Archive for October, 2006
Logitech have produced a rather expensive keyboard, but unlike some of the more ridiculous attempts at pimping up electronic devices, this one is beautiful to behold.
Lets start with the looks, because the appeal starts to fall down when functionality comes into play.
The diNovo Edge is laser-cut from a single piece of black plexiglass. Then, as if that weren’t enough, Logitech have embedded it into an aluminium surround. Icons are backlit in orange or green, but cunningly are invisible until illuminated. Most impressively, the whole thing is only 3/4 inch thick.
“The diNovo Edge is the most beautiful and elegant keyboard we´ve ever made,” said Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for Logitech´s keyboards and desktops. “It elicits an immediate emotional connection the first time you see it — and that connection only gets stronger when you place your hands upon it. The diNovo Edge delivers a premium experience in every way, from how it looks in the office or living room, to how it feels and performs in the hands of its owner.”
With Bluetooth, the diNovo Edge can connect directly, without the included USB micro-receiver, to PCs that have built-in Bluetooth technology. For computers without built-in Bluetooth technology, people need only plug in the micro-receiver to a USB port to connect the keyboard to the PC; the keyboard and receiver are pre-paired during manufacturing so that they automatically connect when plugged in.
Now, we haven’t actually seen a diNovo edge in the flesh, let alone actually used one, but there’s a nagging concern about the fact that functionality has been compromised over design. For a start, where’s the numeric keypad? Not there, that’s where. Then, what the heck is that thing that looks a bit like a thermometer on the right hand side? It turns out that’s the volume slider and a touchpad that attempts to combine horizontal scroll, vertical scroll and clicking all into one. TechSmec.com has its doubts.
Nevertheless, this is a keyboard designed for the living room, not the office, and minimalism is king in that setting.
You would expect to pay a lot for a keyboard like this, and you’d be right. The diNovo edge is expected to retail at $199 when it launches in the USA and Europe in November.
October 3rd, 2006
Bluetooth is pretty cool, despite the fact that it has spawned that most laughable of people - the headset (even when it’s really not necessary) wearer. Now there’s a new kid on the block in the short-range wireless district in the form of Wibree.
Wibree uses a lot less power than bluetooth, so it can be used in smaller devices and that opens up a lot of new possibilities. It is implemented either as stand-alone chip or as a Bluetooth-Wibree dual-mode chip. In fact, it can use the same hardware as bluetooth so costs are low. Wibree operates at a range of up to 10 meters and with a data rate of 1-Mbit per second.
Nokia is behind the new technology and they think it has lots of potential uses in devices that were traditionally too small for bluetooth, such as wristwatches. They hope to bring it to market in 2007.
“Wibree technology is an important development that opens up new market opportunities and a whole new range of possibilities for mobile users. Our aim is to establish an industry standard faster than ever before by offering an interoperable solution that can be commercialized and incorporated into products quickly,” said Dr. Bob Iannucci, head of the Nokia Research Center.
If you were wondering what the derivation of the word ‘Wibree’ is, so are we. Nokia has remained tightlipped about it so far.
October 3rd, 2006
According to the Metropolitan Police figures, 10,000 mobile phones are stolen every month. But a new service from mobile device management company Synchronica (www.synchronica.com) aims to help victims of theft strike back.Synchronica’s mobile phone management software Mobile Manager can remotely lock and wipe data from mobile phones as soon as their owners report the loss. If the phone has been stolen, companies can also turn on the Synchronica Scream Feature, causing an annoying and embarrassing high pitched wail to be emitted from the stolen device.
“According to industry sources, it takes on average only 30 seconds for someone to notice that their phone is missing, compared to an hour for a wallet or purse”, said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO of Synchronica. “Using our service, crime victims can be reassured that their information is immediately removed from the stolen phone, along with the satisfaction of annoying the thief with a screaming handset.”
Until this becomes a common feature with mobile phones, TechSmec.com isn’t sure it will make a massive difference. Yes, it will annoy the hell out of a thief, but by then they’ve already got the handset, so you’re not really any better off.
October 3rd, 2006
Regular readers of TechSmec.com may remember that back in August we brought you reports of the Apple notebook hacking demo that caused a stir at the Black Hat USA 2006 conference. Apple dismissed the demo as unproven at the time and the Mac community rallied against the two SecureWorks reseachers, David Maynor and Jon “Johnny Cache” Ellch. Hell hath no fury like a Mac-lover scorned.
The two were due to present at the ToorCon hacker event on Saturday, but only Ellch turned up. His accusation was thinly veiled, to say the least.
“I can not give this talk without Dave,” Ellch said. “Dave very much wanted to be here. The fact that SecureWorks and Apple managed to compel him not to, means that they must have had something very compelling to stop him.”
So, what is going on? TechSmec.com puts on its deer-stalker hat and looks at the evidence, Sherlock-style…
What started all of this?
Two respected, but hardly famous, hackers demonstrate on video their hacking of the WiFi connection on an Apple notebook.
Why on video? Isn’t that a bit suspicious?
Those security-conscious chaps realised that someone in their knowledgable audience might be able to intercept the packets over WiFi and reverse engineer the process.
Oh right. And did everyone believe them then?
Most people, those who could normally be categorised as ‘Windows users’. Mac users were somewhat more sceptical. In fact they were downright angry.
What got up their noses so much?
Didn’t you know? Macs are unhackable, never get viruses, and are the only way of ensuring world peace.
Really?
Of course not! But Apple would have you believe so and 5% of the computer owning world has fallen for it. In fact they probably aren’t much more secure than a PC running Windows XP, but until now no one could be bothered hacking them.
So Maynor and Ellch wanted to expose this lie.
Actually no. The researchers stressed that the exploit was not specific to Mac wireless cards, but to wireless cards in general. They used a Mac for the demo because OSX is considered a more secure operating system that Windows and wanted to show how powerful the hack was.
Storm in a teacup.
Not if you are Apple. They got a little upset as well and debunked the demonstration. They don’t like having their un-hackable image tarnished, even if it is a third party piece of hardware that’s causing the problem.
What did Maynor and Ellch do?
They announced a LIVE demonstration. The world waited with baited breath until…
Yes?
Apple released a patch for the ‘not really a hack, hack’. Maynor didn’t show up after his company, SecureWorks, pulled him from the event and Ellch went on the war path. “That’s funny,” he said. “I thought there was no bug, and I thought SecureWorks provided no useful information to Apple.”
So Mac notebook users can breathe again?
It appears so. The hack, that never actually existed according to Apple, has been patched….by Apple.
But if the fault was in third party hardware doesn’t that mean that lots of non-Mac notebooks are vulnerable?
Exactly…..
October 1st, 2006
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