European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international

Most of the bruhaha over Carrier IQ and its activity-tracking rootkit has been contained to the US so far. That's about to change though, and the software company could find itself at the center of an international privacy scandal. The British Information Commissioner's Office and the European Consumers' Organization have both started looking into the diagnostics software, while the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection has specifically engaged with Apple over its inclusion of parts of Carrier IQ's suite in iOS. This, of course, comes only days after US lawmakers requested their own government open an investigation. So far, all of the major British providers have denied using the tool on their handsets but, the drama is still unfolding and there's plenty of time for others to get caught up in this mess.

European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/btH7jdx5mos/

GOOGLE GRUPO IUSACELL HARRIS

Steady Stand, a Copy-Stand and Diffuser Box in One

Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. And so it is with the Modahaus Steady Stand 200, a kind of combination light-box and camera support for shooting top-down pictures of… anything.
The Steady Stand holds your camera or cellphone 200mm (almost eight inches) above the desktop, and does it on a structure of white translucent plastic. [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/12/steady-stand-a-copy-stand-and-diffuser-box-in-one/

LAWSON SOFTWARE LAND SOFTWARE LAM RESEARCH

US Court Rules That Samsung Can Keep Selling Galaxy Products... For Now [Patent Wars]

Galaxy fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief as Apple's request for a preliminary injunction against Samsung has been denied. But while the judge's ruling allows them to continue selling their products, it also suggests they infringed on Apple's patents. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/UtAzH-VpWuE/us-court-rules-that-samsung-can-keep-selling-galaxy-products-for-now

YAHOO XILINX WESTERN DIGITAL

How 3D TV is going to change the look of 2D shows

As 3D sets proliferate, TV producers have to tailor the way they film shows -- which may mean subtle but significant changes to 2D versions.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-57330803-52/how-3d-tv-is-going-to-change-the-look-of-2d-shows/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=GeekGestalt

COMMSCOPE COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS COMPAL ELECTRONICS

This 1.8-Ton WW2 Bomb Could Have Destroyed a German City Today [Weapons]

45,000 people had to be evacuated after two extremely dangerous bombs were found in the Rhine River, 65 years after they were dropped by British and American planes. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/e-tO4ermny4/this-18+ton-ww2-bomb-could-have-destroyed-a-german-city-today

QIMONDA QUALCOMM QUANTA COMPUTER

Windows 8 Could Offer Calling Ability

Could Windows 8 succeed Windows Phone?

That's the question on my mind, after a few blogs leaked screenshots of what seems to be a calling capability baked into Windows 8. Certainly it's an idea that's been floated around before.

The blog istartedsomething snapped a few of those screenshots of a Windows 8 phone feature during Microsoft's BUILD conference (which ran from Sept. 13-16). The next-generation operating system will reportedly arrive sometime in 2012.

Those screenshots included a "Missed Calls" tile on Windows 8's user interface, as well as the option to "call mobile" for an individual contact in the "People" app. The blog WinRumors also offered some video footage of the latter.

For some time, rumors have circulated that Microsoft will follow its upcoming Windows Phone "Mango" release with a build codenamed "Apollo." This "Windows Phone 8" will arrive sometime in 2012, at least according to sources like this Slashgear posting. Take with all the requisite grains of salt.

Microsoft has revealed quite a bit about Windows 8, but less about the ecosystem it plans to build around the next-generation operating system. It will run on both tablets and traditional PCs, courtesy of a touch-centric interface (centered on colorful tiles) paired with a traditional desktop, with easy switching between the two depending on the situation.

The tablet-ready interface embraces the "Metro" aesthetic pioneered by Microsoft's Zune and Windows Phone software, drawing away from the "Aero" design used in Windows Vista and Windows 7. When it flips to desktop mode, Windows 8 offers a "look" that, at least at this early stage, seems chunkier and more blockish than Aero.

That desktop mode aside, Windows 8 does bear a startling similarity to Windows Phone, not the least because of those big colorful tiles linked to applications. Microsoft would almost certainly need to make significant compromises to squeeze a variant of Windows 8 onto a smartphone's smaller form-factor, though, which makes me question the benefits of trying to extend the operating system's hardware footprint in that direction.

Then again, iOS and Mac OS X will probably merge in some way in the future; so why not do something similar with Windows Phone and Windows 8, especially since everything's drifting toward mobility anyway?

I'm sure questions just like these are keeping Microsoft executives awake long into the night.

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Source: http://feeds.ziffdavisenterprise.com/~r/RSS/MicrosoftWatch/~3/MAUHtEg6bl8/windows_8_could_offer_calling_ability.html

IDT IBASIS HYPERCOM

OK Labs spins Linux- and Android-ready automotive hypervisor

OK Labs announced a Genivi Linux and Android-ready & OKL4 for In-Vehicle Infotainment& (IVI) hypervisor, designed to keep infotainment and telematics environments separate despite running on the same processor. Meanwhile, Wind River announced a deal with IVI provider Clarion to use its Wind River Platform for Infotainment in an Android-based system....

Source: http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/OKL4-for-InVehicle-Infotainment-IVI-/?kc=rss

COMCAST COMMSCOPE COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS