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Dell is once again a publicly traded company
After spending almost six years as a private company, Dell made its return to publicly traded life Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. It revealed earlier this year it would once again go public after buying back VMware tracking shares in a complex, almost-$24 billion deal that helped it skip the typical IPO process. Dell opened at $46, and closed down slightly at $45.41.
The NSA had an easier time breaking web encryption than previously thought
Internet security was turned on its ear in December when leaks revealed that the NSA had inserted a back door into a common encryption method from the RSA, a big security provider for remote work access and other major parts of the corporate web. However, it turns out that the vulnerability was worse than some thought. University researchers have shown evidence to Reuters that a second NSA-supplied tool, which sold as part of a security kit, let the intelligence agency crack the RSA's already susceptible encryption "tens of thousands of times faster" than usual. In other words, it was sometimes trivially easy for the NSA to compromise sites. It's not clear how much damage this tool did, though. The software was strictly optional, and not many people used it -- the RSA says it pulled the tool within the past six months, so it won't be a major concern in the future. Even so, the discovery suggests that the NSA effectively had free rein when snooping around some places online. [Image credit: Sam Dal Monte, Flickr]
Weekly Roundup: Instagram Direct, Jawbone Up24 review, Samsung's EMC lab and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Testing for electromagnetic interference at Samsung's EMC lab (video)
Samsung's EMC Laboratory is right in the middle of its huge "Digital City" compound in Suwon, Korea. This site goes through roughly 4,000 products a year, with different rooms tasked with testing different sections of Samsung Electronics' admittedly broad range. What you see above is a 75 by 59 feet chamber set up for the electromagnetic interference test, with three antennas pointed at a yet-to-be-released TV (not shown in the photo for obvious reasons). All of this is simply to gauge precisely how much interference the product outputs, to ensure it doesn't exceed certain levels. Do read on if you want more detail -- we've also got a video tour waiting for you.
Apple grabs more than 1,000 patents from Rockstar Consortium
Apple is beefing up its patent portfolio with the recent transfer of over 1,000 patents from Rockstar Consortium. The patent and patent application transfer was first reported by Yonhap News and confirmed by patent transfer records in the US Patent and Trademark Office database. Apple is a member of Rockstar Bidco, which outbid Google for a collection of 4,000 patents from Nortel. Apple along with Microsoft, Sony, Ericsson, EMC and RIM bid US$4.5 billion for the patent portfolio in July 2011. Apple provided $2.6 billion to buy the patents and patent applications. According to a report in Business Insider, Apple, Microsoft and Rockstar declined to comment on the news report. [Via Business Insider]
AMD, Intel and RSA team up, form the Cyber Security Research Alliance
Sure, it's not the first elite cybercrime-fighting team we've heard of, it's also not everyday you hear the likes of Intel, Lockheed Martin and AMD buddying up on research. The companies are looking to address the "complex problems" in cyber security, with the private, non-profit group (which also includes Honeywell and RSA/EMC) aiming to work somewhere between government-funded security research and commercial products already out there. The Cyber Security Research Alliance is already in talks with NIST, and plans to launch a security research symposium early next year. The CSRA will also start tracking cyber security R&D, "prioritize" those aforementioned challenges, and hopefully come together for the greater good.
Iomega releases two new StorCenter NAS drives to contain that ever-expanding data waistline
If you're an advanced user or small businessperson with a storage shortage, then Iomega's new hardware is probably trying to catch your eye. The StorCenter px2 and ix4 are a pair of full bodied NAS systems that offer a secure and speedy haven for your most important data. Using EMC storage technology, the hardware offers a personal cloud and Time Machine support for Mac using backup-fans. The barebones px2 is $500, with the prices running to $1,200 for a 6TB model, and if you're in need of something heftier, the storage-free ix4 sets you back $600, but can take up to 12TB worth of drive if you splash out $1,300.
It's official: Nortel patent sale approved by US and Canadian courts (updated)
Nortel was just looking for some quick cash when the company put its 6,000 telecommunications patents up for auction. Then Google decided that IP would make a mighty fine troll deterrent, and started a crazy bidding war to get it. A coalition of the willing -- including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM, and Sony -- opposed Big G and paid $4.5 billion for the prize portfolio pending approval by the powers that be. Well, both Canadian and US bankruptcy judges just gave the purchase two thumbs up, and the deal is officially done. Now the question is whether the auction's victors will use these patents as a shield against those with trollish intentions or as a sword to strike at their enemies? Update: To clarify, the deal was only approved by the bankruptcy courts, and the US DOJ is examining the sale for its possible anti-competitive effects.
Consortium including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony snags Nortel patents for $4.5 billion
News that Google had competition for a bundle of patents being sold by bankrupt Nortel Networks surfaced a week ago and now it's official; a consortium of companies including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony won the multi-day auction with a bid of $4.5 billion. According to Reuters, RIM contributed $770 million to the effort while Ericsson is on the hook for $340 million when the deal closes, which is expected to be in the third quarter of this year. What they'll do with the over 6,000 patents and patent applications covering everything from wireless to optical to semiconductors isn't immediately clear, but what won't happen is Google using them as leverage to stave off the patent trolling hordes. Before any of that happens, the sale has to clear US and Canadian courts which is why a joint hearing has been scheduled for July 11th, so expect plenty of words -- and probably a few more cross licensing agreements -- from the involved parties by then.
RSA offering SecurID replacements following Lockheed Martin attack
We'd already had a pretty clear indication that information obtained in the massive RSA hack back in March was used in the attack on Lockheed Martin last month, and RSA has now confirmed that itself for the first time. What's more, Executive Chairman Art Coviello has also announced that the company is willing to provide security monitoring services to those concerned, and even replace existing SecurIDs free of charge for "virtually every customer" it has. Considering that millions of the tokens are now in use, that could add up to quite the bill. Not surprisingly, however, he isn't divulging many more details about the attack itself, noting only that the attacker's "most likely motive" was to use the information to "target defense secrets and related IP, rather than financial gain."
RSA SecureID hackers may have accessed Lockheed Martin trade secrets, cafeteria menus (update: no data compromised)
RSA SecureID dongles add a layer of protection to everything from office pilates class schedules to corporate email accounts, with banks, tech companies, and even U.S. defense contractors using hardware security tokens to protect their networks. Following a breach at RSA in March, however, the company urged clients to boost other security methods, such as passwords and PIN codes, theoretically protecting networks from hackers that may have gained the ability to duplicate those critical SecureIDs. Now, Lockheed Martin is claiming that its network has come under attack, prompting RSA to issue 90,000 replacement tokens to Lockheed employees. The DoD contractor isn't detailing what data hackers may have accessed, but a SecureID bypass should clearly be taken very seriously, especially when that little keychain dongle is helping to protect our national security. If last month's Sony breach didn't already convince you to beef up your own computer security, now might be a good time to swap in 'Pa55werD1' for the rather pathetic 'password' you've been using to protect your own company's trade secrets for the last decade. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: According to Reuters, Lockheed Martin sent out a statement to clarify that it promptly took action to thwart the attack one week ago, and consequently "no customer, program or employee personal data has been compromised." Phew! [Thanks, JD]
RSA hacked, data exposed that could 'reduce the effectiveness' of SecurID tokens
If you've ever wondered whether two-factor authentication systems actually boost security, things that spit out pseudorandom numbers you have to enter in addition to a password, the answer is yes, yes they do. But, their effectiveness is of course dependent on the security of the systems that actually generate those funny numbers, and as of this morning those are looking a little less reliable. RSA, the security division of EMC and producer of the SecurID systems used by countless corporations (and the Department of Defense), has been hacked. Yesterday it sent out messages to its clients and posted an open letter stating that it's been the victim of an "advanced" attack that "resulted in certain information being extracted from RSA's systems" -- information "specifically related to RSA's SecurID two-factor authentication products." Yeah, yikes. The company assures that the system hasn't been totally compromised, but the information retrieved "could potentially be used to reduce the effectiveness of a current two-factor authentication implementation as part of a broader attack." RSA is recommending its customers beef up security in other ways, including a suggestion that RSA's customers "enforce strong password and pin policies." Of course, if security admins wanted to rely on those they wouldn't have made everyone carry around SecurID tokens in the first place. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Iomega Personal Cloud devices host your data, not your water vapor
