iCal bugs can lead to DoS and code execution attacks
Researchers with Core Security have found three vulnerabilities in Mac OS X's calendaring app that could create havoc for users.
The most serious vulnerability deals with a memory corruption issue that is triggered by a specially-crafted .ics file being executed. At the heart of it is a resource liberation bug which is triggered through the file, thus allowing code execution.
AOL Video debuts in India, Canada, and Taiwan
Following the general shift among content providers toward more vertical and geographical content, AOL is expanding its video presence outside of the United States.
AOL Video is already quite successful here in the US: the site averages about 17 million unique visitors per month, and over 96 million page views.
Linux start-up Sugar Labs in informal talks with four laptop makers
Sugar Laboratories, Inc. is now in informal discussions with four ultra-low cost laptop manufacturers about the possibility of running its Linux software on their hardware, according to the new company's founder.
As Walter Bender, who left One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) last week to help establish OLPC's new software spinoff -- told BetaNews yesterday, his new non-profit software organization is very much interested in working with Intel, and is already talking with Pixel Qi, another organization with OLPC roots.
Cell phone companies propose fees loophole, but there's a catch
The wireless industry has proposed a plan to the US Federal Communications Commission giving consumers a chance to cancel their cellular service without any penalty.
That opportunity would begin for consumers either 10 days from receipt of their first bill, or 30 days after signing their contract. There's a catch, though: If the proposal goes through as written, the FCC will take away the right to states to regulate the wireless charges, which are called "termination fees."
OLPC's next gen XO 2.0 designer also plans mainstream PC screens
Beyond its work in designing the just rolled out, $75 XO 2.0 laptop, Pixel Qi -- an OLPC 'spinout' launched in January -- now plans to design the screens of some of the commercial laptops slated to debut next month in Taiwan.
As Mary Lou Jepsen, Pixel Qi's founder, told BetaNews yesterday, the OLPC's new XO 2.0 laptop will be a dual-touchscreen model geared toward kids in remote areas who walk to school. It will lack both keyboard and trackpad, it will take up about half the room of the XO 1.0, and it will require only 1 watt of power.
Microsoft's Matusow and Mahugh on Office's move to open format support
"We feel we are achieving parity in how Office treats the format, by making them all part of just one simple list of formats supported by Office," said Microsoft Office Product Manager Doug Mahugh, in an interview with BetaNews.
For the history of applications up until now, the specification of the format used to encode documents was defined largely and almost inescapably by the functionality of the programs which utilize them. A format represented what an application was designed to do, and that format changed when the application changed.
Small, portable WD 320 GB drive comes to Macs
Western Digital today introduced its 320 GB My Passport Studio Portable line of hard drives for Mac computers, which eliminate the need for an external power adapter.
At less than five ounces and measuring 3.2" x 5.0" x .71", the FireWire 400- and USB 2.0-powered hard drives. Since the HDDs have been designed to be portable, WD used a shock-resistant enclosure that will allow it to take a minimal amount of damage.
AT&T to speed up 3G network uploads by end of June
Leading US wireless carrier AT&T said Wednesday it would complete the roll-out of HSUPA technology on its 3G network by the end of June, which will boost possible upload speeds to 800 kilobits per second.
HSUPA will complement HSDPA, which has already reached all of the 275 markets currently served by AT&T's 3G network. The addition completes the company's deployment of HSPA technology, which will eventually make way for HSPA+ and at some point in the future, LTE.
UK bill calls for retention of all communications data
Details have emerged about the Communications Data Bill currently in pre-legislation in the UK. Home Office representatives have declined to address whether passage of this bill will mean keeping a central database of all e-mails and texts sent, calls made, and Web pages viewed.
More details have emerged about the Communications Data Bill currently in pre-legislation in the UK, leading many to speculate that the British government is assembling the means to spy on its citizens.
Google looks to be more up front on its search algorithms
The company says that the reason why it's been so secretive is competition. However, at the same time, it realizes questions remain over how it is providing search results.
In a post to the official Google blog, search quality chief Udi Manber said that the company has been purposely quiet on its ranking practices to protect its product. On one hand, knowledge of how Google works could allow webmasters to game the system -- while knowledge of search practices could help competitors.
HP's US sales 'not all bad, not all good,' says CEO
With the $13.9 billion buyout of IT outsourcer EDS now in progress, HP this week posted a strong second fiscal quarter across most of of its wide-ranging product areas, despite experiencing what CEO Mark Hurd called a "spotty" US market.
With total revenues of $28.3 billion, Hewlett-Packard increased its earnings per share by 24% over the same quarter last year, Hurd said in a conference call with financial analysts yesterday afternoon.
Google denies Schmidt said anything serious about Yahoo
On Monday during a press conference at its Zeitgeist Partner Forum in Great Britain, Google CEO Eric Schmidt and co-Presidents Sergey Brin and Larry Page were widely cited as having opened up the door to a possible partnership, or even something more, with Yahoo.
But this afternoon, a Google spokesperson denied to BetaNews that any of its executives made such overtures. And a YouTube video of the conference which re-emerged this morning after having been absent from public view for most of yesterday, would appear to confirm the spokesperson's take on the story. In fact, Brin and Page were openly reluctant to comment, deferring to Schmidt who made a brief reference to what was then considered a rumor -- later confirmed -- that Microsoft would be open to a purchase of part of Yahoo.
Wyse brings server-based virtualization to more thin client PCs
In an effort to capitalize on the steady popularity of virtualization, the makers of low-power, thin client PCs announced Wyse Thin OS 6.2 has added for virtual desktop environments from VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix Systems.
The official announcement was made during the Citrix Synergy '08 convention in Houston, where companies are meeting to discuss virtualization and application delivery to clients. Wyse is one of Citrix's longstanding and most trusted partners.
Red Hat refreshes its Enterprise Linux distro with version 5.2
The latest version of the company's commercial version of Linux for businesses offers new hardware support, several new features, and performance and stability improvements.
The company's Enterprise version is the premium edition of its Linux distribution. Back in 2003, the company split its business up into the Enterprise effort and Fedora, its sponsored open source project.
Friendster launches its mobile site, albeit a bit late
Recently relegated to also-ran status among social networks behind competitors MySpace and Facebook, Friendster launched a mobile version of its site globally on Wednesday.
While the site is among the top 10 largest in the world and the largest social network in Asia, according to comScore Media Metrix, it lags far behind its competitors. The mobile site is obviously an attempt to catch up.
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