Video: Mac OS X Leopard (A new cat in town) - iShop

A new cat in town

Armed with a sleek look and more than 300 user-friendly features, the new Apple operating system - OS Leopard - may give its PC counterpart, Windows Vista, a run for its money.

Source: StraitsTimes.com

[BAK2u] Powerpoint presentation

Google to Announce Cell Phone Within Weeks

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the search-engine giant plans a series of announcements over the next two weeks about Google mobile-phone software, which would bundle together most Google applications — search, maps, YouTube, instant-messaging — on a mobile platform.

The Google phone, sometimes called the gPhone in semi-mocking reference to the Apple iPhone, would not be an actual cell phone. Instead, it would be an operating system, possibly free, that would run on several different models of cell phone.

Most radical of all, however, the presumably Linux-based OS would be "open" to third-party developers, meaning that anyone could create applications for it....more

[BAK2u] PhoneBAK BB Trial begins (For Blackberry)

Thank you all for writing to us to join in the PhoneBAK BB trial.

In the next couple of minutes, all 200 of you should be receiving an individual email with the program for your trial. Instead of the 3 days trial, we be extending it to 30 days.

All trial users will be getting a full copy after the trial ended.

Thank you,
Paddy Tan
CEO

[BAK2u] Verey I Anti-theft software supports Leopard

Protect your Mac with Verey I.

How it works?

Upon connecting to a wireless or wired network and access to the Internet, an authentication dialog will pop up requesting the user to enter a password.

If the user fails to enter the correct password within a pre-defined timing, hidden emails will be sent out immediately to the pre-defined email addresses...more

[BAK2u] Pick-Pockets Beware: That iPod You Stole is Being Tracked!

Have you ever had an iPod, cell phone, iMac, digital camera, or other expensive electronic device stolen from you?

Many people have, and most of these people never see that device again. Ken Westin, CEO of GadgetTrak, is sick and tired of thieves getting away with these stolen goods free and clear. He recently started the company in Portland, Oregon to help track these electronic stolen goods so that they return to the rightful owners.

The GadgetTrak product works with any electronic device that utilizes USB Mass Storage. This would include many of the popular electronic devices on the market today; for a complete list of compatible devices, visit GadgetTrak. A custom download is generated for the compatible device, which is then put into the device's USB storage partition. The device is now able to be tracked once it is reported stolen, by the user...more

Intel Begins High-Volume Production Of Next-Gen Processors

Intel (NSDQ: INTC) has started high-volume production of its next-generation quad-core microprocessors, which the company plans to start selling next month.

Production of the 45-nanometer chips started at the company's Chandler, Ariz., manufacturing plant, called Fab 32, on Thursday. The microprocessors are built to pack more transistors than ever before on a single chip, which means more processing power at the same level of power consumption as older chips.

Intel's $3 billion Fab 32 is the first factory to start volume production of the new chips. The processors will eventually replace older models throughout Intel's product line for PCs, laptops, and servers, as well as ultra-low power chips for mobile Internet and consumer electronic devices.

Intel's first 45-NM chip, codenamed Penryn, will be a quad-core desktop processor in the form of Core 2 Extreme QX9650. The chip ships Nov. 12 at a clock speed of 3.0 GHz, making the new product Intel's fastest quad-core processor. Pricing hasn't been released, but media reports have pegged it at $999 to computer makers...more (InformationWeek)

Bring a credit card if you want an iPhone, and you only get two

Apple has apparently instituted a credit card-only policy for iPhone sales at its retail stores in order to guarantee supply for the holidays and frustrate potential resellers, according to multiple reports.

Would-be iPhone buyers must now present a credit or debit card if they want to take home an iPhone, and they're also now limited to just two units, as they were on iPhone Day, according to The Associated Press. The AP quoted an Apple representative explaining the move as a way of making sure there are enough iPhones for the holidays and to prevent unauthorized resellers from flooding the market...more (Cnet)

[BAK2u] Another Successful GadgetTrak iPod Recovery: Dublin, Ohio

Another iPod has been recovered thanks to GadgetTrak. A subscriber reported her daughter’s iPod stolen on October 18th and was returned to her today. The GadgetTrak sticker had been removed and the serial number filed away, however the GadgetTrak agent installed on the device gave the thief away. Here is a snippet of information from the subscriber:

“My stepdaughter got her iPod back today, she said the kid that took it plugged it in and that Gadget Trak saw it and worked with the school. That was AWESOME! You have one very happy teenage girl!“

This is the third iPod GadgetTrak has helped recovery in the past few months, out of six total devices reported stolen, five of them have found their way back to their owners.

We are still learning more regarding the specifics of the case and will post more as information becomes available. What is interesting is the number iPod thefts we are seeing in schools or colleges.

Digg it!

