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Warlock green fire spells spotted in MoP beta files
Green fire is coming, again! Maybe. Side effects of speculation may vary. Not only has the Codex shown up in recent datamining, but curiously also warlock spells with green fire as icons. Conflagrate, Fel Hellfire, Rain of Chaos, and Fel Immolate all have minimal descriptions and could very well be just creature or boss spells. But Fel Incinerate gives me hope, for it has not only the range and cast time, but the base mana that the real warlock Incinerate does. What boss would need to know the base mana cost, hmm? After the original flurry of excitement, Wryxian noted in the subsequent denial of green fire implementation that the devs wanted green fire "to be an epic accomplishment" for players. With the beta appearance of The Legacy of the Masters (Part 1), players are speculating among other things about a Quel'Delar-like quest line again. In the end, nothing might happen and green fire will stay unfulfilled on our warlock wish lists. But I for one haven't been so excited since I got my Dreadsteed the old way. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
ASUS now catching heat for locked Transformer Prime bootloader, probably wishes the thing was never made
Man, talk about not being able to catch a break. After launching what was largely considered the first Android tablet worth drooling over at AsiaD, ASUS has ran into every conceivable issue in the months since. Delays, on-again / off-again claims about GPS and now, a locked bootloader that has the vocal Android modding community all sorts of angry. The primary issue here is that the Prime is a WiFi-only device, which leaves little room for ASUS to justify its decision to thwart the use of uncertified ROMs. Of course, HTC has faced similar pressures in the past, and its decision to cut loose of the locked bootloader chains won it universal praise from a universal audience. Time for ASUS to step up and do likewise?
The Daily Grind: Have you ever let the queues win?
One of the worst MMO launches I ever sat through was Star Wars Galaxies' in 2003, I'm sad to admit. My guild was split over two servers from the start because Sony Online Entertainment had locked off our preferred server to prevent it from becoming overcrowded, so half of my friends were stranded and unable to create characters. A week later, the locks were still in place, and we grudgingly rerolled on a new server, losing our day-one characters, favorite names, and even a few members in the process. Years later, that second server was one of the first to dry up, and we spent cold hard cash moving our characters back to the original (and still heavily populated) server. It was a lesson hard-learned. Star Wars: The Old Republic has thus far avoided hard locks on servers, preferring to persuade players to move organically with long queues. So today we ask you this: Have you ever been swayed to leave your launch server by long queues or temporary character creation bans, or do you ride out the launch period and figure it'll resolve itself eventually? Have you ever given in and let launch-day locks or lines win? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Inside Secure announces NFC chips to help distinguish knockoffs from the real thing
If you can't tell if a Rolex or a knockoff Prada bag is fake, your NFC-enabled smartphone will be able to. Toking on a long-standing problem with counterfeiting, French company Inside Secure has released the Vault150 security module, a NFC-based chip that can be embedded into any product a retailer might wish to have authenticated by prospective buyers. This could become as easy as literally embedding the chip, as NFC chips require no power source, can collect RF energy from an NFC reader such as a smartphone and complete an authentication request for a potential buyer. For more intricate products where the chip might have to be buried deeper, Inside Secure has also offered several antenna options that allow the chip to be placed well within an item and still communicate with an NFC reader. In cases where a module needs to be embedded in items like a bottle of wine or pair of shoes, the chip can use a slew of voltage, frequency or temperature change sensors to sense if someone has tried to alter the chip's information and return a warning from there. Along with authentication purposes, the devices could also ping a shopper's handset (in addition to doing cool things like opening doors) when they came within a certain range of a product, informing them as to the savings they might be about to pass by. Final pricing and availability has yet to be announced and there's no guarantee that this will spot every fake, but it'll probably be better at the task than the current champ (yes, Chumlee).
Griffin TechSafe Locking Case + Cable Lock keeps your iPad 2 secure
Mobile devices like the iPad, the iPhone, and the iPod touch have one unfortunate trait in common -- they're very easy for someone to steal. With the great demand for the iPad 2, you will want to keep it locked away somewhere or take it with you everywhere just to keep thieving hands off of the device. Now Griffin Technology has announced the TechSafe Locking Case + Cable Lock for the iPad 2 (US$79.99), a way of locking your iPad to a desk or table to make it much more difficult for it to be stolen. Design Compared to some of the beautiful cases I've had the pleasure to review, the TechSafe Locking Case is very plain. But it looks and feels sturdy, and that's what you want when you're using the case and the included cable lock to keep your iPad 2 from walking away. %Gallery-136092% The case slides apart for easy installation of the iPad 2, with the top frame sliding off of the bottom frame. You drop the iPad 2 into the bottom piece, then slide the top frame back on. The result is a very solid case. On the back of the bottom piece are two rectangular bumps. These not only add an area to help you grip the iPad 2, but each has a small indentation that can be used to expose a fold-out stand. One of the stands props the iPad 2 up vertically in landscape orientation for watching movies, while the other is useful when typing on the iPad. The lock is the niftiest part of the setup. Griffin's TechSafe Cable Lock design makes it possible to secure laptops like the MacBook Air that don't have a Kensington lock port. To do this, Griffin created a hardened steel "LockBlade" that slides into the small opening in the hinge area between the screen and keyboard of the MacBook Air. The included cable lock has a hook on it that fits into a hole in the steel LockBlade, securing the laptop to the cable and to a large, immovable piece of furniture. On the Locking Case, the LockBlade slides into a slot on the case. That keeps the case from sliding open and connects it to the cable lock. It's a smart way to reuse the Cable Lock technology on a different type of equipment, and it wouldn't be out of the question for Griffin to even extend this to a Locking Case for iPhone 4/4S and iPod touch. In situations where you want to keep those items from walking away, a case like that could come in very handy. Functionality The TechSafe case is very well made. All of the pieces in this puzzle need to fit together perfectly, and the case slides onto and off of the iPad 2 easily. If you have another case that you love to use with your iPad 2, but you'd like to secure your iPad in a hotel or conference room while you're eating dinner or partying with friends, just slip off the other case, slide the iPad 2 into the TechSafe, slide in the LockBlade, and clip on the combination lock. The stands are very usable and well placed on the case, and I found the "bumps" on the back of the case to be perfect for getting a good grip while carrying the iPad 2 around. Now, my one concern. Although this is a security case and it's a pretty good one, it would take a determined thief with the right tools only a few seconds to get the iPad out. What tools? A small pocket tool like a Leatherman with a built-in saw would rip right through the plastic, making it a cinch to pull out the LockBlade and walk off with the iPad. However, in most situations a thief may overlook anything that has a lock attached to it simply because it takes time to work on it. This deterrence factor will probably help you more than the plastic than the case is made out of. I do recommend that buyers look at one more piece of equipment that Griffin has developed to work with the cable lock and case -- the $19.99 Locking Security Clamp can help you in those situations where you can't find a suitable piece of furniture to lock your iPad to. Conclusion Griffin's TechSafe case and the cable lock are the right product at the right time. For those who need a way to secure an iPad to a table or other piece of furniture, it's a reasonably-priced solution and a heck of a lot less expensive than replacing an iPad.
Yale demos NFC-enabled residential locks, germaphobes rejoice (video)
Assa Abloy has already brought NFC-based door locks to some Swedish hotel rooms, but one of its subsidiary companies is now looking to bring them to your doorstep, as well. Earlier this month, Yale Locks & Hardware unveiled what it hopes will be the first NFC-enabled residential lock to hit the US market. With this system, all you'll need to do is wave your smartphone in front of one of Yale's Real Living line of motorized locks, which will then automatically open (as long as you've been authorized to do so). Demoed at this year's CEDIA Expo, these revamped locks are also compatible with either Zigbee or Z-Wave home automation technologies and support Assa Abloy's Mobile Keys software, which allows users to securely load all of their digital keys on their handsets. Pricing and availability remain unclear, but you can unlock more details in the brief demo video and full press release, after the break.
