How BlackBerry got blindsided by the iPhone

Apple in 2007 introduced the world to the iPhone and the smartphone industry would be the same. In an instant, Apple's take on what a phone should look like and how it should operate became the de-facto standard amongst all manufacturers hoping to compete in the burgeoning smartphone market.And while some companies, like Samsung, ably adjusted their products accordingly, others, like BlackBerry, were completely blindsided by the new consumer-oriented smartphone market that had been created.It almost seems like ages ago, but BlackBerry devices in the early to mid-2000's were incredibly popular and represented the gold standard amongst smartphones. Yet once the iPhone was introduced, BlackBerry's fall from grace wasn't too far behind.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Charter reportedly close to $55 billion deal for Time Warner Cable

Charter Communications is said to be near a US$55 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable, a deal that would create a broadband powerhouse in the U.S.The deal could be announced as early as Tuesday, according to articles in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, the first to report the story.Charter also plans to acquire Bright House Networks, a smaller cable company. If successful, the deals would make Charter, currently the fourth biggest cable company in the U.S., second to only Comcast.This is Charter’s second attempt to buy Time Warner Cable. After its first offer was rejected, Comcast in 2014 made its own bid. That deal, however, fell apart in April after the Federal Communications Commission referred the proposed acquisition to a hearing in front of a judge. The move effectively killed that plan because of the time and effort it would have taken.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Charter reportedly close to $55 billion deal for Time Warner Cable

Charter Communications is said to be near a US$55 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable, a deal that would create a broadband powerhouse in the U.S.The deal could be announced as early as Tuesday, according to articles in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, the first to report the story.Charter also plans to acquire Bright House Networks, a smaller cable company. If successful, the deals would make Charter, currently the fourth biggest cable company in the U.S., second to only Comcast.This is Charter’s second attempt to buy Time Warner Cable. After its first offer was rejected, Comcast in 2014 made its own bid. That deal, however, fell apart in April after the Federal Communications Commission referred the proposed acquisition to a hearing in front of a judge. The move effectively killed that plan because of the time and effort it would have taken.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Attackers use email spam to infect point-of-sale terminals with new malware

Cybercriminals are targeting employees who browse the Web or check their email from point-of-sale (PoS) computers, a risky but unfortunately common practice.Researchers from security firm FireEye recently came across a spam campaign that used rogue email messages masquerading as job inquiries.The emails had fake resumes attached that were actually Word documents with an embedded malicious macro. If allowed to run, the macro installed a program that downloaded additional malware from a remote server.Among those additional programs, the FireEye researchers identified a new memory-scraping malware threat that steals payment card data from PoS terminals. They’ve dubbed the new threat NitlovePOS.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Memorial Day 2015

Military Graves

For those who do not know, today, in the United States we hold a day of memory — Memorial Day — for those who have fallen in the defense of the freedom of our Nation. This is different from Veteran’s day, a day which honors those who either are or have served in the US Military, in that it is focused on those who have died in the actual service of the United States — in the course of duty, as it is often said. From the original Presidential proclamation

On this Memorial Day, as we honor the memory of brave men who have borne our colors in war, we pray to God for His mercy. We pray for the wisdom to find a way to end this struggle of nation against nation, of brother against brother. We pray that soon we may begin to build the only true memorial to man’s valor in war–a sane and hopeful environment for the generations to Come.

As a veteran myself (9 years in the USAF), I find this day to be one of sadness and remembrance. My Grandfather died in the service, as have many of my other relatives, and almost Continue reading

Large scale attack hijacks routers through users’ browsers

Cybercriminals have developed a Web-based attack tool to hijack routers on a large scale when users visit compromised websites or view malicious advertisements in their browsers.The goal of these attacks is to replace the DNS (Domain Name System) servers configured on routers with rogue ones controlled by attackers. This allows hackers to intercept traffic, spoof websites, hijack search queries, inject rogue ads on Web pages and more.The DNS is like the Internet’s phonebook and plays a critical role. It translates domain names, which are easy for people to remember, into numerical IP (Internet Protocol) addresses that computers need to know to communicate with each other.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

New products of the week 05.25.2015

New products of the weekOur roundup of intriguing new products. Read how to submit an entry to Network World's products of the week slideshow.Persistence Technology for Dell Android DevicesKey features: Absolute has introduced its Persistence technology to Dell Android devices, allowing IT to remotely manage, track, and secure devices on or off the corporate network. More info.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

New products of the week 05.25.2015

New products of the weekOur roundup of intriguing new products. Read how to submit an entry to Network World's products of the week slideshow.Persistence Technology for Dell Android DevicesKey features: Absolute has introduced its Persistence technology to Dell Android devices, allowing IT to remotely manage, track, and secure devices on or off the corporate network. More info.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Sharp phone cameras play slow-motion video at 2,100 fps

Electronics maker Sharp is showing off smartphones that can play back video at rates up to 2,100 frames per second (fps) for a smoother slow motion effect.The struggling manufacturer’s latest Android flagship phones, Aquos Zeta, Aquos Xx and Aquos Serie, have cameras that can record at 210 fps in 854 x 480 pixel resolution (FWVGA mode) or 120 fps in full HD mode.When combined with frame compensation technology, the phone can play back video in slow motion at 2,100 fps in FWVGA or 1,200 fps in full HD. Sharp calls it the world’s highest-rate super slow motion playback for smartphones.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Amazon.com may be working on Etsy competitor

Amazon.com may be planning to set up a marketplace for craftsmen, a questionnaire posted on the company’s website suggests.A marketplace focused on artisan products, which seems likely to be called Handmade, would put the online retailer directly in competition with the Etsy forum, where 1.4 million active sellers push 32 million handmade items, vintage goods and craft supplies.Etsy sellers have received invites to sign up for the new section of the Amazon site, The Wall Street Journal reported.On Etsy forums, some users said they had received emails from Amazon that discussed the new marketplace for handcrafted products. Some Etsy sellers are already selling through the online retailer. Others appeared interested in the new marketplace proposed.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

BlackBerry cutting staff in smartphone unit

BlackBerry plans to lay off an unspecified number of staff in its devices unit, as it attempts to make that business profitable, while expanding in other areas.The smartphone company in Waterloo, Ontario, said in a statement over the weekend that it had decided to consolidate its device software, hardware and applications business, “impacting a number of employees around the world.”The company said that as it moves into the next stage of its turnaround, it aims to reallocate resources in ways that will “best enable us to capitalize on growth opportunities while driving toward sustainable profitability across all facets of our business.”The company had 6,225 full-time employees as of Feb. 28 this year, the end of its last fiscal year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

BlackBerry cutting staff in smartphone unit

BlackBerry plans to lay off an unspecified number of staff in its devices unit, as it attempts to make that business profitable, while expanding in other areas.The smartphone company in Waterloo, Ontario, said in a statement over the weekend that it had decided to consolidate its device software, hardware and applications business, “impacting a number of employees around the world.”The company said that as it moves into the next stage of its turnaround, it aims to reallocate resources in ways that will “best enable us to capitalize on growth opportunities while driving toward sustainable profitability across all facets of our business.”The company had 6,225 full-time employees as of Feb. 28 this year, the end of its last fiscal year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Full Adult Friend Finder database offered for $17,000

An unredacted version of a database said to be stolen from Adult Friend Finder is being offered for sale for 70 bitcoins, or around US$17,000.ROR[RG], the nickname of the person who claims to have breached the large online hookup site, wrote on Saturday in an underground forum that “I have had so many people ask me to buy the db today.”Seeking to capitalize on the momentum, ROR[RG]—who claims to live in Thailand—also offered to break into any company or website for 750 bitcoins, worth about $170,000.Fifteen files of data purported to come from Adult Friend Finder were posted to an underground forum in March. The files contained 3.9 million email addresses and in some cases the partner preference, gender, birth date, state, post code, language preference and IP address of users.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

iPhone 7 rumor rollup: iGPS and an Android Galaxy concept

How could Apple resist buying a company with technology dubbed iGPS? It fits right in along with the iPod, iPhone and iPad, no? While Apple doesn’t feel compelled to announce small acquisitions that the SEC doesn’t force it to disclose, news outlets this past week revealed that Apple has indeed snapped up a Bay-area GPS-focused company called Coherent Navigation that launched in 2008. Ironically, that company has fallen off the map, ditching its web presence, and revealing on its LinkedIn page that it has ceased operations.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Tutorial for creating first external SDN application for HP SDN VAN controller – Part 3/3: “Node Cutter” SDN application in perl with web interface

For best article visual quality, open Tutorial for creating first external SDN application for HP SDN VAN controller – Part 3/3: “Node Cutter” SDN application in perl with web interface directly at NetworkGeekStuff.

In this tutorial series, I will show you by example, how to build your first external REST API based SDN application for HP SDN VAN controller, with web interface for the user control. Target will be to learn how to use REST API, curl and perl scripting to generate some basic and useful code to view and also manipulate network traffic.

This article is part of “Tutorial for creating first external SDN application for HP SDN VAN controller” series consisting these articles:

In this Part 3/3, I will show you my first example SDN application that I have written just to demonstrate the combination of REST API interface with perl and the ability to have a web based interface for the user to this interface. Please note that this application is purely demonstrative on the REST API interface and Continue reading