The 404 401: Where we take everything out of context
The team is back together now that Jeff is back from his trip to Atlantic City, where he reportedly spent the majority of his time playing blackjack and a series of analog video games like Batman: Dark Knight pinball, skeeball, and bubble hockey. In celebration of Jeff's return, we surprise him with the image you see above, the final superhost of The 404--COMMODORE! Defending the world from positive vibes with his giant hockey stick, Commodore also wields the might Power Glove, which, unfortunately, is incompatible with today's villains, but it still looks cool! Big thanks goes out to Hayato Shimizu for his great work with all three characters, maybe we'll even seen a picture featuring LaserJet, G-Force, and Commodore battling crime for the future of podcasting!The 404As usual, we have a lot to talk about today, and kick it off with some rumor mongering about the latest Zune HD. CNET's own Donald Bell reports that Amazon is showing off retail pricing for the portable media player, listing the 16GB Zune HD at $219 and the 32GB at $289. The rumor mill continues to churn over Steven Spielberg taking over as producer for the Halo movie adaption, although the three of us are still skeptical about any long-form video game story adaptation, as we all remember what happened with CHUN-LI. We also look at the latest commercials for the Chevy Volt and its how viral advertising is affecting viewer participation.Finally, Wilson G. Tang took it upon himself to create a 404 Dashboard Widget for Mac OS X users! You can download the video or the audio version and have the show play in the background while you finish "working." Best of all, this blog description populates nicely into the widget as well, making it super easy to auto-update and listen to your favorite episodes! Download them and let us know what you think!EPISODE 401PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
MeCanto, Psonar offer free online music lockers
MeCanto, Psonar offer free online music lockers
I wasn't able to test MeCanto because I don't have a supported phone, but I gave another service, Psonar, a look. Psonar has a slightly different spin on music lockers. Like the other services I've covered, it requires you to download a free app,the Psonar SongShifter (Windows-only), which scans your computer and uploads your music collection to Psonar's cloud-based locker service. But unlike the other services, it doesn't let you stream music from the locker to your mobile device. Instead, you have to add phones to your Psonar network by connecting them to your PC. Once you've done that, you can log into Psonar's Web site from any browser--including your phone's browser--and upload and download music between your devices and your Psonar cloud at will. Psonar claims that streaming isn't a great scenario on most phones anyway because it drains battery life, and notes that this Web-based approach lets it support any phone with a Web browser--even feature phones. At the same time, this doesn't really solve the problem of storage limits on mobile phones.The Web site worked quite well for playing back uploaded music, but the SongShifter upload app was pretty buggy in my testing--I couldn't get it to display properly (the window didn't allow resizing), and it didn't recognize my iPhone, even after I connected it to my Windows XP laptop several times in several different ways (with iTunes running and closed, and with SongShifter running and closed). Nonetheless, you might want to give it a test yourself--the current version of the service is free and lets you connect three devices, so you don't have much to risk. Later this summer, Psonar intends to release a Premium version of the service that will let you connect unlimited devices, at a price of $6 a month.
I wasn't able to test MeCanto because I don't have a supported phone, but I gave another service, Psonar, a look. Psonar has a slightly different spin on music lockers. Like the other services I've covered, it requires you to download a free app,the Psonar SongShifter (Windows-only), which scans your computer and uploads your music collection to Psonar's cloud-based locker service. But unlike the other services, it doesn't let you stream music from the locker to your mobile device. Instead, you have to add phones to your Psonar network by connecting them to your PC. Once you've done that, you can log into Psonar's Web site from any browser--including your phone's browser--and upload and download music between your devices and your Psonar cloud at will. Psonar claims that streaming isn't a great scenario on most phones anyway because it drains battery life, and notes that this Web-based approach lets it support any phone with a Web browser--even feature phones. At the same time, this doesn't really solve the problem of storage limits on mobile phones.The Web site worked quite well for playing back uploaded music, but the SongShifter upload app was pretty buggy in my testing--I couldn't get it to display properly (the window didn't allow resizing), and it didn't recognize my iPhone, even after I connected it to my Windows XP laptop several times in several different ways (with iTunes running and closed, and with SongShifter running and closed). Nonetheless, you might want to give it a test yourself--the current version of the service is free and lets you connect three devices, so you don't have much to risk. Later this summer, Psonar intends to release a Premium version of the service that will let you connect unlimited devices, at a price of $6 a month.
Easy access to Airplane mode an iOS 7 security flaw -- researchers
Easy access to Airplane mode an iOS 7 security flaw -- researchers
Apple's Control Center in iOS 7 makes it easier to access certain functions, but a recently released study from security researchers suggests it might be causing harm.Security researchers at German firm SR Labs posted a video to YouTube recently showing how the easy access to Airplane Mode in Apple's Control Center could give hackers the extra time they need to exploit a device.Here's how the scenario could play out: a hacker steals an iPhone running iOS 7. As soon as they get their hands on the locked device, they open Control Center from the lock screen and turn on Airplane Mode. From there, they set out to break into the device and change Apple ID passwords to prevent the owner from accessing the device.The turning on of Airplane Mode is the important function in this scenario. Having easy access to Airplane Mode in iOS 7 effectively takes the device offline, eliminating the owner's ability to find out where the iOS device is and remotely wipe it. That provides hackers with the time they need to break into the device.In iOS 6, Airplane Mode was available only after getting through the lock screen and there was no Control Center, meaning hackers couldn't take advantage of the hack in previous installations.In addition, the researchers warned that Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor could allow for new attacks. In an interview with CNET sister site ZDNet, they indicated that creating a spoofed fingerprint to open the handset is as simple as snapping an image of a latent fingerprint with another device and using some equipment to complete the job. The researchers claim the fingerprint spoofing will only take one hour to complete.Here's the full video to find out about iOS 7 and iPhone 5S flaws:
Apple's Control Center in iOS 7 makes it easier to access certain functions, but a recently released study from security researchers suggests it might be causing harm.Security researchers at German firm SR Labs posted a video to YouTube recently showing how the easy access to Airplane Mode in Apple's Control Center could give hackers the extra time they need to exploit a device.Here's how the scenario could play out: a hacker steals an iPhone running iOS 7. As soon as they get their hands on the locked device, they open Control Center from the lock screen and turn on Airplane Mode. From there, they set out to break into the device and change Apple ID passwords to prevent the owner from accessing the device.The turning on of Airplane Mode is the important function in this scenario. Having easy access to Airplane Mode in iOS 7 effectively takes the device offline, eliminating the owner's ability to find out where the iOS device is and remotely wipe it. That provides hackers with the time they need to break into the device.In iOS 6, Airplane Mode was available only after getting through the lock screen and there was no Control Center, meaning hackers couldn't take advantage of the hack in previous installations.In addition, the researchers warned that Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor could allow for new attacks. In an interview with CNET sister site ZDNet, they indicated that creating a spoofed fingerprint to open the handset is as simple as snapping an image of a latent fingerprint with another device and using some equipment to complete the job. The researchers claim the fingerprint spoofing will only take one hour to complete.Here's the full video to find out about iOS 7 and iPhone 5S flaws:
Easily save Web pages, documents in iTunes for use with iOS devices
Easily save Web pages, documents in iTunes for use with iOS devices
Step Two. We now have to tell PDF Services that it can save PDF formatted files to iTunes. Open a new Finder window and click on your Home Folder (your username). Click Library, then PDF Services. You may notice other aliases in this folder (Evernote, for example, takes advantage of this function). Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiSwitch to your first Finder window and drag the iTunes alias into the PDF Services folder in the second window. You can also rename the alias to something like "Save PDF to iTunes" (the file name is what shows up in the Print Dialogue Box).Step Three. Find a Web page that you'd like to save for reading later on your iOS 4-enabled device with iBooks installed. For the purposes of this hint, I used Matt Rosoff's article on iPhone Atlas Handicapping the mobile music services. From the application menu bar (in this case, Firefox) choose File > Print.Step Four. In the Print Dialogue Box that appears, look at the lower-left corner for the button that says "PDF". Click it to reveal the drop down menu for PDF Services. Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiChoose "Save PDF to iTunes" (or whatever you renamed your iTunes alias). If iTunes is not already open, it will launch and add the PDF to the Books section, ready to be synced the next time you plug in your iPhone or iPad.Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiStep Five. Sync your iPhone or iPad. Be sure you have checked to sync Books in your device preferences. You can now launch iBooks on your device and read Web pages or other documents saved as PDFs right from your iPhone or iPad.Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiBe sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
