Tech-Ex

Woman Loses Disability Insurance Over Facebook Photos

2009-11-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

We've discussed how using Facebook and other social networking sites can get you fired, or even keep you from getting a job. In this case, a Canadian woman lost her disability insurance payment because of Facebook photos.

Before anyone asks, it's disability insurance, not the Universal Health Care that Canada has. So, in this case, it's not covered by their Universal Health system.

Nathalie Blanchard, 29, from Quebec, has been disabled from her position at IBM for one and a half years due to deep depression. During that period, she has received monthly disability checks from Manulife. Those, however, recently stopped coming.

When BLanchard checked with Manulife, she was told that based on the Facebook pictures Manulife had seen, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a vacation at the beach, she is no longer depressed.

A few questions arise at this point. According to Nathalie Blanchard, she had her Facebook privacy settings enabled. So, just how did Manulife access her photos?

Additionally, Blanchard added that "having fun" was her doctor's advice. As a way to forget her problems, she followed his advice, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short vacations.

Her lawyer Tom Lavin said "I don't think for judging a mental state that Facebook is a very good tool. It's not as if somebody had a broken back and there was a picture of them carrying with a load of bricks. My client was diagnosed with a major depression. And there were pictures of her on Facebook, in a party or having a good time. It could be that she was just trying to escape."

Lavin added that he has requested another psychiatric evaluation for Blanchard.

Manulife confirmed to the CBC that they do use Facebook for these sorts of "checks," but added that they would not solely use Facebook to make a judgment.

Regarding the possible depression that Blanchard faces and the so-called "happiness ban" that Manulife seems to have instituted, I consulted with Dr. Dominika Osmolska, PsyD, about the issue.

She said, "Just because you're at the beach doesn't mean you aren't depressed. People to go the ocean to drown themselves, to make it 'beautiful.' A few Facebook photos does not prove you are mentally healthy."

She did add, however, that most people who are clinically depressed to the point of being disabled for 1 1/2 years would be unlikely to want to leave the house. That is, of course, not an absolute.

It is troubling that said she had her profile "locked" and yet Manulife was able to view it. If that is the case, than none of us on Facebook are safe. I have emailed Facebook with a request for a comment on this.

"What Happening" At Twitter? A Sea Change

2009-11-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seems like a very slight change, two characters less, but the meaning is definitely different. Today Twitter changed its familiar question which you would answer in a Tweet from "What are you doing?" to "What's Happening?"

It's a nod to something that's been obvious for some time: while Twitter was first envisioned as a service that allowed people to say what they "were doing," it's become a service that's being used to broadcast news and more. It's less about what a person is doing, and more an information resource used by whomever wants to use it.

Thus, we see this change. It's a small number of characters, but it certainly shows how Twitter has grown. As founder Biz Stone said in a blog post about the change:

The fundamentally open model of Twitter created a new kind of information network and it has long outgrown the concept of personal status updates. Twitter helps you share and discover what's happening now among all the things, people, and events you care about. "What are you doing?" isn't the right question anymore—starting today, we've shortened it by two characters. Twitter now asks, "What's happening?"

Google Details The Chrome OS

2009-11-19T11:56:00.001-08:00

Google held an event on Thursday to unveil details about is Chrome OS, which was first announced in July. Prior to Thursday, only miniscule details about the OS were known, including it running on netbooks, and delivery of the final product in the second half of 2010.

First, as part of its announcement today, Google said that Google would be releasing all of the operating system’s code and design documents to the public. Chrome OS is a Linux-based, open-source operating system based on Google’s Chrome browser. “As of today, the code will be fully open, which means Google developers will be working on the same tree as open developers,” said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management for Google.

So besides being open-source, Linux-based, and centered on Google's Chrome browser, what else can be said about the Chrome OS? In a nutshell, Chrome OS IS the Chrome browser. Basically, everything runs through the cloud, included applications, and in reality what you have is the Google Chrome browser extended, with the help, probably, of BIOS extensions from the OEMs Google will partner with, to run a complete netbook or other computing device.

That's the view in a nutshell, and you can see this would be a great way for Google to move more end users to its cloud-based services and applications, like Google Docs. However, on Thursday, Google emphasized speed, speed and more speed for its Chrome OS. Being built on Google's Chrome browser, the OS will be lightweight. Google intends, as well, for the OS to boot up near instantaneously. Right now, Google says Chrome boots in 7 seconds.

Chrome OS will be user installable, but only on a "Chrome OS device." The initial focus will be netbooks, from manufacturers that Google is working with. At least, that's the plan for 2010; Google wants to run on laptops, desktops, etc. eventually.

All the applications will run through the Web, like Google Docs. Think of it as a "cloud device," although if an app wants to run offline, it can. You'll remember that some Google web-based apps can already do this, using Google Gears.

For security, remember how everything in Chrome (the browser) is sandboxed, so that web-based malware is encapsulated and unable to affect the rest of the system? The Chrome OS will work similarly. As Google said, right now all apps in a typical OS have the same privileges as you do. In the Chrome OS, all apps will be untrusted by default.

In order to work on a whole device, and to be able to work when a USB device is plugged in, Google will have to create drivers. That's probably the most challenging portion of the project; Microsoft, despite its foibles, should be applauded for making Windows run on most hardware without a glitch. Granted, drivers are written by OEMs, but Microsoft still must certify them.

No pricing was announced, and not hard deadlines. However, Google was pretty clear about a late 2010 release, and if Google Chrome OS is netbook-centric, we may see devices in the $200 - 600 range. We may even see lower prices if Google "gives" the OS away.

Watch a video about Chrome OS.

Irony: Microsoft Banned From Selling Windows In China

2009-11-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

Irony of ironies. Microsoft has been banned from selling Windows in China, the ultimate land of piracy. One would think it might be the other way around (if it were possible, that is).

The ban arose after a Beijing court ruled that Microsoft violated its licensing agreement with Zhongyi Electronic. The products in question, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 and Windows 98 include Chinese fonts designed by the company. However, Zhongyi said that the agreement it signed with Microsoft only allowed it to use the special fonts in Windows 95.

Microsoft said it plans to appeal the ruling, and in a unintentionally hilarious statement added it "respects intellectual property rights" and uses the intellectual property of third parties "only when we have a legitimate right to do so". The hilarity of course, results from the country of origin of the complaint, China.

In August, four people were jailed in China for selling a bootleg version of Windows XP. State -operated Xinhua news agency called it China's biggest software piracy case to date.

Meanwhile, last month Microsoft was faced with the dire prospect of seeing bootleg copies of Windows 7 flooding the Chinese market, even before the new system went on sale.

Palm Pixi, Pre Prices Slashed At Amazon.com

2009-11-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you didn't pay $100 for the Palm Pixi when it launched a few days ago. If you did, you probably feel seriously ticked off, as you can now get the Palm Pixi at Amazon.com for a mere $25, and without having to mail any rebates in.

Meanwhile, Amazon.com has cut the Palm Pre's price to $80, matching a previously announced offer from Wal-Mart (and Let's Talk). However, as I said, the Amazon.com deals are super-easy, and don't involve any rebate forms.

They do, of course, require a two-year service plan.

Amazon.com doesn't note any end date for these prices, however, if you don't sign up by Monday you will lose out on a Sprint free activation offer.

One thing's clear: the $100 and under space is becoming full of smartphones, with the exception of the highest profile ones, such as the iPhone and the Droid. It's going to be an interesting holiday shopping season.

AT&T Loses The First Round In Its Ad War

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

AT&T has lost round one in its fight against Verizon's anti-ATT-network ads. The company has sued Verizon, saying the maps and statements made in the latest Verizon ads confuse consumers.

At issue in the lawsuit, the maps (above) compare Verizon and AT&T 3G coverage. AT&T says that the maps are interpreted by many as indicating that AT&T has not coverage in those areas not marked blue in their map. Instead they simply indicate a lack of 3G coverage.

It's clear that Verizon has the advantage in terms of 3G coverage in the U.S., though their CDMA technology has plenty of minuses. At least, however, they don't drop 30 percent of their calls.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Batten Sr. refused to serve Verizon with an injunction against showing the ads. He said that people might “misunderstand” the commercials, “but that doesn’t mean they’re misleading.” At the same time, he noted that most people, when watching TV, aren't all that attentive anyway. “Most people who are watching TV are semi-catatonic. They’re not fully alive.”

Of course, he didn't list another reason to forego the injunction: as more people buy DVRs, they aren't watching commercials anyway.

Is The Real Google Phone Coming?

