Submission + - Md. Bill Would Put GPS Devices on Truant Students
jmanjohns writes: http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=598
A Maryland bill proposes to track truant students with GPS tracking devices similar to those used in prisons.
Submission + - Canon to erase users' photos and start afresh
freeAgent (Kevin Noonan) writes: Canon announced on January 5th that it would shut down (0) its existing photo-site (1) and launch a revamped site. Rather than automatically transfer users' existing photos (and movies) to the new site, Canon has adopted the novel approach of erasing all of their data. Canon has left it to users to save any photos they haven't backed up elsewhere and upload photos again manually to the new site. February 15th is the deadline for deletion.
(0) http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Canon_Image_Gatewa y/termination_announcement.asp
(1) http://www.cig.canon-europe.com/
Submission + - GPS shoes make people findable
Radon360 writes: Engineer Isaac Daniel has developed shoes that have a tiny Global Positioning System chip embedded in them. He started working on a prototype of Quantum Satellite Technology, a line of $325 to $350 adult sneakers that hit shelves next month. It promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button. A children's line will be out this summer.
Submission + - SPAM: Study: Security pros fail to secure their own Wifi
alphadogg writes: "More than half of the wireless LAN devices being used at this week's massive RSA Conference on information security are themselves unsecured.
[spam URL stripped]w ifi-security.html"
Submission + - Software update to improve car efficiency
MattSparkes writes: "Many modern cars could reduce fuel consumption by 2.6% simply by uploading new software to the engine's computer. Although 2.6% doesn't sound a lot, it would represent massive savings when scaled up. "John Kessels at the University of Eindhoven developed software to improve engine performance together with US car company Ford." The best part is that the software is not proprietary, and can be openly used in any vehicle with an engine computer."
Submission + - DNS Attack only a warning shot?
ancientribe writes: The attack on the Internet infrastructure yesterday may signal a hint of bigger things to come: the distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack on the Domain Name System (DNS) root servers was likely a test-run for a potentially larger and more disruptive attack.
It was the latest in a series of DDOS attacks on DNS servers that began late last year with attacks on EveryDNS and EasyDNS. Experts had predicted it was only a matter of time before botnet operators hit a bigger and higher-profile DNS target, and that's just what happened yesterday, according to this article in Dark Reading.
http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=116 685&WT.svl=news1_1
It was the latest in a series of DDOS attacks on DNS servers that began late last year with attacks on EveryDNS and EasyDNS. Experts had predicted it was only a matter of time before botnet operators hit a bigger and higher-profile DNS target, and that's just what happened yesterday, according to this article in Dark Reading.
http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=11
Submission + - DVR Woes
slow386 writes: "Santa brought me a shiny new Panasonic DMR-EH55S Digital Video Recorder with a neat feature that allows the machine goes out "on the net" to the TV Guide site and gets the program data for your zip code and particular cable system — saving you the subscription fees for TiVO. Like a dog on a new bone on Dec-25, I dutifully followed the instructions, and waited, and waited, and waited. The unit was never able to retrieve the program data on Cablevision's system.
Well, fear not, because we were going to change over to Verizon's FIOS system. Wrong again Spanky. My trusty unit failed again, as did my degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. So with tears in my eyes (and my internet retailer telling me to take my return and "... xxxx ..." with it, I called Panasonic's tech support.
Spoke to a great guy who, after I told him my zip code, matter-of-factly told me that Verizon uses Motorola cable boxes which are pre-programmed to disallow a search for the TV Guide data so subscribers get frustrated at their DVR's and opt for their Verizon branded STB's with built-in DVR's.
Now if that ain't a full-line-force and restraint of trade, I'd be surprised.
Anybody have any good workarounds — or lawyers looking for some good class-action fodder???"
