Hackable home media system features touchscreen controller -Linux Device

Raumfeld System

The Raumfeld System pools digital music from
(Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)  set of networking protocols The goals of UPnP are to allow devices to connect seamlessly and to simplify the implementation of networks in the home (data sharing, communications, and entertainment) derived from plug-and-play, a technology for dynamically attaching devices directly to a computer. UPnP devices are "plug-and-play" in that when connected to a network they automatically announce their network address and supported device and services types, enabling clients that recognize those types to immediately begin using the device.
(Audio and Video) AV/DLNA ( Digital Living Network Alliance)  compatible devices on a home network, including Macs, PCs, NAS (networked-attached storage) devices, or UPnP-based Internet radio appliances. It then streams all this content via Wi-Fi to the system's speakers.
Its algorithms enable the synchronous and lossless transmission of audio files over a standard wireless LAN. This patent-pending technology supports high quality and fully synchronized music playback in many rooms, claims the company. The Raumfeld System can be a free-standing digital music system or work in conjunction with existing stereo equipment via the Connector, the company adds.


The system includes a touchscreen Controller, two types of speakers, and the Connector unit, as well as a Base unit that acts as a Wi-Fi access point and media server. The controller, speakers, and Connectors are all equipped with Marvell's 624MHz PXA310 (Monahans-LV) system-on-chip (SoC), as well as 128MB of RAM and 128MB of flash memory, says Raumfeld. Each of these units is also said to supply 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connections. In addition, the Controller and speakers feature large analog volume controls.

Are you ready for HTML 5?

(HTML5) XX Hyper Text Markup Language 5 

The WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) started developing HTML5 in June 2004. (Read how HTML5 got to that point at Dive into HTML5 by Mark Pilgrim.) By January 2008, a joint effort between the WHATWG and the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) resulted in the publication of the W3C Working Draft. The W3C Candidate Recommendation is due in 2012, with the W3C Recommendation due in 2022.

This would be the point where most people go: "Huh?"

Yes, 2022 is in the future...12 years in the future, to be exact. However, no one has to wait until the final recommendation to start using HTML5. In fact, Google has been using HTML5 for its search and mail application since mid-2009, and the Google PacMan page (created to celebrate PacMan's 30-year anniversary) was created with HTML5 elements. One thing to note, though, is that Google's pages are not valid HTML5.

So why would you want to start using HTML5 now? And what do you have to watch out for? The answers, as always, are "It depends."

Pros

I think the following features will help with HTML5's adoption rate.

New DOCTYPE - Over the years, I have only met a handful of people who have memorized one of the HTML or XHTML DOCTYPES. That's because they look like:

And:

The new HTML5 DOCTYPE is easy to type and easy to remember:

That's it. And adding it to an HTML file is all that's needed to make an HTML5 page.

Semantic areas - Some folks don't care about semantics in any version of HTML. (In this case, "semantics" means that the name of the area matches its purpose. For example, do you know when you should use the CSS class "BoldRed"? How about "warning"? What about a div called "left" as compared to a div called "content"?)

For those who care about semantics, HTML5 addresses them with areas called header, nav, article, section, aside, and footer--you still need CSS to position them, though. All browsers except IE recognize these new areas, and IE will recognize them if you use a script to define them. (Remy Sharp has defined a script for this purpose; read about it at HTML5 enabling script.)

Read more: Are you ready for HTML 5? - FierceContentManagement http://www.fiercecontentmanagement.com/story/are-you-ready-html-5/2010-05-25#ixzz0tsFoyy7i

Liquid-cooled search results

 Google has a newly-issued patent for dual-sided liquid-cooled motherboards. Are they ramping up density instead of building new data centers?
Patent 20080158818
Here’s the basic idea:

• The mobo has the hot components on 1 side and the less hot on the other.
• The liquid cooling unit is sandwiched between 2 mobos.
• Disks are on the outside of the sandwich, as is the DRAM.
• Fans are mounted on the outside to air cool the external low thermal load components.
• The hot stuff is next to the cold stuff.

Here’s a drawing from the patent:

The round holes in this side view are for the liquid coolant.
The patent was filed in December 2006.