2009-11-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

When Google first started working on the Android platform, it was believed to be a smartphone, nicknamed the Google Phone or gPhone. Since then, Android the platform has emerged, and thoughts of a Google Phone have vanished. But should they have?

A new report indicates that the Google Phone may be a reality in early 2010. The phone will be produced by a major phone manufacturer, but will have only Google branding. It was originally planned for this holiday season, but has been delayed until early 2010.

Now, there's already been much discussion around this, with some saying that there's no way that Google would do this, as it would alienate handset manufacturers. Additionally, just last month Google vice president of engineering for Android at Google Andy Rubinsaid "We're not making hardware. We're enabling other people to build hardware."

Technically, they still wouldn't be making the hardware, but anyway, those arguments actually make sense, but now there's a new theory: a data-only, VOIP device that integrates with Google Voice and thus technically isn't really a phone.

Technically is the key word, because it will still have the capabilities of a phone, as long as it can connect to a data network and work through Google Voice. According to the new report, AT&T is interested in this already.

AT&T isn't against data only plans either. You can get a data-only plan on Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices (not on the iPhone) so it's not out of the question for them to take this sort of approach.

Of course, since AT&T's network is already overloaded by the data-centric abilities of the iPhone, do we need still more data-hogging devices on that network?

Black Friday? There's An App For That

2009-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

You can bet that on Black Friday, which is the day after Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of people buying Apple products, including iPhones. They might even be using this new app to help them.

It's called Mall Maps. According to a press release from the developers, its already reached the top 50 of its category. The app costs $2.99, so some of that seems rather hard to believe, as so many people want free, free, free when it comes to iPhone apps.

There is also another app, called ManGo, that can help you with shopping. That app is free.

One thing about Mall Maps though: it concentrates on malls, and only malls. It also includes something great for mallrats: maps of each mall. The app is described as follows:

FEATURES

More than 1,000 Shopping centers across all 50 states
GPS Location-based search – find all the malls around you
Browse malls by state
Detailed floor plan of every mall
Store list with corresponding map numbers
Favorites: Choose your favorite stores for quick access—automatically categorizes to their respective malls
Address, phone number and URL of every mall
Phone number of every store within mall profile
Google Maps directions to every location

BENEFITS

The mall’s entire floor plan and store list in the palm of your hand
No more wasted trips
Visiting friends or family for the holidays? Find the nearest plaza and arrive with the perfect gift!

Personally, for the last few years, I've eschewed the malls for holiday shopping and relied on online stores, such as Amazon.com. In fact, with the exception of getting prescription glasses made, I've not been in a mall for several years. For mallrats, however, this may be a must-have app.

Verizon To AT&T: The Truth Hurts

2009-11-18T00:08:00.000-08:00

Addressing AT&T's recent complaints and lawsuits over its latest series of ads picking at AT&T's network coverage, Verizon has only three words for AT&T: "The Truth Hurts."

As you may recall, this all started when Verizon started a series of ads mocking Apple's "There's an app for that" ads with, "There's a map for that" ads that emphasized the coverage area of Verizon's 3G network when compared to AT&T's.

That's the point: the ads compared 3G vs. 3G. While most of Verizon's network is 3G, most of AT&Ts is 2G / Edge. Thus, the AT&T map looked pretty sparse (above). Asserting that the Verizon maps confused end users, making them believe that AT&T had no coverage in the blank areas of their map (as opposed to no 3G), AT&T sued.

Verizon has responded with a court filing of its own (.PDF). The company opens the filing with the following:

AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s “There’s A Map For That” advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth
hurts.

Ouch, that first sentence hurts. It doesn't seem like AT&T has much to complain about. Well, realistically, they do. The problem is that legally they don't have a lot to stand on. Verizon has little teeny fine print in their ads that makes it clear that the coverage maps are all about 3G. Whether or not customers understand just what that means isn't really their problem, now is it?

And after all, as Verizon points out in their filing, AT&T continues to use the tagline about its 3G network being "Nation's Fastest 3G Network," so why shouldn't Verizon use whatever ammo it can?

One-Third of Teens Aged 16, 17 Text While Driving: Study

2009-11-18T00:03:00.000-08:00

What seems to be a plethora of studies and research prove that text messaging while driving is dangerous. Despite this, a new Pew Research study (.PDF) shows that 1/3 of teens aged 16 and 17 text while driving.

