Issue 5, Volume 3

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T6 Commentary:  I received a lot of emails yesterday on the proposed XM-Sirius merger, the most links I have received on one issue ever. It really is too early to make any real sense of this as the actual filing details have yet to be released.  In short this will have no immediate effect on manufactures of receivers.

Here is what we do know in synopsis:

1. Both XM and Sirius radio are hemorrhaging money and neither has made any profit, despite big jumps in subscribers.  Investors are getting impatient waiting for returns as evidenced by both companies loosing stock value over the last year.



2. Satellite radio has heavy competition from Internet radio, HD radio and I-Pods (specifically Podcast shows)



3. Both the FCC and the Justice Department will have to chime in on this deal before any real movement can occur.  While each has reasons that sound similar, the legal basis of possible objections is quite different.

(DOJ – long standing prohibitions on any merger that would consolidate all resources to one owner.  FCC- a contractual statement in each license that directly prohibits the only two Satellite licenses from being owned by a single company.). 

I have found the Wall Street Journal reporting on this to be the clearest -  www.wsj.com  ( a paid subscription for the entire article is required).

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*PC-adellia   *

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Cisco Says 77 Routers Open to 'Drive-By Pharming'

Dubbed "drive-by pharming" by Symantec Corp. and university researchers who first publicized the danger in a paper, the attack involves luring users to malicious sites where a device's default password is used to redirect them to bogus sites. Once they are at those sites, their identities could be stolen or malware could be force-fed to their computers.

http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,129205/printable.html#

T6 Comment: The article points out that the best defense is to use ‘unpredictable’  passwords, not the default such  as the ubiquitous “admin”. Security experts have long suggested that a use of passwords with a mix of letters, numbers and special characters be changed every 6 months to a year .  It seems simple enough but too many install routers with out security such as WEP, WPA or Mac Filtering nor change the SSID name to something unique –( better yet, turn off the SSID broadcast as a further deterrent).  These few simple changes can greatly improve your chances of preventing unauthorized bandwidth sharing or worse –( yes, yes, those quasi- hackers among us will cry out how most ‘real’ IT security people see WEP and WPA as transparent and drop key phrases such as MAC spoofing.  But would you rather nothing ? Baby steps people! ).  The downside is more complicated network management, having to inconvenience  your clients with yearly updates to their computers – but is this not another service contract feature to offer ?

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Savvy Customers Know SSL, Study Finds

In a SSL consumer awareness survey released Tuesday by Entrust, Inc., the security company reported that nearly 85 percent of online customers now look for a specific icon or indicator—such as the familiar "padlock" used with SSL certificate technology—while they are shopping or conducting online business

Valid sites will cause the address bar to turn green, and information about the company operating the site and the certification authority (CA) that issued the certificate will be prominently displayed. Invalid sites will display a red bar.

Contrary to the Entrust's report, this study—which was also based on user testing—found that: the new EV certificates don't improve a users' ability to detect specific attacks; that the interface can actually be spoofed; and that training users actually decreases their ability to detect attacks

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2096884,00.asp

T6 Comment:  A really good example of ‘False Authority Syndrome’ which can both help customers identify secure sites AND lead them more readily to hacker sites.  So the bigger question is just how safe are corporate sites utilizing SSL technology not for commerce.  Do IT staff trust in SSL certificates and does training end users in using these tools actually encourage easier access for hackers ?

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Daylight-saving glitch threatens mini-Y2K

Daylight saving time arrives a little earlier — March 11 — and stays a little later — Nov. 4 — this year. And it’s bringing a problem along with it that could affect everything from stock trades to airline schedules to your BlackBerry

The problem won’t show up only in computers. It will affect plenty of non-networked devices that store the time and automatically adjust for daylight saving, like some digital watches and clocks. But in those instances the result will be a nuisance (adjust the time manually, or wait three weeks) rather than something that might throw a wrench in the works.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17135007/

T6 Comment: EVERYBODY PANIC !

Okay, got that out of your system?   Yes this is going to cause all sorts of issues for homeowners, universities and corporate scheduling.  Even Microsoft is warning outlook users to verify all appointments for several weeks after the change –(or until the original date comes around) – to verify all your contacts have updated their windows patches.  The point being: This new date has thrown everybody for a loop.  The article goes on to comment on how many older devices such as VCR’s and early DVD recorders do not have the ability to update firmware for this.  Expect lots of call from your clients on systems missing shows and blaming your install.

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* Format Wars *

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PS2 Sales Likely to Surpass PS3 Sales in 2007 and 2008

The Japanese research firm Media Create reported that PlayStation 2 (with a cheaper price and more games to play) beat its bigger sister PlayStation 3, on Sony’s traditional playground: Japan. That is not exactly bad news for Sony, but it’s bad news for those involved in manufacturing the PS3 with such huge costs and losses

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06078_PS2_Sales_Likely_to_Surpass_PS3_Sales_in_2007_and_2008.html

 

T6 Comment:   This raises questions about how anxious gamers are to get their hands on a cheap Blu Ray player that doesn’t (yet) have an attractive game-pack.

Wii out selling PS3 http://www.technewsworld.com/story/55494.html

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*H\DTV *

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FCC Asks For Digital TV Education Funds

the agency will use the funds to produce Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and printed and online promotions to inform consumers of the nation's switch from analog to Digital TV on February 17, 2009.

B&C says the FCC's campaign would include a "DTV Deputy" campaign to educate children on the digital transition and an effort to inform low-income and minority consumers.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/fccfunding020607.htm

T6 Comment: Well finally! How many pundits does it take howling about an obvious unprepared populace for the FCC to finally take notice? Evidently hundreds.  The article points to a focus on low income and minority consumers but given recent surveys nearly ½  of Americans have no idea HDTV rules could mean an end to their off air analog reception.  Much more work is needed.

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Big Game Spurs Big Demand for HDTVs

Money is no object to some sports fans who demand only the best for their Super Bowl parties this Sunday. Retailers say that when a team makes it to the big game, it spurs many of its fans to splurge on huge, high-definition TVs. The television itself is only part of the expense -- sound systems, installation and subscriptions to high-definition content can also run up a hefty tab.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/55505.html

T6 Comment:

It appears the year end numbers agree with this report –http://www.twice.com/article/CA6416383.html

BUT

Dramatic sales drops reported shortly after the super bowl. http://www.tvpredictions.com/npd022007.htm

YET

NPD repoorts that direct view CRT sales beat all others -- http://www.twice.com/article/CA6417862.html

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* Tech Arcane *

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The Birth of the Computer Virus

The first computer virus was created in 1982 by Rich Skrenta, who was 15 at the time and only wanted a way to share computer games with friends. He wrote a program called Elk Cloner that could be transferred from a floppy disk to a computer hard drive, where it would lay in wait for another floppy disk to be inserted.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7058872

T6 Comment: It always starts so innocently, does it not?  Expect to see the poem originally included in the code to start making its way into gaming and Software engineering jokes. I already want the T-shirt. 

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* New Media *

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Amp'd Mobile packs in Jack

Amp'd Mobile, a cell phone carrier with an entertainment focus, has signed deals with actor Jack Black and 24 executive producer Howard Gordon to produce original content.

Black, along with producing partners Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, will develop a series of comedy shorts this year for Amp'd Mobile based on their Channel 101 events

http://news.com.com/Ampd+Mobile+packs+in+Jack+Black/2100-1039_3-6156180.html?tag=nefd.top

T6 Commentary: Again I invoke the Swanni Sez inverse square law.  To wit: every time the pundit and HD blogger Phil Swann states no one really want to watch tv on their iPOD, Zune of Cell phone, the number of providers announcing plans to do so doubles.

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Net can't handle TV, warns Google

The Web infrastructure, and even Google's (infrastructure) doesn't scale. It's not going to offer the quality of service that consumers expect," Vincent Dureau, Google's head of TV technology, said at the Cable Europe Congress.

Google instead offered to work together with cable operators to combine its technology for searching for video and TV footage and its tailored advertising with the cable networks' high-quality delivery of shows.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2007/02/09/net_cant_handle_tv_warns_google.html

T6 Commentary: See issue 4 Volume 3 for more info and commentary on this issue.  Now do you see the why and where’s of the net neutrality fight ?  Remember “…its, its tubes..”