Obama Patent Office approves, then nixes trademarks for marijuana

United States Patent and Trademark Office.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, some creative souls at the USPTO created a new category of trademarkable item: “Processed plant matter for medicinal purposes, namely medical marijuana”.
Now, as it turns out, selling pot is a federal crime. So creating a new category of trademark specifically for marijuana was, well, ill-advised. As it turns out, the USPTO created this new category on April 1, 2010. Yep, April Fool’s Day.

Read More at :  
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/government/obama-patent-office-approves-then-nixes-trademarks-for-marijuana/9210?tag=nl.e620

HyperMac Stand props up iPad; extends battery life by 16 hours

Ready to prop up an iPad in either landscape or portrait positions, there are two rubberized slots that holds the tablet at either 18 or 45-degree angles, depending on what you’re doing. (For example, if you want to type on the touchscreen or just watch a movie.)
The shining feature is really the 40-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which can extend the iPad’s battery life by a whopping 16 hours. (You charge the stand via mini-USB.) Users can monitor how far the battery has charged up by the 5-stage lighted LED indicator.
The HyperMac Stand is available now for $129.95. Pricey for an accessory, but at least it sounds useful.

Digital Audio outs Wi-Fi connected Tuner:

The Tuner

"Grace Digital Audio has released its latest home Internet radio, the Tuner. It streams Pandora, Sirius and users' music collections, along with 30,000 Internet radio stations, podcasts and on-demand Wi-Fi radio content. There is both an Ethernet jack and Wi-Fi built-in."

Dell Streak Tablet Phone Will Fully Support Only ATT's Network

Dell Streak Tablet Phone with Android OS

Dell has confirmed that the only wireless carrier that its Android OS-powered Dell Streak tablet phone is going to fully support will be AT&T.

Users will be able to make voice calls on either T-Mobile or AT&T, and connect to both carrier's EDGE service, but this smartphone will support only AT&T's 3G network because T-Mobile's uses a different range of wireless frequencies.

Still, the Streak is going to offer
Wi-Fi, so T-Mobile subscribers could possibly get by using short-range wireless networking at their home and office and the 2.5G standard EDGE when on the move.

As the Streak is going to be a GSM device, Verizon and Sprint customers are going to be completely out in the cold.

Apple Intros Quad-core i5, i7 iMacs 

Apple released updated iMac models sporting quad-core Intel i5 and i7 processors Tuesday morning. Dual-core i3 and i5 models are also available, and the new iMac is available with 21.5-inch and now 27-inch LED backlit displays, too.
"The updated iMac ships with 4GB RAM, a slot loading double-layer 8x SuperDrive, Mini DisplayPort for audio and video out, 802.11n AirPort Extreme wireless networking, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 800 port, a built-in iSight video camera, built-in stereo speakers and microphone, and SDXC SD card slot, and Apple’s Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse."

Apple Quad-core 27-inch iMac

iMac i7 Quad-core

Mozilla issues warning over password-stealing Firefox add-on

Mozilla has issued a warning that an add-on for its popular Firefox web browser called "Mozilla Sniffer" is in fact a keystroke logger. The add-on was included within a collection of tools popular within the security community for discovering vulnerabilities in web applications. Mozilla has already yanked the extension from its site; it will also automatically disable the add-on for an estimated 300 over users who have already downloaded it and installed it.

The nefarious add-on was accidentally discovered by Mozilla user Johann-Peter Hartmann, who was using the sniffer add-on to help a friend with some tests. A parallel tool that Hartmann was running detected a connection to an unrelated address. On further exploration, he discovered that the add-on is secretly sending a copy of the URL, password and other details to a site presumably controlled by the hacker.

For now, Mozilla says that the original site where the data was sent to has been taken down. However, it is not known who is behind it and how much data have been previously pilfered. Even so, Mozilla issued the warning that "Anybody who has installed this add-on should change their passwords as soon as possible."

