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CrossLoop provides a quick, easy, and completely free way to give a colleague, a friend, or a relative access to your computer. Start the program, and your PC gets assigned a new 12-digit access code each time. Give that number to another user to virtually share your desktop. Once connected, that user will have full access to your machine.

The odd nature of sharing a desktop cursor and the inability to add multiple users makes CrossLoop not quite right for proper business presentations. However, the complete system access and 128-bit encrypted connection combine to create a great solution for low-budget, … Read more

Chrysler is hoping that a technology offensive will lure customers back to its brand with the unveiling of a number of connectivity and safety features that it claims are industry firsts. Most notably, the company yesterday unveiled details of an in-vehicle wireless system, which will combine Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity to turn its vehicles into mobile hotspots. According to the company, the new wireless technology will be available in future model-year vehicles and as an aftermarket option through Mopar, Chrysler's service arm, by the end of this year.

Other technologies announced by Chrysler for its 2009 models include:

As long-time fans know, Power Downloader is a gregarious guy. Modest to a fault, he just likes helping people. One of his favorite programs for helping computer users of all levels of experience is the freeware application CrossLoop. CrossLoop is a secure single-serving of remote access, but once it's given, the remote user has complete access until the connection is severed.

When PD runs the program, his PC is assigned a new 12-digit access code each time you start the program. The person he's helping also gets a new access code and then shares that with PD. Power … Read more

And here I thought Microsoft had a cross-license pact with nearly every tech company other than Red Hat.

Apparently there are still a few more names to cross of the to-do list Microsoft set-up a few years back. On Thursday, Microsoft announced a deal with Tokyo-based Onkyo, which will pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount of compensation to Redmond.

Onkyo also signed a deal to use Microsoft's Windows Rally technology which aims to offer a better connection between PCs and other consumer electronics, such as Onkyo's home theater and audio/video gear.

On Monday, Adobe Systems rolled out its new Web 2.0 development tool, Adobe Integrated Runtime, or AIR. Following its release were some concerns from the security community.

AIR, formerly Adobe Apollo, is a runtime environment that allows developers use HTML, Flash, AJAX, Flex, and other Web 2.0 tools to create desktop applications. One such application built using Adobe AIR comes from Nickelodeon Online.

But some security experts are concerned about local file access by AIR applications. Recently, Firefox experienced a vulnerability that could have allowed remote attackers to access a targeted file system. To mitigate this, Adobe says … Read more

Security researcher Aaron Weaver claims visiting a random Web site could send unwanted print requests to your nearest office printer.

In a paper published in November (PDF), and cited on Wednesday in a blog by Jeremiah Grossman of White Hat Security, Weaver demonstrates the code necessary for sending a formatted page to a remote network printer, and, in an another example, to an intranet addressable fax machine. Since most network printers are behind the corporate firewall and therefore don't have security enabled, Weaver says that a simple iframe added to an Internet Web site could cause an internal network … Read more

Years ago we purchased a rare early version of one of those personal weather stations that are everywhere these days, and it failed miserably. Or, more accurately, we failed miserably; we could never get it to work properly and, even when it did, we couldn't figure out how to read it. So even though their more recent design efforts are much appreciated, we still fear that they'll be too complicated for our woefully limited technical comprehension.

Enter La Crosse Technology and its $15 LCD Window Thermometer. Not only does it claim to be simple to use, according to … Read more

Mozilla on Monday released Firefox version 2.0.0.10. The update addresses three high-impact security vulnerabilities. Two concern cross-site request forgeries, which can be used to steal personal information while visiting certain sites, and one concerns memory corruption.

The update is being pushed out to all current Firefox users. New users can download the current Firefox release from the Mozilla site (or download the English versions for Windows or Mac from CNET Download.com).

The first cross-site request forgery vulnerability could allow an attacker to generate a fake HTTP referer header by exploiting a timing condition when setting the … Read more

Audi plans to unveil a two-door four-seater concept car with a soft top at the 2007 LA Auto Show on Wednesday.

The Audi Cross Cabriolet, which Audi says is a mini car/SUV, will have a 240-horsepower 3-liter engine.

But here's the neat thing. The four-wheel drive car will have an electric ride-height adjustment. Audi says it's for driving on different types of terrain, but I'm thinking it's just one of those things people won't be able to resist playing with. The car is also shown in a wild copper color.

Audi says that the … Read more