Mac OS X Leopard Party @ iShop!

http://ishop.club21.bz

[BAK2u] PhoneBAK Mobilephone supports Samung i450, 550 & 560

The Samsung i550 is Samsung's first GPS phone. With a candy bar design, HSDPA 3.6 Mbps, web browsing and access to Web 2.0 services are made easy and with built-in GPS, consumers can easily navigate while on the move.

Users can download limitless applications available from the S60 applications library and access their favorites using dedicated hot keys.

PhoneBAK Mobilephone

Microsoft buys into Facebook for $240m

Microsoft has won one over Google and Yahoo, but at a price.

After being scooped by its rivals in past bidding contests, Microsoft has won a 1.6% stake in social network site Facebook for $240 million.

The deal, announced Wednesday, values the three-and-half-year-old company with $150 million revenue at $15 billion.

Under the terms agreed, Microsoft will become Facebook’s exclusive third party advertising channel outside the US. It already has the rights to sell banner ads in the US until 2011.

Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft’s platforms & services division, said the deal was “a strong statement of our confidence in the long-term economics of this partnership.”..more

[BAK2u] Whymobile.com

BAK2u & Whymobile is pleased to announce bundling of PhoneBAK Mobilephone anti-theft software for the purchase of supported devices. (for a limited period)



ORCHARD BRANCH (FAR EAST PLAZA, #03-126)

14 Scotts Road, #03-126, Far East Plaza. Singapore 228213.
Operating Hours: 1pm - 9pm daily
Tel: +65 6733-6881 / +65 9022-0472

Whymobile.com

Review: Nokia N81 8GB (dark humor)

Here it is. The review you’ve been waiting for. 1500 words of gut wrenching, tear jerking, dark humor about a device that is too little too late. Enjoy, after the jump.

Let us begin with the top of this device. From left to right we have a lock switch, a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack and a power button. The lock switch doesn’t operate in the traditional manner of which you are accustomed to on your iPod or Creative product, that is the switch being in one position or the other, it is instead spring loaded. You flick it to lock the device, flick it again to unlock... more (intomobile.com)

Others: Anti-theft software for Nokia N81 8GB: BAK2u.com

[BAK2u] Distributor - Singapore

BAK2u is proud to appoint Spiffin Distribution as the distributor for Singapore market (PhoneBAK & Gadgettrak anti-theft softwares)


'Young and energetic company that actively scout for unique IT based products, Mac or PC, from Asia which are well design and packaged.'

http://spiffin.com.sg

[BAK2u] Distributor - Portugal

BAK2u is proud to appoint Perdidoeachado.com as the distributor and reseller of PhoneBAK Mobilephone software for the country, Portugal.

Country: Portugal
Perdidoeachado.com
(Product: Mobilephone)
Email
Website Online Purchase Available

Add a new Mac to your Mac - Leopard

Counting down ...

[BAK2u] GadgetTrak - Featured on KGW Channel 8 News: iPod Theft and Cell Phone Theft Recovery Software

Founder of GadgetTrak, Ken Westin was interviewed on KGW News Channel 8 regarding his company's theft recovery software for iPods, cell phones, laptops and other gadgets.

Video

[BAK2u] Theory Is The Reason interview

Video Interview: BAK2u CEO Paddy Tan (on anti-theft software)

Wired magazine recently showed us how despite high-tech gear getting cheaper every year, the proportion of a typical U.S. household budget spent on tech-related products and services has held steady at 5% for the past decade (more than we pay for health insurance). How’s that the case?

More: Theory.isthereason.com

Getting Ready for the Leap to Leopard

Now that Apple Inc. has blessed its users with a release date for the next version of Mac OS X--it's the 26th, in case you didn't hear--the next order of business for anyone planning to upgrade is to step back, take a breath, put down the credit card and think things through a little.

Is a move to Leopard smart? Your call, obviously. But assuming you give Apple a nod and your $129, here are the questions to ponder as you prep for the Friday after next. We'll start with the basics first.

What Is Leopard?

Leopard (Panthera pardus) is both the name of a big cat and the code name for Mac OS X 10.5, the latest in a string of operating system releases from Apple that go by names from the family Felidae. The current operating system, Version 10.4, is Tiger, which was preceded by Panther, Jaguar, Puma and Cheetah, in reverse order. It is the first major release--in Apple's eyes, that means a shift in numerical nomenclature of one-tenth of a point--since April 2005. It also marks the longest time between releases since Apple started rolling out Mac OS X.

As to why Apple CEO Steve Jobs and company insist on naming their operating systems after cats, you'd have to ask them. But with 41 species altogether in the family, there are enough to keep going for another 43 years or so.

Mac OS X "Chinese Mountain Cat," anyone?...more

Xbox 360 finally outsells Wii

In September the Xbox 360 finally outsold the world-dominating Nintendo Wii in North America... and it's all thanks to Halo 3.

According to figures released by the NPD Group, Bungie's shooter drove sales of the Xbox 360 console to over 528,000 units, besting the cheaper Wii's 501,000 units flogged for the month of September.

