There are a couple of new spam / phishing attacks which have been successful at circumventing my Junkmail filter and making it to my Inbox. One is titled 'Statement Request' and the other is titled 'Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft Outlook' or sometimes 'Critical Update for Microsoft Outlook'. To me, these are obvious spam or phishing emails that I barely even think about before deleting them and moving on. But, the volume of them that has been hitting my Inbox has led me to examine them in more detail to help you understand how to recognize them as threats and avoid becoming a victim.

• 'Statement Request' spam
• 'Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft Outlook' spam

Microsoft announced last November that they planned to discontinue their retail Windows Live OneCare security product and replace it with a new free antimalware offering. That time has come. Well, its coming soon. Microsoft just released the Beta of their new Microsoft Security Essentials software.

Aimed at the consumer market, Microsoft Security Essentials leverages the research and resources of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center to identify and block viruses, spyware, and other malicious threats in real-time. It does not replace some of the other functionality of Windows Live OneCare such as defragmenting hard drives or backing up data, but it promises industry leading malware protection at a price that is hard to ignore in this economy- free.

You can get a copy of the Beta version by visiting the Microsoft Security Essentials site. I have downloaded my copy and will post a review of the product in the coming weeks.

Do you have an iPhone? Have you downloaded version 3.0 of the iPhone OS (the real thing- not the leaked pirated version with the malware)? I mentioned in the comments to my post earlier this week about the leaked iPhone 3.0 scam that I didn't really understand what the rush was. It seemed like everyone *had* to have the update at precisely 1pm eastern. Not having an iPhone, I couldn't figure out why you couldn't wait an hour, or a day, or whatever and just download the update when it is convenient.

But, now it has been a few days and it seems safe to say that if you have an iPhone you probably should have acquired the 3.0 update by now. If the copy & paste feature isn't a compelling enough reason, consider that there are almost 50 security updates included in version 3.0. The security updates apply to a broad range of features and functions of the iPhone. Its a virtual guarantee that at least some of them will have some relevance to you.

Asus and Disney are teaming up to create the Disney Netpal. The Disney Netpal will be available in two models- the MK90 with a 16Gb solid state drive, and the MK90H with a 160Gb hard drive- and will only be available from Toys R Us and Amazon.com for a suggested retail price of $349.99. Both models will come in either 'Princess Pink' or 'Magic Blue', following the stereotypical gender color coding. The target market for the Disney Netpal is boys and girls age 6 to 12.

The next logical question is 'why would I spend $100 more than a comparable netbook that isn't branded by Disney?'. The answer is that Asus and Disney have worked to make the netbook safer for kids. First, it has a reinforced case and design to make it more 'kid-proof' from a physical perspective. Second, it is designed with a unique Disney user interface (built on Windows XP) with more than 40 parental control options.

According to this ZDNet article, "the system’s Disney browser is preloaded with numerous kid-friendly Disney websites for kids to explore, and the 2D “gadget tray” (think Windows taskbar, or OS X dock) displays visual icons for easy access to applications. There’s also a collection of 15 widgets, including a stopwatch, a digital memo pad and a calculator."

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