Netgear To Usher In Gigabit Wi-Fi With First 802.11ac Router

Netgear has introduced the R6300 WiFi Router, which is the first 802.11ac dual-band gigabit Wi-Fi router capable of speeds over 1Gbps on a wireless network. The next-generation router is backwards-compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n technology and operates in dual band, with speeds potentially reaching 1300Mbps over 5Ghz, and 450Mbps over 2.4Ghz. The R6300 runs on a Wi-Fi chip from Broadcom. The sleekly designed router is designed to deliver gigabit wireless speeds that are three times faster than today’s 802.11n routers, allowing users to send multiple streams of HD video across a wireless network. The 802.11ac standard, which is headed toward finalization by the IEEE later this year, is capable of the high throughput because it extends the techniques used in 802.11n to provide wider channel bandwidth, more MIMO spatial streams, multi-user MIMO, and additional modulation modes. The R6300, marketed as “5G Wi-Fi” will be priced at $199.99; Netgear plans to begin shipping it in May. D-Link and other competitors also plan to follow suit with 802.11ac products slated for release in 2012. Although we know most routers never live up to their hype...we'll have to wait and see.

Duke Nukem's Girls...Naked

If there's one thing Duke knows how to do well -- aside from killing and/or banging anything on two legs -- it's stirring up controversy. Multiplayer details for Duke Nukem Forever were recently revealed, and while most of it looks innocent enough, there's one MP mode that's offending a great many people on the Internet. The list of MP gameplay modes includes staples such as Hail to the King (King of the Kill), Team Dukematch, Dukematch, and Capture the Babe. Wait, what was that last one? Instead of 'Capture the Flag,' DNF has you capturing girls and carrying them to the designated goal. Not surprisingly, these live flags will occasionally "freak out," requiring you to smack them over the arse periodically to keep them calm. Because everyone knows spanking has soothing, therapeutic effects on people. Other than that, the multiplayer for DNF is pretty standard. You've got ten maps, multiplayer progression (leveling and player stats), and the aforementioned MP modes. The Holo-Duke weapon will also be returning for added hilarity, plus a jetpack that's exclusive to multiplayer. The Xbox 360 version will feature an eight-player cap per match, though it isn't clear whether this restriction applies to PC and PS3 as well. A multiplayer demo is planned for release shortly before Duke Nukem Forever comes out in May. If you still aren't amused and/or thoroughly offended, give the game's ESRB synopsis a read; it's majorly sexy stuff.

Nintendo And Its 3DS

Just when I thought 3D was a faded, "Avatar"-spawned fad, it starts popping up everywhere: TVs, smartphones, and now toys. I'm clearly not the target demographic for Nintendo's soon-to-be-released 3DS gaming device, but I can tell it's going to be a runaway hit with the kids. It's got the wow factor, the fun factor, and the pure novelty that combine to makes something buzz-worthy. But the part I wasn't expecting was Nintendo's serious warnings all over the device, packaging, and Web site cautioning that children aged 6 and under should use the 3DS only in its conventional, 2D mode. That's because, Nintendo has said, 3D viewing could potentially disrupt the developing eyesight of the younger set. Concerned about the warning, we interviewed Dr. Andrew Iwach, an ophthalmologist in downtown San Francisco. As director of the Glaucoma Research Center, Iwach has done extensive research on the effects of 3D on kids' eyes. He told us the data on watching a 3D screen is inconclusive but that it doesn't point to any negative long-term side effects. He does caution, though, that moderation is always key when gaming. That certainly proved true when my CNET colleague Donald Bell and I were playing around with the new gadget, which is set to hit stores March 27. Some of the features are seriously dizzying and nausea-inducing! (In fact, Nintendo's warnings have included advice to adults to take a break after 30 minutes of 3D play.) Among the more head-spinning features, for instance, are the augmented-reality games that read special 3D cards with the 3DS' cameras and then turn the surface of the cards into a playing field that interacts with you and the device. That's a great example of some of the seriously innovative tech behind the 3DS' wow factor. And again, I'm not the target audience for the Nintendo 3DS. But I have to say, whether we're talking about little kids or even adults, it sure is a good thing you can turn the 3D capabilities on and off.

