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Studies suggest cellphone radiation doesn't threaten humans
No, the debate over the risks of cellphone radiation isn't over yet. The US National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program has published details of draft studies which suggest that normal cellphone radiation levels aren't harmful to humans. The research subjected rats to very high levels of RF radiation at 2G and 3G cellular frequencies, and produced results where there was no clear pattern of harm even at the exaggerated radiation levels.
Critical flaw forces Apple to push first automatic OS X security update
A critical security issue in the network time protocol (NTP) has prompted Apple to push an automatic OS X update to users for the first time. Google researchers discovered the flaw which could allow a remote attacker to "send a carefully crafted packet that can overflow a stack buffer and allow malicious code to be executed." NTP is a common protocol that's been successfully hacked before, so the security hole could result in remote DDoS attacks on many UNIX-based systems, including Linux servers and OS X. The US government deemed it serious enough to flag it, and at first Apple advised users of Yosemite, Mountain Lion and Mavericks to update "as soon as possible." However, several years ago it introduced an automatic OS X update system that requires no user action, and decided to deploy it for the first time ever. An Apple spokesman told Reuters "the update is seamless. It doesn't even require a restart." Update: Patrick Nielsen, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky told us the vulnerability is quite widespread. "The software is installed on everything from consumer gadgets to critical infrastructure; it's possible to execute malicious code on both servers and clients, a dream situation for worms which can spread very quickly by compromising servers and then all their clients," he said. What's more, many firewalls don't block attacks against NTP servers, especially in corporate networks.
Apple releases a security fix for OS X Network Time Protocol issue
Today Apple release a new security update for OS X's Network Time Protocol service. Apple recommends users with Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion install the update as soon as possible. There is no official word on what exactly the update covers. When you go to Apple's page for more information you are met with this update: For the protection of our customers, Apple does not disclose, discuss or confirm security issues until a full investigation has occurred and any necessary patches or releases are available. According to MacRumours the update apparently addresses a security issue announced by the U.S. government on December 19. The issue, originally discovered by Google's Security Team, gives attackers the potential to execute arbitrary code using ntpd privileges.
NTP reaches agreement with 13 patent defendants including Apple, Microsoft and Google
One of the original "non-manufacturing IP firms," NTP, has just signed an agreement with 13 of the companies it sued for infringing its email patents. The tech industry whales paying for licenses include Google, Microsoft and Yahoo on the software side; wireless operators Verizon, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile; and handset companies Apple, HTC, Motorola, Palm, LG and Samsung. If all the litigation is blurring together in your head, we remind you that NTP is one of the founding patent under-bridge dwellers who made lawyers' eyes everywhere light up with a $612 million payout from RIM back in 2006. That seemingly gave them the courage -- and bankroll, presumably -- to attack the above companies in 2010 for infringement of its eight wireless email patents, including push technology. The terms of the settlement weren't disclosed, but considering the dollars paid out by RIM, "we can imagine quite a bit," to quote Han Solo. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
Setting your iPad to the correct time may be harder than you think
Setting a computer to the correct time should be the simplest of tasks. It can easily be done by hitting a time server on the internet. Your home computers do it. Your iPhone gets the current local time from AT&T here in the states. It's a built-in feature of just about every computer OS. For iPad users, it's a different story. I noticed it the other day with my 3G iPad, when I saw that the tablet was six minutes ahead of my iPhone and MacBook Pro. I checked my desktop, and it was ahead of that too. It was equally ahead of my wall mounted Atomic Clock that gets the time from the National Bureau of Standards. My iPhone, the government clocks, and my desktop and laptops all matched. The iPad was clearly out of sync. I restarted the iPad but that didn't solve it. So I explored the iPad preferences, dutifully went to Date and Time, and guess what? There is no 'set automatically' option. There is one on the 3G iPad, but hitting a time server when connected to Wi-Fi is not exactly rocket science, so why isn't it an option on the Wi-Fi iPad? All you get is the manual setting option. Not exactly high tech.
NTP awakes, sues Apple, Microsoft, Google, HTC, LG, and Motorola over wireless email patents
Remember NTP? The tiny company with a portfolio of patents on wireless email technology that wrung a $612 million settlement out of RIM in 2006 after years of litigation? Well, get ready to fall in love all over again, because the company just sued Apple, Google, Microsoft, HTC, LG, and Motorola for the same thing. Given the company's protracted history defending its patent portfolio -- the RIM case alone took nearly five years and ultimately involved USPTO re-examining several patents, rejecting some and then ultimately declaring some others valid in 2009 -- we can't see any of this ending quickly or easily, especially with such formidable adversaries aligned as defendants. In particular, we'd note that Apple and Microsoft have a long history of cooperation and cross-licensing in the patent space, so we're sure their lawyers are ready to party down in lawsuit town, and adding Google, Motorola, HTC, and LG to the mix isn't going to make any of this easier for NTP. We'll see what happens -- this one's going to be long and messy. PR after the break.
