The question that may strike you first is that do we really need a service pack for Windows 7? It works smoothly for most purposes and the periodical hotfixes and security patches released by Microsoft are quite adequate for securing your PC running Windows 7. The answer to this question is the SP1 will not change your experience of working in Windows 7 dramatically. However, it makes sense to download and install the service pack because it packs in all earlier updates into one bundle. This is ideal for those buyers who are buying a new Windows 7 PC.

Needless to say after installing the SP1 you will get better performance and stability in your OS, or so Microsoft claims! Actually Microsoft is focusing more on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. The latter brings features like RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory. Windows 7 has sold well and even Corporate customers who were annoyed with Vista have begun upgrading their systems to Windows 7.

It can enable Windows firewall by default. In Windows 7 it can add specific protection to counter network based attacks. The Antivirus testing labs have given a thumbs up to the software and they say it detects most of the latest malwares. The interface is similar to the first version and it is as idiot proof as an app can be! A first time user should not face any problem in operating it. It downloads updates automatically at scheduled times. Only at times you can be prompted for restarting your system.

Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 takes a bit longer than other products for full sytem scan no matter how slow or fast your system is. The detection rate is very good though not the best. It scores a tad low in rootkit detection though.

Tara Burke, a spokeswoman of the bank reported that the bank’s website started to slow down from Friday morning. The main reason she gave was that there had been a routine systems change that had been identified in the online banking system. The spokeswoman did not speak anything about the changes that had been identified. On the contrary, all the ATMs of the bank were functioning perfectly.  Although the percentage of people availing the online banking services are few, even then, this sudden breakdown of the system was a kind of a blow to their transaction activities. Users initially reported that the problems started early in the morning and continued up to the late hours of the day. It happened all the more when the news of the website, not working properly reached out to the mass. A huge number of people logged in to find out what the problem was and that was what created all the m,ore trouble with the website.

What actually happened was that, the webpage was taking a lot of time to get loaded. However, ultimately, the page did not load. The website went back and forth several times. If reports are to be believed, prior to this in August last year, the same problem occurred with the bank’s website. Tara Burke, the spokeswoman said that the problem would not last long, since the bank officials are looking into the matter to get the process normalized as soon as possible.

The latest version of Norton Internet Security aka the NIS 2011 boasts improved speed and ease of use like never before. NIS is no longer the bloated app that consumed a lot of CPU resources. There area lot of settings to be sure but even the default setting give you enough protection against worms and trojans. There are a number of features the average users will not find worth paying attention to. For example the activity map may be of worth to security analyst but an average user may not pay much attention to it.

However, you can check out exactly what amount of Memory and CPU resources are being used by the NIS 2011. A graph shows you how NIS 2011 is affecting your system while it is idle and running a scan. The nifty addition is the Identity Safe password manager-it is great and better than your browser in one sense.

The Norton Internet Security 2011 now ships with a Web interface. The installation experience is nice especially when you think about earlier versions of Norton. The interface design is somewhat changed but the black and yellow color scheme is the same used in previous editions. It would be right to say that the latest version of NIS is not replete with many new features but it presents the well known features in a new way. While NIS does not hog resources like it used to do earlier it still affects the system boot time by a margin. The system shutdown time however is not affected by the application. Overall, this is an improved version of system security suite with better speed and good malware detection and removal.

3D is likely to sneak into cameras in a big way in next year. You have seen how the TV industry is going gaga over the third dimension. Sony, LG, Samsung and Toshiba have all unleashed their 3D TVs and with time their cost is expected to come down. Fujifilm has already made foray into 3D camera with its unique Real 3D FinePix system. Sony Cyber shot models now come with 3D Sweep panorama modes. However, these technologies are far from perfect and they only simulate 3D using the way humans view everything. It is expected that in 2011 cameras will have more robust 3D capabilities.

Apart from 3D the other trend that has already crept into digital cameras is HD. A number of mid range cameras already support HD720p recording and very recently some high end models like Nikon CoolPix S8100 support FullHD recording. So can you guess what is lying ahead. The VGA is becoming obsolete and it will disappear from even basic models. More models will support 720p HD video and FullHD will be seen in more models as well. The entry level cameras mostly offer 3x to 4x optical zoom these days. It is expected that many more cameras in near future will sport 10x optical zoom. This is natural that smart phone cameras are getting quite advanced with time. It is only natural that camera brands will add extra something in their products in 2011.

