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Internet Explorer 9 will feature "do not track" functionality

Publié: décembre 7, 2010, 10:42pm CET par Tim Conneally

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

In light of the recent rash of "history sniffing" bugs and the Federal Trade Commission's proposed "do not track" list, Microsoft today announced that release candidate of Internet Explorer 9 will feature a new tracking protection setting that will keep a user's browsing habits private from sites looking to harvest browser histories.
The new feature of IE9 will let users opt out of sharing their browser information with sites they may not know or necessarily trust. It includes a Tracking Protection List of Web addresses that the browser will call only if the user specifically types the URL into the browser bar. That means any content from a URL that the user has blocked will also not show up in the browser.
This blacklist starts out empty, and the user has to populate it with addresses he doesn't want to share information with. Conversely, users will also be able to assemble whitelists of sites that are trusted and free to access browser data.
"We designed this functionality as a good start to enable consumer choice and protection from potential tracking," Dean Hachamovitch Corporate Vice President of Internet Explorer said today. "We provide a tool in the browser, and consumers choose how to use it. As with everything on the web, we expect it to evolve over time especially as the broader privacy dialog continues. We're communicating about it now as part of our transparency in the software development process."
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Google announces Chrome OS hardware and first pilot program

Publié: décembre 7, 2010, 9:36pm CET par Tim Conneally

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

One year ago, Google gave the world its first look at Chrome OS, a project taking a new approach to thin clients and terminal computing. The long and the short of Chrome OS is: if the browser is the most-used application on a PC, why would you load it down with anything else?
Chrome OS focuses on computers that are permanently connected, where all apps, data, and user identities and desktops are stored in the cloud. The computers running the OS are designed to be as unencumbered by software as possible, so they can run quickly and reliably. Businesses can run them in secure private clouds just as well as consumers can run them on the public Web.
The project has come to the point where it can start to be tested in the real world, and Google today announced some crucial details about who will be making Chrome notebook computers, when the public can expect them, and how they'll ultimately work.
First, of course, comes the pilot program, which will test the viability of a "Web only" computer among both enterprises and individuals. Already, businesses such as American Airlines, Appiro, Cardinal Health, Kraft, Logitech, Virgin USA, and even the Department of Defense have contacted Google to be included in the pilot. Individual users, however, can apply to test out Chrome OS on the reference hardware at [google.com].
What will testers be handling? An unbranded notebook computer called the Cr-48.
It's got a 12.1" display, full sized keyboard, oversized touchpad, World Mode 3G connectivity via the Qualcomm Gobi chipset, 802.11n dual-band Wi-Fi, an 8+ hour active battery life with an estimated 8+ hours of standby, a built-in webcam, no spinning hard drives, and a built-in "jailbreaking mode." Google today announced Acer and Samsung as OEM partners, and they will be releasing Chrome OS notebooks in mid-2011. They're all powered by Intel chips, so there's no ARM-based instruction sets here. Unfortunately, the exact chip family and power ratings weren't disclosed today.
Sundar Pichai, Vice President of Google Chrome Product Management holds one of the notebooks used in the pilot program.
One of the most interesting parts of the Chrome OS notebook will be its focus on connectivity...FREE connectivity. Google has partnered with Verizon Wireless to offer Chrome notebook users special no-contract data plans. The Verizon Wireless Chrome OS data plan will have 100MB of free data per month per user. Daily unlimited data passes will go for $9.99 per day, and other plans will be sold 1GB at a time.
The pilot program will go for about half a year, at which point the first generally-available models will go up for sale. Other OEM partners are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Wikileaks' Assange denied bail after surrendering to UK authorities

Publié: décembre 7, 2010, 8:25pm CET par Ed Oswald

By Ed Oswald, Betanews

After surrendering to UK police on Tuesday, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was denied bail after being deemed a flight risk by a British court. Swedish officials are asking for his extradition to face rape and molestation charges, however Assange has refused.
With that refusal, a lengthy legal process that could take weeks or months to resolve begins. While this is being decided, the courts have taken Assange into custody until December 14.
Rape charges were filed but quickly dropped back in August, although the two accusers -- who worked as volunteers for Wikileaks -- appealed that decision. The incidents were said to have happened while he was in Sweden giving presentations on Wikileaks' work to disclose US military documents on the war.
According to Swedish authorities, Assange is accused of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of rape.
The British courts must now decide if the extradition will violate Assange's rights. If it does not, a judge would order his extradition to Sweden. Assange would have the opportunity to appeal the judge's decision however, which could prolong the process.
His lawyers in Sweden claim that foreign powers are influencing the decision to prosecute, and that Wikileaks' work in exposing secret documents are playing a part. Swedish prosecutors deny this is the case.
"I want to make it clear that I have not been put under any kind of pressure, political or otherwise," direct of prosecution Marianne Ny said in a statement. "Swedish prosecutors are completely independent in their decision-making."
She is also reported to have said by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that she has received no contact from any other government regarding extraditing Assange to face any other charges.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010
Sprint aims to phase out iDEN over next two years

Publié: décembre 7, 2010, 1:05am CET par Ed Oswald

By Ed Oswald, Betanews

Aiming to streamline operations and reduce operating costs, Sprint on Monday said it would begin the process of transitioning Nextel customers to its CDMA network beginning next year. The process of phasing out iDEN cell sites will begin in 2013, it said.
Combining the two technologies is expected to save Sprint up to $11 billion over a seven year period. It will also phase out a technology that has increasingly become obsolete as consumers and businesses alike require more robust data technologies.
iDEN cannot provide broadband data speeds that are necessary for today's applications. With businesses playing a large role in Nextel's overall business, this disadvantage has caused many to look elsewhere for their cellular services -- which means moving away from iDEN makes good business sense.
"We're seeing an increasing need from our push-to-talk customers for high-speed data," network operations chief Steve Elfman said. "Marrying the industry's only sub-second PTT call setup with broadband data directly supports our customers' needs and creates an unmatched offering in the market."
In addition to the elimination of iDEN, Sprint is also working with Samsung, Ericsson, and Alcatel-Lucent to combine its disparate technologies onto a single base station. This would combine services operating on the 800MHz, 1.9GHz, and 2.5GHz frequency bands, thus further reducing operating costs.
Sprint's work to add the 2.5GHz spectrum -- the frequency that its WiMAX subsidiary uses -- to its new base stations seems to also suggest that the company remains steadfastly committed to the technology for the foreseeable future.
More on Sprint's new planned base stations can be found on the company's website.
Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010