Gmail Unveils Preview Pane: Browse Emails While You Reply to Them

Gmail is taking a few cues from its tablet apps with Preview Pane, Google’s newest Gmail Labs feature.

Preview Pane, which is now available in Gmail Labs, allows users to simultaneously preview parts of an email while reading or replying to others. Users of Gmail for iPad or Android will instantly recognize the interface — its design is directly inspired by the email service’s mobile web apps.

 

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Activating Preview Pane opens up a three-window panel for Gmail, with the Preview Pane in between the navigation and email panes. Activating the horizontal split places the preview pane at the top and emails below the preview pane. Users can change pane settings with a button that appears on the top right corner of Gmail. Google‘s Official Gmail Blog suggests that users with higher-resolution screens will get the most out of the feature.

The concept of a Preview Pane sounds intriguing, but my initial tests lead me to conclude it’s a clunky and incomplete product. It breaks up my Gmail Labels in a way that keeps them from lining up with Gmail’s navigation pane, leading to a ugly and cluttered look. The standard two-pane system is cleaner, although you probably can get through more emails with Preview Pane activated.

Will you be switching to Preview Pane? Test it out and let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Black Hat Organizer Touts Value of Publicizing Cyber-Security Research

As the threat landscape evolves, researchers discussing their latest research and exposing vulnerabilities help organizations become more aware, a Black Hat organizer said.

 

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LAS VEGAS—The threat landscape is increasingly sophisticated, complex and volatile, but there are some promising trends on how organizations are meeting the threat, a Black Hat organizer said as he kicked off the annual security conference.

Organizations and international governments are now more aware of the necessity of cyber-security and are exerting a more concerted effort to protect core Internet infrastructure, Black Hat founder and director Jeff Moss said as he welcomed attendees to the conference in Las Vegas Aug. 3. This change could be attributed partially to researchers that publicize their security findings, Moss said.

“The researchers are always talking publicly about this, they are some of the few people who are actually talking out loud about what’s going on,” he said.

Historically, Black Hat was a good “proxy for a crystal ball” that revealed the “interesting things that will happen in the future,” according to Moss. Organizations would say, “If that’s what they’re doing now, I probably should be doing something about that,” Moss said.

The topics covered at Black Hat often are an accurate indicator of the kinds of exploits and threats that may be coming down the road, he said.

“Stories and talks that happen at Black Hat affected the world later,” Moss said, adding, “We have this great mirror” into the types of security trends that people are paying attention to.

The increased awareness also meant security was being discussed by senior executives much earlier in the decision making process, Moss said. It was easier for security professionals to make the case for security to the executive level since CIOs and CEOs were aware and nervous about what could happen.

“You’ve got more than enough stories now to explain to your management how (security) can be a business enabler,” Moss said, referring to the recent string of data breaches.

Organizations talking about security sooner in the process have more control over how it’s implemented. “If you involve us in the decision making process we can help you. If you only call us when the house is on fire, you have much fewer options,” Moss said.

The U.S. government was also increasing international collaboration on cyber-security issues, which would help make the Internet safer for everyone, Moss said. If other international governments followed suit and published a policy document similar to the Department of Defense’s Cyber-Security Strategy, than they can all start working together on “commonalities,” according to Moss.

For example, if governments agree on definitions and tactics, they can work together to stop organized crime, phishing and money laundering, Moss said.

Vendors were also reacting deliberately and “intelligently” when a security vulnerability was discovered in one of their products, Moss said, noting that was a sign the software industry was maturing. “They don’t have that knee-jerk reaction so much when someone points out a flaw in one of their products,” Moss said.

Organizations are also taking steps to protect core infrastructure by adding security features such as DNSSec to secure online traffic. The eventual IPv6 upgrade will also bolster overall security, Moss said.

Launched as a vendor-neutral alternative to industry security conferences 15 years ago, Black Hat attracted more than 8,000 researchers and security professionals, according to organizers. The more technical and edgy DEFCon follows a week of Black Hat training sessions and briefings. DEFCon begins Aug. 5.

5 ways to make your keyboard easier to use

How to use a keyboard might seem academic, but there’s more to typing than just tapping the keys. For most people, the keyboard is the primary computer input and control device—that’s why it’s important to leverage the features and shortcuts that keyboards offer. Read on for tips to maximize ease of use, comfort, and efficiency.