Step Two. We now have to tell PDF Services that it can save PDF formatted files to iTunes. Open a new Finder window and click on your Home Folder (your username). Click Library, then PDF Services. You may notice other aliases in this folder (Evernote, for example, takes advantage of this function). Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiSwitch to your first Finder window and drag the iTunes alias into the PDF Services folder in the second window. You can also rename the alias to something like "Save PDF to iTunes" (the file name is what shows up in the Print Dialogue Box).Step Three. Find a Web page that you'd like to save for reading later on your iOS 4-enabled device with iBooks installed. For the purposes of this hint, I used Matt Rosoff's article on iPhone Atlas Handicapping the mobile music services. From the application menu bar (in this case, Firefox) choose File > Print.Step Four. In the Print Dialogue Box that appears, look at the lower-left corner for the button that says "PDF". Click it to reveal the drop down menu for PDF Services. Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiChoose "Save PDF to iTunes" (or whatever you renamed your iTunes alias). If iTunes is not already open, it will launch and add the PDF to the Books section, ready to be synced the next time you plug in your iPhone or iPad.Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiStep Five. Sync your iPhone or iPad. Be sure you have checked to sync Books in your device preferences. You can now launch iBooks on your device and read Web pages or other documents saved as PDFs right from your iPhone or iPad.Screen Capture by Joe AimonettiBe sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
Early iPhone prototype sported 5x7-inch screen
Early iPhone prototype sported 5x7-inch screen
Two years before its debut, the iPhone was as large as an iPad Mini.A 2005 prototype of the iPhone was five inches wide and seven inches tall, according to images leaked to blog site Ars Technica through a former but unnamed Apple employee. The employee apparently worked on several hardware projects for Apple in the early 2000s and was able to check out the early iPhone versions.Though it matched the size of an iPad Mini, the iPhone prototype wasn't quite as svelte. The prototype was around two inches thick compared with the Mini at just over a quarter of an inch.Related storiesApple's iPhone might have been a 'Mobi'Future iPhones could be controlled by squeezing themSlim chance of Apple-Intel chip deal anytime soon, analysts sayApple may be close to resolving Brazilian iPhone trademark fightIn contast to Apple's "less is more" philosophy, the prototype was home to a number of ports, including an Ethernet port, a serial port, and several USB ports.However, those ports were installed simply to help developers more easily work with the device and were never intended for the final consumer product, ArsTechnica's source said.Still, the phone was in an obvious state of flux during its development, and "at that early date no one knew what [the final device] would be," the source added.But the processor isn't that much different than the one used in the 2007 debut version of the phone. The ARM chip in the prototype looks like a variant of Samsung's S3C2410, according to Ars writer Andrew Cunningham, who called it "a distant relative of the chip the first iPhone ended up using, just older and slower."The S3C2410 is an ARM9 chip, while the 2007 iPhone used an ARM11 chip. But the prototype shows that Apple tapped into Samsung for the phone's ARM chip right from the start.
Two years before its debut, the iPhone was as large as an iPad Mini.A 2005 prototype of the iPhone was five inches wide and seven inches tall, according to images leaked to blog site Ars Technica through a former but unnamed Apple employee. The employee apparently worked on several hardware projects for Apple in the early 2000s and was able to check out the early iPhone versions.Though it matched the size of an iPad Mini, the iPhone prototype wasn't quite as svelte. The prototype was around two inches thick compared with the Mini at just over a quarter of an inch.Related storiesApple's iPhone might have been a 'Mobi'Future iPhones could be controlled by squeezing themSlim chance of Apple-Intel chip deal anytime soon, analysts sayApple may be close to resolving Brazilian iPhone trademark fightIn contast to Apple's "less is more" philosophy, the prototype was home to a number of ports, including an Ethernet port, a serial port, and several USB ports.However, those ports were installed simply to help developers more easily work with the device and were never intended for the final consumer product, ArsTechnica's source said.Still, the phone was in an obvious state of flux during its development, and "at that early date no one knew what [the final device] would be," the source added.But the processor isn't that much different than the one used in the 2007 debut version of the phone. The ARM chip in the prototype looks like a variant of Samsung's S3C2410, according to Ars writer Andrew Cunningham, who called it "a distant relative of the chip the first iPhone ended up using, just older and slower."The S3C2410 is an ARM9 chip, while the 2007 iPhone used an ARM11 chip. But the prototype shows that Apple tapped into Samsung for the phone's ARM chip right from the start.
