If you’re going on vacation, do you know that Wi-fi hotspots you use to check your email may not be who they say they are?
I am always leery of studies released by parties with a vested interests in the results (i.e. a group of wine makers releasing a study about wine being good for you), but sometimes they still bring up good points. While I think the basis of this Fox News story on Wi-Fi security is a little suspect, it still raises good points for Wi-Fi security any time you are away from your home.
Multiple security firms issued warnings about your information security while in places such as an airport (again, notice the warning was issued by security firms…) or a hotel, and to make sure that the network you are connected to is legitimate. Yes, this is good advice, and is something you should pay attention to, but the reason I find this whole thing suspect is that the original study was issued by AirTight Networks, a company that specializes in wireless security measures. They sent out experts to 27 airports around the world to test their Wi-Fi and claim to have found unsecured networks in baggage claim, ticketing areas, passangers connecting to hacker Wi-Fi hotspots and more.
The reason I find this whole thing a bit “off” is:
Are the hackers buying tickets every day to get past security, and then setting up in waiting areas with Wi-Fi sniffers? No one notices the people then not getting on flights?
Are they run by employees in the secured areas of the airport? Those people are searched each day also.
No one notices stray, unexplained equipment in a storage room?
If all this is to be believed, I’m more worried about my physical safety if hackers can get this Wi-Fi equipment in with no one noticing.
No matter how cynical I may be, Symantec still offered five good pointers in the article:
— Pay attention to your surroundings. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you’re not in public. Don’t look at important documents when sitting in a waiting area for a plane or a train — wait until you’re alone and in private for that.
— Beware of “Evil Twins.” Some Wi-Fi networks look legitimate but are actually dummy networks created by criminals. Even if they contain the name of your airport, airline or hotel, they will directly link your computer to the hacker’s. If you always use the official access keys provided by the establishment, then you should be safe.
— Always assume Wi-Fi connections are being eavesdropped on. Never enter sensitive data — Social Security numbers, bank account information, etc. — when browsing the Web via a Wi-Fi network.
— Set all Bluetooth devices to “hidden,” not to “discoverable.” Better yet, if you don’t use Bluetooth, just shut off the function altogether.
— Keep your security software current and active. Mobile PCs are just as vulnerable to viruses, worms and Trojan horses as are desktops, so make sure you have the latest protection installed.
I would say don’t live your life in constant fear, but do try to use common sense and your own good judgement in what networks you connect to.
If there was ever any question that AT&T isn’t the right carrier partner for Apple’s iPhone, it’s pretty much been proven today.
While other countries were able to offer Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) the same day the iPhone 3G S launched on June 19th, it was known from the day the product was announced that AT&T would be late to the party. The belief was that the ability to send media via text messaging would show up some time in July, but it has now been confirmed that the feature will not show up until September at the earliest. Why in the world it is taking a minimum of three months to get a feature a goodly portion of the world got on launch date is unkwnon.
The second missing feature at AT&T is tethering. This is the ability to connect your iPhone to your computer via Bluetooth and use it as a modem to connect to the Internet. Again, this is something the rest of the world is already enjoying, but it is still currently missing from the American version of the device. To add to the pain of the missing ability, rumors circulated today that AT&T was going to charge an extra $55 a month for the ability on top of the current data plan. The company contacted SlashGear to say that tethering to let them know that there would be an extra charge to use the feature, but that the price had not yet been decided upon.
While the iPhone is the most obvious example of the problem with mobile carrier exclusivity, there are of course plenty of other examples: the Palm Pre at Sprint is probably the other most notable case that people bring up. Will it would solve all of our problems if exclusivity ended? Probably not, but it would sure make a lot more sense since we are in a capitalist society supposedly.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of other problems in this country at this time, and a lot of things the government needs to be working on, but this is a situation that will definitely need to be addressed at some point.
If the rumors are to be believed, this coming Monday could see Microsoft taking the wraps off an online version of its Office software.
People have been wondering where the online version of Office has been for a while now, and if the rumors are to be believed, then we will see the official announcement of the product on Monday at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans.