Here are some of the highlights, or rather, lowlights, of the report:

75% of all American teens ages 12-17 own a cell phone, and 66% use their phones to send or receive text messages.
Older teens are more likely than younger teens to have cell phones and use text messaging; 82% of teens ages 16-17 have a cell phone and 76% of that cohort are cell texters.
One in three (34%) texting teens ages 16-17 say they have texted while driving. That translates into 26% of all American teens ages 16-17.
Half (52%) of cell-owning teens ages 16-17 say they have talked on a cell phone while driving. That translates into 43% of all American teens ages 16-17.
48% of all teens ages 12-17 say they have been in a car when the driver was texting.
40% say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger.

Worse, some teens are flippant about texting while driving, and feel unconcerned about the possible dangers. This sort of "belief in their invulnerability" is something quite common among teens, and not restricted to texting while driving.

Said one high-school aged boy: “I think it’s fine ... And I wear sunglasses so the cops don’t see [my eyes looking down].” Likewise, another high school-aged girl wrote that she texts “all the time,” and that “everybody texts while they drive (.,.) like when I’m driving by myself I’ll call people or text them ‘cause I get bored.” One older high school-aged boy explained that he limits his texting while driving only if his parents are around: “I’m fine with it, just not with my mom and dad in the car. Like when I’m with my brother, I do it.”

Teens did make a distinction between reading text messages and sending them. “There’s a difference, I think,” said one older high school boy. “Because just reading a text isn’t that bad, it’s just reading and then moving on. If you’re texting, it’s going to take more time when you’re supposed to be driving, and that’s when most people get in accidents.”

It's actually not much better to read vs. write when texting while driving. In either case, your attention is diverted from the road in front of you and onto your device's screen.

Fortunately, not all are so casual about texting while driving. One high school boy in a focus group, when asked about riding with drivers who text, said: “Not if they know what’s good for them. I’ll snatch the phone out of your hands – don’t be driving in the car with me and doing that ... I want to live until the end of this car ride.”

The study is based on a telephone survey on teens’ and parents’ use of mobile phones and 9 focus groups conducted in 4 U.S. cities between June and October 2009 with teens between the ages of 12 and 18. The quantitative results in this study were based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research International between June 26 and September 24, 2009, among a sample of 800 teens ages 12-17 and a parent or guardian.

Microsoft Co-Founder Allen Has Recurrence of Cancer

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft in 1975 with Bill Gates, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL). This is a recurrence of the disease; Allen previously fought and beat NHL after being diagnosed in 1983, the year he left Microsoft.

Since leaving Microsoft, Paul Allen has purchased three pro sports teams: the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, and MLS's Seattle Sounders that began playing in the 2009 season. Additionally, he is the founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc., his private asset management company, and chairman of Charter Communications, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy On March 28, 2009.

A memo was sent Monday night to employees of Vulcan, as well as the media, by Vulcan CEO Jody Allen, who is also Paul Allen's sister:

To employees of Vulcan and affiliates:

I want to let you know that Paul was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

He received the diagnosis early this month and has begun chemotherapy. Doctors say he has diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a relatively common form of lymphoma.

This is tough news for Paul and the family. But for those who know Paul's story, you know he beat Hodgkin's a little more than 25 years ago and he is optimistic he can beat this, too.

Paul is feeling OK and remains upbeat. He continues to work and he has no plans to change his role at Vulcan. His health comes first, though, and we'll be sure that nothing intrudes on that.

We would ask you to respect Paul's privacy and not discuss this outside of the office.

If you have any questions, please ask your EC member.

Thank you in advance for what I know will be all your good thoughts for Paul.

Jody

According to the American Cancer Society, there has been a general decline in Hodgkins lymphoma rates over the past 30 years, this disease now accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers. At the same time, rates of NHL have increased by more than 70 percent during this same period. NHL is currently the fifth most common type of cancer in the U.S. and accounts for about 4 percent of all cancers.

About 250K Droids Sold In First Week: Report

2009-11-17T06:46:00.001-08:00

Have you been gifted with hearing that annoying default notification sound on the Motorola Droid yet? To be exact, that robotic Droid sound that makes people want to substitute the word "dork" for "Droid." At any rate, while Verizon has been quiet about the number of Droids sold in the first week, there are estimates, and the latest comes up with about 250,000 of the nascent app phone.

