AppleInsider

Security experts release software to attack Android phones

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Published: 07:00 PM EST

A tool for attacking devices running Google's Android operating system was released by security researchers today at the Defcon hackers conference in Las Vegas.

The root-kit tool was released to "to persuade manufacturers to fix a bug that lets hackers read a victim's email and text messages," according to report by Reuters.

"It wasn't difficult to build," said Nicholas Percoco, who leads Spider Labs. Working with a colleague, Percoco said it took about two weeks to develop the tool, which allows nefarious users to take control of the device and steal email and text messages.

Percoco distributed the root kit on DVDs at the Defcon conference, which is a meeting of around 10,000 security experts who can attend anonymously. Reuters noted that "law enforcement posts undercover agents in the [Defcon] audience to spot criminals and government officials recruit workers to fight computer crimes and for the Department of Defense."

Security issues hitting Android are contradicting the perception that malicious attacks are primarily directed at the largest installed base. The global installed base of Apple's iOS devices is at least four times as large as Android, which despite a lot of media attention, is still similar to Microsoft's beleaguered Windows Mobile in terms of market share.

Android's open-ended security defended

A day ago, security researchers at Lookout reported the potential for mobile software to take invisible actions that users were not aware were happening, noting that many apps on all platforms can gain access to private data, and specifically calling out a wallpapers app on Android for collecting device data, phone numbers, and voicemail numbers of users who downloaded the app, forwarding the information to servers in China.

At least one Android blog, Android Tapp, rushed to defend the platform, insisting that an initial report by Venture Beat was inciting "fear. uncertainty and doubt" by describing the data collection as "malicious."

The blog indicated that there was nothing wrong with developers collecting Android users' data without disclosure and for unknown purposes, suggesting instead that users should anticipate the full consequences of downloading third party software based on the permissions that software requests during installation.

While defending the developer involved in harvesting Android users' phone numbers, voicemail phone numbers, and device IDs through his "Jackeey Wallpaper" app, the Android fan blog pointed out that other Android wallpaper apps request permissions to read phone call information, read SD Card storage, and access contact data.

Following Lookout's report, Google pulled the wallpaper app in question, but other apps that do the same thing while requesting even more access to users' data are still available for download.

"True all users should indeed be aware of what they are installing from the Android Market," the Android blog concluded. "But was the mass negative press without covering the complete story warranted???"

Stanford School of Medicine equipping students with Apple's iPad

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:00:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 05:00 PM EST

The School of Medicine at Stanford University has adopted Apple's iPad, providing the device to all incoming first year medical students and Master of Medicine students.

The school cited four reasons behind the new program, including student readiness, noting that iPad "creates opportunities for efficient, mobile, and innovative learning."

Stanford also noted "the flexibility of iPad technology," noting that "iPad allows students to view and annotate course content electronically, facilitating advance preparation as well as in-class note-taking in a highly portable, sharable and searchable format."

Access to information and "information literacy" was also a consideration, with the school pointing out that "students will be able to easily access high-quality information at any place, at any time (for example, images from textbooks on digital course reserve, image databases, journal articles, Lane Library’s various search tools, etc.)"

A fourth rationale was Stanford's intent to go green, "replacing printed syllabi with PDFs is in line with the Sustainable Stanford initiative, which aims to build sustainable practices into every aspect of campus life."

Stanford and Apple

Located near Apple in Silicon Valley, Stanford has long had a history of interaction with Apple and its chief executive Steve Jobs, both in computing technology in general and within its School of Medicine.

The university invited Jobs to give a commencement address in 2005, and Stanford doctors later treated Jobs through his battle with pancreatic cancer.

The university was also an early participant in Apple's iTunes U program, which enabled schools to share free educational courses and other content with the public.

In 2008, the school announced an iPhone development course, and last year it began publishing its "iPhone Application Programming" course on iTunes U for free to the general public.

UK using iPad to train soldiers for Afghan operations

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:25:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 03:25 PM EST

The US Army isn't the only security force adopting Apple's iOS devices for training and military operations; the UK is also now actively using iPad to train its soldiers.

Following a report earlier this year that outlined the interest in Apple's mobile devices being expressed by the US Army, a new report by the BBC outlines similar interest across the Atlantic.

The Royal School of Artillery in Wiltshire is already using iPad to train soldiers how to handle a "fire mission," a scenario where they are facing enemy fire from several miles away. Early trials have shown troops "have learned the jargon and procedures more quickly than before, when they were sat listening to lessons from instructors," the report said.

Lance Bombardier Jason Markham, who has already served in Afghanistan and is in training for a second tour, told the BBC, "[iPad-based training] makes it more fun instead of being sat in a classroom looking at a presentation being given information.

"If you're on a course you can take this back to the block and practise with it, even have little competitions with it."

Army training officer Major Rich Gill, who has been working to roll out the iPad training, noted, "if we can use this sort of technology, we can probably shorten the amount of training and that is pretty key nowadays when people are so committed to operations in Afghanistan.

"There's so much they need to do before they go there and when they come back. If we can use this to reduce the amount of training it'll be fantastic."

While the armed forced are facing cuts, Gill said the move to iPad-based training is good value for the money because its helps cut related expenses, including printing reference guides a manuals. "You can get all the material that you need on there at the right time and it's really mobile as well," Gill said.

Apple's iPad was among 15 other devices the team considered, and "at the time this project came about this was the best bit of hardware on the market," Gill noted. The same team is now working on a 3D training app for pilots, intended to help them quickly identify different types of vehicles from the air.

