Tech news for today 8-25-2010
Posted by: David
Watch the video for thoughts and info
Link 1: Inescapable Technology Is Beating Up Our Brains
Link 2: What's Apple Announcing at Their Music-Related September 1 Event?
Link 3: Stephen Colbert's Internet Privacy Smackdown
Tech News for today 08-24-2010
Posted by: David
Watch the video for thoughts and info
No links for the news today.
Search Gizmodo, engadget and techcrunch!
Tech News for today 8-23-2010
Posted by: David
Watch the video for thoughts and info.
Links to news covered in the video below.
Hacking your PS3 will keep you from being able to play online
Dual-core Intel Atom processors will boost the power of netbooks
Yet another tablet for the holidays?
Russia a leader in riskiest places to surf the web. Is this really a surprise?
What will IT be like in 2020? Intense.
Along those same lines, 5 indispensable IT skills for the future.
iPhone OS 4.0 to be announced Thursday
Posted by: David
What is OS 4.0?
OS 4.0 is the next new version of the iPhone Operating System. The difference between this release update and other release updates is that with a full version upgrade you can expect several large updates that can change many of the functions of the phone, where as small patches for the Operating System typically only fix bugs or issues or allow for small changes.
What to expect in OS 4.0
There is no way to know for sure what is coming in the newest operating system for the iPhone but if it is like past update it will be a large update. Here are some things many people are thinking just might be included.
- Multitasking - FINALLY. iPhone owners have been wanting this for a long time, and not long after the upgrade last year owners had to deal with the Palm Pre being released and offering something the iPhone couldn't. It is rumored to work like Mac's Expose. Now you might finally be able to listen to Pandora and read your e-mail or browse the web!
- Menu Control - Expect some better ability to navigate menus and the ability to know what you are supposed to do next in some cases. I can't tell you how many times I've been helping someone change their e-mail password over the phone and once they enter the password have no idea that the just needed to go back to the menu. There might be a save button there now, or the menus could be organized in a different way altogether.
- More Menu Options, More Control - Expect to have different ways to do things you have been doing or have completely new options in the menu. The settings app may be entirely different. I would like for the controls to be more integrated into the way you use the phone, such as having a touch option for wi-fi and landscape mode.
- Hiding Apps - No body uses the stock app. Well not unless you're very wealthy. Lets face it, you either use it or you don't. You shouldn't have to have it taking up space on your iPhone. I would like to think there would be an ability to at least hide such apps, if not allowing us to delete them. (They could always be free in the app store right?)
What not to expect
- Don't expect all of your apps will work fine after the OS upgrade. In most cases the apps will work fine, but it could be possible that an app no longer will work as intended. Pay attention to the app store for app updates when OS 4.0 is released.
- Don't expect your 3G S to be the newest model phone for very long. Apple has released a new iPhone each summer for the last three years. Don't expect this to be any different this year.
- Don't expect 4G. AT&T is too slow with adapting this technology. They may have the best 4G network when they release it, but they certainly wont have the first.
- Don't expect to be happy. Like most changes it will take time to grow on you. There is a decent chance this upgrade won't change the way your iPhone works completely, but OS upgrades are big. If something isn't how it was before, learn to like it or upload your iPhone backup.
What happens to your private data when you search google or bing? Which one is safer to you?
Posted by: David
What happens to your private data?
First off lets get it straight. It isn't private data if you are sending that information through Google or Bing to have them complete a search for you. You shouldn't have a problem with them taking and storing for any point any information which they can get from you.
They should be able to know what you search to improve their data processes, and they should know be able to know who and where their data comes from to be able to provide better service. In other words, they are taking your information (what you believe to be private) to make things better for you in the future. Kind of sounds like parents, right?
Your private data isn't really private. Anyone can find your IP address if you go to their website. It really isn't hard at all. In fact, I've designed a URL shortener before that would store IP's and limit IP's to a certain # of URL's to be shortened in a day (with the consent of the people using it).
