Software Blog » Communications

Enterprise Web Apps: The Next Generation

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

When the bright folks at Zeebox, a killer social TV site, decided to build their website, they naturally turned to cloud services because they are a startup and had to use their money wisely. They also turned to the Scala language and open source community because they had very specific scalability and performance needs, like processing 60+ TV channels — knowing it will grow to thousands in the future — in real time, and juggling the social streams of users from sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Leaked Info Offers Glimpse of WinPho’s Muscular Future

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:22:54 +0000

Microsoft is overhauling Windows Phone 8, which is still in development, to make it more competitive with market leaders iOS and Android, according to leaked information. The mobile OS will add support for multicore processors, up to four new screen resolutions, and removable microSD card storage. It will also support near-field communications, the technology that enables mobile wallets. “This builds upon what Mango has,” Ramon Llamas, a senior research analyst at IDC, told TechNewsWorld, referring to Windows Phone 7.5.

Anons’ FBI Phone Snooping Casts Long Shadow on Cybersecurity

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:51:51 +0000

The hacker community Anonymous on Friday landed another blow in its war with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It posted an internal memo from the law enforcement agency about an upcoming international call to discuss hackers. Anonymous also put up a recording of the call itself on YouTube. “The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained,” the FBI said in a statement provided by spokesperson Jenny Shearer.

Setting Up a Virtual Phone System With a Little Help From Some Friends

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Twilio’s cloud-based communications platform allows anyone with rudimentary Web-development knowledge to build a voice and SMS text application. An API, client, and various XML and other helper code is available that lets you build in PHP, C# and more. The basic concept behind all Twilio cloud telephony applications is that a user calls or texts a Twilio-provided number; Twilio then sends a request based on that call to your developed application; your application receives the request and sends XML to Twilio; Twilio then runs the instructions and interfaces with the caller.

New Android Scare: Just How Malignant Is That Malware?

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Antivirus vendor Symantec announced recently that up to 5 million Android devices may have been infected with a particular type of malware. Multiple publishers were pushing out apps — some of which were found in the official Android Market — containing malware known as “Counterclank,” according to the AV company. This is a minor modification of Android Tonclank, a bot-like threat that can receive commands to carry out certain actions as well as steal information from the device.

Nintendo Greases Wii U Wheels

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:03:44 +0000

Nintendo’s Wii U will be out in time for the 2012 holiday season and will feature NFC technology, according to the company. The next-generation Nintendo Wii will have a handheld controller with a touchscreen that can interact with what’s showing on the TV screen. The new device will also come equipped with NFC technology, allowing users to create cards and figurines that would allow users to connect to other users and the system in new ways. In addition, the technology could allow players to buy in-game items or apps without having to enter credit card information.

FOSS’ Factious Gender Divide

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There’s no denying that the FOSS community has many virtues, but gender equality doesn’t seem to be one of them. Gender-related issues and tensions have plagued the FOSS world for as long as many of us can remember, and the problem has already been picked apart on these pages time, time and time again. Well guess what? It’s still a problem. That can hardly be denied. Linux bloggers varied widely, however, in their opinions as to what should be done.

A Strategy for Post-Virtualization Security

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Virtualization has been one of the most rapidly and widely adopted technologies in recent memory. It’s huge, and it’s here to stay. And as security professionals know, setting up a virtual environment securely isn’t easy. Significant effort goes into tasks like evaluating off-premise service providers, ensuring regulatory compliance, and standing up technical controls like monitoring and encryption. But in the excitement to stand up the new environment and get security to an acceptable “target state,” organizations sometimes don’t address security hygiene long-term.

With Razer’s Fiona Project, Tablet Gaming Could Go Hardcore

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:50:41 +0000

Gaming equipment maker Razer has shown a prototype hybrid PC/tablet gaming device design at the Consumer Electronics Show. The device, presently dubbed “Project Fiona,” will be a way to combine control and touch elements to create a unique gaming experience, according to the company. The prototype is designed to be able to play hardcore PC games and give users the same control and visual experience that they would have while playing on a full-sized computer or console. Project Fiona has integrated dual game controllers as well as a touchscreen.

Washington Does the Security Watusi

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

With the apparent resurgence of hacker community Anonymous, as well as concerns that cybercriminals may have recently penetrated the networks of a number of small utilities, two United States federal government initiatives to improve cybersecurity were launched this past week. As of Jan. 6, companies awarded contracts and orders by the U.S. General Services Administration that include IT supplies, services and systems with security requirements will have 30 days to submit an IT security plan to the contracting officer or the officer’s representative.

