by Tony Aldridge
OK so here's a piece of software that is either genius, dangerous or incredibly naive, I'm still making up my mind. The premise is brilliant. When your mobile gets stolen, which hasn't happened to me ever thankfully but I know it's a problem, there's little you can do. Obviously a thief isn't going to answer your call for a chat so it's pretty futile phoning your number. Wouldn't it be nice to know where your mobile had gone? That's what PhoneBAK does.
By working clandestinely in your phone, the software operates even when the thief switches SIM cards in the mobile. When your mobile is stolen you need to ask PhoneBAK to send a secret message to another mobile number (you must store a number in the software - remember to do this!) telling you the phone number of the burglar and their location. It even works overseas should the thief take flight to another country. With phones becoming increasingly expensive and stored with private data this makes it more likely that you can recover the phone. However, I suggest you call the police as well. As a general rule, thieves aren't that helpful when confronted...more
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Softonic.com Review - “Recover your stolen phone”
PhoneBAK Mobilephine (Symbian) supports Nokia N81, N81 8GB & N95 8GB
Nokia N81, N81 8GB & N95 8GB
Nokia N81
Entertainment. The next episode. Easy to get into and hard to put down, make space to play the best music and games with hot, swappable memory. With dedicated music and gaming keys, 3.5 mm headphone connector and 3G and WLAN connectivity, the Nokia N81 multimedia computer is a true mobile entertainment powerhouse. With a sleek, polished surface and keys that light up when you activate them, accessing content on the 3D multimedia menu is fast and intuitive.
Feature Overview
- 2.8” QVGA screen
- Shoot in DVD-like quality video up to 30 frames per second
- 5 megapixel camera with DVD-like quality video
- Store videos, photos and music with 8GB of internal memory
- Integrated GPS and Nokia Maps Location-based mobile search
- Customize your device with advanced mobile applications
Nokia N81 8GB
Entertainment. The next episode. Easy to get into and hard to put down, up to 8GB of the best music and games you can fit in your hand.
Feature Overview
- Up to 8GB internal memory
- Superior mobile gaming with popular titles and high-res graphics
- Access content quickly with the new multimedia menu
N95 8GB
It's what computers have become. Slide into multiple modes. With a bigger screen, built-in GPS, and 8GB of internal memory, you can fit more into your mobile life. With all the key features of its predecessor, the Nokia N95, including a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, built-in A-GPS, WLAN, HSDPA and an innovative 2-way slide, the Nokia N95 8GB now offers up to eight gigabytes of built-in memory. The N95 8GB also boasts a new luminous 2.8" QVGA display - one of the largest ever for a multimedia computer - so that watching videos, browsing the Internet or viewing maps is easy. With its expanded memory, the N95 8GB offers up to 20 hours of video or up to 6000 songs.
Feature Overview- Load up external memory cards with your music, games, and videos you can’t be parted from.
- Superior mobile gaming with popular titles and high-res graphics
- Store more content with expandable memory cards
- Access content quickly with the new multimedia menu
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
PhoneBAK SE - 2nd Trial to launch on 30 August 2007
For those BAK2u customers that are participating in the 2nd trial, kindly check your email as we be sending out to all 1000 trial users from 12am onwards.
Thank you.
Details: Anti-theft software for Sony Ericsson mobilephones
[BAK2u] Protecting Mobiles - Mauritius newspaper 26 Aug 2007
Country: Mauritius
BAK2Me Mauritius Ltd
(Product: PhoneBAK PDA phone, Mobilephone & Verey I)
Bois Cheri Road
St Pierre
Mauritius
Tel: +230 433 3820, +230 774 4300 (Hotline)
Email
Stores:
My Shop Ltd
Ebene Commercial Centre (Ebene Way)
Tel: +230 465 4414
Orchard Centre, Quatre Bornes
Tel: +230 425 1414
Caudan Kiosk
Tel: +230 213 6570
Epsace Mara, Flacq
Tel: +230 413 6851
Medine Mews, Port Louis
Tel: +230 210 9909
NSZ Building, Place Margeot
Tel: +230 454 0343
Why Apple Can't Stop iPhone Hackers
AT&T and Apple may face an uphill battle prosecuting hackers who untether the iPhone from the AT&T wireless network
It sure sounds like a steal. On Aug. 31, George Hotz plans to trade in his iPhone for a metallic blue Nissan (NSANY) 350Z sports car and three brand-new iPhones. But the 17-year-old's device is no ordinary Apple phone. Hotz hacked his iPhone and unlocked it so that it can be used on a variety of cell-phone networks, becoming the first person known to have done so. The person buying Hotz's phone, Terry Daidone, believes he's the one getting the deal because Hotz has agreed to work for him at his cell-phone refurbishing company, CertiCell.
Daidone says he doesn't plan to sell unlocked iPhones just yet. Rather, he says that he wants Hotz to teach CertiCell's technicians the secrets to unlocking other kinds of cell phones. But that could change—if he can clear up legal questions surrounding the practice of unlocking mobile phones. "As the need arises to unlock phones, we should be at the forefront of that," Daidone says.
