OpenSSH is a set of FREE computer programs providing encrypted communication sessions over a computer network using the ssh protocol. OpenSSH allows telnet, rlogin and FTP users to encrypt all traffic (including passwords) to effectively eliminate eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other attacks.

OpenSSH server and client version 5.1 has just been released and available for download.

Some notable features are:

• Introduce experimental SSH Fingerprint ASCII Visualisation to ssh(1) and ssh-keygen(1).
• sshd now support CIDR address/masklen matching.
• Added an extended test mode (-T) to sshd(8) to request that it write its effective configuration to stdout and exit.
• ssh(1) now prints the number of bytes transferred and the overall connection throughput for SSH protocol 2 sessions when in verbose mode.
• Added a MaxSessions option to sshd_config(5) to allow control of the number of multiplexed sessions supported over a single TCP connection.

See the complete list of features here

Fring is  a peer-to-peer Mobile VoIP based internet telephony network, which allows users to call their social network contacts for free using their handset’s internet connection.

Fring has opened its service to phones running  Java ME software and Linux handsets, allowing Nokia and Sony Ericsson phone owners to become part of fring network.

Fring has created a ‘minifring’ version for phones that don’t yet support voice over IP calling. With minifring, you can now use some of the most popular bits of fring to keep in touch with fringsters, Skype, GoogleTalk, MSN, AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, and Twitter buddies  for free anywhere you go.

Previously fring runs on Symbian 60 devices like Sony Ericsson UIQ Smartphones, Windows Mobile and iPhone handsets, butit is now supporting more than 1000 different handsets.

wattOS is a lightweight Linux operating system based in Ubuntu and powered by the Openbox window manager - a fast lightweight and extensible window manager.

wattOS aims to reduce the power consumption of your desktop computers. It offers  the powerful and lightweight PCMan file manager to help you navigate through your files and folders. It also includes Gtk+ 2.0 Change Theme utility so you can easily change the look of the windows, and the StartUp-Manager software to customize your boot appearance.

Below are some useful applications you can find in wattOS:

•  Audacious - Audio player
• Brasero - CD/DVD burning tool
• Totem - Movie player
• The GIMP - Advanced image editor
• Mozilla Firefox - Web browser
• Mozilla Thunderbird - e-mail client
• Pidgin - Multi-protocol instant messenger
• Vinagre - Remote desktop viewer (VNC client)
• Transmission - BitTorrent client
• AbiWord - Word processor
• Gnumeric - Spreadsheet software
• PCMan File Manager

Nokia announced a plan to acquire the 52% remaining Symbian shares it doesn’t already own and make the platform open source under the Eclipse open source license. Nokia have also announced the creation of the Symbian Foundation, which is an alliance of mobile vendors and application providers that any company can join. This move will definitely challenge Android, the open source operating system of Google. The Symbian is the operating system of Nokia’s smartphones and other mobile phone hardware manufacturers.

All of the major Symbian stakeholders like Sony Ericsson, Siemens, and Panasonic have accepted Nokia’s offer. The three companies represent almost 91% of the Symbian shares. Although Samsung, another Symbian stakeholder has no definitive answer from Nokia’s offer, Nokia expects them to accept its offer.

“This is a significant milestone in our software strategy” said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO of Nokia. “Symbian is already the leading open platform for mobile devices. Through this acquisition and the establishment of the Symbian Foundation, it will undisputedly be the most attractive platform for mobile innovation. This will drive the development of new and compelling, web-enabled applications to delight a new generation of consumers.”

Read the announcement here

Good news to all openSUSE linux lovers out there! The much awaited openSUSE Linux version 11.0 has been released and available for download from mirrors.

Some of the new features included in openSUSE 11.0 include  KDE 4, GNOME 2.22, a redesigned installer that makes openSUSE even easier to install, live CDs so you can try openSUSE before deciding, quicker software management, and many new applications for your daily tasks.

openSUSE 11.0 includes the following softwares:

• Linux 2.6.25.4
• Xen 3.2.1 RC1
• gcc 4.3
• glibc 2.8
• X.org 7.3
• Perl 5.10
• OpenOffice.org 2.4
• Gnome 2.22
• KDE 4 / KDE 3.5.9

Download openSUSE 11.0 here

Firefox 3 Final has been launched and has already been downloaded more than 2 million times 5 hours after the launch.

The good news is that Firefox 3 portable is now also available. Firefox 3 Portable  is a fully functional Firefox 3 Final browser optimized for use on a USB pen drive. The portable edition is best suited for geeks who always carry their desktop and applications when they travel.  The Firefox Portable edition leaves no personal information behind on the machine you run it on, so you can take your favorite browser along with all your favorite bookmarks and extensions with you wherever you go.

Download Firefox 3 Portable here