Researcher: Secret software tracks phone users

By Suzanne Choney

A security researcher and systems analyst says a company's software is secretly logging the keystrokes of Android phone users, as well as those on some BlackBerrys and Nokia devices, although the company that makes the software denies the claims.a

The matter has grown so contentious that the company, Carrier IQ, threatened researcher Trevor Eckhart of Connecticut with legal action, but then backed off and apologized after the Electronic Frontier Foundation recently intervened.a

David Kravets of Wired's Threat Level has been writing about Eckhart's finding that Carrier IQ software "secretly chronicles a user’s phone experience, from its apps, battery life and texts. Some carriers prevent users who actually find the software from controlling what information is sent."a

Other articles have appeared on the issue, but it's Eckhart's video (above) that many find chilling.a

"Cringe as the video shows the software logging each number as Eckhart fingers the dialer," Kravets wrote.a

Watching all of it may be too much tech for many, but at between 11:30 and 13:30 minutes into the video, you get the picture, as the keystrokes made on the phone screen, including text messages, are logged and shown on another screen.a

Eckhart says Carrier IQ's software is a "rootkit," spying on unsuspecting users. Carrier IQ says it is not.a

"While we look at many aspects of a device’s performance, we are counting and summarizing performance, not recording keystrokes or providing tracking tools," the company says in a statement.a

In its Nov. 23 letter apologizing to Eckhart, shared on the company's site, Carrier IQ said it wanted to make clear what its software does do:a

Our software makes your phone work better by identifying dropped calls and poor service. Our software identifies problems that impede a phone’s battery life. Our software makes customer service quicker, more accurate, and more efficient. Our software helps quickly identify trending problems to help mobile networks prevent them from becoming more widespread.a

Related stories:a

Android malware problems continue to grow Android apps leakers when it comes to security? Developers: Android is risky business

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.a

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Rumor: iPhone 5 and iPad 3 planned for next year

Japanese news publication Nikkei Business is reporting that Apple is currently planning to release iPhone 5 and iPad 3 staring from Summer next year.

According to the report, Apple CEO Tim Cook met with NTT DoCoMo to work out on the details and launch arrangements. The iPad 3 will reportedly release in Summer, while the iPhone 5 will release in Fall.

The report also states that both of the devices will feature 4G connectivity.

There is no word on exact release dates, however, or the pricing on the devices (although, traditionally it may be the same as the current iPhone and iPad prices). NTT DoCoMo has yet to comment.

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Say goodbye to Google's black bar

Googlea

By Rosa Golijan

The black navigation bar found at the top of every Google page has been annoying some users since its very debut, but don't worry — it's about to be old news. a

Its replacement? A simple gray bar with a drop-down menu hidden underneath the Google logo.a

According to the Official Google Blog, this changing of the guard is part of the company's ongoing redesign — which includes new looks for Search, News, Maps, Gmail and other Google products.a

Googlea

The new navigation bar will include three key features: A drop-down menu hidden under the Google logo, a search box for whichever Google service you're using at the moment and a section for Google+ share and notification tools.a

Here's how all those things function together:a

Much more appealing than the intrusive black navigation bar, no?a

By the way: You shouldn't panic if you're still seeing the old black Google bar. The new one is being rolled out gradually, so it may be a while before it gets to you.a

Related stories:a

24-hour high-def porn channel coming to Google TV Google+ now open to all -- no invitation required Google Street View now takes you inside buildings

Want more tech news, silly puns or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.a

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Kena Kasus, CP Banting Setir Jadi Pembuat Game

Kena Kasus, CP Banting Setir Jadi Pembuat Game

Jakarta - Kasus SMS premium sontak membuat para Content Provider (CP) banyak yang kehilangan pemasukan. Sebab, operator diperintahkan melakukan unreg massal terhadap layanan mereka. Namun rupanya hal ini sudah mereka perkirakan sebelumnya.

Pihak CP pun berusaha mencari alternatif pemasukan. Dikatakan oleh A. Haryawirasma dari Indonesian Mobile & Online Content Provider Association/IMOCA bahwa content provider sudah banyak yang bundling dengan hardware, handphone, aplikasi.

"Bisnis CP tdak hanya dari SMS Premium. SMS hanyalah satu dari sekian banyak service yang dilakukan CP," ujar Haryawirasma dalam acara Ngopi yang diadakan detikINET, Rabu (30/11/2011). Meski begitu ia juga mengakui ada juga CP yang full berbisnis di SMS premium.

Tak ingin kehilangan akal, dikatakan lebih lanjut oleh Harywawirasma bahwa selain bundling dengan hardware, sekarang banyak content provider yang banting setir membuat berbagai game-game.

