Windows XP SP3 Or Malware?

Since I intalled Windows XP SP3, this machine has gotten progressively slower.

As I sit here and type this, there is a frikkin lag in the letters appearing on screen! This never happened before SP3!

Avast! alerted me the other day to a trojan horse that apparently was timed to wake up lurking in a — what I thought was a legitimate and free! — DVD ripping program I’d downloaded but never used months ago. Avast! claimed it grabbed the sucker and moved it into its isolation chest, but I’m beginning to wonder.

Scouring this machine for malware is at least a full day of work. I have to run several programs because there still isn’t — and probably never will be — just one that can find everything

Dammit!

Joanna Stern Is A Box Office Hit!

Take that, Indiana Jones!

Blog Notes: Views

The olde blogge has now gotten over a half million views.

This blog just this week broke through the 100,000 mark.

Friends may go drink champagne.

My enemies: poison.

Some Unusual Apple Trademarks

An important note: There is no information to be gleaned by the filenames of the JPEGs. The USPTO assigns them a standard name. I renamed them to make them easier for me to store and publish.

Looking at this first one, I’m tempted to call it Radiohead. Should that band sue?

Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Portable and handheld digital electronic devices for recording, organizing, transmitting, manipulating, and reviewing audio, video, images, and other multimedia content; computer software for use in organizing, transmitting, manipulating, reproducing, processing, streaming, playing and reviewing audio, video, images, and other multimedia content on digital electronic devices; computer hardware and software for controlling the operation of audio, video, and multimedia devices and for viewing, searching, or playing audio, video, images and other multimedia content; computer software for encoding, publishing and distributing audio, video, images, and other multimedia content via the internet and other communication networks; downloadable digital audio, video, and multimedia files and recordings featuring music, television, film, books, news, concerts, radio, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related and educational programs; webcasts and podcasts featuring audio, video, and other multimedia broadcasts in the field of music, television, film, books, news, concerts, radio, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related and educational programs; telephones; television set top boxes

IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Retail store services featuring prerecorded audio, video, and other multimedia works in the field of entertainment and education; providing an online directory information service featuring information about audio, video, images, and other multimedia content in the fields of entertainment and education

IC 038. US 100 101 104. G & S: Webcasting, namely, broadcasting via the internet; streaming of digital audio, video, images, and multimedia content via computer and communications networks; transmission of audio and video, namely, audio and video broadcasting services via computer and communications networks

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Non-downloadable webcasts and podcasts featuring audio, video and other media broadcasts in the fields of entertainment and education; Providing online databases of audio, video, images, and other multimedia content in the fields of entertainment and education

IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Creating indexes of information, namely, of audio, video, images, and other multimedia content in the fields of entertainment and education; application service provider (ASP) services featuring software that enables users to play, program, and distribute audio, video, images, text and other multimedia content in the field of entertainment and education

Mark Drawing Code
(2) DESIGN ONLY

Design Search Code
01.15.24 – Sound waves, including designs depicting sound
02.01.34 – Monsters (not robots); Other grotesque including men formed by plants or objects
04.07.02 – Objects forming a person; Person formed by objects
16.01.01 – Antennas; Radio antennas; Satellite dishes; Television antennas, roof and rabbit ears

Serial Number
77235043

Filing Date
July 20, 2007

Current Filing Basis
1B

Original Filing Basis
1B

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Lisa G. Widup

Description of Mark
Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of a stylized person or antenna surrounded by concentric circles/broadcast waves.

Type of Mark
TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK

Register
PRINCIPAL

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

Word Mark
@

Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer software for contact information management. FIRST USE: 20020824. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20020824

Mark Drawing Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS

Design Search Code
20.05.01 – Bibles (closed); Books that are closed; Cook books (closed); Encyclopedias (closed)

Serial Number
77375848

Filing Date
January 18, 2008

Current Filing Basis
1A

Original Filing Basis
1A

Published for Opposition
April 22, 2008

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Lisa G. Widup

Description of Mark
The color(s) tan, dark brown, and white is/are claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of design of a book.