Twitter & Bing

Microsoft's Bing just added Twitter feeds to its news pages, giving readers the ability to quickly scan the latest buzz about the biggest events. When Web surfers search Bing News for a story, tweets now show up in a scrolling column on the right side of the page under the heading "Public updates." So news links today about Elizabeth Taylor's funeral were accompanied by brief tributes from fans as well as promotions from publications linking to articles about the actress. The idea behind the new Twitter feed is to give readers yet another source of information. "As we've seen with the tragedy in Japan or political turmoil in the Middle East, real people are relaying timely and compelling items not captured by traditional outlets," Betsy Aoki, a Bing senior program manager, writes on the Bing blog. The Twitter feed adds a bit of clutter to a page that also includes related video to the news topic as well as links to people in the news related to the search. But it also differentiates Bing News from its much larger rival, Google News. Microsoft also expanded its "Liked Results" feature, highlighting links that Facebook friends have "liked" directly in Bing's search results. Users have to be signed into both Facebook and Bing for the feature to work. But WHY NOT just use Twitter??

Windows Phone 7

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 launches on Monday and the mobile operating system is likely to benefit from low expectations. When you first play with Windows Phone 7 you’re predisposed to be disappointed. We’re all conditioned to believe that Microsoft just can’t get this mobile thing right. And then you play with the tiles, touch and finish of Windows Phone 7 and you’re pleasantly surprised. And word is starting to get around. Silicon Alley Insider notes that Apple fan John Gruber of Daring Fireball gives Windows Phone 7 props. Maybe Gruber just finds Android excessively clunky. I’d actually buy one of these bad boys. The catch here is going to be distribution. Clearly, Microsoft can find a receptive audience because Windows Phone 7 does look unique. However, Microsoft has to entice consumers to buy a Windows Phone 7 device. That’s a little trickier given the flood of Android devices and the cool factor with the Apple iPhone. Microsoft’s task is also a bit more difficult because it doesn’t have Verizon Wireless on board at launch. AT&T is the primary carrier at first. Not the best idea.

Iphone 4 Problems

According to a report by Ryan Block of gdgt (guess who’s not on Steve Jobs’ Christmas card list this this?), the back of the iPhone 4 has a good chance of cracking when put into a case. Now, we all know why the front of the iPhone is made of glass. It’s so you can see and interact with the interface. But, apparently the designers at Apple also decided to make the back side of the iPhone out of glass. What kind of moron puts glass on both sides of a portable device? Anyway, complete disbelief aside, Block reports that Apple has refused to allow aftermarket case suppliers to sell cases where the phone slides in for protection. In an interesting bit of reportage, Block makes a case for why Apple wouldn’t normally do this. Apparently, Apple gets a cut (actually a double-cut) of cases that use the iPhone name and are distributed through Apple channels. So, Block reasons, Apple wouldn’t have an economic incentive to block distribution — in fact, it’s to Apple’s interest to let the aftermarket sell the cases. So, why is distribution blocked? Apparently, when sliding the iPhone 4 into the cases, microscopic particles scratch the back of the iPhone and, eventually, in a surprisingly large number of units, the glass scratches, cracks, or simply breaks open. Brave design isn’t necessarily good design. Brave design also isn’t necessarily smart design. Using glass for the back of the iPhone was brave, cutting edge design. Unfortunately, I’m guessing Apple didn’t want “cutting edge” to be meant literally.

Microsoft Testing A Twitter For Business

Microsoft is continuing to look into ways to make social computing services part of business users’ lives with a new pilot program for something called “OfficeTalk.”
Microsoft mentioned OfficeTalk in a March 19 posting on the Office Labs blog, calling it a vehicle that “applies the base capabilities of microblogging to a business environment, enabling employees to post their thoughts, activities, and potentially valuable information to anyone who might be interested.” (From that description, OfficeTalk could be more like the enterprise microblogging service Yammer than Twitter, as a few readers have noted. But there’s really not enough information on the Office Labs’ site to know for sure….) Office Labs officials described OfficeTalk as a research project, with no clear or definite commercialization path. (It is one of the team’s “Concept Tests,” like the recently introduced Ribbon Hero training game, Canvas for OneNote add-on, and pptPlex zoomable canvas.) Officials said OfficeTalk was “one of the most popular internal concept tests to date.” Microsoft isn’t offering any more details on what OfficeTalk looks like or what it will do. The Office Labs folks describe it as beeing “pretty bare bones.” They are allowing interested parties to fill out a brief survey to see if they qualify to test the service.