Apple (AAPL) and AT&T (T), the sole authorized supplier of the iPhone in the U.S., are doing what they can to make sure that legal clearance never comes. The two companies have put their lawyers on the case, applying pressure on hackers involved in unlocking iPhones to try to get them to stop. Much is at stake. AT&T has been hoping that as the exclusive provider of the iPhone, it will see a surge in new customers and monthly service charges of at least $60 from each one. Apple is supposed to get a cut of the revenues. If iPhones are unlocked, they can be used on the wireless networks of rivals like T-Mobile USA—and AT&T gets zippo. AT&T wouldn't comment for this story, while Apple didn't return a request for comment....more
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
[BAK2u] Dunearn Secondary School presentation
BAK2u is pleased to be invited to Dunearn Secondary School on 28 & 29 August 2007, to present PhoneBAK Anti-theft softwares to its 1400 students and staffs.
http://www.dunearn.edu.sg
Sunday, August 26, 2007
[BAK2u] AT&T Cracks On Commercial iPhone Unlocking Groups
It was bound to happen: AT&T is going after the commercial snakes groups trying to profit from the iPhone unlocking. Apparently they can hunt these mercenaries down. You can still 100% unlock with the TurboSIM method but, once again, there is only one way to really blow up the Death Star: Support the iPhone Dev Team to get the FREE software unlock and keep advancing native software development for the iPhone.
Press Release August 25th, 2007iphoneunlocking.com, a subsidiary of UniquePhones (www.uniquephones.com). was poised and ready to release remote software unlocking services for the iphone today at 12 noon EST. The sale of unlocking codes is on hold after the company received a telephone call from a Menlo Park, California, law firm at approximately 2:54 a.m. this morning (GMT).
After saying they were phoning on behalf of AT&T, the law firm presented issues such as copyright infringement and illegal software dissemination. Uniquephones is taking legal advice to ascertain whether AT&T was sending a warning shot or directly threatening legal action. The logistics of different continents as well as it being a weekend factors into how the situation develops.
Until an assessment is made of the potential of legal action, Uniquephones is unable to release the unlocking software for sale. The company spokesperson also said that the company would also be evaluating what to eventually do with the software should they be legally denied the right to sell it. A substantial delay caused by any legal action would render the unlocking software a less valuable commodity as well as creating unforeseen security issues for the company
Oh, and keep your eyes open during tomorrow and the weekend because the shit is about to hit the fan. [iPhone Unlocking]
Source: http://gizmodo.com[BAK2u] PhoneBAK Anti-theft softwares @ MobileSquare (Singapore)
BAK2u Anti-theft softwares now available @ MobileSquare (Singapore)!
Far East Plaza
# 02-98, Far East Plaza. 14, Scotts Road
Singapore (228213)
PS3 turns to TV for boost
PS3 add-on device will arm Sony's struggling games console with a digital TV receiver and recorder
Sony has unveiled a new widget that allows its struggling PlayStation 3 to receive and record high-definition TV programmes as the technology giant tries to persuade consumers that the device can do more than play video games.
The PlayTV add-on will also be able to transfer recorded TV content to a PSP, Sony’s handheld games console, which is also suffering from lacklustre sales compared to its main rival, Nintendo’s DS.
Separately, Woolworths, the struggling UK retailer, said it would slash the price of the PS3 to £375, its “lowest ever level” in the UK, over the bank holiday weekend.
The move was revealed as Microsoft today dropped the price of its Xbox 360 Core – the most basic version of the console – to £180 in a pre-announced move. The price for the 20 gigabyte hard-drive model of the Xbox 360 has been cut by £30 to £250...more
Brutal "Manhunt 2" game approved for sale
"Manhunt 2", a brutally violent video game that was effectively banned in the United States, has risen from the grave in a modified form and will go on sale for Halloween, its publisher said on Friday.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc said a new version of the game, which features an insane asylum escapee killing enemies in gruesome ways, had won a "Mature" rating from the U.S. Entertainment Software Ratings Board, meaning it is meant for players aged 17 and over.
The ratings board had previously slapped an "Adults Only" rating on the game. While its decisions carry no legal weight, Microsoft Corp, Sony Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd do not allow such titles on their game consoles.
It was the second bit of good news this week for Take-Two after the strong debut of its spooky underwater shooting game "BioShock," and the company's shares rose as much as 3.3 percent.
"Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games, the development team within Take-Two that created "Manhunt" and is behind other popular but controversial titles like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Bully".
"Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it," Houser said in a statement.
Censors in Britain and Ireland have also banned the game from being sold, but Take-Two did not say whether it had submitted the reworked game for review in those countries.
The restrictions on "Manhunt 2" sparked a debate in the video game industry about whether the rating system needed an overhaul. Several game critics who played review versions of the game said it was similar to extremely violent but popular horror movies such as "Saw."
Take-Two shares have been hammered in recent weeks after it delayed its most important game, the criminal adventure "Grand Theft Auto IV", from its original October launch date. Continued...
Friday, August 24, 2007
2nd Trial - PhoneBAK SE (Anti-theft software for Sony Ericsson)
We are pleased to share with everyone that the 2nd trial for PhoneBAK SE will begin very soon in the next couple of days.
Thanks to the very valuable feedbacks from the group of 1st trial users, we listened and added some of the advises into this version. Look out for your email as the program will arrive soon!
PhoneBAK SEAnother innovative lost & found anti-theft software program that sends the thief's contact number and other details to pre-defined mobile phone numbers when your mobilephone is stolen!
When stolen, PhoneBAK SE will send out 02 SMSes (local and/or overseas) using the thief's own SIM card to destined pre-configured contact numbers together with other important information to get the phonebak!
No subscriptions or annual fees.
All about PS3
PS3 and PSP Become Video Recorders
The PlayStation 3 add-ons support Sony's long-time position that its gaming console is "not just a gaming console," said Yankee Group analyst Mike Goodman, who noted that Sony has consistently said its consoles were entertainment hubs, with about two-thirds of users watching regular DVDs on the PlayStation 3's older brother, the PlayStation 2.
Sony's PlayStation 3, which already has more functions than a Swiss army knife, is now becoming a video recorder. At the Games Convention taking place in Leipzig, Germany, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced PlayTV on Wednesday.
PlayTV is a twin-channel, high definition TV tuner that attaches to the PS3, and, with accompanying personal software Relevant Products/Services, allows users to record, pause, and play back live TV from digital television broadcasts. Programs can then be transmitted via a wireless connection, or through a USB cable, to a PlayStation Portable (PSP).
SCEE described PlayTV as an accessory that will "revolutionize the home entertainment market in Europe." The device is first being released in the UK, France, Germany, and Spain, beginning in early 2008. Prices and release dates for other markets were not announced...more
With 60% sales boost, PS3 is hotter but still in "last place"
Last month we were able to take a good, hard look at the first half of the year in terms of US console sales, and there were no surprises. Nintendo dominated, and the 360 slogged along. Sony got by on the strength of its PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable hardware, while the PlayStation 3 stumbled behind the rest of the pack.
The question we were left with after the $100 price cut on the 60GB PlayStation 3 SKU was how energized about Sony's next-gen console consumers would become. Now that the NPD Group has released the US numbers for July, we have our answer: the PlayStation 3 hardware did get a 61-percent month-over-month jump, but that wasn't enough to overtake the 360. The PS3 has yet to pass Microsoft's system in terms of sales....more
Thursday, August 23, 2007
BAK2u - NTU Annual Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week 2007
An annual "mega" event uniquely designed to promote and foster the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The objectives of E&I Week:
- To promote entrepreneurialism and inspire NTU community to act on their entrepreneurial and innovative talents, ideas and energy towards producing tomorrow's leading companies.
- To showcase NTU Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and provide an experiential learning platform on the process of evaluating and creating new business ventures.
- To strengthen the bond among NTU population within a strong atmosphere of entrepreneurialism.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Twitter.com - People Search
Hello Twitter-ers,
It's new feature season and we're starting with People Search.
This new Twitter feature is great for finding more people to
follow because it searches profile information such as name,
location, bio, and url. Come on by and find out if your friends
are already Twittering and you just didn't know it! The search
field is on the right side of Twitter when you sign in:
http://twitter.com
Twitter & MTV
We're partnering with MTV for the Video Music Awards next month.
They have some fun ideas which involve artists and celebrities
including the MTV Moonman twittering from Las Vegas during the
whole weekend leading up to the VMA broadcast on Sunday,
September 9th. Also, Twitter's gonna be on TV! We're looking
forward to it. The artists who will be joining Twitter are popular
and you can get their updates by following the Video Music Awards
on Twitter.
Follow VMA: http://twitter.com/vma
Nelson is Twitter Family
Speaking of celebrities, the genius behind Google's Search API is
Nelson Minar. Nelson left Google a while back but joined Twitter
months ago as a permanent advisor. Nelson continues to provide us
with engineering advice, helps us work through scaling and
infrastructure details, and in general brings more engineering
"gravitas" to our operation. Nelson is a such valued part of the
Twitter team we gave him an iPhone preloaded with all our phone
numbers. So yeah, Nelson rocks. http://twitter.com/nelson
A Fine Frenzy
Alison Sudol is the young musician behind A Fine Frenzy and it's
been really fun following her on tour for her first album, One
Cell in The Sea. Some of us from Twitter listened to her sing when
she came to San Francisco and had the opportunity to say hello to
Alison and her grandmother who she brought to the show. Her
grandmother told us she prints out every twitter Alison makes and
worries when she skips a day. (She also prints out Barack Obama's
twitters.)
Follow Alison: http://twitter.com/afinefrenzy
We don't recommend everyone print out Twitter updates as it's not
ecologically sustainable. However, when Alison's grandmother does
it, it's awesome. Okay, that's all for now.
Happy Twittering!
Biz Stone and the Twitter Team
http://twitter.com/biz
Other news: BAK2u Verey I + Twitter service
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
‘Software Mall’ announced ranging no.2 of the highest transactions
Thailand partner, PlayWork Company.
‘Software Mall’ announced ranging no.2 of the highest transactions from AIS whole mobile value-added service transactions. With the statistic 50,000 page view a day, among this number the approximately purchase transaction is 3,000 – 4,000/ day.
Courtesy by The Bangkok Biz News: Lifestyle section, 8th Aug 07
More News
AIS : Advance Info Service Public Company Limited or AIS is an affiliation of Shin Corporation. From being an operator in Computer business, now a mobile network provider of analogue cellular 900 and digital GSM. Today, it is widely accepted that we are the leading provider of mobile network system in Thailand. However, we
never stop developing and innovating. We bring technology to make your mobile phone a perfect solution for lifestyle. We aim to let the mobile phone bring you more
than a voice but an unlimited tenderness anytime anywhere with the best network today and the future.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Nokia Turns Up Heat On Qualcomm
Finnish mobile phone firm Nokia knows how best to hurt its American rival Qualcomm: by bringing in the lawyers. On Friday, it asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to slap Qualcomm with an import ban on semiconductors that allegedly violate Nokia patents.
Nokia (nyse: NOK - news - people ) accused Qualcomm (nyse: QCOM - news - people ) of engaging in "unfair trade practices," pinpointing infringements of five of its patents in mobile chipsets. According to Nokia, the U.S. telecommunications company has been using the Finnish firm's'patented performance-boosting technology in its chips without permission.
"There is significant evidence to warrant an I.T.C. investigation into Qualcomm's business conduct," said Rick Simonson, Nokia's chief financial officer...more
Friday, August 17, 2007
France Telecom mum on iPhone deal
Orange, the mobile phone arm of telecoms group France Telecom, declined to comment on reports it had won the license to sell Apple's iPhone in France, a Reuters report said.
The Reuters report said France Telecom shares rose 1.5 % in early trade on, bucking the broader market trend, with traders citing the rumor.
"Orange has no comment to make on the rumors about the iPhone," a spokeswoman for Orange said in an emailed statement.
The Reuters report quoted Le Figaro newspaper, citing specialist technology publications, as saying on its Internet site that France Telecom could launch the iPhone in France shortly after an Apple conference in Paris at the end of September.
It said Orange might team up with Fnac, the electronics and books chain of retailer PPR , to boost its distribution network for the rollout.
The new iMac
New iMacs Mac-nificent, and they come with a charmed iLife
Last week, Apple (AAPL) unveiled beautiful new iMac models. And it introduced the iLife '08 lineup that is preloaded free on those machines (or sold separately for $79). Apple trotted out the new computers and software a mere two months or so before releasing the next version of OS X, dubbed Leopard....more
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Geek Terminal in TIME
Forget your neighborhood coffee bar's piffling offer of free wi-fi. Walk into the Geek Terminal restaurant, tel: (65) 6557 0098, in Singapore's central business district and they'll lend you a laptop as well. Phone battery running low? Borrow a charger from manager Christopher Lee. Need to power other devices? You won't need to sneak around for a wall socket — simply plug them in at power boards within easy reach of every chair. If you like your borrowed laptop, or the look of the wall-mounted flat screens displaying website-style banner ads, you can buy ones just like them, because the restaurant doubles as a sales agent for Apple and TV maker Chi Mei, as well as Nokia. And did we mention that it serves food? "They really look after you," says customer Kevin Lim, 30, a local Ph.D. student...more
Website: http://www.geekterminal.com/
LG enV Orange Phone
If you're looking for the ultimate in features and high-speed wireless broadband content, look no further than the feature-packed LG enV Orange Phone (Verizon Wireless)
And if that's not enough, the phone also supports Verizon's exciting V Cast service, which allows you to download or stream video, 3-D games, and other exciting media.
Technical Details
- Excellent multimedia features and innovative dual-face clamshell design that opens to reveal a QWERTY keyboard
- Download music and steam high-quality video using EV-DO high-speed data network
- Stream music to compatible Bluetooth enabled wireless stereo headphones
- 2-megapixel digital camera with 2.5x digital zoom; video capture up to 1 hour
- Up to 4.5 hours of talk time, up to 19 days, 4 hours of standby time
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Sneak Preview: PhoneBAK SE (Anti-theft software for Sony Ericsson)
PhoneBAK SE is an innovative lost & found anti-theft software program that sends the thief's contact number, location and other details to pre-defined mobile phone numbers when your mobilephone is stolen!
When stolen, PhoneBAK SE will send out 02 SMSes (local and/or overseas) using the thief's own SIM card to destined pre-configured contact numbers together with other important information to get the phonebak!
