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Cellphones

Cellphone Vibration Syndrome, Other Signs of Tech Addiction->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "It turns out that the phantom cellphone vibration syndrome is fairly common. Ask around. See if you can find someone who believed the smartphone in their pocket was vibrating but found when they checked, there was nothing new. No call. No text. There's a growing body of research on phantom vibrations and many of the other problems associated with technology obsession, all of which is explored by Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in his new book, 'iDisorder'. Rosen, who earned his bachelors degree in mathematics before getting a Ph.D in psychology, examines technology's impact on our lives. His book, which combines the latest research with his own experience, anecdote and observation, warns about obsessive technological use and offers practical advice for keeping tech at bay. Rosen talks to Computerworld's Patrick Thibodeau about some of the issues associated with unhealthy, or least unreasonable, levels of tech obsession."
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Government

Obama To Agencies: Optimize Web Content For Mobile->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "President Barack Obama has ordered all major government agencies to make two key services available on mobile phones within a year, in an effort to embrace a growing trend toward Web surfing on mobile devices. Obama, in a directive issued Wednesday, also ordered federal agencies to create websites to report on their mobile progress. The websites are due within 90 days. Innovators in the private sector and the government have used the Internet and powerful computers to improve customer service, but 'it is time for the federal government to do more,' Obama said in the memo. 'For far too long, the American people have been forced to navigate a labyrinth of information across different government programs in order to find the services they need.'"
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Data Storage

60TB Disk Drives Could Be Reality In 2016->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "The maximum areal densities of hard disk drives are expected to more than double by 2016, according to IHS iSuppli. Hard drive company Seagate has also predicted a doubling of drive density, and now IHS iSuppli is confirming what the vendor community already knew. Leading the way for greater disk density will be technologies such as heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), which Seagate patented in 2006. Seagate has already said it will be able to produce a 60TB 3.5-in. hard drive by 2016. Laptop drives could reach 10TB to 20TB in the same time frame, IHS iSuppli stated. It said areal densities are projected to climb to a maximum 1,800 Gbits per square inch per platter by 2016, up from 744 Gbits per square inch in 2011. Areal density equals bit density, or bits of information per inch of a track multiplied by tracks per inch on a drive platter. From 2011 to 2016, the five-year compound annual growth rate for HDD areal densities will be equivalent to 19%, IHS iSuppli wrote in its report. This year, hard drive areal densities are estimated to reach 780Gbits per square inch per platter, and then rise to 900Gbits per square inch next year. '"The rise in areal density will pave the way for continued growth of the [hard disk drive] industry,' said Fang Zhang, an analyst for storage systems at IHS."
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Games

Hacks Decimate Diablo III Debut->

Submitted by
MojoKid
MojoKid writes "Diablo 3 players don't need any more bad news. The game is already staggering from a debut marred by enormous lag spikes, dropped games, and auction house errors. Now, widespread allegations of hacking are taking further chunks out of Blizzard's hide. This time though, there's an added twist; a significant number of those hacked claimed to be using Blizzard Authenticators. The Authenticator that Blizzard sells is not guaranteed proof against having your account hacked. Blizzard, to be fair, never says it is. The company could be doing more to teach users how to protect themselves but it doesn't claim the Authenticator is a bulletproof vest."
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Iphone

Apple Victorious In iPhone5.com Domain Dispute->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Apple has apparently won control of the iphone5.com domain, according to changes in a Web record of the URL. Previously, Apple had filed a claim on iphone5.com with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency that arbitrates domain disputes in cases of 'cybersquatting.' As late as last week, the URL directed visitors to a small-scale discussion forum devoted to smartphones. WIPO records now show that the complaint has been 'terminated,' indicating that the case has been closed. The label is often used when parties have settled their dispute over a domain. According to a WHOIS search, iphone5.com is now in the control of Corporation Service Company (CSC), a Delaware legal, business and financial firm that, among other things, offers domain protection and recovery services. 'CSC can help your company boost revenues and enhance its brand security by recovering misspelled and 'cybersquatted' variants of your brand names from third-party infringers.' the company's website stated. It's unlikely that any other company but Apple would have been awarded custody of the domain by WIPO. CSC is likely acting on Apple's behalf."
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Android

Google's Grand Android Plan: Finally, It All Makes Sense->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Get ready, gang: Android may be on the brink of its biggest change yet — a shift that could redefine the platform and send waves through the entire mobile market, writes JR Raphael. Signs of something big have been brewing in AndroidLand for some time now: First, we've had the increasingly loud buzz about Google's top-secret mission to build an inexpensive Nexus-like tablet. Then, last month, Google opened the door to selling unlocked Nexus devices directly to consumers, eliminating the need for carrier meddling and contract commitments. Now, at long last, we're getting a glimpse at what's likely the final piece of the puzzle. Google is getting ready to expand its Nexus program, a report from The Wall Street Journal says, and will soon offer a "portfolio" of Nexus-like flagship devices. Instead of selecting a single manufacturer to make each Nexus model, as it's done in the past, El Goog will reportedly work with up to five different manufacturers in order to offer a wide selection of stock devices — both phones and tablets. But wait: There's more. According to the Journal, Google will sell all those Nexus devices directly to users through its new Google Play Device Store. It'll supposedly offer direct sales to users in the U.S., Europe, and Asia; it might even partner up with some retailers to expand the program. This, my friends, is huge."
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Apple

Mac Clone Maker Saga Ends as SCOTUS Denies Appeal->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "The four-year-old saga of Psystar, a Florida Mac clone maker that was crushed by Apple, ended Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal of a lower court ruling. The decision to not consider the case (download PDF) upheld a ruling last September by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. That ruling confirmed a permanent injunction against Psystar that prevented the company from copying, using or selling OS X, and blocked it from selling machines with Apple's operating system preinstalled. 'We are sad,' said K.A.D. Camera of the Houston firm Camera & Sibley LLP, in an email reply today to a request for comment. Camera represented Psystar in its bid to get its appeal heard. 'I expect the Supreme Court will eventually take a case on this important issue.' Last year, Camera had said, 'This is far from over,' after the Ninth Circuit's decision. Apparently, it is."
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Security

Apple Ships First Leopard Security Update in Year -- Sans Bug Fix->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Apple on Monday issued its first security-related update for OS X 10.5, or Leopard, in nearly a year, to disable long-outdated versions of Adobe's Flash Player. On May 9, Apple disabled older copies of Flash Player on Snow Leopard and Lion using an update to Safari 5.1.7. Security Update 2012-003 does not patch any known vulnerabilities, but is instead a Leopard-specific version of what Apple released last week for OS X 10.6, or Snow Leopard, and the newer OS X 10.7, better known as Lion. Because that version of Apple's browser doesn't support Leopard, the company instead updated the operating system. Also on Monday, Apple released a version of the Flashback malware removal tool designed for Leopard. Apple had offered the same tool to Snow Leopard and Lion users on April 12. Security experts and pundits have blasted Apple for its sluggish patching of Java bugs and for dropping support for older operating systems too quickly. It's unlikely that Monday's Leopard updates signal a change in Apple's support policy since they do not address any security vulnerabilities that may exist in Leopard."
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Yahoo!

With Another CEO Out, Yahoo's Turnaround Is Stalled->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "For the second time in eight months, Yahoo is without a permanent CEO. The latest development is bringing more trouble for a company struggling to regain its stature in the industry. The company announced Sunday that Scott Thompson, Yahoo's CEO since January, has left the company. Thompson, 54, had been under heavy fire over the past few weeks since a discrepancy was revealed in his IT credentials on his resume and the company Web site, along with documents filed with the SEC .With Thompson out, Ross Levinsohn, who has been serving as the company's head of global media, will step in as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. Thompson's departure from Yahoo comes nearly a week after the company announced that a special three-member committee had been set up to investigate the CEO, his academic credentials and the circumstances surrounding his hiring. Thompson's resume claimed that he had a degree in computer science when he does not. The company had initially issued a statement calling it an inadvertent mistake. 'It looks like Thompson's mythical computer science degree is moving from 'innocent mistake' into 'intentional misrepresentation' territory,' said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. 'It would be hard for any CEO to stay in place under those circumstances, but factor in Yahoo's highly public struggles to remain relevant in the industry and keeping Thompson as CEO becomes impossible.' Despite the investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Thompson might have agreed to leave after informing the Yahoo board that he has thyroid cancer. Citing unnamed sources, the Journal said he is beginning treatment."
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Privacy

Sides Dig in as FBI Warns of 'Going Dark' in Online Era->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "To the FBI, it would be substantively the same as what the agency has had the authority to do for generations with a court warrant: wiretap phones to listen in on possibly criminal communications. To privacy and civil liberties advocates, it amounts to another expansion of the FBI's already excessive authority to spy on innocent American citizens. 'It,' explains Taylor Armerding, is a proposed amendment to the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, that would require social-networking Web sites and providers of VoIP (such as Skype), instant messaging and e-mail to provide a so-called 'backdoor' to give the FBI the same ability to tap into communications as they can with mobile or landline phone networks. CNET's Declan McCullagh reported last week on the FBI's argument, that the massive shift of communications from the telephone system to the Internet 'has made it far more difficult for the agency to wiretap Americans suspected of illegal activities.' The law has already been expanded once, in 2004, to include broadband networks, but still excludes Web companies. The FBI says its surveillance efforts are in danger of 'going dark," if it is not allowed to monitor the way people communicate now. Not surprisingly, a range of opponents from privacy advocates to legal experts disagree — strongly. On key tech hitch with the plan, per ACLU attorney Mark Rumold and others: There is a difference between wiretapping phones and demanding a backdoor to Internet services. 'A backdoor doesn't just make it accessible to the FBI — it makes it vulnerable to others,' Rummold says."
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Security

CSOs Warned Of, But Don't Heed, Cyber-Espionage Attack->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "A cybersecurity consulting firm has documented the existence of a China-based espionage operation that has infiltrated the computer systems of at least 22 organizations in the government and private sectors in the U.S., Europe and Asia. But the biggest surprise was how the compromised entities reacted when notified of the breach by e-mails, which were followed up by phone calls. 'Not a single company actually responded. No one said 'thank you,' no one said give me more information, how did you do this, nothing,' Adam Vincent, chief executive of Cyber Squared, said Tuesday. 'Either we notified the wrong people or people didn't care. I'm not sure which. The reason Cyber Squared believes the attacks were state sanctioned or sponsored is because all the victims were tied to Chinese strategic interests. For example, one organization was involved with efforts in the U.S. government to sell F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, an action China opposed. Another was involved with efforts in the United Nations to minimize greenhouse gas emissions within the international maritime industry. The attackers are believed to have studied each organization closely in order to tailor the attack to specific people. The cyber criminals constantly updated the malware used in order to hide from antivirus software and other security technology found on most organizations' networks."
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Android

Xamarin Ports Android From Java to C#->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Xamarin has ported Android to C# in an effort to improve its own development tools and show that the OS doesn't have to be dependent on Java. Development tools vendor Xamarin was started in May last year to take care of the Mono project, an open source implementation of the .NET framework, after Attachmate decided to drop it following its deal with Novell, where Mono had its home previously. On Thursday, Xamarin offers cross-platform development tools for iOS and Android. When working on how to improve the performance of its tool for Android, the company hit a wall because of performance issues with Dalvik, which is Android's virtual machine, it wrote in a blog post on Tuesday."
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Security

'Bullet Time' As Much Fantasy As 'The Matrix,' Says Expert->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Is a cyberattack by Iran against the U.S. a realistic threat? And if so, could it be defeated by a technique called 'bullet time,' that slows Internet traffic just enough to give critical infrastructure defense systems time to respond? There is considerable disagreement over that, with some experts saying both that an attack is likely and the defense is possible, while others dismiss bot, reports Taylor Armerding. Meanwhile, a story in New Scientist this week profiles security engineers at the University of Tulsa who say they have developed a way to slow Internet traffic, including malicious data, to give networks time to deal with attacks. The technique has been named 'bullet time,' referring to the scenes in 'The Matrix,' when Keanu Reeves's character, Neo, was able to dodge bullets, as time appeared to slow down. But Gary McGraw, CTO of the security software consultancy Cigital, says the problem is not that 'bullet time' would be expensive or difficult, but that it is a fantasy to think it would work. 'It's ridiculous. When you're talking about cyberattacks, it's beyond milliseconds,' he said. 'It's picoseconds (one-trillionth of a second). And when you use Internet protocols to slow down traffic, that slows everything else, too.'"
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Firefox

Mozilla Ponders Major Firefox UI Refresh-> 1

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "Mozilla is working on a revamp of Firefox to synchronize its various versions — desktop, tablet, phone and Windows 8 Metro — into a single visual style, according to documents posted by members of its user interface (UI) design team. The project, which does not have a name, and the earlier blending of Mozilla's mobile and desktop design groups, is meant to bring more coherence to the various versions of the open-source browser. 'One of our major goals for the year [is] getting Firefox to feel more like one product — more 'Firefoxy' — across all our platforms, desktop to tablet to phone,' Madhava Enro of the Mozilla UI design team, said in a post to his personal blog on Tuesday. Enro posted a slideshow he and others used the week before to present their proposals at a company get-together. According to the presentation, some UI elements will be shared across all Firefox editions, among them a lean toward 'softer texture' and smoother curves in the design."
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Intel

Physicist Says Moore's Law is 'Collapsing'->

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes "A well-known theoretical physicist has taken direct aim at a key theory in the computer industry, saying Moore's Law is collapsing. Physicist Michio Kaku, a professor of theoretical physics at City University of New York, said in a videotaped interview on BigThink.com that time is running out on the 47-year-old law. And that could affect the evolution of the computer processor. 'In about 10 years or so, we will see the collapse of Moore's Law,' Kaku said. 'In fact, we already see a slowing down of Moore's Law. Computing power simply cannot maintain its rapid exponential rise using standard silicon technology.' Kaku, like so many scientists before him, said recently the two main problems that will derail Moore's Law are heat and leakage. 'That's the reason why the age of silicon will eventually come to a close,' he said. For years, various scientists and industry analysts have been predicting the demise of this law. But for years, researchers have been pushing ahead, advancing chip structure and components and keeping Moore's Law alive. Charles King, an analyst with Pund-IT, said Moore's Law may be running its course but he's not worried about how that will affect the evolution of the computer industry. 'You could argue that the concept is heading toward a collision with the intractable barriers of physics," King said. "At the end of the day, the vast majority of laws fundamentally reflect their time and place and inevitably become inconsequential as times change.'"
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Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war, you can only be killed once. -- Winston Churchill