Google To Take Over Your Tube?

Google may be perched above your TV soon, according to a recent report. Word is, the search behemoth is teaming with Sony, Logitech and Intel to create a TV set-top box platform based on its Android operating system and designed to meld traditional TV with Internet content. Meanwhile, the FCC showed off its big plans, Microsoft bared a little more WinPho7, and Apple revealed a new way to deal with old batteries.
Apparently Google is teaming up with Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Logitech (Nasdaq: LOGI) to build a consumer set-top box platform for mixing TV with the Internet. That's Google's Android for the OS, Intel for the chips, Sony to put together the first model, and Logitech to make the peripherals. Right now, putting the Internet on your TV isn't exactly difficult -- just stick a VGA cable between your laptop and your flatscreen and voila. But that's not really the comfiest arrangement. What the Google TV platform would do -- reportedly -- would be to streamline the experience of watching regular TV, Internet video and various Web sites through the television. They could also put a development kit out there for anyone who wanted to put their content on Google TV, maybe sort of like making your own cable channel. If nothing else, the whole experience should be more like the familiar act of vegging out on the couch and flipping through channels, rather than lying there with a wireless keyboard and mouse on your lap.

Twitter Reveals Scam Details

Twitter has revealed the back story on why it reset passwords this week for many of its users. The phishing attacks that forced Twitter to change account passwords stemmed from discovery of a scam being run by a torrent Web site creator, explained Del Harvey, Twitter's director of trust and safety, in a blog post Tuesday evening. Twitter had found that someone for the past few years had been building torrent sites and forums requiring a log-in and password. This person then sold these Web sites and forums to people interested in starting their own torrent download sites. Unknown to the buyers, these sites actually contained security holes that allowed the cybercrook to gain access to the buyers' log-in information for sites like Twitter. This was done by grabbing log-in attempts to the forums and redirecting them to third-party Web sites where the criminals could capture a user's credentials. "These sites came with a little extra--security exploits and backdoors throughout the system," Harvey said. "This person then waited for the forums and sites to get popular and then used those exploits to get access to the username, email address, and password of every person who had signed up." A red flag was first raised on Twitter's end when it noticed an abnormally high number of followers for certain accounts. This prompted the company to investigate and eventually reset the passwords for anyone following those suspicious accounts. Twitter noted that although torrent sites have been around a while, this is the first time it's seen an attack using this angle. "While not all users who were sent a password reset request fall into this category, we felt that it was important to put this knowledge out there so that users would know of the possibility of compromise of their data by a third party unrelated to their Twitter account," Harvey said. Twitter advises people who have signed up for third-party torrent accounts to change their passwords at those sites and to refrain from using the same password at multiple sites. More tips on safe tweeting can be found on Twitter's help pages.

Toyota Sued For Fatal Crash

A lawsuit filed in California on Thursday alleges that a fatal crash in which a Toyota Camry accelerated out of control was caused by faulty electronics. The lawsuit is centered on Toyota's "drive by wire" system, which is the technology underlying the electronic throttle control, the alleged cause of the uncontrolled acceleration cited in the lawsuit. That is a separate issue from the mechanical accelerator pedal problems that Toyota is addressing with its massive recall. The suit claims that the crash killed Upland, Calif., resident Noriko Uno, 66, when her Camry suddenly accelerated to 100 miles per hour. After weaving to avoid hitting other drivers, the car hit a curb, sending it into the air, and then, finally, into a tree, according to a Reuters report. Drive by wire replaces traditional mechanical and hydraulic control systems with electronic control systems. While drive by wire allows for a more refined, computer-controlled acceleration, it has also introduced a new set of hard-to-trace problems. Toyota would not comment on the suit. More generally, the company is saying, at least publicly, that it has found no evidence of electronic problems. John Hanson, national manager of environmental safety and quality in Toyota's communications group, when contacted Friday, stood by a statement he made earlier this week to CNET. "We have not found any evidence of an electronic problem that would have led to unwanted acceleration. That doesn't mean that we've written it off. We are aggressively investigating any claims," he said. The case is similar to a longstanding allegation made by Jordan Ziprin of Phoenix. In a well-documented case detailed in a petition to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ziprin claims that, in 2005, when backing out of a driveway near his home, his 2002 Toyota Camry XLE suddenly accelerated and slammed into a utility box. He has also claimed this was due to a faulty electronic throttle system. Toyota has recalled approximately 8 million vehicles worldwide, including more than 2 million in the U.S., because of mechanical glitches with its accelerator pedals. Uno's family members said that they hope their lawsuit will force Toyota to widen its recall to include all models equipped with an electronic throttle and "to retrofit those automobiles with a brake override system," according to Reuters. Garo Mardirossian, a lawyer for the Uno family, said Toyota's recall should cover model years 2002 through 2006, according to the Reuters report. He added that Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had knowledge of 389 complaints of out-of-control acceleration in those model years.

