It’s all but guaranteed that new iPhones are coming soon, given the endless flow of rumors about the device (or devices). That, plus Apple’s newest back-to-school promotion, more lawsuit developments, and Mac clone maker Psystar filing for bankruptcy all rounded out this week’s top Apple news.
Knockoff iPod shuffle giveaway ruffles some feathers: One man’s gift is another man’s lawsuit. Some iPod knockoffs given away at the Swiss Economic Forum were not universally enjoyed, and one recipient has even sued the company giving them away.
Icons surface for next-gen iPhone in most recent SDK beta: Icons labeled as iPhone2,1 are included in the iPhone OS 3.0 SDK beta 5, and appear to confirm speculation that next-gen iPhone hardware will differ little in appearance from current models.
AT&T: Yes, we’re considering cheaper iPhone data plans: iPhone users have been buzzing about the possibility of cheaper, possibly limited data plans from AT&T. Now, an AT&T exec confirms that the company is at least considering it, but it sounds like the details aren’t quite there yet.
iPhone still kicking ass, taking names on mobile Web in April: Apple’s share of AdMob’s mobile ad requests grew significantly both at home and abroad in April—for the first time, the iPhone OS has surpassed Symbian worldwide.
iPhone hardware details and predictions continue to multiply: One pontifical Mac blogger has given his insights on the next-gen iPhone hardware. His predictions support several other rumors, including two recent ones out of Austria and Australia.
Rumor: iTunes on iPhone may get direct movie, TV downloads: Users may soon be able to download a variety of video content directly to an iPhone or iPod touch, according to an ad that supposedly appeared in an iPhone app. We’re not so sure of the story behind this one, though the feature would certainly be nice.
iPhone app rejection madness still hasn’t stopped: The rejection of an otherwise outstanding e-book reading application on the grounds that users can purposefully search for sexual material further highlights how inconsistent the app review process is. Even though the app was eventually approved, other developers continue to face the same frustrations.
iPhone-armed artist responsible for The New Yorker cover: The June 1 cover of The New Yorker was painted… with an iPhone and an app called Brushes. Though the artist has been in The New Yorker before, the marriage between technology and a traditional publication is certainly a cool one.
Ain’t no money in Mac cloning: Psystar files for bankruptcy: The now-beleaguered Mac cloner has filed for bankruptcy protection in federal court. Bankruptcy will put the suit with Apple on hold, and it’s unclear if Psystar could continue to fund its case after the bankruptcy process is finished.
Apple ready for back-to-school with MacBook tweak, free iPod: Apple is once again offering students and faculty a free (or nearly free) iPod with the purchase of a new Mac, as well as updated specs for the popular entry-level MacBook. The tweaked specs may even be a clue to coming notebook revisions as early as WWDC.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
This post has been written by Jacqui Cheng on May 30, 2009 3:00 PM couresy of arstechnica.com.
Hackers Infiltrate U.S. Army Web Servers
May 30, 2009
Security of data online is a big concern for consumers, businesses, and the government. Leaked data can not only cost money, but can significantly undermine national security. With data security as such a high priority significant sums of money are spent to protect private and public networks form nefarious attacks.
Despite the massive budgets and security protocols in place to combat cyber-attacks, InformationWeek reports that anti-American hackers have successfully hacked at least two sensitive web servers belonging to the U.S. Army. Department of Defense investigators are looking into the breaches and have reportedly subpoenaed records from Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and other ISPs and email providers in the investigation.
The websites in question were for the Army’s McAlester munitions plant and the website for the Army Corp of Engineers. The ammunition plant site was hacked and users trying to visit the site were redirected to a web page with a protest against climate change. The attack against the Army Corps of Engineers sire redirected visitors to the webpage for the hacker network m0stead at www.m0stead.net. The website is reportedly now a parked domain listing airline reservations.
However, at the time of the Corps of Engineers site attack, the URL had anti-American and anti-Israeli rhetoric and images. It’s not known if the attacks resulted in the hackers gaining access to any sensitive information on the servers.
In April 2009, information came to light that hackers had successfully stolen confidential data from servers storing information on the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
This post has been written by Shane McGlaun on May 29, 2009 11:31 AM couresy of dailytech.com.
