"Shadow Copies is the informal term for Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), also known as 'Previous Versions'. All three names point to the same feature: the automatic saving of copies of files. The purpose of the service is to allow you to restore these backups of files that you have lost for any reason - file corruption, for example. VSS works in conjunction with both System Restore and Windows Backup. If it's properly set up, simply right-click a file name from within Windows Explorer and choose Restore Previous Versions to access this feature. Vista - or Windows 7, for those already using the beta of Microsoft's new OS - will open the Properties dialog for the selected file or folder, and from there you'll select the previous version you want to restore. Some users won't have to set up VSS, but in case your system isn't already configured to save versions of files, here's how to get started."

A new version of ScorchOS has been released. ScorchOS (formerly known as ApolloOS) is still in the pre-alpha stage but aims soon to provide a minimal GUI-based operating environment which others can improve, extend and learn from. Don't expect to be using your latest productivity tools on it however for a good long while! This is a hobbyist operating kernel based on bkerndev and inspired by the MikeOS project. At the moment it shows the next step you can take with the kind of tutorials you may find on osdev.org.

Following in the footsteps of Apple and Google, Research in Motion is planning to open an online store for its popular Blackberry smartphone. The store, dubbed Blackberry App World, aims to be a "convenient location for BlackBerry owners to download 'games, social networks, personal productivity applications and so much more.'" App World will feature freeware apps along with for-pay apps. The pricing for applications will start at free then jump to $2.99 at the low end and $999.99 on the high end. At the moment Blackberry App World is only open to developers, but there is a sign up page for users who want to be notified of when App World goes live for the public.

The Palm Pre made some serious splashes earlier this year when it was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It was promised the device would ship in the first half of 2009, and despite rumours the Pre was going to be delayed, Palm has now officially stated (the page break hides the fact that those are two separate links) that the Pre is still on track for H1 of 2009. The marketing machine is also ramping up.

Ertan D. has managed to install and run Android on the Dell Axim X51v, and there's a video demonstrating the working system, complete with a lovely sound track to keep one company. Android currently isn't completely friendly with the handheld computer as it still lacks WiFi support and has some power management issues (to name a few), but it's still a good beginning. Though the Axim was discontinued several years ago and is aging and getting more and more out of date when compared to today's mobile devices, the X51v still packs a punch with its 624 MHz processor, 3.7-inch VGA screen, and 2700G graphics processor. Ertan hopes to develop the project further to a point when Android can be a viable replacement OS to Windows Mobile 5 on the X51v.

For Windows 7, Microsoft has made some changes to User Account Control to counter the criticism that UAC was too intrusive. It didn't take long before several holes were poked in Windows 7's default UAC settings, and now one is left to wonder: is it wise to sacrifice security for (perceived?) usability? Ars has an editorial that deals with this question.