Type of Mark
TRADEMARK

Register
PRINCIPAL

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

Word Mark
A

Goods and Services
IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Retail store services featuring computer software and applications provided via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; Retail store services featuring computer software and applications for use on handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics

IC 038. US 100 101 104. G & S: Telecommunication services; Electronic transmission of computer software and applications via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; Provision of connectivity services and access to electronic communications networks for transmission or reception of computer software and applications

IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Maintenance, repair and updating of computer software and applications and of handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics; providing information concerning computer software and web-based applications via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; Providing consulting services and technical troubleshooting support for computer software and applications and for handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics; Providing search engines for obtaining data via communications networks; Providing temporary use of computer software and online facilities to enable users to access and download computer software and applications; Internet services, namely, creating indexes of information, sites and other resources available on global computer networks for others; Searching, browsing and retrieving information, sites, and other resources available on global computer networks and other communication networks for others

Mark Drawing Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS

Design Search Code
01.15.25 – Coal; Dust; Light rays; Liquids, spilling; Pouring liquids; Sand; Spilling liquids
17.07.01 – Rulers; Surveyor’s tapes or chains; Tapes, measuring; Yard sticks
20.01.01 – Chalk; Crayons; Fountain pens; Markers (writing instruments); Pencils; Pens, ink (excluding quill pens in 20.01.09)
20.01.02 – Brushes, artist; Brushes, paint; Paint brushes
26.01.21 – Circles that are totally or partially shaded.
26.09.21 – Squares that are completely or partially shaded
27.03.05 – Objects forming letters or numerals

Serial Number
77430821

Filing Date
March 25, 2008

Current Filing Basis
1B;44D

Original Filing Basis
1B;44D

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Lisa G. Widup

Priority Date
March 7, 2008

Description of Mark
The color(s) blue and white is/are claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of a stylized letter “A” formed by the drawings of a pencil, a paintbrush and a ruler inside a white circle.

Type of Mark
SERVICE MARK

Register
PRINCIPAL

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

I include this last one because it speaks to the thoroughness of trademark filings. It’s the iPhone Home Screen (as it was at iPhone 1.0 launch in 2007). I wonder if they will have to file others if they add or subtract icons?

Word Mark
SMS

Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Handheld mobile digital electronic devices comprised of a mobile phone, digital audio and video player, handheld computer, personal digital assistant, electronic personal organizer, pocket computer for note-taking, electronic calendar, calculator, and camera, and capable of providing access to the Internet and sending and receiving electronic mail, digital audio, video, text, images, graphics and multimedia files. FIRST USE: 20070629. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20070629

Mark Drawing Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS

Design Search Code
01.05.25 – Sun, other representations of the sun
01.15.17 – Balloons, thought or speech; Clouds, thought or speech; Thought or speech clouds
01.17.14 – Maps of the world
05.05.05 – Daisies
06.07.01 – Skylines
07.11.11 – Highways without lines or dividers; intersections (roads) without lines or dividers; Roads without lines or dividers; Streets without lines or dividers
09.09.01 – Crochet hooks; Hooks, crochet; Needles, sewing and knitting; Pins, safety; Pins, sewing (straight); Safety pins
15.05.06 – Adding machines; Calculators; Pocket calculators
15.07.01 – Cog wheels; Gears
16.01.03 – CB radios; Projection screens (television); Radios; Remote controls, television; Screens, projection; Screens, television; Television sets
16.01.08 – Telephones
16.03.01 – Cameras; Cameras, motion picture; Cameras, video; Lenses, photographic
17.01.02 – Clock faces (alone); Clock radios; Clocks; Radios with clock; Watch faces (alone)
17.07.05 – Compasses (directional); Directional compasses, including mariner’s compasses and compass points
18.15.03 – Other road signs
20.03.03 – Envelopes
20.03.08 – Blueprints; Charts; Diagrams; Graph paper; Paper, graph; Periodic chart of the elements and similar graphics
20.03.09 – Pads, Writing; Paper, note; Paper, stacks of sheets; Tablets, paper
26.09.14 – Squares, three or more; Three or more squares
26.09.21 – Squares that are completely or partially shaded
26.09.25 – Squares with curved sides
26.11.09 – Rectangles made of geometric figures, objects, humans, plants or animals
26.11.20 – Rectangles inside one another
26.11.21 – Rectangles that are completely or partially shaded
26.11.25 – Rectangles with one or more curved sides

