Acrobat security risk upgraded

Experts have warned that the recently discovered security weakness in the Acrobat Reader software from Adobe Systems could put Net users at more risk than previously thought, reports News.com.

The security problem exists because the Web browser plug-in of the Acrobat Reader allows JavaScript code appended to links to PDF files to run once the link is clicked.

Adobe has said users can upgrade to the latest version of the Adobe software, released last month, to mitigate the risk. The company says it is also working on updates to previous versions to solve the problem.

While LG is leading the way among DVD player manufacturers to end the DVD format war, Time Warner is expected to do the same among entertainment companies.

LG is seeking to end the war between the Sony-backed Blu-ray and Toshiba-backed HD DVD formats by being first to market with a DVD player that handles both, but Time Warner is attacking the problem by combining them on a single disk.

DailyTech says Time Warner is expected to announce a new high-definition DVD next week. The new Total HD disc will offer both types of content on one disc. So far, it is unclear if studios outside of Time Warner will be willing to offer content on the Total HD disc.

Samsung Electronics says it has created the first liquid-crystal display panel that can deliver independent images on both sides of a single small LCD display, reports News.com.

According to Samsung, the new double-sided LCD can show two entirely different pictures or sets of visual data simultaneously on the front and back of the same screen.

The double-sided LCD uses a new pixel design that allows separate control of the liquid crystal on each side of the display, enabling both sides to display separately. Each pixel is controlled by two circuits instead of one, allowing the same pixel to be used for two different screens.

SanDisk has released a 32GB solid state drive (SSD) that can be used as a drop-in replacement for a standard spinning-disk hard drive for those willing to pay a premium, reports eWeek.

The report says large capacity flash-based drives were previously used mainly by the military, aerospace and telecom industries, but declining costs have made SSD viable for the consumer market. SanDisk says its new SSD offers high durability to keep mobile PCs working in tough conditions.

SanDisk already sells flash-based SSDs with capacities up to 350GB for military applications, but the company says cost is the main barrier to bringing those to consumers.

Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console will sell more than the combined sale of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii consoles by 2010, according to a European market research firm.

A report by Dublin-based Research and Markets says the Sony PS3 is expected to win the console war in the long term, with an install base of around 75 million globally by 2010.

The prediction flies in the face of sales reports from the US that show the Xbox 360 was the best-selling game console in November and December. However, the R&M report puts this down to Sony's delayed introduction of the console into Europe and the head start gained by the Xbox 360.