Other trends that may creep in cameras are slimmer energy efficient lithium ion batteries and touch screen display. Sony and Nikon already has touch screen enabled cameras and more such devices are expected to hit the market in 2011. Handheld mini camcorders are also likely to get more advanced features in near future.

Before this, the enthusiasts of the film crowded the lab so as to get the deliveries of their films. There were a number of people who wanted to get their film roll much before the deadline. According to the reports of ABC News, there is an incident of a woman who flew in from England so that she could hand over her film personally. Kodak stopped making films from 2009 onwards.

The film was famous for its vivid colors as well as a favorite for professionals and amateur photographers alike for around 75 years. Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, is the last company of the world to develop the Kodachrome film, and today is the last day for the company to distribute those films. The company said that the last roll would probably be processed sometime next week.

Grant Steinle, the vice President of operations of Dwayne’s Photo and his son, Dwayne Steinle said that they are very surprised and also a bit shocked regarding the closing down of Kodachrome. The father-son duo even referred to the film as an icon of photography. It could be said that the best slide and movie film in history is retiring officially.

The car was unveiled for the first time last year and despite its stellar looks and styling it fell behind the top sedans. The sales of Kizashi as well as American wing of Suzuki have not been robust and with the 2011 lineup the company wants to change its fortune in US car market. The Kizashi 2011 is hailed as a sports sedan with a price tag below the luxury contenders. The new Kizashi is spunky and great looking to be sure and Suzuki has launched an ambitious ad campaign where it pits the model against heavyweight contenders like Audi and a Limo. Now these are big names and pone cannot help but wonder is the new Kizashi has it in side to take on such big names? At least Suzuki claims so in the ads.

The new sedan from Suzuki sports advanced continuously variable automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive. The Kizashi variants are all powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine which generates 185 horsepower. While this is enough for speeding up it is nowhere near awe inspiring. The car’s interior is nice and quite functional but compared to a Limo or Audi it is much less luxurious. The push button start in the car is going to be liked by the buyers. As far as tactile feedback of controls are concerned, the wheel-mounted audio controls exude class and style. The seat arrangement is nice and even tall people would get enough legroom at the backseats. A nice addition is the ski pass-through at the rear seats.

The Kizashi’s CVT auto mode is nice. Suzuki has focused on ergonomics while designing the interior of the car and all the controls can be easily reached. The engine could have been a little more powerful to live up to the sporty image that Suzuki is trying to project. The Kizashi offers a pleasant driving and riding experience overall and there is hardly anything you can crib about, be it the quality of the components used in its interior or the safety features. However, it has no USP as such that can set it apart from other mid level sedans in the market.

The name of the crossover is not the different thing in it, the looks take you by amazement as well. While the appearance of the car may not please every one it is expected to turn heads wherever it goes. The five seater looks bigger than what it actually is thanks to its oddball front styling. The round headlamps of the car tend to make one believe they are fog lamps. The engine used in the car is Nissan’s first direct-injection, turbocharged variant in USA. The entry level model Juke S comes fitted with front-wheel drive and CVT or continuously variable transmission. To get the six-speed manual transmission version you have to dole out more than $20000. The Juke is certainly pricier than the likes of Kia and 2011 Hyundai Tucson.

The Nissan Juke is a tall car by all means and you get a good frontal view from the driver’s seat which is actually good. It could be possible that the Juke’s design has been inspired by Renault engineering team as the companies now operate under one banner. The interior of the Juke is quite nice and the steering wheel is almost perfect neither too light nor too heavy. With all wheel drive set on the Juke wonderfully manages curves and turns and there is very little body roll to be precise.