Location network developer uLocate, creators of WHERE, reported about 25,000 active accounts using its software. WHERE allows you to centralize information about people, places and things in your local area.

Past sales figures show that WHERE usually has a 10% uptake of launch units. So, if you extrapolate the data, that would mean there were 250,000 Droids sold. Other earlier estimates have used a 100K figure. Either way, not in iPhone territory, but the 250K total would be healthy when compared to the Palm Pre, which sold 300,000 units in one month. 100K, on the other hand, would be consistent with Pre-level sales.

As I said, it's not iPhone-level, but for Motorola, which has been in the well-known doldrums for the last few years, it has to be great news. It could be great news for stockholders as well.

iPhone Home Button Earrings? I'm Speechless

2009-11-17T00:03:00.000-08:00

This has to be something for the ultimate geek. Thing is, I normally associate that term with a guy. This isn't exactly a nice small stud a guy can wear.

They are iPhone Home Button earrings. Besides the obvious question, which is who would wear these, there's also the other question, which is why did anything think these would sell?

Perhaps I am wrong. The site says that even at a pricey $14.95 (for plastic earrings) that:

Orders placed will ship on Nov 19th - Nov 20th due to very high demand.

If you really, really have to have all things iPhone, I suppose it's a must have.

Oxford American Dictionary Word Of The Year: "Unfriend"

2009-11-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

The New Oxford American Dictionary has picked its Word of 2009. The choice goes to show you the ubiquity of Facebook (and MySpace): the word is "unfriend."

Oxford University Press made the announcement on Monday, saying that it's Word of the Year (or WOTY) time around the office. The definition is:

unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.

As in, “I decided to unfriend my roommate on Facebook after we had a fight.”

Other candidate words (I guess you could call them runners-up) were:

Technology

hashtag – a # [hash] sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets (postings on the Twitter site) that contain similarly tagged items and view thematic sets

intexticated – distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle

netbook – a small, very portable laptop computer with limited memory

paywall – a way of blocking access to a part of a website which is only available to paying subscribers

sexting – the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by cellphone

Economy

freemium – a business model in which some basic services are provided for free, with the aim of enticing users to pay for additional, premium features or content

funemployed – taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests

zombie bank – a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support

Politics and Current Affairs

Ardi – (Ardipithecus ramidus) oldest known hominid, discovered in Ethiopia during the 1990s and announced to the public in 2009

birther – a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama’s birth certificate

choice mom – a person who chooses to be a single mother

death panel – a theoretical body that determines which patients deserve to live, when care is rationed

teabagger -a person, who protests President Obama’s tax policies and stimulus package, often through local demonstrations known as “Tea Party” protests (in allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773)

Environment

brown state – a US state that does not have strict environmental regulations

green state – a US state that has strict environmental regulations

ecotown - a town built and run on eco-friendly principles

Novelty Words

deleb – a dead celebrity

tramp stamp – a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman

Personally, I really liked sexting and intexticated.

Last year's Oxford word of the year was "hypermiling," which has to do with trying to get the maximal mileage out of a hybrid or other high-mileage vehicle.

Windows Vista Users Jump To 7; XP Users, Not So Much

2009-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Windows 7 is picking up market share quickly (in IT terms). However, much of that is at the expense of Windows Vista, as XP users are seemingly staying put, according to a (very) recent InfoWorld survey.

As tracked by InfoWorld's Windows Pulse service, Windows 7 already has more than 4 percent of the market, and that's after less than a month of general availability after its Oct. 22nd release.

However, according to the survey, Windows XP's share hasn't changed during this period. It's still holding at 64 percent. Meanwhile, Vista, after three years, has only 30% of the market, while among new users registering for the InfoWorld Windows Pulse service, 7 is already up to 10 percent.

While obviously still too early to tell, InfoWorld also sees a direct correlation between the 7 uptake and a Vista downturn. Seemingly, for every percentage point 7 rises, Vista drops 1 percent.

Obviously, it's still very early. Excitement has led, as NPD noted, to a 234 percent increase in Windows 7 retail box sales when compared to Vista's opening days.

The question is, how much of this is based on pent up demand for something better than Windows 7, or the promotional pricing that Microsoft used for early pre-orders? It would not be surprising to see Windows 7 sales drop off as the early adopters fade.