White House: cybersecurity facing a Sputnik moment
May 30, 2009
The Obama administration has sent a number of signals that it takes the information infrastructure of the nation seriously, having approved stimulus money for broadband and established a post for a national CTO. In parallel with these actions, the administration authorized a review of the national cybersecurity policy, and that review is now complete. Depending on how you read the resulting report, it concluded either that we don’t have a cybersecurity policy, or that we have too many of them; in either case, its authors have made a number of very specific suggestions as to how to improve the situation.
The report is fairly blunt, stating early on that "the architecture of the Nation’s digital infrastructure, based largely upon the Internet, is not secure or resilient." As our network infrastructure has developed, the focus has been on things like performance, ease-of-use, and compatibility, and security consciousness was pretty low for much of its history. So, it’s not a surprise that both government and private computer systems have been victimized, and evidence suggests that both private parties and foreign governments have been behind these attacks.
Meanwhile, as the authors of the report put it, "the Federal government is not organized to address this growing problem effectively now or in the future." Responsibilities are spread across a variety of different agencies and, although past administrations have made progress in bringing the policies of different groups into alignment, there is still no overarching policy direction, nor a single authority to coordinate it.
Obviously, the report recommends that we fix all of that. It suggests that the nation should have a single cybersecurity coordinator, operating within the National Security Council. The position should be considered high priority, as indicated by the recommendation that this officer should be based within the White House proper, in order to be accessible. The cybersecurity office should include staff dedicated to both privacy concerns and civil liberties, which will be welcome news to anyone worried that this might lead to NSA-style monitoring programs.
Among the tasks assigned to this office will be developing a coherent security strategy and establishing metrics by which progress can be measured. The office will work with private industry and other interested parties to develop an incident response plan. This last item will require some coordination with the diplomatic corps, as the report calls for bringing together "like-minded nations" to formulate standards on "acceptable legal norms regarding territorial jurisdiction, sovereign responsibility, and use of force."
Relevant to the use of force, it appears that, in a less public effort, the administration is apparently pursuing a parallel effort within the Pentagon, which will see the Department of Defense set up an equivalent branch. Well, partially parallel—the Pentagon version will not only develop defensive tactics and tools, but will focus on providing offensive weaponry as well.
Perhaps the most striking thing about the report, however, is that it suggests that the US may be facing the prospect of being left as a technological backwater when it comes to security, and a national effort will be required to avoid that fate. The authors suggest a historic analog: "similar to the period after the launch of the Sputnik satellite in October, 1957, the United States is in a global race that depends on mathematics and science skills." In response, it suggests that the new office develop a research and development framework, and accompany it with a public information campaign that will stress the importance of security considerations. If necessary, the government should incentivize the use of secure practices and equipment by private industry through programs like targeted tax breaks.
Whether we’ll ultimately see the sorts of leaps in science and technology education that occurred following the Sputnik launch won’t be clear for years. But there is some urgency to acting now. After several years of decline, the number of students that intend to major in computer science is beginning to rise again, and integrating security into their education could provide cybersecurity the sort of boost that the authors of the report say is required.
This post has been written by John Timmer on May 29, 2009 3:10 PM couresy of arstechnica.com.
A job listing found on both Gamasutra and Microsoft’s careers website is seeking out an engineer to work on a "game" that will support up to "300,000 players in real-time." The job ad states that Microsoft is working on "building an extremely high performance system to extend console games to the server in new ways" and that it’s "creating a completely new set of web services" for Xbox Live and Xbox.com integration.
It sounds to us like Microsoft is planning to overhaul the Dashboard and Xbox Live service and combine it with an MMO-like system (given the 300K-player support). Or, it could be building a separate virtual world interface like Sony’s PlayStation Home. What do you think Microsoft could be working on?
[Via CVG]
This post has been written by Majed Athab on May 30th 2009 at 5:00AM couresy of joystiq.com.
Kids arriving to Maker Faire
May 30, 2009
Friday was Education Day at Maker Faire. While makers were busy setting up their booths, and the Maker Shed was being stocked, groups of students came through the Maker Faire site for workshops and to see the whole weekend preparation come together.
Teachers, parents, and students all came to see great projects, try their hand at building and crafting, and to meet the people whose passion is making things. At the beginning of the day, there were a lot of empty booth spaces. As the day went on, makers, exhibitors, and vendors filled their real estate with projects, set up demonstration spaces, and got their equipment out of the boxes and up and running.