What does this mean to you as a consumer? Well, we’ll know more on Monday, but it’s thought that you will be able to synchronize documents back and forth to the online version of the application and your desktop so that no matter which version you choose to use to do your work you will always have the latest version at the ready.
It is fairly obvious this is a direct strike out at Google Documents which has been gaining a small portion of the office application market, but not enough to truly make Microsoft worry. The thing that Microsoft has to realize is that it isn’t so much the online nature of Google Docs that appeals to people as it is the fact it’s free. No matter which version of Office you buy, it is an expensive proposition; even if you qualify for the student version, it isn’t cheap.
Seeing as the StarterTech offices currently has 4 laptops and 6 desktops to maintain, buying Office for each and every system was just no longer an option. On our non-mission critical systems we opted to only use Google Docs to try to save ourselves dropping another load of cash on yet another copy of Office. Sure Docs isn’t quite perfect, but it gets the job done.
So while it’s nice that Microsoft is finally acknowledging the growing trend of the online computing community, perhaps they should be thinking more about price than features.
After years of speculation, it has finally happened: Google is launching its own operating system.
Late last night on the Official Google Blog, the company announced that the Google Chrome name will no longer apply to just its web browser, but to an upcoming operaring system (OS) that will be directed primairly at the netbook computer market. That isn’t to say that it couldn’t later expand out to other markets, but that is where it is going to begin.
For now the goal of the new OS is run on top of a Linux kernel (i.e. Linux will be like its heart), and that it will be quick to power up and get you going. It will of course have a heavy emphasis on doing work online as it is made by Google and is built for computers that cater to that activitiy primarily.
Google had a pretty good quote about what exactly they are looking for from this project:
Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.
The Chrome OS is due to be available as an open source project that anyone can work on by the end of this year, and availability on certain models of low end computers in the later half of 2010.
This is going to be certainly interesting to watch develop, and to see how traditional software companies react.
When Gmail launched on March 21st, 2004, it was called a “Beta” which is computer jargon for “if something doesn’t work correctly, you can’t yell at us because it’s in Beta.” It’s like an immediate escape hatch for any computer program or service.
While the removal of the label doesn’t really mean anything to your every day user, it does make a difference to corporations as they are immediately leery of anything with the “Beta” label. Considering Google removed the label at the same time from its Google Aps division, the corporate version of Gmail, this frees up the service to used by many more corporations. Will they actually use it is the question, but now they have the option.
In short, no more “Beta” on Gmail, but like I said, to your average user it never even mattered so… enjoy the non-event?
As the Sony Playstation 3 nears its third year of release, prices have held study since the day it came out. There are some indicators that the price may finally be dropping.
Kotaku is reporting that they have received information that this weekend at Best Buy there will be a special deal on an 80 gb Playstation 3 packaged with Metal Gear Solid 4 and Killzone 2 for $400, the price the 80 gb version normally sells for on its own. This is not the first time Best Buy has run a similar promotion, but with the approaching holiday shopping season, this smells of an attempt to clear out some inventory.
Rumors have been circulating for some time of a redesigned PS3 that has been nicknamed “slim” due to its thinner size. Lets face it, the current PS3 is a behemoth, and combining the gigantic size with its inflated price, sales are not skyrocketing like they should have to the point that even game company executives has been asking Sony to lower the price. Thus far Sony has remained silent on the subject, but effectively pricing the console at $299 (after deducting the retail price of the games) seems to indicate something is about to happen.
We only bring this up so if you are considering picking up a Playstation 3 any time soon, we highly suggest you wait a bit as it sure sounds like things are about to change.
CompuServe has closed its doors after 40 years of online service.
Never heard of it? Not surprising. CompuServe started life in 1969 as a computer service in Cleveland, Ohio for Golden United Life Insurance. It was built to help them with computing issues and they rented out time on their computers to other people looking for computing power. By 1980 they sold the company to H&R Block who was looking to diversify their off-tax season earnings, and that was when things really took off. (The ad picture to the right is from 1980, click on it to read the whole thing and read about this thing they called “Email”…)
In the mid-1980′s as more computers popped up in homes, such as the Commodore 64 and Apple IIc, more people began to get modems and they decided to try out this service that allowed you to do things with your computer outside of the home. This was the first experience for many people with the world of online computing, including myself. (71211,2513 was my member number)
CompuServe quickly gave us a hint of what was to come from the Internet in the future:
Online shopping – They had a shopping mall of big name retailers.
