Vista Problem Plagues iPods
Microsoft patched a Windows Vista bug that can corrupt an iPod when you use the 'Safely Remove Hardware' feature or disconnect the iPod using Windows Explorer. Though Microsoft provided no details on just how a player is affected by the bug, the company's notice says that you'll have to use iTunes to restore all the music on your iPod if it happens. (It also says that Apple recommends always using iTunes to disconnect an iPod.) Get the patch and more info from Microsoft.
Acer Battery Recall
Risk of overheating led Acer to recall 27,000 Sony-made lithium ion batteries in TravelMate and Aspire laptop PCs sold between May 2004 and November 2006 in the United States. For details of the recall, go to Acer's Battery Replacement Program. For more about the Sony battery cells' long-term problems, check out the risks of lithium ion technology.
Messenger Trouble
Yahoo Messenger has a faulty ActiveX control that leaves you open to attack via IE if you view a poisoned Web page. IE 7 and Windows Vista mitigate but don't remove the threat. Any 8.x version installed before March 13, 2007, is at risk; download the most recent YM version.
X Marks the Holes
Apple fixed 25 security flaws in OS X a mere month after it corrected 45 other bugs. Pick up the fixes from Apple's auto-update feature or from Apple's Security Update.
Stuart J. Johnston is a contributing editor for PC World. Visit more Bugs and Fixes columns.
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