Wireless Data Hogs Only Getting Hungrier

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:57:56 +0000

It’s well-known that iPhone owners use lots of cellular bandwidth, but it seems that the iPhone 4S has taken bandwidth consumption to new heights. Owners of the iPhone 4S use twice as much data as iPhone 4 users and nearly three times as much data as iPhone 3G users, according to an Arieso report. However, owners of the HTC Desire S upload more than three times as much data as their iPhone 3G counterparts, beating out iPhone 4S owners by a hair. Users’ hunger for data will grow with the introduction of increasingly sophisticated devices and growing consumer demand, Arieso warned.

What Just Happened? Researchers Demo Time Cloaking

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Researchers at Cornell University’s School of Applied and Engineering Physics have demonstrated a way to cloak, or hide, an event in time. The phenomenon is similar to what happens when you cut and splice out an event from a videotape, except that instead of losing data about an event, you hide that information. “We’ve split a [light] beam, slowing down the back end and speeding up the front end, so you get a gap in time,” Alexander Gaeta, a professor at the school, told TechNewsWorld. “If there’s any information or any data on the beam, we won’t interfere with it,” Gaeta said.

Skynet: Hackers Dream Up Censor-Proof Satellite Internet Grid

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:16:47 +0000

A group of computer enthusiasts have begun working on creating a satellite network that could be used to thwart censorship on the Internet. Called the “Hackerspace Global Grid,” the network could provide a way for activists to access the Net when a repressive regime suppresses access within its borders. The network would be based on a number of low orbiting “cube” satellites that would be networked in a way similar to the Internet. If one satellite were to be disabled, for example, its functions could be rerouted to others in the network.

Chamber Raid: Hackers Target US Commerce Lobby

admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:54:46 +0000

As the U.S. government continues to pound out proposals for getting its IT security ducks in a row, it appears it’s not the only party in Washington, D.C., to have a problem with network intrusion. IT systems belonging to the lobbying group the United States Chamber of Commerce were breached by hackers using servers located in China, according to a recent report. The Chamber’s members include most of the largest U.S. corporations, and the organization has more than 100 affiliates worldwide.

Intel Takes Medfield-Powered Phone and Tablet Out for a Spin

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:03:09 +0000

Intel is stepping up the drumbeat around its efforts to penetrate the mobile handheld device market leading up to the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, which will be held in Las Vegas in January. The semiconductor giant recently sent prototype devices, known as “reference designs,” to the MIT Technology Review to try out. The devices sent to the Review run Android on the Medfield, the latest in Intel’s Atom family of chips for mobile devices. Several mobile device manufacturers will reportedly demo products running Android on the Medfield chip at CES.

Security Legislation: A Rat’s Nest of Agendas

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

The United States government launched initiatives this past week to enhance cybersecurity, but these efforts may add to the confusion around the issue in federal government circles. One development involves the unveiling of the Promoting and Enhancing Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Effectiveness Act by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee. This seeks to give the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the authority to govern cybersecurity efforts.

Power Grid Cybersecurity: Who’s In Charge?

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Cybersecurity experts have been murmuring for some time that the United States’ power supply is open to cyberattacks. “If someone were to think about attacking another nation, the first thing they’d do is take out the power grid, since it’s the hub around which other infrastructure spokes revolve,” said Patrick Miller, president and CEO of NESCO. An MIT study released recently by MIT seems to be bringing matters to a head. Among other things, the report calls for the establishment of one organization to head cybersecurity efforts for the U.S. power infrastructure.

Tracking Friends and Family on the Legit

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Facebook’s recent acquisition of location-tracker heavyweight Gowalla is an indicator of the potential strategic importance of location-tracking technology in the social network arena. Players in this marketplace include Gowalla, which lets users share favorite places with fellow Facebook and Twitter friends and then be rewarded with deals from local businesses, and Foursquare, which offers similar functions, letting users go to places recommended by friends and check in to receive badges. Loopt, Jaiku, Brightkite, Plazes, Fire Eagle and Google’s own Latitude are other location services.

Fireworks Conspicuously Absent as Nokia’s Lumia Makes US Debut

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:30:34 +0000

Nokia and T-Mobile jointly announced on Wednesday the coming of the first Nokia Windows Phone smartphone in the United States. The Nokia Lumia 710 will be available starting Jan. 11 at for $50 with a two-year contract after a mail-in rebate. It will run on T-Mobile’s 4G network. “It looks to me like they’re targeting the feature phone users who are looking to move up to a smartphone rather than today’s smartphone owners,” Carl Howe, a director at the Yankee Group, remarked.

Facebook Tackles Suicide Prevention

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:20:07 +0000

Facebook has teamed up with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to help bring emergency counseling services to members in need. The partnership aims to provide Facebook with the ability to spot comments or material users post that could be indications of severe distress. If another user sees worrying content posted by a friend, that user will then have the option to click on a “suicidal content” label, listed under the “harmful behavior” menu.