Serial Number
77303282

Filing Date
October 12, 2007

Current Filing Basis
1A

Original Filing Basis
1A

Published for Opposition
May 6, 2008

International Registration Number
0946310

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Thomas R. La Perle

Disclaimer
NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “SMS” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN

Description of Mark
The color(s) black, blue, brown, brown-gray, gray-green, green, orange, red, silver, tan, white and yellow is/are claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of the configuration of a rectangular handheld mobile digital electronic device with rounded silver edges, a black face, and an array of 16 square icons with rounded edges. The top 12 icons appear on a black background, and the bottom 4 appear on a silver background. The first icon depicts the letters “SMS” in green inside a white speech bubble on a green background; the second icon is white with a thin red stripe at the top; the third icon depicts a sunflower with yellow petals, a brown center, and a green stem in front of a blue sky; the fourth icon depicts a camera lens with a black barrel and blue glass on a silver background; the fifth icon depicts a tan television console with brown knobs and a gray-green screen; the sixth icon depicts a white graph line on a blue background; the seventh icon depicts a map with yellow and orange roads, a pin with a red head, and a red-and- blue road sign with the numeral “280” in white; the eighth icon depicts an orange sun on a blue background, with the temperature in white; the ninth icon depicts a white clock with black and red hands and numerals on a black background; the tenth icon depicts three brown-gray circles and one orange circle on a black background with a white border, with the mathematical symbols for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and the equal sign displayed in white on the circles; the eleventh icon depicts a portion of a yellow notepad with blue and red ruling, with brown binding at the top; the twelfth icon depicts three silver gears over a thatched black-and-silver background; the thirteenth icon depicts a white telephone receiver against a green background; the fourteenth icon depicts a white envelope over a blue sky with white clouds; the fifteenth icon depicts a white compass with a white- and-red needle over a blue map; the sixteenth icon depicts the distinctive configuration of applicant’s media player device in white over an orange background.

Type of Mark
TRADEMARK

Register
PRINCIPAL-2(F)

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

Apple Has Trademarked A Date

There are two filings for JUL 17 at the USPTO that can be called up by its TESS system.

Since I can’t produce a table, I’ve restructured the TESS system’s table fields into multiple lines.

Filing one:

Word Mark
JUL 17

Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer software for management of personal and business information for individuals and groups; computer software for data synchronization, electronic mail, data sharing, contact information management, task list management, automated reminders, and scheduling; computer software for facilitating publication of information to a website. FIRST USE: 20020910. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20020910

Mark Drawing Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS

Design Search Code
20.03.24 – Bumper stickers; Calendars; Checks, bank; Coupons; Currency; Manuscript paper and sheet music; Menus; Money, paper; Music, sheet; Sheet music; Stickers, bumper; Tickets, paper; Trading cards

Serial Number
77376496

Filing Date
January 21, 2008

Current Filing Basis
1A

Original Filing Basis
1A

Published for Opposition
April 22, 2008

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Lisa G. Widup

Description of Mark
The color(s) red, gray, white, and black is/are claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of a drawing of a calendar.

Type of Mark
TRADEMARK

Register
PRINCIPAL

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

Second Filing:

Word Mark
JUL 17

Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer software for management of personal and business information for individuals and groups; computer software for data synchronization, electronic mail, data sharing, contact information management, task list management, automated reminders, and scheduling; computer software for facilitating publication of information to a website. FIRST USE: 20020910. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20020910

Mark Drawing Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS

Design Search Code
20.03.24 – Bumper stickers; Calendars; Checks, bank; Coupons; Currency; Manuscript paper and sheet music; Menus; Money, paper; Music, sheet; Sheet music; Stickers, bumper; Tickets, paper; Trading cards

Serial Number
77389118

Filing Date
February 5, 2008

Current Filing Basis
1A

Original Filing Basis
1A

Published for Opposition
April 22, 2008

Owner
(APPLICANT) Apple Inc. CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CALIFORNIA 95014

Attorney of Record
Lisa G. Widup

Description of Mark
Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of a drawing of a calendar.

Type of Mark
TRADEMARK

Register
PRINCIPAL

Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE

Why that date? I couldn’t see anything that stood out at wikipedia.

This part of the filing intrigues me:

computer software for facilitating publication of information to a website.

Blogging software?

