New and more secure Hotmail to be released this summer.

Despite being the number one web mail in use in the world, Microsoft's Hotmail has always suffered a perception problem in the U.S. where it comes in distant second behind Yahoo mail.
Microsoft has set out to change that with the upcoming release of a new and revamped Hotmail with users' security as the main priority. To prove that point, the new Hotmail will use HTTPS to encrypt all data sent within the system.
To help users against phishing schemes and others impersonators of financial institutions and governments agencies like the IRS, Hotmail will begin showing a safety symbol next to those entities after they have been identified. To protect against password thefts when using a public Wi-Fi, the new Hotmail will offer its users the option to request a temporary one good only for one single use and that will be sent to users in the form of a text message to their cell phones.
Users will also notice a new tool called "personalized spam filtering" that will help reduce the number of e-mail messages marked as spams that in fact aren't. The personalized filter should be able to automatically recognize people people with whom someone communicate with often and keep their messages from being sent to the trash bin. The filter is also designed to let users personalize which sender's messages they want to block or allow.

For more, see NewYorkTimes.com

Factors to consider when thinking about security software.

With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft has improved a lot its operating system with a built-in firewall and an upgraded anti-virus protection. Given the fact that this represent a big improvement compared to what Windows has offered in the past, some people may feel secure enough already to the point of not thinking about adding anothher layer of protection to their investment. Unfortunately, in the world of computing, someone will always need a security software unless your computer get never plugged or connected to the Internet.
The good news is when it comes to security software, the choice is vast and can be a bit confusing. Fortunately, today's software security world is dominated by the so called security suites which almost take the work out of having one protect your computer. Once installed and configured, they run in the background requiring little or no human intervention.
But with the choice so dizzying, a little guidance to help navigate the choppy waters, will go a long way.
When considering a software security suite, there are a few things to keep in mind: the assurance that it is designed to take care of all your security needs (firewall protection, anti viruses, spywares and all kind of malicious software etc) and even some extra like parental control or spam filtering. Also very important is the fact that the security suite runs in integration or play nice with the rest of your computer system, eliminating any chance that it may slow down your machine.

For more, see pcmagazine.com