Juke’s mileage is good but not the best in its class as the Toyota Yaris offers slightly better fuel economy. The slope like build of the Juke cuts down on rear headroom to an extent though not annoyingly. The boomerang-shaped tail lamps also stand out at the rear of the car and once again its is another ‘you love it or hate it’ kind of thing! The basic model has some plastic parts inside but by paying a premium you can get leather-trimmed interior. The storage space is scare in the Juke when you use the rear seats. However, they can be flattened when you need. You get three driving modes in it – a feature seen in higher end models generally. It also has plenty of safety and entertainment features inbuilt.

The 2012 Ford Focus comes equipped with six speed automatic transmission for a smooth ride experience and some variants also have SelectShift technology. with this changing gear becomes a cakewalk and you can change gears just with a touch. Its advanced electronic power assisted steering coupled with the unique pull drift feature keeps a tab on the steering input of the driver and adjusts to the road condition accordingly. This gives the car’s driver immense control over the wheel and sturdiness even when driving on hostile terrains. It has been claimed by Ford that the Focus will offer better mileage than its rivals even though it generates 160 horsepower at 6,500 RPM.

The other highlight of the 2012 Ford Focus is the Torque Vectoring Control which means the wheels have better grip on the road. The usual problem of body roll is largely eliminated by the combination of features like fully independent control blade rear suspension and rear stabilizer bar. The kinetic design of the Ford Focus makes it appear as if it is in motion even when it is still. This is somewhat like the Honda City’s arrow-shot design. The Ford Focus comes with state of the art features like power front windows, keyless entry, climate control, 15-inch steel wheels.

The SE model has all of the aforesaid features and adds power rear windows, bigger wheels, body-coloured mirrors, steering wheel-based audio controls. The top of the line Focus SEL has additional specs like cruise control, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel. A special variant named Focus Titanium will also be launched. It will have 17 inch alloy wheels, Sony sound system with 10 speaker and subwoofer, and Touchscreen control. The buyers also have a loot of customization options including a navigation system, dual tone leather seats and power sunroof.

The much touted Torque Vectoring Control makes tackling sharp bends and drive on serpentine roads a breeze. This feature is likely to help the newbie drivers but even the veteran ones will appreciate its implementation. The vehicle stability control system used in this car was so far reserved for the more expensive SUVs. The car will start arriving the Ford dealerships in the USA in 2011 as Ford has said. Rick Bolt, Ford’s program manager of Focus said on the technology that “The new Focus is the first North American Ford vehicle to offer torque vectoring control. This is a technology that has been offered on high-end sports cars, yet Ford is making it standard on their new small car.”

The look of the car may reminds one of the CR-X of Honda which was made last time way back in 1991. As a matter of fact the CR-Z depends on the company’s Integrated Motor Assist gas-electric hybrid system which does not make it as eco friendly as the likes of the Toyota Prius. Even from the perspective of fuel economy it offers little advantage over a conventional gasoline based engine. The CR-Z however, has impressive looks both outside and interior wise. The design is almost totally digital except for the car’s tachometer. The cool thing about the dashboard is that based on your driving style the ambient lighting keeps altering. However, Honda could add some improvements in the map department as it looks pretty basic.

However the Honda CR-Z offers cutting edge voice command system and offers decent navigation control. A simpler way of implementing the voice command system could be adopted by Honda. It is not bad or inconvenient though. It makes use of two different voice command system. The first is used for navigation and car controls and the other takes care of the phone. The controls for both systems are on the car’s steering wheel. You can also plug in your USB drive in the car’s integrated USB pigtail and the good thing is that it is fully compatible with Apple iPod.

The inbuilt audio system in the CR-Z is definitely above average as it offers six speakers and a subwoofer. The 360 watt amp makes a difference in the listening quality. The engine in the CR-Z generates 122 HP and the so called hybrid system actually functions as a booster for the gas driven engine. It also makes the gas engine shut off at traffic halts. It is a nice feature, but does not necessarily add to the eco friendly footprint of the car. The engine of the car makes a buzz at all times and the people who prefer whisper quiet car engines are in for big disappointments. If you rev up and the rpm goes above 4000 mark, the roar of the engine crosses could make you pissed off.

Honda offers three driving modes with the car namely- Sport, Normal and Eco. The last one as its name suggests is meant for boosting fuel economy. Overall the CR-Z has got the looks right and some of its features are noteworthy. However, it falls short in the hybrid aspect compared to other cars.