Still, why that date? Could it have something to do with the original Apple I computer, which went on sale in July 1976?

A Lost TV Classic: He & She

He & She is one of those TV series that had a brief life and then disappeared forever.

For those of us who saw it when it ran, we never forgot it.

That’s how good it was.

It’s part of The Greatest TV Ever.

I happened to search for it today on YouTube and was shocked to find a complete episode!

This was never repeated after its initial network run (wikipedia differs on that point; but I didn’t personally see any reruns). It’s never been put on DVD. There’s no way to buy it.

More than forty years later, it’s still hilarious!

Everyone who worked on it went on to make an impact on television. Jay Sandrich. Arne Sultan. Reza S. Badiyi, who did the title montage, is famous for the montages he did for two of the best-known TV series: Hawaii Five-0 and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Jack Cassidy was instantly memorable in his Jetman role. He was the prototype for the vain and dimwitted newscaster Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Series stars Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss were just absolute perfection.

With talents such as those, how could a series not have been magical?

One thing I want you to notice: there are no insults in it. All of the humor originates in the situations and in the interactions of the characters. The humor is funny, not assaultive.

That’s what TV comedy used to be. When adults wrote it.

A note about the video itself. I don’t know why, but it’s in the wrong aspect ratio. It should be fullscreen, not letterboxed. Don’t let that dissuade you. Once you start watching, you’ll be gripped and not even notice it.

Now click the link below and sit back and marvel at what the network nitwits canceled ages ago.

Asus Vs. MSI: The Battle Has Begun!

I’m jaded enough to believe that when a company is pushing for market share, it will employ information — and even disinformation — shock troops to go on the Internet and cast Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt on a competitor’s product.

Has this begun to happen with the battle between champion Asus and contender MSI? From the very popular and very active tipdpc.com forum in the Philippines comes the first skirmishes of the war ahead!

Read this from COOLTOYZ, posted on May 20, 2008 03:35 PM (scroll down at link):

As a store that used to sell MSI;

1) We just found too may customer returns to the detriment of the customer.

2) They keyboards are really horrible on all models. It is noisy and lacks depth compared to Dell, HP, and IBM. It is even much worse that the keyboard of Acer. I guess that is our disadvantage because we are able to test units side-by-side – for us nothing is worse than a bad keyboard because you can not avoid using the KB.

3) Friends who insisted on buying the MSI have been complaining that the plastic of MSI gets warped easily. The base warps because of heat so when you type on a flat table, the laptop is not even. (Checked all rubbers and they were complete) I guess you get what you pay for.

And then later on from the same COOLTOYZ, posted on May 20, 2008 04:29 PM (again, scroll down):

a) I am putting a wager/bet. The MSI Wind with a 10inch display and standard 3-cell battery will not reach 2Hours on battery. WiFi On while surfing the net at 90% screen brightness; all stock settings. Our personal Estimate is 90minutes.

b) I will bet P2,000.00 to an owner of a unit that can demo battery life at our store. ^.^

And then from Det, posted on May 21, 2008 12:08 AM (scroll down):

recently lang nag po produce ng laptops ang MSI but in other hardwares they are pretty good ….. sa motherboards i’ve had several MSI mobos ang they never broke down ever even with overclocking …. not the best but pretty reliable and good value for money. I do beleive MSI will make better laptops than their first attempts.

And then from roleano, posted on May 22, 2008 09:15 AM (again, scroll down):

MSI is a good brand. They have been engaged in laptop business and yet, their product seems to be okay. I have an MSI laptop and it has not bogged down yet. With their new product, the MSI Wind, this will be a great notebook.

And it goes on.

For someone who has never bought anything from MSI, some FUD has been injected into the buying equation. Will that plastic warp from the heat of constant use? Or will the keyboard be so bad that buyers who purchase sight unseen will immediately return it?

I don’t mean to cast aspersions on any of the people I’ve quoted above. In fact, COOLTOYZ is a legitimate dealer who’s been a member of that forum since November 04, 2003.

I use these quotes as illustrations of the kind of give-and-take we’ll all be experiencing for at least the next month (if not more!).

No one will really know anything until we experience the MSI Wind personally. Reviews can help, but aren’t personal final verdicts!

And, of course, Asus would like us to also consider its rumored 10″-screen EeePC 1000!