We knew Google had the power to remotely remove Android apps — Microsoft and Apple have backdoors into their mobile operating systems, too — but it’s always a little disconcerting to see a kill switch used. Such is the case today, as we’ve just heard Google unleashed the hounds this week, siccing bits and bytes of remote deletion power on a pair of “practically useless” but still Terms of Service-infringing apps. Curiously enough, Google admits that most who’d downloaded these programs had deleted them already, and that this “exercise” of the remote application removal feature was merely a cleanup operation. Google says users will get a notification beamed to their phone if an app is removed, however — so as Big Brother as that all sounds, at least the company’s being nice and transparent about the whole matter, eh?
Update: To be clear, the developers of the offending apps had already removed them from the Android Market, so this was technically a cleanup. The only question is why Google would go out of its way to mop up an app that absolutely no one would miss.
[Thanks, Matt]
Google flexes biceps, flicks Android remote kill switch for the first time originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You may not have an iPhone 4 yet — unless you lucked out on delivery, you’re probably still waiting in line — but if you did receive Cupertino’s latest opinion polarizing handset, you might have noticed it doesn’t come with a tool to edit all the 720p footage of jealous friends that you just shot. Thankfully that can be remedied with a portrait of President Lincoln, as iMovie for iPhone just went live — head on over to the App Store and drop your $4.99.
Update: Oddly enough, we’re not actually seeing iMovie in the App Store on our iPhone 4 — only in the desktop client.
[Thanks, Joel]
iMovie hits iTunes App Store, only for iPhone 4 (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You know that tiny little security snafu that allowed over a hundred thousand iPad users' email addresses out? The one that the FBI felt compelled to investigate? Well, Goatse Security -- the group that discovered that particular hole (stop laughing) -- isn't best pleased to be described as malicious by AT&T's response to the matter, and has requited with its own missive to the world. Letting us know that the breach in question took "a single hour of labor," the GS crew argues that AT&T is glossing over the fact it neglected to address the threat promptly and is using the hackers' (supposedly altruistic) efforts at identifying bugs as a scapegoat. As illustration, they remind us that the iPad is still wide open to hijacking thanks to a bug in the mobile version of Safari. Identified back in March, this exploit allows hackers to jack in via unprotected ports, and although it was fixed on the desktop that same month, the mobile browser remains delicately poised for a backdoor entry -- should malevolent forces decide to utilize it. This casts quite the unfavorable light on Apple as well, with both corporations seemingly failing to communicate problematic news with their users in a timely manner.
iPad still has a major browser vulnerability, says group behind AT&T security breach originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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CNN | Email this | Comments]]>You know that tiny little security snafu that allowed over a hundred thousand iPad users’ email addresses out? The one that the FBI felt compelled to investigate? Well, Goatse Security — the group that discovered that particular hole (stop laughing) — isn’t best pleased to be described as malicious by AT&T’s response to the matter, and has requited with its own missive to the world. Letting us know that the breach in question took “a single hour of labor,” the GS crew argues that AT&T is glossing over the fact it neglected to address the threat promptly and is using the hackers’ (supposedly altruistic) efforts at identifying bugs as a scapegoat.
As illustration, they remind us that the iPad is still wide open to hijacking thanks to a bug in the mobile version of Safari. Identified back in March, this exploit allows hackers to jack in via unprotected ports, and although it was fixed on the desktop that same month, the mobile browser remains delicately poised for a backdoor entry — should malevolent forces decide to utilize it. This casts quite the unfavorable light on Apple as well, with both corporations seemingly failing to communicate problematic news with their users in a timely manner.
iPad still has a major browser vulnerability, says group behind AT&T security breach originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Amazon has finally stopped teasing and let the 2.5 Kindle firmware update loose for all and sundry. It had become available as a download for international users a few days ago, and as of today their American counterparts can partake in the same manual update. But only if they wish to be proactive. All Kindles that have their wireless connections turned on will be getting the drop over the next few weeks. So what's all the fuss about? In version 2.5, you'll be able to organize books into collections (or folders as most of us call them), share favored passages via Twitter and Facebook, zoom and pan around PDFs, lock down your Kindle with a password, and enjoy the benefits of two added large font sizes and improved sharpness all around. If that sounds too appealing to wait for, hit the source link to find the manual download and install instructions.[Thanks, Jason]
Kindle 2.5 firmware now available for keepsies originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Amazon | Email this | Comments]]>Amazon has finally stopped teasing and let the 2.5 Kindle firmware update loose for all and sundry. It had become available as a download for international users a few days ago, and as of today their American counterparts can partake in the same manual update. But only if they wish to be proactive. All Kindles that have their wireless connections turned on will be getting the drop over the next few weeks. So what’s all the fuss about? In version 2.5, you’ll be able to organize books into collections (or folders as most of us call them), share favored passages via Twitter and Facebook, zoom and pan around PDFs, lock down your Kindle with a password, and enjoy the benefits of two added large font sizes and improved sharpness all around. If that sounds too appealing to wait for, hit the source link to find the manual download and install instructions.
[Thanks, Jason]
Kindle 2.5 firmware now available for keepsies originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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