Mac OS X leaking passwords of FileVault users
Users of older Mac OS X versions who upgraded to the current Mac OS X 10.7.3, "Lion" and opted to stick with the older version of the FileVault encryption system, may have a problem. It appears that Apple developers enabled a debug option in 10.7.3 which makes the user's password appear, in clear text in a log file, whenever the user mounts the encrypted folder. The problem was identified by security expert David I. Emery who reported the issue on a security mailing list.
The problem appears to only affects users who upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion and did not activate the new FileVault encryption on Lion which switches to encrypting the whole hard disk rather than just the user's home directory. New users and new installations of Mac OS X Lion are not believed to be exposed to this risk. Read more...
BlackBerry 10 to feature built-in video editing, screen sharing
RIM recently offered the world a limited peek at what’s coming in BlackBerry 10, but CrackBerry has been abuzz today with images that appear to have leaked out of Waterloo that show off several additional features. Among them: screen sharing during video calls, an integrated video editing app, and a completely redesigned lockscreen with a clever toast notification system.
The video editor is the least surprising revelation. Almost a year ago, RIM acquired JayCut — one of the first online video editing apps to hit the web. At the time, RIM noted that the BlackBerry PlayBook’s high-def cameras were crying out for better video capabilities, and a JayCut-based BlackBerry 10 app will certainly provide that. Read more...
Tech that’s tops on a Mother’s Day gift list
Technology can make a perfect Mother's Day gift, whether it's filling a need or pampering mom. Here are some great ways to show how much you care:
Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus
If mom likes to spend time cooking, she'll love the Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus. It will let her consult recipes and operate her tablet without getting it dirty. The stand and stylus will work with any tablet and can be washed with mild soap and water.
Price: $29.23 on Amazon.com Read more...
#Campaign: How Twitter is Playing Politics in 2012
Twitter -- the next (digital) battleground state. The social media wars are already underway, just check out Twitter foes David Axelrod, of the Obama campaign, and Eric Fehrnstrom, with the Romney campaign. Axelrod tweeted this photo, saying "How loving owners transport their dogs" -- a shot at Mitt Romney, who in the 1980s transported his dog Seamus in a carrier strapped to the roof. Fehrnstrom shot back after someone realized that in his memoir Obama wrote about eating dog as a boy. Fehrnstrom re-tweeted Axelrod's photo with the message: "In hindsight, a chilling photo." It was a debate hashed out -- or hashtagged out -- entirely on Twitter. Read more...
Online Invitations And Stationery Startup Paperless Post Raises $6.3M From Tim Draper, SV Angel And More
Design-friendly online invitations and stationery startup Paperless Post has raised $6.3 million in funding from RRE Ventures, SV Angel, Tim Draper, Ram Shiram and others.
The startup is sort of like the anti-Evite, aiming to allow consumers to create sleek, design-focused, personalized invitations that deliver the same quality as paper stationery. Users can send out invitations for any occasion and monitor as guests receive and reply to their invitations. Read more...
Adobe preps silent Flash updates for Macs
Adobe last week released a new beta of Flash Player that includes silent updates for Macs.
Adobe first included silent updates for OS X in the Flash Player beta a month ago; the version shipped Friday was tagged as "Beta 3."
Adobe introduced silent updates for Flash Player on Windows in late March. At the time, the company committed to creating the same feature on OS X, but did not set a timetable. Read more...
Android malware used to mask online fraud, says expert
Android malware being automatically distributed from hacked websites looks like it's being used to mask online purchases, and could be part of a fraud gang's new push into mobile, researchers said today.
"The malware essentially turns your Android phone into a tunnel that can bounce network traffic off your phone," said Kevin Mahaffrey, co-founder and CTO of Lookout Security, a San Francisco-based firm that focuses on Android.
Lookout first published information about the new malware, dubbed "NotCompatible," on Wednesday. Further analysis, however, has revealed the most likely reason why cyber criminals are spreading the malware. Read more...
Apple wants iphone5.com domain handed over
Apple is disputing ownership of the iphone5.com domain, sparking speculation that the company will use the long-rumored name for its next smartphone.
The Cupertino, Calif. electronics maker has filed a claim with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency that arbitrates Web domain disputes in cases of "cybersquatting," naming iphone5.com as the target.
The domain is currently active and hosts a discussion forum devoted to smartphones. It's unclear who owns iphone5.com since the domain, which was activated in early 2008, was registered anonymously. But it may have an Australian connection: The domain registrar which assigned the URL is based in that country. Read more...
HTC Droid Incredible 4G unveiled; 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4, 4-inch qHD display, NFC and 8MP camera
Already teased on the Verizon website via a promotional page, HTC has today confirmed the launch of the Droid Incredible 4G at CTIA Wireless, becoming the 23rd 4G LTE device to be offered by big red in the US.
The smartphone features a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, a 4-inch super LCD qHD display with an 8-megapixel snapper ( f/2.2 and 28 mm lens) and a 1,700 mAh removable battery. Read more...
Media.net is building an army to challenge Google’s contextual advertising dominance
You’ve probably never heard of Divyank ‘Div’ Turakhia, and that’s a shame.
Turakhia is an amazing India-born serial entrepreneur who started his first business when he was 14 years old, and co-founded domain name, Web hosting and Internet services giant Directi when he was only 18, turning it into a $300 million business in less than a decade (see my video interview with Turakhia from November 2010). Read more...