October – 2010 – TechVirtuoso

Google’s ‘best deal ever’

October 28th, 2010 at 7:58 AM 1 Comment Frank Owen

David Lawee, vice president of corporate development for Google, stated at the 16th annual Stanford Accel Symposium that acquiring Android Inc. was Google’s “best deal ever.” It is hard to argue with him with the rumored acquisition cost of $50 mil, especially with the market share the OS has gained in the last year.

With as many acquisitions that continue to happen at Google it may be a hard statement for Android to keep up with. With Microsoft revamping their Mobile OS, HP brining Palm to the new level, RIM deciding it better get moving and Apple sitting on it’s laurels who knows what will happen in the coming years in the mobile space.

Apple plotting to cut carriers out of the iPhone game?

October 27th, 2010 at 6:31 PM 3 Comments Michael Stanclift

Is it possible Apple is plotting to cut carriers like AT&T out of the iPhone sales process in the next version of the iPhone? GigaOM seems to think so:

Sources inside European carriers have reported that Apple has been working with SIM-card manufacturer Gemalto to create a special SIM card that would allow consumers in Europe to buy a phone via the web or at the Apple Store and get the phones working using Apple’s App Store.

It’s rumored that Apple and Gemalto have created a SIM card, which is typically a chip that carries subscriber identification information for the carriers, that will be integrated into the iPhone itself.

Much like it helped cut operators out of the app store game, Apple could be taking them out of the device retail game. Yes, carriers will still have to allow the phone to operate on their networks, which appears to be why executives from various French carriers have been to Cupertino in recent weeks.

I’m not quite sure I see how this cuts them out, as you’d still need a contract unless everyone is going to start buying an iPhone that costs $700+ again, and the carriers decide to drop the prices of the plans. Yeah, right. Apple is Apple, and they have a lot of power to make people and companies do what they want but I fail to see how this is any kind of huge game changer.

If anything, it creates complications for those who want to unlock their phones. Really, this could be a good thing for the carriers who are locking in customers to their network. Although as exclusivity agreements begin to expire around the world and talk about an iPhone on Verizon in the United States becomes more assured, the market for iPhone unlocking could become less and less popular.

It’s a shame that we’ve come so far towards standardizing things like SIM cards, power chargers, and other technologies for mobile devices yet Apple manages to push everything in a different direction just for the sake of thinking different.

Russia planning to create ‘Windows rival’

October 27th, 2010 at 6:13 PM 1 Comment Michael Stanclift

Remember back in 2000 when Steve Ballmer called Linux communist? Turns out it’s not that far from the truth.

Russia plans to break it’s dependence on Microsoft technology and revamp its computer services with a Windows rival, to better monitor computer security. According to Russian lawmaker Ilia Ponomarev, the state has committed 150 million rubles (3.5 million euros, 4.9 million dollars) to develop a new operating system based on Linux.

By monitoring computer security, maybe what they mean is better monitor all the Russian anti-government groups who recently got a free pass by Microsoft to use as much of their software as they want. The government had been arresting members and shutting down these groups for “anti-piracy enforcement” but Microsoft reaffirmed it’s commitment to provide non-profit NGOs in Russia with it for free.

Just what the heck is Apple building in North Carolina?

October 27th, 2010 at 3:39 PM 1 Comment Michael Stanclift

Yesterday and earlier today we talked about the construction going on near Apple’s massive 500,000 square foot datacenter, and what seems to be their plans to build an identically massive datacenter in the same 183 acre parcel of land. As it turns out, the fun may not stop there. Digital Daily has uncovered information from the Catawba County Geospatial Information Services, which indicates Apple also owns an slightly smaller yet also large (70 acre) parcel of land just across the street.

While this space could be used for anything from an office complex, to what Digital Daily jokes as “using it to build some Jobsian theme park” it could also be used to build a third datacenter full of shiny new XServes.

Apple better have some grand plan for their new cloud that is equally as impressive as the real estate and facilities they’ve been collecting. It is a bit concerning though that they seem to be focusing all their money and energy into the hills of Maiden, North Carolina. While it’s totally possible Apple has purchased equally huge tracts of land in other corners of the country (or globe) under the radar of the press, as it stands right now they’re putting all their data into one very large set of baskets in Tar Heel Country.

Sprint: iDEN will go away, eventually

October 27th, 2010 at 2:22 PM 3 Comments Michael Stanclift

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, speaking to FierceWireless, explained that Sprint will eventually shut down the iDEN network that they inherited in the 2004 acquisition of Nextel. But don’t expect your push to talk to quit working tomorrow. Hesse gave no firm date on its demise.

“Over time, we’ll have fewer and fewer customers on the iDEN network,” he said. “That allows us to use some of that capacity on the network that is freed up and use it for CDMA. It’s a gradual process. There will be an end date for all 2G, just like there was an end date for 1G.”