Additionally, XP users can't do an in-place upgrade to Windows 7. Rather, they have to do a clean install. While many recommend a clean install anyway, plenty of end users would eschew this because of the effort involved in re-installing applications.

Additionally, IT departments will take some time before they upgrade any XP machines to 7 (if they do). Many skipped Vista.

Finally, there are plenty of underpowered XP machines out there, which would not run Windows 7 effectively. The easiest way to get Windows 7 if you have an XP PC is to get a new box, and many will probably opt for this choice.

Twenty-Five Percent Of Surfers Use Firefox: Report

2009-11-16T00:04:00.000-08:00

Firefox, which just turned five, now claims 25% of end users, according to market research firm Net Applications. Calm down though: it was about a year ago that Net Applications said Firefox hit 20%.

Obviously Firefox isn't gaining market share by leaps and bounds. It's growing slowly, and with Google's Chrome and Apple's Safari, it has more competitors than ever. Still, Mitchell Baker, the former CEO of Mozilla Corp. and the current chairman of the Mozilla Foundation, mentioned the 1-in-4 figure in a post to her personal blog earlier this week when she celebrated Firefox's fifth-year anniversary.

According to Net Applications, for the week of Nov. 1 through Nov. 7, Firefox accounted for 25.1% of all browsers. Internet Explorer led all browsers with 63.3%, while Apple's Safari (4.4%), Google's Chrome (3.9%) and Opera Software's Opera (2.3%) trailed.

Look at that Chrome percentage, though. Chrome advertises itself as the fastest browser, and that makes a difference for many. Last month, for the fourth time in the last year, Chrome's market share increase bettered Firefox's increase. Extrapolating current trends, Chrome could reach a 5% share in March 2010, six months ahead of Google's announced goal of September 2010. After that, Google's next target is to make 10% sometime in 2011.

It's quite possible. Chrome is fast, but what it lacks is an extensions network like Firefox's. Google is working on that hole, however, and it they plug it, you could see a number of users switch ... like me, perhaps.

AT&T Tries To Set The Record Straight On Its Verizon Lawsuit

2009-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

AT&T continues to blast (and sue) Verizon over its recent ads, which make a point of hammering home the 3G coverage holes in AT&T's network. AT&T has said that the ads are misleading, and on Friday, AT&T said it wanted to set the record straight regarding its lawsuit.

In its press release, titled "AT&T Sets the Record Straight on Verizon Ads," AT&T says the following:

As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don't respond to competitors' advertising. However, some recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T's wireless data coverage.

First, they're the market leader? really, Verizon has more subscribers, but AT&T is making a point: with the iPhone it certainly has more data exercising its cellular network than Verizon does.

Of course, that's probably the reason AT&T users see so many dropped calls, as well. Its this sort of smartphone overload that "Seth the Blogger Guy" used to defend the AT&T network problems.

The rest of AT&T's press release goes to explain that its network covers the majority of the U.S., which is why it has complained about Verizon's ads; AT&T feels that the map on Verizon's ads implies no AT&T coverage at all in much of the U.S.

AT&T's release notes that 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T's 3G network, while 301 million people or more than 96% of the population are covered by EDGE.

It further goes on to note that AT&T customers have access to "more than 100,000 applications, more than with any other wireless company." Of course, the fact that almost all of these are iPhone apps was pretty much ignored. If Verizon gets its hands on the iPhone ... well, you can see what will happen.

Also, AT&T's ad, er, press release points out that on Verizon's network, you can't talk and perform data-centric functions (browse the web, email) at the same time, a limitation of the CDMA technology that Verizon uses. Of course, AT&T leaves out that you on the iPhone you can't listen to Pandora and get a phone call, unless you have a jailbroken phone, but that's besides the point, right?

Additionally, on Thursday, AT&T amended its complaint, seeking a restraining order against the holiday ads that Verizon is beginning to use, such as one that claims the iPhone belongs on the "Island of Misfit Toys."

Microsoft Confirms First Windows 7 Zero-Day Vulnerability

2009-11-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

Microsoft on Friday confirmed the first Windows 7 unpatched security (or zero-day) bug. It was first reported by Canadian researcher Laurent Gaffie on Wednesday, when he revealed the bug and posted proof-of-concept attack code to the Full Disclosure security mailing list and his blog.

According to Gaffie, the flaw allows a hacker to crash Windows 7 (and Server Windows 2008 R2) PCs so completely that that the user has to manually power off the PC. Originally, Microsoft only said it was investigating the report.

However, on Friday, Microsoft issued a security advisory. Dave Forstrom, a spokesman for Microsoft security group, said in an e-mail:

"Microsoft is aware of public, detailed exploit code that would cause a system to stop functioning or become unreliable. The company is not aware of attacks to exploit the reported vulnerability at this time."

The bug is in Microsoft's Service Message Block (SMB) code, a network file- and print-sharing protocol. Both SMBv1 and SMBv2 are affected.

Microsoft indicated that zero-day attacks at the bug could be executed using any browser. By tricking users into visiting a malicious site or a previously-compromised domain, hackers could feed them malformed URIs, and then crash their PCs with malformed SMB packets.

Of course, this type of vulnerability is far less dangerous than one thatn can allow an attacker to take over a PC and turn it into a bot. Thus, Microsoft did not commit to a timetable for a fix. This was the first zero-day vulnerability reported and confirmed by Microsoft in Windows 7 since the new operating system went on sale Oct. 22.

For those who continue to feel that Mac OS is invulnerable, one need only look to the recent launches of Mac antivirus software as well as Apple's recent Mac OS 10.6.2 release, which patched 58 security flaws, some critical, to know that no software is invulnerable. As Macs become more popular, they will also be targeted more consistently.

Microsoft Admits Windows 7 Upgrade Tool Uses GPL Source Code

2009-11-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

In October, Microsoft announced a tool to allow netbooks lacking DVDs to install Windows 7; it was a key point of the new OS that it run on underpowered netbooks. Unfortunately, it improperly used GPL source code, which Microsoft admitted on Friday the 13th, a few days after pulling the tool.

Bad luck, Microsoft? Well, not really bad luck. GPL, or General Public License (open source) source code was included in the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, which isn't off-limits, but putting an non-open-source license on a tool with such is.

The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool was designed to modify a DVD or ISO image into a bootable image that could be put on a flash drive, to be used to install Windows 7 on DVD-less netbbooks, of which there are many. The faux pas was first noted by “Within Windows” blogger Rafael Rivera.

In a November 13th statement, Microsoft said:

After looking at the code in question, we are now able to confirm this was indeed the case, although it was not intentional on our part. While we had contracted with a third party to create the tool, we share responsibility as we did not catch it as part of our code review process. We have furthermore conducted a review of other code provided through the Microsoft Store and this was the only incident of this sort we could find.

Aha, it was outsourced. One has to wonder which of the two outsourcing capitals committed the "error," India or China.

Microsoft apologized for the "inconvenience" and said that it intends to make the source code and binaries for the tool available the week of November 16th under the terms of the GPL v2. They added that they “and are also taking measures to apply what we have learned from this experience for future code reviews we perform.”

Google's Chrome OS To Launch Next Week?

2009-11-14T00:03:00.000-08:00

Google's Chrome OS was first announced in July. While the company indicated it would not release the OS until 2H10, it promised an update in the fall. It looks like, according to reports, that update will be an early release version of the OS, coming next week.

Now remember how long Google tends to keep things in beta form. Remember also how buggy their early stuff generally is (but then so are early releases of just about everything). Don't expect it to be something ready for general consumption.

That said, the report theorizes that the release will be targeted to a few limited devices. Most likely, it says, the OS will be ready to go on devices such as the Asus Eee PC netbook and possibly some of Google's Chrome OS partners, perhaps Acer, Toshiba, or HP.

Now, the most problematic issue with a new OS is bound to be driver support. Remember how much trouble Microsoft had with Windows Vista drivers? The reason they didn't have a similar issue with Windows 7 is that the two OSes share "driver models," so end users could generally use Windows Vista drivers if the OS didn't provide the correct drivers.

In terms of Chrome OS, which as you may recall, leverages their Chrome browser, you won't be able to head over to your favorite HW manufacturer's website to get a driver, so this release is probably going to be something for developers, not end users. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to see a release consisting of a bunch of source code that needs compiling to be used. On the other hand, I also wouldn't be surprised to see it complete with binaries.

Either way, it's not going to be something John or Jane Q. Public is going to be able to use, or even necessarily care about, right away. The second half of next year, who knows?

Google Launches Flu Shot Finder

2009-11-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

For most people (Sorry, Bing) Google is where they go when they want to find out about just about anything. Now it's also the place you can go to find flu shots.

