IT News HeadLines (HardOCP) 01/08/2010

'BlackPad' tablet due in November?
The speculation on RIM's entry into the tablet computer market has progressed a step or two. The word now is that the 'BlackPad' is due to be released in November to go head to head with Apple's iPad The new device will have roughly the same dimensions as the iPad, which has a 9.7-inch diagonal screen. It will also include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology that will allow people to connect to the Internet through their BlackBerrys, the sources said. RIM plans to call the tablet Blackpad, say sources. It will be priced in line with the iPad, which starts at $499. RIM acquired the Internet rights to blackpad.com this month, according to the Whois database of domain names.
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The Web's New Gold Mine: Your Secrets
Data miners are striking gold with new software, tracking your moves in real time- where you go, what you do, what you prefer- basically a complete profile of your internet habits. The internet used to be a lonely place, but now you are never alone. Tracking technology is getting smarter and more intrusive. Monitoring used to be limited mainly to "cookie" files that record websites people visit. But the Journal found new tools that scan in real time what people are doing on a Web page, then instantly assess location, income, shopping interests and even medical conditions. Some tools surreptitiously re-spawn themselves even after users try to delete them.
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The FBI Checks In at Defcon
The FBI has taken a special interest in the 'Social Engineering' contest sponsored by Defcon. The participants will try to trick corporate employees into divulging not-so-sensitive data and the Feds want to insure that it stays non-sensitive. Over the next three days participants will try their best to unearth data from an undisclosed list of about 30 U.S. companies. The contest will take place in a room in the Riviera hotel in Las Vegas furnished with a soundproof booth and a speaker, so an audience can hear the contestants call companies and try to weasel out what data they can get from unwitting employees.
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The Internet Illuminati: Seven Hold Keys to the Digital Universe
Did you know that the fate of the internet rests in the hands of seven individuals dispersed around the globe? Well it's a fact and not a well known one for sure. In the event of a cataclysmic event that disrupts the internet, they are the ones that gather to restart it. The spice must flow. In the event of a terrorist or other attack on the Internet, the key holders will be flown to an undisclosed location in the U.S. Each key contains a fragment. If at least five are united, they will form a master key that can restore the Internet.
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DIY Wearable Computer Turns You Into a Cyborg
Oh, those crazy Swedish. First it was the meatballs and now wearable computers. Martin Magnusson, a Swedish researcher and entrepreneur, has taken the first step and created a wearable computer that can be slung across the body. This redifines the word nerd.....and is quite the fashion statement A Beagleboard running Angstrom Linux and a Plexgear mini USB hub that drives the Bluetooth adapter and display forms the rest of this rather simple machine. Four 2700 mAh AA batteries are used to power the USB hub. Magnusson has used a foldable Nokia keyboard for input and is piping internet connectivity through Bluetooth tethering to an iPhone in his pocket.
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Microsoft To Release Emergency Patch For Windows on Monday
Microsoft plans to release on Monday an emergency fix for a Windows vulnerability that is being exploited by attackers using a "highly virulent strain" of malware. Affected versions of Windows include Windows 7, XP, Server 2003, Vista and Server 2008. Microsoft has posted a detailed list. "We're able to confirm that, in the past few days, we've seen an increase in attempts to exploit the vulnerability," Christopher Budd, spokesman for the Microsoft Security Response Center, said Friday. "We firmly believe that releasing the update out of band is the best thing to do to help protect our customers."
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Russian Judge Clamps Down on Internet Access
Russia, never to be outdone by China, has blocked or limited access to five sites by order of a Russian district court judge. One of the sites sites included the YouTube video service owned by Google. Google was not amused and criticized the judge's ruling. It seems Big Brother is alive and well and presently residing in Asia. Rosnet President Alexander Yermakov told national media that his company had declined to block access to the sites, saying the judge was "incompetent" and that he was determined "to go till the end, till the Constitutional Court." Google, which runs the world's largest search engine, also criticized the court's ruling which ordered Rosnet to block its popular YouTube video site for having posted a film clip which the judge said fomented ethnic hatred.
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Major Corporations Downloading Facebook Profiles
A post yesterday on BitTorrent listed 100 million Facebook profiles. These are profiles that are open to public view, but this torrent neatly packages them for exploitation by any interested party. Hacker Ron Bowes from Skull Security created a crawler that pulled everything from Facebook's open access directory, essentially giving him all data that people had set to allow anyone to see. Remember that torrent yesterday that contained the personal information off of 100 million scraped Facebook profiles? I thought it was strange that the guy didn't sell this information, since many companies would be interested. Turns out they are interested.
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Internet Explorer 9 Beta Due in September
Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner told ZDNet that Internet Explorer 9 Beta will be rolled out in September of this year. Anyone using the current developer build here? Microsoft has been making good on its promise to deliver new technology preview builds of IE 9 every eight weeks. The first IE 9 developer preview went live in mid-March. The latest IE 9 test build was released in June. Comments
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ATI Catalyst 10.7a Beta Driver
AMD has just released the ATI Catalyst 10.7a beta driver for Windows 7, Vista and XP today for your downloading pleasure. According to the company, the beta drivers bring Anti-Aliasing support (which must be enabled through the ATI Catalyst Control Center) for StarCraft II, as well as performance enhancements for Eyefinity users running with Quad ATI CrossFireX configurations. Grab the drivers HERE.
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Apple Tries to Patent Travel, Hotel, Shopping Apps
Apple is trying to patent travel, hotel and shopping apps? Surely they can't be serious. Actually, the more I think about it, the USPTO will probably grant Apple's patent application and Steve Jobs will have the last laugh on all of us. Unwired View unearthed three patent applications filed on Apple's behalf that cover travel- and shopping-related apps. One for travel booking, one for hotel services, and another for high-end fashion retail. All three were applied for between October and December, but were published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday. Comments
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The Robot that Visits Your Cubicle
Don't look now (seriously, do NOT turn around) but there is a robot spying on you. Seriously? How lazy is your boss that he needs to send robots to check up in you? When Trevor Blackwell, CEO of a company called Anybots, wants to know what his employees are up to, he sends a robot to their cubicles. "I can see if people are busy on something -- and then won't interrupt them," he said this week. "Or, you know, if they're doing something that looks interesting, or if they look stuck, I'll have a conversation with them." Comments
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Google Agrees to Delete WiFi Data Collected
The good news? Google has agreed to delete all WiFi data collected. The bad news? The agreement only applies to Hong Kong. Everyone else will just have to wait for their day in court. After carrying out a compliance check, Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner Roderick Woo said Friday he had requested that Google completely erase all WiFi data collected in the city and provide third-party verification it had done so. Comments
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Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day
Today is the 11th annual System Administrator Appreciation Day! If you have a sys admin, buy him / her a beer, give them a pat on the back, a much needed hugÂ…you knowÂ…just appreciate them. Let's face it, System Administrators get no respect 364 days a year. This is the day that all fellow System Administrators across the globe, will be showered with expensive sports cars and large piles of cash in appreciation of their diligent work. But seriously, we are asking for a nice token gift and some public acknowledgement. It's the least you could do. Comments
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