Software Blog » Communications

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.

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.

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.

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.

FBI May Be Gathering String on Carrier IQ

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:05:43 +0000

Speculation regarding the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s ties with troubled cellphone software firm Carrier IQ was sparked recently by the bureau’s rejection of a request made under the Freedom of Information Act. The request aimed to uncover what records and information the bureau has on Carrier IQ. The request was made by Michael Morisy of the Muckrock blog. Muckrock describes itself as an open government tool powered by state and federal freedom of information laws.

Google’s Native Client Makes Web Apps More Desktoppy

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:05:19 +0000

Google showed off the results of its Native Client SDK at an in-house event recently, highlighting some of the ways early adopters such as Square Enix, Unity Technologies and Bungie have used the Web development technology. Google originally launched the Native Client SDK in beta toward the end of last summer in an effort to streamline Web-building abilities with compiled code into one easy-to-use browser. The company aims to simplify the jobs of developers by making it possible to run code natively in Chrome.

IBM’s Watson: Why Politicians Will Hate It but We May Love It

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

IBM’s Watson supercomputer became famous when it beat the top “Jeopardy” champions on TV. What folks didn’t know is that Watson did that with significant handicaps that wouldn’t be applied were the same system actually deployed to answer real questions. What Watson is particularly good at is providing the right answers to questions, which apparently, humans (at least, individually) are really bad at. As you watch the U.S. Congress circle the drain, you’d have to think that Watson would make stupid politicians stick out and make it far harder for either side to sustain stupid partisan positions.

Study: Electric Grid Needs Full-Time Cyberguard

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:50:26 +0000

The United States needs an overarching national authority to oversee cybersecurity efforts connected to the national power grid, an MIT study suggests. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation have authority over the development of cybersecurity standards for the bulk power system and ensuring compliance with these standards. However, the report stated that there’s no national regulatory oversight of cybersecurity standards for the distribution system, meaning the grid.

All Eyes on Carrier IQ Following Spyware Allegations

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:16:46 +0000

Software from the company Carrier IQ that’s preinstalled on many mobile devices sold in the United States is capable of recording many of the activities performed on those phones and potentially relaying the data back to carriers, according to security researcher Trevor Eckhart. Eckhart refers to the software as a “rootkit.” The revelation has caused a great deal of concern over user privacy. U.S. Senator Al Franken has demanded answers from the company, and carriers and device manufacturers are scrambling to confirm whether or not their phones contain the software.

New Mobile App Rating System May Be Missing Some Teeth

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:10:40 +0000

The Entertainment Software Rating Board and CTIA have unveiled a new ratings system for mobile software applications intended to help parents monitor activity as the number of children with smartphones and access to wireless content increases. The ESRB has had a similar system in place for video games since 1994, and it said it aims to put a system in place for the hundreds of thousands of apps and online games now available on devices like phones, personal media players and tablets.

Nanoparticle Monster Batteries Could Make Wind and Solar Power More Practical

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Researchers at Stanford University have used nanoparticles of copper hexacyanoferrate to create electrodes that could lead to large batteries for storing excess power from the electrical grid for future use. These might be best used in wind and solar farms, the researchers stated in a paper published recently. The nanoparticles allow for faster charging and discharging of electricity and could allow the creation of low-cost large batteries that have a relatively long life.