No subscriptions or annual fees.
Subscribe to BAK2u Alert
Be alerted when PhoneBAK SE is ready
SingTel quarterly profit rises 10.4%
SingTel said its fiscal first-quarter net profit rose 10.4% on the back of strong sales in Singapore and increased contributions from regional mobile associates.
SingTel said n a statement net profit for the April-June quarter was S$927 million ($609 million), up from S$840 million ($549 million) in the same quarter last year.
Operating revenue increased 10.5% to S$3.57 billion ($2.35 billion) from S$3.23 billion ($2.1 billion) previously.
Double digit growth at its mobile and Internet businesses in Singapore boosted revenue in its home market 10% from last year to 10% to S$1.16 billion ($762 million).
In Australia, SingTel said its Optus subsidiary saw revenue rise 3.5 % to A$1.9 billion ($1.59 billion) after a marketing campaign and a focus on raising its market share in Internet services.
Strong subscriber growth, especially at its associates in India and Indonesia, raised the post-tax profit from its regional associates 29% from a year ago to S$463 million ($304 million).
Apart from its operations in Singapore and Australia, SingTel owns substantial stakes in Bharti Airtel in India, PT Telkomsel in Indonesia, Thailand's AIS, Globe Telecom in the Philippines and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom.
In June, SingTel said it is buying a 30% stake in Pakistan's Warid Telecom.
Xbox 360 now the same price as Wii in Australia
Aussie Xbox 360s get price cut, Core system now same cost as a Wii; HDMI-enabled Pro systems to also make their way down under.
When Microsoft announced their decision to drop the price of the Xbox 360 in the US last week, Australian gamers only had one question on their minds: when would the same thing happen down under? The answer, it seems, is today. From August 15, the 20GB-enabled Xbox 360 Pro system will retail for A$579.95 ($486), down from A$649. And perhaps more significantly, the Xbox 360 Core system's price will drop from A$429 to A$399.95. At A$399.95, the Core system is now the same price as a Nintendo Wii in Australia.
Xbox regional director for Australia and New Zealand David McLean says reduced manufacturing costs was the key reason for dropping the Xbox 360's price. McLean says the price drop positions the 360's Pro system favourably against the A$1000 PlayStation 3 in Australia, while the A$399 price point for the Core allows the 360 to compete in the casual market the Wii has cornered.
"I think you'll see on a games point of view we're well ahead [of the PS3]. And now once again we're offering all of these experiences at a really affordable price. So I think we will do really well during the holiday period against PlayStation," McLean said. "Our strategy was always to focus on the core and serious gamers. We think we've done a great job there, and the numbers support that. What we now need to do is start thinking about broadening our strategy, and this price movement is a component of that strategy."...more
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sanyo negotiating sale of mobile phone business
Sanyo Electric is negotiating separately with Sharp and Kyocera about the sale of its mobile phone handset business arm and aiming to conclude a deal by the end of the year, industry sources said.
Sanyo, which used to be a major consumer-electronics maker, plans to pull out of the mobile phone handset business to focus on core areas such as rechargeable batteries and commercial-use equipment to increase profits.
Telecom Sanyo booked an operating loss for the first time in the business year through March 31 due mainly to appraisal losses over inventories.
It also chalked up a deficit in the April-June period on sales of 47.6 billion yen ($402 million), down 42% from the year before, due to sluggish domestic sales, prompting the company to revise downward its global sales target for the business year through March 2008 to 11 million handsets from an initial 12.5 million handsets...more
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Sharing content on cellphones
Commuters, students and others who rely heavily on mobile devices but may often find themselves with time on their hands can now tap into a free online source for stories, essays, jokes and other text files that can be downloaded to their mobiles, read at their convenience and then sent to others via SMS. Wattpad operates much like YouTube, with users supplying files to share with one another.
To get started, all customers need are compatible devices and data plans, and they can download Wattpad directly through their mobile Internet browsers at no charge—the site is financed by advertising dollars. Community members can share just about any type of text files—short stories, news articles, study notes, movie reviews—anything, provided they have the appropriate copyrights. They can even upload shopping lists, driving directions or reminders (though they should bear in mind that these files are accessible to the entire Wattpad community!). Top 3 this week: an essay by Albert Einstein, a dialogue-only short story by science fiction writer Terry Bisson, and quotes from The Simpsons...more
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Google Key to Latest ITunes Challenge
Add gBox Inc. to the growing list of online music services hoping to chip away at iTunes's dominance.
The Cupertino, Calif., startup was forced out of a stealth mode when Universal Music Group announced late Thursday it would test sales of some digital music without the customary copy-protection technology.
Under the program, gBox will get referrals through ads Universal will buy through search leader Google Inc., gBox Chief Executive Tammy Artim said Friday.