Finally, a new flavor of Iomega that the EMC fanboys can find palatable. The bigger company consumed the smaller back in 2008 and, while we've seen plenty of products since then, none have really brought the two together like the new Personal Cloud edition of the Home Media Network Hard Drives. In theory, anyway. The idea here is that this is a smart NAS, creating your own little puff and hosting your data for general availability but avoiding the "careless computing" curse by retaining control of your data. It'll naturally play nice with the new Iomega TV and, if you buy two of the things, you can have one perform an automated remote backup to the other. That's the sort of feature that should make a tight-budgeted IT manager's ears perk up. How tight? The first two models of Iomega's Home Media Network Hard Drive Cloud Edition devices launch this month: 1TB for $169.99 and twice that for $229.99. %Gallery-112488%
Iomega serves up adorable 1.8-inch External USB 3.0 SSD pocket drives
Some might say that you have somewhat of a problem when calling a solid state drive "cute," but what do they know, anyway? Iomega's newest batch of external SSDs are easily the most adorable we've seen, as these 1.8-inchers can just about slip into any oversized Fifth Pocket that you may have. Available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes, the diminutive drives support USB 3.0 and are built to be lugged around and occasionally dropped, stepped on or used as a stress-relief tool. Specifically, the metal enclosure is engineered to handle drops from up to ten feet, and the 256-bit hardware encryption ensures that only you and your cronies will see what's inside. The company's also tossing in its Protection Suite (loaded with anti-virus, cloning and backup applications), and it'll be hawking these in early November for $229, $399 and $749 from least capacious to most. Oh, and that noise you hear? A hundred million USB 3.0 flash drives getting all sorts of perturbed. %Gallery-105158%
EMC exec sees iPad taking over... his house
When I wrote last month about the pleasures and perils of sharing an iPad with your spouse, I didn't really grapple with the meta-challenge of a houseful of technophiles, all clamoring for their turn at bat. While there's already some contention between the adults and the two under-10s in the house, we grown-up folk have enough veto power to dictate who gets a chance with the iPad, and when. Between that authority, and the option of having the kids use an iPhone or iPod touch for fun and games, we're OK so far. Some families are ahead of the curve, though. In a post charmingly titled What iPads Did To My Family, EMC marketing exec Chuck Hollis explains how one week with the iPad at home, shared among his wife and three high-school & college-aged offspring, has completely upended the device pyramid. Chuck's house is pretty tech heavy, with a dozen computers and a slew of supporting gear spread out all over the place. He says that when he first brought the iPad home, the initial reaction was not positive -- "Oh no, Dad bought another toy" -- but that within hours, his wife had taken to the iPad for photo uploads. Within a day or two, all three kids were hooked. Evening arguments over "who forgot to charge the iPad?" and "if you're going to eat pizza and use the iPad, at least wipe it!" became frequent. Spiking demand for the iPad was paired with a remarkable decline in need for other tech: "All the PCs and laptops are basically not being used. All the Macs are not being used. All have been powered off.... Everyone in the family is waiting for their turn at the iPad." Eyes open and looking to the future, Chuck doesn't anticipate any more desktop computer purchases, and maybe not even any more laptop purchases. That may be a bit of hyperbole, but he's sold: "Sure, there's a handful of tasks that I still would prefer a real computer, but -- amazingly -- that list has now shrunk dramatically. In less than a week." Instead, he's probably going to have to invest in more iPads. How has the iPad changed your tech habits at home, and your purchase plans? [Via Michael Gartenberg]
Entertainment Media Council now seeking charter members
If you haven't already pledged your allegiance to the ESA or the ECA, you might be interested in hearing that the Entertainment Media Council -- a group of game industry professionals whose mission is to "transform the way the game is played and advance the industry to the next level" -- has just announced its Charter Membership Program. The EMC is apparently looking for "businesses whose leaders believe in our mission" and promises "lifetime recognition and lifetime memberships for key personnel." The real question: Does said "key personnel" also receive a private bathroom? Also, any chance to sign a massive charter document? Please say yes! Unfortunately, the call for charter members doesn't go into that kind of detail. It does, however, feature a laundry list of expectations of its potential members, including the reduction of "unnecessary and wasteful layoffs" and an intention to "increase the success rate of new firms" -- two things we can certainly get behind. There's a heap more information for, um, you businesses out there interested in joining. Just check out the EMC website for details.