Twitter, Google & China Concerns

DAVOS, Switzerland - Twitter's co-founder and the head of Google on Friday addressed concerns about Internet censorship in China, speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Google's chief told the meeting that censorship in China has to change but that the internet search giant wanted to stay in the Asian giant despite being the target of cyber attacks from inside China. When asked about reports of China's attempts to block Twitter, the co-founder of the microblogging phenomenon, Evan Williams said he had been told about them but the company had no confirmation. "That's what I've been told," he told AFP. "I have heard reports on that," he added on the sidelines of the Davos forum, but said the company did not have direct confirmation. Williams said China can use a firewall to block the microblogging service used by millions around the world, but that Twitter was not "actively" looking for ways to get around any block. "There are ways for users to get around it, but I'm not an expert on that." When asked about media reports that Twitter was developing ways to get around the firewall, Williams said he had been "misquoted." "We're not actively developing any way to get around it," he said, although he stressed that "we're for the free exchange of information." Asked if his company had noticed cyber attacks, such as those launched against Google from inside China, he said none had been detected. Google has threatened to pull out of China over the attacks as well as over censorship in China which it opposed.

Apple Fixes Alot Of Holes ln Mac OS X

Apple fixes a dozen vulnerabilities affecting Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6 in its first security update for the year released on Wednesday. The security update addresses several issues with the Flash Player plug-in, including one that could allow an attacker to take control of the computer if the user visits a malicious Web site. Also patched were holes in CoreAudio, ImageIO, and Image RAW that could lead to arbitrary code execution and allow an attacker to take control of the computer if a malicious MP4 audio file were played, or malicious TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) or DNG (Digital Negative) images were viewed. The release also affects OpenSSL, fixing a man-in-the-middle vulnerability that exists in the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols used to secure communications over the Internet. The vulnerability, discovered by researchers at PhoneFactor in August 2009, could allow someone to capture data or modify operations performed in protected sessions. In addition, a hole in the CUPS printing service was plugged that could allow an attacker to cause a remote denial-of-service by issuing a malicious get-printer-jobs request. What happened to "secured"?

Intel : PC Industry Recovering

Intel's fourth-quarter earnings breezed past Wall Street's expectations, and its rosy profit outlook for 2010 was another sign that a lasting recovery for the recession-battered personal computer market is under way. As the first major technology company to report its results for the last quarter, Intel is seen as a barometer for the PC market and for technology spending in general. Its revenue beat the Street, as did its gross margin, which can measure how well Intel managed costs. Investors were restrained in their enthusiasm. Shares of the No. 1 maker of computer microprocessors edged up less than one percent in after-hours trading. Earlier, the stock had gained 2.5 percent to end the regular session at $21.48. PC shipments grew more sharply than expected in the fourth quarter, a promising sign after a brutal year for the industry during the recession. Intel, which supplies the vast majority of the "brains" inside computers, rode the resurgence of consumer PC shopping to a profit of $2.3 billion, or 40 cents per share. That was more than nine times as much as it earned in the year-ago quarter, when profit totaled $234 million, or 4 cents per share. Intel also posted its highest gross profit margin in history, at 64.7 percent. A higher gross margin number means the chipmaker was able to turn more revenue into profit. It's a key measure for a manufacturing-intensive company such as Intel because it reflects how well costs are held in check. Revenue climbed 29 percent to $10.6 billion, as Intel sold more chips, many at higher prices than in the past. Analysts expected a profit of 30 cents per share and $10.2 billion in revenue, according to a Thomson Reuters survey. It's never clear whether chip sales line up with demand for new computers. PC makers might be buying more than they need to replenish low supplies or fewer than they need to preserve cash. But Intel clearly sees the fourth quarter as more than a holiday shopping-induced blip.

Zune HD to get XviD

We're getting word that Zune HD users will soon have some good news to shout about. Come Spring, the Zune HD should receive a firmware update providing support for MPEG-4 part 2 Advanced Simple Profile videos, including the torrent junkie's format of choice, XviD. When pressed on whether DivX support would also be added, contacts explained it was unlikely, because of proprietary restrictions. Also unclear is what range of resolutions will be supported, although we did confirm that the new format support will maintain compatibility with the HD AV dock accessory. The firmware update will also bring over a Smart DJ feature, which currently is found only in the Zune's client software. The addition of Smart DJ playlists brings the Zune HD in line with the on-the-fly Genius playlist capabilities of the iPod Touch. Better yet, Zune Pass users within Wi-Fi range will have the ability to create Smart DJ playlists that incorporate streaming content from Zune Marketplace, in addition to songs already stored on the device. Microsoft representatives were also quick to remind us that its mythical Facebook app is on track for early this year. With the Zune HD Twitter app seeing the light of day last month, there's reason for users to keep the faith.

Zune: Tips For The Switch, Goodbye iPod

The Microsoft Zune HD is a beautiful device and truly one of the best alternatives to the iPod we've had the pleasure to use. But if you're really thinking about hanging up your iPod and going Zune, you'll need to think about how to take your iTunes library with you. I'm not going to lie to you: some stuff just isn't coming with you. Your DRM-ed AAC audio files, iTunes movies and TV shows, and even those iTunes audiobooks, just can't survive outside of the iTunes/iPod universe. So quell those fantasies of uninstalling iTunes, because you'll still need it to play your protected iTunes purchases. The good news is, most everything else from iTunes is fair game, including your unprotected AAC and MP3 files, podcasts, unprotected videos, and playlists. Even your iTunes Smart Playlists can be reconstructed with a decent resemblance. Then comes the issue of gaming. While there's no shortage of handheld game systems on the market--the Nintendo DS and DSi are still selling well and the PSP continues to hang in there, while the App Store expands its catalog every minute--one of the seemingly no-brainer bets in the mobile gaming realm hasn't happened yet: the Zune. We say "no brainer" for several reasons: Microsoft has a successful gaming platform in the Xbox 360, emphasizing online and downloadable gaming. Microsoft, compared with Sony and Nintendo, is best able to take on Apple in terms of a media-management software store and the ability to build an equivalent music/games/movies catalog, and making that product PC compatible. The Zune HD now plays games. The first point is obvious. The second is debatable, but we say this because Sony, while having a decent media library on PSN, just isn't historically great at building cross-platform software for syncing the PSP, and Microsoft's global software reach is simply stronger. The third is technically true--Microsoft launched a small collection of completely free-to-play, ad-supported games for its OLED-screened Zune HD last month, and one of them happens to be an adaptation of Project Gotham Racing. It's an interesting prospect (and one we've wondered about before) because the Zune HD processor, an Nvidia Tegra, has both HD processing muscle and 3D graphics capability. We downloaded and played with all the Zune HD games currently available--all 12 of them--with some curiosity to see if the Zune could compete as a game device. Overall, the Zune HD games are similar in quality to iPod Touch and iPhone titles. The Zune HD has an accelerometer and multitouch, just like the iPod Touch, but its screen is smaller, making controls even harder without feeling ham-handed. Now, in fairness, all of the Zune's games are free, and thus many are of demo quality. PGR, with its Ferrari branding, is a pared-down game, a "lite" version. Still, the track graphics and controls are impressive, and definitely Touch quality. Other games, like Audiosurf Tilt (which generates tracks to music) and a Texas Hold 'Em, are better than most freebies but are titles we probably wouldn't pay more than a few bucks for. The most obvious idea would be to expand the Zune HD in size slightly, add a physical controller (perhaps similar to the sliding PSP Go), and then open up a Zune game marketplace that syncs with Xbox Live. A big move toward this being a possibility was the recent Xbox 360 update that opened up a Zune marketplace on the 360 dashboard. While it currently doesn't offer games, Microsoft already allows Zunes and Xbox Live accounts to share digital funds for transactions, opening up a smooth doorway to a mobile game console ecosystem. The current Zune HD is so small--smaller than a PSP Go or an iPod Touch to a significant degree--that Microsoft could even sell a clip-on gamepad (with a speaker, preferably) and still have a portable device that wasn't bulky. And its price is competitive with the PSP, iPod Touch, and Nintendo DS, at $219 for a 16GB model. Would you want a Microsoft Zune/Xbox handheld? I'd say the answer would be yes, provided it actually used physical controls. And if they were able to corral the Xbox Live Arcade development community (and even the XNA indie crowd) to make games, it could catch on much faster than anyone might expect.