Google will get standard advertising fees rather than a cut of sales under the arrangement. The ads, which would appear when a Google user searches for specific terms such as the name of an artist, will direct the user to gBox...more
Friday, August 10, 2007
Universal Music Will Sell Songs Without Copy Protection
Signaling another departure from the music industry’s longtime antipiracy strategy, the Universal Music Group will sell a significant portion of its catalog without the customary copy protection software for at least the next few months, the company announced yesterday.
Universal, the world’s biggest music conglomerate, said it would offer albums and songs without the software, known as digital rights management, through existing digital music retail services like RealNetworks and Wal-Mart, nascent services from Amazon.com and Google, and some artists’ Web sites.
But the music will not be offered D.R.M.-free through Apple’s iTunes, the leading music service. The use of copy protection software has become a major bone of contention in the digital music business, where iTunes accounts for the vast majority of download sales. The record labels generally have required that retailers place electronic locks to limit copying of music files...more
Thailand media - Highlight application BAK2u
Translation:
“…BAK2u is announced to be the highlight application among the applications which available in mobileLIFE >> Software Mall. With its lost but found functionality, making it possible for Thai users to easily get their mobile phone back once it’s missing or stolen.”
Website: http://www.thairath.co.th/
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Product Brochure: Verey I + Twitter service
What is Twitter?
Twitter is for staying in touch and keeping up with friends no matter where you are or what you’re doing. For some friends you might want instant mobile updates—for others, you can just check the web. Invite your friends to Twitter and decide how connected you want you to be.
How does Twitter work?
When you send in a mobile text (SMS), Twitter sends it out to your group of friends and posts it to your Twitter page. Your friends might not have phone alerts turned on so they may check your web page instead. Likewise, you receive your friends mobile updates on your phone.
Testimonial from Mr. Emil dela Cruz.
'BAK2u is a great application! Not only does it provide us an "active " way of recovering our phones but it also protects our investment because of the ability to restore unlock codes if we ever forget them...just like me! I really like this software!'
More: http://www.bak2u.com/testimonials
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Major update: PhoneBAK PDA (Anti-theft software)
Supported PDA Phones 
Alltel PPC6700
AT&T 8525
AnexTEK SP230
Asus P525
BenQ P50 / P51
Bell PPC6800
CU928
Cingular 8125
Dopod 696
Dopod 699
Dopod 700
Dopod/HTC C600
Dopod/HTC C800
Dopod/HTC D600
Dopod/HTC D810
Dopod/HTC M700
Dopod/HTC P800w
Dopod/HTC 818 Pro
Dopod/HTC 838 Pro
Dopod/HTC 900
Eten G500 / G500+
Eten M500
Eten M550
Eten M600 / M600+
Eten Glofiish M700
Eten Glofiish X500 / X500 +
Eten P300B
HTC Mogul
HTC P3300
HTC P3350
HTC P3400
HTC P3600
HTC P4000
HTC P4350
HTC S720
HTC Touch
HTC TyTN
HP iPAQ h6310
HP IPAQ h6315
HP iPAQ h6320
HP iPAQ h6325
HP IPAQ h6500
HP IPAQ hw6510
HP IPAQ hw6515
HP IPAQ hw6815
HP IPAQ hw6818
HP IPAQ hw6828
HP IPAQ hw6910
HP IPAQ hw6915
i-mate PDA2k
i-mate PDA2k EVDO
i-mate Pocket PC
Lenovo ET960
Lenovo ET980
O2 XDA I
O2 XDA II
O2 XDA II Mini
O2 XDA IIi
O2 XDA IIs
O2 XDA Atom Life
O2 XDA Exec
O2 XDA Flame
O2 XDA Mini S
O2 XDA Neo
O2 XDA Orbit
O2 XDA Stealth
O2 XDA Trion
O2 XDA Zinc
Palm Treo 700w
Palm Treo 750v
POZ CB-0870
POZ CP-X301
Qwest 6700Q
Samsung M400 / M4000
Sprint PPC-6700
Telus 6700
T-Mobile MDA
T-Mobile Wing
Verizon XV6700
Not all devices are shown here.
Some brands and models maybe different according to carriers/operators.
Cisco profit jumps 25% in Q4
Cisco Systems' fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped 25% as the network equipment maker continued to see strong sales of the routers and switches that direct traffic over the Internet and other technologies tied to a boom in multimedia online content.
Shares jumped more than 5% on a boosted financial forecast.
Net income for the period ended July 28 was $1.93 billion, compared with $1.54 billion, during the same quarter a year ago.
Revenue for the period was $9.43 billion, an 18% increase from the $7.98 billion in sales Cisco rung up last year. The revenue also beat Wall Street's estimate, which was for $9.29 billion in sales.
On a conference call with analysts, Cisco CEO John Chambers said the company is boosting its revenue forecast to 13% to 16% for 2008. For the current quarter, the company expects revenue of $9.45 billion to $9.55 billion, above the average analyst's estimate of $9.39 billion.