Ia menyatakan game-game yang mereka buat ini dipasarkan di Android market serta App store untuk piranti-piranti berbasis iOS. Oleh karena itu, para CP masih tetap bisa bertahan.


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Run Windows Phone 7 on your iOS or Android

While Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 phones have been enjoying surprisingly solid sales, the company still knows that they are many who hesitate to make the switch to a new operating system especially the ones used to OS’s like iOS and Android the most. Well, they’ve just found the solution – give them Windows Phone 7 on their devices.

All you need to do is visit http://aka.ms/wpdemo from your Android or iOS enabled phone and you will be taken straight to an emulation of Windows Phone 7. It’s actually pretty cool and very accurate in giving users a general feel of the operating system and how the interface works. The new UI may be a little bit of a risk for Microsoft but looks like audiences can adopt something like this if it’s really useful and not gimmicky. So far, the UI looks good enough to turn potential users towards them.

Check it out and let us know what you think. And one of you should try and visit the link from a Windows Phone 7 itself for a potential implosion of the universe.

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Menyusuri Kerampingan Ultrabook Lenovo U300s

Menyusuri Kerampingan Ultrabook Lenovo U300s

Jakarta - Lenovo IdeaPad U300s menyasar kalangan eksklusif yang menginginkan piranti ringkas, berperforma unggul namun tetap stylish.


















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Lenovo U300s, Bodi Langsing Depan Belakang

Lenovo U300s, Bodi Langsing Depan Belakang

Jakarta - Bodi tipis tidak berarti performanya lantas dikorbankan. Itulah keunggulan yang diklaim ultrabook terbaru keluaran Lenovo, U300s.

Kata 's' yang diselipkan di nama U300s memiliki arti sesuai penampakannya yakni 'slim'. Tengok saja, ia hanya memiliki ketebalan 14,9 mm depan-belakang. Dengan bodi setipis ini ia terasa ringan dijinjing karena bobotnya hanya 1,35 kg.

"Berbeda dengan ultrabook keluaran brand lain, U300s menjanjikan ketipisan body depan-belakang," ujar Chung Chen, Product and Business Development Manager Lenovo Indonesia di acara First Look Lenovo Ideapad U300s yang digelar di Grand Indonesia, Rabu (30/11/2011).

Dikatakan oleh Chung bahwa ultrabook dari vendor lain seringkali mengklaim memiliki body tipis namun dalam kenyataan, hanya bagian depannya saja yang slim tapi bagian belakangnya memiliki dimensi yang berbeda.

Untuk menjaga ketipisan dan kenyamanan dalam penggunaannya, U300s memakai breathable keyboard. Fitur baru ini menggantikan fungsi dari lubang udara yang biasanya ada di dasar laptop, yakni mengeluarkan udara. Ia juga menggunakan 2 fan sehingga pengguna tidak usah khawatir akan mengalami overheat.

Berbicara mengenai performa, ultrabook yang menyasar kalangan high-end ini sudah menggunakan prosessor Intel i7 dan hardisk SSD 256 GB sehingga ia diklaim mampu beroperasi dengan kencang.

Akan tetapi dengan ketipisan bodinya, U300s harus menghilangkan beberapa port yakni port LAN serta VGA port. "Untuk konektivitas internet kami hanya memakai WiFi," jelas Chung.

Ultarbook U300s dikatakan akan dipasarkan pada bulan Desember dengan dua pilihan warna, yakni orange metalic dan grey.

Lantaran menyasar kalangan eksklusif, ultrabook ini pun mendapat banderol harga yang cukup tinggi, USD 1.699 atau sekitar Rp 15,4 juta ($1 =Rp 9.100).



Berikut spesifikasi Ideapad U300s:

Fitur Baru:


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5 great games for people who love a good story

Rockstar Gamesa

Whether the gamer on your shopping list enjoys a good crime saga, a swashbuckling adventure or an epic medieval tale, here are some of the video games that scratch the narrative itch.a

By Winda Benedetti

Whether it’s the history-spanning tale of an assassin and his family or an elaborate narrative about a medieval kingdom plagued by civil war and dragons, some of this year’s best video games feature enthralling stories deftly told.a

If the gamer in your life (and on your shopping list) loves a good yarn, here are some games that would make excellent gifts for them this holiday.a

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim — PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Rated M, $60a

Bethesdaa

The epic medieval role-playing game "Skyrim" is so full of story you could spend months on end trying to get to the bottom of it all. Just to start with, there is the enthralling main story to dive into — a tale about a kingdom in the grips of a civil war during a time when dragons have also suddenly reappeared. You, of course, play the protagonist — the "dragonborn" hero whose coming was foretold.a

But there is so much happening beyond this main plotline it's hard to know where to start. The numerous side quests are filled with tales of intrigue, treachery and adventure of all sorts. Want a vampire story? It's in there. How about a story about werewolves? That too.a

And as if that wasn't enough, throughout this digital world you'll find books to read that tell the tales of various people and various events that have happened during Skyrim's history. This library alone could keep you occupied for days or weeks on end.a

If you know someone who enjoys George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books, then it's a good bet "Skyrim" will be a big hit with them.a

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Rated M, $50a

Ubisofta

If the gamer on your holiday shopping list is the kind of person who'd enjoy an epic story that weaves the past and present together into one thrilling, history-and-globe-spanning adventure — then look no further than this fourth game in the "Assassin's Creed" main series.a

"Revelations" drops players into an ambitious tale about a man and two of his ancestors caught up in an ancient war between the Templars and the Assassins. It's a story that's set both in modern times as well as in ancient Constantinople.a

Part historical epic, part sci-fi brain bender, "Revelations" delivers a story filled with vibrant characters and an abundance of big ideas. In short, it's the kind of story you'll happily lose yourself in.a

L.A. Noire — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Rated M, $40a

Rockstar Gamesa

Murder, betrayal, drugs and corruption — the open-world action adventure known as "L.A. Noire" has all of this in spades plus a cool old-school 1947 Los Angeles setting that just begs to be explored.a

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The game drop you into the shoes of a cop returned from World War II — a cop who must try to get the bottom of a series of crimes using his wits, his observational skills and his ability to get information out of people.a

This is a story filled to the brim with unique, well-drawn characters stunningly rendered thanks to some amazing motion-capture technology and superb voice acting. In fact, "L.A. Noire" does such a good job weaving an intrigue-filled tale in the gritty film noir style that, earlier this year, it became the first video game ever screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.a

If you know someone who loves the film noir detective movies of the 1940s and 50s or the old hardboiled crime novels, then this game is a must for them. a

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception — PlayStation 3, Rated T, $60a

Naughty Doga

For those looking for a big, cinematic storytelling and gaming experience, the latest in the "Uncharted" franchise is sure to fit the bill.a

This swashbuckling tale sweeps players up into the globe-trotting, treasure-hunting adventures of Nathan Drake — a modern-day Indiana Jones if ever there was one. This time around, players find Drake heading into the Arabian Desert on the hunt for the fabled city of Ubar — also known as the "Atlantis of the Sands."a

Of course, there are plenty of twists, turns, narrow misses, intrigue and even a little romance along the way ... making it so this game is nothing but pure adventure-filled fun.a

Legend of Zelda:  Skyward Sword — Wii, Rated E10+, $50a

Nintendoa

Speaking of adventure-filled fun ... there's nothing like experiencing a story that sweeps you up and takes you along on an epic voyage. And that's exactly what "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" does ... while tossing in some top-notch Wii Motion Plus sword fighting to boot.a

What's especially cool about this tale is that it's an origin story that not only takes us along on an enthralling journey with childhood friends (and Nintendo favorites) Link and Zelda but reveals the land of Hyrule's past.a

The game's film-like cinematics do much to help deliver a narrative that's full of magical, family-friendly adventures and lively characters as well as some truly heartfelt moments.a

Of course, this is just a short list of games that feature top-notch stories. What do you think: Which games would you recommend for someone who likes a well-told tale?a

For more holiday shopping recommendations, be sure to check out:a

5 great games for the art lover 5 great games to play with the whole family Black Friday games you've got to grab advertisement

Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things here on Twitter or join her in the stream here on Google+.  And be sure to check out the In-Game Facebook page here.a

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Kesal Dibajak, Developer Malas Bikin Game PC

Kesal Dibajak, Developer Malas Bikin Game PC

Jakarta - Dengan alasan tak ingin hasil ciptaannya dibajak, sejumlah pengembang game mengaku enggan merilis game terbaru mereka di platform komputer. Salah satunya Ubisoft Sanghai, sebagai pembuat I Am Alive.

I Am Alive merupakan game action yang rencananya akan didistribusikan oleh Ubisoft melalui PlayStation Network dan Xbox Live Marketplace pada pertengahan 2012. Game ini akan menantang pemain untuk bertahan hidup di kota fiksi yang baru saja terkena bencana hingga hampir memusnahkan kehidupan manusia.

Berbeda dengan game sejenisnya, Ubisoft memutuskan untuk mengedarkan I Am Alive hanya dalam bentuk digital. Selain bisa memangkas biaya produksi, cara seperti ini diklaim cukup ampuh mengendalikan aksi pembajakan yang semakin liar.

Jadi bagi gamer yang ingin memainkan game ini mereka harus membeli melalui 'toko virtual' dari masing-masing konsol, kecuali untuk PC.

