Facebook stops Huawei from pre-installing apps on phones

LONDON — Facebook has stopped letting its apps come pre-installed on smartphones sold by Huawei in order to comply with US restrictions, dealing a fresh blow to the Chinese tech giant.

The social network said Friday that it has suspended providing software for Huawei to put on its devices while it reviews recently introduced US sanctions.


Owners of existing Huawei smartphones that already have Facebook apps can continue using them and downloading updates.

It’s not clear if buyers of new Huawei devices will be able to install Facebook’s apps on their own.

Facebook’s move is the latest fallout in the escalating US-China tech feud.

The Commerce Department last month effectively barred US companies from selling their technology to Huawei and other Chinese firms without government approval.

Huawei declined to comment. /ee

source: technology.inquirer.net

Facebook suspends hundreds of apps over data concerns

SAN FRANCISCO, US — Facebook on Wednesday said it has suspended more than 400 of thousands of applications it has investigated to determine whether people’s personal information was being improperly shared.

Applications were suspended “due to concerns around the developers who built them or how the information people chose to share with the app may have been used,” vice president of product partnerships Ime Archibong said in a blog post.

Apps put on hold at the social network were being scrutinized more closely, according to Archibong.

The app unit launched in March by Facebook stemmed from the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal.

Facebook admitted that up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, which was working for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Archibong said that a myPersonality app was banned by the social network for not agreeing to an audit and “because it’s clear that they shared information with researchers as well as companies with only limited protections in place.”

Facebook planned to notify the approximately four million members of the social network who shared information with myPersonality, which was active mostly prior to 2012, according to Archibong.

Facebook has modified app data sharing policies since the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

“We will continue to investigate apps and make the changes needed to our platform to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect people’s information,” Archibong said.

Britain’s data regulator said last month that it will fine Facebook half a million pounds for failing to protect user data, as part of its investigation into whether personal information was misused ahead of the Brexit referendum.

The Information Commissioner’s Office began investigating the social media giant earlier this year due to the Cambridge Analytica data mishandling.


Cambridge Analytica has denied accusations and has filed for bankruptcy in the United States and Britain.

Silicon Valley-based Facebook last month acknowledged it faces multiple inquiries from regulators about the Cambridge Analytica user data scandal.

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg apologized to the European Parliament in May and said the social media giant is taking steps to prevent such a breach from happening again.

Zuckerberg was grilled about the breach in US Congress in April.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Apple urges organ donation via new iPhone software

SAN FRANCISCO—Apple wants to encourage millions of iPhone owners to register as organ donors through a software update that will add an easy sign-up button to the health information app that comes installed on every smartphone the company makes.

CEO Tim Cook says he hopes the new software will help ease a longstanding donor shortage.

He told The Associated Press that the problem hit home when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs endured an “excruciating” wait for a liver transplant in 2009.

Apple is adding the option to enroll in a national donor registry by clicking a button within the iPhone’s Health app, which can be used manage a variety of health and fitness data.

The software will come to all U.S.-based iPhones when the company updates its mobile operating system this fall. TVJ

source: technology.inquirer.net

Apple remains in dark on how FBI hacked iPhone without help

WASHINGTON, United States — The FBI’s announcement that it mysteriously hacked into an iPhone is a public setback for Apple Inc., as consumers suddenly discover they can’t keep their most personal information safe. Meanwhile, Apple remains in the dark about how to restore the security of its flagship product.

The government said it was able to break into an iPhone used by a gunman in a mass shooting in California, but it didn’t say how. That puzzled Apple software engineers — and outside experts — about how the FBI broke the digital locks on the phone without Apple’s help. It also complicated Apple’s job repairing flaws that jeopardize its software.

The Justice Department’s announcement that it was dropping a legal fight to compel Apple to help it access the phone also took away any obvious legal avenues Apple might have used to learn how the FBI did it.

Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym vacated her Feb. 16 order, which compelled Apple to help the FBI hack their phone, on Tuesday.

The Justice Department declined through a spokeswoman to comment Tuesday.

