Ars Technica: We cut through the clutter—apps, lock screens, bloatware, and more.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Linux Today
Tag Archives: Ars Technica
VLC Media Player Back on App Store After Nearly 3 Years
Late in 2010, an iOS version of the popular, open-source VLC media player appeared on the App Store. But by January 2011, Apple had pulled the app, facing possible litigation from one of VLC’s original creators. According to a report from Ars Technica, version 2.0 of the app has now returned to the New Zealand and Australian App Stores, with a U.S. launch scheduled for late Thursday night.
Image Source: Ars Tech/VLC
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Tech
ACLU complains to FTC that mobile carriers leave Android phones unsecured
Smartphones with custom versions of Android offered by large mobile operators in the U.S. are not getting security updates as regularly as phones from Google, or smartphones from other vendors like Microsoft, according to a complaint by the American Civil Liberties Union to the Federal Trade Commission.
“Android smartphones that do not receive regular, prompt security updates are defective and unreasonably dangerous,” ACLU said in the complaint on Tuesday.
The complaint against AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA states that “all of the major wireless carriers have failed to deliver regular, prompt updates to Android phones which they have sold to their customers,” citing results from a survey in December last year by technology news site Ars Technica.
The sale of mobile computing devices such as smartphones and the software updates to the devices are not part of common carrier activities, and are hence subject to FTC authority, according to the complaint, a copy of which is on the ACLU website.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Apple Streaming Music Service May Launch Soon
Rumors of Apple’s streaming music service to compete with services like Pandora have grabbed the spotlight again, and Ars Technica reports that the Cupertino company is closer than ever to reaching deals with major record labels.
Sources told CNET that the radio option is a gambit to boost download sales through iTunes, and will be designed with “quick-buy” features. The Cupertino company is also in the midst of making headway in negotiations with the so-called “Big Four” record labels, inching closer to deals with Warner Music and Universal Music Group but still working with EMI and Sony Music. There’s plenty of steps ahead before a radio station system is ready — namely agreements with music publishers — but sources say Apple is on the move.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Tech
EA's Origin has an Exploit, Leaving Gamers Vulnerable to Hackers
The ability to infiltrate a remote computer via uniform resource identifiers (URI) exploits is nothing new, per se. A hacker gets someone to click on a link, which actually opens up the victim’s system to the infiltration of malware. But as reported by Ars Technica, research group ReVuln has found a potentially dangerous URI exploit within EA’s Origin client which could leave as many as 40 million gamers vulnerable.
The ReVuln team gave a presentation last week at the Black Hat security conference in Amsterdam. Apparently, getting someone to click on an “origin://” prefixed link is all it takes, as the Origin client then downloads a dynamic link library file to the victim’s computer. The ReVuln team has also released a paper, detailing the exploit, which mentions a similar vulnerability discovered in Valve’s Steam platform last year.
Leading Publishers Join The New York Times Company's Ricochet Platform
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Leading Publishers Join The New York Times Company’s Ricochet Platform
Ad Age, Condé Nast, Forbes and PEOPLE Digital Among First to Utilize the Digital Marketing Solution
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The New York Times Company has added Advertising Age, the Condé Nast portfolio, Forbes and PEOPLE Digital to the list of publishers whose content will now be available on Ricochet (www.ricochetmedia.net), the Company’s content marketing platform.
Ricochet allows brands to search and find content from premium publishers, upload their ad creative and share it with their owned media channels and social following. The Ricochet platform (patent pending) creates a unique Web address that binds the brand’s advertising to content for a set duration. During that duration the brand can share the Ricochet links through any of its owned media channels and across social media.
“The involvement of these prominent publishers and titles underscores Ricochet’s position as a platform that provides value and opportunity to both major publishers and prominent advertisers,” said Michael Zimbalist, vice president, research & development operations, The New York Times Company. “As brands increasingly become content providers for their audiences, Ricochet will play an important role as a content marketplace and in so doing generate an entirely new revenue stream for publishers.”
“At Ad Age we consistently identify new technologies for marketers. Those technologies are then used to provide marketing solutions for own advertising partners,” said Allison Arden, vice president, publisher of Advertising Age. “Ricochet allows us to create contextually relevant opportunities for brands while also distributing our award-winning most relevant content through social platforms. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Drew Schutte, chief integration officer, Condé Nast said: “Since the majority of content shared in the social space is articles from publishers and our titles are renowned for their standards of editorial excellence, our audiences tend to share our content prodigiously, which render them highly influential and therefore highly coveted. With access to Ricochet we are thrilled that marketers will be able to better align with our content as part of their social Web campaigns. This is only the tip of the spear in how we can leverage this kind of break-through technology.”
The 26 Condé Nast titles that will be available through Ricochet are: Allure, Architectural Digest, Ars Technica, Beauty Inc, Bon Appetit, Brides, Traveler, Details, Epicurious, Footwear News, Glamour, Golf Digest, Golf …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Former Apple Employee Reveals Giant Prototype iPhone from 2005
Back in the summer of 2007, Steve Jobs walked out on a stage and changed the mobile market with the announcement of the first iPhone. But as you might have guessed, that first model didn’t look exactly like the first prototype. Speaking to Ars Technica, an alleged former Apple employee has released pictures of a big, clunky iPhone from 2005.
An Inside Look at Apple's Stringent Security Practices
On Friday, Ars Technica released an exhaustive report documenting Apple’s security techniques, hoping to lay rumors to rest regarding the tech giant’s alleged assignment of fake projects to its Cupertino team of engineers. While no evidence of fake projects surfaced, the report does give a peek into the generally stonwalled Apple’s very stringent security measures, which are designed to deter potential defectors and catch perpetrators quickly.
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Tech
Links 19 Jan: Kim Dotcom's PR System Is Certainly Working Well Over Mega
By Tim Worstall, Contributor It’s rare to see an entirely new company and service get quite this much coverage before it even launches. Kim Dotcom‘s new Mega is all over the press today. Ars Technica has an interview: He was in boyish good spirits as around 150 contractors buzzed around his mansion and its acres of grounds, building a giant “Mega” sign on the front lawn and erecting a mobile stage that production company MadAnt says is New Zealand‘s largest. He mugged for the camera and joked “it’s another raid” as a helicopter flew overhead.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest