Hackers Grin Seeing iPhone Security Flaws

Seattle (dBTechno) - Computer security consultants have reportedly managed to find a huge flaw in the security of the Apple iPhone which gives them total control of the device.

The way in which it works is that they would take control of the iPhone via a WiFi connection or by tricking users into going to a web site with the hacking code already in place on it. This allows people to gain an immense amount of personal information which the phones may have on them.

The researchers worked with Security Evaluators to come to their conclusion. Charles Miller stated that “Once you did manage to find a hold, you were in complete control.”

They are also pushing for an immediate software patch to try and fix this problem but there has not been any official word from Apple.

Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox did state though that “Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users.”

New Wireless Electricity Being Developed

Toronto (dBTechno- Researchers have discovered a way to light a 60-watt light bulb by sending energy through the air.

Researchers designed a copper coil to the bulb and then attacked a second copper coil about seven feet away. The idea is that the researchers want to cut the cords on power and make it wireless. This could allow laptops to be fully plugged in and powered without actually having to have a plug coming ot o fthem.

The inventors are calling it WiTricity and could surely power an entire room of gadgets and electronics with this small coil.

Physicists have known that a moving magnetic field can produce energy but it has been hard to harness it for this type of wireless power.

Team member from MIT Aristeidis Karalis stated that teh system worked at 40% efficiency which was about expected. This is about half as much as a laptop battery.

The big deal with WiiTricity is that it is based on an idea and principles from over 100-years ago. This is something that has been a long time in the making….and we thought wireless internet was amazing.

Encyclopaedia of Life launched to document 1.8 million species

Washington (dBTechno) - The world’s 1.8 million named species are currently documented in a hodgepodge of books, websites, scientific associations and libraries - accumulated over the 300 years since the scientific system of genus and species identification was invented.

But with Wednesday’s launch of the Encylopaedia of Life, the information will become available over the next 10 years to the world via the internet, with a web page for each species and illustrations and weblinks if available, according to the network of sponsors of www.eol.com.

Molecular information, when available, video, sound, location maps and other multimedia information will also be posted.

The project is expected to provide valuable biodiversity and conservation information “to anyone, anywhere, at anytime,” said James Edwards, who was appointed Wednesday as executive director of EOL.

Edwards was previously executive secretary of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

“Nobody really knows” the exact number of species, said Edwards in a telephone interview. “Nobody’s ever kept a count or tried to pull together all the information.”

Key organizations are involved in the project, including Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Washington’s Smithsonian Institution, and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

The Missouri Botanical Garden has become a full partner in the “leap for all life,” as the project is referred to, and discussions were underway with leaders of the new Atlas of Living Australia, the sponsors said.

“Even five years ago, we could not create such a resource, but advances in technology for searching, annotating and visualizing information now permit us, indeed mandate us, to build the Encyclopaedia of Life,” Edwards said.

The project is backed by a 12.5 million dollars in US private foundation grants.

“Technology is allowing science to grasp the immense complexity of life on this planet,” said Jonathan Fenton, president of the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation that is supplying 10 million dollars.

Edwards hopes that the website will make the work of scientists easier in identifying the estimated 8 to 10 million species on Earth that scientists believe remain to be discovered.

Eol.com will also expand the reach of science to “people in developing countries who don’t have access to good libraries,” who Edwards hopes will become involved in the search for new species.

“We expect this to be a big tent to make data from several different biodiversity projects … really a communications project,” he said.

Apple To Release iPhone Nano

Seattle (dBTechno) - Reports are stating that Apple is working on the iPhone Nano.

According to Kevin Chang, an analyst at JP Morgan in Taiwan, Apple is hard at work and will soon release an iPhone Nano which will be far smaller and cheaper than the current iPhone.

The new iPhone Nano is rumored to be priced below $300 and be a much more affordable version of the iPhone.

Chang stated to Reuters that “We believe that iPod Nano will be converted into a phoen because it’s probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phoen without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano.”

He stated that if this happens Apple could easily sell 30 to 40 million iPhone Nano units because of its affordability.

Obviously it would have limited features compared to the iPhone, but it could be an interested development as reports state it will still have a touch bad.

Radio Shack Reports $47 In Profits

Boston (dBTechno) - RadioShack announced that profits rose to $47 million in the second quarter.

This time last year, the company recorded losses of $3 million..

Revenue dropped from $1.1 billion to $935 million a year ago, according to a company press release.

