When the PBS for iPad app debuted last year, I bemoaned the lack of any PBS KIDS content (other than previews).

Well, I will bemoan no more: PBS Kids Video for iPad is a brand new app that streams--you guessed it--video for kids. Specifically, it serves up over 1,000 clips from shows like "Arthur," "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That," and my personal favorite, "Word Girl."

Yes, unfortunately, I did say clips. The app doesn't offer full-length episodes, but rather a whole mess of snippets--most of which run 1-2 minutes. There are a few lengthier segments mixed in, usually running 11-12 minutes, but the majority are shorts.

I'll admit I find that disappointing, but I doubt kids will. Instead, they'll likely go ape for the app, which is a breeze to use and admirably kid-friendly in its design.

Indeed, when you first start PBS Kids Video, it immediately begins playing a video. A scrolling picture-bar on the right lets kids choose a show just by tapping the image from, say, "Arthur" or "The Cat in the Hat." And swiping the Browse tool pulls out a list of available clips for that show.

Parents can pull out an info bar that lists TV times, show info, and an option to buy the full episode in iTunes. I tested the app over a Wi-Fi network (it also supports 3G), and the videos consistently started quickly and played smoothly.

In short, PBS Kids Video rocks. No doubt it would be better with full episodes, but it's still a must-have app for parents of younger kids.

Originally posted at iPad Atlas

Windows 7 is four to five times less vulnerable to malware infections than is Windows XP.

Those are the findings of Microsoft's latest Security Intelligence Report (PDF), which detailed in depth the state of software vulnerabilities, exploits, security breaches, and malware in 2010.

Overall, the study found that infection rates for newer Microsoft operating systems with the latest service packs are consistently lower than those for older OSes, giving Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 the highest marks for security.

Looking at the number of reported infections per 1,000 computers, Microsoft found that Windows 7 64-bit had the lowest number at 2.5, while the 32-bit version had 3.8.

Windows XP with SP3 came in with 15.9 infections per 1,000, while XP with SP2 had the highest number at 19.3. Breaking down the numbers, Microsoft's stats mean that Windows 7 is around four to five times more secure than XP.

Windows Vista's infection rate was considerably lower than that for XP but still turned out to be double that for Windows 7.

Drilling down further, the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows Vista are less infection-prone than are their 32-bit counterparts, which Microsoft attributes to a couple of factors.

First, the 64-bit versions of both systems may appeal to more tech-savvy users, presumably ones that would better know how to secure their computers. But second, Windows 64-bit offers a feature called Kernel Patch Protection, which protects the Windows kernel from unauthorized changes.

Analyzing server-based operating systems, Windows Server 2003, which offers both 32-bit and 64-bit editions, had 5.8 infections per 1,000. Windows Server 2008 R2, which comes only in a 64-bit flavor, had 3.6 infections.

Security holes in applications versus those in operating systems or Web browsers accounted for most of the vulnerabilities last year, according to Microsoft. However, the total number of holes found in applications fell 22.2 percent from 2009. But exploits that take advantage of Java vulnerabilities rose dramatically in last year's third quarter, surpassing every other category, the report noted.

Originally posted at News - Security

You may have heard that this past week was Google's annual Google I/O developer event. Often a site for big, potentially game-changing announcements, the conference this year was no exception.

Day 1 gave us news on two major fronts. First, Google indeed launched its cloud music service in the form of both an Android app and a beta Web site. Second, the home-appliance-invading future of the Android platform, was revealed.

Day 2 brought us the first Chromebooks. These lean machines are based on Google's Chrome OS and provide an always-on and always-connected computing experience. Look for them in June. And perhaps just as exciting, was the announcement of the popular Angry Birds game invading our desktops via the Chrome browser. Keep an eye on your companies' productivity levels.

In other news, BitTorrent launched a next-generation torrent client to public beta, bringing a unified content discovery and sharing solution to its users. And for our mobile users, be sure to check out our take on the top photography apps for iPhone, as well as the long-awaited Netflix app for Android.