"Sangat sulit, karena di PC lebih banyak pemain yang membajak dibanding yang membeli. Tidak setimpal dengan biaya produksi yang dikeluarkan," kata Stanislas Mettra, Creative Director Ubisoft Sanghai.

Mettra juga menambahkan bahwa sebenarnya tidak sulit untuk merilis game tersebut di PC jika sudah tersedia untuk Xbox 360 dan PS3, hanya saja pengembang game yang bermarkas di China ini geram melihat hasil karyanya dibajak dengan mudah.

"Hanya membutuhkan 12 orang dengan waktu sekitar 3 bulan untuk membuat versi PC, tapi tetap saja tidak layak dilakukan," tandas Mettra, seperti dikutip detikINET dari actiontrip, Rabu (30/11/2011).




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Google introduces the new navigation menu

If you go to your Gmail right now you’ll see a black bar on the top, the main navigation bar which shows most of Google’s products you can use in a second. Slim as it is, Google thinks that this takes “precious space on your screen.”

So what they have done instead is to remove the black bar on the top and instead implemented the navigation in a more subtle way. Now you just hover the mouse over the big Gmail icon and you’ll have access to all the products, except for Google+ which still remains on the right side.

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Google Rombak Bar Navigasi

Google Rombak Bar Navigasi

Jakarta - Google baru saja merampungkan desain ulang bar navigasinya. Perombakan ini memaksimalkan desain ulang yang juga dilakukannya beberapa waktu lalu pada Google Search, Maps, News, Reader dan Gmail.

"Kami kini telah memasuki tahap akhir desain ulang bar Google yang baru. Ini akan memungkinkan Anda bernavigasi dengan cepat di antara layanan kami, juga berbagi konten dengan mudah di Google+," kata Eddie Kessler, Technical Lead Google seperti dikutip dari blog resmi Google, Rabu (30/11/2011).

Ya, pada intinya, bar navigasi yang baru menghubungkan ke semua produk Google sehingga memudahkan pengguna menjelajah semuanya. Misalnya, menggerakkan pointer mouse di logo Google akan memunculkan menu drop down dengan tautan ke Google+, Image Search, Maps dan produk Google lainnya.

Akun resmi Google+ memberikan catatan, bar navigasi terbaru dirilis secara bertahap mulai pekan ini hingga beberapa hari ke depan. Jadi, belum semua pengguna melihat bar navigasi baru ini.




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Twitter Hardens Tweets With Android Security Acquisition

Twitter is showing its followers that it cares about security with its latest acquisition. The micro-blogging service just scooped up Whisper Systems, a small mobile -security software development start-up. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Whisper Systems provides security and management solutions that promise to transform consumer phones and tablets into enterprise -ready devices. That's a big promise considering the malware threats in the wild today, but it's one that Twitter appears to be betting on -- and it looks like company founders, Moxie and Stuart Anderson, will hit the ground running.

"The Whisper Systems team is joining Twitter starting today," Twitter said in a statement. "As part of our fast-growing engineering team, they will be bringing their technology and security expertise to Twitter's products and services. We're happy to have Moxie and Stuart on board."

Targeting Android Devices

Whisper Systems is focusing on an area that got a little controversial last week: Android. Whisper's products include WhisperCore, device and data security for Android, as well as WhisperMonitor, network security for Android. Other Android-targeted products include Flashback for encrypted backups, RedPhone for encrypted voice and TextSecure for encrypted texts.

"We started Whisper Systems with the goal of improving security and privacy for mobile devices," the founders said in a blog post announcing the acquisition. "We were attracted to this not only because we saw it as an opportunity to reinvent the security solutions that never really worked in the PC environment to begin with, but also because the stakes are much higher -- due to the nature of mobile devices themselves -- and we didn't like the way that things were looking."

Whisper Systems ended up tackling the full stack, from app-level solutions down to a hardened version of Android. Whisper even went after kernel modifications at the rock bottom of the stack to develop some of its products. Although the products will live on via Twitter, current customers will have to do without them until the transition is complete.

No Black Eyes

Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research, said buying Whisper Systems was a smart move as more Twitter users rely on mobile devices to send and read messages. Although the solution focuses on Android, that may be the best place for Twitter to start given the reports from security research firms about the security of Android Market. Juniper and Kaspersky Lab both identified Android as more likely to hide malware than Apple's iTunes App Store.

"Twitter is where people tend to learn about events first. I remember learning about the San Francisco earthquake through Twitter. I found about Osama bin Laden through Twitter, as well as the NBA strike. It's a place people go to get information and distribute information," Kerravala said.

"With that in mind, we'll see greater adoption of Twitter through mobile devices. We've seen Facebook integrate some security tools. But we've also seen Facebook get hit with some big security problems. Twitter is trying to avoid those black eyes."
 

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