Chambers also announced that CFO Dennis Powell will retire at the end of the second quarter of the current fiscal year. His replacement will be Frank Calderoni, currently a Cisco senior vice president.
San Jose-based Cisco is profiting from widespread network upgrades as Internet service providers and other companies boost capacity to handle increasingly bandwidth-heavy downloads, particularly video.
However, some analysts have expressed concerns about whether Cisco can keep up its rapid growth. Investors have been particularly worried in the past couple of quarters about a slowdown in one of Cisco's key businesses, orders from US businesses, whose growth plunged to mid-single digit rates.
Source: http://www.telecomasia.net/
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Updated: FAQ Verey I (Anti-theft software for Mac)
Frequently Asked Questions
a. How do I know if Verey I anti-theft software works?
When the device is connected to the internet, the program will automatically pick out the necessary information, photo/video, IP address and email them out to the pre-defined email address.
b. How do I install the software?
There will be a step-by-step installation guide included.
c. Are there any technical or local support?
BAK2u has presence in Singapore and various countries through our partners to provide the necessary supports, including documents for owners to report to police for non-recoverable cases too.
BAK2u can be contacted here.
d. Can I use the same program for any other laptops or computers?
Each copy of the program is licensed to only 01 registered device. It is therefore non-transferable.
e. Who will recover the lost device?
As the device has been pre-defined with a email address, the receiver of the alert can contact the authorities (police, service provider) directly.
f. Does your application patch the kernel or something to that effect?
No, the application does not make any changes to Mac OS X system or kernel.
The application is running on top of Mac OS X, just like any other normal Mac OS X applications.
The thing that makes this application special is that it utilises Mac OS X security framework instead of making changes to Mac OS X.
g. My Mac is protected by a firewall. Will it affect the tracking?
If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Verey I is permitted to access the Web.
h. I have installed Verey I, but when I try to boot to my Windows partition / recovery CD / other partition, there is a password prompt; what should I do? / What is the password?
You have to key in the same password as the one you have set for Verey I. This password is set by Verey to protect your system from unauthorized users attempting to boot from partitions or boot devices other than the default startup disk.
i. I have forgotten my Verey I password and I need to boot up to my Windows partition / recovery CD / other partition; what should I do?
Go to Verey panel in System Preferences, enter the Administrator's password to unlock and change Verey password. After that, reboot the system and press the option/alt key after the screen goes blank. Key in the new Verey password when prompted and choose the Windows partition / recovery CD / other partition to boot up.
j. I have forgotten to enter my Verey I password on time and now the screen locked me out. How do I restart my laptop? NEW
Press and hold the buttons 'Command'-'Ctrl'-'Eject' together.
Google: gPhone
If there was any doubt that internet search giant Google has its heart set on dominating the mobile phone industry the way it has the internet, it was well and truly snuffed out last week.
Not only was Google instrumental in winning concessions in the rules of an upcoming auction in the US of radio spectrum that will guarantee that any device or service can be used on that spectrum, but Google has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into developing mobile phone designs.
Whether Google will, in the next few years, go head to head with AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile to construct a mobile network in the US is far from clear. To do so would be horrendously expensive, even for a cash-rich behemoth like Google. It would need to be successful in grabbing a slice of the airwaves in the upcoming auction, and it hasn't indicated yet whether it will participate...more
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Happy Singapore National Day!
The National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's national day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held in the Singapore National Stadium, Padang. For the first time in 2007, it will be held in Marina Bay and future NDP will be held here until the new sports hub is completed around 2011.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Lost Cellphones Add Up For Owners
We worry so much about software security, be it applications or operating systems, that it's easy to forget softer targets like cellphones. Losing one can have consequences beyond mere inconvenience.
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Criminals who steal cellphones tend to use them, especially in this modern age where loads of additional services offer games and movies for easy downloading. Those downloads offer a nice profit to the wireless companies, who are not eager to give up those gains.
Some tourist lost a cellphone to theft before embarking on a chartered sailboat for a vacation trip. The Consumerist blog had Tiffany's story of this loss, which left her with a $450 bill for downloads:
I call customer service and find out that all said, the ass racked up over $450 in download charges. He downloaded movies like "Pillow Fight Girls 3" and "Miami Nights: Singles in Heat." I didn't even know the AT&T Mall sold stuff like that to download to your phone?
AT&T eventually knocked the charge back to $300, but would not wipe it out. The reason? Customers apparently do this intentionally, to get out of massive vacation-generated phone bills.
The AT&T rep told Tiffany she should have called in the theft immediately, and it's not really clear from her account whether she had the opportunity to do so.
Her $300 lesson in security is far less than what another woman could have been subjected to in similar circumstances. Consumerist noted the saga of Wendy Nguyen, whose phone was stolen just before she headed overseas for a vacation.
The resulting $26,000 phone bill prompted a Cingular rep to suggest she file for bankruptcy. Cellphone companies tuck a little note in the fine print that tells people they are liable for calls made before the phone is reported as lost or stolen.
