Author Archive
Backdoor security flaw found in ZTE Score M
The ZTE Score M (Credit: Josh Miller/CNET) A security hole was recently discovered in MetroPCS’ ZTE Score M, allowing third-parties the ability to control the device. On May 10, a guest post on Pastebin included a hard-coded password for a root shell backdoor that would allow a hacker access to the Score M. The post [...]
Facebook IPO: Final numbers
When Facebook filed for its initial public offering (IPO), I wrote Facebook’s IPO by the numbers. This is an updated post to that article. Now that Facebook has set its share price, we’ve got all the numbers we need. Here are the numbers you need to know, plus a few extra ones about Facebook in [...]
Apple releases QuickTime 7.7.2 for Windows, fixes 17 flaws
Summary: Apple QuickTime version 7.7.2 is out, fixing 17 security vulnerabilities in the multimedia framework. This is a security update, meaning no new features have been added. You should still update. Apple today released QuickTime 7.7.2 for Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and later. The new version fixes 17 security vulnerabilities in the [...]
Stopping Alzheimer’s before it starts
(CBS News) Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured but it can be prevented. The government announced Tuesday a $100 million study to test an Alzheimer’s prevention drug in just one family. It’s potentially a breakthrough because it’s hard to test Alzheimer’s prevention. Scientists can never know which healthy people will develop the disease, but now they’ve [...]
Best headphones for under $100
Audio-Technica’s ATH-M30 is one of the best performing headphones for in the sub-$100 price class. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) Headphones are among the most popular products on CNET, and not surprisingly, many of you are looking for a pair that delivers a lot of bang for the buck. With that in mind I’ve put together a [...]
Does a new CEO mean Yahoo will drop its Facebook lawsuit?
Summary: Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson has left Yahoo. It was Thompson’s idea to sue Facebook, some say. Does this mean the Web giant’s lawsuit against the social networking giant could see a quick close? News broke earlier today that Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson is stepping down and is leaving the company, after it was discovered [...]
Woz: I don’t have broadband, and I never thought I’d get girls
Girls or broadband? What would you choose? (Credit: James Martin/CNET) One can only imagine the gasps. And perhaps even a guffaw. According to Australia’s News.com, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was addressing a business forum in Perth when he made a stark admission. “I don’t have broadband at my home,” he said. In case the Australians [...]
Invasion of the non-authorized apps
Joe McKendrick is an author and independent analyst who tracks the impact of information technology on management and markets. Joe is co-author, along with 16 leading industry leaders and thinkers, of the SOA Manifesto, which outlines the values and guiding principles of service orientation. He also speaks frequently on Enterprise 2.0 and SOA topics at [...]
New Office malware attack hunts Snow Leopard, not Lion
Following the recent malware attacks in OS X, Microsoft has been exploring the 3-year-old flaw which has been exploited by several different malware attempts in recent months. Microsoft Malware Protection Center analyst Jeong Wook Oh has found that the exploit does not affect OS X Lion systems but can succeed on those running OS X [...]
Over 1.5 million Visa, MasterCard credit card numbers stolen?
Summary: U.S.-based credit card processor company Global Payments is about to announce more details about the security breach that recently saw millions of credit card numbers stolen. It doesn’t look good. Global Payments, the U.S.-based credit card processor company that experienced a security breach affecting plastic issued from Visa and MasterCard, is about to release [...]
China, U.S. likely bargaining over activist
(CBS News) BEIJING – Despite speculation that missing Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has found refuge in the U.S. embassy, there’s no official word from either side. The situation has complicated the prospects of a coming visit to China by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. CBS News correspondent Celia Hatton reports that Chen Guangcheng is one [...]
Relive video game history with epic ‘Go right’
Mario’s journey eastward seems never ending. (Credit: Screenshot by Christopher MacManus/CNET) YouTube user RockeyPlanetesimal’s “Go right” video might send you dashing down memory lane with its array of clips of beloved game characters running for their lives. The beautiful montage of video game history, infused with dramatic music, shows off many popular games from past [...]
Dates of possible ICS upgrades for T-Mobile devices revealed
If you have a T-Mobile device in your possession, an upgrade to Android 4.0 may be in your nearby future. At least, until June anyway. Tmo News, an unofficial blog covering T-Mobile, got a hold of a 2012 enterprise calendar, which details possible launch dates for Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades on three of the carrier’s [...]
Landmark sex abuse case ends testimony
(CBS News) It could be a pivotal case for prosecutors in the nationwide scandal of child sex-abuse by Roman Catholic priests. Five weeks of testimony concluded Thursday in the Philadelphia trial of a senior clergyman who allegedly chose to protect the church, instead of the children. It’s the first time in the U.S. that a [...]
Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0 free PC security software ready for download
Summary: Microsoft has released a new version of its Security Essentials software for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 PCs. Microsoft made available for download a new release of its free anti-virus/anti-malware program for Windows PCs, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), on April 24. The MSE 4.0 release is available via the Microsoft Download Center [...]
Opposition grows to CISPA ‘Big Brother’ cybersecurity bill
GOP presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, shown here in a previous visit to Silicon Valley, calls CISPA “Big Brother writ large.” (Credit: Declan McCullagh) Last-minute opposition to the CISPA, which has been criticized as a “Big Brother” cybersecurity bill, is growing as the U.S. House of Representatives prepares for a vote this week. Rep. Ron [...]
Torvalds receives 2012 Millennium Technology Prize
Linus Torvalds (Credit: Image by James Martin/CNET; image credits: Wikimedia Commons, Intel) Linux Creator Linus Torvalds has been chosen as one of two recipients of the Millennium Technology Prize. Torvalds was named a 2012 laureate by the Technology Academy of Finland for his creation and ongoing contributions to the open-source operating system. Created in 2004, [...]
Seeing red? Future Toyotas will sense your mood
Toyota is working on a mood-sensitive electronics system that’s part safety net, part backseat driver. According to an article on Whatcar.com, the prototype system customizes the safety system’s alert times based on the driver’s mood. And how can it tell what mood you’re in? Cameras mounted inside the cabin are focused on the driver’s position [...]
Mama Bear conference lesson: Aim for the grandparents
‘Mommy’ tech companies attacking $2 trillion market At the Mama Bear Family Technology conference, a series of practical talks from entrepreneurs tackling the family market yields solid advice. The overriding theme: this market is big. Huge, even. Two trillion dollars, says Dave McClure, organizer of the conference. $250 billion, says Jody Sherman, of the family [...]
Foodspotting helps you find the best dishes nearby
Looking for the best place to get a specific dish in your area? Foodspotting for Android can help. Say you’re looking for the best snickerdoodle cookie in San Francisco. You could run a search on Yelp, which would pull up a list of all the bakeries and restaurants in the area that make them. But [...]