Long-time readers of Windows IT Pro UPDATE will recall my simplistic mantra about the future of computing: It’s highly mobile and highly connected. But recent moves from the leading OS vendors suggest that this isn’t just a pat saying. Instead, both Microsoft and Apple agree on this one thing: It’s a strategy. What’s interesting is that these two companies have chosen to arrive at the same destination by going in separate directions. More

How much do mobile apps really know about you? More than you might think. Facebook, Twitter, and other popular mobile apps all make copies of your personal contacts — often without telling you. Read More

The Redmond giant has an opportunity to show what its technology will do that Apple won’t even care about, let alone beat them at. One possible answer: Help individual employees be more effective at their jobs. Read More

In the first quarter of 2011, enterprise users encountered an average of 274 Web-based malware attacks, a 103% increase over 2010, according to research from Cisco ScanSafe. Why the dramatic increase? One major cause is the growing number of drive-by download attacks. Drive-by downloads are an especially pernicious method cybercriminals use to install viruses and spyware, and otherwise take control of unsuspecting end users’ computers. Read More

Microsoft’s development of a touch-savvy version of its Office suite is a clue that the company’s thinking about a future where services and information aren’t tethered to any one machine. Read More

Black hatters are rushing to exploit a lucrative new market. Will Google succeed in defending against them? Read more >>

A federal lawsuit filed in Massachusetts could test the question of whether individuals who leave their wireless networks unsecured can be held liable if someone uses the network to illegally download copyrighted content. Read More

Google yesterday unveiled an automated system that scans Android apps for potential malware or unauthorized behavior, a move critics have long called the company to make. Read More

Half of all Fortune 500 companies and major U.S. government agencies own computers infected with the “DNS Changer” malware that redirects users to fake websites and puts organizations at risk of data theft, a security company said today. Read More.

They are well organized. They pay close attention to product quality, working hard to make it effective and scalable. They are all about customer service, providing after-sales support. They even solicit the help of their customers in product development. All in the service of theft. Read More