802.11n Delayed to 2008
An anonymous slashdot reader writes "Looks like we have to wait some more for 802.11n and promised 100 Mbps speeds. IEEE has delayed ratification of the standard until 2008, yet again, due to continuing problems with interoperability and too many comments from chipset manufacturers and other interested parties. Analysts are telling firms not to deploy n until the new standard is ratified."

There's still controversy brewing over the demonstration of a wireless-networking flaw using a MacBook at the Black Hat security conference.
At the Las Vegas event earlier this month, the researchers demonstrated how a flaw they found in a wireless driver could allow a hacker to gain control of a notebook, such as the MacBook they used during their presentation. But although they noted then that the flaw applied to a driver for a third-party wireless card, in an interview with the Washington Post's Brian Krebs, they said the flaw also applied to Apple's wireless drivers.
But the SecureWorks researchers have still not shown any proof that Apple Computer's wireless hardware and software is flawed, despite the claims that it was vulnerable, Lynn Fox, an Apple spokeswoman, said in a statement. "SecureWorks has not shared or demonstrated any code that is relevant to the hardware and software that we ship," she said.
SecureWorks has put up a notice on its site explaining that the demonstration of the exploit used a third-party add-in wireless card, not Apple's internal wireless chips. SecureWorks will not disclose which third-party wireless card they used until a patch is released, they said on their Web page.

Apple Denies Wi-Fi Flaw, Researchers Confirm
Glenn Fleishman writes "Apple tells Macworld.com that the Wi-Fi exploit demonstrated at Black Hat 2006 in a video doesn't show a flaw in their hardware or software. A third-party USB adapter with different chips and drivers was used, and Apple says the two researchers haven't provided Apple with code or a demonstration showing a working exploit on Apple equipment. The researchers added a note at their Web site confirming that only an unnamed third-party adapter was used. This doesn't mean the researchers have no flaw to show, but rather that their nose-thumbing at Apple users who were too secure in their security was misplaced, at least at present. The researcher's claim that they were providing information to Apple now seems off-base, too.

Web giant Yahoo has fixed a security flaw in its Yahoo Mail service that exposed user accounts to cyberattacks.
The flaw involves how Yahoo Mail handles attachments and was discovered in early August by Israeli security company Avnet, according to various online news reports. An attacker could hijack a user's account after a malicious attachment was opened, these reports said.
"Online security issues are taken very seriously at Yahoo. We developed a fix for this bug and deployed it last week," a Yahoo representative said Thursday.
Because Yahoo Mail is a hosted service, users don't have to take any action to be protected against potential attacks that exploit the flaw, the representative said. "There were no documented cases of this vulnerability being exploited prior to our fix being released," the representative said.
The flaw could let an attacker craft an HTML attachment to an e-mail and bypass Yahoo Mail's security filter to execute malicious JavaScript code, according to an IDG News Service report Thursday.

GPS Map Viewer for PSP Released
Deniska has released a GPS Map Viewer for the PSP. The program uses imagery from Google Maps, which currently has pretty good coverage of North America, Western Europe, Australia, Japan. There's also a video on YouTube. According to the post, map data can be retrieved via WiFi or an external GPS receiver. This story selected and edited by LinuxWorld editor for the day Saied Pinto.

Boeing Scraps In-flight Internet Access
According to the BBC, Boeing has recently announced that it has abandoned Connexion, its in-flight broadband service. Said Boeing CEO Jim McNerney: 'Regrettably, the market for this service has not materialized as had been expected. We believe this decision best balances the long-term interests of all parties with a stake in Connexion by Boeing.'

Federal judge orders halt to NSA spy program. Warrantless surveillance program authorized by Bush administration is ruled unconstitutional and must cease immediately.

Google offers to track your music habits
Blog: Google is listening; but only if you want it to.The search giant is now offering to track the music you listen to on your computer... Er why? Uh itunes.

-even microsoft has given up on meshing with wi-max in the distance
and 802.11n in draft.
Google today announced availability of its first Wi-Fi network. Most
residents of Mountain View, Calif., can connect to the Internet via a
Mesh Wi-Fi network for free. Google said that its network "eventually
will cover the entire city" and serve as "testing ground for future
innovations."

According to a Google spokesperson, the installation of the Wi-Fi
network already had been completed and June and entered testing in
July. During a few weeks of testing, the feedback from users
apparently has been positive enough to convince the company to allow
general access to the network today.