You could of course argue that the Wii had bugger all games released for it last month, and still scraped the bottom of Microsoft's numbers, but then we'd be being very cynical, wouldn't we?

The Chief's latest broke all box office records by making $170 million on its first day. It's now gone on to sell well over $300 million.

Nintendo took second and third place with 282,000 copies of Wii Playand 224,000 copies of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass sold in the US.

Source: Computerandvideogames.com

BLOG2u.SG: Bloggers + Advertisers = More Exposure!

is a match-making service for Singapore advertisers and bloggers; to deliver online word of mouth of products and services from freelancers, agents and even bloggers in the most cost effective method through blogs.

Advertisements
- Bloggers display a simple banner, a short description of the product or service and a weblink or email to the advertisers for 30 days.

How are we different?
- Bloggers are instantly paid without the need to wait for a long period of time for 'clicking' advertisements to work.

- Advertisers can better manage their expenses more cost effectively, targeting a larger group of bloggers.

- This service is most suitable for freelance designers, programmers, agents and individual bloggers selling products on their blogs.

- Bloggers and advertisements are matched by our guys doing actual on-site verifications.

Sign Up

[BAK2u] MX Techno Security Anti-theft (Antitheft.net.au)

IPOD CRIME WAVE? YES, AND MORE

There's an iCrime wave, a new report suggests. America is suffering a surprising resurgence in muggings, which increased more than 7 percent last year, the FBI says. The Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank, thinks it knows why: iPods.

The little gadgets are the perfect target for snatch-and-grab thieves who find a zoned-out music lover to target, easily identifiable by those signature white ear bud headphones. And the devices are also very easy to fence after being wiped clean, shoved into stolen iPod boxes and sold in small electronics stores.

GadgetTrak, a small Portland company, has a service that can be installed on almost any USB-enabled device which will make a stolen gadget "phone home" as soon as it is connected to a computer with Internet access. Registered devices, when told to do so, will send the user's IP address, computer name and other identifying information to GadgetTrak, which then provides the data to the victim so it can be shared with police.

Owner Ken Westin said he's recovered four iPods since the service launched earlier this year. In three of the four cases, the music player was stolen from a student by a student.

Source: Msnbc.com

Freedom, equality, choice: French iPhone also without lock

Ein französisches Gesetz sorgt dafür, dass es Apples iPhone am 29. November bei den Nachbarn im Westen auch ohne Bindung an einen Netzbetreiber zu kaufen geben wird. Zwar wird es das Telefon exklusiv bei der France Telecom-Tochter Orange zu kaufen geben, allerdings auch ohne Bindung an dessen SIM-Karten, so eine französische Presseagentur. Wie viel diese Freiheit kosten soll, hat Orange noch nicht bekannt gegeben, 399 Euro kostet das iPhone in Frankreich mit Vertrag. Weltweit dürften sich ab Ende nächsten Monats willige Käufer darum bemühen, ein iPhone aus Frankreich zu beziehen oder eines aus dem nächsten Urlaub mitzubringen. In keinem anderen Land gibt es bislang ein iPhone ohne SIM-Lock zu kaufen - offiziell zumindest. Hackern gelingt das Entsperren der Geräte bislang immer wieder, auch nach jedem Firmware-Update.

Translated: (Via Google)

A French law ensures that Apple's iPhone, 29 November bei den Nachbarn im Westen auch ohne Bindung an einen Netzbetreiber zu kaufen geben wird. November at the neighbors to the west without ties to a network operator to buy. Zwar wird es das Telefon exklusiv bei der France Telecom-Tochter Orange zu kaufen geben, allerdings auch ohne Bindung an dessen SIM-Karten, so eine französische Presseagentur . Although the phone will be available exclusively at the France Telecom subsidiary Orange to buy, but also with ties to the SIM cards, according to a French Press Agency. Wie viel diese Freiheit kosten soll, hat Orange noch nicht bekannt gegeben, 399 Euro kostet das iPhone in Frankreich mit Vertrag. How much this will cost freedom, Orange has not yet announced, 399 euros will cost the iPhone in France with the contract. Weltweit dürften sich ab Ende nächsten Monats willige Käufer darum bemühen, ein iPhone aus Frankreich zu beziehen oder eines aus dem nächsten Urlaub mitzubringen. Worldwide is expected to end next month from willing buyers seek an iPhone from France to refer or from the next holiday to bring. In keinem anderen Land gibt es bislang ein iPhone ohne SIM-Lock zu kaufen - offiziell zumindest. In no other country has been without an iPhone lock to buy-at least officially. Hackern gelingt das Entsperren der Geräte bislang immer wieder, auch nach jedem Firmware-Update. The hackers succeed unlock the device so far repeatedly, even after each firmware update.


Source: Macnews.de

Third Party Applications on the iPhone

Third Party Applications on the iPhone

Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.