RIM plans to counter Apple's iPad with 'Blackpad' in November

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:20:00 GMT

By Slash Lane

Published: 03:20 PM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion plans to enter the touchscreen tablet market and compete with Apple's iPad this November, when it will release the "Blackpad."

Two people familiar with the plans confirmed the product to Bloomberg, and the device will reportedly be called the "Blackpad." RIM already acquired the blackpad.com domain name this month.

The hardware is said to sport a 9.7-inch screen, identical to the iPad's dimensions, will also be priced similarly to Apple's touchscreen tablet, which starts at $499. It will include both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and will allow users to connect to the Internet through their BlackBerry. Apple does not currently allow iPad users to access 3G cellular data networks with their iPhone.

Sources said that RIM has no plans to undercut Apple's iPad pricing, as the company hopes to make additional profit from its tablet rather than sell a huge number of devices at a lower price.

"RIM is stepping up its competition with Apple on multiple fronts," author Hugo Miller wrote. "The company is hosting an event in New York Aug. 3 at which it will debut its BlackBerry 9800 slider phone, according to one person familiar with its plans. The device will feature a full touchscreen like Apple's iPhone and a slideout Qwerty keyboard to allow for easy e-mail typing, the person said."

The report also cited analyst Ashok Kumar with Rodman & Renshaw, who said the hardware will include front- and back-facing cameras for video conferencing. Earlier this month, Kumar told AppleInsider that Apple was planning on a hardware fix for the iPhone 4 antenna to address reception issues. At its iPhone 4 press conference, Apple did not reveal any plans for a hardware fix, and instead announced it is giving away free cases for all handset buyers through Sept. 30.

RIM's Blackpad will be one of a number of devices that aim to compete with Apple's iPad, which sold 3.27 million units in its first quarter. On Thursday, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer indicated that his company intends to have a greater presence this year in the "slate PC" market, as his company has dubbed it.

Computer maker HP also hopes to leverage its $2 billion acquisition of Palm as it releases its own tablet later this year. HP's offering will be based on the webOS mobile operating system, which is expected to hit version 2.0 later this year.

Also slated to arrive this year are tablets based on Google's Android mobile operating system. In April, The New York Times reported that the search giant was exploring the idea of creating its own touchscreen tablet that would allow users to read books and browse the Internet.

News Corp considers news organization devoted to iPad, other tablets

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:00:00 GMT

By Katie Marsal

Published: 11:00 AM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

The popularity of Apple's iPad has prompted media giant News Corp. to consider starting a news organization that would provide content specifically for a new subscription service for tablet devices.

The Financial Times reported Friday that the company has not yet made a decision on the matter, but is expected to make a move this autumn. Officials with the company see such a venture as an opportunity to help News Corp. transition into the digital era for news.

If created, the news organization would have its own staff and be its own, entirely new entity.

"The ambitious undertaking under consideration would be another test of consumers' appetite to pay for news," the report said. "The momentum behind developing a tablet-centric product is driven by a belief that readers are willing to pay for portability. News Corp's early progress in selling subscriptions on the iPad has inspired the company to consider the new business."

In May, News Corp Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch revealed that his publication The Wall Street Journal had already gained more than 64,000 active iPad users. Then in June, he praised the device and the potential for it at the annual D: All Things Digital Conference.

In addition, this week the Journal began soliciting iPad users in the New York City metropolitan area, asking them to participate in group sessions in August to help improve their application available on the App Store.

"We are very interested in hearing about your experiences with the iPad, the Wall Street Journal app, and other news apps," Alan Murray, the paper's online executive editor said in an e-mail sent out on Wednesday and obtained by AppleInsider. Users selected for the study will receive $200 for their participation.

The Times said the efforts by News Corp. are viewed internally as "an honest attempt" at transforming journalism.

"If News Corp gives the green light to the tablet-centric news organisation plans, it will hire a new staff while borrowing fro the resources, but not the content, of its news assets, which include the New York Post and Down Jones," author Kenneth Li wrote. "The product would include coverage of news, entertainment, sports and politics."

Starting with iPad launch, Apple began using its own mapping databases

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:50:00 GMT

By Neil Hughes

Published: 09:50 AM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

Starting with iOS 3.2 for the iPad in April, Apple began relying on its own databases for location-based services, in addition to utilizing Google's map data for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

As first noted by TechCrunch, Apple revealed the change earlier this month in a letter to two U.S. congressmen, who inquired with the Cupertino, Calif., company about its privacy policy for the iOS mobile operating system. On page 5 of that 13-page letter, Apple General Counsel Bruce Sewell revealed that beginning with iOS 3.2 on the iPad in April, his company began to integrate its own database solutions.

"For devices running iPhone OS versions 1.1.3 to 3.1, Apple relied on (and still relies on) databases maintained by Google and Skyhook Wireless ("Skyhook") to provide location-based services," Sewell wrote. "Beginning with the iPhone OS version 3.2 released in April 2010, Apple relies on its own databases to provide location-based services and for diagnostic purposes."

However, the default Maps application within iOS still reads "Google" in the lower left corner, showing that Apple continues to on the search giant for the maps themselves. In addition, all iOS devices still rely on Google's Street View feature as well.

But the change in iOS 3.2 means that Apple now controls its own location services, through GPS tracking, and could signal that Apple plans to rely solely on its own technology in the future.

