Sun gives key management an open-source twist
Key management standards may not be the most glamorous aspect of IT security, but when you're trying to get your encryption-using devices to interoperate with your network, it matters. Now Sun's offering an open-source option.
The Crypto KMS Agent Toolkit is Sun's version of a KIMP (Key Management Interface Protocol) is, according to the company, the world's first generic communication protocol between a Key Manager and an encrypting device. It's available as part of the OpenSolaris Project.
Facebook backpedals on terms snafu, seeks advice
Switching it up a bit from its usual privacy-undercutting changes to their Terms of Service, Facebook's recently changed ToS slipped in new language that many users identified as a violation of personal privacy and copyright... and, after mass uproar, promptly rolled them back again.
Controversial Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg described the changes to the ToS as an attempt to "clarify a few points for our users," but close reading of the new terms indicated it might not be that simple. (Of course, Zuckerberg claims in the same post that "In reality, we wouldn't share your information in a way you wouldn't want," an assertion that anyone who's attempted to quit the service and remove all their information can easily refute.)
RIM settles options kerfuffle with SEC
An SEC inquiry into whether their options-granting practices were on the square has concluded for Research In Motion, which has -- jointly with four of its senior executives -- entered into two settlements over the matter.
Co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, former CFO Dennis Kavelman, and former VP of finance Angelo Loberto, along with the company as an entity, were accused of backdating stock options -- a situation that got them into hot water with both Canadian and American regulators. Last week the Ontario Securities Commission announced that it had reached a deal with the company and the four named execs plus other members of the board of directors.
Some analog TV stations have already thrown the switch
It was supposed to be a day of reduced confusion, but in many places around the US today, some major affiliate stations have gone dark on their old analog frequencies...while others go on.
Back in 1953, a family whose name would come to be synonymous in Oklahoma with two things -- broadcasting and waffle syrup -- launched a cottage television institution in what was surprisingly one of the most competitive markets in the country. For most of the time from then until now, it has been the standard-bearer for weather alerts, even to the point where its over-the-top advertising was parodied by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart. Still owned by the Griffin family today, KWTV in my old hometown of Oklahoma City has already said goodbye to Channel 9 -- what we Okies might call, "the lady that brung you."
NPD: 2008 was a bad year for operating systems
Market research company NPD released its non-game software sales figures for 2008, which showed a nearly 10% overall decline, with operating systems taking the greatest hit, selling 40% less than the previous year.
While the data does not take enterprise software deployments into account, the numbers are quite dramatic when considering the lifespan of the operating systems in the consumer market. Though due consideration can be given to the various Linux operating systems, any changes within their 1% collective market share would have only a minimal effect on the health of the OS market overall.
HTC rolls out 'Magic,' the world's second Android phone
HTC today unveiled a second Android phone to follow the G1/Dream. It's a tablet-style device called "Magic," first announced for several European markets although not yet for the US.
Set for availability this spring, HTC's Magic is slimmer than HTC's original Dream phone, but it adds new features driven by new "Cupcake" firmware.
A fighting chance for EchoStar against TiVo
Today marks the resumption of what has become a remarkable showdown between satellite TV provider EchoStar and its one-time subsidiary Dish Network, and store-and-forward TV pioneer TiVo. Last October, in what appeared to be the final chapter of a long story, the US Supreme Court declined to hear EchoStar's appeal of a judgment declaring it and Dish in violation of TiVo's patents regarding its "Time Warp" functionality. The $105 million settlement fee has already been accounted for by TiVo.
A hearing scheduled for today in US District Court in Texarkana was originally supposed to feature EchoStar's presentation of a software-based "workaround" that would enable its and Dish's set-top boxes to implement a live recording feature similar to Time Warp, but without using TiVo's methodology. But last month, the US Patent and Trademark Office decided it would re-examine the validity of TiVo's patent -- a decision which doesn't necessarily call into question the validity unto itself.
FCC white space device rules to take effect next month
The FCC's final Report and Order regarding the use of radio spectrum (including the portion freed up after the DTV transition) was made public today, revealing that the guidelines for developing white space devices will take effect March 19.
These guidelines are regarded as the first step toward the actual production of new communications devices that capitalize on the newly vacated spectrum. Though the document was finalized in November, before the DTV transition was delayed,
Jake Ward of the Wireless Innovation Alliance informed Betanews this afternoon that the actual rulemaking will likely be unaffected by the transition's delay.
iPhones will be among first to get Yahoo Mobile service
Yahoo's announced Mobile service for smartphones, which goes into beta today, will be available in March for iPhones, but not until May for hundreds of other models running Windows Mobile, as well as other major brands.
Those brands that will have to wait it out include Motorola, Nokia, RIM, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
Microsoft and Red Hat ink a 'one-dimensional' Linux deal
Microsoft has signed a virtualization interoperability pact with Red Hat, but officials contend that it's quite different than the controversial deal inked between Microsoft and Novell, another big Linux distributor, a few years ago.
At a press conference on Monday, Microsoft's Mike Neil described the new deal with Red Hat as "more one-dimensional," and the older one with Novell as "more multi-dimensional."
Agreement: Some radio broadcasters will pay some performers' royalties
With terrestrial radio stations now facing the possibility of Congress lifting their historic exception from paying royalties to performers for over-the-air broadcasts, they could use a break. Yesterday, they got one in the form of an agreement with the National Association of Broadcasters for lower performers' royalties when a station operates a simulcast or separate streaming outlet over the Internet.
The rate originally established for stations during 2009 and 2010 will be reduced by 16%, to $0.0015 per recording streamed, gradually increasing to $0.0025 (one quarter of one cent) per streamed recording by 2015. Though this may lessen the burden for terrestrial stations some, it may also be perceived as a concession by broadcasters that performers do deserve something from airplay. If subsidiary airplay deserves compensation, then why not the primary channel as well.
Nokia buddies up with Skype
Today, the world's top cell phone manufacturer and top soft phone client announced they have partnered to bring Skype to Nokia's N-series of handsets.
Nokia's N97, which the company yesterday pegged for launch in June, will be the flagship Skype-enabled N-series device. The N97's address book will incorporate Skype contacts and enable presence for both voice and instant message chats when the device is connected to a 3G signal or Wi-Fi.
Liberty Media deal may keep Sirius XM solvent
When XM and Sirius Satellite Radio merged last year, the acquirer took on financing debt from XM that it didn't expect. Now a white knight may have emerged to help the merged entity meet obligations due now.
Very few analysts doubt the ability of the satellite radio market to grow and flourish; the problem facing Sirius XM is not that its own market is declining. According to an October 2008 prospectus from Morgan Stanley (PDF available here), some $400 million in convertible senior notes at 1.75% interest are due this year, carried over from XM along with nearly $600 million in various other debts, including "revolving credit." And some $300 million in 2 1/2% convertible notes from the Sirius end are due...well, now.
Half of charges against Pirate Bay dropped
Only into its second day, the criminal copyright infringement case against file sharing site The Pirate Bay has already begun to crumble.
Exposing a clear misunderstanding of how .torrent files work, the prosecution was forced to drop all charges except those of "making available," a term common among all file sharing suits.
HTC unveils its second Android device
Today at day two of GSMA in Barcelona, HTC officially unveiled the sequel to the G1 Android phone, called the HTC Magic. The device will be launched in Europe on Vodafone this Spring.
The HTC Magic retains the distinctive "kicktail" that has become the identifying design trait of the G1, although the chassis is much thinner and sleeker than its predecessor. HTC was able to lighten up the device by eliminating the membrane keyboard of the G1 and replacing it with the touchscreen keypad found in the "Cupcake" Android update. HTC also made sure to remind us in its brief premier video (found below) that we can "make a flick" with the new Android device, since the Cupcake update also unlocks video capture mode.
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