It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.

Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively program the iPhone’s amazing software platform while at the same time protecting users from malicious programs.

We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.

Steve

P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for iPod touch. [Oct 17, 2007]

Source: Apple.com

AOL slashes 20% of workforce, as realignment continues

AOL is eliminating another 2,000 jobs worldwide as it tries to cut costs and make room to grow in online advertising, an Associated Press report said.

The 20% slice from AOL's work force comes after several rounds of layoffs in recent years, including a cut of 5,000 jobs last fall, the report said.

The Associated Press report quoted officials as saying that the latest cuts would give AOL more flexibility to expand ad-related businesses through acquisitions and potentially new hires.

"This realignment will allow us to increase investment in high-growth areas of the company _ as an example, we added hundreds of people this year through acquisitions, while scaling back in areas with less growth potential or those that aren't core to our business," AOL CEO Randy Falco was quoted by the report as saying.

AOL, once the leading seller of Internet access subscriptions, has struggled in recent years as Internet users have ditched their AOL accounts for high-speed services offered by cable and telephone companies, the report said

To make up for declines in subscription revenues, the company has been trying to boost traffic to its ad-supported web sites and last year began giving away, the report said.

Source: Americasnetwork.com

A 13-Year-Old Developed User-Friendly Jailbreak for iPod Touch

A 13-year-old programmer, AriX, has developed a software tool for jailbreaking (unlocking for third-party applications) your iPod Touch with 1.1.1 firmware. The application, which currently works only on Macs with Intel processors, is called iJailBreak and the only user interaction required is for you to restart the iPod Touch.

The code is readily available for free on Google Code (http://code.google.com/p/ijailbreak/) and is released under the GNU General Public License v2. Once "jailbroken", it allows the iPod Touch to run many of the 3rd party iPhone applications.

Users simply need to run iJailbreak on their Macs, connect their iPod Touch and restart it using the lock/power button on the device. iJailbreak handles the rest, eventually placing the Installer.app icon on the iPod touch's home screen, ready to install third-party apps. The actual "jailbreaking" of the iPod Touch reportedly takes around 7 minutes.

IPod Touch users who have Windows PCs should know that there is a free application for their OS too. It's called touchFree (http://www.slovix.com/touchfree/) and it requires a Wi-Fi connection on your iPod to do the initial TIFF hack (visiting one link with Safari). An internet connection is not required for the rest of the jailbreak.

In case you mess up, just do a full system restore (also recommended prior to jailbreaking). To do this, connect your iPod and hold down the SLEEP/WAKE and HOME buttons simultaneously until Apple's logo appears on the screen. Then release the SLEEP/WAKE button but continue to hold the HOME button pressed. After a short while, iTunes will notify you that the iPod has entered recovery mode and can now be restored. Accept, and click Restore.

Furthermore, if you want to SSH and SFTP into your iPod Touch for more advanced work, as required by the install process of certain applications like iPhone's maps.app, type "ssh -l root [IP address]" into terminal. The password is "alpine". Then open your SFTP program and SFTP into the iPod Touch using the iPod's IP address. The username is "root" and the password is, once more, "alpine".

Source: Efluxmedia.com

[BAK2u] Cnet - Track a thief from Asia to the US

Like a really good reality show, the size of consumer devices has been dwindling to almost nothing. Notebooks morphing into UMPCs, prosumer cameras to point-and-shoot form factors, and even the PSP has undergone the slimming treatment...more

[BAK2u] Ping.sg members - S$5.00 Discounts!

Ping.sg members will get to enjoy a S$5.00 off the latest Anti-theft software, BAK2u GadgetTrak!

Get it while stock last!

Details


What is BAK2u Gadgettrak?
GadgetTrak enables owners to keep track of their missing or stolen gadgets through a smart service locally and globally!

Owners just need to place the auto-configured tracking agent on their storage device; flash drives, digital cameras, SD memory cards, PSP, iPods, Zen, GPS, external hard drives etc to protect them.

If the gadget is stolen, the owner flags it on the website. The next time the device storage is accessed it will initiate communication via the internet* with the central server and send information back regarding the location and other forensic data that will help recover the device.

This service works worldwide.

iPhone unlocked v1.1.1

It's been a couple of days since the iPhone Dev Team announced that they had a successful jailbreak, but their method was not released to anyone outside of the team until just recently. This afternoon we received an email from an anonymous source detailing rough jailbreak instructions. After following the instructions myself, I have written a substantially more refined guide for jailbreaking and installing AppTapp on a 1.1.1 iPhone. Guide after the jump!

Before we begin, I'd like to say that this method is not refined yet. Read the entire guide over. If anything is confusing or unclear, don't do it. This guide is not meant for novice users. An easier solution will come soon from the dev team. More @ iPhonealley.com

[BAK2u] BAK2u GadgetTrak for UAE distributor

BAK2u is proud to share that our exclusive distributor, Microvision International BVI for UAE - Dubai is adding BAK2u GadgetTrak Anti-theft software for iPod, Digital Camera, External HDD, USB Flash drive etc into the list of existing softwares.