TUAW Responds: NTP for the iPhone
TUAW reader Gert S. writes "Are you aware of any NTP application that could set the system time on an iPhone or Touch ? I was browsing through the bin directories and no NTP client was found. I sure could use this util, even on the command line, to ensure my clock is running on time." iPhone developer extraordinaire "core" to the rescue! In response to Gert's letter, core dashed off this iPhone-based NTP tool--because that's the kind of insanely wonderful guy he is. If you like core's development work and feel like droping a thank you note, you can contact him here.
NTP shows fall 2007 lawsuit fashions, sues AT&T, Sprint, Verizon
Remember those crazy sons of guns at patent holding firm NTP that ended up working RIM for a shade over $612 million? They're back at it, throwing lawsuits at AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon -- that's three of the States' four national carriers, in case you're keeping count -- for alleged infringements of eight patents involving mobile email. The firm seems to be something of a one-trick pony seeing how mobile email was the issue at hand with RIM and later with Palm; for a company that does nothing but sue other companies, two-thirds of a billion dollars seems like a plenty healthy bank account, but heck, what do we know? At this point, we're assuming that once they're done suing every company that's ever offered, used, or mentioned "mobile" and "email" in the same sentence, we'll finally be able to put this issue to rest -- but until that day comes, watch your back, folks, because NTP's back on the prowl.Update: Silly us for thinking NTP wouldn't just go ahead and make it a nice, round four! T-Mobile's been caught up in the suit, too, with its Sidekick services specifically called out (among others) for infringement of NTP's email patents.[Via Phone Scoop]
RIM reports revenue up 66 percent over last year
RIM, -- previously known as NTP's patent punching bag -- seems to have clawed its way out of the misery that was last year and is showing some signs of a pleasant recovery. The Canadian messaging monster is reporting preliminary earnings in the 4rth quarter of $930.4 million, up 66% from the same quarter last year -- though we suspect that the $612.5 million payout to NTP is reflected here. Year totals are equally impressive with sales of $3 billion, which is up a booming 47 percent. Aside from the financial mumbo jumbo, what really caught our eyes is the addition of 1.02 million new subscribers (in this quarter alone) giving RIM a fat total of 8 million happy messaging enthusiasts. In the spirit of keeping things moving on the Blackberry front, what we really need to see now is some WiFi goodness in a handset, mmmkay RIM?
NTP's lawsuit against Palm officially put on hold
We already know how all that fighting eventually proved futile for Research in Motion, but it looks like Palm just might escape its own bout with NTP unscathed. Thanks to a federal judge in control of the situation, a stay of proceedings in the patent infringement case has been granted, which means that Palm can sit back, twiddle its thumbs, and hope with everything it has that the ongoing review by the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) deems the issue invalid. Back in 2005, it was insinuated that patent owner's arguments were "nonpersuasive," but it still hasn't been thrown out just yet. Of course, if the past is any indication, Palm has about half a billion (if not more) reasons to hope it will be.
Palm sez NTP patents are invalid, refuses to settle
Following yesterday's surprising announcement that patent troll firm NTP is taking portable computing pioneer Palm to court over alleged IP infringement, the PDA and smartphone manufacturer has fired back with a statement detailing its position on the matter. While Palm corroborates NTP's assertion that the latter company had previously approached it about licensing the patents in question, it points out that all seven of them are still undergoing re-examination by the US Patent and Trademark Office, and all signs point to them being ruled invalid once the inquiry is complete. Therefore, Sunnyvale-based Palm has promised to "defend itself vigorously against the attempted misuse of the patent and judicial systems," which is the diplomatic way of saying that NTP won't see one red cent unless they pry it from Palm's cold, dead hands. Since the RIM / NTP fiasco took quite some time to wind its way through the courts, it seems that Palm is making the smart move here by stringing this along until the USPTO makes its final decision, but there's one thing it needs to bear in mind: NTP's got half a billion dollars to blow on legal fees, and since it doesn't actually do anything besides sue people, it can focus all of its energy and resources on this amusing but unhealthy lawsuit addiction.