Your search information isn't really private either. You literally (ok maybe not literally) hand them this information. How can you be upset when they analyze the information that you give them.
So if they can easily see my data any way why should I be concerned?
This one is where the controversy lies. When they connect your data that can almost identify you (your IP) with your search criteria they can analyze more than just what searches come from where, but they can also analyze what type of person you are. Search for things about Marijuana or other illegal substances, then they could use their data to find out that you have a lot of interest in those illegal substances.
That is the problem. Should Google or Bing really have the right to know what kind of person I am? Better yet, should the information that Google or Bing gathers from my searches be able to be used to determine what I do or how I behave?
So what is the difference between Google and Bing?
Look at this image from cnet.com.
I will break this down for you.
Bing takes your search information along with your IP and disassociates the two immediately, thus keeping your searches separate from your IP (or on line identity). After 6 months, Bing deletes IP addresses that have been stored. After 18 months, any information possibly correlating a search to an IP address is deleted.
If your confused, I'll break down in slow mode for you now. When you search Bing, they take your IP address and Search criteria and store it in a database. However, the search criteria and IP address are not associated with each other, but with a code created by bing they can later be associated back together again if needed. After 6 months, the IP address is completely deleted. After 18 months, that small code that could possibly have linked that search result to your IP address which they no longer have will be deleted.
Unless the government suspects you of doing something wrong, no one, unless going through lots of trouble wouldn't be able to easily view your search data and identify you.
Google on the other hand is much different. Where Bing dissasociates IP addresses and search criteria immediatly, Google waits until 9 months to even dissasociate them. That is 3 months after Bing deletes your IP, and 9 months after Bing does exactly what Google is doing at this moment!
However according to guidelines they have to delete all their data like Bing does after 18 months, but you get the idea that they would much rather keep your information as long as possible. I'm sure they probably do.
So which one is safer to use?
Neither are really safe. I suppose Bing would be the one I would prefer to use if I cared enough about keeping my search information private. The fact is even Bing can associate the information up to 18 months from when it is received, and since Google can too, your not really helping yourself.
I think Microsoft has spent a lot of money and time making sure you feel safe using their search. Seeing as Google recently was attacked and lost information I would say that this is working pretty well for Microsoft.
The Kingpin's preference....
Google.
If someone is going to have my information for possibly up to 18 months, I would rather be giving my information to someone where I get more information from than the other. I honestly can't think of a time when I would prefer Bing over Google search.
Perhaps that is part of the problem though. We want Google to have our information to make our searches better, but we don't want them to have it either. Microsoft is going to have to play catchup for a long time to keep strides with Google in the on line search industry, and it doesn't get any easier when one site is gathering much more information to improve their processes than yours.
Ford to have mobile wireless hotspots
Posted by: David
Ford introduces mobile wifi hotspots
I learned about this in an article from cnet.com technology news. CNet has some great info about this but I will break it down for everyone here.
The skinny is that you will be able to use a 3G wireless card to get wifi access from your car in future Ford vehicles. If you, or anyone riding with you has a 3G (or other) wireless usb sticks to get internet access, that person can plug their card into the dash and share their internet connection to anyone within wifi range.
The car will give WPA2 security to the wifi hotspot so you won't be giving EVERYONE within range access to your mobile hotspot.
The greatest thing about this innovation obviously goes for business travelers. Have a group of people working on a project and running behind? Plug up your ONE shared 3G connection card and have all of them work with the internet and allow them to get their work done faster and on the go!
The technology will also be great for long family trips in the car. Let mom shop, the kids play games and stay happy. The only thing that can get kids to sit still longer than TV might be a computer. Give kids YouTube and they will watch it for hours on end (and you ears will bleed from FRED).
The technology will be available with the new Ford vehicles with the Sync technology. If you are interested in getting this technology look up on the Ford models coming out and even ask the dealership you go to for more information before you buy!