Country: UAE - Dubai
Microvision International BVI
(Product: PhoneBAK PDA phone, Mobilephone, Verey I & GadgetTrak)

Oasis Towers
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971509456836
Email

[BAK2u] GadgetTrak Testimonial - Stolen iPod Recovered

Great news! We recovered the stolen ipod. The thief was confronted with the evidence, and sure enough, the serial numbers matched. We printed out the GadgetTrak report, and that was just about all the evidence they needed. Just wanted to thank you again for your great service! Apparently the principal, school administrators, advisers, and students are all looking into GadgetTrak after hearing our success story.

-G

Source: GadgetTrak

[BAK2] Distributor - Suriname

BAK2u is proud to appoint More Digital as the distributor for the country, Suriname.

Country: Suriname, South America

More Digital Ltd
(Product: PhoneBAK Mobilephone)
Kristalstraat 1
POB 12774
Paramaribo
Suriname
www.moredigitalltd.com

[BAK2u] Testimonial from Ms Jenny (Australia)

I am not too familiar with software installations and wasn’t confident with the whole procedure. Once I hit a problem I sent for the cavalry (the support email address on the packaging) and was extremely pleased with the quick response to my enquiry.

Everyone was so helpful and within a very short amount of time I was back on track. It’s reassuring to know my laptop is now secure.

Jenny, Western Australia

More: Antitheft.net.au

Are you a Blackberry user?

BlackBerry Security Features Appeals to Criminals

A report into crime problems in Canada's British Columbia has found that criminals are increasingly turning to BlackBerry handsets due to their increased security compared to conventional mobile phones. The annual Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP report into criminal threats devoted an entire section to this evolving trend.

"The BlackBerry [server] was created with corporate data security in mind," states the RCMP report, obtained by The Vancouver Sun newspaper through the Access to Information Act. "Until recently, this system was only affordable by companies such as Telus, CIBC, and the like; they are now more affordable and it is easy for individuals to set up a network."

The move is causing problems for the police as the security layers within the BlackBerry make it almost impossible to eavesdrop on phone calls and messages sent via the handsets.

Even when police confiscate a criminal's actual BlackBerry, cracking its password to view the messages stored on it can be a challenge, Staff Sgt. Bruce Imrie, head of the RCMP's Vancouver Integrated Technological Crime Unit told the newspaper.

"Your general street-level criminal doing organized shoplifting is not as likely to have a BlackBerry as your high-end drug trafficker," he said. "[And] depending on the sophistication of the criminal organization, the use of the BlackBerry seems to increase."

The 500-page RCMP report, titled the Integrated Threat Assessment on Organized Crime, is produced each year.

Source: Cellular-news.com

Coming Soon: PhoneBAK BB for your Blackberry

Google And IBM Partner To Push Cloud Computing

To prepare students "to harness the potential of modern computing systems," the companies will provide universities with hardware, software, and services to advance training in large-scale distributed computing.

Google(GOOG) and IBM(IBM) on Monday announced an initiative to advance large-scale distributed computing by providing hardware, software, and services to universities.

The two companies aim to reduce the cost of distributed computing research, thereby enabling academic institutions and their students to more easily contribute to this emerging computing paradigm.

"Google is excited to partner with IBM to provide resources which will better equip students and researchers to address today's developing computational challenges," said Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, in a statement. "In order to most effectively serve the long-term interests of our users, it is imperative that students are adequately equipped to harness the potential of modern computing systems and for researchers to be able to innovate ways to address emerging problems."

The first university to join the initiative is the University of Washington, located not far from Microsoft(MSFT)'s corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Carnegie-Mellon University, MIT, Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Maryland are also participating in the program...more

[BAK2u] Review - Mission Possible with GadgetTrak

I’ve been using BAK2u GadgetTrak for a week now and i’m loving it. GadgetTrak is another product of Bak2u by the guy himself, Paddy Tan. So what is BAK2u GadgetTrak? It is an anti-theft software that works for almost every gadgets you have. Ipod, pda, phones. There is also a version for anything related to USB. So if have any devices that has usb flash (or storage) connectivity, this is the only anti-theft device for you! It works on cameras and SD cards too, that is such a turn on.

Review: MrMalique.com

Sony to start selling 40GB PS3 in Europe

Sony will start selling a new configuration of its PlayStation 3 video game console, with less built-in storage capacity, in Europe on October 10, priced at 399 euros (276 pounds) , the company said on Friday.

The model, which will also be available in the Middle East, Africa and Australia, has a 40-gigabyte hard drive and includes the ability to access the Internet wirelessly.

Sony also said it would cut the price of its 60-gigabyte PS3 by 100 euros to 499 euros "while stocks last."

