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In a reversal, Microsoft said on Thursday that it will make changes to the way a controversial security feature works in Windows 7.

After getting lots of feedback that Windows Vista too often prompted users to approve changes, Microsoft had decided in Windows 7 to prompt users less frequently. However, in recent days, some enthusiasts and security experts warned that the specific changes Microsoft planned to make with Windows 7 could put users at risk.

Microsoft initially downplayed the risks and defended its choices around the User Account Control feature. On Thursday, though, the company's two top Windows engineers said the company will make some modifications in response to the outcry.

Microsoft won't change the default setting--which is to notify users only when a program is making changes to their system--it will add an exception when changes are being made to the UAC itself. Starting with the upcoming "release candidate" version of Windows 7, changes to the UAC settings will require user approval, senior vice presidents Jon DeVaan and Steven Sinofsky said in a blog posting.

"With this feedback and a lot more we are going to deliver two changes to the Release Candidate that we'll all see," the pair wrote. "First, the UAC control panel will run in a high integrity process, which requires elevation. That was already in the works before this discussion...Second, changing the level of the UAC will also prompt for confirmation." … Read more

Microsoft is facing increasing heat over the security implications of a change designed to make Windows 7 less annoying than its predecessor.

One of the chief complaints with Windows Vista is frustration with all the warnings that pop up to notify users that changes are being made to the operating system. With Windows 7, Microsoft has changed the feature so that users see fewer messages by default and also so they have more control in deciding how often they are notified.

The problem, say some, is that by making the prompts less frequent by default, Microsoft is potentially paving the way for malicious software … Read more

If you're already using Pageonce on your BlackBerry, get ready for version 2.0.

On Wednesday, the Silicon Valley company is releasing an upgrade to its productivity application.

Instead of getting a fresh lick of paint or a slew of new features, Pageonce 2.0--which lets you view status feeds for your social networks, e-mail, flights, and finances from a centralized app--will simply, importantly, give you full managerial control over the app's basic functions. Starting Wednesday, you'll be able to register, add accounts, and delete them from the phone.

While the new functionality is more a win … Read more

Microsoft's efforts to make Windows 7 less annoying than Vista may also be making it less secure than its predecessor.

With Windows Vista, the operating system popped up a warning any time a major change was being made to the system, whether by the OS or by a third-party application. With Windows 7, users can choose how often to be notified, with the current default set to notify only when a third-party application is making a change.

Blogger Long Zheng, however, is drawing attention to an apparent shortcoming in that approach. Because changes to the user account control setting … Read more

An ultimate mobile productivity application, Pageonce's personal assistant gives you the tools to view all your online accounts in one sophisticated application. Sure, you'll have to be comfortable storing all your passwords on your phone, but if you are, you'll find yourself relying on Pageonce's stylish interface to get all your details in a glance.

After adding accounts through an assisted browsing process, Pageonce will display them as buttons on the Accounts tab. Tap it to view, for instance, your banking transactions and total balance, travel itineraries, social commitments, and friends' status updates on a slew … Read more

WorldCom's former CEO Bernard Ebbers is seeking clemency from George Bush in the final days of his presidency.

Ebbers, who was convicted of helping mastermind an $11 billion accounting fraud, is asking the president to reduce his 25-year sentence. Ebbers has filed a petition for commutation to the Office of the Pardon Attorney. And the petition is under review, a Justice Department spokeswoman told Reuters.

The U.S. Constitution grants the president the power to pardon convicted felons either erasing their convictions or reducing their prison sentences. And it's common in the last days of an administration for … Read more

Since Monday, I have been running a prebeta copy of Windows 7, the next operating system from Microsoft.

At first glance, build 6801 of Windows 7 appears very much like Windows Vista; that's because enhancements to the look and feel part of the operating system typically come late in the development process. Right now, the core programming is being set, and there are already some changes in how Windows 7 will handle computer security.

Gone is the Security Center, introduced in Windows XP SP2. Instead, there will be an "Action Center" that incorporates alerts from 10 existing … Read more

On Wednesday Google formally announced its support as a provider for the OpenID 2.0 protocol, offering some site owners a way to let users log-in and register for new accounts using existing Google account information. More importantly, Google will be letting these same users manage all their linked account information in one central location.

This new log-in offering is not available to all site owners just yet. Google has set up a sign-up form where developers can apply with their URL and OpenID identification to get access. Plaxo and Zoho are two of the first sites to already have … Read more

The rampant success of the iPhone has forced Apple and its financial watchers to re-evaluate the value of the company.

Saying that Apple's iPhone business "had become too big to ignore," Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a rare appearance on the company's earnings conference call earlier on Tuesday to explain just how much money the iPhone is dumping into Apple's coffers. For the first time, the company used supplemental financial details to give some color on the contribution that the iPhone could be making to Apple's bottom line if iPhone sales were handled like … Read more