Android Apps on BlackBerry Phones?

Bloomberg is reporting that RIM intends to enable future models of its BlackBerry devices to run Android apps, and that such devices would be introduced in early 2012.

The report, citing “people familiar with the plan” says this is designed a way for RIM to boost sales and that it would apply to devices than run on RIM’s QNX software.

The Android Market consists of 250,000 apps, as well as the recently announced movie rentals. This should be huge for the Android ecosystem and Google’s operating system in general, particularly now that the iPhone is said to be coming to another major U.S. carrier in Sprint.

Google launched a preview of the new Google TV add-on for the Android SDK this week, enabling developers to create and optimize their Android apps for TVs, which could greatly help the popularity of Google TV (along with some additional efforts in getting the TV studios on board) and also help Android itself that much more – placing into more living rooms.

RIM devices are expected to go to the QNX platform early next year, and those running Blackberry 7 will not be able to upgrade to the new OS, which the Blackberry Playbook tablet runs.

This week, RIM announced three new BlackBerry Curve smartphones running BlackBerry 7.

Waiting for the new iPhone? Better get comfortable

USUALLY, it's June. This time, we thought it might be September. Now, it's looking more like October.

The Wall Street Journal today reported that US telco Sprint had struck a deal to sell the next Apple iPhone, as well as AT&T and Verizon.

Traditionally, only AT&T, the country's largest telco, has had the rights to sell iPhones in the US.

In February, the second-largest telco Verizon also struck a deal with Apple and now, Sprint, the third-largest, is on board as well.

Timeline

iPhone		Jun 29, 2007
3G		Jul 11, 2008
3GS		Jun 19, 2009
iPhone 4		Jun 24, 2010
iPhone 5		Oct ??, 2011
Source: Wikipedia

But that's not particularly interesting for us in Australia, is it?

The only part you really need to know is that the WSJ report said "mid-October".

That's the new expected launch date for the "iPhone 5" — it doesn't have a real name yet — pushed back from September, when most thought it would come out.

An October launch had already been suggested by tech blogs, but, you know, people tend to take it more seriously when it's in the WSJ.

Until this year, Apple has launched each new iPhone in June or July. The reason for the new model's delay is not known.

Twitter turns on SSL encryption for some users

Twitter is slowly turning on automatic encryption on its website, a move following other major providers of web-based services to thwart account hijacking over wireless networks.

Twitter has offered an option for users to turn on SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption, but said on Tuesday that it will turn the feature on by default for some users. It did not indicate when the option would be turned on by default for all users.

SSL encryption, indicted by "https" in the URL bar and sometimes a padlock in the browser window, is an encryption protocol used to protect communication between a client and a server. It is important to use because unencrypted information passed over wireless networks can be intercepted.

Many websites encrypt a person's login and password but will stop encrypting further data that is transmitted. A reason for not using SSL throughout a session is that it can occasionally slow interaction between the user and website.

Last year, a freelance web application developer named Eric Butler released Firesheep, an add-on for Firefox that snatches cookies transmitted on unencrypted networks. Web sites drop a cookie, or a small data file, into a person's Web browser while they are logged into a session. Cookies are also used to "remember" people and keep them logged into the website.

Firesheep used an technique that was well-known but made it very easy for novice hackers to grab cookies and immediately log into a website as another person with just two clicks, known as session hijacking. If Firesheep detected someone logging into say, Facebook, on an open wireless network it would display their photo and name, which could be clicked in Firesheep, hijacking the person's account.

SSL would thwart such an attack since the cookie would encrypted. Other websites have started to step up their security as well. Facebook allows people to turn on SSL for a person's entire session in the "Account Settings" under "Security." In January 2010, Google turned on SSL for everyone using Gmail by default.

LG to offer up mouse/scanner hybrid

LG will be showing off a mouse with a built-in scanner at IFA 2011, with the LCM-100 to be shown off at the tradeshow next month.

The LSM-100 fixes a problem that, we'll be honest, we didn't really have in the first place, but the principle of a mouse scanner is certainly fairly neat.

Apparently you can simple press the Smart Scan button on the side of the mouse to create an image in one of a number of popular file formats.

Character recognition

There's also optical character recognition tech bundled, and LG insists that this mouse is not just a gimmick.

"The LSM-100 is also a top-end mouse," the Korean giant asserts in its press release.

"The laser sensor is accurate and durable, and the stylish design lends itself to easy, smooth motions as well as providing an ergonomic, comfortable grip.

Microsoft improves file management in Windows 8

Microsoft has showed off some of the changes it has made to the file copying, moving, renaming and deleting user interface in Windows 8 on the Building Windows 8 blog.

Microsoft had three goals in mind:

• One place to manage all copy jobs: Create one unified experience for managing and monitoring ongoing copy operations.
• Clear and concise: Remove distractions and give people the key information they need.
• User in control: Put people in control of their copy operations.

So, what do we have that’s different? Well, first off we have a single dialog box for multiple file operations rather than having Windows spawn multiple dialog box. From this box users will be able to pause, resume and stop transfers, as well as have the option to see more details such as data transfer speeds.

Cosmetic changes, but much-needed nonetheless.

Microsoft has also improved the handling of ‘file name collisions’ when copying a file to a location where a file with the same name already exists. A simple dialog with checkbox options replaces the current confusing hellstew of options.

In addition, Microsoft has also removed a lot of of the redundant confirmation dialogs such as the ‘are you sure you want to move this file to the recycle bin?’ or ‘are you sure you want to merge these folders?’

Nice changes that will certainly streamline file operations. However, this doesn’t address my biggest issue with file operations, which is the continued heavy reliance on file names. Why is the filename still the metric used to determine whether files are identical or not? Why not something more unique? Something like a checksum? This way the operating system could decide is two files really are identical or not, and replace the file if it’s a copy, or create a copy if they are different. This would save time, and dramatically reduce the likelihood of data loss through overwriting.

What do you think of these tweaks?

Sporadic Cell phone outages due to 5.9 Earthquake

There are reports of sporadic cell phone and perhaps even landline outages after an unusual 5.9 earthquake hit Virginia at 01:51:03 pm, with the epicenter located 41 miles northwest from Richmond and 83 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.

A few co-workers and I were unable to get through to some phone numbers. According some reports the carriers are experiencing peak usage related outages. Could be people checking in on loved ones similar to the 9/11 related phone outages.

I felt the earthquake in my office located in Norwalk, CT and have read friends' reports on Facebook that states as far away as Massachusetts, Michigan and Ohio felt it. There are also unconfirmed reports that the Washington Monument is leaning. 

So if you have trouble getting through on your cell phone or landline, it's possible this unusually strong East Coast earthquake had something to do with it.


Source : blog.tmcnet.com

SDK for Windows Phone 7.5 apps will arrive in September

The final version of the Windows Phone SDK 7.1 will arrive at the end of September. It allows developers to take advantage of new features in Windows Phone 7.5, also known as Mango, Microsoft said in a blog post on Tuesday.

The SDK (Software Development Kit) provides users with all of the tools they need to develop applications and games for smartphones based on Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 7.5 . Existing and new applications can take advantage of Windows Phone 7.5 features such as fast app switching, background audio, and better search integration, according to Todd Brix , senior director, Windows Phone Marketplace.

On Tuesday, for developers that want to start now, Microsoft made the Release Candidate (RC) of the SDK available in English and Japanese with a "Go Live" license that lets users publish your their apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace.

The Release Candidate includes a so-called Marketplace Test Kit, which allows developers to test applications for certification requirements on your machine, running the same technical tests that Microsoft uses. Using the kit should dramatically improve a developers chance at passing the first time, Brix wrote.

On Tuesday, Microsoft also began accepting and certifying Mango apps through the App Hub. However, that doesn't mean Mango will arrive on existing devices in the coming days, according to Brix. However, people running early builds of Mango will see these new apps and games, he said.

Source : Computerworld

HSBC customers slam bank's online security system

HSBC has infuriated some its internet banking customers with its new secure log-in keys, which were introduced this year in an effort to improve security.

The bank started rolling out the credit-card-sized security keys, which generate a unique PIN each time a customer logs on to their online account, back in March. Since then, Computing has received numerous complaints from readers who say the system is flawed.

"Archaic, annoying, too thick, no more security – better to switch to another bank if you are obliged to use it," posted one reader with the username JB.

"I realise the need for security with online banking but this is just a very annoying concept. I can see it won't be long until I lose this little gadget!" posted pompeybella.

"The 'credit card' size device is yet another thing to carry in one's wallet – do HSBC not realise how many cards etc we carry nowadays?" posted Alan B.

"You can't do anything without it. I travel constantly for work and need to access my accounts. I don't want to have to remember to carry this. I will call them and ask them revert to my old account or consider changing bank after 30 years," he added.

HSBC told Computing that customers will get used to the system and that the bank is also already exploring options for version two, which might be a virtual access key.

"Any change to the way a customer accesses their account is going to take a while to get used to. But this small extra step delivers such an increase in security to our internet banking users, that we are confident we have got the balance right.

"It's not just about the peace of mind knowing only you are accessing your accounts, it's about protecting the static pieces of personal information, like date of birth or mother's maiden name, that once lost, can never be replaced," said an HSBC spokesperson.

"The HSBC Secure Key is simply the introduction of a two-factor authentication process into our internet banking. It works by having one piece of information that remains the same [such as a username], and one that constantly changes but is based on a unique set of information for each user [such as the secure-token generated PIN]. The code is not sequential, so it can't be guessed, and expires after 30 seconds so can't be generated and used at a later date.

The spokesperson added that HSBC is already looking into replacing the system.

"This first version of Secure Key is not the final one – although we have designed it to be light and portable in comparison with our competitors' bulky card reader devices. We are already exploring options for version two that might be virtual. But we have a duty to strike the right balance between ease of use and the highest level of security our customers demand of us."

Canon announces three compact Powershots with big zooms: 510 HS, 310 HS, and SX150 IS

Canon announced a new fall lineup of Powershot point and shoot cameras today: two new additions to the ultracompact ELPH line — the Powershot ELPH 510 HS and 310 HS — as well as a new compact megazoom, the Powershot SX150 IS.  All three cameras offer impressively long zoom lenses with intelligent optical image stabilization, HD video recording, automatic scene mode detection (with 32 preset scenes for stills and 21 for video), and use Canon’s HS system for improved low-light performance.

Canon Powershot ELPH 510 HS
The most impressive of the three is the 510HS, which is a megazoom in its own right, with a 12x zoom lens (28mm-336mm equivalent), but in a super-slim ELPH style body–in fact, it’s the slimmest of the ELPH cameras to date. Like its lower-end sibling the 310 HS, the 12.1-megapixel 510 HS shoots 1080p HD video as well as stills. Both cameras also offer a Movie Digest mode that automatically records a 4-second video clip each time you shoot a still image and combines them into a single video at the end of the day, without interfering with your normal video shooting.

Other features include:

• 7.8 fps burst-mode shooting
• 3.2-inch, 461,000-dot touch screen LCD
• Touch Shutter (touch the screen to focus and release your finger to release the shutter)
• Red, black, and silver body options

The 510 HS will start shipping in early for $349.99.

Canon Powershot ELPH 310HS
The 310 HS also uses a 12.1-megapixel sensor, but is slightly smaller and lighter, doesn’t include a touchscreen, and sports an 8x optical zoom (28mm-224mm equivalent) rather than a 12x zoom.  Other features include:

• 8.7fps burst-mode shooting
• 3-inch, 461,000-dot LCD screen
• Purple, blue, pink, green, and silver body color options

The 310 HS will be priced at $259.99 and will also start shipping at the beginning of October.

Canon Powershot SX150 IS
Not as slim as the models in the ELPH line, the SX150 IS offers a lower-priced option for a 12x optical zoom at $249.99. Like its predecessor, the SX130 IS, the SX150 sports a 28mm-335mm equivalent zoom lens and a relatively low-resolution (230,000-dot) 3-inch LCD, offers manual shooting capabilities like aperture priority and shutter priority, shoots 720p HD video, and uses standard AA batteries. New features include:

• 14.1-megapixel CCD sensor
• Intelligent optical image stabilization
• Discreet-shooting mode (turns off sound, flash, and AF assist light)
• Dedicated movie-record button
• Black and red body color options

The SX150 IS will ship at the beginning of September for $249.99.

Apple nabs 16 more patents for multi-touch, solar power, iWork

As the patent battles and bubbles continue to grow, Apple has secured the rights to several more patents of its own.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a series of 16 patents now owned by the Cupertino, Calif.-based company, according to Patently Apple.

Here’s a rundown on some of the patents that stand out and where we could see them implemented with in the Apple empire:

• A multi-touch related patent designed to reduce the manufacturing cost and performance of these types of displays (Likely for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch collection, but possibly for a new Mac desktop series too?)
• A patent for Numbers, the spreadsheet app within the iWork productivity software suite
• A patent for “Methods and systems for providing sensory information to devices and peripherals” (Possibly for iPhone/Mac accessories such as wireless keyboards and headphones)
• An iOS camera-related patent about rotating the display orientation of a captured image
• A patent for a solar powered tracking apparatus that includes a voltage converter and a controller coupled to the voltage converter
• A patent for a 3D video viewer for iMovie
• Patents for docking station peripherals in automobiles

Some of these have taken awhile to get approved. A few seem rather useless at this point (an iPhone 3G dock?), although they still prevent other companies from using elements of the technology for other devices down the line. We all know how popular that kind of lawsuit is.

It’s questionable whether or not any of these will help Apple in any current legal battles over patents, but it could stave off some competition in the future.

Source : zdnet

iPhone 5 will be a dual-mode CDMA+GSM device. Rumor ?

Apparently, the iPhone 5 will have dual-mode (CDMA+GSM) connectivity, which would make it a ‘global roaming device’ or ‘world phone’, as they say. TechCrunch spoke to a prominent (but unnamed) iOS developer who saw app usage logs from the same device, but with two different sets of MCC (Mobile Country Code) and MNC (Mobile Network Code) codes, one for AT&T, and the other for Verizon. The MCC and MNC pair is what uniquely identifies a mobile carrier. What that looks like it means is that there was an iPhone having both Verizon and AT&T connectivity which has accessed an (also unnamed) app.

Unfortunately, this, if true, shatters all previous rumors about the iPhone 5 coming with LTE connectivity, since there are no dual-mode LTE chips out, and even if there were, Verizon’s and AT&T’s LTE networks aren’t necessarily interoperable. And, truth be told, there wasn’t much to indicate that the next iPhone would have LTE anyway. Apple isn’t known as a company that runs with the newest this and that, but rather waits until something is mature and then decides to use and/or revolutionize it. LTE is anything but mature at the moment, so this kind of makes sense.

What also makes sense is Apple creating a dual-mode iPhone 5. Ever since the Verizon iPhone 4 was released, this became the logical next step. Why have two different hardware versions, when you can cram two different radios inside the same device and be done with it? Exactly.

If true, this will be great news for Verizon customers, who will be able to travel internationally without leaving their iPhones behind. It will also be good news for people using CDMA networks elsewhere in the world, in places such as India, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil.

And once again, it makes sense because it falls in line with previous rumors that stated that Apple was switching to Qualcomm for supplying the baseband chips for the iPhone 5. Since Qualcomm basically invented CDMA and is the biggest maker of CDMA connectivity chips (including the one in the Verizon iPhone 4), and also has dual-mode offerings available, this again sounds about right.

Of course, this is nothing but another Apple-related rumor in a sea of Apple-related rumors, so the above may not happen. Or perhaps only the iPhone 5 that Verizon will sell will come with dual-mode connectivity so that Big Red’s customers can roam outside the US, while there may be a different GSM-based iPhone still, since it would be cheaper to build with one radio rather than two. That all remains to be seen, and judging from the fact that all recent rumors point to September or October as the release time frame for the iPhone 5, we’re bound to find out soon enough.

