AT&T: Faster 3G version of iPhone due in '08

Current iPhones connect to AT&T's EDGE-based network for intensive data-transmission chores such as Web browsing and e-mail. EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) advertises in-the-field download speeds in the 70Kbit-to-135Kbit/sec. range, although its technical top end is 384Kbit/sec. AT&T's 3G (third-generation) network, deployed only in major metro areas at this point, uses HSDPA/UMTS technology (High Speed Downlink Packet Access/Universal Mobile Telephone System) and boasts download speeds between 600Kbit/sec. and 1.4Mbit/sec., according to past AT&T statements.

The iPhone's reliance on the much slower EDGE technology was roundly criticized before the smart phone was launched in June, and the issue has come up again as Apple released the iPhone in Europe, where 3G-based cellular networks are much more widespread than in the U.S. But in September, Apple CEO Steve Jobs made it plain that the iPhone would stick with EDGE for now because of power and battery issues.

"The 3G chip sets are real power hogs," Jobs said at the U.K. rollout of the iPhone two months ago. "Our phone has a talk time of eight hours, and that's really important when you want to use [it] for Internet and music. 3G needs to get back up to five-plus hours, something we think we'll see later next year."

Doesn't that give you the feeling of total orchestration? Nothing left to chance. Nothing spontaneous about it! They knew 3 years ago what the storyline was going to be. May be even more. Does that not leave a bad taste in your mouth? No Really - does it not?

mdworker Slows down OS X - 100% CPU Usage! Here is the solution!

Updated your Mac to 10.5.1? Your system is too slow? It is due to a Process called: "mdworker" that does hashing for the Spotlight indexer! it takes close to 90%-100% of the CPU Cycles, in some cases, for a week and more. Solution:1
* Boot with your Leopard DVD. Choose english Language for installation and as soon as the Menu bar shows up go to Utilities menu and run Disk Utility and select your main drive. Perform: Repair Disk Permissions. Allow the process to finish. and then quit installation and reboot normally from your main drive. When you run the Activity monitor and look at the tasks. "mdworker" task should be running between 3%-5% CPU and now all is well. You r machine is back to normal.
*Solution 2: Go to Apple site in this URL and Down load the 10.5.1. manually and then quit all other running apps and apply the update manually and then go and perform Solution 1.

Microsoft wraps up MOU for Siberian data centre

Microsoft said yesterday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Siberian government which could see the software giant park its latest data centre on a remote, sub-arctic part of Russia. The city of Irkutsk has been pinpointed as a possible location for Microsoft's latest data-pumping farm. Perhaps the firm has been eyeing up the Siberian city as a possible location from which it can spit out web-based apps to the masses because of its favourable weather conditions, which could provide natural cooling to the data centre.
Here id what comes to mind: Why is MS diverting like this? What is it up to? Is this the final push to total Web based MS Applications? Is this the last weapon ion Microsoft's toolbox to deal with Software piracy?  MS is so rich that if they gave away all their software to all their clients for free, they can continue for decades!  Why are they so preoccupied with deal with piracy (Must be Gates paranoia), but they do not have the same attitude about fixing Security holes and Bugs that are rampant in their 'selling' software?  Windows XP, after seven years, still has security holes the size Mr. Gates Estate in Seattle.  I am not even going to talk about Vista and all the problems that comes with.  Problems that could have been solved before it's release.  They prefer to work on those unnecessary / or at least low priority tasks, but not allocate their time to the 'real' problems at hand.  Way to go Microsoft.  You are in a downward Spiral - and you can't even feel it.  Granted, it is a slow one.  But definitely a downward move.

Leopard Achieves UNIX 03 Product Standard Certification

SAN FRANCISCO, November 19, 2007 – The Open Group, a vendor- and technology-neutral consortium focused on open standards and global interoperability within and between enterprises, today announced that both Mac OS X Leopard and Mac OS X Server Leopard from Apple Inc. have been awarded a certificate of conformance to the UNIX® 03 standard. UNIX 03 is the certification mark for systems conforming to the latest UNIX product standard developed by The Open Group Platform Forum for the Single UNIX Specification version 3.

This certification is significant as it further broadens the installed base of UNIX systems in the marketplace to include a popular desktop platform. In addition, Apple’s UNIX 03 certification is a milestone for the UNIX certification program since Mac OS X is the first operating system derived from the open source BSD base of historical UNIX products to meet the certification requirements.

T-Mobile Bows to Pressure, Unlocks iPhone in Germany

T-Mobile will sell an unlocked version of Apple's popular iPhone in Germany while it fights a legal challenge from rival Vodafone, the company said last week.

The move comes shortly after a court granted an injunction requested by Vodafone mandating that T-Mobile either sell an unlocked version of the iPhone or withdraw the product from the market.

Apple has done the same in France!  My question to YOU and to Apple is:  Why can't we have the same power in North America to force Apple doing the same thing?  Why do we go along with tyrannical practices of these Corporations in North America?  May be it is high time for us to get off our hind legs and ask for our rights like Europeans do!  Don't you think so?  Apple stop treating your own people  as well as closest country to you with disrespect! 

FIFA signs up India's Satyam as IT services provider

DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) - Software group Satyam has become FIFA's first major sponsor from India after being appointed as their official IT services provider for the next seven years.

Under an agreement signed on Saturday, Satyam will join global giants such as McDonalds and the US brewer Anheuser-Busch as one of six World Cup sponsors.

The Indian company will provide Information Technology (IT) support for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups to be held in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

Danger - Danger Will Robinson!  The Indian geeks are coming... En Mass!

Well is is one way for advertising yourself to death.  Satyam is a large company and not it is a large company with credibility of World Cup IT Support!  On top of that, since they are contributing these services, they might even receive tax relief from their government too.

Question is - apart from all the typical jokes - Is Indian IT Really good because of being cheap or is it "REALLY" good?  I am beginning to think that it is really good, and if that is the case, then may God have mercy on the Should of our IT systems.  If they are as good as I think that they are, and they are so so cheap, then there is not place for North American IT anywhere in the world.  True, they still don't have our experience and perhaps - sophistication - but they are acquiring it and fast!  We better wake up, so what Japan did to us as far as Auto industry was concerned - will not happen to our IT industry by India!  Isn't it enough that Chia has its controlling hand all the up to our throats when it comes to Tech based hardware - now we are inviting India to take over the IT and Software as well?

Canadian students win prestigious Cluster Challenge at SC07

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/home.asp Six Canadian undergrad students from the University of Alberta did themselves -- and their country -- proud, winning the first ever "Cluster Challenge" event at the international Supercomputing 07 conference held in Reno, NV, last Friday.

Team Canada snagged the top spot in a contest intended to demonstrate the power of modern cluster technology, beating five other teams -- from the universities of Colorado and Indiana, Purdue University, Stony Brook University and the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan.

Go Canada Go!

Firefox version 3 makes beta

After 27 months of hard work the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine has been integrated, and the development team is feeling ready to share its project with the world.
Version 3 has improved security features to combat phishing and communicate with anti-virus software, as well as respecting parental-control settings such as those used by Windows Vista. Better zooming and tab controls, and tweaks such as offering to save tabs on closing and use of the Mac OS X spellchecker, are also included. More than two million lines of code have been changed and 11,000 issues fixed. Remains to be be seen.

Hushmail warns users over law enforcement backdoor

Hushmail has updated its terms of service to clarify that encrypted emails sent through the service can still be turned over to law enforcement officials, providing they obtain a court order in Canada.
September court document from a US federal prosecution of alleged steroid dealers reveals that Hush Communications turned over 12 CDs involving emails on three targeted Hushmail accounts, in compliance of court orders made through the mutual assistance treaty between the US and Canada. Hushmail is widely used by privacy advocates and the security-conscious to send confidential emails. Hush mail?  are you kidding me?  Now that is a great example of how we all have lost our Privacy and Basic rights!  Just put the word Terrorism in from of anything / and then you can DO anything to anyone.  I thought we were a lot better than that in Canada, but it seems I was wrong!  May be those bastards that caused 911 and promoted Terrorism have already won.  We seem to be living just like them now - in fear at all times and loosing our rights one by one.  Are we are the right path?

Trojan spreads using PI which has a Trojan traveling with it!

They are trying to convince email users that their telephone conversations are being recorded in a ruse designed to scare prospective marks into buying bogus security software. Emails promoting the campaign are laced with a new Trojan horse malware.
The Dorf-AH Trojan horse appears as an attachment in emails claiming that the sender is a private detective listening into a recipient's phone calls. This "detective" claims he's prepared to switch sides and reveal who has paid for the surveillance at a later date. They are getting better and better about it!
Watch out people! This is a multi level punch - It comes thru Social Engineering - then Jumps to Phishing and then goes to a Torjon horse which in turn contains a payload of Virus! Damn they are good and they are getting better all the time!

Ultra-portable Apple notebook to appear down at Macworld Expo?

AppleInsider reports that Macworld San Francisco 2008 will be the launching ground for Apple's long-rumored ultra-portable laptop.

The 13-inch portable, which AppleInsider first detailed back in February, will mark the Cupertino-based Mac maker's re-entry into the sub-notebook market -- arriving in a form-factor that's approximately 50 percent lighter and strikingly slimmer than the company's current 15-inch professional MacBook Pro offering.

I read this in: MacMegaSite

Been sitting on this one for a few days, since I am so sick and tired of Apple Rumors!  Aren't you?  Why can't we all accept that Apple is another electronic company and from time to time introduces new products, instead of treating every new event and introduction of a new product as the third coming of Christ.  I suggest that strongly!  Ooops, forgot to say, I am a Mac user and a Windows Developer!  LOL!

Drop your iPhone data plan, keep voice??

TUAW Says:

"Sick of paying $20 a month for EDGE? Want to save $240/year? TUAW reader Josh tipped us off to his iPhone News post that reveals that you can now remove it from your plan. If you rarely use EDGE and live around ubiquitous WiFi (like I do), this is a great way to save some money."

Then why did you buy an iPhone? Apart from music, the best thing about iPhone is it incorporated WI-FI and internet based functions.  True, edge is not the fastest gun in the west, at least not anymore, but it gives you 'unlimited' Data transfer!  Now that should, in any body's mind, be better than nothing.  The $20 a month brings a lot and its worth much more than $20, considering that a 512MB Transfer will cost you $200 if you are a Rogers Subscriber in Canada.  So, better keep you 'unlimited' Data Plan.  Highly recommanded.

Apple TV goes to the movies

Sure, Apple TV is pretty close to useless if you wanna watch stuff on your television. But it's a godsend to at least one independent filmmaker.
This weekend, at a neighborhood movie theater in Brooklyn, New York, an Apple TV made its way into the projection booth, streaming a high-def digital flick onto the big screen. And when we say big screen, I mean the really big screen.

Half of computer users are Wi-Fi thieves! So harsh...

More than half of computer users have illegally stolen Wi-Fi connections, according to The Times - but only 11 alleged offenders have been arrested in the UK, as the police seem to think those deploying Wi-Fi should be more careful about securing their connections.
Question is why do we have to call them Thieves? They are not taking anything with them - they are leaving anything behind! Also, are we not responsible for our won things? The responsibility of securing out WIFI systems are entirely on our own shoulders.  So lets perform out duties first, and then we can call them thieves!  Mind you, if we do what we have to do - there will be no 'open' WIFI for anyone to steal it - hence no more thieves thievery!!

Blue Cloud! IBM's new Data Centers!

IBM offers cloudy blue data centre vision for small and medium size operations.

Blue Cloud - Data Centers operated locally by small and medium size companies. Is this the beginning of the end to the large Data Centers sucking the blood of their customers that can not afford internal Data Centers? We are going back and forth on the Back end and front end tiers like they are going out of style? Thin clients huge servers also present problems too. We started with Huge Data Centers and Then clients connecting to Main frames. Then we went to Thin Servers and Fat Clients. With the advent of Internet Speed we want to go back to Thin clients and local Data centers! Can we make out minds up? I guess not, eh?

Neuroboffins develop mind-reading computers

A man who has been paralysed for the last eight years might be able to "speak" again, by having his thoughts read by a computer.  

I read this on The Register

I guess, the next stage will be translating the brain waves to text and graphics that can be read and viewed by others!!
Can any of us fathom the implication of such device? Can you imagine what will happen if governments and large corporation acquire such technology? Reading our minds? Can you imagine if such a device is installed in every Mall and Shopping center that you go to and the sales people will present you with the item that you are thinking about?  WOW...  The dimensions of such a device and it;s social implications are way beyond my simple mind!  LOL

Bebo’s Big Push Into Video

TechCrunch says:

"Bebo is taking on YouTube (and Hulu). Today, it opened up its social network to video partners who want access to its captive audience. Launch partners include CBS, MTV Networks, ESPN, the BBC, Channel Four, BSkyB—Bebo is very popular in the UK—Next New Networks, Crackle, Ustream, Last.fm and JibJab. The partners can keep all advertising dollars from the videos (and from music too). Bebo gets to keep its members on its site."

May be before that Bebo should solve the bandwidth enigma of taking video on first, and then go against Youtube and hulu.

New Maps from MS Live and PhotoSynth added

Look for the new Maps incorporated in the MS Live Search. Detailed. More importantly, PhotoSynth will be integrated in to the Rendering / Viewing system. If well integrated, it should be amazing.

Analysts grade Vista's first year: Did not meet expectations

"If Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista were graded for its first year, its report card would read, "Not meeting expectations," analysts said Friday, a year and a day after the operating system code went "gold" and was sent off for duplication."
I read this Article in ComputerWorld.
That might be true - and I am sure it is. But the problem is that MS has not moved fast enough to release the Service Pack 1 for vista, which in turn would change a lot of opinions towards Vista. Microsoft - get a Move on and deliver SP-1. Only worry that I have right now is this: Once SP-1 is released and Installed - how many other things will break and how many new bugs will be introduced? May be that is the reasoning for Microsoft not releasing Vista Service Pack 1. Test Test Test!

DOJ opposes extension of Microsoft antitrust oversight

Well here we go again!

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday joined Microsoft Corp. in opposing efforts by California, New York and several other states to extend the 2002 antitrust settlement with the company, saying there is no legal basis for another five years of oversight.
I read this at ComputerWorld
When will they know that this Monster has grown to a size that it can not be broken! It is even more important and larger than the OLD Ma Bell! MS can not be touched broken and or modified. If they attempt it, there will be disaster - Chaos and bad stuff for all of us. they should have thought about this when Windows 95 came out! Not now!

AMD hit by birth defects lawsuit

Chip giant AMD was yesterday slapped with a lawsuit from a former worker who claims that exposure to hazardous chemicals during pregnancy had caused multiple birth defects in her son. Now I am nost surprised any more as to why giant Chip Makers like IBM - Intel and AMD move the Chip Production to to Third World Countries! If they had it in North America and/ or Europe that would be sued out of Existence!

Botmaster owns up to 250,000 zombie PC

"An American computer security consultant on Friday admitted using massive botnets to illegally install software on at least 250,000 machines and steal online banking identities of Windows users by evesdropping on them while they made financial transactions." The Question is this: Will we ever have Machine / Operating systems / Applications that are SAFE? I think not!

IndiaTimes website 'attacks visitors'

DO NOT VISIT IndiaTimes under any circumstances!