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New Radio Technologies Make Waves

Tech guru Mario Armstrong talks about satellite radio's effect on existing analog radio, and where high definition fits into the picture.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7363719

T6 Comment: link goes to audio file of NPR article. The show is a good primer on the HD potential content diversity and consumer demand for it.  My personal experience is that HD radio has not quite reached it goal of content diversity and the radio cost is prohibitive in comparison.  HD proponents state the initial cost of the radio is nullified by the ‘free’ content over time, not if you cannot find any commercial free content comparable to Sirius or XM.  I wonder just how similar to the initial HDTV specification which called for 720p resolution with the rest of the bandwidth to be used for ‘side channels’ of alternate programming, content and internet access.  With the upgrade to standardizing on 1080i and 1080p that has gone away.  How long before HD radio becomes standard with the analog signals going away – content choice again reduced to the trivial pap It is currently.

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WSJ: Joost to License Content from Viacom

Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. is expected to announce a licensing deal with Joost, a new Internet service that specializes in commercial video content, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The anticipated deal, which follows the recent collapse of similar talks between Viacom and YouTube parent Google Inc., involves licensing hundreds of hours of programming from Viacom cable

Earlier this month, Viacom demanded YouTube remove more than 100,000 Viacom video clips from the site

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2096713,00.asp

T6 Comment:  See Volume 3 issue 2 on the initial Joost announcement.  Started by Skype founder.   From all the news it appears Joost is the relationship the media companies want and while it is early days yet, I can easily see Joost fulfilling the promise of  Youtube’s  google relationship. 

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* Memory*

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DAVE beefs up wireless storage

That's short for Digital Audio and Video Experience.+

It's a tiny little portable storage device that comes with its own processor, one-inch 20-gigabyte hard disk drive with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

For about $150 to $170, the same price as a 2-gigabyte SD memory card you plug into a cell phone to hold video, pictures and music, DAVE synchronizes it all wirelessly within range.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/16625701.htm

T6 Comment:  to use with your Zune instead of the pathetic ‘squirt’ feature.   And before it get all the emails yes, I do realize this means it will be easier to pirate files between players.  And yes I have read Mr. Jobs  open letter on DRM. I have stated my support for DRM and against a culture of theft multiple time in this forum –( and numerous others) – so I will not belabor you, dear reader with it this time.   See T6 Issue 4 Volume 3

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* Working Knowledge *

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Vista may corrupt iPods, Apple warns

Apple Computer is warning customers who use the Windows version of its iTunes software to hold off upgrading to Windows Vista until it can release a patch to fix a number of serious compatibility issues, one of which could result in a corrupt iPod player.

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=0OEGFWYNZVPXCQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=197002852

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* In Memoriam *

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Remote control inventor dies

 
Robert Adler, 93, who registered more than 180 American patents during a lifetime of dreaming and tinkering, won an Emmy 

Award for the device in 1997 with fellow engineer Eugene Polley

In a 60-year career, Adler was best known for his 1956 Zenith Space Command remote control, a creation that changed the face of modern life.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10424912

T6 Comment: Ahh the ole Space commander. Does anyone else remember being able to turn channels with a slinky ?  The remote  is described on the Zentih Website as

“The transmitter used no batteries; it was built around aluminum rods that were light in weight and, when struck at one end, emitted distinctive high-frequency sounds. The first such remote control used four rods, each approximately 2-1/2 inches long: one for channel up, one for channel down, one for sound on and off, and one for on and off.”

http://www.zenith.com/sub_about/about_remote.html

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Check out T6’s ‘Culture Corner’ with links to bands you should know and Inspired technical links from those who inspire me.

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Does anyone actually read the liner notes? Let me know, the comments section of T6 is now open.  At the end of every issue find the Comments link.

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All quoted material is the copyright of the respective sites and \ or authors- except were noted or comments are clearly mine. 

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All t6 commentary opinions expressed are mine alone and are not necessarily those of Crestron Electronics, its employees, associates or even their families. Just my big mouth