Google, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, has create a flu shot finder by leveraging its own Google maps. Type in an address, and the map will tell you where you can find a location that has H1N1 and / or seasonal flu shots.

When you enter your zip code, a series of color-coded syringes pop up on the map, with pink indicating seasonal flu vaccinations, blue for H1N1 swine flu, and a mixture of both colors if both are available. There is also a list in a sidebar on the left side of the map.

Still in its early stages of development, the flu shot locator currently only has data for about 20 U.S. states. However, developers are working to update the map with information for the entire country.

In a sense, it is "beta," due to the lack of data, typical of many Google services. Seriously, however, this Google flu shot locator will become much more accurate and valuable as time goes on. Right now, however, if I type in my own address, I see only major pharmacies and they are all out of stock.

iTunes Preview: iTunes-Less Access To The iTunes Store

2009-11-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

While it's hard to imagine, there are people who don't have iTunes installed on their computer. Either its a work computer, a spare computer, or (gasp) they have a Zune or other MP3 player. Folks, Apple has a deal for you: no longer do you need to install iTunes if someone sends you an iTunes link. No, instead, there's iTunes Preview, which is essentially iTunes in a browser (more or less, click above to enlarge).

Previously, if you sent an iTunes link to one of those poor souls who doesn't have iTunes installed, he'd be directed to install the application. Now, instead of that, there's iTunes Preview, which that shows what music is available on iTunes (and only music; no iPhone apps) in your Web browser. iTunes Preview allows you to browse the entire iTunes catalog's worth of music, info, and user reviews.

Don't get me wrong; it still gives you the opportunity to download iTunes, but as you can see from the image above (click to enlarge), it gives you the details of the link you clicked on, without having to have iTunes installed.

It doesn't, however, allow you to play any samples. Nope, to do that you have to have iTunes installed (which the banner above reminds you). And, it currently only works for music, not movies, apps, or TV. That may change, though.

Motherboard Manufacturer Updates BIOS, Fixes Win7 iTunes Sync Issue

2009-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

Motherboard maker Gigabyte has released a BIOS update that fixes the iPhone + Windows 7 64-bit + Intel P55 chipset issue users are seeing. The update is labeled beta, which means it hasn't been fully tested yet.

Still, it's the first motherboard manufacturer to respond to the issue, which has lit up the Apple suppor forums. The update promises to solve not just the iPhone sync issues, but includes additional bug fixes and enhancements.

Other motherboard manufacturers, as well as Intel, maker of the chipset, haven't released a fix yet, but this BIOS update seems to indicates it's something in the motherboard BIOS, rather than the iPhone or the popular whipping-boy, Windows.

Microsoft Culls 600K Modded Xbox Consoles From Xbox Live

2009-11-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

As many as 600,000 Xbox 360 gamers have been disconnected from Microsoft's Xbox Live service, as a result of modding (or hacking) their game consoles to play pirated games. Microsoft confirmed the ban, but also noted that the ban affects only a small percentage of Xbox users.

In fact, 600,000 out of the estimated 20 million Xbox Live users would indeed be a small percentage: 3 percent.

Microsoft stated that:

"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs violates the Xbox Live terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live.

"The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them."

To be honest, this is just the latest annual culling of modded Xbox consoles. Microsoft runs a sweep every November to do so.

Affected consoles display the message "Your console has been banned from Xbox" when attempting to login. The ban only affects online access; gamers can still play locally.

Microsoft: Windows 7 Inspired By Mac OS X

2009-11-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

Honesty is the best policy, but one has to wonder if Steve Ballmer is pulling what's left of his hair out over this comment by Microsoft's Partner Group Manager, Simon Aldous. In an interview with PCR, he admitted (horror) that Windows 7 took inspiration from Mac OS X.

He also added that those who call Windows 7 "Vista on steroids" aren't far from the mark. Too late, Simon.

Here's what he said about the Windows 7 inspiration:

One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 – whether it’s traditional format or in a touch format – is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics. We’ve significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it’s built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance (it is?).

This is a great talking point for Apple, and here's another question: how long before this shows up in a Mac vs. PC ad?

Update: Microsoft has (unsurprisingly) responded to the fact that this has become big news by replying and saying "this came from a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7. I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed." Whoops. Can you say, hand slap?