Such a move wouldn't be completely unexpected, as Apple has made a number of key acquisitions related to mapping. Last year, it acquired Google Maps competitor Placebase, and this month it purchased Poly9, a Canadian company that creates interactive 3D maps.

Some have speculated that the acquisitions of Placebase and Poly9, along with the growing rivalry with search giant Google, is a sign that Apple plans to create its own mapping software for use on mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Further evidence that Apple could pursue its own comprehensive mapping database came last November, when a company job listing sought to hire someone to help take the iPhone's Maps application "to the next level." It said that the company intended to "rethink how users use Maps and change the way people find things. We want to do this in a seamless, highly interactive and enjoyable way. We've only just started."

Aussie paper says iPhone 4 antenna is no problem, Kiwi launch hits snag

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:30:00 GMT

By Sam Oliver

Published: 08:30 AM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

One of the largest publications in Australia has found no major reception problems with Apple's newly released iPhone 4, while the problematic New Zealand launch was delayed a few hours.

Daily Telegraph: No reception issues

Stephen French, national technology writer for Australia's The Daily Telegraph, gave a glowing review to Apple's iPhone 4 on Friday. Using it for nearly a week, he has not dropped calls or noticed any impact on the device's performance.

The writer managed to replicate some of the signal issues experienced by users when covering the bottom left of the iPhone 4. However, it was not enough to hamper his experience with the smartphone.

French tested the Australian version of the iPhone 4 without a case on all of the country's four carriers that offer Apple's handset. The device was used on the Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and 3 networks in parts of Sydney with varying signal strengths.

"I tried the 'death grip' on the bottom left while making test calls in areas I knew to have weaker reception and the times I did manage to reduce the signal bars... my calls were still not affected," he wrote. "The worst thing that happened was a web page I was loading timed out but after refreshing it came up fine. I even managed to watch a YouTube video over 3G while in the 'death grip.'"

French said that call quality was improved over the iPhone 3GS, and he found that holding the handset in the "death grip" manner was unnatural.

"The iPhone 4 is not just a slight improvement over the iPhone 3GS, it is a massive jump," he said. "There are so many great enhancements across the board it will be hard for existing iPhone owners to resist and a great place to start for users who are new to the smartphone market."

New Zealand launch hits snag

iPhone 4 buyers who lined up overnight in New Zealandto purchase Apple's latest handset came away disappointed on Friday, as the launch was delayed a few hours. According to stuff.co.nz, the handset was eventually available through select Vodafone stores by midday.

The carrier would not comment on what caused an apparent delay of the launch, though some speculated it was caused by a shipping delay.

Though the morning launch was delayed, about 100 people lined up outside the Vodafone Lambton Quay store in Wellington about 4 hours later to purchase the iPhone 4. One customer reportedly referred to the launch as an "epic fail."

Android leader Motorola still well behind Apple's iPhone

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 10:00 PM EST

Motorola reported a phenomenal 600 percent leap in earnings this quarter, but is still behind Apple in mobile units sold and is far behind in smartphone sales, leaving Apple the top US phone vendor by units for the second quarter in a row.

Motorola has greatly increased is profits due to a its push with Verizon Wireless in selling the Android-based Droid, also marketed as the Motorola Milestone. The latest model, Droid X, is currently the model being held up against iPhone 4.

Motorola's quarterly sales of 8.3 million phones is still behind Apple's 8.4 million units in the second calendar quarter of 2010, which ended in June. However, only 2.7 million of Motorola's sales were smartphones, meaning Apple sold more than three times as many smartphones as the leading Android maker.

In comparison, Taiwan's HTC (the manufacturer of Google's Nexus One, Verizon's Droid Incredible and Sprint EVO) sold 2.8 million phones in the first quarter of 2010, or 3.5 million counting its OEM sales through other vendors. It expected to sell a total of 4.5 million in the second quarter.

Motorola unit sales plunge as iPhone ascends

Motorola has seen a sharp decline in the total number of phones it has shipped since the iPhone arrived in 2007. In the last three quarters of 2007, the company was selling more than 35-40 million devices per quarter.

In 2008, Motorola's shipments fell down into the range of 25 million per quarter, ending the year under 20 million. In 2009, the company's quarterly sales consistently slipped under 15 million. This year, the company hasn't reached 9 million in sales of all phones, with its smartphone sales being below 3 million.

In contrast, Apple has incrementally expanded its iPhone sales as it entered new markets internationally and began adding new carriers. The company's June quarter results were particularly impressive given the media attention devoted to the publicized iPhone 4 prototype, which Apple feared would result in depressed sales as customers anticipated the new model launch.

Unboxing: Apple's mid-2010 iMac has changes on the inside

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:00:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 09:00 PM EST

Apple's latest batch of iMacs bring faster processor, memory, and graphics performance and an improved SD Card slot, while retaining the same external design of previous models.

Inside, the new iMacs include faster processors, ranging from 3.06, 3.2 or 3.6GHz Core i3 options on the 21.5 inch model (each with 4MB of L3 cache), or a 3.2GHz Core i3 or 2.6GHz Core i5 (both with 4MB of L3 cache) or Quad Core 2.8GHz i5, or Quad Core 2.93GHz Core i7 (both with 8MB of L3 cache) on the 27 inch model.

All new iMacs also use faster 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM, with four slots officially supporting 16GB. For disk storage, the 21.5 inch models offer:

500GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA (low end model)
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA (higher end model)
2TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA ($150 more than higher end model)

While 27 inch models offer choice of:

1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA (standard)
2TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA ($150 more)
256GB solid-state drive ($600 more)
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA and 256GB solid-state drive< ($750 more)
2TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA and 256GB solid-state drive ($900 more)

For graphics, the lower end 21.5 inch iMac uses an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory.
The higher end 21.5 inch iMac uses ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory.
The dual core 27 inch iMac uses an ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory.
The quad core 27 inch iMac uses an ATI Radeon HD 5750 graphics processor with 1GB of GDDR5 memory.

In the box

The new iMac ships with a power cable, Bluetooth keyboard and Magic Mouse, an Apple logo monogrammed screen wipe, and the usual stickers, user guide and regulatory information. DVDs provide Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife apps: iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand and iWeb.

The keyboard box seems designed with the Magic Trackpad in mind, which fits perfectly into the booklet section. However, there's not an option to choose the new trackpad instead of the bundled mouse; it's only available as a separate, additional purchase.

The new iMac is protected by what appears to be a more tightly wrapped screen cover, held in place with sticky but residue free adhesive. The rest of the case and external features appear to be identical to the previous generation.

On the right edge of the highly reflective screen there's the same SD Card slot, but like the latest Mac mini it now accepts new SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) cards 32 GB and larger. SDXC theoretically supports cards up to 2TB, but Apple does not specify a supported ceiling for the new slot. Previous models only supported the Standard SD format of 4 MB to 4 GB and SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards from 4GB to 32 GB.

Appleinsider's formal review of the new iMacs will follow.

Where to buy

Product	Apple	Amazon	MacMall	MacConnection	B&H	Best Buy	On Sale	J&R	Education	Discount
iMac
3.06GHz 21.5" iMac	$1,199.00	$1,194.00	$1,164.99	$1,099.00	$1,194.00	N/A Yet	$1,194.00	$1,199.99	$1,149.00	$100.00
3.20GHz 21.5"iMac	$1,499.00	$1,494.00	$1,459.99	$1,399.00	$1,494.00	N/A Yet	N/A Yet	$1,499.99	$1,399.00	$100.00
3.20GHz 27.0" iMac	$1,699.00	$1,694.00	$1,649.99	$1,599.00	$1,694.00	N/A Yet	$1,694.00	$1,699.99	$1,599.00	$100.00
2.80GHz 27.0" iMac (QC)	$1,999.00	$1,994.00	$1,939.99	$1,849.00	$1,994.00	N/A Yet	$1,994.00	$1,999.99	$1,899.00	$150.00
* + or • : Net prices after rebates and AppleInsider's exclsuive 3% discount. The 3% discount coupon is automatically embedded in the links above. It will show up as "Instant Discount(s)" during checkout, only affter you've added the Mac to your shopping cart. Full details via AppleInsider's complete Mac Price Guide.

Steve Ballmer: 'Apple sold more iPads than I'd like them to sell'

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:50:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 05:50 PM EST

Speaking to Wall Street analysts, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer noted that tablets are a big issue for the company and expressed concern about Apple's success with iPad.

"Today, one of the top issues on my mind, hey there's a category -- tablets," Ballmer said, according to a transcript by Business Insider.

"Apple has done an interesting job. They've sold more than I'd like them to sell. We think about that," he said. "So it's our job to say, we have got to make things happen. Just like we made things happen with netbooks, we have to do that with Slates."

Ballmer introduced his comments on tablets by saying, "Windows is everywhere. It's in gas pumps, lights controlling stadiums, etc. But for consumers...Microsoft went from no Windows in netbooks to being the guiding piece of software. Thin laptops, gaming PCs, TVs, etc. We have the widest array of form factors."

What Microsoft did to netbooks

Netbooks originally debuted with Linux, which helped the low end mini-notebooks achieve an attractive low price. However, Microsoft immediately began pressuring PC makers, including netbook leader ASUS, to switch to Windows XP, offering the software virtually for free to prevent Windows-free netbooks from gaining traction.

In the spring of 2009, Ubuntu CEO Mark Shuttleworth expressed hope of a level playing field in the netbook market, stating in an interview that "a decent edition of Windows [7] will mean Microsoft finally has to charge full price and that Redmond will finally stop allowing OEMs to use low-cost copies of Windows XP instead of paying full price for the full version of the official flagship - Windows Vista."

By the summer of 2009, Ballmer was telling financial analysts that Microsoft hoped to stop the rapidly falling prices in PCs (in part due to an influx of cheap new netbooks).

Using Windows 7, Ballmer said, "We’re going to readjust those prices north." At the time, he commented that Apple's gains in PC market share were a "rounding error," and "cost us nothing." He added, "hopefully, we’ll take share back from Apple. But they still sell only 10 million PCs a year, so it’s a limited opportunity."

Tablets harder to take

A year later, Apple has increased its Mac unit sales significantly while also selling nearly as many more new iPads per quarter. Ballmer referred to iPad as a PC, so from Microsoft's perspective, Apple has doubled its share of the overall computer market, while making major gains in the formerly beleaguered tablet market.

Unlike the netbook market, Microsoft can't pressure Apple to convert the iPad to a Windows device. And other PC makers have shown little enthusiasm for Windows in the tablet arena, with ASUS recently shelving its plans to use Windows Embedded Compact 7 in favor of Android.

Asked about future Microsoft tablets in the wake of HP dropping its plans for the consumer "Slate PC" it unveiled at CES just before iPad was announced (and before buying Palm, below), and the news that Microsoft was canceling its own Courier tablet concept, Ballmer said, "We've invested in touch, in ink. Mark up annotation, you'll see us try to bring it together to deliver slates and convertibles people will be excited about."

