Author: ttcsadmin

  • #ICANN52 public meeting from February 7 – 12 2015 – how you can participate in the discussions

    #ICANN52 public meeting from February 7 – 12 2015 – how you can participate in the discussions

    The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN )  will be having its 52nd public meeting from Saturday February 7 to February 12 2014 in Singapore.

    Some important links to help you learn more and follow the #ICANN52 meeting

    • Daily Meeting Schedule – this will show the meetings happening on the day. Clicking on the meeting title will show the remote participation links that would allow you to follow the conversation and if you use the “Virtual Room Stream Live” link, that conferencing tool allows for persons in the virtual room to type questions or comments that could be read or answered by the Working Group chairing the meeting.
    • Full Meeting Schedule – this table (you will have to scroll in both directions) shows the various meetings happening in various rooms at the same time. All times listed are local to Singapore. The time in Singapore is 12 hours ahead of that of Trinidad and Tobago. So when looking at the ICANN 52 schedule, you’ll need to subtract 12 hours to get the time of the meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.This means that the Monday Morning Schedule will take place on Sunday night in Trinidad and Tobago.
    • At-Large Meeting Agenda Workspace – lists the very busy schedule and agendas of the meetings of the At-Large Community.

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) is an accredited ICANN At-Large Structure (ALS) and a founding member of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional At-Large Organisation (LACRALO), which today has 45 At-Large Structures in 18 out of 33 countries in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. At-Large is the name for the community of individual Internet users who participate in the policy development work of ICANN.

    Currently, as the TTCS’ At-Large representative (Dev Anand Teelucksingh), I have continued to be involved in various At-Large activites, after serving as LACRALO Secretariat and on the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC). You can read my Statement of Interest for more information.

    I do want to encourage anyone with a interest and a desire to learn more about ICANN policy issues and how to get involved, email me at admin@ttcsweb.org and I’ll try my best to help.

  • Adobe releases fourth security update in 5 weeks for Adobe Flash for Windows, Macintosh and Linux (February 5 2015)

    Adobe releases fourth security update in 5 weeks for Adobe Flash for Windows, Macintosh and Linux (February 5 2015)

    Another security flaw for Adobe Flash Player being exploited in the wild means another security update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Mac and Linux, the FOURTH update in 5 weeks.

    According to the Adobe Security Bulletin dated February 5 2015:

    Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux.  These updates address vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.

    Adobe is aware of reports that CVE-2015-0313 is actively being exploited in the wild via drive-by-download attacks against systems running Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows 8.1 and below.

    So update ASAP!

    The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.305.

    Orrr…… if you only use Adobe Flash for watching YouTube videos, YouTube now defaults to HTML5 instead of Adobe Flash for playing videos in Google Chrome, IE 11, Apple Safari 8 and in beta versions of Firefox. So you can uninstall Adobe Flash if you are using Adobe Flash and these browsers.

    But many conferencing solutions (like Adobe Connect) and Flash games require Flash support, so if you fall in the latter camp, update ASAP!

    To determine what version of the Adobe Flash player you have on your Windows, Macintosh or Linux system, visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

    To download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player without any adware or bundled third party offers, visit
    http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

    Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
    You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.

    For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.

    Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.

  • new TTCS OSSWIN DVD v1.4, a collection of Free and Open Source Software for Windows available for download

    new TTCS OSSWIN DVD v1.4, a collection of Free and Open Source Software for Windows available for download

    The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society is pleased to announce the release of the TTCS OSSWIN DVD v1.4, a collection of the latest version of Free and Open Source Software for Microsoft Windows (XP/Vista/7/8)

    You can use your web browser to read detailed information about each program in this compilation : what the program does, its key features, useful related websites, view a screenshot, find links to the program’s website and to download/install the program from the TTCS OSSWIN DVD.

    The web-based interface allows you to quickly browse the variety of software organised  into the following categories:

    • Desktop Applications
    • Educational
    • Games
    • Graphics
    • Internet
    • Server
    • Sound and Video
    • Utilities

    There were numerous software updates (see the changelog).

    See the TTCS OSSWIN DVD page at http://www.ttcsweb.org/osswin-dvd/ for more details, including a complete listing of programs included on the DVD, download links and checksum information to verify the download.

  • Caribbean Telecommunication Union’s 25th Anniversary ICT Week event from 2-6 February 2015 in Trinidad

    Caribbean Telecommunication Union’s 25th Anniversary ICT Week event from 2-6 February 2015 in Trinidad

    To commemorate the 25th anniversary (April 28 2014) of the establishment of the Caribbean Telecommunication Union (CTU), the CTU will be hosting a 25th Anniversary ICT week programme of ICT activities event under the theme: Celebrating: Our Journey to ICT-enabled Development from the 2nd to 6th February, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad Hotel. The activities will culminate in the inauguration of CTU’s new Headquarters.

    Read the CTU agenda of ICT activities

    Whilst there are registration fees if you want to attend in person (email francola.john@ctu.int to find out if this is still possible), several of the sessions offer remote participation. Visit https://zoom.us/j/299331303 with your desktop or mobile device at the time of the session.

    Also taking place during the CTU ICT week is the ION Conference, hosted by the Internet Society Deploy360 Programme, which bring network engineers and leading industry experts together to discuss emerging technologies including IPv6, DNSSEC, TLS, and more.

    Early adopters provide valuable insight into their own deployment experiences and bring participants up to speed on new standards emerging from the IETF.

