java

A new version of Firefox released today puts some extra speed into online games and Web apps powered by JavaScript, thanks to a new compiler called IonMonkey.

Mozilla stated in a blog post announcing the update to Firefox 18 (download for Windows | Mac | Linux) that the new engine makes JavaScript-powered Web sites run up to 25 percent faster than before.

Firefox will now look better on Macs thanks to new Retina support, and all versions of the browser work with W3C touch screen events in addition to MozTouch events.

One security change to the browser lets you disable insecure content … Read more

A JavaScript engine called IonMonkey, Mac Retina compatibility, and better touch support move into the new Firefox Beta, released today.

Firefox 18 Beta (download for Windows, Mac, and Linux) arrives with a new "just-in-time" JavaScript compiler called "IonMonkey" for faster site load times. While it doesn't appear to have been independently tested yet, Mozilla's own IonMonkey benchmarks from September indicate that it will make the stable version of Firefox 18 about 25 percent faster than the current Firefox 17. The features are expected to reach the Firefox stable channel around the first week of January. … Read more

Opera Mini is perhaps the most compact Web browser you can use for your Android device. It's smart, has easy-to-access options, and best of all, pages accessed in Opera Mini load very fast, even when compared to other browsers with the same data transfer speed.

Upon launch, Opera Mini takes you directly to the Quick Launch menu. When presented in its live link feed mode however, it instead displays links to Web pages that are related to the ones you have visited using the app. It is, after all, touted as the smart Web browser app that adjusts and … Read more

In the past month a new multiplatform malware package called Jacksbot has been discovered, and while it was initially deemed a minimal threat, it might not stay that way for some Mac, Windows, and Linux users.

Jacksbot is in part a Java-based remote access Trojan (RAT) that appears to be built by a hacking group for the purpose of causing all-too-common malicious activity, including stealing passwords, forcing URLs to load (likely for click fraud), deleting and corrupting files, taking screenshots, logging keystrokes, and otherwise getting personal information.

Java is an attractive platform for criminals to use because being cross-platform means … Read more

The transition from Apple's Java implementation to Oracle's with the release of Java 7 is a bit of a problem for many Mac users. While the Java runtime should have the necessary components to run most applications, the implementations differ enough, even in minor details, to make some programs simply throw up their hands and not run, claiming a valid Java installation needs to be run.

As part of its latest updates to Java, Apple has pushed for users to leave the Java SE 6 platform and adopt Oracle's Java 7 runtime. Usually with multiple Java runtimes … Read more

Apple has released a couple of Java updates for OS X, which bring the supported Java SE 6 runtime to the latest version (1.6.0_37) in order to tackle multiple vulnerabilities that were found in Java 1.6.0_35, the last version of Apple's Java runtime.

Most of the vulnerabilities addressed were those that allowed untrusted Java applets to run code outside of the Java sandbox. Similar vulnerabilities have been found in past versions of Java and are not uncommon bugs in programs; however, Java has recently gained a bit of a marred reputation following several outstanding vulnerabilities … Read more

Apple has recently released a couple of Java updates for OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8 that bring its in-house supported Java runtime (Java SE 6) up to the latest version issued by Oracle. The update tackles a couple of security bugs in the runtime, but those who have installed the updates have noticed that in addition Apple has apparently removed the Java Preferences utility, which was used to configure how the Java runtime is managed in OS X.

While Java Preferences is missing for those using OS X 10.7 or later, the utility is still … Read more

Oracle announced today it plans to appeal the verdict in its long-running patent and copyright battle with Google over Java.

The database giant filed a "notice of appeal" with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for an appeals court review of Judge William Alsup's decision in the trial, which found that Oracle's Java API was not copyrightable.

Oracle sued Google for copyright infringement related to Google's use of 37 Java APIs used on its Android mobile operating system. Google argued it was free to use them because the Java programming … Read more

Last week's notice by researchers at Security Explorations of an unpatched hole in the Java runtime environment may have left you wondering whether to disable Java until Oracle releases a patch. CNET's Topher Kessler noted in his report on the Java flaw that no malware exploiting the vulnerability has yet been documented.

Which leads to the question, "Do I need Java?"

The best way to find out is to disable Java in your browser and re-enable it only if you encounter a site that prompts you to download Java before it will open. Then you can … Read more