In response to this debacle, Mozilla says that it is currently working on a new security model that will see new add-ons be code-reviewed before being allowed to be hosted on its addons.mozilla.org site.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at The Inquirer
- check out this article at InfoWorld
- check out this article at Netcraft

YouTube - Keyshia Cole - Trust ft. Monica: ""

• 
  
  
  
  
  Why are songs with such power and emotion not played often. All we hear talked about is sex and getting some.
• 
  
  
  
  
  Trust really is everything when it comes to a relationships. Even with  friendships i can not love somebody i cant trust
  This song is so beautiful. 2talented artist blending 2gether and creating this masterpiece oh this is music worth listerning too!

The Move to an ALL-AES World is Long in Coming.

AES/TKIP/WEP

The Wi-Fi Alliance has a timetable for eliminating outdated WEP and TKIP security from certified Wi-Fi devices:

TKIP and WEP won't be allowed in new devices with the Wi-Fi stamp in a staged elimination over three years starting in 2011.

Anyone reading this site should be well aware that WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), the original local-link encryption standard in 802.11b, has been broken since 2001, and horribly so since 2003.

TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) was a backwards compatible replacement introduced in 2003, and intended to work with older silicon that didn't have either the circuits or computational muster to handle WEP's real replacement, AES-CCMP  AES (also from 2003) is often called WPA2 encryption, although it's more particularly an encryption type that's part of WPA2.

While TKIP hasn't been broken, it has known vulnerabilities, such as a susceptibility to dictionary-based attacks for short keys (eight characters), and some very clever ways to insert packets through manipulating a flaw in the packet integrity protocol. 

The 802.11n standard only allows the use of AES keys, which sometimes provokes confusing statements about its capabilities. Apple updated a support note on 3 June 2010 which stated that 802.11n with WEP or TKIP could only operate at 54 Mbps, when it's perhaps more accurate to state that 802.11n drops down to 802.11g to handle these older security types.

Kelly Davis-Felner, the Wi-Fi Alliance's marketing director, said, "We had a process within our membership to say we have a few aging security mechanisms, one of which is known to be obsolete - and that would be WEP, of course - and we wanted to define what the roadmap would look like to get the whole industry to end of life" the technology.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is a membership trade group that sets certification standards for products that bear the Wi-Fi seal. As such, its efforts are driven by what the members want, and the group allows a typically consistent approach across the entire industry.

TKIP and WEP will be phased out in stages starting 1 January 2011 until 1 January 2014. Changes affect only new devices seeking certification. Companies can also release 802.11 equipment without the Wi-Fi imprimatur, although that's extremely rare, and essentially unheard of among any major equipment maker.

At the start of 2011, access points will no longer be certified with TKIP as an option by itself, commonly revealed as WPA-PSK, WPA-TKIP, or WPA Personal. Mixed modes, in which an AP can accept either TKIP or AES keys, will still be allowed.

But also starting in 2011, manufacturers can opt to ship Wi-Fi hardware preset to use WPA2 out of the box. Currently, Wi-Fi-certified access points have to be set to open, and a purchaser configures it to use security. This is an interesting change, and part of what Davis-Felner said will be greater efforts in the coming year to promote security.

In 2012, new Wi-Fi adapters won't be allowed to support TKIP.

In 2013, WEP is finally disallowed for APs. Inclusion is there only for certain categories of legacy devices for which no other option is available. WEP is used by point of sale systems and older hardware that can't be upgraded. It's a membership decision, so clearly justified by a remaining installed base.

In 2014, the mixed TKIP/AES mode for access points can no longer be included in certified devices, and WEP cannot be available to new client devices.

Bluetooth Gadget Guide

The Bluetooth SIG (special interest group) announced "formal adoption" of Bluetooth 4.0, which includes a new LE (low-energy) mode. Allowing devices to operate for more than a year on button batteries, the spec will let controllers wake host devices within three milliseconds and transfer data at 1Mbps.
Even in advance of the December announcement, chipmakers were jumping on the Bluetooth 4.0 bandwagon. The previous month, for example, Texas Instruments (TI) had announced what it said was the "world's first single-chip, single-mode Bluetooth low energy device" in the form of the CC2540 SoC (left and below).

Single-mode chips such as the TI part will be destined for highly integrated, compact devices that use a minimum of power. Meanwhile, it's said, current Bluetooth chips will be able to talk to such devices once they have been equipped with a new low-energy software stack.