If you came to Education Day, tell us about what you saw, what you did, and what most impressed you.
This post has been written by Chris Connors on May 30, 2009 01:00 AM couresy of makezine.com.
In case you somehow forgot in the crush of excitement coming into E3, there are other conventions going on out there later this year. There again, if you’re a die-hard World of Warcraft player, we suspect you probably remember BlizzCon – potentially before E3 even springs into your mind. Well, if you’re one of the teeming masses who are just dying to get your hands on some BlizzCon tickets, we felt it was best to remind you that the second (and final) round of tickets will go on sale tomorrow morning for $125 each.
If you’re after one of those coveted tickets, remember, you need to make sure you have a Battle.net account ready for tomorrow’s insane crush of humanity on the ordering servers. The last round was sold out insanely fast, so you may also want to consider getting to bed early and making sure you have all the proper mats gathered to buff yourself up for the BlizzCon raid tomorrow. It’s going to be an epic battle to get them, we’re sure.
This post has been written by Krystalle Voecks on May 29th 2009 at 8:00PM couresy of massively.com.
How would you change Samsung’s Instinct s30?
May 30, 2009
Ah, Samsung’s Instinct s30. One step forward, three steps back — or something like that. Of course, we’re not out to remind you of what we thought of the next-gen Instinct, we’re here to find out what you think of it. If you plunked down the coin in order to grab yourself the Sprint-locked featurephone, have you been fully satisfied? Is life going alright without EV-DO Rev. A? How’s that web browser treating you? Are you wishing you would’ve held off for the Pre? Feel free to voice your opinion below, and remember, this chance won’t ever, ever come around again. Ever.
This post has been written by Darren Murph on May 30th 2009 at 4:38AM couresy of engadget.com.
HDMI spec updated to 1.4, adds unwanted complexity
May 29, 2009
HDMI Licensing has announced that the improved HDMI 1.4 specification has been finalized. The new specification, slated to be published by the end of June, includes a number of additions to the High Definition Multimedia Interface standard that is becoming more commonplace with the proliferation of high-def flat panel TVs, Blu-ray players, and a number of other devices. Unfortunately, the spec comes with no less than five different cable types, and defines an additional "micro" port and an automotive-specific connection system, which joins the standard and "mini" HDMI port variants.
The new 1.4 spec adds an optional Ethernet-compatible data channel to HDMI. This data channel will allow bidirectional data transmission up to 100Mbps. The data transmission capabilities will allow one Internet-connected device to share the connection, as well as enable content sharing among HDMI connected devices.
Furthermore, an audio return channel adds upstream audio transmission capabilities to the HDMI spec. This is in addition to the downstream audio capabilities of the current spec, and should in theory eliminate the need to ever use audio cables for HDMI-connected devices.
The new spec also includes a number of improvements to the video transmission specifications. A standard for 3D formats and resolutions has been added, and includes up to dual-stream 1080p. Support is also added for the 2K and 4K digital cinema resolution standards. And color space support has been expanded to include sYCC601, Adobe RGB, and AdobeYCC601 color spaces—specifically targeting the expanded gamut of digital still photographers.
And the cherry on this spec sundae is a specific automotive connection system designed "to be used as the basis for in-vehicle HD content distribution." I’ve never been one to relish in-car entertainment taken to this level, but I’m sure there are niche enthusiasts as well as legions of soccer moms with minivans full of kids that might welcome this addition. The special cabling and connectors are designed to work around the environmental factors experience in an automobile, "such as heat, vibration and noise." But with the proliferation of portable devices, such as an iPhone or the recently announced Zune HD, we wonder if "in-vehicle HD content distribution" is really necessary.
"The HDMI specification continues to add functionality as the consumer electronics and PC industries build products that enhance the consumer’s HD experience," said Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, LLC, in a statement. "The 1.4 specification will support some of the most exciting and powerful near-term innovations such as Ethernet connectivity and 3D formats. Additionally we are going to broaden our solution by providing a smaller connector for portable devices and a connection system specified for automobiles, as we see both more and different devices adopting the HDMI technology."