Retrospect 8.1 brings back PowerPC support, improves performance
EMC announced today an update to its popular Retrospect network backup software; version 8.1 brings back support for PowerPC-based workstations and improves performance for Intel-based Macs. Eric Ullman, director of project management for Retrospect, said that while older G4-based Macs will run significantly slower than their Intel-based counterparts, Retrospect 8.1 can at least back them up (a capability that was lost in the move from the legacy 6.1 version). G5s with multiple processors, however, can see performance gains of 10 to 15 percent compared to Retrospect 6.1. Intel-based workstations will also see performance increases of 10 to 15 percent compared to 8.0, and 30 to 35 percent compared to Retrospect 6.1. Other improvements, including updates to the user interface based on feedback from early adopters, are also included in the update. Ullman said that with Retrospect 8, EMC had "recommitted itself to the Mac market" and this update was the second part of a three-phase deployment of the completely-rebuilt Retrospect 8. Phase one was the initial release, supporting Intel processors; phase two now supports PowerPC processors. Phase three, according to Ullman, is slated for release "in the Snow Leopard timeframe," and is expected to include support for importing Retrospect 6.1 sets and configurations, among other improvements to performance and the client software. As Steve Sande mentioned, Retrospect's update comes on the heels of BRU Server 2.0, which added a new user interface and performance improvements. Ullman noted that BRU Server and Retrospect are fundamentally different, with Retrospect scanning more closely to prevent file duplication and save time copying files. Retrospect is generally less expensive than BRU Server, though their pricing structures and trim levels are a little different. The update is available now on the Retrospect website. It's free for Retrospect 8 users and Retrospect 6.1 users who purchased the product after January 14, 2008. For new users, Retrospect 8 comes in a variety of flavors ranging in price from $129 to $1,669, depending on the size of the network.
Gaming industry advocates form Entertainment Media Council
There are plenty of organizations representing all aspects of the gaming universe. Professionals have the Entertainment Software Association, regular Joes have the Entertainment Consumers Association, and lonely, lonely gamers have NerdPassions.com. However, who's tending to the needs of the industry itself? Yes, even nonliving business sectors need tender loving care -- a need the recently formed Entertainment Media Council intends to fill in the coming years.The EMC is a California-based non-profit with a relatively simple objective: "advancing the interactive entertainment business in the United States." Though the organization is young, it's already boasting an impressive roster consisting of gaming journalists, analysts, developers and other industry leaders. Morgan Ramsay, CEO for the group (and former IGDA chairman) explained that the role of the group will be that of a "navigator" for the gaming industry.In a Gamasutra interview, Ramsay went on to explain that, though their responsibilities may overlap somewhat, he doesn't see the newly formed group as being in combat with the already established ESA, ECA or IGDA. He explained, "I think we have a better chance of making real our visions of transformation and enlightenment when we work together, not when we compete." We think he probably said this because he just knows Hal Halpin could take him in a fair fight.
Iomega ships Bluetooth-equipped 1TB / 2TB StorCenter ix2 NAS
If you've been passing off NAS devices for years due to the typically prohibitive price tags, you might want to have a gander at Iomega's latest. The StorCenter ix2 brings 1TB (500GB x 2) of network storage for just $299.99, and the 2TB edition is also available for around $170 more. In short, the box -- which isn't much to look at, admittedly -- promises to provide backup for all of your critical files regardless of which networked computer they're on. Additionally, users with top secret snaps on their Bluetooth-enabled cellphone will appreciate the optional BT compatibility, not to mention the gigabit Ethernet jack and twin USB sockets. Oh, and it also doubles as an iTunes server and supports both UPnP and DLNA protocols, meaning that this fellow should do a decent job of serving up media on the side.%Gallery-34572%
Iomega acquired by EMC for $213 million
Not even a month after we heard that Iomega was warming to a revised takeover bid from EMC, the two lovebirds have finally let their true feelings be known. Announced today, EMC is acquiring the famed Zip Drive manufacturer for $213 million. The final figure is nearly $7 million higher than the one proposed in March, and the all-cash agreement worked out to $3.85-per share -- 5.8-percent higher than Iomega's Tuesday closing price of $3.64. Also of note, Iomega will be picking up the tab on a $7.5 million termination fee to the shareholders for a canceled deal involving China's ExcelStor Group, and EMC stated that it didn't expect the acquisition to "have any material impact on its full-year earnings."[Thanks, Khattab]
