As you can imagine, we are very serious about our efforts to block virus, malware and other harmful URLs from being passed on to our users. And we're continually working to improve this process so that we can keep our users safe without having a negative impact on your Messenger service.

There have been some pretty outlandish speculations on what happened so I'd like to give you some facts about our process for trying to block unsafe URLs and about what happened Friday night:

• There are a number of factors that can be used to determine whether a URL is potentially harmful: number of times a URL is sent, the frequency of the URL being sent, the number of accounts the URL is sent from, manually checking the URL, comparing with other "block lists", etc.
• When a URL is deemed harmful, a block can be instated for a specific URL (i.e. www.<domain>.com/<page>) or an entire domain (i.e. *.<domain>.com)
• This entire process for Messenger is managed by a 3rd party that is a Microsoft partner
• On Friday, Microsoft did not request to block any of the URLs that were accidentally blocked
• The blocks were made by our partner as a result of their process to block harmful URLs
• We are still investigating the specific reason our partner made these incorrect blocks and we will work with them to improve their process for detecting harmful URLs while not blocking safe ones

As always, we're open to feedback on how to make Messenger an even greater service. And again, our apologies to the users that were impacted by this.

The built in GPS navigation system offers up-to-date Maps covering more than 100 countries. The Nokia N95 navigational system has full color maps, route planning and a large points of interest database.

The GPS calculates the total distance, time, speed, etc. In order to use the GPS function you must purchase the upgrade which is downloaded into your device for an additional $91.93 for a year license or $11.81 per month. There is an abundance of software and maps available compatible with the variety of devices you choose to upload.

The idea is that detailed street maps of virtually the entire world are made available for free, along with route calculation and display of your GPS position. There is the option to have all maps stored on your expansion card or download them as needed over GPRS or 3G data - you decide which is a more practical method for you.

Aside from the GPS navigation system, other wireless options include integrated Bluetooth capabilities, WI-FI, and an infrared port. The web-browser has the capability of allowing the user to view HTML web pages on the net. You can also browse web pages specifically designed for mobile devices, and use XHTML or the Wireless Markup Language (WML).

One of the most attractive features of the Nokia N95 is the 5 mega pixel camera with world renowned Carl Ziess lens and Tessar optics. The camera application has a number of extras, which include 4 ISO settings, contrast plus sharpness adjustment, and an enhanced burst mode (now with gaps of up to 15 minutes).

The video camera is also quite impressive with recording capabilities in VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels) at up to 30 frames per second with stereo audio. In addition, there is second front-facing camera for making video calls with a conferencing option. Supported video formats include MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP, RealVideo 8/9/10. Included with the Nokia N95 is the Nokia Video Connectivity Cable for direct connection and compatibility to your television.

Through the XpressMusic branding, Nokia has sought to emphasize the music capabilities of its Nseries portfolio. The Nokia N95 music player is easy to use and can be controlled by the directional pad or slide-out, or front-side buttons to navigate through your music selection. Included is a microSD (TransFlash) card slot that can support cards of up to 2GB in size, and should provide enough space for approximately 500 tracks (depending on length, formatting and encoding). The slot also supports hot-swapping, meaning the user is no longer required to having a card dedicated to music usage. The N95 contains the standard Nseries/Nokia S60 radio player.

To operate the radio, you must plug in a headset or the remote control. Sound can then be channeled through the phone's loudspeakers or the 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and TV-out support jack. There is the 3.Support for 5mm stereo headphone plug and TV out (PAL/NTSC). If you happen to be a Sandisk MP3 owner, it is noted on Sandisk website that its 4 GB micro-SDHC card is compatible with the Nokia N95.

It is possible to save many photos and video on this phone as there is 160GB of memory. The gallery interface is designed to list all of the photos and videos which can be found in internal memory and on a memory card. You can either view small thumbnails or click on each one individually. The file manager allows you to browse through all your media files with ease where you have the luxury of landscape browsing with its unique 2-way slide design feature that allows you to transition quickly between a multimedia-computer to a player.

Above all, the Nokia N95 is a high quality and efficient phone and messenger.

This multimedia device can cost you up to $750. Some of the best prices can be sought out through online retailers or Canadian price comparison sites. The Nokia N95 is a compact device ready to deliver the latest technology available on the market today!

About the Author

If you want to compare prices in Canada for the Nokia N95, visit http://www.deal-eh.ca/

Q: Should I click links in e-mail messages?
A: It's actually safer to copy and paste the URL from your e-mail message to the address bar in your Internet browser.

Q: What should I do if I think an e-mail is a scam?
A: Report it by clicking on the"Report phishing scam" button in Hotmail.

Q: How do I check if an offer is a scam?
A: Scams are often listed on sites like snopes.com. You can go there and search for information on a suspicious offer, such as"fee for Hotmail".

Suspicious activities
Q: What are suspicious activities?
A: Be wary if you think someone accessed your account or if a Windows Live ID sign-in page or e-mail looks fraudulent.

Q: What should I do if I notice suspicious activities?
A: First, immediately change your password. Then, make sure your computer hasn't been infected by running a free full-PC scan to check for and remove viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software.

Password protection
Q: How do I help keep my password secure?
A: While you're thinking of it, go to http://accounts.live.com to change your password today. Make sure you create a strong password.
Use more than 7 characters
Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters — such as @, #, and $
Set your password to expire every 72 days

Q: What if I receive an unexpected password reset confirmation message?
A: If you did not request a password change, someone may be trying to obtain access to your account by making the password reset. If you did not make the password reset request, delete that email. Then, log into your account and change your password as soon as possible. If you cannot log into your account and change your password, please contact support immediately at http://support.live.com.

Q: How do I recognize an authentic Windows Live sign-in page?
A: When logging into your Windows Live™ ID, verify you are actually visiting the site http://login.live.com. If you have chosen to use"enhanced security" when logging in, the site will be https://login.live.com. If the sign-in page looks suspicious, please report it using Internet Explorer 7 or higher, Windows Live Toolbar or OneCare by clicking"Tools" > "Phishing Filter" > "Report This Website".

Q: What should I do if a suspicious e-mail message asks for my Windows Live ID?
A: Do not provide your Windows Live ID. Do not click any links. Instead of clicking a link, copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser. Confirm its authenticity by navigating from the website's home page. Check to see if the email is a scam on a site like snopes.com.