A few clues have emerged. A senior law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the FBI managed to defeat an Apple security feature that threatened to delete the phone’s contents if the FBI failed to enter the correct passcode combination after 10 tries. That allowed the government to repeatedly and continuously test passcodes in what’s known as a brute-force attack until the right code is entered and the phone is unlocked.

It wasn’t clear how the FBI dealt with a related Apple security feature that introduces increasing time delays between guesses. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to discuss the technique publicly.

FBI Director James Comey has said with those features removed, the FBI could break into the phone in 26 minutes.

The FBI hacked into the iPhone used by gunman Syed Farook, who died with his wife in a gun battle with police after they killed 14 people in December in San Bernardino. The iPhone, issued to Farook by his employer, the county health department, was found in a vehicle the day after the shooting.

The FBI is reviewing information from the iPhone, and it is unclear whether anything useful can be found.

Apple said in a statement Monday that the legal case to force its cooperation “should never have been brought,” and it promised to increase the security of its products. CEO Tim Cook has said the Cupertino-based company is constantly trying to improve security for its users.

The FBI’s announcement — even without revealing precise details — that it had hacked the iPhone was at odds with the government’s firm recommendations for nearly two decades that security researchers always work cooperatively and confidentially with software manufacturers before revealing that a product might be susceptible to hackers.

The aim is to ensure that American consumers stay as safe online as possible and prevent premature disclosures that might damage a U.S. company or the economy.

As far back as 2002, the Homeland Security Department ran a working group that included leading industry technology industry executives to advise the president on how to keep confidential discoveries by independent researchers that a company’s software could be hacked until it was already fixed. Even now, the Commerce Department has been trying to fine-tune those rules. The next meeting of a conference on the subject is April 8 in Chicago and it’s unclear how the FBI’s behavior in the current case might influence the government’s fragile relationship with technology companies or researchers.

The industry’s rules are not legally binding, but the government’s top intelligence agency said in 2014 that such vulnerabilities should be reported to companies.

“When federal agencies discover a new vulnerability in commercial and open source software — a so-called ‘zero day’ vulnerability because the developers of the vulnerable software have had zero days to fix it — it is in the national interest to responsibly disclose the vulnerability rather than to hold it for an investigative or intelligence purpose,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement in April 2014.

The statement recommended generally divulging such flaws to manufacturers “unless there is a clear national security or law enforcement need.”

Last week a team from Johns Hopkins University said they had found a security bug in Apple’s iMessage service that would allow hackers under certain circumstances to decrypt some text messages. The team reported its findings to Apple in November and published an academic paper after Apple fixed it.

“That’s the way the research community handles the situation. And that’s appropriate,” said Susan Landau, professor of cybersecurity policy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She said it was acceptable for the government to find a way to unlock the phone but said it should reveal its method to Apple.

Mobile phones are frequently used to improve cybersecurity, for example, as a place to send a backup code to access a website or authenticate a user.

The chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, Joseph Lorenzo Hall, said keeping details secret about a flaw affecting millions of iPhone users “is exactly opposite the disclosure practices of the security research community. The FBI and Apple have a common goal here: to keep people safe and secure. This is the FBI prioritizing an investigation over the interests of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

First look: What’s inside matters in new iPhones

SAN FRANCISCO—Don’t let looks deceive you.

The new iPhones look the same as last year’s models on the outside. But changes on the inside matter, from camera improvements to new sensors that enable quicker access to tasks.

I had only about 90 minutes to try out the new Apple products unveiled Wednesday—not enough time, given that Apple Inc. has a larger iPad, a new Apple TV device and new software for the Apple Watch, alongside the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. I wasn’t able to test the new iPhone cameras in natural settings, for instance, to say whether pictures are really better with 12 megapixels, instead of 8 megapixels in the previous iPhones.

But I was able to try 3D Touch, a new way to interact with the iPhone. You save a few taps by pressing and holding on an app icon to go directly to a particular function. Microsoft’s Windows phones let you create shortcuts as home screen icons, but few people have Windows phones. On iPhones, the 3D Touch feature isn’t about enabling new functions, but getting you there quicker.

If you want to take a selfie, for instance, you currently have to launch the camera app and hit a corner button to switch to the front camera. If you were taking video before, you need to slide the camera to “Photo” first. With the new iPhones, just choose “Take Selfie” when you press down on the Camera app. The phone makes all the switches automatically.

With Maps, you can use 3D Touch to get directions home, find nearby businesses or message your location to a friend. With Mail, go directly to your inbox or create a new message. I used 3D Touch to quickly post a status update—”Hi”—on a test Facebook account.

From a message, you get a preview of a Web page by pressing on a Web link. Similarly, you get a map preview by pressing on an address. Press harder to switch to the browser or Maps app. A new iPhone software update adds a back button so you can jump right back to what you were doing, even in a different app.

As for the camera, selfie fans will appreciate having the phone’s display mimic a flash. It’s not a real flash like the main camera, but the display lights up briefly so that you can see faces in low-light settings.

With a feature called Live Photos, the iPhone camera records an extra second or so before you take still shots so that images appear in motion. You need an iPhone, iPad or Mac with the latest software to view it, though, which could limit sharing with your Android and Windows family and friends.

Those expecting revolutionary changes will be disappointed, but the new iPhones have enough new features to consider buying over an older model. Of course, wait for a full test rather than just first impressions. The new phones aren’t coming out until Sept. 25 anyway, although advance orders begin Saturday.

As for Apple’s other products:

iPad Pro (coming in November)

As someone who prefers an iPad Mini over the full-size version, I’m probably not the right customer for an even larger iPad.

But the iPad Pro does have promise for heavy-duty users, particularly if you pay $99 for a stylus and $169 for a physical keyboard cover, on top of the $799 starting price. The keyboard doesn’t feel as flimsy as ones for Microsoft’s Surface tablets, but you don’t get to change viewing angles as the Surface’s adjustable kickstands allow.

What I like most is the new stylus, known as Apple Pencil. That’s not an Apple Pen, mind you. The stylus does mimic a pencil when you try to draw on the iPad Pro’s screen. When you choose a black pencil, it comes out gray, like a real pencil. The line appears thicker when you press harder, and you can shade in areas by drawing with the Pencil lightly from an angle.

Apple TV (coming in October)

Although Apple TV’s new app store will enable non-video apps, such as games and home automation, video will remain the centerpiece.

The new remote shows a lot of promise, with a touchpad much like what’s found on laptops. You can fast forward through commercials more quickly, or even hit the microphone button and tell the Siri voice assistant to “fast forward five minutes.” And when you encounter dialogue that’s mumbled, just say, “What did she say?” Siri will rewind 15 seconds and temporarily turn on closed captioning.

New software (coming next Wednesday)

I’ve been using a preliminary, “beta” version of the new iPhone and iPad software, iOS 9, for more than a month. I particularly like that you can get transit directions on Apple Maps and scroll through photos more quickly. The font is bolder and easier to read. The update isn’t as huge as what you got in previous years, but I’m not complaining when it’s free.

Likewise, the Apple Watch’s software update will enable new types of third-party apps. It should address many of the watch’s current limitations, but it’ll take time to try out.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Apple locks itself out of devices with passwords

SAN FRANCISCO—Apple has tightened its technological security so not even the company can pry into a password-protected iPhone or iPad, a move meant to reassure the millions of people who are increasingly storing vital pieces of their lives on the devices.

The additional safeguard is part of Apple’s latest mobile software, iOS 8, which the Cupertino, California, company released Wednesday. Apple Inc. revealed the stronger protection in a new section of its website that is prefaced with a letter from CEO Tim Cook who emphasized the company’s “fundamental” commitment to privacy and security.

“Our commitment to protecting your privacy comes from a deep respect for our customers,” Cook wrote. “We know that your trust doesn’t come easy. That’s why we have and always will work as hard as we can to earn and keep it.”

Apple is highlighting its heightened security following a mortifying episode that unfolded earlier this month after computer hackers broke into the online accounts of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities who stored copies of personal photos on the company’s iCloud service.

Nude photos of Lawrence and other female stars were posted on various websites, causing some security experts to question whether Apple had taken adequate precautions to thwart hackers trying to break into user accounts.

Since the nude photos appeared, Apple has been stressing the need for its users to rely on passwords that are difficult to guess. It has also recommended the adoption of a security feature known as two-step verification that requires a special code sent to mobile phones to be entered along with a password to log into accounts.

Apple’s inability to unlock password-protected smartphones and tablets could frustrate law enforcement officials who sometimes obtain court orders to vacuum personal data off the phones for potential evidence in criminal investigations.

The personal information will be blocked on more than just Apple’s newest mobile devices, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, that go on sale Friday. That’s because Apple is giving away iOS 8 to anyone with devices dating back to 2011. The software can be downloaded to devices as old as the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. That covers hundreds of millions of devices already in use.

The number of legal requests that Apple gets for personal data off devices is relatively small. Apple provided some data in nearly 6,500 of the roughly 9,600 requests that law enforcement agencies around the world submitted for devices during the first half of this year, according to the company’s own accounting. Apple says the requests came in most cases after a device was stolen.

Like other technology companies, Apple is trying to depict itself as a trustworthy steward of people’s information after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents revealing government spies’ efforts to snoop on emails and other personal information as part of an effort to identify potential terrorists.

Apple, like its peers, has lashed out at the U.S. government’s digital surveillance programs and stressed that it isn’t cooperating with any of the spying.

Cook is seeking to draw an even bigger distinction between Apple and other prominent technology companies such as Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. that offer free online services financed by ads that are based on the personal preference expressed in emails that are scanned, search requests that are tracked and social media posts that are analyzed.

Apple doesn’t need to resort to those tactics, Cook said, because the company makes its money from the devices and services that it sells.

“A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you’re not the customer,” Cook wrote in his letter. “You’re the product. But at Apple, we believe a great customer experience shouldn’t come at the expense of your privacy.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

New Apple mobile software arrives Wednesday

SAN FRANCISCO–New-generation Apple software for powering its coveted mobile devices is set for release on Wednesday, two days ahead of the arrival of its latest iPhones.

The iOS 8 mobile operating system will be available free for download to many iPhone and iPad models and will be pre-installed on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which hit the market on Friday.

Apple unveiled iOS 8 at its annual developers’ conference in San Francisco in June.

The new operating software is tailored to deliver a seamless experience for users flitting between Apple mobile gadgets and popular Macintosh computers.

Alongside operating system updates, the California company unveiled HealthKit software to manage personal healthcare and HomeKit for home appliances. They are integrated into the latest system update.

HealthKit will provide a secure haven for data collected by devices such as fitness bands that track activity and sleep.

Apple also synched iOS 8 to HomeKit software that could let iPhones or iPads be used as a centralized control for Internet-linked gadgets such as door locks, lights, thermostats and security systems.

Apple came up with a common network protocol, so not only can an iPhone be used to open smart locks, but virtual assistant Siri can dim lights and lower thermostat settings when told, “Get ready for bed.”

Apple has also beefed up graphics and speed capabilities for games, which are consistently among the hottest applications on its mobile devices.

Capabilities woven into operating software include one called “Continuity,” which lets tasks started on one Apple gadget be automatically handed off to another one nearby.

Messages or calls can also be handed off between devices.

Apple last week announced that it is adding a smartwatch to its growing array of devices that will work together.

The Apple Watch will not be released until early next year.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Dating site protests anti-gay-marriage contributor

SAN JOSE, California — The appointment of a new CEO by the company that makes the Firefox Web browser has prompted board members to quit, a Twitter frenzy and a push back from a leading dating website because he supported California’s former gay marriage ban.

Mozilla, the nonprofit maker of the Firefox browser, infuriated many employees and users last week by hiring co-founder Brendan Eich to lead the Mountain View company. In 2008, Eich gave $1,000 to the campaign to pass California’s Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that outlawed same-sex marriages in California until the U.S. Supreme Court left in place a lower-court ruling striking it down.

The contribution was publicly reported and drew some negative attention two years ago, when Eich was Mozilla’s chief technology officer. But when he was promoted to CEO last week, his support of the ban took on more gravitas.

Three of the Mozilla Foundation’s six board members have quit, according to a Wall Street Journal blog, and thousands of employees and community members weighed in on Twitter over the weekend.

On Monday, New York-based dating service OkCupid.com replaced its usual home page for users logging in with Firefox.

“Hello there, Mozilla Firefox user. Pardon this interruption of your OkCupid experience.

Mozilla’s new CEO, Brendan Eich, is an opponent of equal rights for gay couples. We would therefore prefer that our users not use Mozilla software to access OkCupid,” the message says.

OkCupid President Christian Rudder said he and the firm’s three other co-founders decided to post the message after discussing Eich’s appointment over the weekend.

He said 12 percent of OkCupid’s approximately 3 billion monthly page views come through Firefox, while 8 percent of the site’s users are gay or lesbian.

“We don’t think this was the right thing for people to donate money to, and this is someone we do business with so we decided to take action,” Rudder said.

Mozilla, which is promoted with the slogan, “Doing good is part of our code,” responded Monday with an emailed statement saying the company supports equality for all, including marriage equality for gay couples.

“No matter who you are or who you love, everyone deserves the same rights and to be treated equally,” said the statement. “OkCupid never reached out to us to let us know of their intentions, nor to confirm facts.”

Mozilla says about half a billion people around the world use Firefox, which has free, open software written in part by volunteers. Firefox has been losing market share to Google Inc.’s Chrome browser in recent years.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Software lets blind see via computers

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines—Crisanta Marcelino, an 18-year-old blind student, used to do research for her assignments by sifting through thick Braille books in her school library.

Aside from having to spend hours reading the Braille pages for her assignments as an Information Technology (IT) student in a private school here, she also had a hard time looking for the right books to read.

Today, she does her research on the Internet, thanks to a screen reader software that has been installed on the computers of the Area 1 Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) here.

According to the National Statistics Office’s (NSO) 2010 Census of Population and Housing, more than 1.44 million (1.57 percent) of the country’s then 92.1-million population had various forms of disability. A 2002 country profile drawn up by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) cited a 1996 NSO census report which estimated that 46 percent of Filipino PWDs were blind.

The AVRC, an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, caters to persons with disability (PWD) from the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.

“We are really very happy that we have this software. Before, we could not use our computers and we envied our classmates who had normal vision,” Marcelino said.


Job Access


The software was introduced on Saturday in a forum participated in by IT students and businessmen at the SM City in Rosales, Pangasinan.

Jennifer Garcia, AVRC computer instructor, said the screen reader software, called Job Access with Speech (Jaws), reads everything displayed on the computer screen, enabling a blind user to “see” them.

“The screen reader allows the computer to talk. So visually impaired persons no longer need a monitor and a mouse. All they need is a CPU (central processing unit), a keyboard that serves as their mouse and a speaker or headset,” Garcia said.

The students, she said, first trains on how to use the keyboard and its shortcut keys. After that, they are introduced to different software, including word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation software.

Social media

“They are also taught how to use social media, like Facebook and Twitter,” Garcia said.

Marcelino said that for two weeks, she had to work hard to understand the American accent of the voice in the software.

“I had a hard time understanding it, especially when it reads Filipino. But now, I’m so used to it and I can understand whatever it says,” Marcelino said.

Garcia said the only hitch in the screen reader software is its cost, which is around P48,000.

But she said there was a Linux-based free software, called nonvisual desktop access (NVDA), that can be downloaded from the Internet.

“But unlike Jaws, which is more user-friendly, the NVDA has limitations. The voice especially is irritating to the ear,” Garcia said.

She said most of the AVRC computers had the NVDA software.

Jersey Mendoza, SM City Rosales manager, said they hosted the forum hoping it would open up opportunities for PWDs, especially the blind.

“In our malls are Internet shops. One way of starting with this is to orient our tenants that there is this software, so that maybe they could allot a slot for PWDs in their Internet cafes,” Mendoza said.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Tech Tips: Guide to protecting Internet accounts

NEW YORK, United States — Security experts say passwords for more than 2 million Facebook, Google and other accounts have been compromised and circulated online, just the latest example of breaches involving leading Internet companies.

Some services including Twitter have responded by disabling the affected passwords. But there are several things you can do to minimize further threats —even if your account isn’t among the 2 million that were compromised.


Here are some tips to help you secure your online accounts:

— ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER:

When a malicious hacker gets a password to one account, it’s often a stepping stone to a more serious breach, especially because many people use the same passwords on multiple accounts. So if someone breaks into your Facebook account, that person might try the same password on your banking or Amazon account. Suddenly, it’s not just about fake messages being posted to your social media accounts. It’s about your hard-earned money.

It’s particularly bad if the compromised password is for an email account. That’s because when you click on a link on a site saying you’ve forgotten your password, the service will typically send a reset message by email. People who are able to break into your email account, therefore, can use it to create their own passwords for all sorts of accounts. You’ll be locked out as they shop and spend, courtesy of you.

If the compromised password is one you use for work, someone can use it to break in to your employer’s network, where there are files with trade secrets or customers’ credit card numbers.

— BETTER PASSWORDS:

Many breaches occur because passwords are too easy to guess. There’s no evidence that guessing was how these 2 million accounts got compromised, but it’s still a good reminder to strengthen your passwords. Researchers at security company Trustwave analyzed the passwords compromised and found that only 5 percent were excellent and 17 percent were good. The rest were moderate or worse.

What makes a password strong?

— Make them long. The minimum should be eight characters, but even longer is better.

— Use combinations of letters and numbers, upper and lower case and symbols such as the exclamation mark. Try to vary it as much as you can. “My!PaSsWoRd-32″ is far better than “mypassword32.”

— Avoid words that are in dictionaries, as there are programs that can crack passwords by going through databases of known words. These programs know about such tricks as adding numbers and symbols, so you’ll want to make sure the words you use aren’t in the databases. One trick is to think of a sentence and use just the first letter of each word — as in “tqbfjotld” for “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

— Avoid easy-to-guess words, even if they aren’t in the dictionary. Avoid your name, company name or hometown, for instance. Avoid pets and relatives’ names, too. Likewise, avoid things that can be looked up, such as your birthday or ZIP code.

One other thing to consider: Many sites let you reset your password by answering a security question, but these answers —such as your pet or mother’s maiden name— are possible to look up. So try to make these answers complex just like passwords, by adding numbers and special characters and making up responses.

— A SECOND LAYER:

Many services offer a second level of authentication when you’re accessing them from a computer or device for the first time. These services will send you a text message to a phone number on file, for instance. The text message contains a code that you need in addition to your password. The idea is that a hacker may have your password, but won’t have ready access to your phone.

Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter are among the services offering this dual authentication. It’s typically an option, something you have to turn on. Do that. It may be a pain, but it will save you grief later. In most cases, you won’t be asked for this second code when you return to a computer you’ve used before, but be sure to decline that option if you’re in a public place such as a library or Internet cafe.

— ONE FINAL THOUGHT:

Change your passwords regularly. It’s possible your account information is already circulating. If you have a regular schedule for changing passwords for major accounts, you reduce the amount of time that someone can do harm with that information.

You’ll need to decide what counts as a major account. Banking and shopping sites are obvious, as are email and social-networking services. It probably doesn’t matter much if someone breaks into the account you use to read newspaper articles (unless it’s a subscription).

And strong passwords alone won’t completely keep you safe. Make sure your computer is running the latest software, as older versions can have flaws that hackers have been known to exploit. Be careful when clicking on email attachments, as they may contain malicious software for stealing passwords. Use firewalls and other security programs, many of which are available for free.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Samsung makes quiet push for new mobile OS

SEOUL, South Korea—Most mobile phone users have never heard of Tizen. Neither have car owners or anyone with a fridge.

Samsung Electronics Co. wants to change that.

The South Korean electronics giant is in a quiet push to make its Tizen operating system a part of the technology lexicon as familiar as Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS. Its ambition doesn’t stop there. Samsung sees the software in your car, fridge and television too.