Dutch treat- Another day, another patent ruling in Apple v. Samsung
Dutch treat: Another day, another patent ruling in Apple v. Samsung
Here we go again.A Dutch court ruled today that Samsung does not violate a patent Apple holds on the so-called pinch-to-zoom feature in mobile software. The feature, which allows users to employ their two fingers to zoom in or out, is a central component in mobile operating systems today.Today's ruling comes down just months after Apple lost similar battles in Dutch and British courts to enforce the pinch-to-zoom patent against competitors HTC and Google-owned Motorola Mobility. Apple had hoped in each case to ban products that it believed infringe its patents banned from sale.Related storiesPatents suggest stylus; Mode-based interface customizationKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIMCNET News Daily Podcast: Tech industry opens wallets for HaitiApple files patents to manage home energyApple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsSo far, neither Apple nor Samsung has been able to deal a decisive blow in their patent battles. Apple has come closest with a victory earlier this year in a San Jose, Calif., court in which a jury found Samsung to be violating some of the iPhone maker's patents. The jury paved the way for Apple to receive $1.05 billion in damages and the ability to ban Samsung products. However, there's still a long way to go -- and who knows how many appeals -- before that could happen.Today's ruling is by no means the end of the battle between Apple and Samsung. If history is to be our guide, a few setbacks here and there mean nothing to the companies as they fight for patent dominance.CNET has contacted both Apple and Samsung for comment on the ruling. We will update this story when we have more information.(Via Reuters)
Here we go again.A Dutch court ruled today that Samsung does not violate a patent Apple holds on the so-called pinch-to-zoom feature in mobile software. The feature, which allows users to employ their two fingers to zoom in or out, is a central component in mobile operating systems today.Today's ruling comes down just months after Apple lost similar battles in Dutch and British courts to enforce the pinch-to-zoom patent against competitors HTC and Google-owned Motorola Mobility. Apple had hoped in each case to ban products that it believed infringe its patents banned from sale.Related storiesPatents suggest stylus; Mode-based interface customizationKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIMCNET News Daily Podcast: Tech industry opens wallets for HaitiApple files patents to manage home energyApple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsSo far, neither Apple nor Samsung has been able to deal a decisive blow in their patent battles. Apple has come closest with a victory earlier this year in a San Jose, Calif., court in which a jury found Samsung to be violating some of the iPhone maker's patents. The jury paved the way for Apple to receive $1.05 billion in damages and the ability to ban Samsung products. However, there's still a long way to go -- and who knows how many appeals -- before that could happen.Today's ruling is by no means the end of the battle between Apple and Samsung. If history is to be our guide, a few setbacks here and there mean nothing to the companies as they fight for patent dominance.CNET has contacted both Apple and Samsung for comment on the ruling. We will update this story when we have more information.(Via Reuters)
Download the 10 billionth App Store app, win $10,000
Download the 10 billionth App Store app, win $10,000
Apple will be awarding one lucky (and timely) person a $10,000 iTunes gift card to commemorate the download of the 10 billionth App Store app.The easiest way to win the prize is to download the 10 billionth app from the marketplace before entry forms are submitted from Apple's site. In order to make it fair to those who might not want to download more apps to their devices, Apple is offering a "non-purchase method" for entering the sweepstakes. Those folks need to fill out an entry form to join in.People who opt for the non-purchase method will be able to win by submitting their entry form just prior to the 10 billionth app's download.There are some limits to Apple's giveaway. For one, entrants must be 13 years of age or older to participate. Apple is also limiting user involvement to 25 downloads or entry-form completions per day.Apple has established a countdown page for folks to see how many apps have been downloaded so far. As of this writing, the site shows over 9.7 billion downloads, and about 1,000 apps were reportedly being downloaded every three seconds.Apple's App Store growth has been impressive, to say the least. The company tallied its first billion downloads in 2009, just nine months after the App Store's launch. It announced back in June that 5 billion apps had been downloaded.But when it comes to giveaways, Apple is starting to fall short. When 13-year-old Connor Mulcahey downloaded the one billionth app, he was given an iPod Touch, a MacBook Pro, and a Time Capsule, in addition to a $10,000 iTunes gift card.
Apple will be awarding one lucky (and timely) person a $10,000 iTunes gift card to commemorate the download of the 10 billionth App Store app.The easiest way to win the prize is to download the 10 billionth app from the marketplace before entry forms are submitted from Apple's site. In order to make it fair to those who might not want to download more apps to their devices, Apple is offering a "non-purchase method" for entering the sweepstakes. Those folks need to fill out an entry form to join in.People who opt for the non-purchase method will be able to win by submitting their entry form just prior to the 10 billionth app's download.There are some limits to Apple's giveaway. For one, entrants must be 13 years of age or older to participate. Apple is also limiting user involvement to 25 downloads or entry-form completions per day.Apple has established a countdown page for folks to see how many apps have been downloaded so far. As of this writing, the site shows over 9.7 billion downloads, and about 1,000 apps were reportedly being downloaded every three seconds.Apple's App Store growth has been impressive, to say the least. The company tallied its first billion downloads in 2009, just nine months after the App Store's launch. It announced back in June that 5 billion apps had been downloaded.But when it comes to giveaways, Apple is starting to fall short. When 13-year-old Connor Mulcahey downloaded the one billionth app, he was given an iPod Touch, a MacBook Pro, and a Time Capsule, in addition to a $10,000 iTunes gift card.
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