Where did you get your earthquake news?

Summary: Earthquake h its Virginia and was felt all along the East Coast. With cellular networks jammed with phone calls and SMSes, how are you using technology to contact friends and family or find out what happened?

In case you missed it, a 5.9 earthquake with epicenter in Virginia rattled the East Coast around 2 p.m. Eastern. With cellular service reported jammed on all carriers in Manhattan according toGizmodo, how are you getting your news and reaching out to friends and relatives?

Both T-Mobile and Sprint just tweeted asking customers to SMS and email rather than make voice calls to loved ones to free up the network, and Verizon is reporting on Twitter that it is experiencing some “congestion” but no network damage. Some tech-savvy Twitter users are bypassing the cellular networks all together by using Google Voice to call friends and family.

As for me, before I even got out of my chair to walk towards the door frame for protection (ducking under a sturdy desk works as well), I was frantically searching Google for any earthquake related information but nada. By the time the building I’m in stopped shaking, I immediately went for my smartphone to check Twitter to see what happened.

What about you? How did you find out about the earthquake?

Source : zdnet

Facebook finally giving users more privacy control

Facebook is making it easier for people to know who can see what they post on the site.

(Credit: Facebook)

Facebook is announcing changes today that will let people quickly know exactly who can see everything they post and to block unwanted photos and other items tagged by others from their profile page.

The company also is making a semantic modification that will eliminate a lot of confusion for new Facebook users--changing "everyone" to "public." Currently, many people think that setting their sharing to "everyone" means everyone on the social-networking site, when it actually means "everyone on the Internet."

Overall, the changes make it easier for people to understand what audience will be seeing what they post on Facebook and to control who sees what others post that refers to them. The changes will start rolling out in coming days and people will be prompted with a tour option when they are available.

Facebook users have long complained that it's not always clear who can see what content is posted. Meanwhile, Google+ has been praised for allowing users to easily set up circles of friends to share with. Asked if the Facebook changes were in response to Google+, a Facebook representative said no.

"We really wish we could move that fast. We've been working on these products for the last several months and iterating over time," Meredith Chin, manager of product communications at Facebook, told CNET this morning. "We want to make sure that any time (users) go to post something on Facebook they can answer the question 'who can see this?' It's right there at their fingertips."

To start out with, the controls for who can see specific content--the choices now being "public," "friends" or "custom"--will be accessible right next to the item and will be changeable with one click from there. So, when you want to remember who will see an item you just posted you can click on a small drop-down menu icon to the upper right of the item instead of having to dig through your privacy settings page to see what settings you created when you created your account.

You will be able to see who can see all content on your profile page this way, as well as who can see the comments you make on other peoples' posts and photos and the items you tag. Eventually, Facebook will allow you to include smaller groups of people to share with, such as co-workers or friend lists you have created and groups of which you are a member.

You also will be able to change who can see a status update after it's posted by clicking on the drop-down menu next to each item.

Who hasn't been embarrassed by the unflattering photo that a friend tagged that now appears on your wall? Now you can prevent other peoples' photos of you, or tagged items, from being automatically added to your profile page by using a new optional tool that allows you to approve or reject photos or posts that you are tagged in. To untag yourself from the item you will still have to manually do that from the item itself, however. Also, you can now approve or reject any tag someone else tries to add to your photos and posts.

You also will be able to tag people who aren't Facebook friends. And if you are tagged by a stranger it won't appear on your profile page unless you review and approve it first.

In addition, Facebook has added a button to the top of your profile page that lets you "View Profile as" to see how the page looks to others. And the site is making options for removing tags or content more clear. They include removing item from your profile page, removing just the tag, messaging the photo owner or tagger and requesting that the content be taken down altogether.

Finally, the company is making some changes to the ability for people to specify location. They are phasing out the mobile-only Places feature, but people will be able to add a location to any content, regardless of whether they are on a smartphone or laptop.

More details about the privacy changes are on this Facebook blog post.