Kensington's SecureBack case is like The Club for iPads (video)
Kensington already came out and admitted that employees don't actually use the locks handed to them on their first day of work. And yet, it's betting folks will want to swaddle their iPads in a thick layer of plastic and chain them to their desks. That, in a nutshell, is the idea behind the SecureBack, an iPad 2 case that allows you to lock down the tablet, armor and all, just as you would a laptop. That beaut you see up there is a three-part affair, with two pieces of plastic that come together to cover the back and are held together by a sliding slat. That's just the case, mind, you -- to lock it down you'll also need one of Kensington's ClickSafe locks, which the company already makes for laptops. It's up for pre-order now, with a standard version fetching $50 and a souped-up one with a kickstand going for $70. If you don't already have a compatible lock, you can also buy one bundled with the case, with that extra hardware adding thirty bucks to the cost. Full PR and a demo video after the break because really, what's more hypnotic than watching a set of hands dissemble a case? %Gallery-133544% %Gallery-133539%
StayLocked prototype renders your stolen bike unusable, won't buy you another
If you can't ride your stolen bike, neither should anyone else. That's the basic premise behind StayLocked Bicycle -- a prototype that effectively self-destructs whenever someone tries to snatch it. The magic lies in the bike's integrated locking mechanism, which is built in to a pair of tubes extending from the back wheel to the seat. Riders can attach the swiveling lock to any fixed post, but if someone successfully breaks it, the bike's chain stays will no longer support his or her weight, rendering the prototype virtually useless, and the thief utterly embarrassed. Of course, this system won't deter criminals from stealing a cycle for its parts, and it's certainly not as ideal a solution as, say, actually getting your bike back. But at least you'd feel better knowing that whoever swiped your ride probably looked ridiculous while doing so.
Dear Aunt TUAW: What is this "Lock" TextEdit speaks of?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I have a list of books that friends recommend to me. I don't update it a lot but when I do, I just want to go into the list and add new ones. Today, I was going to add M. K. Hobson's Native Star and Text Edit stopped me, saying the file was locked because I hadn't made any changes to it. How do I stop Lion from being my big brother? I have enough of those in my real life. I just want to make my edits and save my stuff. Your favorite niece, Jennifer Dear Jennifer, Auntie is well acquainted with the dialog you speak of. It's supposed to guard against accidental edits of archival material. While Auntie gives credit to Apple for trying to do the right thing, Auntie believes operating systems should not prevent you from doing what you need to in the name of your best interests. This dialog is produced by (of all things!) a Time Machine preference, which Auntie discovered when she turned to Uncle Steve (who is writing the book on Lion) for assistance late in the Lion Beta period. He directed her to the Time Machine prefs panel where you will find a checkbox that controls whether files are locked or not, and when. Adjust the timing here to your heart's desire or just disable it entirely as an expression of your fundamental right to edit at will. Hugs, Auntie T.
HTC officially dissolves locked bootloader policy
The homebrew community may mourn HTC's Thunderbolt, Incredible S, Sensation and EVO 3D, but the company's controversial policy of locking bootloaders is no more. Following a tease yesterday, HTC CEO Peter Chou has decreed from on high -- namely, HTC's Facebook page -- that future devices will be open. There has been overwhelmingly customer feedback that people want access to open bootloaders on HTC phones. I want you to know that we've listened. Today, I'm confirming we will no longer be locking the bootloaders on our devices. Thanks for your passion, support and patience. We're holding out hope that this policy will also be retroactive, but this is very welcome news regardless. Ball's in your court, Motorola.
Motorola promises unlocked bootloaders for future Android phones? (update)
Android users have spoken, and maybe, just maybe, Motorola actually heard -- AusDroid claims to have a statement direct from the mobile phone manufacturer promising unlocked bootloaders later this year: We completely understand the operator requirement for security to the end user, and as well, want to support the developer communities desire to use these products as a development platform. It is our intention to enable the unlockable/relockable bootloader currently found on Motorola XOOM across our portfolio of devices starting in late 2011, where carriers and operators will allow it.Wonderfully corporate of them to pass the buck to the carriers, no? This quote comes by way of a gentleman who petitioned Moto for just such a thing, mind you, so please take it with a grain of salt, and you'll be the first to know if we get confirmation from Motorola itself. Update: AusDroid managed to get in touch with Motorola North Asia, and it sounds like we're looking at the truth -- let's see if Sanjay Jha agrees when he wakes up tomorrow morning.