He also touched on their plans to implement 4G through LTE on their network, just as the other major carriers have committed to doing, but did not announce what network vendor they would partner with. As it is now, Sprint has their 4G network through Clearwire’s WiMax technology, which some have questioned its ability to hold up to LTE, once it becomes the standard protocol in the United States.

Boonana trojan horse attacks Mac OS X

October 27th, 2010 at 1:58 PM No Comments Michael Stanclift

Mac’s don’t get viruses, right? Wrong. SecureMac is warning of a new trojan marked “trojan.osx.boonana.a” that affects all versions of Mac OS X including the latest version of Snow Leopard. In typical non-creative fashion, the virus is spreading through social networking sites disguised as a video.

When a user clicks the infected link, the trojan initially runs as a Java applet, which downloads other files to the computer, including an installer, which launches automatically. When run, the installer modifies system files to bypass the need for passwords, allowing outside access to all files on the system. Additionally, the trojan sets itself to run invisibly in the background at startup, and periodically checks in with command and control servers to report information on the infected system. While running, the trojan horse hijacks user accounts to spread itself further via spam messages. Users have reported the trojan is spreading through e-mail as well as social media sites.

Because the exploit is Java based, it’s cross platform, meaning this also can hit Windows users. However, given any self respecting Windows user is/should be running a decent anti-virus program their exposure should be more limited. This is one of the first cross platform virues, but not the first for the Mac. As SecureMac points out, as Apple’s marketshare grows their exposure to virus and other malware attack vectors increase.

The easy way to protect yourself from this attack is, not to click stupid links. However, turning off Java inside your browser unless you need it is another recommended method. SecureMac has released a free removal tool to eliminate this threat, which can be downloaded directly from their website.

Verizon tests 10Gbps fiber Internet connection

October 27th, 2010 at 1:23 PM 5 Comments Michael Stanclift

I can’t think of anyone person who could fully saturate a 10gb fiber Internet connection for much of anything… legally… for very long, but Verizon seems to think it’s important enough to show off that it can be done. They recently gave the Elks Lodge in Taunton, Massachusetts the chance.

Using the FiOS infrastructure, a desktop with a 10Gbps network card and some fancy optical magic, they were able to push a 2.3GB file between the Lodge and their network switching center in around four seconds. Since the connection was symmetric, they were able to push huge amounts of data in both directions.

While it will be a long time before this type of connection is available to consumers, if ever, it’s great that Verizon is continuing to research and push the limits of their network.

via Ars Technica

T-Mobile will beat Sprint by 4 days on release of Galaxy Tab

October 27th, 2010 at 9:59 AM No Comments Michael Stanclift

T-Mobile has announced that they’ll be releasing their version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab on November 10, four days ahead of Sprint who recently announced they’d be releasing their version on November 14. Both carriers will be offering the device for $399 with a two year data contract.

The T-Mobile version sports the same specs as the Sprint, including a 7-inch Enhanced TFT touchscreen display and Android 2.2, except that it will support the T-Mobile HSPA+ network instead of Sprint’s 4G network. T-Mobile customers can take advantage of T-Mobile’s monthly 5GB or 200MB webConnect mobile broadband plans or the newly launched prepaid mobile broadband offerings.

Apple looking at Thanksgiving to bring new NC datacenter online

October 27th, 2010 at 9:33 AM No Comments Michael Stanclift

There is a lot of speculation out there pointing that Apple will be using the Thanksgiving holiday to move their iTunes backend over to their new North Carolina datacenter. 148Apps.biz says that Apple will be locking developers out of their iTunes Connect accounts for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

In typical Apple super-secret fashion it’s unknown exactly what this datacenter is being used for. Apple could be locking developers out just because turtle-neck decided that they needed to spend more time with their families. However, as this is Apple’s first significant datacenter presence, and it’s generally expected to come online by the end of the year, chances are pretty good that the lockout is due to a massive data and routing migration.

The 500,000 square foot facility has cost Apple nearly a billion dollars, and they’ve already begun expanding.

TechFieldDay San Jose 2010, we will be there!

October 26th, 2010 at 9:31 PM No Comments Frank Owen

I am honored to be chosen for one of the Delegates for TechFieldDay, San Jose 2010 presented by GestaltIT. If you have not heard of these events it is very similar to the HP Tech Day’s that are put on throughout the year and that we have been involved with.

The TechFieldDay coordinators get a group of sponsors together (Past sponsors have been companies like F5, Data Robotics, Cisco, HP… the list goes on and on) that pay for bloggers to come out to a city for 2 non stop days of “engagement, education, hands-on experience, and feedback”.

(more…)

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »