Create A Backup Image of Your System with DriveImage [Featured Windows Download]

from Lifehacker by Adam Pash

Windows only: Freeware application DriveImage XML creates and restores images of any drive or partition on your system. That means that next time you freshly install Windows on your computer (whether XP or Vista), you can back up that clean and sparkling system state with DriveImage XML. If things get messy down the road, you can just as easily restore that fresh system state with the program's simple interface. We've given you the complete guide to system partition imaging and restoring from the open source perspective, but the freeware, Windows-only DriveImage XML offers a much more user-friendly alternative for the faint of heart.

DriveImage XML [via FreewareGenius]

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Run a Better Google Talk on Your Desktop with Prism [Mozilla]

from Lifehacker by Adam Pash

Ever since Google updated the web-based Google Talk gadget, I've firmly felt that the web-based Google Talk is head and shoulders above the desktop client (if you don't need file transfer or voice calls, that is). Last week we told you about Prism, Mozilla's update to the stripped-down browser and web application environment WebRunner. Put the two together (using this URL when you create the Prism application) and you've got what feels very much like a desktop version of the Google Talk gadget. Prism is still very early in development, currently Windows-only, and—honestly—requires way more memory than I'd like (around 30MB for my Google Talk), but with more time and development, the single-use approach to web applications as desktop apps could catch on. Thanks Jon!

Prism [Mozilla Labs Blog]

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Google “People” Reader

from GigaOM by Om Malik

Amanda Mooney has a great idea: Google (GOOG) should build "capability to import my Outlook, Ziggs, LinkedIn and Plaxo contacts into my Reader account and have Google instantly subscribe to news and blog feeds related to my people." In other words, they can implement some sort of "auto discovery" and turn Google Reader into a life stream aggregator ala Facebook. The only negative: Google will have even more information about us. What do you guys think?

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Toronto Star runs paid "anti-counterfeiting" ad as news

from Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow

The Toronto Star ran a huge advertising section promoting "anti-counterfeiting legislation" that attacks Canada's generic drugs and serves as a back door for DRM laws and Draconian copyright penalties -- but they ran it as news, even though they were "sponsored" by the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network.The claims in the "article" were one-sided and ignored the rebuttals that the paper's own Michael Geist had published. Link

See also: Anti-counterfeiting treaty turns into maximum copyright free-for-all

Update: A reader writes, "The Torontoist blog points out that in the same issue, the Star ran a lengthy story on how to find a knock-off bag in New York , complete with directions."

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Next-gen credit cards to feature miniature displays and keypads

from Engadget by Conrad Quilty-Harper

As if there wasn't enough temptation to get into debt, credit card manufacturers are now looking to stick fancy displays and keypads directly onto cards. The "Credit Card Embedded Authentication Device" was put together by Innovative Card Technologies and eMue Technologies, and uses the screen and keypad to provide security for online and mobile based banking transfers: the user enters their pin into the card, which gives back a one-time use code to authorize online transactions. The card will get its "consumer debut" -- whatever that means -- in Paris this November, at the Cartes & IDentification event.

[Via Bsams]

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