Nintendo 3DS may have region-locked software, continue an unfortunate trend
Once upon a time, when handheld game systems were thicker and Nintendo was entirely without peer, the company deigned to allow us to import games without fear. On Game Boy of all shapes and sizes, as well as the Nintendo DS, a Japanese cartridge would let you experience portable wonders years before they hit Europe and the US. Starting in 2008, however, Nintendo made DSi-specific titles region-locked -- and that's the same fate that will likely befall games on Nintendo's new 3D handheld as well. "There is the possibility that Nintendo 3DS software sold in one region will not function properly when running on Nintendo 3DS hardware sold in another," a company statement reads, though it's important to note that region locks are typically a two-party affair -- if game publishers choose to make their stereoscopic software region-free, it might work on your handheld anyhow. So yes, you might still have a chance to get your date sim on.
Research shocker! Keyless car entry systems can be hacked easily, elegantly
We know you are vigilant enough not to trust your car's security to a wireless system, but plenty of other folks like the convenience of putting away the metallic keys and getting into their vehicles with a bit of Bond-like swagger. Professor Srdjan Capkun of ETH Zurich found himself perched on the fence between these two groups when he recently purchased a vehicle with a keyless entry system, so he did what any good researcher would: he tried to bypass its security measures. In total, he and his team tested 10 models from eight car makers and their results were pretty conclusive: each of the tested vehicles was broken into and driven away using a very simple and elegant method. Keyless entry systems typically work by sending a low-powered signal from the car to your key fob, with the two working only when they're near each other, but the wily Zurich profs were able to intercept and extend that signal via antennas acting as repeaters, resulting in your key activating your car even when it's nowhere near it. The signal-repeating antennae have to be pretty close to both the key and the car, but that's why heist movies stress the importance of teamwork. Hit the source link for all the chilling details.
iPadLock protects your iPad from thieves
Travelers with iPads have a bit of a dilemma. There's no way to lock the iPad to a heavy piece of furniture to keep it from walking off when you leave the room and somebody else decides to pick it up. Maclocks.com has a new way to resolve the problem. They've just introduced the iPadLock, which is a combination of a special case and a traditional laptop cable lock. The case is made of very hard plastic and holds the iPad. On the side is a standard security slot into which a cable lock can be introduced. The result? It's easy to lock down your iPad. According to Maclocks, once the lock and the case are joined together, thieves can't remove the case without damaging the iPad. The iPadLock is available with (US$64.95) and without ($39.95) the cable lock, so if you happen to have a spare lock hanging around, you don't need to spend the extra quid to get a duplicate. There are less expensive ways to secure your iPad while traveling. Many hotels have in-room safes in which you can store a stack of iPads, or you can just carry it with you all of the time -- an iPad isn't exactly a heavyweight object. What do you use to secure your iPad? Leave us a comment below.
Locking iPad case makes your tablet far less portable, attractive, and enticing to thieves
Sick and tired of hauling your iPad into a dodgy work environment, scared to even leave it in your desk drawer for half a minute while you scurry across the office for a cup of scorched coffee? Never mind finding a new career -- just fill out the paperwork necessary to pack a concealed weapon and head over to Mac Locks. You see, the aforesaid site is now carrying what it calls the world's first locking iPad case -- a plastic shell that can be closed via lock and tethered to pretty much anything via a coated steel cable. Once it's secured, the only way to remove the tablet is the right way, or the fast way, with the breaking-and-entering method rendering the device worthless. The case itself can be had for $39.95, whereas the case / cable bundle is going for $64.95. But hey, it's hard to put a price on peace of mind, ya know?
Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video)
Had your morning cup of Haterade? Get ready to have it flushed out. A team of bicyclists / engineers have assembled what might be the best thing to happen to the bicycle since Lance Armstrong, with the (currently unnamed) pole-climbing bike lock created for Germany's own Conrad. There's no word on if (or when) this fancy contraption will go on sale, but we know at least one Dutch inhabitant that'll be parting ways with as many Euros as necessary in order to take one home. In short, this device straps around a nearby light pole and then carries your bike high into the air (and thus, faraway from the hands of thieves) via a remote control. The only problems? For one, it's huge, and should prove worrisome to carry around. Secondly, you'll be in a whole heap of trouble should some other prankster decide to hike his / her bike up the same pole beneath yours. Anywho, the video after the break is definitely worth a watch.
Droid 2 Global GSM bands locked, camera bulge added to case
No surprise here, but it looks like Verizon's on-sale-but-never-really-announced Droid 2 Global has its GSM radios locked down, meaning you can't just throw an AT&T SIM in there and expect anything to work. Of course, the enterprising hackers at xda-developers are hot on the case, so there's a chance things will be opened up, but we wouldn't hold our breath. In other news, it looks like there's been a slight case modification to the Droid 2 Global -- the camera module now sports a slight hump as seen in the comparison photo above. We're not sure if this is to accommodate the extra radio or (please please please) perhaps a better sensor, but whoomp, there it is. No big thing in the grand scheme of things, but between the dark blue casing and the camera bulge, you'll totally be able to spot D2G owners out of the crowd. And that... that will make you a super nerd weirdo. But it's okay, because we love you.
Rock Lock protects your guitar from theft, runs at least one roadie out of a job
Let's set the scene: you let that last Bm chord ring out, the crowd roars in the background, the fog fades and the lights go down. A drip of sweat falls from your brow and lands softly on the pick guard of your shiny new Fender. A smile graces your face, you slowly remove your weapon of choice from around your body and slam it down whimsically on your guitar stand. Exit stage right. Meanwhile, you're munching on a week-old Honey Bun and some prankster from that mosh pit on the left is making off with your six string. Tragedy. In order to keep this awful, awful scenario from happening to you, The Rock Lock Company was born. Chris Goulet turned a bright idea into a product you can buy, with this here buckle simply snapping around your guitar neck, looping around something immobile and locking into place. Of course, you'll need a tech to remove it prior to rolling out for your first song, but it's probably worth the $49.99 asking price for all those other moments. Hit the source link to get your pre-order in, but only if you enjoy free shipping as a bonus. %Gallery-105979%
Kensington's ClickSafe security lock: 'so easy, your employees actually use it'
Nice going, Kensington -- you just admitted to the world something we already knew. No one actually uses the lock slot / cable that's issued to them on their first day on the job. It's painful to envision the cash this company has made from mindless corporations who somehow think that employees are going to tie their laptops up each and every day, but now it has an alternative that it swears "your employees will actually use." The new ClickSafe system essentially works as such: you insert a small locking nub into the lock slot that ships on (almost) every new laptop today, and then you clip the new locking cable on by hand. Once you've completed the first step, the cable connection is a simple motion each morning -- in theory, at least. Peek the installation vid after the break if you're still having your doubts, and feel free to blow $49.99 / $69.99 (depending on model) if you just know that this time it'll be different. %Gallery-104749%
AT&T blocking Dell Streak beta units? (update: SIMs were deactivated, phones weren't supposed to be sold)
There's a fascinating discussion going on over in MoDaCo's forums today suggesting that Dell Streak units that were given out recently as part of the company's US beta test in and around Austin, Texas are no longer functioning on AT&T, the result of an apparent IMEI block; voice calls placed from the devices all get re-routed to AT&T customer service, and 2G / 3G data doesn't work at all. Our understanding is that beta testers were allowed to keep their units after the conclusion of the test period -- some of those ended up on eBay, naturally, so you can imagine that buyers are probably feeling a little steamed by this. One user has had luck with data by using the iPad's APN and plan settings, but otherwise, there seems to be a bit of frustration going around. We've reached out to AT&T to figure out what's going on; we'll let you know when we have more. [Thanks, Reece M.] Update: We've had at least one buyer of a beta unit write in to tell us that his Streak is still functional, so it seems that the IMEIs haven't been blocked across the board -- so far, anyhow. Leave us your experiences in comments, won't you? Thanks, Josh G.! Update 2: Dell just wrote in to give us some more background on the situation, and it looks like at least part of the confusion is stemming from the fact that the Streaks were provided with 30-day SIMs from AT&T; testers were provided with the following tidbit on the fate of their phones after the SIMs expired: "You can still use your Streak. Your beta phone number will be disconnected tomorrow, but you'll continue to have access to all the cool Streak features including the Android marketplace, games, email, Facebook, etc., you'll just need to connect via WIFI. Your Streak, while it may function on some carrier networks, is a beta phone and is therefore not certified on any carrier network, so it may not function normally. Any such use will be subject to and your carrier's data and voice plan." More importantly, it turns out that the agreement testers signed specifically forbade them from selling their Streaks, so it seems like it'd be entirely within Dell's right to report the IMEIs missing or stolen to AT&T -- not to say that ever occurred, but in light of the agreement, it wouldn't be out of the question.
