Late last week, Rhapsody finally pushed out a beta of its new app for Android devices. The service was aiming to launch the new feature before the holidays, but finalizing the software for public consumption took a bit longer than expected.

The Android version is noticeably different than the one for the iPhone--for a few reasons. Most notably, due to the parameters of each OS, the Android app will run in the background while you use other functions of your device (the iPhone does not allow such activity at this time). Also, Rhapsody for Android has a noticeably darker look and feel, which distinguishes it a bit more from both the desktop client and the version for the iPhone.

You can expect all the usual suspects in terms of Rhapsody features. From there, the top menu lets you search for specific tracks, albums, and artists; browse by genres or what's new for the week; and access charts, playlists, or Rhapsody Radio (known to seasoned users as Rhapsody Channels).

There's also a section dedicated to your personal library, with sub-menus for artists, albums, playlists, stations, and purchases.

The interface is slick, with plenty of album art and artist pics acting as visually stimulating icons for a more immersive navigation experience. It's fairly snappy, though playback takes a bit to load. After seeing Slacker's nifty home screen widget for its Android app, I can't help but be a bit disappointed by Rhapsody's lack of method for controlling playback while perusing other functions. Still, at least there's an Android app period--and it's free, as it should be.

If you're interested in checking out the public beta of Rhapsody's Android app, follow the instructions here.

It would be nearly impossible to write about the forthcoming Zagat iPhone app without comparing it with Yelp's newly released update. For starters, Zagat To Go 3.0 for iPhone will have augmented reality when it comes out (we received a sneak peek.) As with Yelp's "Monocle" feature (video), first introduced as an Easter Egg in Yelp 3.0, Zagat To Go's augmented reality search option will layer a business' location over the real-world view that you see through the camera lens of an iPhone 3GS (and 3GS only--this is typical of augmented reality technology.)

And then there's this goody: Zagat To Go lets registered users submit their ratings and quippy remarks about a business directly from the iPhone app--or from their table. While Yelp's iPhone app gives you 140 characters, Twitter-style, to write a quick tip, the app will only let you begin a draft for a rated review to finish up later from a computer. Zagat To Go throws 240 characters your way and lets you submit your witty ratings then and there.

Zagat To Go 3.0 one-ups Yelp one more time by introducing an optional offline mode (you'll get to it in the settings.) You'll need a whole heap of stable Wi-Fi to download the 104MB content. It took us a whopping 25 minutes and 14 seconds over choppy public Wi-Fi after a few self-aborted attempts. Our data connection has been too strong to stress test how well the app handles searches offline, but we'll follow up a little later on when we can get our iPhone to a dark tunnel or cave. At any rate, offline mode or some form of caching is an option we'd welcome on any app that helps us hungry grumps find victuals.

We know what you're thinking. Zagat To Go costs $10, which is $10 more than Yelp's free ratings app, and Yelp surfaces information about far more restaurants. True, which is why the Zagat app is aimed at gastronomes who might otherwise seek out Zagat ratings in paperback form. We're also guessing that the fine foodie crowd could still benefit from some of Yelp's features; namely special offers and the ability to upload a picture from the table.

Handmark, Zagat's partner in making mobile apps, tells CNET it plans to submit Zagat To Go 3.0 for iPhone to the App Store on Wednesday. Look for it to surface sometime after that.

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

Avast has recently partnered with Google Chrome and crossed the 100-million-user mark, but the new interface and revamped feature set in Avast 5 are far more intriguing and important. Gone is the old car-stereo design, replaced by a more user-friendly design. On the feature front, users can expect seven real-time shield components, a silent/gaming mode, and a multitude of protection data to explore.

Watch this First Look video to get a quick tour of what's new in the free antivirus powerhouse Avast 5.

Don't let the small version update from Trillian 4.0 to Trillian Astra 4.1 for Windows fool you. Though the version may have bumped up one tiny integer, there are enough changes to this venerable multinetwork chat app to make it worth your notice; particularly if you're into social networking.

Trillian's maker, Cerulean Studios, has tightened the app's integration with Twitter, making it possible to now tweet from the buddy list. They've inserted a character counter so you can gauge how much space you have left to reach Twitter's 140 limit. Our favorite of the new additions is Trillian's integration with the Twitpic photo-tweeting service. Drag or copy an image into the Twitter field to automatically include the picture in your tweet. You can also follow searches and follow new Twitter users from within Trillian

As with Twitter, Trillian 4.1 draws e-mail closer. It lets you preview e-mail messages before opening them and you can mark a message read or as spam and delete it right from a context menu.

Trillian also pays attention to notifications, which, in this version, are now grouped by default into a single space you can digitally leaf through. Before, Trillian produced a single alert window per notification.

Whether you're a big social networker, Windows 7 users can still appreciate Trillian's new support for jump lists and other Windows 7 features--like your video chat streaming in the taskbar thumbnail, and seeing Windows 7's progress bar when you transfer files using Trillian.

Cerulean Studios boasts more than 100 new or improved features. You can get a deeper overview of the main points at Trillian's Web site, or check out the entire changelog (we're warning you, though--it ain't pretty.)

Social news site Digg relaunched its Firefox extension on Tuesday, adding a small number of iterative improvements. The company also launched an extension for Google's Chrome browser, which lets users see if a story has been submitted to Digg, as well as vote on it--all without leaving the page.

Both extensions show a count of how many Diggs a story has if it has been submitted, as well as a speedy way to submit links if they haven't. They also let users share any page they're on, not just through Digg, but on social networks like Twitter and Facebook too. In Firefox's case, the extension adds the option to create a shortened Digg URL too.

Other improvements in the Firefox version include the addition of a keyboard shortcut that can show and hide the toolbar, and size reductions both to the toolbar as well as the user notifications that pop down from time to time.

Along with the browser add-ons, Digg now has an updated version of its app for social media player Boxee. The new version lets users peruse popular stories, as well as vote on them, all from the comfort of their couch. Previously, all it was able to do was play videos that had been made popular on the social network.

The trend of Digg making most of its site available from elsewhere is something that started when the company launched its writeable API late last year. That in itself wouldn't be such a big deal, however Digg's main business model thus far has been advertising--something that does not yet appear on third-party tools that are making use of these APIs.

Originally posted at Web Crawler

Finally, GTA makes its iPhone debut.

(Credit: Rockstar Games)

Note to parents: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for iPhone and iPod Touch is a crude, violent, decidedly R-rated game. So don't let the kids catch you playing it, OK?

Actually, it's more likely you'll catch them. Chinatown Wars ranks among the top-rated and most popular titles ever for both Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable, and its iPhone counterpart is sure to enjoy similar success.

For those unfamiliar with GTA games, Chinatown Wars plays like an interactive John Woo movie. As the son of a murdered gang boss, you must complete various missions on the sprawling, ultra-violent streets of Liberty City.

Most of these involve driving from one place to another, often while evading police pursuit. But there's also on-foot gunplay, fistfights, and other mayhem.

A profanity-laden plot weaves its way through the game, as does a rap-heavy soundtrack. In short, Chinatown Wars is pure Grand Theft Auto.

That's a good thing--a very good thing--if you're a fan of the series. And even if you're new to GTA, it's easy to get hooked on the game's "open" nature: You can roam the streets of Liberty City as you please, mowing down pedestrians in car-jacked cars, dealing drugs, getting into fights, and so on.

This might be a good place to mention that Apple requires buyers to be at least 17 years old, a decision I applaud. Call me old-fashioned, but I wouldn't want my 10-year-old exposed to this kind of material.

Chinatown Wars' controls are about as good as can be expected: an onscreen joystick and punch/jump/kick buttons for pants-on-the-ground action, and left/right steering and accelerate/brake buttons for driving. The game's clever steering-assist option keeps your car going straight until you make a turn, though I found myself over-steering wildly until I got the hang of it--which took about 10 seconds.

As it happens, I'm just now making my way through Grand Theft Auto IV on the PC. Consequently, Chinatown Wars seems small and claustrophobic--perhaps owing to the top-down view and perhaps because my iPhone's screen is tiny compared with my 22-inch LCD.

I also miss the rich voice acting and ground-level perspective of the PC/console games. Still, I like Chinatown Wars, and I bet that other GTA fans will like it too. Before you plunk down your $9.99 (Is that too much? Share your thoughts on iPhone game prices here), check out this TouchArcade gameplay video:

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

Unless you're brand new-to using computers, the recent news that an Internet Explorer hole was exploited in China-based attacks against Google Gmail users and dozens of high-tech companies was no surprise.

Lately, malicious software has increasingly targeted holes in media players such as Adobe's Flash Player and Reader PDF software, so the Chinese attack on IE is in some ways a throwback. Many tech pundits have responded by recommending against using Internet Explorer at all. The free and easy availability of alternative browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Apple's Safari, and Google's own Chrome would appear to make this sound advice.

Unfortunately, some Internet users don't have a choice in which Web browser to use. The Web sites of many organizations use custom applications that require IE. More importantly, Windows itself relies on Internet Explorer to receive updates and for other behind-the-scenes operations. Even if you never open IE, you still need to make sure the browser is fully patched and up to date.

Review IE's security settings
In a mid-November post, I compared the security features of IE 8 with those of Firefox 3, Chrome 4, Safari 4, and Opera 10. Topping the list of new security features in IE 8 are automatic blocking of click-jacking and cross-site scripting attacks, automatic crash recovery, and highlighting of the actual domain name in the address bar.

That's why the safest thing any Internet Explorer user can do is upgrade to version 8. If you must use IE 7, be sure to keep the browser patched and set to either its High or Medium-High security setting. To check IE's security settings, click Tools, Internet Options, Security. In IE 7 and 8, make sure the option to Enable Protected Mode is checked (it's on by default in IE 8 on XP SP3, Vista SP1 and SP2, and Windows 7).

IE 8 also enables Data Execution Prevention by default, although you can turn on the feature in IE 7 by clicking Tools, Internet Options, Advanced, scrolling to the Security section, and making sure "Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks" is checked. About.com's Mary Landesman provides instructions for setting DEP in IE 6.

Enabling IE's Protected Mode and DEP features will go a long way toward keeping your computer safe from malware attacks. However, if you're still feeling vulnerable, there are two other things you can do to batten down IE's hatches.

The first is to sign in to a standard user account rather than to an administrator account. When using a standard account, you'll be blocked from such activities as downloading and installing programs and changing system settings. You can overcome the block by entering an administrator ID and password for the PC.

Lastly, you can set Internet Explorer to the High security setting by raising the slider control under the Security tab in Internet Options. Many people find IE's highest security level too restrictive for everyday browsing, but you can customize the settings by selecting the "Custom level" button, making your own security choices, and clicking OK twice. You'll have to restart IE for your new settings to take effect.

For Microsoft's take on the IE security flaw targeted by the Chinese government, see the company's Security Advisory 979352, which was released on January 14, 2010, and updated the following day. On the Microsoft Security Response Center blog, Jerry Bryant says that the company will release the update that patches this hole "as soon as the appropriate amount of testing has been completed."

Originally posted at Workers' Edge

Freeware antivirus Avast 5 debuts today with several new features, but longtime fans are most likely to notice that the old interface has gone to wherever interfaces go when they die. Along with the new interface, Avast Free, Avast Professional, and the new Avast Internet Security introduce an overhauled feature set that keeps the suite highly competitive. Arguably, the free version provides the most complete free antivirus on the market.

Before detailing the new features, the importance of this interface change can't be understated. Gone is the music player default look, which was skinnable but confusing. In its place is a sleek user interface that new users should find far more manageable. The gray and orange color scheme stands out well on the screen, and the tab-based navigation on the left makes it much easier than before to navigate between features. Highlighted with the familiar security colors of green for safe and red for dangerous, the Summary tab gives up-to-date info on shield status, auto-updates, virus definitions, the program version, and whether the new silent/gaming mode is on. There's also an unobtrusive ad to Avast Internet Security.

The Summary tab contains a second submenu, Statistics. If you're curious to see how Avast's shields have been performing against threats, here's where you can get your math geek on. For each shield, it tells you how many files were scanned and when, and presents the data in a concise graph.

