Darren Straight's Blog

ICT Enthusiast and photographer.

By - Darren Straight

Internet Explorer 8 RC 1 has now been released for download!

Internet Explorer 8 RC 1 has now been released for download, please click here. If you have installed the IE8 Partner Build then you will not be automatically updated to this release. RC 1 is short for “Release Candidate 1”. Release candidate software is ready to be evaluated by users while it undergoes final testing. You may experience minor bugs or

By - Darren Straight

AVG gets five star rating

AVG Technologies, a global anti-virus and Internet security software provider with over 80 million users in 167 countries, today announced that its Internet Security Network Edition (NE) solution has received the “Recommended” designation in the most recent Anti-malware Group Test performed by security publication SC Magazine. Eight companies participated in the test. AVG Internet Security NE received the highest possible

By - Darren Straight

Microsoft UK Partner Programme Videocasts

Microsoft UK have just launched a new Partner Player to Microsoft UK Partners – a video hosting tool, providing another way in which to consume Microsoft-related information, alongside our e-newsletters, blogs and RSS feeds, designed to drive Partner satisfaction and grow Partner businesses. Along with the launch of the Partner Player, Microsoft UK have also launched a series of videocasts to help

By - Darren Straight

Lycos Europe closing Email portal service and Tripod Web hosting

The Well known (or less known for some) Internet company Lycos is shutting down its email portal service and web hosting service Tripod, both services will be discontinued as of February 15 2009. Bellow is a copy of the emails being sent out! Email portal Service: Dear User, We regret to inform you that our parent company has decided to discontinue all

By - Darren Straight

Happy 8th Birthday Wikipedia!

Eight years ago today Jimmy Wales created Wikipedia.  It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. Wikipedia has become one of the senior sites on the web, growing from a top 1000 site shortly after its creation to the fourth most visited site on the web in the last few months. And on its eight birthday Wikipedia exists in 265

By - Darren Straight

An Animated History of the Internet

The “History of the Internet” by Mehil Bilgil is an animated documentary explaining the inventions from time-sharing to filesharing, from Arpanet to Internet. The history is told using voiceover accompanied by PICOL icons, a pictorial communication language created by Bilgil for his university thesis, these of which will be available for download soon. On blog.picol.org you can get news about this

By - Darren Straight

Pc World Reveals ‘L@unch’ the desktop simplifier

PC World has today announced its new desktop simplifying PC interface L@unch. The interface will initially be setup on all desktops, netbooks and laptops that PC World produces, which includes all models from brands including Advent, Ei Systems and Philips. In response to feedback from customers, PC World has created a new user experience on Windows PCs. Many customers have

By - Darren Straight

PC WORLD Launches two Exclusive Advent all-in-one desktops

PC World has today announced the forthcoming launch of two new all-in-one Advent desktops. The 22in Advent AIO200 and the 18.4 Advent AIO100’Nettop’ which will retail for £880.80 and £382.99 (web price) respectively and both are now available exclusively at PC World stores across the UK and online (at www.pcworld.co.uk). The 22in Advent AIO200 All-in-one desktop Powered by a Q8200

By - Darren Straight

First Year of Mobile Giving Out Performs First Year of Online Giving

In 1997, online donations in the United States totaled a mere $300,000. In 2007, online donations were pinpointed at $10.44 billion reflecting exponential growth in overall giving and technology, according to a Harvard University study on innovation in Social Enterprise. The latest wave of giving technology and the latest medium to propel charitable giving is the mobile phone. In fact,

By - Darren Straight

Livestation hits seven years of viewing during beta trial

Livestation viewers have already spent seven years watching live news on their PCs. This is impressive considering the platform has not launched yet and is still in its trial period. These figures clearly demonstrate that there is an appetite for live news and events delivered direct to the desktop, whether in the office, at home or on the move. Livestation