Microsoft might be planning to bring containers to the desktop — at least, they’re hiring a team to do that.
Since 2008 Windows Server has offered container functionality, allowing programs to run in a file system separate from that of the rest of the system. From a security standpoint, this means programs in a container can’t affect critical system files. The upcoming Windows Server 2016 goes a step further, offering Hyper-V containers that virtualize hardware as well as the file system, thus further separating some software from the rest of the system.
An article from ZDNet broke the story this week, citing a job listing on Microsoft’s website.
“There are a large number of client focused scenarios, currently unannounced, where Containers form the core pivotal technology providing security, isolation and roaming ability,” the publicly accessible job description reportedly said. “To deliver this, we are creating a new team with a mission to impact client computing in the same revolutionary manner we are changing the datacenter.”
Putting a team together to build a particular feature is a decent indicator that Microsoft intends to build it, but it’s important to note that Microsoft isn’t officially announcing the feature. In fact, a Microsoft representative even got in touch with ZDNet reporter Mary Jo Foley to say they had “nothing to share” regarding bringing containers to Windows.
It’s also not clear what containers on Windows clients would look like, but imagine if your Web browser ran in a container: Any malware infections you end up with while browsing would be unable to affect the rest of your system. Putting Outlook in a container could stop email viruses from affecting your system.
This sort of approach to security wouldn’t be unprecedented on the desktop: Mac OS X, for example, uses a similar sort of sandboxing for apps installed from the Mac App Store, meanings apps from there can’t access system files.
Third-party software like Sandboxie brings a similar feature to Windows, but it’s not hard to imagine how a built-in feature like this could improve security for millions of Windows users. It’s worth paying attention to see what the new team comes up with.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.