Long time no post…mesosorry :(
Posted by: Michael
The Holidays and work have both kept me very busy and unable to post as frequently as I would like, but now that Thanksgiving/Black Friday is slowing down I hope to get a few post in before the rev up of Christmas. With the Holidays times you can guarantee three things...family, food, and pictures.
Taken pictures is one of my least favorite things to do, but worse than that is finding and recovering users lost pictures. Everyday ( even more so since the Holidays ) new people are calling asking what I can do to help them get their pictures back. The first thing I say is, "Did you have a backup?", and to my disbelief they didn't know they needed one. Now you do not NEED a backup for everything but for things like pictures...something you want to keep for a long time and are afraid to lose, you definitely NEED a backup.
Here is some advise I give to my costumers:
1. Purchase an External HDD
-They are pretty cheap and you can find a very wide range of drives out there. I would recommend one that doesn't need a power source ( runs data and power from USB )
2. Download Cobian Backup ( its free and easily found on Google )
-This program is one I use at home and is very user friendly. You can set scheduled backup's or manual. It has very many option on how/where data is backed up
By taking a few proactive steps you can keep all your cherished memories, music, and resumes safe. It also makes your IT life much simpler incase you get a viruse or your computer completely dies. If you have any questions about this feel free to post on our forums and I will do anything I can do to help you.
Malicious attack on Jailbroken iPhones
Posted by: Michael
Teh iPhone
A new iPhone infection is out and its all about taking your banking info and more. This new piece of malicious software is based off of the first attack, but this time it allows the attacker to remotely control the phone. Once in control of your phone they can take banking info (user names, passwords), credit card info, and remove any money from those locations. It currently only attacks jailbroken iPhones and is just in the Netherlands. The infection could easily spread and is capable of infecting jailbroken phones on the same wireless network.
Koobface, same old virus with a different look.
Posted by: Michael
For the last week now, almost everything I have done at my job has related directly to Koobface. What is Koobface? It is a computer worm that targets the users of the social networking websites. Facebook (obviously), Myspace, and Twitter seem to be where the majority of users catch this worm. What does it do? Upon infecting your PC it attempts to attain information about the user, like credit card info. It then spreads itself using your social networking account, contacting all your friends. The subject of the message is used to try and get you to open a funny link, like "OMG to funny", "LOL", or one I have seen 3 times this week "My video". The message is followed by a link which takes you to a site that claims you need to download an adobe update (or something to that affect). After downloading you will be infected with Koobface!
Also this past week all the computers I have cleaned have also had a fake anti virus program on them. Cyber Security is the main version of this program I see. It completely locks you out of your system and request you pay them money to remove the virus. It will warn you and tell you legit Windows files are virus and need to be removed, when in fact it is the virus.
I think everyone should be aware that the Internet can be very dangerous if you don't pay attention to what you are doing and what links you click on. User often ask me "How do I stop getting infected?". Do not open or click on any links you are not sure about...If you talk with your friend on Facebook always reply from an old message, most of these worms/viruses make a new message and if you all communicate through replies you can spot some shady messages.
A little common sense and thinking can go a long way on keeping you from becoming infected.
Network Security – There’s an app for that
Posted by: David
Credit: Cisco
So apparently Apple is releasing the latest app for the iPhone from Cisco today. The newest Cisco app, called Cisco SIO To Go will be offered for free on the App Store. What is it though?
According to CNet.com the app will allow people to get "customized alerts on new security threats and other information for safe Web browsing." The app will also provide info about new malware signatures and ideas for how to mitigate threats and see if certain websites are compromised and will also be able to link to videos with information.
The data being used is being pulled from SIO, hence why it is called Cisco SIO To Go. The SIO is the Security Intellegence Operations system that gathers information from systems all over the world. The scope and depth of the data gathered through SIO allows Cisco to provide some of the best and most up to date information available, and at a heck of a price - FREE!
Most people won't get much use out of the app because it is targeted at security professionals and just general geeks who are interested. If you fall in this category like myself, you could possibly find some use for this. A possible virus while you are out for lunch? Just open up your Cisco SIO To Go app and try to find out more!