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awk, Dell will not...
...annouce until after the holidays (imho) because they want to push out current inventory.
Next step in biometrics
By ROSEANNE GERIN
New security projects need common standards for exchanging data
Initial reports on the government's Registered Traveler program are promising.
"The feedback from the airlines and the traveling public was that it was a program that everyone was happy with and didn't want to see stop," said Larry Zmuda of Unisys Corp., regarding the pilot project that is using biometric identifiers to screen travelers and speed them through security checkpoints at five U.S. airports. Unisys is one of the prime contractors on the project.
But the project also faces a major hurdle if Transportation Security Administration officials decide to make it a national program and expand it to other airports. Currently, participants can use biometric kiosks only at the airports at which they registered. The next step for TSA is to adopt standards to make interoperable systems to allow rapid screening of Registered Traveler participants at all participating airports.
"Interoperability will be a big item, so a traveler entering one location can be transparent. ... Elsewhere around the world, similar programs are being explored," said Tom Grissen, chief executive officer of Daon Inc. of Herndon, Va., which supplies biometric identity management software for the program.
Registered Traveler is just one of a handful of the government's big biometrics projects that must adopt standards for interoperability. Government officials and contractors also are working to establish standards for the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (U.S. Visit) and Transportation Worker Identification Credential programs, two high-profile projects designed to improve security at the nation's borders and other sites.
Standards allow different biometric systems and devices to share information by establishing common formats, such as fingerprints, for representing and exchanging data. The National Institute of Standards and Technology for many years has been involved in setting biometric standards. The American National Standards Institute and the International Committee for Information Technology Standards also help create standards.
The Department of Homeland Security already has begun setting standards for facial recognition biometrics. In October, the department adopted its first biometric facial recognition standard that is consistent with international standards for applications that use biometrics, such as travel documents. The International Committee for Information Technology Standards, a standards development organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute, created the standard, which DHS will use as technical criteria in designing cameras and software for facial recognition.
"The adaptation of facial recognition standards is a first step in standardizing all types of biometrics, which is essential for the success of Homeland Security programs," said Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson in a department press release.
Growing government dependence on biometric solutions is fueling significant industry growth. Government spending on biometric technologies is expected to grow from $432 million in 2004 to nearly $1.8 billion in 2008, according to the International Biometric Group, a biometrics industry consulting firm in New York.
The government sector accounts for more than one-third of all biometric spending, which will grow from $1.2 billion this year to more than $4.6 billion in 2008, according to IBG, which measures only biometric hardware and software sales and not revenue from related professional and integration services.
But widespread adoption of biometric solutions depends on the creation and acceptance of biometric standards, to ensure that interoperable systems can identify users at all participating locations. A key challenge will be designing systems that protect privacy and alleviate fears of government abuse. Ultimately, it will have to be done on a worldwide basis to allow the free movement of goods and people.
"We must develop a set of international standards for capturing, analyzing, storing, reading and protecting biometric data to ensure maximum interoperability between systems and maximum privacy for individuals," said DHS Secretary Tom Ridge in remarks at the Asia-Pacific Homeland Security Summit Nov. 15. "The sooner the world community can embrace an international standard for biometrics, the quicker we'll be able to secure our borders."
SECURING AIRPORT TRAVELERS
The Registered Traveler program, which launched in the summer, records and stores passengers' biographical data along with a biometric fingerprint, iris scans or both. Unisys and EDS Corp. are the prime contractors leading the efforts at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, George Bush/ Houston Intercontinental Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
TSA extended the program through January 2005 to continue to study the program's feasibility and to collect more data before determining whether to introduce the program at other national airports and which biometric identifiers to use, said Darrin Kayser, a TSA spokesman.
TSA and companies involved in Registered Traveler have just started discussing standards and a common architecture for the program to let travelers use the program at all participating airports, Kayser and Grissen said.
Zmuda of Unisys said making Registered Traveler interoperable shouldn't be difficult.
"The thing that needs to happen is to establish one set of standards and rules, which TSA is looking to do, to make the playing field and all the players look alike," he said. "It's the next logical step to further the effort."
SECURING U.S. BORDERS
DHS' U.S. Visit program is another government biometrics project trying to make headway with standards. The program to track foreign visitors traveling on a visa requires most visitors to have two fingers scanned by an inkless device, and a digital photograph taken by immigration officials upon entry to the United States. The scans are then checked against law enforcement databases and other watchlists.
On Jan.5, U.S. Visit entry procedures started operating at 115 airports and 14 seaports, and DHS began pilot testing biometric exit procedures at one airport and one seaport. In mid-November, DHS started using biometric fingerprint scans and digital photographs at six land entry points in three states. The border security system is scheduled to be implemented by the end of 2004 at the nation's 50 busiest land entry sites.
DHS is not hampered by the lack of national biometric standards, said Kimberly Weissman, a department spokesperson. Of the 13 million visitors that have passed through U.S. Visit, the program has helped law enforcement officials identify and capture more than 330 criminals or individuals with immigration violations, she said.
Weissman also noted that the 9/11 Commission report cited U.S. Visit as the foundation upon which all border screening programs should be consolidated to allow for a fully integrated screening system.
Many foreign countries must also create machine-readable biometric passports that are acceptable for the U.S. Visit program, adding another twist to the interoperability issue. Congress is requiring citizens of 27 countries whose citizens can enter the United States without a visa to obtain passports with a biometric identifier, such as a digital fingerprint, by Oct. 26, 2005.
Most of these countries are in the European Union, but E.U. members will not be ready to issue biometric passports until the end of 2005, E.U. Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Antonio Vitorino said at a joint news conference with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft Oct. 1 at The Hague.
But DHS is addressing the issue by adopting biometrics standards set by the International Organization for Standardization, which will ensure interoperability for data exchange when required and make it lawful to exchange biometrics data, Weissman said.
DHS also is active in developing the Enhanced Information Travel Security initiative that will enable various national and international systems to swap real-time data without the need for centralized storage, she said.
"However, we are not designing our databases for direct exchange of biometric data with other nations," Weissman said. "We are very aware and cognizant of the privacy rights associated with the biometric data and associated information."
SECURING TRANSPORTATION
The program to create a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, also known as the TWIC card, is grappling with standardization issues.
BearingPoint Inc. and its team of subcontractors are developing a prototype common access credential for transportation workers who need physical or logical access to secure areas. The McLean, Va., contractor won the $12 million contract in August.
TSA kicked off its pilot project in November and is testing it in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Florida. The test phase will last seven months and eventually include up to 200,000 workers from the transportation sector in 34 additional locations in six states.
The program is being implemented in partnership with Florida, which passed legislation to adopt TWIC cards for its state transportation workers. The state's formal partnership with TSA defined requirements for background checks and state-of-the-art identification credentials for truck drivers, dockworkers and others who require unescorted access to secure areas within transportation facilities.
TWIC eliminates the need for workers to have numerous cards and pass through redundant background checks to enter secure areas at multiple facilities.
TWIC is following ANSI standards that are interoperable across vendors, said Conor White, chief technology officer at Daon.
It's still unclear whether other states and parties, such as airports or seaports, will align their worker credential systems with TWIC and adopt the same biometric standards.
he states and other ports likely would have to replace some of their legacy ID-verification systems that provide access control or tracking to adopt TWIC standards. So far, only Florida has taken the lead in this area.
"[They] must provide a secure credential but allow those legacy systems to be replaced," said Mark Heilman, executive vice president of business development at Anteon International Corp., a subcontractor on the TWIC contract. The company is completing site surveys, installation and training for all the systems to be deployed.
TSA said TWIC will be interoperable with any state systems because the program uses multiple technologies.
"The credential at each facility is identical and includes multiple data storage, so that it can be used with various legacy systems," Kayser said.
He added that both Georgia and the New York/New Jersey Port Authority have expressed interest in making their systems compatible and interoperable with TWIC. TSA and DHS also have monthly homeland security liaison calls with state representatives to share information, he said.
"Many states and ports are looking to stay current on what's happening with the TWIC program," said Daon's Grissen. "The intention from a technology perspective is to be very flexible, so different ports could adopt the technology and not have any interoperability issues."
Staff Writer Roseanne Gerin can be reached at rgerin@postnewsweekech.com.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/19_18/cover-stories/25088-1.html
NewHerb...
Looking to the services...
IBM is positioning to be a services/utility company. The PC is becoming a meter for digital services and IBM is going to own the meter. IBM has a 'trojan horse' on each computer where they can extract a fee for use (more on this below). IBM continues to get a revenue stream without any of the risk associated with the platforms.
Services run off the TPM. I think you will notice, if you read the IBM release closely, IBM is maintaining some things related to the platform and even their name will be used for a few years too.
Where are these services located on the platform?
---
IBM protects passwords with PC chip
Published: September 16, 2004, 6:18 AM PDT
By Ina Fried
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
IBM plans to start shipping its PCs with a new chip designed to thwart hackers by safeguarding passwords and other sensitive identity information.
Big Blue will be the first computer maker to use National Semiconductor's SafeKeeper Trusted I/O Device, which stores a computer's identity in silicon, making it harder for outsiders to access, the companies announced Thursday. It's adding the technology as part of an upgraded input-output chip, which is a secondary PC chip that shuttles data from various parts of a PC.
"Security, encryption and password management are key components of IBM ThinkVantage Technologies, which simplify the PC user experience and reduce management costs for organizations of all sizes," Clain Anderson, program director in IBM's PC division, said in a statement.
National Semi said that storing such information in hardware makes it inherently more secure than software-based approaches. The chip encrypts information using a code key only accessible to a specialized processor, protecting the information from outside hackers and user error and essentially locking it to the PC.
Such technology, commonly referred to as trusted computing, are part of an ongoing effort to better secure systems and protect digital information. Companies throughout the technology world have been working on a variety of methods to improve the reliability of authentication, including biometric approaches such as fingerprint readers and iris scanners. Microsoft, for example, last week introduced a keyboard that includes a fingerprint reader.
Some digital rights activists believe that the technology could stop the free flow of information among digital citizens.
The desktop chips cost about $5 in volume and are available now, National Semi said. A notebook processor, which costs $7 in 1,000-unit volumes, is expected to be available next quarter, the chipmaker said.
The security chip, used in IBM desktop computers that are shipping today, is now standard on almost every IBM PC instead of a special feature, National Semi spokeswoman Gayle Bullock said. The chipmaker also has a version for laptop computers, but she declined to comment on when it might be used.
IBM worked with National Semi to develop the chip, which replaces a dual-chip approach Big Blue previously used. Another National Semi representative, Jeff Weir, said Hewlett-Packard and Dell are expected to add the technology, meaning that they also could become customers for the company's security chip.
CNET News.com's Stephen Shankland and Rob Lemos contributed to this report.
http://news.com.com/2100-1029_3-5368442.html
Some additional releases related to this:
http://www.national.com/KRN/news/item/0,4111,109,00.html
https://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/press/member_releases/2004/SafeKeeper_FINAL_release9-14.pdf
Is IBM PC sell off preparation for a Power chip attack?
By Faultline
Published Tuesday 7th December 2004 12:29 GMT
Opinion Faultline would like to put forward another explanation of why IBM's PC business is suddenly up for sale, one that we haven't yet seen proffered in the various publications that have covered the news in the last few days.
IBM is effectively clearing out its unprofitable PC business, so that it can go into the PC chip business with its Power 5 chips. It can hardly sign up Hewlett-Packard and Dell as Power 5 customers while it competes head on with one of their primary businesses, and by selling off its PC division it takes away much of the friction with these two organizations.
There is no rule that says that the next generation of Linux desktops need to be powered by an Intel chip, and given the performance of the Power architecture, accelerating gently ahead of Intel's single core chip capability, it is a natural contender for the de facto chip to power Linux, not just on servers, where it plays right now, nor just on Supercomputers, but down also on Workstations, PCs, and under the power of CE Linux, on consumer electronics devices, cheap internet access devices and even mobile phones.
In fact Intel is the last chip base that a fresh market, like China, would want to embrace, given that any devices made using Intel chips can also be used to run copies of Windows, legal or otherwise, and China wants to steer a wide course around Windows, and instead develop its own architectures.
It is then perhaps no coincidence that IBM announced the creation this week of Power.Org from an event in China, and that it is a Chinese company Lenovo that is leading the charge to buy IBM's PC operations for some $2bn or so. Perhaps the quid pro quo is that IBM's Power chipset becomes the future Chinese server standard.
The story behind PowerPC has always been one of keeping sales of the chip healthy with a captive customer base, so that IBM could stay comfortably in the chip business (unlike, for instance, Sun).
By convincing Apple to use its chips all those years ago and by getting Motorola to second source and by using the same chip architecture in its servers, IBM has stayed in the race, but by using multiple cores on the same chip first, and promoting parallelism and inter core rapid communication, IBM has gone one better and is getting ready to steal Intel's crown. Also by adding Sony and Toshiba to its fan base with the Cell chip, as well as Nintendo and Microsoft on their games platforms, it has further guaranteed future sales for its Power based chips.
The shift threatens to completely re-write ownership of the control of the technology industry. In the process, in one fell swoop IBM may have grabbed all digital media device makers and given them a viable architecture for the future to compete with one dominated by Microsoft.
Since its early attempts a uniting a force behind its chipset, IBM has been waiting for a discontinuity in the progress of Intel and thinks it has finally found it in the switch to 64-bit computing, a shift that has so far eluded Intel.
First AMD offered its Opteron that was a hybrid, offering both 32-bit and 64-bit operations, as opposed to Intel's 64-bit only choice on Itanium. Secondly Intel was late into the game for multi-processor cores, something that it only committed to this year and will deliver next.
IBM said openly at its Power.Org launch that an architecture that needs to run on everything from a low priced, low battery draining mobile device right up through workstations, servers and its hugely powerful BlueGene supercomputing, it would always have to both come in on-chip clusters and it would also need to be possible for multiple chips to co-operate.
"The ARM chip and the Intel chips were fine for what they did and they were ok for the mobile and PC world, but for a world which requires lots of floating point calculations and handling of video from its chips, you are going to need a multiprocessor with a 64-bit architecture,"
"The traditional ways of making chips are reaching natural barriers and now integration is the problem to solve," said Nigel Beck of IBM at the launch.