    You can learn more about ION Trinidad and Tobago, including what’s on the agenda, and who will be speaking, at http://www.internetsociety.org/deploy360/ion/trinidad2015/agenda/Ars Technica also has an article about ION Conference in Trinidad.

     

     

  • Google Earth Pro is now free

    Google Earth Pro is now free

    Google has made Google Earth Pro, formerly a paid product, available for free.

     So what are the features of Google Earth Pro compared to Google Earth?

    From the Google Earth Pro website:

    Google Earth Pro gives you access to Google’s comprehensive globe, including aerial imagery, street data, panoramic Street View images, historical imagery, and points of interest. In addition, Google Earth Pro offers tools and capabilities designed specifically for business users, including:

    • Print high resolution screenshots
    • Map large GIS datasets
    • Quickly map thousands of addresses
    • Create custom movies to share with clients and customers
    • Measure area with a polygon or circle
    • View demographic, parcel and traffic data displayed in colorful layers

     

    Unfortunately,. the satellite imagery for Trinidad (for now) is somewhat out of date. For example, the satellite imagery doesn’t show the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain which was built around 2009.

    google-earth-pro-pos-ttcs
    Screenshot of Google Earth Pro showing Port of Spain, Trinidad

    Download Google Earth Pro, and complete the form to have a free license key emailed to you.

  • Apple releases iOS 8.1.3 ; reduces the amount of storage needed to perform a software update

    Apple releases iOS 8.1.3 ; reduces the amount of storage needed to perform a software update

    io813-notes

    Apple has released iOS 8.1.3 for all devices running iOS 8. One key feature of the update is that it reduces the amount of storage needed to perform a software update.  Its a 247MB download so you may want to connect your phone or tablet to your computer and perform the update via iTunes.

    See http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/ios-8-1-3-released-reduces-the-space-you-need-to-install-updates/

  • Apple reports fiscal 2015 quarterly results ; Revenue $74.6 billion US ; Profit $18 billion US

    Apple reports fiscal 2015 quarterly results ; Revenue $74.6 billion US ; Profit $18 billion US

    From the Apple Press Release :

    Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2015 first quarter ended December 27, 2014. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $74.6 billion and record quarterly net profit of $18 billion, or $3.06 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $57.6 billion and net profit of $13.1 billion, or $2.07 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 39.9 percent compared to 37.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 65 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

    The results were fueled by all-time record revenue from iPhone® and Mac® sales as well as record performance of the App Store℠. iPhone unit sales of 74.5 million also set a new record.

     

     

     

  • Adobe releases third security update this month for Adobe Flash for Windows, Macintosh and Linux (January 27 2015)

    Adobe releases third security update this month for Adobe Flash for Windows, Macintosh and Linux (January 27 2015)

    Another security flaw for Adobe Flash Player being exploited in the wild means another security update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Mac and Linux, the third update this month.

    According to the Adobe Security Bulletin dated January 27 2015:

    Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux.  These updates address vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.

    Adobe is aware of reports that CVE-2015-0311 is actively being exploited in the wild via drive-by-download attacks against systems running Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows 8.1 and below.

    So update ASAP!

    The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.296.

    To determine what version of the Adobe Flash player you have on your Windows, Macintosh or Linux system, visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

    To download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player without any adware or bundled third party offers, visit
    http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

    Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
    You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.

    For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.

    Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.

  • Music streaming service Rdio available in the Caribbean ; announces partnership with Digicel

    Music streaming service Rdio available in the Caribbean ; announces partnership with Digicel

    Rdio logo (via http://www.rdio.com/)

    Rdio, a music streaming service for desktops and mobile devices is now available in Trinidad and Tobago and many other Caribbean territories thanks to an exclusive partnership with Digicel.

    From the Rdio blog post :

    In the coming weeks, Digicel will offer all prepaid data customers 30 minutes of free Rdio Internet radio listening per day on their mobile phones without accruing data usage charges – all through the exclusive partnership. Digicel will also be collaborating closely with us to infuse local influence in each of our new territories, curating playlists and stations together with Digicel Brand Ambassadors in each country and territory. Through this unprecedented arrangement, listeners in each market will have convenient access to popular music from around the world in addition to local artists they already enjoy.

    Effective today, Rdio is available in the following new markets: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. In addition to the new markets where Rdio is launching, Rdio’s exclusive partnership with Digicel is effective in French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Martinique, Bonaire, El Salvador and Panama.

    You can sign up with Rdio at http://www.rdio.com/ and stream music to your computer, phone or tablet. See http://www.rdio.com/home/en-tt/#apps

     

     

  • Adobe releases critical security update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, MacOS X & Linux (January 22 2015)

    Adobe releases critical security update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, MacOS X & Linux (January 22 2015)

    Adobe has posted a second critical security update for Adobe Flash Player on January 22 2015 for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

    According to the Adobe Security Bulletin dated January 22 2015:

    Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux.  These updates address a vulnerability that could be used to circumvent memory randomization mitigations on the Windows platform.

    Adobe is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2015-0310 exists in the wild, which is being used in attacks against older versions of Flash Player.  Additionally, we are investigating reports that a separate exploit for Flash Player 16.0.0.287 and earlier also exists in the wild.

    So update ASAP!

    The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.287.

    To determine what version of the Adobe Flash player you have on your Windows, Macintosh or Linux system, visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

    To download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player without any adware or bundled third party offers, visit
    http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

    Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
    You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.

    For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.

    Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.