Iran Link to Twitter Hack

A computer hacker briefly hijacked Twitter.com on Thursday, redirecting users to a website and claiming to represent a group calling itself the Iranian Cyber Army. Twitter, which in June became a key communication channel for Iranian protesters disputing the country's election results, said it was disrupted for a little more than an hour. Twitter's home page was replaced with one whose headline read "This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army" and an anti-American message. "The motive for this attack appears to have been focused on defacing our site, not aimed at users," Twitter said on its blog. "We don't believe any accounts were compromised." Security experts said it was the first time attackers have succeeded in hijacking a major social-networking website. It was unlikely that the Iranian government was involved, despite its dislike of social networking sites and years of discord with the United States over its nuclear program, experts said. A screen shot posted in a number of websites, including TechCrunch, shows the message written in red, set above a green flag. An e-mail sent to the address on the redirected Web page was returned. The hacker or hackers got credentials to redirect Twitter's traffic to a bogus site, according to Dyn Inc, a company based in New Hampshire that directs that traffic for Twitter. The attackers did not hijack accounts of the company's other customers, Dyn Vice President Kyle York said. "This was an isolated incident," he said. Twitter, which allows people to broadcast 140-character messages to cell phones and on the Web, got caught up in Iranian politics earlier this year. The U.S. State Department urged Twitter to delay maintenance that would have interrupted the site's service during the peak of the demonstrations. As for Thursday's attack, a source close to the Department of Homeland Security said the Iranian government was likely not involved because of the unsophisticated nature of the work. James Lewis, a cybersecurity effort with the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the attack might have come from a group that supports Tehran. "This is ham-handed so it's probably not the Iranian government. It could be sympathizers," said Lewis. The Iranian government would have been more likely to hack Twitter during protests or other upheaval when the site was being used by dissidents, he said.

Iran Link to Twitter Hack

A computer hacker briefly hijacked Twitter.com on Thursday, redirecting users to a website and claiming to represent a group calling itself the Iranian Cyber Army.
Twitter, which in June became a key communication channel for Iranian protesters disputing the country's election results, said it was disrupted for a little more than an hour. Twitter's home page was replaced with one whose headline read "This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army" and an anti-American message. "The motive for this attack appears to have been focused on defacing our site, not aimed at users," Twitter said on its blog. "We don't believe any accounts were compromised." Security experts said it was the first time attackers have succeeded in hijacking a major social-networking website. It was unlikely that the Iranian government was involved, despite its dislike of social networking sites and years of discord with the United States over its nuclear program, experts said. A screen shot posted in a number of websites, including TechCrunch, shows the message written in red, set above a green flag. An e-mail sent to the address on the redirected Web page was returned. The hacker or hackers got credentials to redirect Twitter's traffic to a bogus site, according to Dyn Inc, a company based in New Hampshire that directs that traffic for Twitter. The attackers did not hijack accounts of the company's other customers, Dyn Vice President Kyle York said. "This was an isolated incident," he said. Twitter, which allows people to broadcast 140-character messages to cell phones and on the Web, got caught up in Iranian politics earlier this year. The U.S. State Department urged Twitter to delay maintenance that would have interrupted the site's service during the peak of the demonstrations. As for Thursday's attack, a source close to the Department of Homeland Security said the Iranian government was likely not involved because of the unsophisticated nature of the work. James Lewis, a cybersecurity effort with the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the attack might have come from a group that supports Tehran. "This is ham-handed so it's probably not the Iranian government. It could be sympathizers," said Lewis. The Iranian government would have been more likely to hack Twitter during protests or other upheaval when the site was being used by dissidents, he said.