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1. Get to know your keyboard

Whether your keyboard is just out of the box or it has seen years of use, it may have features you don’t know about. Take a moment to review the literature that came with your keyboard, visit the manufacturer’s product website, and familiarize yourself with the layout of the keys. Knowing your keyboard’s capabilities and limitations—and where to find time-saving keys—can make it easier to use and can even increase your productivity.
2. Customize keyboard settings

After you’re familiar with your keyboard, customizing just a few basic settings can further improve your efficiency and accuracy. For instance, you can adjust:

The pause before a character starts repeating.

The speed at which characters repeat, which can help you avoid typing errors.

The rate at which the cursor blinks, which can enhance its visibility.

You can make these changes right now:

Windows 7

Windows Vista

Windows XP

3. Take shortcuts

Even if you’re a genius with the mouse, keyboard shortcuts can still save you time. They’re called shortcuts for a reason—they reduce multiple clicks to a single combination of keys, like hitting a chord on a piano. They also economize hand and arm motion.

Using keyboard shortcuts for the things you do all the time, like saving or closing files, can make computing much easier and faster. So whether you want to work more easily and efficiently in Internet Explorer, streamline your Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 experience, or key international characters into your emails, you’ll find scores of shortcuts to speed you on your way. The table below offers only a few common standard-keyboard shortcuts, many of which work across Office applications—from Outlook to Access, from Visio to PowerPoint, from Word to Excel. You can find a more complete list of built-in keyboard shortcuts for a particular application by searching in Help for keyboard shortcuts. You can even peruse keyboard-shortcut lists:

Windows 7

Windows Vista

Windows XP

Press this

To do this

F1

Open Help

F7

Check the spelling of titles or words in any Office application with the Spelling & Grammar checker

Windows logo keyWindows logo key

Open the Start menu

Alt+F4

Quit a program

Alt+Tab

Switch between open programs or windows

Ctrl+N

Open a new (blank) document

Ctrl+A

Select all content in a document, window, or text box

Ctrl+S

Save the current file or document (works in most programs)

Ctrl+C

Copy the selection

Ctrl+X

Cut the selection

Ctrl+V

Paste the selection

Ctrl+P

Print a document or webpage

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

Ctrl+Y

Redo an action

Ctrl+F

Find text in a document

Ctrl+H

Find and replace text in a document

Ctrl+B

Boldface text

Ctrl+I

Italicize text

Ctrl+U

Underline text

Ctrl+G

Go to a page, line, or bookmark in a document

Windows logo key Windows logo key +F1

Display Windows Help and Support

Esc

Cancel the current task

Application key Application key

Open a menu of commands related to a selection in a program (equivalent to right-clicking the selection)
4. Make it easier to press multiple keys

If pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del seems an acrobatic feat, you can set up Sticky Keys. The Sticky Keys feature lets you hit shortcut keys one at a time rather than all at once. You can even set Sticky Keys to make a noise so you know it’s working.
All together now

You can set up Sticky Keys:

Windows 7

Windows Vista

Windows XP

(Tip: In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, Sticky Keys has a keyboard shortcut—press Shift five times in a row.)
5. Find a comfortable keyboard

Keyboards come in many shapes and sizes, and the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard your coworker swears by might feel downright awkward compared to the Comfort Curve 2000 you covet. Keyboards come in a variety of colors and key styles, too, not to mention with and without wires. And some keyboards are definitely louder than others. All Microsoft keyboards are carefully designed to balance form and function with comfort. Test drive a keyboard or two to find the right one for you.

Although using the right keyboard can really make a difference, ergonomics also play a key role when it comes to typing comfortably.
Tips for using your keyboard ergonomically

It is essential to use good ergonomic practices to help prevent or reduce soreness or injury to your wrists, hands, and arms. It is particularly important if you’re in front of your computer for long periods.

Here are some ergonomic tips for a safer, more comfortable computer session:

Position your keyboard at elbow level, with your upper arms relaxed at your sides.

Center your keyboard in front of you. If it has a numeric keypad, use the Spacebar as the centering point.

While typing, use a light touch and keep your wrists straight.

When you’re not typing, relax your arms and hands.

Take a short break every 15 to 20 minutes.

Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard, so that you can use your whole arm to reach for distant keys instead of stretching your fingers.

Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any surface while typing. If your keyboard has a palm rest, use it only during breaks from typing.

How you use the keyboard is up to you. But by taking the time to adjust a few settings and to follow the guidelines above, typing on it can become easier, faster, and even safer.