Sony launched the PS3 in the United States last November with a 20-gigabyte model and the bigger 60-gigabyte model, which was expected to cater to gamers who also use the device to watch video and movies. Sony discontinued the lower-capacity PS3 in North America due to strong sales of the higher-capacity model.

The new 40-gigabyte configuration is one way Sony hopes to spur demand for the PS3, which has struggled since its launch, compared with the success of rival Nintendo's Wii.

Sony, whose PS3 also competes with Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360, previously said it was confident of doubling PS3 shipments to 11 million in the year ending next March.

Unlike the 60-gigabyte version, the 40-gigabyte PS3 cannot play games developed for the older PlayStation 2 model.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America has declined to comment on when it might launch a 40-gigabyte PS3 in the United States.

"This thing being 100 euros cheaper implies very strongly that the U.S. version will be $399," Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said.

Sony dominated the $30 billion global game industry for about a decade from the mid-1990s with its PlayStation and PlayStation 2, selling more than 100 million units of each. But it was a year behind Microsoft in releasing PS3.

Source: Reuters.com

Halo Games Maker to Be Independent of Microsoft

Microsoft said yesterday that it was giving up its controlling ownership of Bungie Software, the video game subsidiary that developed the hugely popular Halo franchise, including its latest iteration, Halo 3.
Bungie, based in Kirkland, Wash., said it planned to return to its roots as an independent game studio, a move that eventually will cost Microsoft exclusive ties to one of the most successful and sought-after teams of game developers.

Harold Ryan, president and studio head of Bungie, said that he had been working for months on a plan to separate the studio from Microsoft, based in nearby Redmond, Wash. Mr. Ryan said that the companies had a good working relationship, but that developers at Bungie yearned to work for themselves, not a corporate owner.

“It’s an emotionally creative point of view,” he said of the decision to take the studio independent. “That’s the state we wanted to be in.”..more

Demi Moore Nude Pictures Held Hostage

According to Maxim Radio's The Manertainment Report, Ashton Kutcher's cell phone, which just happens to contain over 30 pictures of Demi Moore nude, is being held for ransom by a French taxi driver.

Apparently, Ashton forgot his phone in the cab while on vacation in April, and now the driver wants $1 Million, or he will sell the pictures, of both Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore naked, to the paparazzi.

And if that wasn't bad enough, the phone also contains a whole bunch of celebrity phone numbers.

Source: Egotastic.com

News: PhoneBAK SE includes a 'eraser' service, where it will delete all removable files, photos, videos, folders from the internal and phone memory storage card.
Details

[BAK2u] New Navigation Bar

To accommodate the new addition of anti-theft software for iPod, digital cameras and many other USB flash gadgets, we have updated the navigation bar to make selection easier.

BAK2u Gadgettrak is now available for sales* at S$29.90 for 03 years service.

*Overseas partners will be retailing it online and offline soon.

Zune 2.0

Microsoft Looks to Social Networking for Zune 2.0

Microsoft Corp. will take another crack at blending social networking with digital music next month with the release of new Zune music players and a renewed campaign to promote song sharing.

The move, analysts agreed, is smart. But the chance it can help Microsoft make headway against Apple Inc.'s iPod players and iTunes music store is slim.

Along with the three new Zune players, including Microsoft's first-ever flash-based model, Microsoft announced a new community site, dubbed Zune Social that it will fire up as beta in November. According to Microsoft, Zune owners can automatically share their current playlists with friends using a Zune-to-Zune Social sync...more

Hackers Post Techniques for Reversing iPhone Update

New instructions let users of hacked iPhones roll back the Apple firmware upgrade that rendered their devices unusable, but they can't reactivate the phone--yet.

Owners of hacked iPhones have begun posting instructions on how to roll back a recent Apple firmware upgrade that rendered their mobile phones unusable.

The instructions were available Monday on the iPhone Dev Wiki, a Web site devoted to iPhone software hacks and tools.

Since the iPhone's launch, enthusiasts have been developing ways to allow the devices to run unauthorized software and to unlock them so that they can be run on any mobile network. Late last week, however, Apple cracked down on these efforts by releasing a software upgrade that made hacked iPhones unusable.

Since that release, however, hackers have been working on techniques that reverse the effects of this upgrade.

These latest instructions allow users to roll back their firmware upgrades and use some functions like the phone's iPod and Wi-Fi capabilities, but they do not necessarily restore the phone's ability to make calls, according to the iPhone Dev Wiki. That's because hackers have not yet found a way to roll back the firmware used by the iPhone's baseband chip, which is used to make calls.

"So far all attempts to downgrade the baseband have been unsuccessful," the Wiki said. "There have been several reports of successful baseband downgrades online, but these haven't been confirmed. "

Another major area of research has been into techniques that can unlock iPhones that are running the latest 1.1.1 firmware.

