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Researchers develop method to measure effects of WiFi attacks
America is built on the principles of life, liberty and WiFi, the latter of which has increasingly become a target for hackers hoping to mess up our chi. To predict what would happen as result of an assault, researchers at North Carolina State University created two models -- one based on a continuous jam of service, and one on an intermittent disruption that would cut off service during specific times. They then measured "order gain," which compares the probability of an attacker having network access to the probability of a legitimate user having access. Basically, the more control a hacker has, the more regular users that will lose service and be shut out -- making it harder to regain control. Researchers hope the new method will help identify the most vulnerable networks, opening the doors to create effective countermeasures to keep our WiFi safe -- something that Starbucks customers will surely be thankful for.
Gig. U hopes to bring Gigabit networks and straight cash, homey, to university communities
Familiar with Johnny Appleseed? He who traipsed 'round the country with a sack 'o seeds on his shoulder, planting trees hither and yon leaving apple orchards blooming in his wake? Gig. U is similar, only it's a project that aims to plant Gigabit networks in 29 collegiate communities to facilitate research, attract start-ups, and stimulate local economies. The plan is just getting underway, and the schools in question -- including Virginia Tech, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Alaska -- are asking private telcos and companies to help make their high-speed dreams a reality. In addition to benefiting the immediate areas, Gig. U sees these swift new networks functioning as hubs in a faster nationwide broadband system. The colleges claim that construction of these new information superhighways won't start for several years, so it'll be some time before they can help elevate us from our current state of broadband mediocrity. Chop, chop, guys.
Verizon dominates 'Fastest Mobile Networks' testing, considers calling AT&T to brag
Not all wireless carriers are created equal, nor for that matter is all 4G -- anyone who's ever swapped networks or done any sort of traveling across the country can tell you that. And while it seems like we have fewer and fewer choices as the days go by, our increasing reliance on mobile devices makes the efficiency of our data delivery all the more important. PCMag invested some serious man / woman-hours for its annual "Fastest Mobile Networks" story, gathering mobile data in 21 cities -- running more than 140,000 tests in all. According to the results, Verizon's LTE rules supreme in pretty much every area tested, save for those "in-between" rural locations, where AT&T nabbed the top spot. Perhaps it's time to take old "Test Man" out of retirement for celebratory victory lap?
15% of mobile apps launched while offline
Real-time analytics firm Localytics has issued a report that says 15 percent of all mobile apps are launched while the device they are running on is offline. That's a clear sign that developers would be serving their users better if they built "offline" modes into more apps, according to Ryan Kim of GigaOm. After all, while wireless networks are expanding all the time in the form of 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi, there are still many places where you can't get connected (like in a subway). Kim is correct is his assertion that developers should keep lack of a connection in mind and build in offline modes to their apps. This is especially true for mapping applications. I travel to foreign countries a lot, and there isn't a better example of when you need access to maps then when traveling internationally. But if you don't want to pay international data fees, you're stuck with using your iPhone or iPad in Wi-Fi zones. This is why I've always been an advocate of aggressive map caching, or even building a feature into the Google Maps app that allows users to download complete tile packs of cities so that they have access to maps when not on a data network. But Kim makes another excellent argument for offline mode in apps: As a developer you want users to be as engaged with your app as possible. Adding Instapaper-like features (essentially saving content offline) or more aggressive caching to your apps would allow users to use them to some degree even when not connected to a network, rather than getting a useless login screen. Localytics used its proprietary product to come up with the numbers for offline data use on iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 devices by comparing the time difference between when an app was opened and when its analytics data was uploaded to their servers.
Sprint to pay at least $1 billion to use Clearwire's 4G network through 2012
Although it might not make a difference to consumers, the 4G network ripping through Sprint-branded devices such as the EVO 4G doesn't actually belong to the carrier. Rather, Sprint rents use of Clearwire's network, and the two have been duking it out for months over just how much that service is worth. That battle finally came to an end today when Sprint, which happens to be Clearwire's majority owner, agreed to pay at least $1.03 billion this year and next to run its WiMAX devices on the network. The two companies also agreed to mutual wholesale rights, meaning they can sell access to each other's 3G and 4G networks to other providers. And they reached a pricing agreement for phones that offer both 3G and 4G connectivity -- a bone of contention for Sprint, whose customers can't all take advantage of 4G speeds, depending on where they live. Then again, Clearwire needs those billions precisely so that it can expand its network. As for Sprint, it can now blow less cash on legal fees -- and instead gird itself for a potential three-horse race against Verizon and AT&T&T. [Image courtesy of Mobiledia]
European R&D advances 'internet of things,' hastens our Phildickian future
Why can't our refrigerator fire off an urgent email when the milk has gone lumpy? And the toilet paper dispenser warn us it's empty – before we sit down? And when will our microwaves run BitTorrent? EUREKA, the European R&D network, knows how badly you crave networked objects, and rather than mock you, it's moving to help. To that end, it has developed small, inexpensive, battery-powered sensors able to link everything from consumer electronics to environmental monitors to factory robots – creating the much-anticipated "Internet of Things." But unlike the over-hyped RFID, it's technology you'd actually use. Instead of knowing whether your keys are indeed on the RFID reader, the network could gently remind you that you left them in your car, which is now 100 miles away with someone else at the wheel, but, luckily for you, low on gas. Gaze into the so-called future of things with EUREKA's press release, conveniently embedded after the jump.
Apple brings AT&T and Verizon together for a happy dance in latest iPhone commercial (update: HD video)
The unthinkable has happened. After spending 99 percent of their recent marketing budgets figuring out ways to sling mud at each other, AT&T and Verizon have now come together to dance a merry waltz -- all in the name of Apple's hallowed iPhone. The latest commercial for the phone that really doesn't need advertising shows that you can FaceTime, read iBooks, navigate maps, and do everything else on the Verizon iPhone just as well as you could do it on the AT&T-friendly GSM variant of the device. As if you didn't already know. Still, it's fun to see these guys trying to turn their lack of competitive diversity into some sort of an advantage. Video after the break. Update: Now in HD!
UK and French carriers working on cellular coverage for Channel Tunnel, aim to finish by 2012 Olympics
If you live in a technophile city like Taipei, you'll have been enjoying underground 4G for a long time now, but in London the rule is that you have to bid adieu to your mobile connectivity when diving into a tunnel. The city's Mayor has been active in encouraging (forcing?) the major British carriers to install the necessary equipment to provide coverage on the Tube, and now we're hearing that ambition has stretched beyond the nation's borders as well. The Daily Telegraph reports that Vodafone, O2, Everything Everywhere, and Three from the UK along with Orange, SFR and Bouygues from France have agreed to share the cost of putting together a £20 million ($30.8m) project for making cellular coverage possible while traveling through the 31.4-mile Channel Tunnel between the two countries. The goal is to get things up and running by the Olympics in 2012, though we've no indication as to what speeds those wireless data transfers will reach. Still, having some bars is better than none, right?
China launches state-sponsored, Twitter-esque Red Microblog, Kanye West already has the most followers
China has launched a state-sponsored micro-blogging site which is apparently identical to Twitter, except that it's run by the Chinese government, of course. The brand new social network, named Red Microblog, is run by a local propaganda department in Chongqing and its purpose is to promote the official revolutionary spirit of the Chinese government. So far, the messages seem to be living up to that ideal: "I really like the words by Chairman Mao that 'the world is ours; we should work together'," microblogged Bo Xilai, a local party secretary. Of course, Red Microblog does has not yet suffered from the inevitable influx of celebrities with inane aphorisms to dish out, b-listers hawking diet scams, and of course -- people talking about their lunches, the weather, and whether or not Tron is going to totally rule. Come to thing of it, Red Microblog sounds pretty awesome. For now.
Humans wearing radios could form massive wireless networks of the future
Researchers at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, are studying how to create an infrastructure out of human beings interconnected by wearing sensors, gateways and radios, resulting in a "body-to-body" network. Because human beings are so easy to come by, the networks could potentially be massive as well as high in bandwidth. The team is now studying how human bodies and movement can affect radio signals, and the general operations of body area networks, which aren't new. Concurrent research is being done at Carnegie Mellon to study how thousands of sensors can communicate with each other effectively. Long term, actual functioning body-to-body wireless networks could render cellular base stations unnecessary in heavily populated areas. Of course, that's all well into the future, but hit up the source for more details.
iPad going on sale in Verizon Wireless and AT&T stores October 28 (update: Verizon data pricing)
It might not be the Apple-Verizon tie-in you are most anxious to see happen, but the big red network has gone official with its plans to offer the iPad in its brick-and-mortar stores starting on October 28. VZW will be bundling the WiFi-only iPads with its own MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot with pricing set at $630, $730 and $830 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants of Apple's tablet, respectively. There's only one access plan on offer for now, granting users 1GB of monthly data allowance in exchange for $20 and no contractual commitments. AT&T will match the release date and upfront prices for each model, although its iPads will be of the WiFi + 3G variety, eschewing the need for a bundled MiFi; plan pricing will continue at 200MB for $15 or 2GB for $25 monthly. Full press releases follow after the break. Update: According to an FAQ on Verizon's website, spotted by AppleInsider, there are a pair of other service plans after all: $35 for 3GB and $50 for 5GB, each with penalties of $10 per gigabyte of overage. As the publication notes, these are pretty nifty deals compared to Verizon's usual data rates, however the FAQ also stipulates that "customers will only be eligible for the new bundle data plans when purchasing the iPad and MiFi 2200 promotional bundle."
FCC set to approve rules compelling carriers to alert you when you're about to go over your limit
Politicians do love themselves a sharp and emotive turn of phrase, of which few are as good as "bill shock." That's the term the FCC has used to sum up all those instances when you've had unexpected surcharges on your monthly wireless bill, caused by unknowingly going outside the bounds of your geographical coverage or monthly allowance. Seeing this issue as something it could help alleviate, the Commission set up a Consumer Task Force back in May in an effort to seek out solutions, and now it has returned with perhaps the most obvious one: getting your network operator to shoot out a voice or text message warning you when you're about to incur costs outside of your normal plan. That's basically what AT&T already does with iPad owners approaching their monthly data limits, which the federales see as a good practice that should be extended across all carriers. We can see no good reason why it shouldn't.
Orange and T-Mobile complete UK network merger
There you have it, boys and girls. Exactly as promised, Orange and T-Mobile have flipped the switch in the UK, allowing subscribers to one carrier to roam onto the network of the other for free. This really is the most important consumer-facing aspect of the Everything Everywhere merger, at least until they figure out how to mix orange and magenta without charring our eyes with the resulting shade of crazy. Don't forget to let us know how your newly expanded network affects your phone's utility -- better, worse, no difference? [Thanks, Lewis]
Huawei breaks DSL speed barrier with 700Mbps prototype
DSL cables might not really be the sexiest thing in networking anymore, but what they are is ubiquitous, so let's not begrudge Huawei its feat here. The Chinese telecoms facilitator has shown off a new prototype that can pump 700Mbps of data across a 400-meter expanse. This is done by bundling four twisted pairs of copper wire together and sprinkling in some fairy dust to make them communicate at 175Mbps each. The clever bit here is in how crosstalk and interference are minimized, and Huawei claims a 75 percent improvement in bandwidth as a result. An immediate opportunity for these new cables will be, ironically, with fiber rollouts, as they could serve as the last connection between fiber hubs and your home. Then again, with Google and Chattanooga already looking at 1Gbps lanes, maybe the day of the copper wire has already passed?
Network Archaeology used to 'excavate' the past structure of networks
Predicting the future configuration of a network is pretty straightforward. Whether you're talking about social networks like Last.fm or biological networks like those associated with protein interaction within cells (you know the type), many of them share common growth patterns, making it possible to predict the future of a network being studied. Unfortunately, you can't really work backwards using the same process, so until recently it wasn't really possible to determine a past state. That's why a paper recently published on arXiv.org is so promising. According to a light beach read called Network Archaeology: Uncovering Ancient Networks from Present-day Interactions, researchers Saket Navlakha and Carl Kingsford have been able to do things like "decompose" actual observed networks to correctly guesstimate when Last.fm users signed up, and determine the age of proteins and how they evolved by looking at how they duplicated and mutated in the past. Rumor has it that Mark Zuckerberg has a keen interest in developing this technology, if only to spare current social networks the fate of Friendster.
What really happened with Wi-Fi on the iPhone 4
WWDC is wrapping up here in San Francisco today, and after a week of having most of the best Apple developers in the world all in one place, we're hearing some speculation and solutions for what happened to Steve Jobs on stage Monday. He had Wi-Fi issues while accessing the New York Times website during a demo with iPhone 4, and of course it led to the awkward pause where he asked the over 500 Wi-Fi users in the room to please unplug their computers and stop liveblogging (of course, not everybody complied). But were those users the problem? NPR cornered Glenn Fleishman for an explanation, and he says while that many Wi-Fi users might not have caused problems, many of the people in the room were using MiFis, the personal wireless network devices that aren't necessarily designed to be used so closely together. It wasn't a bandwidth problem then, Fleishman suggests, but an interference problem, with local Wi-Fi likely giving way to the vast noise from other devices. Fleishman also says over at Ars Technica that there might have been another issue: the iPhone 4's pre-release network drivers. If you look at how the iPhone actually behaved, it's apparent that the software might not have been ready to deal with everything happening during the keynote. Of course, that doesn't mean that iPhone 4 will have issues at release -- Apple tests these devices thoroughly, and we couldn't imagine Steve releasing subpar drivers on the iPhone. Even if the drivers were the issue, obviously we'd never heard that from Apple. But Steve's irritation at Monday's keynote may have been slightly misplaced -- there were probably a few different factors going into the reason he couldn't load a page in Mobile Safari.
Skype calls not allowed over iPad 3G connections
During our live iPad 3G first look this afternoon, TUAW readers were able to confirm that Skype calls still cannot be placed over the iPad 3G's cellular network connection. The Skype application will not connect those calls, telling users that, "You need WiFi to call over Skype." So what's the reason for this? "Skype calls over 3G networks are currently not allowed due to contractual restrictions." This should not come as a surprise. Skype has yet to release an iPad version of their software, and the iPhone-specific application has not received an update since early April. Testing the software on the iPad only confirmed that the same old things continue to work the same old way, regardless of the platform they were run upon. So why the big interest?
WSJ: CBS bringing free HTML5-encoded TV shows to the iPad, ABC plans detailed
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that ABC and CBS are hard at work adapting episodes of their TV shows for the iPad, with both set to offer streamable programming to new slate owners immediately upon launch. Their delivery strategies diverge slightly -- ABC will use the app that was unearthed (and confirmed by us) this morning whereas CBS will stream through the browser (hello, HTML5!) -- but the eventual user experience will be a commercial-supported affair that should be familiar to those who've used their respective online streaming services already. All that remains now is for NBC and Hulu to fall in line, as expected, and your portable media consumption menu will be complete. It'll also be interesting to see what happens to iTunes Store pricing for episodic TV programming, which will soon be up against free (or in Hulu's case, potentially subscription-based) alternatives. Update: And here comes the official presser for ABC's plans, alongside ESPN SportsCenter XL and a handful of Disney apps.
AT&T says Verizon's first LTE phone is 'going to be a fat brick'
Ooh wee! Verizon and AT&T are getting all hot and bothered over the forthcoming LTE battle -- a battle which much like the current map wars, you can expect to grow weary of in about two minutes. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal today, both carriers have put reps in the limelight for a volley of tough talk. For starters, AT&T's CTO John Donovan claimed that Verizon was jumping the gun with its first-on-the-scene LTE rollout, suggesting initial devices are "going to drain the battery like crazy, and [they're] going to be a fat brick," noting that "2012 will be the time when you'll have decent handsets." Donovan lumped on the hits by also saying that "Anyone who says their network is ready for the iPhone -- or the broader mobile data explosion that AT&T has experienced -- is being naive." Of course, Big Red didn't just sit there and take it -- spokesman Jim Gerace fired back that "No matter how much our competitors talk, it's not going to slow us down," though he offered no further comment on the insults' stride-breaking potential. Both parties were mum on just how fleeced the consumer would be getting once the LTE pricing plans are announced, of course.
RIM CEO claims we are staring 'down the barrel of a capacity crunch,' should all get BlackBerrys to prevent it
Capacity crunch, isn't that a breakfast cereal? RIM's Mike Lazaridis seems to have been a real grouch at MWC this week as apparently he hasn't stopped talking about the doom and gloom awaiting mobile carriers over the next few years. Focusing on the bandwidth-hungry North American market, Lazaridis has criticized the apparently irresponsible network saturation growth, which he sees as being primarily driven by app-centric operating systems. If you're wondering who he could possibly be referring to, let Mike clarify it -- according to him, you could carry five BlackBerry devices for each iPhone on a network. As evidence of his firm's focus on efficiency, he points us to that freshly demoed WebKit browser, which he claims uses a third of the bandwidth required by the competition from Apple and Google. If only he wasn't implying that owning a BlackBerry would save the internet, Mike's sales pitch would be rather compelling -- those are mighty impressive numbers he is citing.