CB Simulator – Chat rooms in a very early form.
Forums – Message boards for just about any interest.
The services popularity waned in the mid-1990′s as regular Internet access became more prevelant, and AOL rose to power. In the end, AOL actually finally ended up purchasing their competition and it just got quieter and quieter with each passing year. There hadn’t even been a new version of the connection software since the late 1990′s, so it’s surprising to learn it really was even still in existence.
CompuServe was where I cut my teeth in the online world, first logging on in September 1986. It prompted me to buy my first scanner, a Logitech handheld black & white that you had to drag over a picture by hand very slowly. I spent many late nights trying 20 – 30 times to get my Commodore 64′s 9600 baud modem to connect to their server, with that blasted beeping/hissing sound coming out like the worst sound in the world.
Those were the days, and I owe it a lot: for giving me a taste of what was to come, and even making some friends in those forums that I have to this day. So long, CompuServe, you were a dear friend.
Ever wished you could have fireworks year round? Yeah, neither have I, but the Japanese have an even deeper love for the fiery displays than we do, and so Sega, best known for video games, has come up with a projector to give people some of the thrill of watching a fireworks display right in their own home.
According to Newlaunches, the device will sell for approximately $160 USD and goes on sale around August 1st. While it may not do you any good for this July 4th, that time frame makes perfect sense as that is just before all of the big summer festivals in Japan. You will be able to design your own shows with 55 selectable different fireworks to choose from with sound effects. The device runs on 3 AAA batteries, and while it may not seem that exciting to Americans, we can totally see this being popular in Japan with families.
For those of you in the United States, have a safe and happy 4th of July, and enjoy the video of the Sega projector below.
It looks like the rumored Windows 7 release date of October 22nd is becoming more believable by the day.
According to NeoWin, Microsoft is ready to declare Windows 7 “Gold Master” on July 10th barring any hiccups. This means that computer manufacturers such as Dell will receive the software on July 13th and can begin prepping their new systems for release in the fall for the much needed holiday shopping season.
Anyone looking for a computer right now has a tough call to make. You can either wait for Windows 7, or you may want to wait until Microsoft releases the first update to the operating system to correct the inevitable bugs that will be found in the system as more and more people use it in far more circumstance than could have been tested for. Personally, I just bought one last Windows XP laptop on a heck of a sale from Dell. I want to take a “wait and see” approach to what Microsoft finally puts out there in the marketplace.
It only took five years, but it seems someone at Google’s Gmail finally learned about something called “drag and drop”.
As if it wasn’t odd enough that Google decided to call the orginizationl folders people are used to in mail programs by the name of “labels”, they had an archaic way of filing your emails by using drop down menus. Well, at long last not only did someone figured out the mystery of “drag and drop” functionality, they also decided to add a new feature that wasn’t part of Labs, meaning you had to activate it yourself! What a concept as of late for them.
Labels are now locked to the left side of the screen, and one merely need to click on an email and then drag it to the appropriate label to file it. You can also do the reverse by dragging the label name to the email.
This is something that Gmail has needed for years, and this is a very welcome addition to a service that we here at StarterTech already love.
If you’re going on vacation, do you know that Wi-fi hotspots you use to check your email may not be who they say they are?
If there was ever any question that AT&T isn’t the right carrier partner for Apple’s iPhone, it’s pretty much been proven today.
If the rumors are to be believed, this coming Monday could see Microsoft taking the wraps off an online version of its Office software.
After years of speculation, it has finally happened: Google is launching its own operating system.
Well, that only took five years for no apparent reason.
As the Sony Playstation 3 nears its third year of release, prices have held study since the day it came out. There are some indicators that the price may finally be dropping.
It looks like the rumored Windows 7 release date of October 22nd is becoming more believable by the day.
It only took five years, but it seems someone at Google’s Gmail finally learned about something called “drag and drop”.