The Fort Worth, Texas retailer stated that “We are increasing our focus on opportunities to offer our customers solutions to their needs, whether those needs can be met with a simple one product solution, or whether a more complex solution requiring our expertisze in connectivity is needed,” according to CEO Julian C. Day.

Day added. “Our improved growss margin rate this quarter reflects some success in increasing teh role of the vlue-added products in our mix, as well as our commitment to continue to freshen the merchandise we offer our customers.”

Mario Kart Driving To The Nintendo Wii

Toronto (dBTechno) - Strap on your helmet and grab your racing gloves, Nintendo has announced Mario Kart Wii, the next generation debut for the Mario Kart franchise.

The new Mario Kart Wii will be sold with an exclusive steering-wheel which attaches to the Wii-mote.

Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that for the first time ever, gamers will be able to play Mario Kart online via Nintendo’s online interface similar to that of Mario Strikers Charged. No friend codes required.

Some of the announced game modes include Battle and Racing, both of which can be played online.

Nintendo expects to have Mario Kart in Stores sometime in early 2008.

Xbox 360 price cut

Montreal (dBTechmo) - Microsoft is now willing to accept that Nintendo might of had it right with a lower introductory price and unique approach to the Nintendo Wii gaming console.
Microsoft is especially impressed with the way Nintendo’s next gen console appeals to more than the average gamer. Nintendo has been able to reach a wider audience including the ‘casual gamer’ older people and especially young children.
Peter Moore, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of interactive entertainment, says the Xbox 360 needs to do the same in order to reach sales targets.

He said, “If we don’t make that move, make it early, and expand our demographic, we will wind up in the same place as with Xbox one, a solid business with 25 million people. What I need is a solid business with 90 million people.”

In order to sell those consoles, Microsoft is going to push more childrens games.

Despite impressive sales of games like ‘Gears of War” the company wants to offer more than “hard core gaming”

Analyst Heather Bellini of UBS AG also predicted a price cut for the console, although Microsoft refused once again to be drawn into commenting. However, Xbox director of project management David Hufford did note,

“We are well aware that the sweet spot of the market is really $199.”

Telecom firms must offer new roaming fees or risk charges: EU

Brussels (dBTechno) - Mobile phone companies have until Tuesday to offer their customers lower tariffs for making and receiving calls between European Union countries or risk facing legal action, the European Commission warned Monday.

If mobile phone users had not received an offer for lower roaming tariffs by today they could go to court, a commission spokesman said.

Under new EU rules, telecoms companies have until July 31 to offer customers a new pricing structure, with cheaper fees for making and receiving calls when travelling in the 27-nation EU.

After two months, all mobile phone users who have not expressed a preference will then be switched to the new EU tariff.

The commission was about to publish the names of mobile phone operators and their tariffs, the spokesman said.

The list would also name and shame those companies which had failed to offer new roaming fees, he said.

Under the new EU rules, the price cap in the first year will be set at 49 euro cents per minute for making mobile phone calls abroad.

Receiving a call when being outside the home country will cost 24 euro cents in the first year.

By 2009, the price ceilings will fall over time to 43 euro cents for outgoing calls when abroad and 19 cents for incoming calls.

Prices for using mobile phones abroad will be regulated for three years. The EU hopes that by the end of that period, charges will be lower and the market more competitive.

Some operators have said they might try to make up for the losses of revenue from roaming by driving up the cost of local calls.

The new price caps were a striking defeat for Europe’s telecommunication companies which lobbied long and hard against regulating roaming charges, estimated to bring about 8.5 billion euros into their coffers each year.

Roaming rates vary but can account for up to 40 per cent of the price Europeans pay for using their mobile phones elsewhere in the EU. Such roaming fees provide firms with up to 15 per cent of their income, analysts estimate.

Google Set To Offer $4.6 Billion For Wireless Network

Washington (dBTechno) - Google is set to throw its hat into the ring as the Federal Communications Commission sets to turn the 700MHz radio spectrum which is at this point empty into a full out open wireless network.

The owner of the spectrium bands will be forced to allow for access to any device and users would not be locked into subscribing to a carrier of any kind. Google is set to throw their name into the hat with a planned bid of at least $4.6 billion being reported.

Google stated that their pledge is to show support for the plan by FCC president Kevin Martin who has gained support as well as opposition for his decision in thi smanner.

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt stated that “I want to personally applaud your leadership (Martin) and courage in making the public case for new market entry. In short, when Americans can use the software and handsets of their choice, over open and competitive networks, they win.”