Author Archives: iksib

According to this CNN article, it will be a good long while before the folks at Google will be talking to any reporters from CNET. Not until July 2006, to be exact. A CNET story, dated July 14, tried to make a point about the importance of privacy concerns by giving an example of the type of personal information easily available online. The sample victim? Google CEO Erick Schmidt. See for yourself. Writer Elinor Mills found Schmidt’s estimated net worth, where he lives (with his wife, Wendy), some of his hobbies and even political donations…all via Google searches.

The article goes on at length to address the larger issue of privacy and the type of personal information readily available via the internet, including through other search engines like Yahoo! and MSN. Citing Google’s motto of “doing no evil,” as well as the company’s reputation as a good corporate citizen, the piece also includes commentary from some individuals with less faith in Google’s ability to simultaneously meet the demands of shareholders, other economic incentives and safeguarding mammoth amounts of personal information.

It’s not news that we’ve grown accustomed to and greatly enjoy the benefits of the digital age. The lesson here? For now, it’s…don’t mess with CEOs.

Congratulations, Longhorn Windows Vista! The birth of your first virus!

And so it begins.

According to Info World, an Austrian hacker whose aliases include “Second Part To Hell” and “Mario” wrote viruses designed to take advantage of a new command shell in Windows Vista, code-named Monad. Published on July 21 in a virus-writing tutorial for the underground hacker group called the Ready Ranger Liberation Front, the viruses are considered to be proof-of-concept, and appear to be the first for the new OS, whose beta was released mere days before.

I don’t know about any of you, but I’m still trying to figure out what/where the First Part To Hell is.

If you’re Continental Airlines, providing your customers with free wireless internet access at Boston’s Logan airport could apparently “pose an unacceptable potential risk” to communications gear used by security personnel. This story got some long legs yesterday when the Associated Press, among others, wrote about Logan’s attempt to terminate Continental’s free WiFi node, which is in direct competition to the airport’s $7.95/day service.

According to the AP, Continental’s lounge at Logan has been wireless-ready since June 2004, but it took Logan officials more than 12 months to notify the airline in writing that the antenna for said service “violated the terms of its lease.” Conveniently enough, Massport, the agency responsible for the airport’s operation, then apparently told the airline it could route its wireless signals over Logan’s own WiFi signal. This, of course, could be done at a “very reasonable rate structure.” The FCC is unlikely to rule on the matter before Aug. 29, the deadline for accepting public comments on Continental’s complaint.

At least the article goes on to quote someone willing to call Massport’s bluff. “It’s hard to imagine how this is a security threat,” an industry consultant says. “They clearly don’t want the competition.”

Really?

So apparently last week’s Christian Game Developers Conference was noteworthy enough for Wired’s John Gartner to write not one but two articles on game publishers striving to, according to one CEO, “…shake up the industry in a positive way.” Given Rockstar’s recent avalanche of bad press surrounding GTA: San Andreas, I suppose the timing of such articles couldn’t be better.

Perhaps it’s just me, but one of the games Gartner writes about, Timothy and Titus, from Australia’s White Knight Games, really perplexes me. The simple fact that a company has designed a role-playing game emphasizing increasing love, hope and faith points instead of health or weapon skills kinda leaves me dumbfounded. As an educated, fair-minded and tolerant person I’m not passing judgement on the validity of such concepts in video games, but perhaps because I was raised on car racing, Goomba bashing, ID’s gory shooters or the wonderful work of Sid Meier, Maxis and Blizzard, my mind is not equipped to even process the existence of a game where you can pray for foes or use the “finger of God” to convert them. That’s right…YOU CAN USE THE FINGER OF GOD TO CONVERT THEM. Am I the only one who’s really hoping this topic becomes the subject of a Penny Arcade comic sometime in the near future? If so, just go ahead and use the damn finger of God on me already. I guess I deserve to be purged of my inner heathen.

UPDATE (7:42 am PST 8/5/05): Check the comments for a clarification on Gartner’s article. I guess my inner heathen might be safe after all!

