5.0.1 Over The Air (Apple)
  Simply click on Settings> General> Software Update. It takes about 5-10 minutes to download and install the 40MB update. Your device will reboot all by itself.
• What Facebook Knows About You [Video]
  Scary stuff, but you probably already knew every friend you make, every farm you rake they were watching you.
• Free Trials and Discounts for IE9 Users
  Check out this list of free stuff for Internet Explorer 9 users.

Super User Questions

If you have questions then Super User has the answers you need.

• How much faster is a 64bit CPU than 32bit CPU?
• Receive and route phone calls through computer
• How can I run a Virtual Machine in Windows 8 Developer Preview?
• Why are certain default application associations “locked”?
• Is killing a process still considered bad for memory management?

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Make your weekend reading complete with our hottest HTG Main articles of the week.

• 20 of the Best Stupid Geek Tricks to Impress Your Friends
• How To Migrate Windows 7 to a Solid State Drive
• How To Make Your Family Look Like They’re In A Michael Bay Movie
• How to Put Ubuntu Linux on a USB Thumb Drive (Without the Mess)
• How to Hide a Drive in Windows So that No One Will Know it’s There

Geeky Goodness from the ETC Side

Spice up your weekend reading with our most popular ETC posts of the week.

• 1 GB of Storage – 1987 versus 2009 [Image]
• You Know You have been Online too Long When this Warning Appears [Funny Image]
• Today Will Be 11/11/11 – 11:11:11 for the First Time in 100 Years
• That File Name Already Exists [Funny Image]
• Which is Better: Revo Uninstaller or a Free Alternative?
• The Negative Scanner [Humorous Image]
• 30 Retro PC Ads: Crazy Outfits, Prices, and Slogans
• Play Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja On Any Web Site
• Unlimited Mouse Removes Edge Limits and Allows Cursor to Move Side-to-Side
• Break the Speed of Light in Your Backyard [Science]

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Enhance your Photoshop skills with these great articles from one year ago.

• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 3: Layers
• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 4: Basic Menus
• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 5: Beginner Photo Editing
• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 6: Digital Art
• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 7: Design and Typography
• The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 8: Filters

How-To Geek Comics Weekly Roundup

• Why that Cartoon is not Funny
• You Both Need to Talk More
• It Comes with a Keyhole-Shaped Monitor
• You Need to Manage Your Anger
• He is Definitely a Player