The first developer conference in Asia for Tizen wrapped up Tuesday after a two-day run, bringing together app developers and Tizen backers from Samsung, Intel and mobile operators.

Samsung did not announce a Tizen phone, but it made a pitch for developers to create apps for the mobile operating system that is yet to be seen in the market. Samsung promised to give out $4 million cash to the creators of the best Tizen apps.

Samsung supplied about one third of the smartphones sold worldwide in the third quarter, nearly all of them running on Google’s Android. Its early bet on Google’s free-of-charge operating system served Samsung well and the company’s rise to top smartphone seller also helped Android become the most used mobile platform in the world. According to Localytics, 63 percent of all Android mobile devices in use are made by Samsung.

But while Samsung was wildly successful with selling its Galaxy phones and tablets, it had little success in locking Galaxy device users into music, messaging and other Samsung services. Google, however, benefited from more people using its search service, Google Play app and other Google mobile applications on Galaxy smartphones. Owners of Galaxy devices remain for the most part a slave to Google’s Android update schedule and its rules.

About nine in every 10 smartphone users are tied to either Google’s Android or Apple’s iPhone ecosystems, generating profit for Google and Apple every time they purchase a game or application on their smartphone.

That is partly why Samsung wants to expand its control beyond hardware to software, by building its own mobile operating system.

“With only hardware, its influence is limited,” said Kang Yeen-kyu, an associate research fellow at state-run Korea Information Society Development Institute. “Samsung’s goal is to establish an ecosystem centered on Samsung.”

The consolidation of global technology companies in the last few years reflects such trends. Apple has always made its own operating system for the iPhone. Google Inc. acquired Motorola Mobility in 2011 and Microsoft Corp. announced in September its plan to buy Nokia Corp., leaving Samsung the only major player in the smartphone market that does not make its own operating system.

Samsung executives told analysts last week that the company plans to beef up its software competitiveness through acquisitions and splashing cash on the development of mobile content and services.

But Tizen’s start appears bumpy. Samsung said earlier this year the first Tizen phone would hit the market this fall but it has not materialized. Samsung declined to comment on release schedules.

Even though Choi Jong-deok, Samsung’s executive vice president overseeing Tizen, said a launch of Tizen phone or televisions will happen “very shortly,” analysts said Samsung is unlikely to reveal the first Tizen device until February of next year, when the company said it will announce winners of its Tizen app contest.

During the developer conference, Samsung gave more clues about how its first Tizen device would look and revealed that it has recently launched a Tizen-based camera in South Korea.

Tizen would work across a vast range of consumer electronics made by Samsung, encompassing mobile devices, televisions, fridges as well as wearable devices. The mobile operating system will also work with automobiles. Samsung and Intel said Toyota Motor Corp. and Jaguar Land Rover are working together to bring Tizen OS to vehicles.

“You can build an application once and relatively easily move from device to device,” Mark Skarpness, director of systems engineering at Intel Corp., told the conference.

Samsung and Intel are also aiming to capture a bigger share of business in emerging markets where demand for cheaper smartphones is growing. Skarpness said future versions of Tizen will support lower-end phones, the same direction that Google is taking with its latest version of Android, KitKat.

“I got an impression that Tizen was benchmarking Android,” said Park Minhyung, a developer who attended the conference. “Speakers at the sessions said that they adopted strong features from Android. But with Android’s place well established in the market, I wonder how Tizen would undermine the front runner.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

Next Android mobile software version dubbed ‘KitKat’

SAN FRANCISCO – Google on Tuesday said the next version of Android will be called “KitKat” in keeping with its penchant for giving tasty names to its software for powering mobile devices.

“Since these devices make our lives so sweet, each Android version is named after a dessert,” the California-based technology titan said in a blog post.chocolate

“As everyone finds it difficult to stay away from chocolate we decided to name the next version of Android after one of our favorite chocolate treats.”

The list of Android software names over the years includes Cupcake, Donut, Ice Cream Sandwich, and Jelly Bean.

In a promotion deal, Google is enticing people with chances to win Android-powered Nexus 7 tablets or credit at its online Play shop by buying KitKat candy bars featuring Android robot icons on wrappers.