Seeing information about CraftRobo, the printer with the built in cutting head capable of spitting out pre-cut patterns that can then be folded into 3d objects reminded me of this incredibly cool section of Yamaha’s web site (who knew?). Apparently motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, industrial robots, unmanned helicopters and pool technology just weren’t enough.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, thanks to the good folks at Yamaha Motor Co., those of us lucky enough to possess an internet-enabled computer and a printer (color, preferably) can make our very own “Paper Crafts.” From the YZR-M1 motorcycle to the sumatran orang-utan or even the little spotted kiwi (how cute!), the site has a wealth of patterns, each as pdfs that also include assembly directions. Forget the excitement over hauling long-thought-extinct coelacanths up from the bowels of the ocean – I have one right on my desk!

Get to work, people! I want to see five animals and two machines on my desk by the end of the day!

Today I spent some time following this forum over at Ars Technica. It’s a very interesting commentary about what appears to be an emerging aspect of the console gaming industry, specifically based on Sony Computer Entertainment CEO/Prez Ken Kutaragi’s comments on how expensive the PS3 is going to be:

“I’m aware that with all these technologies, the PS3 can’t be offered at a price that’s targeted towards households. [as opposed to..?] I think everyone can still buy it if they wanted to…I’m not going to reveal its price today. I’m only going to say that it’ll be expensive.”
[courtesy Ars Technica and CNET]

The entire thread is interesting because of the simple fact that the purported pricing schemes (a ≥$399 PS3!) in home gaming consoles stands diametrically opposed to, say, pricing in the pc industry. The article does point out, to its credit, the fact that all of this talk may just be that…talk. Get people to expect something to sell for over $400 and deliver a system for a good bit less, and they eagerly snap it up. I don’t how much weight can be placed in that theory, but then again, I don’t pretend to be an expert on the gaming industry. Add Kutaragi’s comments about the PS3’s apparent 10 year life cycle to the mix, and it’s more than the fanboys who are left with stuff to talk about.

So Gizmodo and Gadgetizer already hit this up, but I couldn’t resist mentioning it. While I’m not completely certain of the LD policy on writing about inventive ways of getting your drink on, the simple fact that a company designed a cellphone-shaped flask deserves some props. With a 4 0z. capacity, consumption is achieved, according to Gadgetizer, via “pretending to chew” on the antenna-shaped nozzle.

I guess nobody seems to notice (or care) that the “screen” is white and the “buttons” don’t even have any numbers. But it has a case, man! A genuine leather case! Yeesh. Come on, now – who are you fooling?

According to this BBC article, Indian company HCL Infosystems has launched its first low-close personal computer. A mere 9,990 ruppes (~$225), the machine’s specifications include a VIA or Intel Celeron processor running at 1 GHz, 128 MB DDRAM, a 40 GB hard drive, 15″ monitor and Linux as its OS.

Reading this, I can’t help but think about MIT Medica Lab cofounder Nicholas Negroponte’s $100 laptop project, which strives to provide cheap computers for those in developing countries. As prices for mass-produced computers continues to fall and projects like Negroponte’s continue to push manufacturers to go cheaper and simpler, the potential for rapid growth of the non-wealthy user base is undeniable. According to HCL’s CEO and Chairman, within 15 months of launching a computer priced below 15,000 rupees (~$340), the company’s market share grew more than 10 percent. Granted, the ability of the extreme poor to even afford a machine costing a few hundred dollars is suspect, but lower cost computers will increase access for millions (even billions).

Take a look at these numbers (from 2002, courtesy the CIA World Factbook):

Of a population of nearly 296 million, the US has an estimated 159 million internet users (53.7%).

Of a population of more than 1 billion, India has an estimated 18 million internet users (1.8%).

Look out, world.

I just want to take a second to introduce myself as the newest member of the LD team. While Boston is more than a few miles away from the sun-drenched beaches of the west coast, Silicon Valley, Rice-a-Roni and, most importantly, good weather, I assure you my location makes me no less interested in the machinations of the tech industry and the wondrous products that emerge from its doors. Feel free to send comments, suggestions (and compliments, most importantly) my way – I’m looking forward to serving all of you as best I can!