June 2012
0 posts
4 tags
Sony patent could see games interrupted by...
It is a generally accepted, though reviled, practice to insert non sequitur commercials into television programs that air on pay-TV. In other words — as far as broadcasters are concerned anyway — we pay for the clear reception; the content is generally paid for by the time we spend trying to ignore those aforementioned non sequitur disruptions to the flow of the program we were watching.
There...
May 2012
8 posts
3 tags
Jury clears Google of infringing on Oracle patents
And the other shoe falls…hard…on Oracle. They tried their best to get a piece of the Android pie, but instead of using it to create something they opted to steal the legs out from under it. They announced to the world that they were wronged, and they knew just who wronged them. The problem is, they weren’t wronged.
In a unanimous decision at the U.S. District Court of Northern...
6 tags
Report: Android Malware Growing Exponentially
Robbing a person used to be a difficult thing that required the availability of an exit route, a victim, timing, and a place to calm down. Now, many thieves don’t even see their victims…and the game is far more lucrative. The only odd thing is that the requirements have changed yet again: in the 50’s you needed brawn, at the turn of the century you needed craftiness, now you need...
4 tags
Clash in US on mobile privacy protection
Electronic social interaction has been both a delight for some and a nightmare for others. On the one hand, you have something like what Facebook was supposed to be, but on the other you have things like “Girls Around Me.” They are really the same coin but opposite sides. The intent is to let their present friends and perhaps new friends know where they are; the mutation is to let...
4 tags
Malware poses as software updates: Why the FBI is...
Software updates are a fact of life. Sometimes the updates actually add functionality but most of the time they either fix bugs or close security holes. Software updates are generally a good thing…but there is a problem.
Updates that enhance functionality are usually few and far between so when we receive those they are greeted with interest. Updates that fix bugs or close security holes...
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Judge denies Oracle's motion to throw out Google's...
Once again the case moves away from being swallowed by the abyss. All of the attempts by the lawyers from Oracle to make a case definitively against the idea of fair use have not worked. Considering the odd direction of the case (not copying the code but copying the “structure, sequence, and organization” of Java APIs.) it is probably a good thing that they cannot lock their case down. Unlike many...
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Google guilty of infringement in Oracle trial;...
So, the verdict is in: Google infringed on Java. Google picked on the wrong company this time. Bullies never prosper: they should only pick on other companies their own size. Now, it’s just a matter of deciding what compensation the giant will be giving to…the other giant? No, not so fast.
What did Google infringe? Well, according to the jury there are some nine lines of code which...
2 tags
Consumerization trend driving IT shops 'crazy,'...
Phones are not what they used to be. Now, even the most basic phone can do more than make a mobile call. What we call smartphones are basically small computers that can make calls rather than phones that can do a little calculating. What we call tablets are basically an intermediate step between our always-with-us phones and our more-powerful-but-restricted-mobility primary computer systems.
Our...
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Java creator James Gosling: 'Google totally slimed...
IMHO, the whole idea behind Java was to be able to write a program once that would work on any system that could understand it. Basically, each OS was supposed to have a virtual machine (VM) that understood how it was laid out functionally, and could also understand Java. In this virtual manner, Java would be able to use a machine’s resources to run; there would no longer be a need to write...
April 2012
8 posts
3 tags
Small Firm Takes on Apple, Google, Over Voice...
Very soon, I expect someone or some consortium to patent “the flow of electrons confined within a cylindrical transport medium.” To protect themselves from the possibility of anyone attempting to bypass their patent, they will also patent “the flow of electrons within mass-produced mineral substrates and their corresponding oxides.” After both of their patents are secured,...
4 tags
Your Next Phone May Be Able to See Through Walls
There was a time not too long ago when mobile phones only made phone calls. They were big and somewhat bulky, but they allowed you to leave your house and still be reachable with a single phone number as long as you were within range of a broadcast tower. Increasing computing power has led to smaller devices which can do much more. There are very few phones which cannot text, surf the Internet,...
5 tags
Yahoo! is a Facebook API molester
The title is somewhat sensationalistic, and perhaps the comparison is questionable, but it gets the point across: you really need to pay attention to those left-clicks you make on pages. In this particular case it’s not a virus (though some may still classify it as an irritant) that you have to worry about but yet another use of the permissions you have allowed on your Facebook profile.
...