Bluetooth 4.0 Specifications out for Certification http://bit.ly/aQ4GPX



Bluetooth 4.0 leads Gartner's top 10 mobile tech list-http://bit.ly/cTjc4V 2011 Bluetooth 4.0 will introduce a new low-energy (LE) mode that will enable communication with external peripherals and sensors.
Bluetooth 4.0 and its LE technology "will enable a range of new sensor-based business models in industries such as fitness, healthcare, and environmental control and will be used by handset and PC peripherals to enable new functions, such as PCs that autolock when users move away from them," says the research group. Earlier this month, the Bluetooth SIG announced that Bluetooth 4.0 devices will start arriving in the fourth quarter of this year.

T-Mobile SideKick LX

In the annals of wireless industry history, this week will go down as a bloodbath for mobile devices. After Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) halted work on Kin earlier this week, T-Mobile on Friday said it's no longer selling the Sidekick LX and Sidekick 2008.
However, T-Mobile is apparently leaving the door open for future Sidekick devices. "While we work on the next chapter of our storied Sidekick franchise, T-Mobile will continue to provide our loyal Sidekick customers with product service and support. Stay tuned for exciting updates in the months ahead, which we expect will provide customers with a new and fresh experience," a T-Mobile spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement.
The only thing that's surprising is that the Sidekick still has life. The device, regarded as the first true smartphone, was supposed to live on in Microsoft's social networking-oriented Kin phones, but the software giant abandoned that effort this week due to poor sales and a frosty reception from consumers.
The Sidekick's fate was essentially sealed last October when Microsoft's Danger subsidiary, which runs the Sidekick service, suffered a major database outage that led to some users losing contacts and other personal data stored on their devices.
Microsoft said the outage only affected a "minority" of T-Mobile's approximately one million Sidekick subscribers, but the carrier had to suspend Sidekick sales for more than a month while Microsoft worked to stabilize the service platform. Microsoft was also targeted in class action suits from angry Sidekick customers.
But even without the outage, Microsoft's commitment to future development of the Sidekick has been in doubt for some time. Many T-Mobile customers saw Microsoft's February 2008 acquisition of Danger as a death knell for their beloved Sidekick, and in the wake of the outage neither Microsoft nor T-Mobile would confirm plans to develop future models.
T-Mobile in April 2009 unveiled the Sidekick LX, which was the first Sidekick to run on T-Mobile's 3G data network.

 For the rest of IT Channel News click here: 
IT Channel News

Hands on iPhone 4 and the iOS 4 (iPhone OS 4).mov

Quick and dirty USB WiFi dongle waveguide

Quick and dirty USB wifi dongle waveguide - More DIY How To Projects

Don't Blame Google For Grabbing Your Data

All, this data was being publicly broadcast to anyone (and not just Google) who would care to see it. They didn't have to break into your house or network to get it. If I posted private data on a sign outside my house and the Street View cameras captured that in a photo, would Google then be invading my privacy?

No one is accusing Google of doing anything improper with the data. Rather Google is being accused of keeping data that people broadcast (perhaps published or delivered may be a more apt description) to them. 

What WiFI Eavesdroppers See on Unsecured Networks

Introduction To Wireshark





Fortunately, things are getting better. With the more recent versions of PC operating systems (both Windows and Mac) setting up a network has gotten easier. Recent TV commercials for Cisco's Valet networking appear to make it simple to set up a secure wireless network. The commercials tout the ease of setup but only hint that the network is secured (which it is). Cisco's Valet Free Shipping Order online store

This concept is great, and I'm sure we'll see similar offerings from others. Although I'm tempted to scream, "What took you so long?"--I'm glad it's now available.

We still have to large tasks ahead of us. The first is to continually educate people about the need to secure their networks. Second is to figure out a way to handle all of those existing unsecured networks out there.

Channel NewsAsia

HTC EVO 4G review stripped the WiMAX-toting smartphone down to its shockingly red rear panel.