Fortunately for Nguyen, her chat with a San Francisco TV station about Cingular's stance led to the company dropping the charges, for which she was able to prove she was not in the country when they were incurred.
The lesson for everyone else should be clear. If you lose your cellphone, do whatever it takes to contact the wireless provider immediately. These companies are going to dig in behind their boilerplate legalese if they aren't notified, and they do seem to have reason for doing so.
Source: http://www.securitypronews.com
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Testimonial from Ms. Caroline M
When I first read about this software, they were no doubt in my mind it was something good to have! Not only if I loose or my nice E65 is stolen, I can get the device itself back but also, I would get all my contacts, pictures, calendar etc back! Because for me now, my E65 is almost replacing my laptop and if I didn’t sync it or back it up, it would be a total loss of my day to day activities for my work and everyday activities.
So I got on line and download the program. I was a bit mixed up by the instructions on phone numbers to register but Charlene from BAK2u was very nice and patient and had this software running up! I think if you are like me, your device is a crucial thing for you, then you must get this Bak2u software and get all the chances on your side to get it back to you!
I will certainly very soon have it on my laptop as well or other toys I own!
Thanks for the exceptional customer service!
Caroline M (Quebec, Canada)
More: http://www.bak2u.com/testimonials
Coming Soon: Verey I + Twitter (Anti-theft software for MAC)
Have you ever thought what will happen if you lost your beloved Mac? Wondering if-only there is a way to track it?
It is now possible with Verey I, a simple and ingenious software that helps keep track of your precious machine, globally.
When stolen, Verey I will start recording via a connected video capture device (e.g. iSight) and send emails to the owner's email addresses. The email will contain the necessary network information: IP address, machine serial number, MAC Hardware Address and nearby wireless network.
On top of the email sent, Verey I will also limit the usage of the machine by locking up the machine after a certain amount of time. During lock up, the machine screen will shows details how to contact the owner and other information set by the owner.
No subscriptions or annual fees.
And now, it will include Twitter.com service too!Watch this space.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Open Moko first phone released
The OpenMoko project has debuted what could be the ultimate geek handset: a Linux-based mobile phone, complete with an open-source operating system and application suite.
The Neo 1973 handset, which starts at $300, has been under development for the last six months. OpenMoko encourages developers to get their hands dirty by supplying a complete software development kit along with the phone. The advanced edition even comes with a Torx T6 screwdriver for those whose hacking isn't limited to software.
more :
http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39167793,00.htm
http://www.reghardware.com/2007/07/09/neo_1973_launch/
Sony Supports Blu-ray Porn in Japan
Shortly after Blu-ray's launch last year the word got around pretty quickly that Sony was blocking the adult entertainment industry's access to distributing pornography on Blu-ray (link). We dug deeper into the story and interviewed Joone, the founder of Digital Playground (link).
According to his experience on the frontlines, the real problem was getting the Blu-ray discs pressed in quantity, as all the major replication facilities were contractually obligated to not touch any adult material. Smaller facilities reportedly feared retribution from Sony.
As such, adult entertainment in the States has seriously favored HD-DVD, leading to many analogies to the VHS / Betamax format war in which porn played a major role.
Times seem to be changing however, at least in Japan. According to several producers at the recent Adult Treasure Expo 2007 in Chiba, Japan, Sony has begun offering extensive technical support to the domestic adult entertainment industry. Various restrictions exist on how discs can be replicated in Japan as well as the US, but a workaround has been engineered in which Taiwanese replicators have been granted licenses and equipment from Sony to press adult Blu-ray releases and send them back to Japan. Mass production is slated to begin in August.
It wouldn't be surprising to see a similar solution engineered for America, and there are, in fact, already a few Blu-ray releases available here. Now the only hurdle left for Hentai fans looking for some tentacle action in 1080p is finding a reliable exporter in Japan. Stuffing your luggage full of the stuff on your next vacation won't work, as the Japanese like to keep their homegrown porn all to themselves, and they'll confiscate anything they find when you try to leave the country.
Source: IGN.com
Other news: PhoneBAK SE trial (Sony Ericsson phone)
China Mobile in talks to buy EMI, sources say
The board of directors of music giant EMI had accepted a 3.2 billion-pound ($4.86 billion) takeover bid from Terra Firma Capital Partners, a British private fund company said to be working on behalf of China Mobile for the deal.
Sources also said the board suggested EMI shareholders to accept the proposal.
However, Hong Kong-listed China Mobile denied the acquisition bid, according to reports.
A report from XFN-Asia quoted a China Mobile spokesperson as saying that “we haven’t heard of such deal.”
Earlier reports said China Mobile in May contacted Terra Firma to make the buying bid to EMI, along side similar acquisition plans to other record companies.
Industry observers meanwhile do not see the need for the reported acquisition plan.
They said record companies, network companies and mobile operators make up a complete value chain, and China Mobile's purchase of one record company would result in the break of this value chain.
Source: http://www.telecomasia.net