Android software powers more than a billion smartphones or tablets worldwide, according to Google.

Smartphones powered by Google’s Android software increased their global market share as iPhones lost ground in the absence of new models being unleashed by Apple, the International Data Corporation reported last month.

Android’s share of the smartphone market grew to 79.3 percent in the second quarter while that of iPhone slipped to 13.2 percent from 16.6 percent in the same three-month period last year, according to IDC figures.

Apple is “well positioned” to recapture market share with the release later this year of a new iPhone and the next-generation iOS mobile operating system, according to IDC mobile phone research team manager Ramon Llamas.

Apple on Tuesday sent out invitations to a September 10 event at its California headquarters where new iPhones models were expected to be unveiled.

KitKat is a chocolate-covered wafer created by British-based Rowntree’s, now produced worldwide by Nestle.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Sony issues consumer alert on hacked PS3 units

Hacked PlayStation 3 units have been prevalent and a big concern for Sony Computer Entertainment. Hackers who have tried to crack the machine have met many difficulties in getting through the block that allows users to sign in the PlayStation Network with a “jailbroken” console in the years following the system’s release. 

 

Recently,  LV0 keys had reportedly been released online by hackers, enabling hacked units to access PSN content with the assistance of a PC. It’s a legitimate concern that Sony has addressed via their official website, issuing a consumer alert the addresses PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network Services users.

 

Sony’s Notice Statement from the US Playstation website is as follows:

 

“Dear valued PlayStation 3 customers,

 

Unauthorized software for the PlayStation 3 system was recently released by hackers. Use of such software violates the terms of the “System Software License Agreement for the Playstation 3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlaStation Network/ Sony Entertainment Network and its Community Code of Conduct provisions.

 

Violation of the System software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 system invalidates the consumer’s right to access that system. Consumers running unauthorized or pirated software may have their access to the PlayStation Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.

 

To avoid permanent termination, consumers must immediately cease using and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

 

In order to help provide a safe, fair, online environment, consumers who we belive violate “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation Network/ Sony Entertainment network or the applicable laws or regulations of their country or region risk having access to the PlayStation Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services terminated permanently.”

 

 

In summary: those with hacked units and accessing the PSN or Sony Entertainment Network will get their accounts terminated immediately. PlayStation users best heed this bit of news.— TJD, GMA

source: gmanetwork.com

Facebook buys IBM patents

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook confirmed Saturday that it has added a trove of IBM patents to its arsenal on an increasingly lawsuit-strewn technology battlefield.

Reports that Facebook bought 750 software and networking patents from IBM surfaced less than two weeks after struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! accused the thriving young firm of infringing on 10 of its patents.

“I can confirm that there was a purchase but I don’t have any other details to share,” Facebook spokesman Larry Yu said in response to an AFP inquiry.

IBM would not comment.

Acquisition of the patents came as California-based Facebook prepared for an initial public offering and as Internet titans increasingly battle in courts as well as in marketplaces.

Yahoo!, in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on March 12, accused Facebook of infringing on patents in several areas including advertising, privacy and messaging.

The Sunnyvale, California-based company asked the court to order Facebook to halt its alleged patent-infringing activities and to assess unspecified damages.

Facebook, which was founded in 2004, a decade after Yahoo!, expressed disappointment with the move.

“We’re disappointed that Yahoo!, a longtime business partner of Facebook and a company that has substantially benefited from its association with Facebook, has decided to resort to litigation,” a Facebook spokeswoman said.

In the suit, Yahoo! said that Facebook’s growth to more than 850 million users “has been based in large part on Facebook’s use of Yahoo!‘s patented technology.”

“For much of the technology upon which Facebook is based, Yahoo! got there first and was therefore granted patents by the United States Patent Office to protect those innovations,” Yahoo! said.

“Yahoo!‘s patents relate to cutting edge innovations in online products, including in messaging, news feed generation, social commenting, advertising display, preventing click fraud and privacy controls.”

Once seen as the Internet’s leading light, Yahoo! has struggled in recent years to build a strongly profitable, growing business out of its huge web presence and global audience.

source: japantoday.com

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