Now through Power.Org IBM is making its play to open up the Power Architecture and take it into new verticals. Its announcement came with just 15 new members, none of them hugely influential on a global scale, and with Motorola and Apple, IBM's prior partners on the Power architecture, missing from the mix.
But the outing had a distinctly Chinese flavor, with Chinese chip maker Shanghai Belling promising to license the core, Culturecom building a tax organizer on Linux Power for China, Peking University offering remote access to test your Linux on Power applications, and IBM promising to add another 150 engineers to its Power Architecture Technology Center in Shanghai.
IBM also revealed that it has "cracked" wet immersion lithography, a faster process for making chips and also added new low-power "synthesizable" cores to its Power offerings.
Other members all announcing commitment to the Power Architecture included AMCC, Bull, Cadence Design Systems, Chartered Semiconductor, Jabil Circuit, Novell, Red Hat, Sony, Synopsys, Thales, Tundra Semiconductor and Wistron.
When asked why Motorola and Apple were not among the new disciples of Power.org Beck said, "Freescale (the part of Motorola that makes chips) Apple, Cisco and Xilinx are not announcing their support today for various reasons.
"Some of our partners just want to sit and wait until the rules and regulations of membership are worked out, others just may choose not the join.
"But they are all aware of the organization and we would expect statements from some of them in the near future."
Power.Org will take on the standards around the Power processors range, operating very much in the same vein as the Java Community Process. IBM wants to keep control of the core instruction set, but then again it hopes to put some silicon items outside this such as accelerators, so that the chips can become highly customizable without losing their shape.
"For instance one of our licensees has added Chinese language processing at the chip level," said Beck.
The diagram above is how IBM sees Power.Org being influenced and who it will work for as it tries to put in an ecosystem as fast as it can, while it still has Intel at a power disadvantage.
The first two standards that Power.org members will be asked to define are bus architecture and a reference specification for high volume servers.
The bus architecture will enable different components on the same "system on a chip" to work together. Standardizing the bus architecture eases the integration of technology from multiple vendors.
After this, and once the first meeting of Power.Org happens, the organization will set its own agenda, with IBM only able to rule on the central choice of the chip instruction set.
IBM may adopt a standards group, such as the IEEE to overseer the standards process later, but wants to ensure that the "rules and regulations" of the group are first established so that the standards process cannot be hijacked.
IBM in March this year already set up its PowerEverywhere initiative that led to a developer portal for Power and the recruitment of 1,500 developer members that were working on the Power architecture. It now intends to open this up and advertise if further afield.
Copyright © 2004, Faultline
http://www.theregister.com/2004/12/07/ibm_pc_sell_off_power/
cm, got some Al foil for my cap? eom
Just hooked up my new Dual 2.5 G5...
...with 2 GB of memory.
All I did was take the two drives out of my single G5 and swap them into the new computer and turn it on. It worked immediately.
The bluetooth found my Treo650, but there were no services usable between the two. So it goes - I will stay hardwired.
The liquid sound reminds me of the little office relaxation fountains, though I'm not hearing it now.
This thing is the fastest computer I've ever had (and seen).
Now for some serious video rendering and compression...
Advance apology if already posted...
I have taken a slight break for a friend out there in order to try and offer some thoughts on ARM. ARM and Wave go way back...
Again, aplogies if already posted. I do not mean to step on any toes...
http://arm.convergencepromotions.com/catalog/WaveSys.htm
http://arm.convergencepromotions.com/catalog/808.htm
and this:
Wave Systems has created the applet-development kit, which includes an ARM SDT (software-development tool kit) 2.51 Development Suite, an applet-development board with full I/O capabilities, and an Envoy device with an Embassy processor.
http://www.edn.com/article/CA54586.html
and finally...
ARM unveils new ARM11 CPU cores with trusted computing support
Oct. 13, 2003
ARM Ltd. announced two new ARM11 family microprocessors at the Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, CA today. The ARM1176JZ-S and ARM1176JZF-S cores, which feature support for ARM's security and power management technologies, are based on the ARMv6 instruction set architecture and are aimed at next-generation consumer devices requiring secure content and low power consumption. The new CPUs also power a new version of ARM's ARM11-based PrimeXsys Platform.
ARM says the new CPUs and PrimeXsys Platform are the first products to implement ARM TrustZone technology, announced earlier this year, which supports the enhanced security requirements of next-generation consumer and wireless devices, and are the first to integrate support for ARM's Intelligent Energy Manager technology which reduces processor energy usage by up to 75 percent.
According to ARM, TrustZone enables protection of code and data across the entire memory architecture, for the first time, in the embedded, portable, and consumer computing market space. The combination of TrustZone with trusted software can protect the operating system, the protocol stack and the network against attack as well as securing users' e-commerce data and downloadable applications, games and media content, the company said.
"For the first time, system designers can address security with the TrustZone technology at the very heart of their chip," said David Cormie, CPU product manager, ARM.
Other new features include:
* Support for the new ARM Intelligent Energy Manager (IEM) technology which reduces processor energy usage by up to 75 percent providing extended battery life or talk time for mobile users.
* The AMBA 3.0 AXI System Bus Interface for higher memory bandwidth, simplified interconnect design, and reduced time to market.
* ARM Jazelle technology, for efficient embedded Java execution.
* The ARM1176JZF-S core includes a floating-point coprocessor, which makes it particularly appropriate for embedded 3D graphics applications.
The processor cores and TrustZone technology support Windows CE based operation, and also Linux, Palm OS, Symbian OS. Both cores are synthesizable and are expected to achieve 333-550MHz worst-case performance on a range of 0.13-micron processes, ARM said.
ARM plans to release the new cores to ARM Partners in Q2 2004, and the PrimeXsys Platform will be available in Q3 2004.
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS5832521524.html
What does this have to do with Wave - or is it OT?
Thanks!
OT and interest to only the very long of the wave longs...
Dr. Patrick Nunally, the first CTO of Wave has been at Patriot for a while. Notice the news out of PTSC today. Intel really screwed that one up and I suspect someone is looking for a job.
And of course look at the PTSC move today as a result:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041208/flw007_1.html
In my opinion this is another ITRU, only instead of MSFT it is Intel.
It is all downhill from here! Intel validated, didn't do their ownership DD (someone is looking for a job now), and now this is a dollar + stock.
OT...Trusted Computer Solutions earns connectivity deal
By Doug Beizer
Staff Writer
Trusted Computer Solutions Inc. signed a $1.77 million deal with the U.S. Air System Command to build a system to allow secure connectivity between simulators with different security classifications.
TCS of Herndon, Va., supplies secure information sharing technologies to the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and commercial industry.