Visitors to the IndiaTimes website are being bombarded by malware, some of which appear to target previously unknown vulnerabilities in Windows, a security researcher warns.
In all, the English-language Indian news site is directly or indirectly serving up at least 434 malicious files, many of which are not detected by antivirus software, according to Mary Landesman, a senior security researcher at ScanSafe. She said at least 18 different IP addresses are involved in the attack. "The end result of the compromise is that the user, going through their normal course of activities, is subject to a really massive installation of malicious files," she told us. "Coupled with the low detection by antivirus vendors, it does put the end user in a very vulnerable position."

The Winds of change at Adobe

Well stranger things has happened. Changes are happening at Adobe too. We heard that Adobe is to clean up the GUI, man-machine-interface, of the Photoshop. Now we all know and love Photoshop for it's immense power as a tool for pro and ammeter alike. But we all, can attest to the fact that Photoshop is one of the hardest applications to use. True, in time, you will learn how to use it. But I have never heard that one person claim that they know Photoshop 100%. Same goes for man y other huge applications like MS Word, etc. So now, out of the blue and after 15 years of the business as usual, Adobe has decided that enough IS INDEED enough. We assure Adobe, that nothing could better for all the users and potential users of Photoshop will look forward to these changes and improvements to next update of Photoshop. But does this mean that we have to learn a whole new Photoshop? Something to ponder for those of you who know Photoshop well.

The new Claim and or Rumor of an Apple Tablet!

Well here we go again! A new claim from an ASUS insider that Apple Tablet / Brick is real and on it's way soon. A New MacBook Po mimicking the Tablet PC with the OS X super set? OS X for Pen Computing? sounds so familiar to me! Last time IO heard that it came from the Redmond under the name of Windows 1.0 for Pen computing and it was immediately was picked up by Toshiba and others. But the whole idea failed and failed badly. Several Years ago, MS, reanimated this dead horse in form of Tablet PC with a much better handwriting recognition and a slick Physical Form Factor. Still, not many takers! Not a Flop, but certainly nothing to write home about. Now is Apple's turn. Mind you, Apple also toyed with the idea of a tablet before. Yes, you are right. I am talking about Newton. No Color - too large for a PDA - too small for a laptop. Ran for a while, but thanx to Mr. Jobs, it was dumped! The followers / users and zealots for the Newton are fierce and they love it to the point that even know - more than 7 years after the discontinunation of Newton, they are using it. I guess we have to wait and see

MinWin - Windows 7.0 - Another Release of Windows?

Well it seems that MS is hard at work for the next generation of Windows. Code Names MinWin (Smaller - tighter kernel) / Windows 7.0. What is interesting to me is this: Is this version going to be as late in release as the last version (vista)? If so then MS better get a move and fix Vista - Add the missing parts (namely: WinFS - et al). As for us Developers and Users alike, we should all get to be Vista savvy and start using it to it's full potential. I am afraid there are no other viable choices! But, if and that is a huge IF, Microsoft will be in time and will release the Windows 7.0, then question will for in everyones mind as to: why did we wait for long for the release of Vista and what was the Role of Vista! MS will have a lot of explaining to do then.

November 9 - A Big day in Europe! iPhone Introduced!

Well We had our big day in North America Several Months ago. Now seems to be the turn of Europe. The big Day there will be 09 - Nov - 2007. iPhone will be released there. Will it be anything similar to North America? Will there be over night line ups? Will the hype be the same in Europe?

Furthermore, when will iPhone be released in Canada? When will Rogers, the only GSM Carrier in Canada, stop it's power of Monopoly and release an affordable DATA Package that does not cost $500 for 512MB per month and would mimic the package in US at the same price? This will not stand! Rogers - Repent!

FIRST OS X TROJAN HORSE FOUND IN THE WILD!

Is this the beginning of the end? well I realize that every good thing must come to an end, but does that mean that we have to load up our Macs with those ANTI-VIRUS bloatwares? We had a good run though. Full 5 years of scrutiny and safety. I guess now Mac users will full appreciate what windows users have been groin thru fort he past 12 years!

I strongly suggest that no Mac users try to get the so called "Free Porn". You will be sorry!