ProxyServer
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Netflix is blocking Australian users who access US content
Last week, Netflix said it would be bringing down the hammer on people who use VPNs (or other similar means) to access geo-restricted content. And, by the looks of it, the streaming titan isn't wasting any time. According to uFlix, a paid service that lets anyone in Australia change their IP address and DNS settings for entertainment purposes, Netflix has started blocking users from viewing its US-only videos. "You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again," Netflix reportedly told some Australian customers.
Network-related crashes in Mountain Lion pinned on proxy settings
Mountain Lion may have a bug that's affecting users who have the Auto Proxy Discovery and Automatic Proxy Configuration networking features turned on, says Daniel Jalkut of Red Sweater. According to Jalkut, apps, like his own MarsEdit, throw an error involving the CoreSchedulingSet or EmptyCoreSchedulingSet C++ objects when trying to connect to some network resources. Working with the folks from Agile Bits, Jalkut traced the problem to the Auto Proxy Discovery and Automatic Proxy Configuration settings in the Network preference pane. Under most circumstances, these options would not be turned on; the exception is in large institutional or corporate networks where specifically required by the network configuration. If these options are selected in the Network settings, then you may experience this crashing problem with apps that rely on Apple's networking libraries. These apps include, but are not limited to, MarsEdit, Tweetbot and Safari. Jalkut recommends that Mountain Lion users turn off the Auto Proxy Discovery and Automatic Proxy Configuration features until Apple issues a fix. You can read more about the networking issue and instructions on how to fix the problem on Jalkut's Red Sweater blog.
SiriProxy enables voice control of third-party apps (video)
If you'll rewind your mind in time to earlier this week, you might remember a clever proxy server from @plamoni that enabled Siri's control of a thermostat through spoken commands. Now, the same bit of engineering has been exploited to enable voice control of third-party applications. In this example, FastPdfKit Reader is manipulated by various commands with SiriProxy acting in the middle. A plugin is used to add new commands to the ones recognized by Siri, and finally, the proxy then sends the final commands to the app. Those hoping to get hacking will find a complete list of instructions from the source link below. For everyone else, you'll find the true magic after the break.
Developer builds Siri proxy server
Last week, a bunch of hackers cracked open the Siri protocol and explained how the service sends information back and forth to Apple's server. Now, another developer, known only by his twitter handle @plamoni, created a proxy server to extend the functionality of Siri on your phone. The proxy server contains custom commands that Siri on the iPhone 4S can use. In his demo video, he shows how Siri can communicate with his indoor wireless thermostat. He is able to grab status information and turn the heat on and off. The server works with Siri on a stock iPhone 4S handset and doesn't require any jailbreak. It only works with the iPhone 4S right now and is not ported to earlier iPhone models or the iPod touch. He has released the proxy server to the open source community so they can experiment with it. You can grab the source code from github and check out a demo video from the developer below. [Vis Engadget, ijailbreak.com and iPhone Hacks]
Developer creates proxy server for Siri, controls thermostat with his voice (video)
Now that Siri's protocol has been freshly dissected and laid bare for the world to behold, hackers have been busy finding ways to move Apple's personal assistant beyond the realm of the iPhone 4S. That task may be getting easier, however, now that a developer has created his very own third-party proxy server, designed specifically for Siri. The dev, known by his Twitter handle @plamoni, demonstrated his brainchild in a recent video clip, using a plug-in to control a WiFi thermostat with only voice commands. As @plamoni explains, the hack won't require users to jailbreak their iPhone 4S, but it won't let them port Siri over to earlier iPhones or iPod Touch models, either -- not yet, at least. The idea, according to the developer, is to make it easier for other hackers to experiment with and build upon Siri's functionality. Head past the break to see the demo video for yourself, or if you're up for it, grab the source code and instructions on how to create your own server, at the source link below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Telex anti-censorship system promises to leap over firewalls without getting burned
Human rights activists and free speech advocates have every reason to worry about the future of an open and uncensored internet, but researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Waterloo have come up with a new tool that may help put their fears to rest. Their system, called Telex, proposes to circumvent government censors by using some clever cryptographic techniques. Unlike similar schemes, which typically require users to deploy secret IP addresses and encryption keys, Telex would only ask that they download a piece of software. With the program onboard, users in firewalled countries would then be able to visit blacklisted sites by establishing a decoy connection to any unblocked address. The software would automatically recognize this connection as a Telex request and tag it with a secret code visible only to participating ISPs, which could then divert these requests to banned sites. By essentially creating a proxy server without an IP address, the concept could make verboten connections more difficult to trace, but it would still rely upon the cooperation of many ISPs stationed outside the country in question -- which could pose a significant obstacle to its realization. At this point, Telex is still in a proof-of-concept phase, but you can find out more in the full press release, after the break.
Bypass PS3 firmware 3.21 in seconds -- at your own risk (update: defunct)
Face it: Sony's backed you into a corner. You can't play PS3 online without downloading the 3.21 firmware update, but if you download, your precious 'Other OS' is forfeit -- and there may be side effects. You could wait it out, hoping Geohot comes through with a workaround. You could even sue Sony for a refund if you live in Europe. Or, if you're not terribly worried about the security of your PSN account and personal information, you could instead input just ten digits into your PS3 and magically bypass the entire issue. Though technically minded individuals have been skirting Sony's firmware checks for years now using private proxies, homebrew developer Aaron Lindsay decided to set up a public server at 67.202.81.137, which allows anyone to piggyback on his success in mere seconds -- we tried it ourselves, and it worked like a charm. By doing so, you run the risk of giving Aaron all your credentials... but if the odd identity theft doesn't break your stride, you can jump right back into that Uncharted 2 session by entering the above number into Internet Connection Settings > DNS Setting > Primary DNS. Update: As of April 13, the proxy DNS trick no longer works. We're not sure why, but considering how long the hacking community holds a grudge, we expect a workaround in due time.
RIM patent app will have you barely browsing the web at incredible speeds
Let's not mince words: any way you slice it, RIM's built-in browser for BlackBerry renders sites about as well as your $199 netbook renders Avatar. The good news is that we've got every reason to believe the company recognizes the problem and is working to solve it -- but on a completely unrelated front, they're trying to speed up the process of fetching raw data off the interwebs, too. In a patent app made public this month, RIM's lab geeks describe setting up a proxy server right on the phone that would intercept the browser's web requests and bundle, compress, and send them to a gateway on the other end (BIS, we presume) that would know how to deal with the packet. Likewise, compressed data would be sent back to the proxy, which would expand and deliver standard HTTP to the browser, just as it would normally expect. The proxy component would have other tricks up its sleeve, too, like automatically downloading and caching images in an HTML stream so that they're ready when the browser wants them. In practice, really, it'll make no difference to the end user whether all this magic is accomplished in a proxy or the browser itself -- as long as we get some thoroughly-reworked rendering capability to go along with it, of course. [Thanks, Anand]
Hulu still silent on PS3, Windows Mobile blocking - but there's a free solution
A few days after blocking PlayStation 3 users, Hulu has yet to respond to questions concerning the change which has only helped to fuel rumors it is related to the Microsoft ad campaign currently featured on the site, but that seems less likely now that we've confirmed it also began blocking the Flash-enabled Skyfire browser on Windows Mobile devices at the same time. Whatever the cause is, if you prefer a homegrown hack over something like PlayOn or TVersity, Eric over at ypass.net has put together a simple enough walkthrough for creating an "unblockable" workaround by setting up a locally connected PC running Linux or Windows with the freely available Squid proxy server software that will make your PS3 look like appear as a PC running a Firefox (or whatever you prefer) browser to any website that asks. Of course, just like the other solutions your computer will need to stay running to keep you connected, but we figure it's a small price to pay for enjoying relatively low res Flash video running on an HDTV.Read - Got a PS3? Want Hulu Back? Easy enough...Read - Squid-setup for Windows NT /2k /X