NTP sues Palm; RIM seen quietly snickering
Given that it's been six months since we last heard from NTP, we figured that the company had taken its $612 million, paid its hefty legal fees, and moved onto something more productive -- like sitting on a private Caribbean island drinking umbrella-laden cocktails all day. Unfortunately, we neglected to take into account NTP's limitless desire for suing other companies dry. So, still needing more money, NTP has filed a patent infringement suit against Palm in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleging in a press release that "Palm's products, services, systems and processes infringe NTP's patents." In a related matter, Scrooge McDuck is suing NTP for infringing his patent on a gold coin-filled swimming room.[Via Reuters]
BlackBerry strikes back, countersues Visto
RIM isn't just taking that new suit of Visto's lying down, and have countersued, asking a federal judge to declare three of the patents in question invalid. We all know how well this worked out last time, and Visto has recently won a case with a few of these patents against Seven Networks, but RIM did manage to get most of NTP's patents struck down before that fateful settlement of theirs. Visto has 20 days to respond to RIM's claims, but we have a feeling they're not going anywhere. Let the games begin.
Patent holder Visto wants a share of that RIM pie
You know, it has been a bit RIM-patent-fiasco-free around these parts lately. But no worries, since Visto has decided to whip up a bit (more) patent trouble of their own. Fresh off a victory over Seven Networks regarding the same four patents that they claim RIM is infringing, and already mired in legal fights with RIM competitor Good Technology and Microsoft, Visto is looking for more, and they think they can get a payout from RIM. Visto wasn't clear as to what RIM technology is infringing on their patents, but they do mention "Visto's intellectual property serves as the basis for this industry's birth." Quite the strong words when going up against RIM, who had a slight influence on the birth of the wireless email industry if our memory serves us right. RIM believes that the Visto patents are invalid, and that Visto's victory over Seven Networks was in regards to a different type of technology than RIM's. Their patents are also dated before Visto's, but there's really no telling where this could go after the fiasco the NTP case turned out to be. We'll keep you posted.
Geoff Goodfellow, early inventor of wireless email, profiled
Back in the early 80s a man by the name of Geoff Goodfellow had an idea: to relay electronic mail from Arpanet to his alphanumeric pager. He published his concept on an Arpanet mailing list in 1982 (he called his piece "Electronic Mail for People on the Move"), and went on to found RadioMail in the early 1990s -- a wireless email service (surprise, surprise). After working with such small clients and partners as Ericsson, Motorola, and RIM, Goodfellow left the biz in 1996 and moved to Europe. But he was contacted in early 2002 by James H. Wallace Jr., a lawyer of patent-holding firm NTP, who thoroughly researched Goodfellow's contributions to wireless communications as they were gearing up to take on Research In Motion. In fact, Wallace once introduced Goodfellow thusly: "Geoff's the inventor of wireless e-mail. My client patented some of its implementation workings." The New York Times seems to think Goodfellow's prior art should have been disclosed during the RIM / NTP dispute, but wasn't; that Goodfellow should have been available as a fact witness, but wasn't. So why has no one ever heard of the talented Mr. Goodfellow? Because NTP paid him close to $20,000 for "consulting" in 2002, which included several sessions with NTP's lawyers in noteless meetings, as well as a contract and NDA that essentially barred him from discussing the case while it proceeded. You'll have to read the Times profile for the full story, but whether or not NTP acted ethically (or illegally), or preyed on Goodfellow's disdain for patents or his free-market attitude isn't exactly making the bad taste in our mouths from the settlement taste any better.
Danish server admin exposes D-Link's "NTP vandalism"
It seems that incompetence on the part of the coders who write network hardware manufacturing giant D-Link's router firmware, and possibly even more insidious willful ignorance at higher levels of the company, may force Denmark's only networked time server to permanently shut down its vital public service. Apparently thousands of Danish servers use Poul-Henning Kamp's pro bono publico NTP server to sync their own clocks -- which is hosted for free by the Danish Internet Exchange (DIX) with the understanding that it is restricted to server-level access, but whose address D-Link hard coded into their device firmware without ever having asked Kamp's permission. The traffic from D-Link devices consists of well over 75% of the packets that the server handles, and has caused DIX to hit Kamp with an $8,800 per year connection fee that may mean the end of the free service and extra work for those thousands of Danish admins, not to mention the embarrassment Danes will have to face when mocked for living in an NTP-free technological backwater (despite their army's snazzy MP3 pillows). Kamp claims that although D-Link is well aware of the issue (they've since updated some, but not all, of the firmware on their site), but instead of fixing their mistake and encouraging customers to upgrade their firmware, the company simply offered Kamp an unspecified amount of "hush" money that doesn't even cover his most direct expenses. Hey D-Link, please drop us a press release if and when you decide to address this issue, because we think your "NTP vandalism" isn't very cool.[Via The Inquirer]