Typically, war-fighter simulators operate in controlled domains and cannot communicate with other simulators without risking accidental disclosure of sensitive data, company officials said. This isolation precludes exercises that mimic real-world operations. TCS’ system solves this problem by providing secure two-way automated transfer data.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/25071-1.html
OT...In response to HSPD-12, the NIST Computer Security Division has initiated a new project for Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal employees and contractors. A set of Federal Information Processing standards, guidelines, recommendations, and/or technical specifications has been identified as being needed to: properly protect the personal privacy of all subscribers of the PIV system; authenticate identity source documents to obtain the correct legal name of the person applying for a PIV "card"; electronically obtain and store appropriate biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, facial images) from the PIV system subscriber; create a PIV "card" that is "personalized" with data needed by the PIV system to later grant access to the subscriber to Federal facilities and information systems; assure appropriate levels of security for all applicable Federal applications; and provide interoperability among Federal organizations using the standards.
FIPS 201, tentatively entitled Personal Identity Verification Standard, is scheduled for development and promulgation by February 28, 2005, in accordance with the HSPD-12. Supporting guidelines, recommendations, reference implementations, and conformance tests will be developed as needed to support implementers and users of the PIV standard.
A draft project narrative and project briefing slides provide a current overview of the PIV project and the anticipated PIV standard. Additional information will be available on this website as this work progresses.
* November 8, 2004 -- NIST is pleased to announce the first public drafts of Federal Information Processing Standard 201 (FIPS 201), Personal Identity Verification for Federal Employees and Contractors, and Special Publication 800-73 (SP 800-73), Integrated Circuit Card for Personal Identity Verification. These publications are being published in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12 of August 27, 2004. The comment periods for FIPS 201 and SP 800-73 public drafts will be 45 days, ending on December 23rd, 2004. Please direct all comments and questions to DraftFips201@nist.gov. To view/download these two drafts, the README file and comment file.
http://csrc.nist.gov/piv-project/
Thought...
IBM sells the platform division and maintains ownership of the TPM and all future services. They become the utility company for their deployed TPMs. This way they get someone else to take all the appliance supply chain/manufaturing/distribution/business model risks associated with hardware while maintaining a revenue stream tied to the distributed platforms.
Wozniak's Wheels of Zeus Tackles Enterprise Data Encryption
December 2, 2004
By Ryan Naraine
Steve Wozniak's Wheels of Zeus is beginning to roll, and enterprise data protection is one destination on the Apple Computer Inc. co-founder's mind.
Wozniak offered a peek into his vision for the company on Ziff Davis Media's Security Virtual Tradeshow, where he introduced "wOz Location-Based Encryption," an application that uses GPS tracking within a wireless hub to encrypt and decrypt sensitive data for large businesses.
Wheels of Zeus, which launched in 2001 with backing from three big-name venture capital firms, has developed a wireless platform to power a range of location-based monitoring and notification services, and Wozniak believes data protection is a natural extension of the company's business.
"Hundreds of thousands of notebooks and laptops are stolen or lost every year and, when that happens, sensitive corporate data is gone out the door," Wozniak said, citing FBI statistics that show that 98 percent of all stolen laptops are never recovered.
eWEEK.com Special Report: Virtual Tradeshow: SecurityWith wOz Location-Based Encryption, Wozniak said companies can guard against the unauthorized removal of data outside of safe zones by using GPS tracking tied to the proprietary wOzNet, which serves as a local wireless network.
The application involves the use of a dongle attached to the laptop that communicates wirelessly with a base station controlled by an enterprise IT department.
According to Wozniak's vision, the IT department sets specific "safe zones" where the laptop/device can be used, allowing an environment where the location of the laptop is known at all times and where access can be denied entirely if a safe zone is breached.
When the employee logs in, the device automatically requests valid zone information from the dongle. Once the preset zones are approved, the dongle regularly requests GPS positioning as a key to decrypting data to allow access. All the while, Wozniak said the internal base station is continually checking with the dongle for disconnect.
Once everything clears approval, the dongle decrypts the data based on the preset zone data. This, Wozniak explained, would automatically block an employee or a thief from picking up a laptop and moving out of a building without the IT department's approval.
He said the true value of the application kicks in when there is unauthorized removal of a device containing corporate secrets. "Remember, the dongle is constantly requesting GPS positioning, so once there's an out-of-zone reading, it triggers an automatic encryption of data, and alerts are sent to on-site security or to relevant authorities.
"The dongle can be programmed to delete data or shut down sections of the device. Once the computer is removed from the physical zone, the keys are lost or unavailable, and the hard disk is gibberish," Wozniak added.
Next Page: No dongle, no critical data.
What if the dongle is removed? "It is automatically detected by the base station and reported immediately. Decryption of the data is done through the dongle, so no dongle means no use of critical data," Wozniak explained.
Using device-location history, a cookie-crumb trail will help with retrieval of the stolen or lost laptop, he said.
In highly sensitive environments, the application can be integrated with audio alerts and sensors to trigger early warnings, said Wozniak, who is president and chief technology officer of the Los Gatos, Calif.-based Wheels of Zeus.
PointerFor insights on security coverage around the Web, check out eWEEK.com Security Center Editor Larry Seltzer's Weblog.
"The biggest benefit of this is very simplified usage," he said. "The company defines where the computer can or can't be used. You set up the PC to operate in one location, but not others, and you can also approve operation in multiple environments, all based on GPS tracking."
Throughout the entire process, Wozniak said the encryption key is controlled in a central location through a secure transmission. Because the wOz Platform and the wOzNet network are proprietary, he said it is not open to Wi-Fi spoofing or password sniffing.
eWEEK.com Special Report: Cyber-CrimeFor companies with mobile work forces that move from location to location with laptops, he said the application may require multiple base stations.
Wozniak did not provide details on pricing for the application or a timeline for release. Company officials could not be reached to discuss commercial rollout.
Wheels of Zeus already has a deal with Motorola Inc. to develop devices and services for location-based monitoring of pets and other important possessions, but not much is known about the types of devices being created.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1734857,00.asp
OT...Wozniak's Wheels of Zeus Tackles Enterprise Data Encryption
December 2, 2004
By Ryan Naraine
Steve Wozniak's Wheels of Zeus is beginning to roll, and enterprise data protection is one destination on the Apple Computer Inc. co-founder's mind.
Wozniak offered a peek into his vision for the company on Ziff Davis Media's Security Virtual Tradeshow, where he introduced "wOz Location-Based Encryption," an application that uses GPS tracking within a wireless hub to encrypt and decrypt sensitive data for large businesses.
Wheels of Zeus, which launched in 2001 with backing from three big-name venture capital firms, has developed a wireless platform to power a range of location-based monitoring and notification services, and Wozniak believes data protection is a natural extension of the company's business.
"Hundreds of thousands of notebooks and laptops are stolen or lost every year and, when that happens, sensitive corporate data is gone out the door," Wozniak said, citing FBI statistics that show that 98 percent of all stolen laptops are never recovered.
eWEEK.com Special Report: Virtual Tradeshow: SecurityWith wOz Location-Based Encryption, Wozniak said companies can guard against the unauthorized removal of data outside of safe zones by using GPS tracking tied to the proprietary wOzNet, which serves as a local wireless network.
The application involves the use of a dongle attached to the laptop that communicates wirelessly with a base station controlled by an enterprise IT department.
According to Wozniak's vision, the IT department sets specific "safe zones" where the laptop/device can be used, allowing an environment where the location of the laptop is known at all times and where access can be denied entirely if a safe zone is breached.
When the employee logs in, the device automatically requests valid zone information from the dongle. Once the preset zones are approved, the dongle regularly requests GPS positioning as a key to decrypting data to allow access. All the while, Wozniak said the internal base station is continually checking with the dongle for disconnect.
Once everything clears approval, the dongle decrypts the data based on the preset zone data. This, Wozniak explained, would automatically block an employee or a thief from picking up a laptop and moving out of a building without the IT department's approval.
He said the true value of the application kicks in when there is unauthorized removal of a device containing corporate secrets. "Remember, the dongle is constantly requesting GPS positioning, so once there's an out-of-zone reading, it triggers an automatic encryption of data, and alerts are sent to on-site security or to relevant authorities.
"The dongle can be programmed to delete data or shut down sections of the device. Once the computer is removed from the physical zone, the keys are lost or unavailable, and the hard disk is gibberish," Wozniak added.
Next Page: No dongle, no critical data.
What if the dongle is removed? "It is automatically detected by the base station and reported immediately. Decryption of the data is done through the dongle, so no dongle means no use of critical data," Wozniak explained.
Using device-location history, a cookie-crumb trail will help with retrieval of the stolen or lost laptop, he said.
In highly sensitive environments, the application can be integrated with audio alerts and sensors to trigger early warnings, said Wozniak, who is president and chief technology officer of the Los Gatos, Calif.-based Wheels of Zeus.
PointerFor insights on security coverage around the Web, check out eWEEK.com Security Center Editor Larry Seltzer's Weblog.
"The biggest benefit of this is very simplified usage," he said. "The company defines where the computer can or can't be used. You set up the PC to operate in one location, but not others, and you can also approve operation in multiple environments, all based on GPS tracking."
Throughout the entire process, Wozniak said the encryption key is controlled in a central location through a secure transmission. Because the wOz Platform and the wOzNet network are proprietary, he said it is not open to Wi-Fi spoofing or password sniffing.
eWEEK.com Special Report: Cyber-CrimeFor companies with mobile work forces that move from location to location with laptops, he said the application may require multiple base stations.
Wozniak did not provide details on pricing for the application or a timeline for release. Company officials could not be reached to discuss commercial rollout.
Wheels of Zeus already has a deal with Motorola Inc. to develop devices and services for location-based monitoring of pets and other important possessions, but not much is known about the types of devices being created.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1734857,00.asp
OT...I.B.M. Said to Put Its PC Business on the Market
By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN and STEVE LOHR
Published: December 3, 2004
International Business Machines, whose first I.B.M. PC in 1981 moved personal computing out of the hobby shop and into the corporate and consumer mainstream, has put the business up for sale, people close to the negotiations said yesterday.
While I.B.M. long ago ceded the lead in the personal computer market to Dell and Hewlett-Packard so it could focus instead on the more lucrative corporate server and computer services business, a sale would nonetheless bring the end of an era in an industry that it helped invent. The sale, likely to be in the $1 billion to $2 billion range, is expected to include the entire range of desktop, laptop and notebook computers made by I.B.M.
The retreat from the business may be the ultimate acknowledgement that the personal computer has become a staple of everyday life, a commodity product, yielding very slim profits. The companies that make the most money from PC's these days are Microsoft and Intel - whose software and chips are the standard for most of the personal computers sold, regardless of the maker.
According to the people close to the negotiations, I.B.M. is in serious discussions with Lenovo, China's largest maker of personal computers, and at least one other potential buyer for the unit. Lenovo was formerly known as Legend.
A spokesman for I.B.M., Edward Barbini, said last night, "I.B.M. has a policy of not confirming or denying rumors."
If I.B.M.'s personal computer business ends up being sold to Lenovo, it would continue the migration of high-technology manufacturing to China and Taiwan.
In the 23 years since I.B.M. lent its prowess in mainframe computers to the production of desktop machines, it has been widely criticized for having destined the machines to commodity status by giving Microsoft and Intel the rights to those essential standards. And although Apple Computer holds less than 4 percent of the personal computing market worldwide, it has been able to command relatively high prices and richer profits because it has controlled the software and hardware that goes into its machines.
A sale of the personal computer business would be a step away from I.B.M.'s traditional emphasis on the size of its revenue as a measure of its corporate power. The PC business represents about 12 percent of I.B.M.'s annual revenue of $92 billion.
For nearly a decade, though, some industry analysts have urged I.B.M. to get out of that business as it made only a modest profit or lost money. For this year, analysts have expected a pretax profit of less than $100 million.
I.B.M. executives long resisted that course, arguing that personal computers were technology products its corporate customers wanted. It held on to the business on the theory that it helped hold on to customers.
But in the most recent quarter, I.B.M. ranked a distant third in worldwide PC sales, with 5.6 percent of the market, according to Gartner, the market research firm. Dell was the leader with 16.8 percent of the world market, and Hewlett-Packard, which has absorbed Compaq Computer, had 15 percent.
A sale now, if it happens, would be consistent with the strategy pursued by Samuel J. Palmisano, who became I.B.M.'s chief executive early in 2002. He has sold hardware businesses where profits were slender and growth prospects were limited, like its hard disk drive business, which was sold to Hitachi.
Instead, Mr. Palmisano has bet on expanding the company's services business, automating a full array of operations - from product design to sales-order processing - for corporate customers. I.B.M. now casts itself as a company that does not simply sell technology but serves as a consulting partner to help its customers use technology to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of their businesses. As part of that strategy, he bought PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting for $3.5 billion, in a deal that closed in October 2002.
"Palmisano's getting out of businesses that aren't growth opportunities and concentrating on what I.B.M. does best," said Mark Stahlman, an analyst at Carris & Company. "PC's are not where the growth is."
To trim costs, I.B.M. has steadily retreated from the manufacture of its PC's. In January 2002, it sold its desktop PC manufacturing operations in the Untied States and Europe to Sanmina-SCI, based in San Jose, Calif. I.B.M. now confines its role in PC's to design and product development out of its offices in Raleigh, N.C., with all the I.B.M.-brand desktop or notebook computers made by contract manufacturers around the world.
Leslie Fiering, a research vice president at Gartner, has predicted consolidation in the PC industry over the next few years.
"Exiting the market may be the only logical choice for global vendors bleeding profits and struggling for share," she wrote in a recent research report. And she noted that Hewlett-Packard, a broad-based technology company where PC's are only part of a much larger business, might face pressures similar to I.B.M.'s.
"The PC divisions of H. P. and I.B.M." Ms. Fiering wrote, "are vulnerable to being spun off if their drag on margins and profitability are deemed too great by their parent companies."
In the meantime, she said, Asian vendors like Lenovo "appear well positioned to leverage their strong local-market standing and low-cost operating models into a global presence."
Asia has increasingly become a major hub for technology manufacturing. More and more chip making is done in the contract factories, like Taiwan Semiconductor, and at new foundries in China.
Still, in the semiconductor industry, Intel and I.B.M. still have big factories in the United States, and Advanced Micro Devices, Intel's most prominent rival in chip making, has a leading-edge plant in Germany.
Personal computer making has followed the same path to Asia, especially in the case of notebook machines made in China and Taiwan. Lenovo has had long ties with I.B.M. It got its start in 1984 as a distributor of personal computers from I.B.M. and AST, the Taiwan PC maker.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/technology/03ibm.html?ex=1259816400&en=c60a66b7afa86173&ei....
alj14, re: the scope of this announcement...
...I concur.
One of the reasons TI 'gets it'...
Texas Instruments Inside?
Its Intel-like strategy: Get consumers to seek its chip technology in flat-screen TVs
Back in 1982, Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN ) had one of the hottest brands in techdom. Its digital watches and calculators were everywhere, as were its ads with TV icon Bill Cosby promoting its home computers. But when its PC business folded in 1984, so did TI's last attempts at mass marketing.
Now that's changing. In November, TI launched a major marketing blitz aimed at reintroducing itself to consumers while spurring sales of flat-screen TVs that use its digital light-processing chips. In TV spots that will air during peak viewing times, including the Super Bowl on Feb. 6, TI is promoting the picture quality of sets that use DLP, a proprietary technology that involves bouncing light off more than a million tiny mirrors. If the ads are a success, consumers could see TI start to position itself as a hip, innovative company behind a range of consumer products. "We're in an era where communications and consumer electronics are the most important [markets]," says Richard K. Templeton, who became CEO in May.
TI is taking a page from the famous "Intel Inside" ad campaign -- but success is not guaranteed. That campaign helped establish Intel Corp. (INTC ) as a brand consumers could trust when shopping for what was then a complicated and relatively new market for PCs. Intel also gave hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing funds to PC makers that used its chips. Many depended heavily on Intel, boosting its influence in the market. But TI isn't spreading marketing largesse; moreover, it's loath to risk alienating the manufacturers that buy its chips by doing anything that could undermine their brands.
Still, TI is eager to establish itself in consumer electronics. As home entertainment goes digital, it's looking more like PCs, where manufacturers' brands have less sway over buyers than those of Intel and Microsoft (MSFT ) Corp. "People are starting to look at what the components are," says researcher NPD Group Inc. analyst Stephen Baker.
That gives TI an opening. When the first TVs based on DLP hit the market in 2002, they quickly took hold as a viable alternative to plasma and liquid-crystal-display sets. The latest models are just seven inches thick, making them almost as slim and sexy -- yet they go for about half the price. In September, DLP sets accounted for 28.1% of the big-screen market in North America, neck and neck with plasma and LCD. Sales should reach $750 million for TI this year, says American Technology Research analyst Erach Desai, up 127%.
PLASMA POWER
With the peak TV-buying season approaching, TI and its customers know their growth is vulnerable. Digital-TV sales are expected to rise 70% this year. But with prices falling rapidly, plasma sales soared 58% from August to September, compared to 28% for DLP sets, according to NPD. So in addition to its TV advertising, TI is also installing slick in-store displays with retailers such as Best Buy, hoping to promote what they claim is the superior picture quality. One factor in TI's favor: DLP sets typically come in much larger sizes than plasmas, making them a more popular choice for sports nuts and home-theater enthusiasts. The upshot: DLP should continue its strong growth even if ever-cheaper flat-panel technologies like plasma grab more share. "I think they have an opportunity," says American Technology Research analyst Erach Desai.
A harder task may be establishing TI's brand in other categories. TI is the No. 1 seller of chips for cell phones, supplying the brains of the snazziest multimedia models in the market. But cell-phone makers are unlikely to cede space on handsets for TI's logo. And it's far from clear that buyers would search out the chipmaker in a crowded consumer-electronics market even if they knew who it was. "It's an uphill battle," says Silicon Valley marketing consultant Regis McKenna.
Still, as technologies converge, chipmakers are assuming more influence over the design of electronic products. That may help them play a bigger role in marketing, analysts say. TI recently announced plans to add digital TV to cell phones by 2007. If that's not a gizmo fit for a Super Bowl ad, what is?
http://yahoo.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_49/b3911045_mz011.htm
secur_observ, I don't necessariy disagree with parts of what you are saying.
I have heard through the grape-vine that Sony is fighting against Apple in music space, particularly in Canada.
MIO41, Sony is using...
...technology they acquired from InterTrust, or so I hear.
iPod article in Scientific American...
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0009FBE2-96F2-119B-96F283414B7F0000&sc=I100322
Wave Systems financials released...
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=wavx
OT - Apple Developers for open source project...
...a very interesting project. I had the opportunity to see a demo of this application using WinXP and I was stunned. Not only can you capture an A/V but align it on the fly with a powerpoint (for example), THEN 'videomark' areas and tie it to an XML link for use with browser.
This needs to be in the Mac world. Fortunately it is an Open Source project.
http://epresence.tv/
Tec background (notice ePresence 2.7)
http://blog.epresence.kmdi.utoronto.ca/
RWK, how about...
...the billing solution being an applet? A great trial would be with Lufthansa for their in-air, wireless Internet.
OT...Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) today announced that it has sold its total holding of 32,265,561 shares in Vivendi Universal (Paris: 12777.PA and NYSE:V). The transaction, which closed yesterday, will provide Philips with proceeds of approximately EUR 720 million, and will result in a non-taxable gain of approximately EUR 300 million in the fourth quarter. Prior to this transaction, Philips' holding represented approximately 3.0 percent of Vivendi Universal's outstanding shares.
OT OT svenm...
You have a PM.
And the other piece of the puzzle...
http://www.x86-64.org/
Intel® EM64T FAQ's [I'm curious if anybody else notices something of interest located within this FAQ?]
Q1: What is Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology?
A1: Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology, or Intel® EM64T is an enhancement to Intel's IA-32 architecture. The enhancement allows the processor to run newly written 64-bit code and access larger amounts of memory. These extensions do not run code written for the Intel® Itanium® processor. Click here for a more detailed description of Intel® EM64T. Further details on the 64-bit extension architecture and programming model can be found in the 64-bit Extension Technology Software Developer's Guide.
Q2: Why is Intel introducing another 64-bit processor? Is there room in the market for two 64-bit processors from Intel?
A2: The server market segment is almost $50 billion and a "one size fits all" approach cannot address the unique computing needs companies require. We offer two architectures and will continue to invest in both. Keep in mind that 64-bits alone does not significantly change the fundamental features or performance of a processor. Intel® EM64T is one of a number of platform innovations Intel is delivering to enhance Intel's IA-32 platforms. Other enhancements include Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, PCI Express*, DDR2 memory support, enhanced power management, SSE3 instructions and high-definition audio. As Intel's flagship enterprise architecture, the Itanium® processor family is Intel's highest performance and reliability product for the business critical high-end server and technical computing market segments. It is successfully penetrating the multi-billion dollar high-end server and technical computing market segments dominated by RISC--based systems. These markets require much more than just 64-bits - the scalability and reliability of the Itanium processor family are paramount.
Q3: Which Intel processors support Intel® EM64T and when will they be available?
A3: On February 17th, 2004, Intel announced the company will add Intel® EM64T to its IA-32 processors code named Nocona (Intel® Xeon™ processor for dual processing servers and workstations), Potomac (Intel Xeon processor MP for multi-processing servers) and Prescott (product for uni-processor servers and workstations). This was an initial technology disclosure. Intel will, and has provided additional details as the introductions of these various products occur. Refer to http://developer.intel.com/hardwaredesign/processors.htm for details on which processors support Intel® EM64T.
Q4: Why is Intel doing this now?
We have looked at this since the late 1990s and have been pragmatic in our approach to bringing products to market that have complete platform, operating system and software support, beyond just a feature in a chip. We have said we would do this based on customer request and when the initial ecosystem was available. For servers and workstations, that criterion is starting to be met at the time our products are targeted to launch with this technology.
Q5: How will the performance of 64-bit Itanium® and 64-bit capable IA-32 processor based platforms compare?
A5: The Itanium processor family is and will continue to be the highest performing and most reliable product family we offer for high-end, multi-processor systems. We will provide more performance details on 64-bit capable IA-32 processors and their platforms when launched later this year.
Q6: Is Intel® EM64T the same technology used in the Itanium® 2 processor?
A6: No. Intel® EM64T is an extension to Intel's processors based on the IA-32 architecture. The Itanium processor family is based on the EPIC architecture. These are two separate families of processors based on two different architectures. The Itanium processor family is specifically designed for the most demanding mission critical applications.
Q7: Can the newly launched IA-32 Execution Layer run the new Intel® EM64T code?
A7: We will consider providing that capability if and when customers request it.
Q8: Which O/S (Operating System) will support Intel's processors with Intel® EM64T?
A8: The following O/S vendors have announced product support for Intel® EM64T. Contact each vendor for more details.
Microsoft:
Microsoft has said they will make 64-bit extended operating systems and compilers available in 1H '05. Contact Microsoft for additional details.
www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/feb04/02-17ExtendedTechnologyPR.asp
Red Hat:
Future versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux will support Intel® EM64T
* Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 update 2
o General availability completed on 5/19/04
Available via Red Hat Network https://rhn.redhat.com to Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscribers. Contact Red Hat for additional details.
SuSE:
Production support now available in:
* SL9.1
* SLES9
Contact SuSE for additional details.
Q9: Is it possible to write software that will run on Intel's processors with Intel® EM64T, and AMD's 64-bit capable processors?
A9: Yes, in most cases. Even though the hardware microarchitecture for each company's processor is different, the operating system and software ported to one processor will likely run on the other processor due to the close similarity of the instruction set architectures. However, Intel processors support additional features, like the SSE3 instructions and Hyper-Threading Technology, which are not supported on non-Intel platforms. As such, we believe developers will achieve maximum performance and stability by designing specifically for Intel architectures and by taking advantage of Intel's breadth of software tools and enabling services.
Q10: How will Intel® EM64T work and what software is there to take advantage of 64-bit extensions?
A10: Development of a broad "ecosystem", ranging from processors, chipsets and tools to operating systems (O/S), applications, utilities and drivers is expected to take some time to develop. Platforms with Intel® EM64T can be run in three basic ways (note: a 64-bit capable BIOS is required for all three scenarios):
1. 32-bit O/S and 32-bit applications (Legacy Mode): No software changes are required, however the user gets no benefit from Intel® EM64T;
2. 64-bit O/S and 32-bit applications (Compatibility Mode): This usage requires all 64-bit device drivers. In this mode, the O/S will see the 64-bit extensions, but the 32-bit application will not. Existing 32-bit applications do not need to be recompiled, and may or may not benefit from the 64-bit extensions. The application will likely need to be recertified by the vendor to run on the new 64-bit extended O/S.
3. 64-bit O/S and 64-bit applications (64-bit Mode): This usage requires 64-bit device drivers. It also requires applications to be modified for 64-bit operation and then recompiled and validated.
Q11: Will the Intel IA-32 processor with Intel® EM64T have more registers than IA-32 processors today?
A11: Yes, Intel's IA-32 processors with Intel® EM64T have 16 General Purpose Registers (GPR's) and 16 XMM registers. The GPR's and XMM registers are 64-bits and 128-bits in width, respectively, in processors with Intel® EM64T. The additional registers are only used by applications running in 64-bit mode. IA-32 processors without Intel® EM64T have 8 GPR's and 8 XMM registers. The GPR's and XMM registers are 32-bits and 128-bits in width, respectively, in processors without Intel® EM64T. More details can be found in the 64-bit Extension Technology Software Developer's Guide.
Q12: Will applications written for the Intel® Itanium® processor family run on Intel's IA-32 processors with Intel® EM64T without being re-compiled?
A12: No. The instruction sets for Intel's Itanium processor family are different than the IA-32 processor family. Applications need to be compiled separately for each processor family.
Q13: I have two platforms: one based on the Itanium® processor family, and one based on an IA-32 architecture processor family with Intel® EM64T. Will the same 64-bit operating system work on both platforms?
A13: No. Different operating systems are required for each type of platform due to the different instruction set architectures. Contact your OS vendor to identify which operating system is needed for your particular platform configuration.
Q14: I have two platforms: one based on an IA-32 architecture processor family with Intel® EM64T, and one based on an IA-32 architecture family without Intel® EM64T. Will the same operating system work on both platforms??
A14: Yes, if you are running a 32-bit operating system on both platforms. Both platforms will run 32-bit operating systems which are available today. However, a 32-bit operating system will not take advantage Intel® EM64T.
If you want to take advantage of Intel® EM64T, the first platform will need to run an operating system designed for 64-bit extensions. Operating systems for 64-bit extended systems will not run on the second platform. Contact your OS vendor to identify which operating system is needed for your particular platform configuration.
Q15: Does Intel® EM64T include support for AMD's 3DNOW!* instructions?
A15: No. Intel's IA-32 architecture does not support the 3DNOW! instruction set today. This will not change with the addition of our Intel® EM64T.
Q16: What changes are needed for an IA-32 based platform to run a 64-bit O/S and 64-bit applications?
A16: To run 64-bit applications and a 64-bit O/S, a platform will need an IA-32 processor with Intel® EM64T, along with updated BIOS and drivers that have been modified for Intel® EM64T. Contact your BIOS vendor and adapter vendor to get the BIOS and drivers which have been optimized for platforms with Intel® EM64T.
Q17: Will existing 32-bit software run, without being re-compiled, on an IA-32 processor with Intel® EM64T?
A17: Yes, with some notes of caution. Refer to the 64-bit Extension Technology Software Developer's Guide for more details.
Running a 32-bit application on a 32-bit O/S, even with a processor with Intel® EM64T, will execute without issue. With a 64-bit O/S and a 32-bit application the processor is designed to support this mode of operation completely (this is called compatibility mode). It is possible, however, that some applications may have certain dependencies beyond the processor's control (e.g. dependencies on the O/S or drivers) which may cause the applications to not run as expected.
Q18: Does Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology work in conjunction with Intel® EM64T?
A18: Yes. Both 32-bit and 64-bit applications can take advantage of the threading parallelism and performance improvements enabled with Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology.
Q19: When will Intel make available a compiler which will generate optimized code for Intel® EM64T?
A19: Intel's Rev 8.1 Fortran and C++ compiler for both Linux and Windows* supports Intel® EM64T and is available now at www.intel.com/software/products.
Q20: When will Intel make available software optimization tools for Intel® EM64T?
A20: Production availability for Intel® Vtune™ Performance Analyzer for Windows* version 7.2 is targeted for November 2004. The Linux version 7.2 is targeted to be available by the end of Q4 2004. Both support Intel® EM64T and production versions can be found at www.intel.com/software/products. MKL performance library (version 7.01) is available only to Premier customers: the Windows* version is available now; the Linux version is targeted for October 2004 availability. IPP (version 4.1) is available now at www.intel.com/software/products.
Q21: Where can I get applications that have been optimized for Intel® EM64T?
A21: Contact software vendors for their schedules, pricing and availability of applications compatible with Intel® EM64T. Like any industry transition, we expect it to take time for applications to be ported to the 64-bit extended operating systems. By comparison, there are currently >1000 applications optimized for the Itanium processor family.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
http://developer.intel.com/technology/64bitextensions/faq.htm
Survey: Some iPod fans dump PCs for Macs
By Jo Best
http://news.com.com/Survey+Some+iPod+fans+dump+PCs+for+Macs/2100-1042_3-5465935.html
Story last modified Wed Nov 24 07:28:00 PST 2004
The popularity of the iPod could be boosting Apple Computer's financials in unexpected ways.
According to a survey of iPod users by financial analysis firm Piper Jaffray, Macs are basking in the reflected glory of the iPod, with some who own the music player saying they have already or are intending to ditch their PCs for Macs.
The research found that 6 percent of iPod users have made the switch. An additional 7 percent said they are planning to dump their old PC for an Apple machine, according to the survey.
Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray senior research analyst, said the iPod halo effect will make a difference to Apple for a while to come.
"We're in the very early innings of a multiyear trend," he said.
Among the factors influencing the PC-dumping crowd are ease of use, a focus on entertainment and the perception of better security.
The switchers, according to Munster, tend to be people who aren't necessarily techie types.
"A lot of people, with all due respect, don't understand the technology...They're people with money, not tech people," he said.
While Apple might see a healthy period ahead, to turn the advantage into long-term gain the company has to keep setting the design trends, according to the analysts.
"They've got to keep that 'cool factor' going," Munster said. "If they don’t, they're in trouble."
Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.
http://news.com.com/2102-1042_3-5465935.html?tag=st.util.print
Awk, I think TI gets it. eom
Dilleet, re: paranoia...
Identity theft and associated thefts are a real concern in my world - so, yes, I suffer from paranoia. I'm just reducing the odds. Having my life turned up-side down with the theft of my identity or banking information has me side on caution. Those that live purely in the Mac world have yet to experience this. But in the WinTel world it is everywhere. And we will not be safe forever.
I do relish the idea of not plugging in cables - but not until I can secure everything with a hardware solution instead of just a software solution.
Thanks for the thoughts!
OT ljk, re: duelie...
I finally used my Apple Developer discount. Now I can really start mixing video clips for our open source digital content library.
Processor 065-4803 2.5GHz PowerPC G5
Memory 065-5114 2GB MB DDR400 (PC3200)-4x512
Hard Drive 065-4982 250GB Serial ATA-7200rpm
Optical Drive 065-4928 8x Super Drive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
Graphic Support 065-4892 ATI Rad9600 XT x/128MB DDR
Gigabit Ethernet PCI 065-5080 None
Fibre Chl PCI 065-4491 None
Modem 065-5168 56k V.92 Modem
BlueTooth 065-4985 Bluetooth Module
Airport 065-4986 Airport Extreme Card
Keyboard Language 065-4923 Apple Keyboard & Mouse
Mac OS Language 065-4897 Mac OS X
Server Mac OS Language 065-4494 None
Custom SW I 065-4683 None
Custom SW II 065-4909 Final Cut Express
Country Kit 065-4894 Country Kit
dilleet,
I have been using a Samsung PDA/Phone for over a year and I had to get a conduit from Mark at MissingSync. However, once I had that conduit (it was very hard to find) my Samsung worked perfectly. I never had any truncated problems with my address book. The Samsung was running Palm OS 3.1.5 (I think). However, it lacked Bluetooth and that darned ear piece cable caught on everything.
I have not been a proponent of WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity between appliances. I'm very paranoid about security and now we know that a new virus that moves between Bluetooth devices is on the loose.
dilleet, re: bluetooth...
It is good to hear from you.
Actually the phone is wired in its sync. The headset is for the phone (of course). I have not tried the bluetooth sync with the Mac yet. I guess I could play around with that in the next couple of weeks.
I'm shocked that the phone actually sync'd right up without having to find a conduit.
We are finally getting respect!
My U2 iPod arrived today...
Not the same dial on it as on my white 15gb iPod. I am downloading my U2 songs at $99.00. 446 songs at $99 - couldn't do that well in a pawn shop. What is that - 22 cents per song?
Something else that is rather interesting and not related to the iPod. I got my new Palm Treo 650 today with blue tooth Jabra headset. This thing synced right up to my Mac! This is a first! In the past I had to find a conduit to connect.
I can't wait for my Dual processor machine...
OT... Thomson, VeriSign to build content security service
Service will secure delivery of content from online retailers, telecommunications firms, technology companies
By Scarlet Pruitt, IDG News Service November 23, 2004
Thomson said Tuesday that it is teaming up with VeriSign (Profile, Products, Articles) to build a digital authorization and authentication service that promises to secure delivery of content such as movies, music, and games.
The service, slated for launch in mid-2005, will be aimed at content providers such as online retailers, telecommunications firms, entertainment companies, and technology companies. It will offer transaction reporting and other back-office functions, the companies said.
Electronic management and distribution is a key strategy area for Thomson, which foresees a market boom as companies look to deliver the "triple play" services of voice, data and video, it said.
Just Monday the French consumer electronics maker said that it agreed to take a stake in digital rights management (DRM) company ContentGuard (Profile, Products, Articles) Holdings, along with Microsoft (Profile, Products, Articles) and Time Warner, and added that it plans to introduce a host of new services aimed at content owners.
However, a Thomson spokeswoman said Tuesday that the service planned with VeriSign is centered around developing platforms for processing transactions, and not DRM.
The joint service will incorporate VeriSign's authentication and network infrastructure, as well as its transaction authentication technology. Thomson also hopes to take advantage of the Mountain View, California, security company's strong relationships with major telecom companies, the spokeswoman said.
Meanwhile, Thomson said it will leverage the content preparation, management and distribution of its Technicolor division.
The companies are collaborating on developing proprietary technology for content authorization and authentication, as well as an interface for a variety of home networking devices, such as handhelds, computers and home video recorders, they said.
They did not disclose how much they are investing in the service.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/11/23/HNthomsonverisign_1.html
ease2002, for a precedent you might look at...
...InterTrust. Similar in that PTSC is going after Intel as InterTrust went after MSFT.
InterTrust was bought by Sony and Philips before the MSFT settlement.
The iPod did exactly what it was supposed to do...
...encourage switchers.
I was in a Bose store over the weekend getting a new set of head phones, and don't you know, they had an iPod plugged into a device they say is designed for interacting with the iPod and playing it over their speakers.
The help all said the iPod has increased their sales, especially the noise reduction headphones.