Marketing hyperbole aside, the new specification now includes a total of 5 different cable types: standard, "high-speed"—which handles the higher data rates for 3D and digital cinema resolution, Ethernet-capable versions of both of the previous two, and an automotive-specific variant. Further, as Venuti said, in addition to the standard HDMI port and the already small mini-HDMI port, the spec adds a 19-pin micro-HDMI variant that is compatible with up to 1080p resolutions for portable devices. That means that the one cable to rule all AV equipment will now have 45 potential variations for customers to choose from—let alone the numerous (and often dubious) "quality" levels offered at hard-to-swallow prices.
The video and audio improvements are certainly welcome, though the Ethernet capabilities and special automotive connectors seem to add complexity to a system that was originally designed to greatly reduce the complexity of connecting AV equipment in the first place. The new micro-HDMI connector also seems redundant, though perhaps it will replace the mini-HDMI as the de facto standard for small, portable HD-capable devices. You can expect that devices and cables conforming to the new spec should start trickling out later this year.
This post has been written by Chris Foresman on May 28, 2009 9:35 PM couresy of arstechnica.com.
How much did you pay for your last pair of glasses?
May 29, 2009
Probably way too much,* by the standards of Oxford physics professor Josh Silver, who has developed a wearer-adjustable set of eyeglasses that use water-filled plastic bags as lenses. They’re so cheap that they can be distributed freely in underdeveloped and impoverished communities, which is exactly what Silver is doing, to the tune of 30,000 units so far. No visit to the optometrist and no custom lens grinding, just a standard pair of specs that you adjust once to your own visual comfort, using a small syringe, and then seal shut. A nice reminder that Making isn’t just about scaring awayimpressing potential mates with your flatulence-tweeting office chair. link
*In all fairness to the noble discipline of optometry, if you are able to visit a proper eye-doctor you probably should. Silver’s lenses can only correct for spherical, not cylindrical, defects in the eye, which is to say that if you have an astigmatism (as 1 in 3 adults does, per one study) you still need traditional lenses for full correction.
This post has been written by Sean Michael Ragan on May 28, 2009 09:11 PM couresy of makezine.com.
Why is the issue of sexual orientation so explosive that the very act of saying the word "gay" or "lesbian" is sometimes against the rules? Bioware found itself on the wrong end of this controversy when a community manager gracelessly began locking threads that discussed the issue, and then claimed that there simply were no gay or lesbian characters in Star Wars. Maybe those words don’t exist in galaxies far, far, away, but the characters often do: Bioware themselves created a game with a character who laid down with another woman as with a man.
Sony was a part of a similar controversy after the words "gay" and "Jew" were edited out of Home, the company’s social online service for PS3 owners. And Microsoft made headlines when the company banned a player who self-identified as a lesbian, claiming any notice of sexual orientation was against the terms of service.
In some ways it’s unfair to take the world of gaming to task for its immature handling of gay and lesbian issues. After all, it’s hard to find a game that takes any kind of relationship seriously. This is an art form that knows how to show two people killing each other nearly perfectly, but seems to turn into a bunch of fifth-graders when dealing with a kiss, much less when that kiss is between two men or two women. It’s clear that something has to give, although companies only seem to pay attention after receiving the wrong kind of attention for their policies.
This is for your own good
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation contacted EA over the Bioware issue, and received an e-mail and phone call from the Vice-President of EA. His defense of the actions is interesting, and it highlights the problem even as it shows how sincere EA is in its efforts to "fix" it.
"Filtering the words ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ was clearly a mistake; but one made with the intention of providing a civil atmosphere for players—certainly including gay and lesbian players," EA wrote. "I hope that you and everyone associated with GLAAD understand that this was a mistake based on a sincere effort to filter hateful language off of our web site, and not to discriminate against anyone in the player community."
Taking away the very words used to discuss the issue would certainly lead to less discrimination, as it just pretends that gay and lesbian players don’t exist. If we don’t talk about the problem, if we take away the ability to even say the word "gay," we’ve very efficiently brushed the issued under the carpet. We’ve shoved gay players back into the closet, and installed a door with no key. Does anyone really believe that the word "lesbian" is hate-speech?
What does who you sleep with have to do with your gaming, anyway?
There is a nasty counter-argument that one often sees in this discussion: why not just keep sexual politics out of the world of gaming?
Taking away the very words used to discuss the issue would certainly lead to less discrimination, as it just pretends that gay and lesbian players don’t exist.
"I feel that a lot of ‘straight’ people take for granted that everyone around them is also straight. They just assume that everyone feels the same way and enjoys the same things they do," Flynn De Marco, the Editor in Chief of GayGamer, told Ars. "This is clearly not the case. Being able to identify as gay or lesbian in an online gaming perspective has its positives and negatives. The negatives being obvious in that they face endless harassment. The positives are that maybe you can connect and play with someone else without having to listen to a litany of gay jokes and ‘fag’ insults," he explained.
"I would prefer to play with people of a like mindset as me, gay or straight. Wouldn’t you?"
There is also the subtle change in context that happens when you censor a word: it risks creating the impression that the very act of being who you are in the game constitutes a threat to the community. The attitude behind the censorship seems to be that gamers who aren’t straight need to sit down and shut up about it, but of course this is for their own protection.
"I think that in one way [gaming companies] are trying to avoid any controversy or use of the words as derogatory," De Marco noted. "On the other hand I think it shows an extreme short sighted-ness and a bit of ignorance as to who some of their customers or potential customers may be. Accidentally repressing GLBT visibility in forums, even with good intentions, only makes it safer and more acceptable to use hate speech. Visibility is key to equality."
Does gay and lesbian content need to be disclosed?
With same-sex marriage being a hot-button issue in the US at the moment—and some groups claiming that same-sex marriage could hurt the American family—what would gay and lesbian content do to the rating of a game? We reached out to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board and asked if game ratings differentiated between different kinds of sexual content.
"We’ve encountered the issue of same-sex content before—the boy-boy kiss in Bully being one example—and, as with any sort of suggestive or sexual content, there is always thoughtful discourse as to how best to address it from a ratings perspective," Eliot Mizrachi of the ESRB told Ars. "While there aren’t any content descriptors that specifically identify same-sex content, our raters are trained to consider these types of elements within the context of the overall game, and to weigh those factors, among others, when deliberating about which rating and content descriptors would be most appropriate."
We also asked Common Sense Media how they dealt with gay or lesbian content when giving parents guidance on which games and movies are appropriate for their children. "Our philosophy is that all parents are different. We’re here to make you a better parent," Marisa Connolly, Communications Manager of Common Sense Media told Ars. "We want to provide as much information as we can, just literally saying here is the content. Here is what goes on in the movie, how much, how explicit it is. Here’s how much drinking, those sorts of things."
The content is noted, but like the ESRB, these issues don’t affect the guidance on the media. "The idea is to be as objective as we can possible be, we say it’s there, but we don’t to my knowledge… if it’s explicit, we would give it the same ratings as heterosexual activities. We do mention it because we do know that everyone parents differently."
Gaming needs to grow up, in more ways that just this one
"I definitely feel that the LGBT issues are part of the larger issue of gaming’s immature treatment of sex," De Marco said. "I would also say that this applies to the US in general when it comes to sex. It’s such a huge taboo here, when in other countries they are more worried about things like kids being exposed to violence."
The problem is that while gaming may treat sexuality as a whole clumsily, non-traditional sexual roles in gaming are treated borderline offensively. "At the same time, the immature treatment of LGBT issues goes way beyond the treatment of straight sex. Many of the ‘gay’ characters seen in games are pure negative stereotype, much like many ethnic depictions," De Marco claims. "People want to suppress or marginalize what they don’t understand. Gaming reaches many walks of life, to be certain, but I think we all know that many games are taken in by impressionable young people who need to be taught that everyone they meet in the world is not a walking stereotype. It would be great to see the industry start taking some responsibility about the lessons it is teaching young gamers."
The problem is that we’re so far away from having a reasonable discourse on the subject that the very words used to describe it are being treated as toxic in gaming and in official fora. Online gaming is a social activity where anyone can be anything they want, and people are free to explore new ideas and to meet new people. By limiting or even removing the ability to take part in, much less discuss at all, same sex relationships, we’re putting an artificial barrier on expression and open communication.
If you can’t be yourself in an online game or community, where can you? Gaming should be an escape, a diversion, and a safe place to play. It’s certainly the first two things, but the third is a much harder trick. Simply forcing gay and lesbian gamers into silence, however, isn’t the answer.
This post has been written by Ben Kuchera on May 27, 2009 11:31 PM couresy of arstechnica.com.
