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NASA wants ideas for how to survive on Mars
Have you been tossing around a practical, well researched idea that could revolutionize space travel, but just don't know how to pitch it to the folks at NASA? You're in luck -- the space administration just announced the launch of NASA iTech, a program calling for ideas from the public, government sectors, academia and the aerospace industry that could shape the future of space travel and help in a potential mission to Mars. Specifically, NASA wants 5-page white paper proposals for technologies in radiation protection, life support systems, astronaut health, in-space propulsion and high-resolution greenhouse gas measurement tools.
BBC White Paper: what you need to know
The UK government has published a White Paper today setting out its proposed changes to the BBC Charter. If approved, the new Charter -- which guides and regulates the BBC's operations -- would abolish the BBC Trust and hand oversight to Ofcom, the UK's media regulator. In addition, a new board would be established to avoid "confusion of governance issues." The new setup would, the government argues, make the broadcaster more accountable and less susceptible to mismanagement. The BBC broadly agrees with the decision to make Ofcom its watchdog, but has some concerns with how the new BBC board members would be appointed.
Apple publishes guide to iOS security
Security on iOS devices is becoming more of a hot topic these days, what with security notables like Eugene Kaspersky warning of future malware attacks that could take down the immense monoculture operating system. Apple's not ignoring the threat; in fact, the company has published a 19-page iOS security document outlining the company's commitment to security on the mobile platform. The free PDF document, available here, describes Apple's approach to security. The system architecture section details the integration of hardware and software on the devices and how it allows for the validation of activities through all processes. For example, when an iOS device is first turned on it goes through a cryptographically signed boot up process, each step of which proceeds only after verifying the chain of trust. There's a description of how app code signing and sandboxing are used to ensure that apps can't compromise the system or other apps. I personally found the hardware security features built into every iOS device to be fascinating -- a dedicated AES256 crypto engine lodged between flash storage and system memory, using the device's UID and a group ID to cryptographically tie data to a particular device. There's also a fully detailed description of device access and network security. The document should be of great interest (and comfort) to those deploying large numbers of iOS devices in enterprises and government settings.
China promises to put more humans in space, less trash
China's recent Beidu GPS launches were mere firecrackers compared to its space ambitions for the next five years. These have been laid out in a 17-page government document, which fortunately reduces down to just a few key points once you filter out the abstract bluster. Top of the list is a pledge to prepare for the construction of more "space stations" -- plural -- to complement the Tiangong module and allow for "medium term" human habitation. Officials and scientists will also find time to plan for a "human lunar landing" as well as surveying the moon with rovers. Lastly, it seems that China wants to fix its nasty reputation as a space litterer, by moving "aging GEO satellites out of orbit" and "fully deactivating" used Long March rockets to reduce the risk of them exploding and scattering debris in the busiest lanes. Regardless of how these lofty goals pan out, the juxtaposition with America's own dwindling dream is obvious.
Microsoft releases Android developer poaching package for Windows Phone 7
Microsoft's App Guy has quite a job on his baby-soft hands: to boost Windows Phone 7's numerically-challenged Marketplace by encouraging developers to port apps across from other platforms. The little fellow helped iPhone devs out a couple of months ago with an API mapping tool to make it easier to translate iPhone APIs to WP7 code. Now he's extended the mapping tool to work with Android APIs too, and backed it up with a 90-page white paper and a promise to get more involved in developer forums. Will the App Guy's efforts unleash a flood of new apps for Windows Phone? We don't know, but we dig his shorts.
Apple releases free Mac management white paper
An email is being sent from Apple to education customers this morning, offering a free white paper on Mac management. Entitled "Solutions for Systems Management," the paper can be accessed by entering your school's name and zip code on a special web page.It includes solid, basic information on assessment of your school's needs, deployment of a solution and even a solution's typical lifespan. Apple products are featured, of course, like Apple Remote Desktop and Mac OS X Server, but the paper also describes some third-party products like Deep Freeze and K2 Key Auditor and Key Server.It's certainly not the definitive paper on being a Mac-friendly administrator, but a decent reference. You can find out more about deploying Mac OS X in education contexts from the indispensable Macenterprise and AFP548 sites.
"Digital Britain" key to BBC's future
The UK government has published a white paper on the future of the BBC, an organisation described as "unique" by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The BBC is mainly associated with the television and radio channels it produces in return for a licence fee which must be paid by almost everyone watching television in the UK. However, the organisation is not restricted to these platforms, nor is it resistant to changes in technology, as the BBC News video report "Entertainment 'key' to BBC future" outlines.The report focuses on a fairly typical family; the parents watch television regularly, but the children tend to gravitate towards games and digital media, only occasionally turning to TV for specific programmes. As technology attracts television views away from their sets, more ways of delivering the BBC's content are being investigated, from TV on phones to downloadable media.The BBC appears to be moving into games as part of their "Digital Britain" initiative--under the banner of "interactive and web-based services", games (or interactive stories) like Jamie Kane give the BBC the opportunity to try new directions in storytelling and gaming. It's clear from the news report that the BBC acknowledges gaming as a key activity for its licence fee payers; this commitment to interactivity should see more game-based content being delivered to the BBC's customers and help the BBC's games research along a step or two.