Ballmer told the audience that new Microsoft tablets, "will be shipping as soon as they are ready. It has job one urgency around here, nobody's sleeping at this point. We are working with those partners, not just to deliver something, but to deliver products that people really want to go buy."

After fretting about Apple's ominous iPad sales numbers, Baller also took the opportunity to criticize the product, saying "I don't think there is one size that fits all […] I've been to too many meetings with journalists who spent the first 10 minutes of the meeting setting up iPad to look like a laptop." Presumably, Ballmer meant pulling out a Bluetooth keyboard.

Apple job listing hints at 'revolutionary' new Mac OS X 10.7 feature

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:55:00 GMT

By Neil Hughes

Published: 03:55 PM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

A new corporate job listing from Apple boasts of a "revolutionary" new feature for the foundations of Mac OS X that will "truly amaze everyone."

The new job listing posted this week makes numerous references to a specific, singular feature said to be a part of the Mac OS X operating system. Of course, it declines to reveal what that feature could be, but the ad does use the word "revolutionary" on three separate occasions.

"Are you looking to help create something new? Something that has never been done before and will truly amaze everyone?" the job listing reads. "Are you excited by the prospect that what you helped create would be used every day by millions of Apple customers? Then come and work with us on the Mac OS X software engineering team to help build a new and revolutionary feature for Mac OS X."

The listing seeks a software engineer that has experience with developing Internet technologies and services, and also says that an 'exceptional candidate" would have experience with HTTP protocol and the architecture of large Web scale systems.

The posting could be interpreted to mean that Apple is beefing up personnel as it works hard on the next iteration of its desktop operating system platform, Mac OS X 10.7. So far, Apple has made no mention of its next-generation operating system.

Some were hopeful that Apple could show of Mac OS X 10.7 at this summer's Worldwide Developers Conference, even if just in the form of a limited demo. Instead, that event was all about the iPhone 4.

To create the secret new feature, Apple seeks to hire a senior software engineer to help craft the software which will be a part of the "very foundations" of Mac OS X.

"We have something truly revolutionary and really exciting in progress, and it is going to require your most creative and focused efforts ever," the listing days. The company wants to hire someone who has a drive to tackle "really hard" challenges that "have never been done before."

An ideal candidate for the job has a degree in computer science and five years of professional experience in developing C/C++/Objective-C libraries or frameworks for use on end user systems. Applicants with experiencing developing for Mac OS X and UNIX are desired.

Evidence of work on Mac OS X 10.7 came late last year, just a few months after the most recent version, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, shipped. AT the time, a new database entry for the open source "launchd" framework responsible for Mac OS X referenced "11A47." The numerical prefix of a Mac OS X build determines the version number, and 11A47 would imply an early version of Mac OS X 10.7.

Australia's Telstra awards iPhone 4 "Blue Tick" for superior reception

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 03:35 PM EST

Australian mobile provider Telstra has awarded iPhone 4, when used with a case, a special "Blue Tick" approval for use in rural areas of poorer service coverage, due to the phone's antenna performance.

In a blog posting titled "tips for great iPhone reception, Telstra says iPhone 4, without the use of any accessories, has been approved for use in metro and major regional coverage areas.

The carrier notes that "to help maximise coverage performance in metro and major regional areas, Telstra recommends that customers team their iPhone 4 with an approved rubberised bumper or case."

The tip adds, "we’ve found that an approved bumper or case can also improve the consistency of data speeds when customers are using a fast network like the Telstra Next G™ network. So if frequent mobile internet is important to you, we suggest you grab a bumper or case."

Blue Tick worthy for rural customers, when a case is used

"The great news for our regional and rural customers," Telstra says, "is that an approved rubberised bumper or case can help to maximise the coverage performance of the iPhone 4. In fact, the handheld coverage performance is improved so that it is equivalent to one of our Telstra ‘Blue Tick’ devices."

The posting explains, "we award our Blue Tick to mobiles that have the best coverage performance and recommend them to customers working or living in regional and rural coverage areas."

Telstra adds that it "uses a two-phase methodology to test the coverage performance of each mobile phone model it offers to customers. The first test is conducted at Telstra’s anechoic chamber in Sydney and examines a mobile’s handheld receiver sensitivity. The second test is conducted out in the field. Testing looks at elements like voice quality and how successfully a handset makes and receives calls at the edge of coverage."

iPhone 4 launches in Australia tomorrow, along with Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Norway's largest paper: iPhone 4 Antennagate is a US problem

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:00:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 02:00 PM EST

After testing Apple's iPhone 4 against competing HTC and Nokia models in a remote area on the edge of Norwegian carrier Telenor's mobile coverage, the county's largest paper has concluded that its antenna design is "just as good and bad as competitors," rather than suffering any defect.

A report by Oslo's Verdens Gang, the country's largest online and printed newspaper, forwarded to AppleInsider by reader Torje �ivand Olsen, noted that the brouhaha surrounding "alleged antenna problems" of iPhone 4 was not evident in its own testing conducted in a remote part of the country.

The paper compared iPhone 4 against the HTC Wildfire, Nokia E71, and Apple's previous iPhone 3GS. It stated that all of the phones reacted similarly when gripped tightly (losing signal bars due to attenuation), but that all of the phones were able to sustain a conversation.

Both Nokia and HTC have responded to Antennagate with bold claims that signal drops experienced when a phone is held in a particular way are a problem unique to Apple, while at the same time warning users not to hold their own Nokia or HTC phones in such a way as to cause signal attenuation.

Worse in call quality, better in data service

VG reported that the sound quality on the two iPhone models was not as good, but that all the calls 'went smoothly.' However, when using the phones' data service to pull up a web page, the reporters said only the iPhone 4 'was close to having a stable connection,' successfully pulling up a page while the other models reported no service.

The paper suggested poor mobile networks may be the cause of the US reports of iPhone 4 antenna problems. It cited Amobil, a Norwegian mobile phone news site, as having 'tested the iPhone 4 thoroughly, without finding any evidence that it is improperly constructed. All modern mobile phones have integrated antennas, and it is normal that they are affected by how the phone is held,' VG said.

Amobil writer Finn Jarle Kvalheim added, 'Consumer Reports goes far in asserting that the problems do not have anything to with the mobile network. But it is a fact that mobile networks in Norway are much more robust than AT&T;'s network in the US.'

Olsen, who helped translate the story for AppleInsider, adds "I have myself tested the iPhone 4 and tried to replicate the signal loss close to one of Norway's major towns without being able to get even one less bar."

Apple will launch the new iPhone 4 in Norway tomorrow, along with Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Study finds 14% of free iPhone apps can snoop contacts

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:00:00 GMT

By Slash Lane

Published: 01:00 PM EST

A survey of 300,000 applications for both the iPhone and Android devices found that 14 percent of free App Store software has the ability to access a user's contacts on their iPhone.

This week at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, Nev., security research firm Lookout revealed that it analyzed more than 300,000 free applications available on both the iPhone App Store and Android Market.

As noted earlier, the mobile security firm revealed a wallpaper application for Google's Android mobile operating system that allegedly captures a handset's SIM card number, subscriber identification and voicemail password, and reportedly sends it to the website www.imnet.us, owned by someone in Shenzhen, China.

In addition, Lookout also discovered that 14 percent of the surveyed free applications available for Apple's iPhone have the capability to access a user's contact data. That's more than on Android, where 8 percent of tested applications could view the contact list.

Additionally, 33 percent of free applications on the App Store have the ability to access a user's location. The difference is, Apple's iOS mobile operating system requires third-party software to inform users when the application is accessing their location. Such rules do not, however, exist for contacts. For comparison, 29 percent of free Android software has the ability to access a user's location.

Finally, Lookout also found that 47 percent of free Android applications include third-party code, such as mobile ads and analytics tracking. That number is 23 percent on the iPhone. The survey found that 28 percent of software on the App Store is free, compared with 64 percent on the Android Market.

Lookout's findings were also publicized this week by the Associated Press, which reported that nearly a quarter of tested iPhone applications contained software code with the ability to access either pictures, text messages, or Internet and search histories, in addition to contacts. Reporter Jordan Robertson reached out to both Apple and Google for comment on the survey, but neither company responded.

"Part of the problem is smart phones don't alert users to all the different types of data the applications running on them are collecting. iPhones only alert users when applications want to use their locations," the report said. "And while Android phones offer robust warnings when applications are first installed, many people breeze through them for the gratification of using the apps quickly."

Rather than clone Apple's iPad, Amazon sticks with e-ink for new Kindle

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:20:00 GMT

By Katie Marsal

Published: 11:20 AM EST

Instead of adopting a color touchscreen to compete with the Apple iPad, Amazon's newly redesigned Kindle will instead focus on price, sticking with a low-cost e-ink display and starting at just $139.

Soon after the iPad was announced earlier this year, Amazon purchased touchscreen maker Touchco. At the time, it was said that the bookseller planned to incorporate the technology from the startup company in a future Kindle e-reader device.

That may still come true in the future, but on Wednesday,
">Amazon announced that its next-generation Kindle will launch on Aug. 27 in the U.S. and U.K. and will keep a black-and-white e-ink display. The new screen has a contrast ratio that is said to be 50 percent better than its predecessor.

Like the iPad, the new Kindle will be offered in both Wi-Fi-only and 3G-capable versions. The Wi-Fi Kindle will cost $139, while the 3G version will run $189. It has a 21 percent smaller body than the previous generation, but still has the same 6-inch reading area. It's also 15 percent lighter and a third of an inch thin. With double the storage, the new Kindle can old up to 3,500 books.

The new Kindle also features quieter page turn buttons, an improved PDF reader, an "experimental" WebKit-based browser, and a voice guide that allows books to be read aloud.

After the iPad was released in April, Amazon lowered the price of its previous-generation Kindle to $189. While the device's e-ink screen allows battery life to be measured in weeks instead of hours, making it a strong e-reader, the display also means the hardware is not as capable at other multimedia functions as the iPad. Apple's touchscreen tablet starts at $499.

"Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon for two years running. We lowered the price to $189 and sales growth tripled. Now, we are excited to introduce a new generation Kindle that is smaller, lighter, and faster, with 50 percent better contrast," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO.

"Readers are going to do a double take when they see Kindle's bright new screen and feel how remarkably light the smaller 8.7 ounce design feels in one hand. If you don't need the convenience of 3G wireless, we have an incredible new price point--$139 for Kindle Wi-Fi. Kindle Wi-Fi has all the same features, same bookstore, same high-contrast electronic paper display, and it's even a tiny bit lighter at 8.5 ounces. At this price point, many people are going to buy multiple units for the home and family."

Amazon and Apple began to compete in the digital reader space when the iPad and its accompanying iBookstore were released. Both devices allow instant downloads of bestselling titles for reading on the go.

Amazon, however, has hedged its bets and also offers e-book reading software for other platforms, including Apple's iPad. Using Amazon's "Whispersync" technology, users can begin a book on one device, like a Kindle, and then pick up right where they left off on another device, like the iPad.

Apple's future iPhones may offer 3D recording of places, objects

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:05:00 GMT

By Neil Hughes

Published: 10:05 AM EST

A future iPhone could take recorded video or photos and use the information to render an object or location in 3D, allowing the user to then navigate a virtual environment.

Two new patent applications from Apple revealed this week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describe technology that would generate a three-dimensional model of an object or place based on a recording. Users could then navigate the 3D space "in an order other than that of the recording."

One application, entitled "Generating a Three-Dimensional Model using a Portable Electronic Device Recording," deals specifically with the recording aspect. It says that a portable device, like an iPhone, could record more than just video, and rely on other functions like motion sensing components and GPS. This would allow the software to adjust the displayed portion of a three-dimensional model to reflect the movement of the device.

"By walking with the device in the user's real environment, a user can virtually navigate representation of a three-dimensional environment," the application says. The technology sounds like a mix between augmented reality applications such as Layar, which show the world in real-time through the iPhone camera and overlay digital information on top of the picture, and navigation services like Google Maps, where Street View can allow users to view road intersections and landmarks without physically being there.

These 3D renderings could be used in software as practical as a mapping application, or something simply for fun, like a video game.

If enabled on millions of devices, this sort of 3D mapping could be uploaded over the Internet and then shared with other users, allowing a sort of "hive mind" functionality in generating comprehensive and up-to-date real-world renderings.

The accompanying application revealed this week is entitled "Three Dimensional Navigation Using Deterministic Movement of an Electronic Device." It deals with the navigation of a 3D space generated by a user's recording. Again, this application describes features similar to existing augmented reality applications, but taking it a step further by recording the information for future playback.

"By walking with the device in the user's real environment, a user can virtually navigate a representation of a three-dimensional environment," the document states. "in some embodiments, a user can record an object or environment using an electronic device, and tag the recorded images or video with movement information describing the movement of the device during the recording. The recorded information can then be processed with the movement information to generate a three-dimensional model of the recorded environment or object."

Both applications were originally filed on January 28, 2009. They are credited to Richard Tsai, Andrew Just and Brandon Harris.

Teardown of Apple's Magic Trackpad reveals tightly packed thin design

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:35:00 GMT

By Sam Oliver

Published: 08:35 AM EST

iFixit has completed their teardown of Apple's new multi-touch Magic Trackpad, finding that the very thin device is bound by copious amounts of glue, making it difficult to disassemble.

Released on Tuesday the $69 Magic Trackpad offers users the ability to use multi-touch gestures on a desktop Mac or PC. The hardware is a very thin profile made up of smooth glass and aluminum.

In its teardown of the Magic Trackpad, solutions provider iFixit found that the new hardware follows a trend of recent Apple products: "thin and pretty = not user serviceable."

The trackpad, does, however, offer a user-replaceable battery, as the wireless Bluetooth hardware relies on two AA batteries for power. Simply twisting the battery door on the rear left of the device with a flathead screwdriver allows access to the batteries.

Though the Magic Trackpad surface is 80 percent larger than the trackpad found in current MacBook Pro models, the hardware's touch panel is just 0.5mm thick.

Prying the lower panel of the hardware away using a plastic opening tool, iFixit had to slice its way through adhesive to disassemble the hardware. Inside, the device includes a spacer, which prevents the lower panel from squeezing against the logic board and damaging it.

Removing the two ribbon cables that connect the capacitive touch pad to the logic board was said to be difficult, as the cables are very thin and are stuck to the underside of the touchpad.

Removing the outer touchpad from the device's aluminum chassis required the use of a heat gun to warm up the adhesive that holds the hardware together.

"This is not for the faint of heart," they wrote. "A copious amount of heat, guitar picks and plastic opening tools were required to make this thing bulge."

iFixit also noted that the Magic Trackpad has a unique way of triggering the mouse button -- pressing down on the hardware actually clicks the two rubber feet on the front of the device. Pressing down pushes up on a hinged plate and set screw, squeezing an electronic mouse button switch and creating a familiar "click."

Completely removing the logic board requires desoldering of the four wires that lead to the battery connector and status LED, as well as the removing of two Phillips screws. The logic board includes a Broadcom BCM2042 chip for its wireless Bluetooth connectivity -- the same chip found in Apple's multi-touch Magic Mouse.

In addition, the hardware's multi-touch functionality is provided by a BCM5974 chip, the same found in the iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook Air. Finally, the SST 25WF020 has 2Mbit of serial flash memory.

For more, see the complete list of details and photos at iFixit. In addition, see AppleInsider's review of the new Magic Trackpad.

After 6 weeks of "real usage," Mossberg stands by his initial verdict of the iPhone 4

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:25:00 GMT

By Josh Ong

Published: 12:25 AM EST

In a follow-up to his original review, Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal continued to laud Apple's iPhone 4 as "the best device in its class," while warning of issues with weak reception and dropped calls.

After 6 weeks of constant use with two iPhone 4 units, Mossberg found that in areas with "average or strong AT&T; coverage" the iPhone 4 generally performed better than the iPhone 3GS, but performed worse than the 3GS in areas with weak coverage. One iPhone 4 was a review unit provided by Apple, while the other was purchased by Mossberg.

Mossberg took issue with Apple's claim that the iPhone 4 performs better than the iPhone 3GS in areas with poor reception. In his experience, compared to the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS actually dropped less calls and showed a 'no service' status less often.

Mossberg's conclusions were consistent with his original appraisal of the smartphone. In his initial review, Mossberg praised the iPhone 4's design and features, but criticized the lack of network choices.

Since AT&T; "operates a network that has trouble connecting and maintaining calls in many cities" and has abandoned unlimited, flat-rate data plans, Mossberg was unable to recommend the smartphone to people in poor AT&T; reception areas.

Regarding the 'death-grip' issue, Mossberg noted that gripping the phone would cause the signal bars to "fluctuate," but didn't find the issue to be of serious concern. In some cases, he noted, the bars actually rose when the left-hand seam between antennas was deliberately touched.

Mossberg concluded the post by acknowledging that the iPhone 4 worked better for him than the iPhone 3GS in decent coverage areas and reiterating that he does not recommend the handset to users who suffer from poor AT&T; reception where they "live, work, or travel."

Millions of Android users hit by malicious data theft app

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT

By Daniel Eran Dilger

Published: 12:00 AM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

An app distributed by Google's Android Market has collected private data from millions of users and forwarded it to servers China, validating Apple's uniquely strong stance on mobile security in the iPhone App Store.

The exploit, tied to an app that appeared to simply load free custom background wallpapers, was downloaded "anywhere from 1.1 million to 4.6 million times. The exact number isn’t known because the Android Market doesn’t offer precise data," according to a report by Dean Takahashi of VentureBeat.

The app "collects a user’s browsing history, text messages, your phone’s SIM card number, subscriber identification, and even your voice mail password. It sends the data to a web site, www.imnet.us. That site is evidently owned by someone in Shenzhen, China," the report noted.

The data theft was only discovered afterward, through forensics performed by mobile security firm named Lookout which sells virus and malware protection software for Android, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices. The problem was announced at the Black Hat security conference being held in Las Vegas.

Mobile data theft on the increase

The issue recalls a recent AT&T; website leak that could hypothetically have enabled a malicious hacker to access 144 thousand of iPad 3G user's email addresses.

However, the Android app data theft was actually perpetrated by malicious hackers and not just demonstrated by researchers; it involves far more sensitive data; and affected far more victims--by more than an order of magnitude.

iOS vs Android in app security

Apps on any platform can access personal data and forward that data to an external server, but the Lookout research found that 47 percent of the selection of Android apps it looked at incorporated third party code (which may include malicious functions), while only 23 percent of analyzed iPhone apps did.

Apple also approves iOS apps through a strict vetting process before listing them in the App Store, while Google's Android Market app security involves simply warning the user that an app needs permissions to perform certain functions during the install.

Unlike other mobile platforms secured by Lookout, Apple's iOS platform doesn't have a live virus problem because third party iPhone apps can only be distributed through Apple's curated App Store, and apps are forced to run in a segregated sandbox environment where they can't infect the system. That doesn't necessarily mean iOS apps can't forward user data inappropriately however; Apple has discovered and pulled apps that have violated its privacy policies.

Apps must also be signed by a certificate created by Apple, which makes it much harder for malicious developers to anonymously distribute software designed to cause problems or steal data. Apple's security measures also make such efforts less attractive financially, despite the iOS platform's installed base being much larger than Android's.

Exploitable vulnerabilities in the iOS platform have been reported elsewhere, including the Safari browser, but crafting a malicious attack via the browser requires luring users to a malicious site rather than simply distributing a bad app that appears to be useful and genuine.

Lookout chief executive John Hering said in the report that "he believes both Google and Apple are on top of policing their app stores, particularly when there are known malware problems with apps," but the report noted it's "unclear what happens" when apps don't actually do what they represent.

Apple looking into iOS 4 problems on iPhone 3G

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:15:00 GMT

By Josh Ong

Published: 08:15 PM EST

Related AppleInsider articles:

After numerous reports of problems, Apple is investigating the performance of the iPhone 3G when running iOS 4.

A spokeswoman for Apple told the Wall Street Journal that the Cupertino, Calif., company is aware of the reports and looking into the matter.

Users have complained of several major problems after upgrading to the new operating system, including slowness, decreased battery life and overheating. Several blogs are currently advising iPhone 3G users against upgrading to the new operating system.

Many users have expressed anger or disappointment at the situation. “This phone has gone from being a dream to constantly annoying me. Not a way to make friends. I would upgrade to an iPhone4, but I’m feeling pretty angry that Apple has forced my hand by making my 3G unusable,” wrote one user on an Apple forum.

As reported in June by AppleInsider, iOS 4 for iPhone 3G is missing several key features, including multitasking and support for Bluetooth keyboards. The increased memory requirements of iOS 4 are cited as a reason for disabling the extra features. First generation iPhone and iPod touch units are unable to run iOS 4.

The problems with iPhone 3G's running iOS4 are the latest in a series of high-profile hardware and software mishaps that Apple has faced. Issues with the iPhone 4 antenna have, for the most part, eclipsed several other reported problems.

In addition to the iPhone 4 antenna problem, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs confirmed earlier in July that there is indeed a problem with the iPhone 4 proximity sensor. The company is currently working on a software fix for the sensor.