Firms warn staff of iPhone, iPad hacking

Companies that let staff use iPhones and iPads for business have been warned that hackers could steal passwords from the device in just six minutes even if its lock is enabled.

The hack, which could seriously compromise a corporation's critical infrastructure, was uncovered by experts in Germany and allows attackers to break into a lost or stolen phone simply by removing its SIM card and following a brief procedure, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday.

Experts at Germany's state-sponsored research institute Fraunhofer SIT said in a statement: "Within six minutes the institute's staff were able to render void the iPhone's encryption and decipher the passwords stored on it.

"If the iPhone is used for business purposes then the company's network security may be at risk as well. Only companies prepared for such an attack will be able to reduce their risk."

The attack targets Apple's password management system, known as a "keychain", which scrambles all passwords and login information on the iPhone.

It can compromise iPhones and iPads with the latest software version installed even if they have the software "screen lock" turned on.

Once an attacker has access to the phone, the first step is to install "jailbreaking" software, which a small number of iPhone owners do voluntarily so they can download apps unauthorised by Apple.

From here, the attacker downloads a programme on to the phone that is able to decrypt passwords held on it, most notably for Google Mail accounts and for private company networks.

"As soon as attackers are in the possession of an iPhone or iPad and have removed the device's SIM card, they can get hold of email passwords and access codes to corporate VPNs (virtual private networks) and WLANs (wireless local area networks) as well," the researchers said in a statement.

Google in talks to buy Next New Networks: Report

Google Inc is in advanced stage of talks to buy video website Next New

"Google Inc is in late-stage talks to acquire video website Next New Networks Inc," The Wall Street Journal reported citing a person familiar with the matter.

A deal could be unveiled in the coming week, the report added.

The report said that internet giant is expected to pay in the tens of millions of dollars for the company, seeking to acquire some expertise in landing more professional content for its video site, YouTube. Google is already dominant in Web video through YouTube.

An acquisition of Next New Networks would mark YouTube's latest effort to encourage and maintain a steady stream of videos to keep viewers on the site longer and to better compete with Hulu LLC and Netflix Inc, which offer more content from big media companies, the report pointed out.

A deal would also put YouTube into the business of overseeing creators of digital content in addition to aggregating videos created by others, it added.

Founded in 2006, Next New Networks creates its own shows, but now a days a greater amount of its content comes from teaming up with other web-video creators, distributing shows through YouTube and other partners.

Next New Networks is believed to have over five billion subscribers.

According to the publication, a Yahoo's spokesperson declined to comment.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Now, watch 3-D films on your cell phone!

Watching 3-D films on your cell phone would now be possible thanks to researchers who have combined the new mobile radio standard LTE-Advanced with a video coding technique.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI in Berlin, Germany, have come up with a special compression technique for films in especially good high-resolution HD quality.

It computes the films down to low data rates while maintaining quality: H.264/AVC. What the H.246/AVC video format is to high-definition films, the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) is to 3-D films.

Thomas Schierl explained that "MVC is used to pack together the two images needed for the stereoscopic 3-D effect to measurably reduce the film''s bit rate," and this technique can be used to reduce the size of 3-D films as much as 40 percent.

That means that you can quickly receive excellent quality 3-D films in connection with the new 3G-LTE mobile radio standard. Key is the radio resource management integrated into the LTE system that allows flexible data transmission while including various quality of service classes.

Facebook set to launch mobile phone

After reaching heights of success, Facebook is now out with its phone for millions of users. A mobile phone manufacturer is set to launch the first Facebook phone.

INQ Mobile Friday revealed two new Android smartphones for the UK market that are designed expressly for 18/28-year-old Facebook users, the INQ Cloud Touch and the INQ Cloud Q.

Working closely with the team behind Facebook, London-based INQ has given the home screen a visual feed that lets users quickly access updates, pictures, videos, and other Facebook content, the Daily Mail reports.

The phones provide quick links to all the popular Facebook features, including chat, messages, wall postings and notifications.

Facebook messages and instant online chat facilities are what today's generation now uses for communication.

Facebook Events replaces the traditional diary and lets people schedule events and sync these with Google Calendar, and instead of an address book there is simply a "friend list".

"Writing on a [Facebook] wall is as easy as sending text messages," says INQ's co-founder Ken Johnstone.

Facebook Places is accessible directly from the homescreen, giving people the ability to use the feature to check in at stores, restaurants, clubs, and other spots.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Nokia to cut jobs; partner with Microsoft on smartphones

Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone maker, said Friday it was slashing jobs and joining forces with US giant Microsoft in a major strategy shake-up that left investors disappointed.

In an effort to radically change course and fight off encroaching competition from RIM, Apple and Google, CEO Stephen Elop said Windows Phone would now serve as the company’s primary smartphone platform.

Elop—a former Microsoft executive who in September became the first non-Finn to lead Nokia—also announced changes to Nokia’s executive board and “substantial” job cuts.

“Nokia is at a critical juncture, where significant change is necessary and inevitable in our journey forward,” Elop said. “There will be substantial reductions in employment in various locations around the world,” he told a press briefing in London, without giving further details.

The announcements were met with sharp disappointment on the stock market, with investors expecting more and in more detail than they got. Nokia tumbled more than 9% and the Helsinki Stock Exchange was down 0.56%  The biggest change by far for Nokia is its tacit admission that its Symbian operating platform has failed to become competitive, illustrated by its bold move to take on Microsoft’s mobile platform for its smartphones.

India faces new security threat from cyber world

India is facing new security threat from cyber world as increasing use of convergence technologies has changed the rules of engagements, a top defence official said Friday.

"Cyber security is a major challenge for us as all our operations are going to be on the network centric system, which is dependent on information and communication technologies," scientific adviser to defence minister V.K. Saraswat told reporters.

Admitting that securing the network centric system would be a major problem, Saraswat said the country would have to build robust systems and platforms with proprietary software to make sure the networks were safe and almost invincible.

"As far as the security threat is concerned, it is not rigid or static but always evolving. Beyond the conventional threat from land, air or sea, the new threats are economic and cyber, where we have to become more vigilant," Saraswat said on the margins of the Aero India military-cum-civil aviation trade expo here.

As a missile technologist, Saraswat is also the director-general of the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation, which designs and develops a range of technologies and products for the Indian Air Force, Army and Navy spanning aircraft, choppers, radars, weapons, missiles, battle tanks, submarines and a host of support systems.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Will Nokia-Microsoft deal be able to challenge Apple & Google in mobile space?

Nokia's new chief executive has fluffed his big moment. Stephen Elop has tied the fate of the Finnish handset maker to Microsoft in a strategic partnership designed to regain ground in smartphones amid brutal competition from Apple and Google. The tie-up is Nokia's least bad option if it doesn't want to turn into a commoditised handset maker. But Elop's hotly anticipated strategic overhaul falls short by several measures.

The Microsoft alliance is radical. It means Nokia effectively ditches its proprietary Symbian software platform which has over 200 million users in favour a Windows operating system. This is an economic and psychological shift:

Symbian accounted for half of Nokia's sales in 2010, according to Arete Research. A successful partnership would bring brand awareness and reach to Windows Phone and help the Finnish group defend its 29 percent gross margin in the handset business. Microsoft's added financial muscle will also be a big boost in technology development.

Action was needed. Nokia's value has rapidly eroded with its market share. Its stock has shed 70 percent in little over three years; the Finnish group is now just one-tenth the size of Apple. During the same period, Google's Android operating system has come from nowhere to the point where it is about to overtake Nokia's Symbian platform for the top spot in the global smartphone space in terms of handset sales.