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Engadget News |
- OS X Lion update accidentally outs user passwords in plain text, stumbles over FileVault
- Norway's Zero team crosses Europe in hydrogen cars without a backup
- Screen Grabs: Are agents on Fringe flashing their Google Wallet?
- Origin PC upgrading pre-Ivy Bridge orders with new silicon, asking nothing in return
- Intel's PCI-E 910-Series SSD reviewed: blazing fast, even under pressure
- Blue Origin dishes more details on its Bezos-backed spacecraft
- Ariel Atom-inspired simulator touts world's first 180-degree spherical projector screen (video)
- Ask Engadget: best lens for wedding photography?
- Mobile Miscellany: week of April 30th, 2012
- AT&T's One X discovered to have 'restricted' bootloader, HTC responds
- Verizon takes the lead on text to 911 services
- Facebook Messenger update makes it even harder to blow people off
- Sprint CEO takes pay cut as investors voice concern about cost of iPhone deal
- 32-inch 'LaserSaber' lights up your Star Wars dreams, burns the curtains (video)
- FBI reportedly pressing for backdoor access to Facebook, Google
| OS X Lion update accidentally outs user passwords in plain text, stumbles over FileVault Posted: 06 May 2012 09:55 AM PDT
Are you an avid user of OS X's FileVault encryption and running a recently updated version of Lion? It may be time to consider changing your passwords. According to security researcher David Emry, users who used FileVault prior to upgrading to 10.7.3 may be able to find their password in a system-wide debug log file, stored in plain text outside of the encrypted area. This puts the password at risk of being read by other users or enterprising cyber criminals, Emry explains, and even opens the door for new flaw-specific malware. FileVault 2, on the other hand, seems to be unaffected by the bug. The community doesn't currently have a way to fight the flaw, so users rushing to change their password now may find it being logged as well. Obviously, we'll let you all know once we hear back from Apple regarding this matter. |
| Norway's Zero team crosses Europe in hydrogen cars without a backup Posted: 06 May 2012 07:42 AM PDT
It's not quite a trip around the world, but a trek that Norway's Zero team recently undertook in a pair of hydrogen-fueled cars is certainly an impressive enough feat in its own right. Late last month, they drove two Hyundai Ix35 FCEVs from Oslo to Monte Carlo (admittedly one of the easier ways to technically "cross Europe"), relying solely on the existing hydrogen refueling infrastructure -- that's as opposed to other trips that brought along fuel trucks as backup. As the team explains, the key to the trip was some careful planning at the outset, but they apparently still wound up cutting it close a few times, and were forced to put their hypermiling skills to the test. Not surprisingly, they found that the hydrogen infrastructure still needs to be considerably improved for such trips to become commonplace, but they seem hopeful that things could soon improve. |
| Screen Grabs: Are agents on Fringe flashing their Google Wallet? Posted: 06 May 2012 05:54 AM PDT Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. We're not sure exactly what the FBI's standard issue kit consists of, but we imagine it has more than a few bits of secret tech. These screen grabs from this week's Fringe, however, would have us believe that the rogue agents like to pick up their tabs with what looks like Google Wallet. We can clearly see a Sprint-branded Galaxy Nexus being used to for a not-so-undercover financial transaction. At least it looks like the agents might have had an upgrade since we last saw them around these parts. Update: As many of you have pointed out, there was something wrong with our own intel on this case, and it wasn't one of the agents using the service. Perhaps the bureau isn't comfortable with e-wallets just yet. [Thanks, Te-je] |
| Origin PC upgrading pre-Ivy Bridge orders with new silicon, asking nothing in return Posted: 06 May 2012 03:21 AM PDT
Sure, you may need to shop around to find a replacement for that 11-inch number Dell pulled off the shelves, but that doesn't mean you need to miss out on a free Ivy Bridge upgrade. Origin PC tells us that it's offering the very same silicon swap as Dell to folks who pulled the trigger on any of its laptop and desktop PCs before Intel's big launch. If your order hasn't shipped yet, you're looking at an upgrade. Now if only we could find a manufacturer willing to hand out free GPU upgrades. |
| Intel's PCI-E 910-Series SSD reviewed: blazing fast, even under pressure Posted: 06 May 2012 01:13 AM PDT
Intel's not one to mess around when it storms a new market, and its jump into enterprise-level PCI Express SSD seemed no exception. Now, a full review by Hot Hardware of its 400GB ($1,929) and 800GB ($3,859) 910-series confirms that while not as stupid-fast as some, the 2 GB/s read and 1 GB/s write speeds are still sublime. On top of that, throughput holds steady even when the device is besieged by thousands of IO demands. A lack of bootability and on-board RAID were complaints, but these SSDs are intended for datacenters, not your gaming PC. And for its target market, the lowish $4.82 price per GB and chart-topping 14 Petabyte max endurance are also endearing qualities. Given its history of SSD reliability, Intel is bound to draw a crowd of corporate admirers to its 910 series -- even though it's fashionably late to the boardroom. |
| Blue Origin dishes more details on its Bezos-backed spacecraft Posted: 05 May 2012 11:05 PM PDT
Blue Origin typically keeps pretty tight-lipped about its projects. The private space-travel firm claims it prefers to talk about what is has done, rather than what it hopes to do. As such, We recently heard about its "Space Vehicle" (that's its actual name,) having completed wind-tunnel testing, and now the firm (partly funded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos) has revealed a little more. The craft in question is a seven-seater, and it took 180 rigorous tests to get to the final design. Blue Origin has been working with NASA under the agency's CCDev program, which awarded the firm $22 million to develop the project. Under the same initiative, Blue Origin is about to start testing on its BE-3 engine thrust chamber, which will help give the BE-3 rocket motor its 100,000 pounds of thrust. Once complete, this engine will be used in the company's multi-launch vehicle, and is currently on the test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. We'll spare you the puns about it not being "rocket science." |
| Ariel Atom-inspired simulator touts world's first 180-degree spherical projector screen (video) Posted: 05 May 2012 08:58 PM PDT
The Ariel Atom is arguably one of the greatest bangs for the buck in terms of sports car performance, so it's no surprise that the automaker has paired up with Motion Simulation to design a particularly special simulator for both hardcore fans as well pro racing drivers and pilots. The TL1 has the world's first 180-degree spherical projection unit (technically, three projector screens acting as one) to give you that advance view of the apex without display bezels getting in the way. Its seat not only adjusts to fit different breeds of cars and aircraft but, if you opt for it, tucks in a motion transducer that will properly jolt you when you hit a bump in the road. What may please extra-serious racing game fans the most is the off-the-shelf nature of the computer needed to drive the TL1 properly: as long as your graphics hardware can handle the extra-wide 5760 x 1200 resolution, any typical Windows XP or Windows 7 desktop will do. The real question is whether your wallet can handle it, as the £11,500 ($18,573) PC-less starting price will make it tempting to buy a real Atom instead. |
| Ask Engadget: best lens for wedding photography? Posted: 05 May 2012 07:08 PM PDT
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Van, who needs some help recording his sister's wedding. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
That's the second wedding-related query we've had this year -- there must be something in the water. We're sure plenty of you want to help Van's sister's big day go perfectly, so any photogs, camera buffs and bridezillas with an opinion, please add them below. |
| Mobile Miscellany: week of April 30th, 2012 Posted: 05 May 2012 06:30 PM PDT
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we saw the first rollout of Verizon LTE from one of its rural partners, and both the Optimus L7 and Xperia U were spotted for Fido. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 30th, 2012. Motorola Motoluxe set to arrive at Bell Mobility this month Motorola's Motoluxe, known in China as the XT615, was outed for availability this month at Bell Mobility. The phone wields an 800MHz CPU and Android 2.3.7. Other notable specs include a 4-inch, 854 x 480 display, an 8 megapixel camera, a front-facing VGA shooter and a 1,400 mAh battery. The Motoluxe is hardly the leader of the pack, but if it's piqued your interest, be sure to check our hands-on from CES. [MobileSyrup] SwiftKey's latest beta brings a UI refresh The popular alternative keyboard for Android received an overhauled interface with its latest beta update. Of note, the comma once again has a dedicated key (with voice-to-text as the secondary function), and the number / symbols button has a new position in the lower left corner. There are also a number of bug fixes and performance improvements for some devices. [Android Central] LG Optimus L7 and Sony Xperia U spotted for Fido It looks like Fido subscribers will soon be able to grab a taste of two phones that met the public at Mobile World Congress, as both the Optimus L7 and Xperia U were recently spotted in a bit of leaked sales materials for the carrier. In terms of specs, the Optimus L7 offers a 1GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch display and a five megapixel camera, where as the Xperia U features a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 3.5-inch screen and a five megapixel rear shooter. No word on pricing or availability, though we'll be sure to keep our eyes on these puppies. [MobileSyrup 1, 2] Pioneer Wireless goes live as Verizon's first rural LTE partner Back in 2010, Verizon Wireless announced that it'd partner with smaller carriers to bring its 4G service to rural America. Now, Pioneer Wireless has become the first of such carriers to use Verizon's spectrum holdings and equipment in such a deployment. Thanks to the collaboration, six counties in Oklahoma are now swimming in Verizon's brand of LTE. [GigaOM] Other random tidbits
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| AT&T's One X discovered to have 'restricted' bootloader, HTC responds Posted: 05 May 2012 05:42 PM PDT
Since last year, HTC itself has been happy to let you unlock the bootloaders on its Android devices, but that doesn't mean you'll always be able to. If you'll recall, the international version of the One X was rooted just a few weeks ago, but such access apparently isn't in the cards for the AT&T-branded variant. The inconsistency was discovered by the likes of the XDA-Developers forums and MoDaCo, and after we pinged HTC for comment it responded with the following: HTC is committed to listening to users and delivering customer satisfaction. Since announcing our commitment to unlockable bootloaders, HTC has worked to enable our customers to unlock the bootloader on more than 45 devices over the past six months. In some cases, however, restrictions prevent certain devices from participating in our bootloader unlocking program. Rest assured, HTC is committed to assisting developers in unlocking bootloaders for HTC devices and we'll continue to unlock additional devices in the future." While HTC clearly isn't spilling the beans on what "restrictions" are blocking this variant of the Android superphone from entering the land of custom ROMs, it's become a general suspicion that AT&T might be the source. Naturally, we can't know for sure at this point, but we've reached out to the carrier in hopes of potentially getting more details on the situation. We'll be sure to keep you posted if we hear anything, but in the meantime, hit up the more coverage links below for further info. |
| Verizon takes the lead on text to 911 services Posted: 05 May 2012 04:31 PM PDT
The FCC first outlined its intention to allow texting to emergency services back in 2010, and since then despite more talk of accepting photo and video messages, nothing official came to be. This week, however, Verzion has taken the initiative, and announced its own plans to enable text to 911 for its customers. Working with TeleCommunication Systems, the big red hopes that it can facilitate the sending of SMS messages to emergency call-centers as soon as early 2013. Texting isn't just about adding communication options, it also provides a valuable tool to the deaf, hard of hearing and situations where talking is dangerous, or not possible. The service will use existing CDMA and SMS networks, and therefore should be available to all customers once finally rolled out. Verizon Selects TeleCommunication Systems to Provide Text to 911 National Gateway Solution New Service Will Enable Customers to Send 911 Short-Code Messages to Emergency Response Centers BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its continued commitment to advancing public safety, Verizon Wireless is taking steps toward offering many of its customers a new way to communicate with 911 call centers run by public safety officials. The company announced today that it has selected TeleCommunication Systems Inc., of Annapolis, Md., to participate in an initiative that will enable customers to send 911 SMS (Short Message Service) texts to the call centers, which are known as public-service answering points, or PSAPs. While consumers should always first try to contact a 911 center by making a voice call, this enhanced SMS service, when deployed, will offer an alternative for customers on the Verizon Wireless network who are deaf or hard of hearing and cannot make voice calls or who could be placed in additional danger by speaking. "Verizon is at the forefront of 911 public-safety innovations, and today's announcement is another step in making SMS-to-911 service available to those who cannot make a voice call to 911," said Marjorie Hsu, Verizon Wireless vice president of technology. "Our company is continuing its long-standing commitment to address the needs of public safety and our customers by offering another way to get help in an emergency by using wireless technology." The company is working on plans to make the new capabilities available to select PSAPs by early 2013. Verizon plans to use its existing CDMA SMS network for 911 text notifications. The new service will be offered to Verizon Wireless customers who have a text-capable phone and a service plan that includes text messaging. "TeleCommunication Systems has worked closely with the FCC over the past two years to develop its innovative technology for SMS to 911," said Maurice B. Tose, president and CEO of TCS. "As the preeminent U.S. supplier of SMS and pioneer in wireless E911, TCS is well positioned to enable Verizon in advancing its public safety commitment." Verizon is working with others in the communications industry, PSAPs, the Federal Communications Commission and other federal and state agencies in the eventual deployment of this new service aimed at giving consumers new ways to communicate with designated public safety agencies. |
| Facebook Messenger update makes it even harder to blow people off Posted: 05 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT
Your friends just don't get it. While they're still bumming around in Nikes, dorms and doomed relationships, your life has recently become more serious. That's why you sometimes need to hide from their constant, mindless barrage of messages, and also why you probably won't install the newly updated Facebook Messenger app v1.7. In line with FB's "mobile first" strategy, it debuts key new functions on iOS and Android, including instant and compulsory "seen by" read receipts as well as optional "sent from" notifications. So, in addition to knowing how aloof you've become, they'll be able to track you down and slap your face. |
| Sprint CEO takes pay cut as investors voice concern about cost of iPhone deal Posted: 05 May 2012 01:51 PM PDT
Sprint Nextel's $15.5 billion gamble on Apple's iPhone will apparently lighten CEO Dan Hesse's proverbial wallet by $3.25 million this year. That's how much compensation Hesse agreed to give back to help placate investors unhappy about the high cost of the company's iPhone deal. Securing the iPhone has already paid dividends for Sprint in terms of sales. The company sold 1.5 million iPhones in the first quarter while posting a net subscriber growth of 263,000. That didn't stop Sprint from posting an $863 million net loss during the same period, however, causing some investors to grumble about the cost of subsidizing Apple's phone. The subsidy Sprint pays for each iPhone is 40 percent higher -- about $200 -- than what the company pays for other competing devices. Don't feel too bad for Hesse, though. Apparently, the financial gesture basically brings back his "compensation target opportunities" to 2010 levels. |
| 32-inch 'LaserSaber' lights up your Star Wars dreams, burns the curtains (video) Posted: 05 May 2012 01:02 PM PDT
If you enjoyed all those not-at-all tiresome "May the 4th be with you" tweets yesterday, then this is likely right up your equatorial trench. Wicked Lasers, makers of the eye-meltingly powerful S3 Krypton laser has developed a $100 attachment for the same that will bring a few not-so-little boys' dreams true. The ahem LaserSaber add-on takes the pin-sharp beam of light from the company's S3 range of lasers, and sends it down a 32" polycarbonate "blade". A so called magnetic gravity system imitates the powering-up and down of those other famous sabers, but they stopped at adding sound effects. Bear in mind, you're still dealing with imperial levels of light here, so dueling is most definitely not recommended, but if you want the nearest thing to the real deal, remember, May the 5th we told you.
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| FBI reportedly pressing for backdoor access to Facebook, Google Posted: 05 May 2012 11:18 AM PDT
Investigators at the FBI supposedly aren't happy that social networks like Facebook or Google+ don't have the same kind of facility for wiretaps that phones have had for decades. If claimed industry contacts for CNET are right, senior staff at the bureau have floated a proposed amendment to the 1994-era Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) that would require that communication-based websites with large user bases include a backdoor for federal agents to snoop on suspects. It would still include the same requirement for a court order as for phone calls, even if US carriers currently enjoy immunity for cooperating with any warrantless wiretapping. As might be expected, technology firms and civil liberties advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation object to deepening CALEA's reach any further, and Apple is thought to be preemptively lobbying against another definition of the law that might require a government back channel for audiovisual chat services like FaceTime or Skype. The FBI didn't explicitly confirm the proposal when asked, but it did say it was worried it might be "going dark" and couldn't enforce wiretaps. [Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr] |
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