2 tags
Futuristic cars are coming faster than you think
Not too long ago, the greatest desire of a teenager was to have a driver’s license so they could borrow the family car (actually the preference was usually for Dad’s car) and go out with their friends. A significant drawback to this was that going out with friends usually meant drinking…which while familiarly paired with “driving” was and still is a heavily frowned...
3 tags
Smarter Infrastructure Is What Will Drive Electric...
Using gasoline, or diesel, or for that much matter even liquid natural gas to propel a vehicle is an enormous problem looming on the horizon. Strangely, the problem isn’t the pollution but rather the convenience; there’s a lot of power in a gallon of gasoline/diesel or a pound of LNG and transferring that amount to your vehicle is relatively simple…and quick. Even when your...
5 tags
How to protect your Facebook account from stalkers
There are some great things about Facebook: you can easily connect with family and friends, you can reconnect with old friends, you can find new friends and form a connection. However, this easy connection comes with the same social price you would find at a meatspace meeting place: either you only allow specific people access to you, or you allow everyone access to you.
This may seem to be not...
4 tags
Teacher’s aide fired for refusing to hand over...
Once again, the Thought Police Agency attempts to bootstrap itself into existence…but it is becoming more likely that it will succeed in the near future. All the brouhaha seems to be over the usual: an objectionable picture posted on someone’s wall from their own computer on their own time. Then there was the typical knee-jerk reaction of complaint, followed by the ever-more common...
March 2012
9 posts
3 tags
Keep Your Facebook Friends Close and Your Facebook...
Everybody and their favorite Aunt knows about the Facebook “Like” button…the Internet Thumb’s Up. See something you feel (not think) deserves an acknowledgement and you can tap that little button which then links you in a small, positive way to whatever you liked. Yes, links you. The owner of the page knows that you liked it, and Facebook knows that you liked that specific...
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Malicious Chrome extensions hijack Facebook...
This is yet another example of just how important Facebook has become to the normal routine. Most people like the service as is but would perhaps like a little more individuality or ego (maybe business?) information or maybe a little something else. Naturally if they see an app for their browser of choice that offers to do just that then they are likely to try it…after all, if it’s an...
5 tags
U.S. Nukes Face Up to 10 Million Cyber Attacks...
The Internet is an odd beast. On the one hand, it is a window through which you can see the whole world, interact with people nowhere even remotely close to you, and even order and receive deliveries…when you’re done you simply close the window and go about your business. On the other hand, it is an always-open portal through which people can watch you, steal your money, or steal your...
5 tags
Using virtual worlds to 'soft control' people's...
Ordinarily, the two arenas called “meatspace” and “cyberspace” are separated by a strong border: the physics of cyberspace can be incompatible with the physics of meatspace and thus impossible in most senses of the word. For instance, it is easy to fly in cyberspace: a few tweaks to the gravity function and you can be in the “air” with a god’s eye view of...
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How One Second Could Cost Amazon $1.6 Billion In...
“One Mississippi.” The time it takes to say that phrase is approximately one second. That doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of time; you could do a single sit-up (you could take less time if you don’t mind cracking your forehead against your knees), you could lift a cup of hot coffee (or tea) to your lips, you could slam a door, etc. In meatspace, a second is not a lot of...
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How losing a smartphone means losing your privacy
Contrary to the innocuous moniker assigned to them, mobile phones are far more than simple phones that you can carry around with you. In addition to the phone numbers stored within them there can be passwords, banking information, social media information, pictures, music, business information, etc. A lot of information in a small, easily transportable format…kind of like a really big thumb...
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Google’s privacy policy? Why the EU should just...
A privacy policy is that little (?) bit of text to which you now have to agree before you use pretty much any type of Internet-enabled software. Basically, it tells you what information they’re going to collect, how they’re going to use it, and with whom they’re going to share it. Most times, there is a check box next to something that essentially says “I have read and...
6 tags
Twitter could be sued for its users’ unlawful...
Everyone knows that Twitter is the place where people jot down interesting snippets of information or let off steam. It is a place (cyber-place?) where frequently people allow their fingers to type before their brains have a chance to process…and of course once the thought is released it cannot be recovered. Still, I must admit that suing Twitter for a tweet is very akin to “killing...
5 tags
Facebook faces nationwide class action tracking...
IMHO, making money online is accomplished by:
Selling something;
Creating compelling content or a service to which people subscribe;
Asking for donations;
Ads.
Of the four, the one most online money gatherers would prefer is number 2 i.e. the subscription. The reason behind this is pretty simple: you are subscribing because you want to do so (well, mostly anyway). While it’s true that...
February 2012
8 posts
6 tags
Facebook risks alienating touchy users with new...
Facebook is a company that most other companies (except maybe for Apple) wants to emulate. It doesn’t have to worry about people changing, losing, or cancelling their credit cards since it doesn’t charge a fee to use it. If you have an Internet connection (and you’re either old enough or clever enough) you can have an account. Even without the subscription fee, it makes money....
2 tags
Lab-grown hamburger due to be served up this year...
The Meat Industry is a big business. With a combined annual revenue of $165 billion the emphasis is on efficiency and volume (CAUTION!!!) and they protect their practices very strongly.
Besides the poor treatment of what is considered to be food, meat production uses a lot of resources. There are the requirements for food, water, shelter, medical care, and even sanitation to consider. This is, of...
4 tags
McCain promises GOP alternative to ‘super...
For once I don’t actually disagree with the political party not in power. IMHO what usually comes out of the GOP mouthpiece of the moment is anything that can be seen as contrary to the present President; this time what is coming from a former presidential candidate is a little less frightening than what has been proposed.
“The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 would require the Department of...
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Department Of Homeland Security Tells Congress Why...
Everyone knows of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS); they are the ones who are supposed to keep us safe from terrorists so something like 9/11 doesn’t happen again. From their website:
The Department of Homeland Security has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range...
3 tags
Landmark case? University Vs Former student,...
Facebook is a “place” where you can easily keep abreast of many people and many things all at once. It can literally be a dashboard of interests and relationships.
The major problem with Facebook is that what may be private to you may not necessarily be private to everyone else. For instance, you can be friends with Bob but absolutely hate Ted. Bob’s sister, Carol, can be...
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Is Facebook accurately counting its daily active...
Is this a taste of things to come for Facebook? More importantly, will this change the way Facebook presents itself to its users?
At this moment in time, the issue of accurate counts is not a deal-breaker: Facebook has the most people on it, period. If you really want eyeballs then the best place to be right now is Facebook. People are engaged, enamored, even fascinated with the site. There are...
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As Facebook grows up, it courts Madison Avenue
No doubt you’ve either heard about or experienced first-hand the Facebook addiction. Mr. Zuckerberg has created a fascinating structure in a surprisingly short period of time and has parlayed it into an Internet powerhouse. This is a prime example of what can be done if you have the right idea, the right drive…and the right backers.
Facebook was not the first social network, nor is it...
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Reminder: The $5 Billion Facebook IPO Won’t Make...
It’s finally going to happen: Facebook is going to have its IPO (Initial Public Offering) this spring. For some people, this is great news…for most people, it’s just expected news.
Everyone knows about the company that had the meteoric rise from being like others before it (remember Friendster and Myspace?) to domination of the landscape. This is a company that has more active...
January 2012
9 posts
3 tags
Android malware makes use of steganography
The Internet is a strange place. First, it isn’t a place at all; what you see and hear (or execute) is a product of your browser interpreting code that is given to it in response to a request. Code on the Internet — regardless of language — consists of a sequence of ones and zeros: binary. All of the sounds you hear, all of the pictures you see — even the moving ones — are just collections...
6 tags
Google's new privacy policy: The good, bad, scary
Every business on the Internet wants your information. If they say they don’t, they’re lying horribly. The reason they want your information is so they have a better chance of legally making deductions from your wallet…not only with your consent but by your request. How can they hope to do this? By knowing you in intimate detail. The more detail they have about you, the better...
7 tags
Air Force’s Top Brain Wants a ‘Social Radar’ to...
With enough of the right information, you don’t need a very large force to win any battle. If you know how your adversary will react given a specific set of circumstances you can make a situation that is advantageous to you and seriously detrimental to your opponent. A big problem with finding the right information is relevancy. There is such a thing as too much information…if the...
4 tags
Protect Your Facebook Account from the Latest Hack
Facebook has become one of the — if not the — most important sites on the Internet. It is what Myspace wanted to be. It’s a great destination for keeping in contact with the various groups to which you belong, but it’s also a way for people who don’t know you to find out that you actually exist. Sometimes this is nice but ofttimes it is not. While some of the bad...
6 tags
Americans Revolt Against Copyright Powergrab
The basic idea of SOPA seems to be a good one…as was the idea of a movie based on H.G. Wells’ Island of Doctor Moreau. However, just like the various movie incarnations of the H.G. Wells story, the implementation of SOFA would be a disaster. It might start out as “weeding” but it would most definitely end as censorship…there is far too much leeway for interpretation...
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Motorola CEO: Carriers Want Android...
IMHO, there are five major Smartphone platforms: Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS Apple, Symbian, and Windows Phone 7. There are others, but these five are the main ones. For outright numbers, Symbian was the largest slice of the platform pie until recently…it has since been surpassed by Android. With Nokia’s decision to back Windows Phone 7 and Accenture probably ending Symbian support in...
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What Happens To Old And Expired Supermarket Foods
This is not a tech article…just an interesting one.
You are, I’m sure, aware that there are expiration dates on pretty much every packaged foodstuff, right? Just a little date that says something like “Best Used By…” or “Sell Before…” or sometimes even “EXP DATE…” Well, it seems that those dates are not set in concrete but are...
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Google, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook consider...
IMHO, SOPA is attempting to destroy the Internet. That may sound like a lot of drama but their supposed goal is pure nonsense. SOPA is really two things: a way to put methods in place so that at some later time any site can be blacklisted under the title of “pirate,” and a way to set up, in advance, a comprehensive monitoring system that can be tapped whenever the powers that be want...
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The Danger of an Attack on Piracy Online
The Stop Online Piracy Act is an attempt to control the information flow on the Internet, period. It is not intended to stop piracy; it is intended to create an atmosphere where we are more and more comfortable with being monitored and censored.
In a joint letter to Congress, Google, Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Yahoo, eBay and many other companies made it clear that they perceived a broader threat...
December 2011
9 posts
4 tags
Stuxnet weapon has at least 4 cousins: researchers
Stuxnet is turning out to be a very unusual beast. On the one hand, it is very complex and spreads like wildfire, but on the other hand it has very specific infection requirements and will only harm certain systems. It’s technically a large worm but even though it’s around half-a-megabyte a typical jpeg or tiff file can easily be larger. It’s sophistication and specific targets...
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New powerful painkiller has abuse experts worried
Painkillers are a fact of life because pain is a fact of life. Usually, pain is the body’s way of telling us that we have exceeded the structural tolerance of a body part and if we continue it will fail catastrophically. A lot of times the alarm goes off long before any real damage is done. For instance, I’m sure you’ve heard the term “No pain, no gain.” Yes, there is...
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Facebook: Ads help keep us free
The mighty Facebook is once again explaining its logic behind the way it uses ads. Of course, it’s doing this because it changed a few things and sprung them on its users as it has done so frequently in the past. They’re using that weird “Like” button they introduced in early 2009 in a new way. Originally, they were equivalent to ratings stars…now they actually...
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Facebook Lawsuit Against Ads Given Go-Ahead by...
The “Like” phenomenon is finally starting to bite back. It has been a curious thing from day 1: “like” this page, “like” this article, etc. Why? There wasn’t any real reason to do so other than kudos. Now the truth emerges: every time you like something, it becomes associated with your profile. Just like everything else you do with your Facebook profile,...
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Cybercriminal Attack Strategy Shifting To...
At some point, the powers-that-be in the state-of-security had to realize that the crackers (evil hackers) would eventually grow up. What is usually the first order of business when you’re an adult? The number one concern is figuring out the process by which you are going to make money…everything else is secondary.
Cracking for mischief or an ideal is great when you have someone to...
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Companies Can't Win the Twitter Wars, Especially...
The Internet is to people now what the TV was to people in the 50’s. The only differences are that it reaches a lot more people, and there is instant feedback. The public still generally believes the story that it sees first so that hasn’t changed. Comedy is also a good attention grabber so that hasn’t changed either. What has changed is the way a person can reach many others and...
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Learning high-performance tasks with no conscious...
Given all the time, technology, and intelligence that has been thrown at figuring it out, you would think that a road map (neuron-map?) of a brain would have been produced by now. The plain fact of the matter is that we have only a basic understanding of how a brain works…but no solid idea of where or how memories are stored, or even where or how the personality is stored. Some memories...
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Smartphone addicts starting to feel the pain
Communicators disguised as smartphones are amazing devices. Not only can they surf the Internet, read and compose emails, read and compose text messages, take pictures, find places, play games, watch movies, listen to music, pay for things, etc…they can even make calls! The only difficulty with communicators used to be their appetite for power: all those power-hungry capabilities made it...