Schmidt On Google

Appearing on CNBC, Schmidt was asked whether or not users should inherently trust Google. Schmidt's response was "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines --including Google --do retain this information for some time and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information could be made available to the authorities." Schmidt is certainly not the first person to use the "those who aren't breaking the law have no need for privacy" defense, but coming from the CEO of Google--one of the top targets for privacy concerns--it was enough to cause Dotzler to recommend that Firefox users abandon Google in favor of Microsoft's Bing. Google has been challenged regarding its sometimes apparent disregard for privacy on a number of occasions. Many countries have taken issue with Google's efforts to photograph neighborhoods for its Street View mapping. Most recently, Google's expansion of personalized search results has upset privacy advocates. Recommending a switch to Bing is a bold move for Mozilla, which is engaged in a multi-year arrangement with Google that extends through 2011. The majority of Mozilla revenue is derived from Google as a function of the deal, which calls for Mozilla to set Google as the default search engine in its Firefox Web browser software. Microsoft is also a frequent target of privacy concerns, and Bing is just as capable as Google's search engine of indexing and retaining more information than users are comfortable with. But, as Dotzler points out in his blog post "Bing does have a better privacy policy than Google."

Intel New Chips

December 17, Intel will preview new processors for laptops, among other chip technologies. The preview is significant because it will be Intel's first chance to show off its ready-to-ship, commercially viable next-generation 32-nanometer technology. Almost all Intel processors are currently built on a 45-nanometer process. Generally, the smaller the geometry, the faster and more power efficient the processor is. Intel's Core i series of processors will be the focus of the San Francisco event that will serve as a venue to preview products to be rolled out at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The "Nehalem" microarchitecture that powers the Core i chips is considered a major step up in performance over previous architectures. To date, Intel has shipped the high-end Core i7 for gaming machines and mid-range Core i5 processors. Intel is expected to preview the first Core i3 processors--some, including the 2.93GHz i3 530, have appeared on retail sites already--as well as updates to the Core i5 series. One of the most anticipated processor technologies is "Arrandale." This will be the first mainstream Intel laptop processor to put two processor cores and a graphics function together in one chip package, resulting in better overall power efficiency. And the new built-in graphics technology is expected to offer materially better graphics performance than current Intel graphics. Arrandale will eventually come under the Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 brands, though an initial version is expected to appear as the Core i3. Intel is also expected to make a push to get its Turbo Boost technology into more Core i5 and i7 processors. Turbo Boost speeds up and slows down individual cores to meet processing and power-efficiency needs, respectively. Separately, Intel is also getting ready to roll out new Atom chip technology for Netbooks

Japan Hates The IPhone

Apple’s iPhone is junk in Japan, where the handset is selling so poorly it’s being offered for free. What’s wrong with the iPhone, from a Japanese perspective? Almost everything: the high monthly data plans that go with it, its paucity of features, the low-quality camera, the unfashionable design and the fact that it’s not Japanese. In an effort to boost business, Japanese carrier SoftBank this week launched the "iPhone for Everybody" campaign, which gives away the 8-GB model of the iPhone 3G if customers agree to a two-year contract. "The pricing has been completely out of whack with market reality," said Global Crown Research analyst Tero Kuittinen in regard to Apple’s iPhone prices internationally. "I think they [Apple and its partners overseas] are in the process of adjusting to local conditions." Besides cultural opposition, Japanese citizens possess high, complex standards when it comes to cellphones. The country is famous for being ahead of its time when it comes to technology, and the iPhone just doesn’t cut it. For example, Japanese handset users are extremely into video and photos — and the iPhone has neither a video camera nor multimedia text messaging. And a highlight feature many in Japan enjoy on their handset is a TV tuner, according to Kuittinen. What else bugs the Japanese about the iPhone? The pricing plans, Kuittinen said. Japan’s carrier environment is very competitive, which equates to relatively low monthly rates for handsets. The iPhone’s monthly plan starts at about $60, which is too high compared to competitors, Kuittinen added. And then there’s the matter of compartmentalization. A large portion of Japanese citizens live with only a cellphone as their computing device — not a personal computer, said Hideshi Hamaguchi, a concept creator and chief operating officer of LUNARR. And the problem with the iPhone is it depends on a computer for syncing media and running software updates via iTunes. So that would suggest that in Japan, carrying around an iPhone — a nearly year-old handset compared to the very latest Japanese cellphones — makes you look pretty lame.