But because Apple has now done a much better job of encrypting its iPhone firmware, this will be a much harder job than it was the first time around, said Tom Ferris, a security researcher who works on hacking the iPhone.

That's what everybody's working on right now is trying to get into the firmware," he said. "Just like Steve Jobs said, it's a cat and mouse game."

Source: PCWorld.com

Press Release: Device Theft Recovery Software Leaders GadgetTrak and BAK2u Form Technology Alliance

Press Release Oct 2007

GadgetTrak and BAK2u have formed a technology alliance to share theft recovery software technologies, expanding protection for Apple® computers and iPods®, cell phones, Sony® PSP, PDAs and a growing list of removable media devices.

Portland, OR. October 2, 2007 -- GadgetTrak (www.gadgettrak.com) and BAK2u (www.bak2u.com) have announced a technology alliance to expand device protection. Through this synergy, both companies will broaden their theft recovery software offerings to include coverage for Apple® computers and iPods®, cell phones, PDAs, Sony® PSP, GPS devices, digital cameras, flash drives and a long list of other removable media devices.

BAK2u provides unique theft recovery software solutions for cell phones and PDAs as well as Apple computer products. GadgetTrak, based in Portland, Oregon provides patent-pending theft recovery software for removable media devices such as iPods and other MP3 players, Sony PSPs, digital cameras, GPS systems, USB flash drives and more.

Through the partnership both companies will now be offering each others' theft recovery technologies to their respective regions exclusively. The two companies will also continue to collaborate in the development of theft recovery solutions for multiple mobile platforms.

"The fact that both companies can now protect the majority of gadgets on the market today for business and consumers, ranging from cell phones, PDAs, iPods, laptops and more is unprecedented," stated Paddy Tan, CEO of BAK2u.

"We are seeing device theft become a bigger problem, be it a cell phone, laptop or an iPod. GadgetTrak and BAK2u are responding to this demand, by developing the best mobile technology solutions to help our customers protect their investments," stated Ken Westin, CEO of GadgetTrak.

About GadgetTrak
GadgetTrak (www.gadgettrak.com) based in Portland, Oregon, provides theft recovery software for portable devices such as Mac computers, iPods, cell phones, PDAs, GPS systems, digital cameras, USB flash drives and more. GadgetTrak is currently protecting over ten thousand devices worldwide and has a 90 percent recovery rate. GadgetTrak.com

About BAK2u
BAK2u Pte Ltd (www.bak2u.com) based in Singapore develops and provides unique lost & found services through anti-theft softwares to protect owners' gadgets; PDA phones, mobile phones and laptops. ID labels service is also available for portable items like camera, bags, computer peripherals. BAK2u.com


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[BAK2u] Review of GadgetTrak Anti-theft software for iPod, Camera, Ext HDD, USB Drive & more!

They're expensive, small and easy to steal. Media devices such as iPods, Sony PSP, USB flash drives, digital cameras, SD memory cards and others are hot items for thieves. Once stolen, chances are that you will never see them again.

GadgetTrak enables owners to keep track of their missing or stolen gadgets through a smart service locally and globally!

Owners just need to place the auto-configured tracking agent on their storage device; flash drives, digital cameras, SD memory cards, PSP, iPods, Zen, GPS, external hard drives etc to protect them
























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Apple Users Talking Class-Action Lawsuit Over iPhone Locking

You bought the iPhone, you paid for it, but now Apple is telling you how you have to use it, and if you don't do things they way they say, they're going to lock it. Turn it into a useless "brick." Is this any way to treat a customer? Apparently, it's the Steve Jobs way. But some iPhone users are mad as heck, and they're not going to take it anymore.

In a Saturday post on Apple's own iPhone discussion forums, a user who goes by the handled of "myndex" has posted the provocatively entitled message "iPhone Class Action Lawsuit." Despite its title, it's not notice of an actual lawsuit. Rather, myndex is seeking comments from other forums users on what they think of suing Apple over its refusal to service users who've unlocked their iPhones or loaded them up with "unauthorized" applications. [Update, Sun 1:40 pm. As commenter "Poli," below, notes, myndex's entry on Apple's discussions.apple.com forums appears to have been removed by Apple some three hours after this Wolfe's Den post appeared. For that reason, at the end of this entry I've added screen captures of mydex's mirror post from the macrumor board.]

Here's an summary of the post:

"To: iPhone Owners denied warranty service. Seeking respondents for possible class action lawsuit against Apple Inc. relating to refusal to service iPhones and related accessories under warranty...There are three potential classes in this case: 1) Persons who own an iPhone and used software to access the available flash drive space on the iPhone [iPhoneDrive]; 2) Persons who installed 3rd party software on the iPhone for the purpose of expanding its functionality; 3) Persons who unlocked their iPhone to allow for its use on networks other than AT&T."
Should Apple be worried? Perhaps more for the groundswell myndex could create than an immediate legal action.

A quick search indicates that "myndex" likely isn't a lawyer. More probably he's a Mac guy. You get this from his Web site--mydex.com—which is something called Myndex Technologies. "We are a research and devlopment organization," the site says. A WhoIs search reports the site is registered out of Carson City, Nevada.

The other, more troubling, reason his suit might not fly is that some respondents on the site seem to be suffering from Apple-induced Stockholm syndrome. Writes one: "I would love to tinker with my iPhone, but it's not worth bricking it or voiding my warranty. Anyone who turns his shiny new phone into an iBrick by messing with the firmware AFTER he was warned and demands compensation... well... I have no sympathy."

Here's another: "I'm not saying what this new [Apple] update did was right but then again neither was modifying the phone to do what it was not intended to do no matter how useful the modifications were."

Personally, I'm with this poster, who shows some backbone:

"I'm afraid I'm not with Apple on this one. Seems to me that Apple's usage terms are onerous and unreasonable (can't put a file on your iphone which is as much a handheld computer as it is a telephone or an ipod?) What, we live in the digital equivalent of the iron curtain?"

I'm not averse to Myndex succeeding, because Apple's stance really bothers me. It seems like Jobs has turned the famous "Pottery Barn" rule on its ear. In the iPhone world according to Apple, it's "You bought it, we [might] break it."

The sheer hypocrisy of it all rankles. Here's a company whose CEO has railed again the inclusion of digital-rights management (DRM) encryption software on competitors' music files. Many people supported Jobs in his stance, assuming it was, at least in part, a philosophic nod in favor of consumer's rights. However, in light of the latest iPhone fiasco, a sober observer would say that was probably just a cynical business move to get onboard where he figured consumers were heading with or without Apple. (That's on top of the one iPhone mess: Jobs's precipitous early price cut, which blew a big raspberry at early adopters.)

Here's some background on what specifically Apple is doing. As InformationWeek reported on Sept. 24:

"Apple warned that unlocking programs used to connect the iPhone to cellular networks other than AT&T's causes 'irreparable damage' that would likely result in the modified device becoming inoperable when this week's Apple-supplied software update is released."
Sadly, as The New York Times noted on Saturday, Sept. 29, in its story Altered iPhones Freeze Up, this has indeed come to pass:

"Joel Robison, a systems network engineer near Seattle, said his phone stopped working immediately after he installed the upgrade. He said that when he took it to an Apple store, he was accused of having unlocked the phone. But he said that with the exception of one aborted attempt to install a piece of outside software, he had made no modifications to the phone. 'Their accusation was very damaging to my opinion of Apple’s service,' Mr. Robison said."
Damaging to his opinion? Heck yeah! What additional message do consumers need that Apple's iPhone arrogance has run amuck?

Still, one has to admit that Apple's stance is not unexpected. Nor is the corporate speak emanating from Cupertino in response to consumer concerns. This quote, in the Times' story from Apple spokeswoman Jennifer Bowcock, is priceless:

"If the damage was due to use of an unauthorized software application, voiding their warranty, they should purchase a new iPhone."
You can't buy this kind of publicity, can you?

In light of myndex's threatened suit, it's relevant to examine whether Apple's position that it totally controls the iPhone after a customer has bought it, opens Apple up to any legal action. An iPhone isn't software, so Apple can't hide behind a EULA or the position that customers are only "renting" or licensing the device and don't really own it. Or can they?

AT&T, the only wireless carrier offering the iPhone, has volleyed the issue back into Apple's court. An AT&T customer document entitled "Essential information before you buy," contains this gem: "iPhone is covered by the Apple Warranty. There is no eligibility for the wireless phone insurance program." The iPhone box says an AT&T contract is required for use and activation of all features of the phone, which makes for something of a round-robin situation here.

The iPhone manual (download, here) has this: Apple is not responsible for damage arising from failure to follow instructions relating to the product’s use."

I'm not a lawyer, so don't know whether all this stuff puts Apple in a completely defensible position. To a layperson, it seems like there's a difference between damage that's out of Apple's control and Apple going out of its way to mess up your phone.

However, at least one lawyer doesn't agree with me. Here's Noah Funderburg, an assistant dean at the University of Alabama School of Law, is quoted in the Times' story. "Anyone who hacks must know that they are taking certain risks," Funderburg told the paper. "If they aren’t willing to assume the risks upfront--like a brick iPhone--then maybe they should not hack the device."

There's been at least one prior iPhone suit, but it was about the fact that consumers can't get at the battery. Myndex's missive seems to be the first chatter about a "brick" suit.

What's next? Will Mr. Jobs be tell iPhone users who they can and can't call, and when.
Hey, here's an idea, which comes by way of analogy with the way Apple treats iPhone hackers: If anyone messes around with stock-options, then their job turns into a "brick."

P.S. Here are the aforementioned screen captures of myndex's macrumors post. Click to see larger, readable images.

Source: InformationWeek.com