The scans live in the second tab, where you can choose and adjust six default scan types plus a custom scan option. What's useful about Avast's layout here is that you can adjust all Avast-related scans from this tab. This includes the expected Quick and Full scans, but also encompasses the Removable media scan, Folder scan, Scans initiated from Windows Explorer, and the Screen Saver scan. Once you initiate a scan, you're not locked into that pane. Exploring the program interface while a scan runs doesn't kill the scan.

You can also schedule a boot-time scan and access scan logs from the scan tab. While running a scan, Avast will tell you not only how long the scan has taken and how many files have been examined, but also how much data has been tested and how fast it's being tested. As with the summary graphs, there's a lot of data that Avast exposes.

The Real-Time Shields live in the third tab, and again the clean interface comes into play here as navigating what could be a mess of options and tweaks is instead dead simple. Click on a shield to reveal a real-time chart of what it's been defending you against, with a Stop button and settings options at the top of the window. Another button at the top takes you to the advanced settings for that shield, and links at the bottom expose the shield's history as a graph and export a log file.

The last tab, Maintenance, contains the virus chest and manual update buttons. On the top right of the interface live the Help Center and the Settings, from which you can get much more granular control of Avast. This includes everything from toggling the system tray icon, to managing updates, to password-protecting Avast access. This is also where you can uninvolve your anonymously submitted data from Community IQ, the Avast crowd-sourced behavioral detection engine. The new Avast interface is also Aero-friendly, with Explorer-style backward and forward navigation buttons in case you can't remember where you tweaked a particular setting. If the interface turned you off before, Avast 5 is worth another look just to see how much it's improved.

The basic free version, formerly known as the Home Edition, includes an attractive and obviously affordable set of features. The antivirus, antispyware, and heuristics engines form a security core that also includes multiple real-time shields. Mail and file system shields join the preexisting behavior, network, instant messaging, peer-to-peer, and Web shields. Other new features include a silent-gaming mode and an "intelligent scanner" that only looks at changed files after establishing a baseline.

The behavioral shield is a common-sense feature, as security software publishers leverage their large user bases to detect threats early and warn others. Avast's user base is interesting in that it's heavily involved in the support of the software, and the company claims that its mostly volunteer-run support forums see 100,000 daily visitors. This isn't surprising, though, given that Avast passed the 100-million-user mark at the end of 2009.

There are several features that are only available in both the Professional and Internet Security versions. The Pro version, which comes with a single-computer license for $39.95, offers a script shield and a sandbox for isolating and testing suspected threats, without having to worry about infection. The Internet Security version gives users three licenses for $59.95, and includes a firewall and antispam measures along with the sandbox and script shield.

Efficacy testing of antivirus programs is becoming trickier as threats mutate beyond what the tests have been designed to check, but some testing is better than none. In the Whole Product Dynamic Test by independent efficacy tester AV-Comparitives in December 2009, which tested a beta version of Avast 5, the program earned an Advanced rating. Although it shared that score with six others, including Eset and the free programs from Microsoft and Avira, only two programs scored higher: Norton and Kaspersky.

In November 2009, Avast 4.8 and Microsoft Security Essentials were the only freeware to score Advanced+ in the Retrospective/Proactive Test done by AV Comparatives. Avast 4.8 was also the only program that tested faster than Norton AntiVirus 2010, and was tied with Microsoft for second place in fewest false positives detected. The detection score was also high, at 98 percent. That's worse than Avira, but Avast noted far fewer false positives. Avast 5 Free lacks features in the paid upgrade including antispam measures, a testing sandbox, a Script shield, and a firewall. Even without those, Avast Free 5 probably the strongest, free antivirus currently available.

CNET Labs is currently performing its own tests, and the results will be added here when they're available. In an empirical real-world test, though, the Quick scan took 13 minutes, 52 seconds, while a Full scan ran about 90 minutes.

Users should also note that along with offering an opt-in to Google Chrome when installing Avast, the free version was also chosen last week to be part of the Google Pack in Europe.

Though it's clear that the paid versions of Avast represent a good value, albeit not the best value, the efficacy, feature set, and ease of use of Avast Free make it a must-have security suite.