Linux-ready Linksys 802.11n router revue -Linux for Devices

Cisco announced an updated line of Linksys wireless 802/11/b/g/n routers for the home market, including a Linux model. The E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router with Linux OS offers four 10/100 Ethernet ports, a USB port, a UPnP AV Media Server, and -- like the other E-Series WiFi routers -- provides new, more customizable Cisco Connect software.

The $120 Linksys E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router with Linux OS is one of four new E-Series routers for the home market, all of which are said to offer 802.11b/g/n WiFi bandwidth at up to 300Mbps. The four E-Series routers also debut the Cisco Connect software, which makes it easier for users to customize and control wireless network settings, claims Cisco.

Cisco Connect auto-assigns the WPA security passkey and SSID for easier installation, says the company. Other features are said to include adding devices, setting device-specific parental controls, and providing visitors with password-protected Internet access on a separate guest network.

According to Cisco, the software provides easier access to customizing advanced settings and changing the network SSID and password than did the previous Linksys software. Meanwhile, advanced users can still opt for changing settings through the default IP address (192.168.1.1).

Linksys E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router with Linux OS
(Click to enlarge)
The sole Linux model, the Linksys E2100L, offers greater customization flexibility compared to the other E-Series routers, says Cisco. The E2100L appears to be identical to Cisco's first Linksys home router equipped with 802.11n, the Linux-based Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router with Storage Link (WRT160NL), announced last June.

It's difficult to say exactly how similar the products are, as Cisco has not released detailed technical specs, as it did with the WRT160NL. It appears, however, that the only meaningful difference from the WRT160NL, which was said to offer a 400MHz processor, 32MB DDRAM, and 8MB flash, may be the new Cisco Connect software.

Side view of Linksys E2100L
(Click to enlarge)
The Linksys E2100L router establishes an 802.11n WiFi hotpot, but like the WRT160NL, is limited to four fast Ethernet (10/100Mbps) ports rather than the gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000Mbps) offered with the new, identically priced Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router. The Linux model also lacks the E2000's selectable 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands, operating only over 2.4GHz.

On the other hand, the E2100L supplies two key features not offered by the E2000: a USB port for connecting storage devices, and a UPnP AV Media Server, which can stream entertainment content to an Xbox 360, PS3, or another UPnP-compatible device, says the company.

The earlier WRT160NL's USB port was referred to as a "Storage Link" port, a name not used with the new model. In either case, however, it appears to be no different than any other USB 2.0 host port.

As with the WRT160NL, the E2100L is equipped with two detachable antennas, says Cisco. Security features provided by the E2100L are said to include WPA/WPA2 Personal, WPA /WPA2 Enterprise, and SPI firewall protection. (For more technical details on the similar WRT160NL model, please see our earlier coverage here.)

Linsksys E2100L
The remaining two new E-Series models include the $80 Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router, which offers four 10/100 Ethernet ports, and on the high end, the $180 Linksys E3000 High-Performance Wireless-N Router, says Cisco. The latter is said to offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz operation, four gigabit Ethernet ports, and a UPnP AV media server. In addition, the company introduced a $70 USB-connected Linksys AE1000 Wireless-N Adapter.

In December, Cisco followed up on the WRT160NL by announcing a similarly styled Linux-based WiFi router, touted as the first 802.11n dual-band clustering access point for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Cisco AP 541N Wireless Access Point is equipped with dual-band 802.11n, a single gigabit Ethernet port, "robust" security, voice roaming, and clustering technology, says Cisco.

The 802.11n standard boasts as much as twice the range of 802.11g. It also offers better service quality and far greater bandwidth: from the typical maximum of 300Mbps to a theoretical 600Mbps.

Stated Jonathan Kaplan, SVP and GM of Cisco Consumer Products, "Linksys pioneered the first home router 10 years ago, and 50 million units later is the world's leading provider of home wireless routers. The new E-Series caters to Linksys' core technology-minded consumer base, with a simplified product line-up that is ideal for today's sophisticated home network user."

Availability

The Linksys E2100L Advanced Wireless-N Router with Linux OS is available now for $120, says Cisco. All the E-series routers are available immediately at Amazon, Staples, and Linksys.com, and can soon be found at Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and other leading retailers, says the company.