In contrast to similar free Wi-Fi announcements around the U.S. which
are expected to offer free as well fee-based services, the Mountain
View service will be completely free. Google did not release technical
data such as the bandwidth of the network, but mentioned that the
network supports "Google Secure Access," a downloadable client that
uses an encrypted connection and Google's virtual private network
instead of the standard, non-encrypted Wi-Fi connect.

The Mountain View Wi-Fi service uses Mesh technology which allows a
notebook or other wireless device to connect to a network of routers
installed in the city area. The signal is routed through the network
back to Google, from where the Internet connection is provided. Any
user close to a router can connect to the network, but will need a
Google account to login - to prevent spamming, according to the
company.

Google believes that the service will "ultimately benefit" end users
and Google partners. "We're focused on the user experience, and we're
open to any opportunities and partnerships that have the potential to
significantly improve the way people access and use the Internet -
both today and in the future. As such, we hope the networks we're
focusing on - in Mountain View and San Francisco - will serve as a
testing ground for future innovations," the firm said.

In April of this year, Google and Earthlink announced that the two
companies will build a Wi-Fi network in San Francisco. Google will
offer free, ad-subsidized access with a bandwidth of 300 kb/s while
Earthlink will be providing a premium service with higher speeds for
$20 per month.

From CNET
Founder Kevin Rose dishes out Web 2.0 predictions
Founder Kevin Rose dishes out Web 2.0 predictions. Kevin Rose, the former "Dark Tipper" of TechTV fame, chats with CNET's Neha Tiwari at Digital Hollywood Building Blocks in San Jose, Calif. Rose, whose blog-based site Digg helps users browse and find interesting stories on the Net, speaks about the increasing popularity of video and predicts what his site's next gold mine could be.

Yeah right. As if this guy could even use core systems that make the current structure of the internet. What qualifies this guy.

CNET posted this:
Google Talk, which is celebrating its first birthday with an upgrade, will let people easily transfer files and leave other people voice mail beginning Wednesday.

WTF happened just to email?

Real to plug Windows media support into Linux
Will release open-source software that lets Windows video and audio format files play on a Linux computer.

Despite the various privacy concerns that have been repeatedly raised in regards to e-passports (especially at defcon and blackhat), the US is going ahead with their plans to launch the system today. Not all newly-issued passports will be RFID-enabled, since mass production has been held up by the ongoing legal dispute over the technology. The first passports to be issued will be those produced during the pilot run of the project, but the full roll-out should be completed in about a year. Including the extra $12 security surcharge slapped onto passports last year, the new and "improved" models will cost $97, the same as they do currently. If you're overly concerned about the security implications or potential apocalypse causation, you might want to nab a passport now, since traditional passports will be valid until their listed expiration date. We'll manage like usual: hills, tin-foil, condensed milk, etc.

The Transportation Security Administration said Sunday small doses of
liquid medication, low-blood-sugar treatments, solid lipsticks,
powdered cosmetics and baby food will now be permitted in carry-on
bags taken aboard planes, a change from rules put into place last week
after news of a terrorist plot involving flights between the United
States and United Kingdom.

Gels and liquids, including bottled water, toothpaste and bug sprays,
are still banned in carry-on luggage but allowed in checked bags.

The TSA also said that it will now require all passengers to remove
their shoes at security check points. Previously, removing shoes had
been encouraged but optional at most airports.

Exceptions to the no-liquid rules for carry-ons include baby formula
and breast milk, any prescription medicine that matches the ticketed
passenger's name, up to 8 ounces of insulin and up to four ounces of
non-prescription liquid medications.

Laptop computers, electronic devices and cell phones are still allowed
to be taken in carry-on luggage aboard domestic flights and flights
leaving the United States.

British authorities, however, continued their ban on any carry-on
luggage for flights leaving from airports in the United Kingdom. All
items, including laptops, purses, even books and magazines, have to be
checked, a situation that's created chaos at Heathrow Airport where
one-third of flights were cancelled due to the extra security
measures.

TSA officials said that travelers will continue to see an increase in
visibility and use of canine detection teams, and they will still
conduct random gate inspections and bag searches.

More information and a complete list of what's allowed and prohibited
in carry-on and checked baggage is on the agency's Web site at
www.tsa.gov.

The TSA said it couldn't provide a comprehensive list of every liquid
that inspectors might reject, but provided this list:

Make Up and Personal Items
— All creams and lotions (i.e. ointments, suntan lotion, topical creams)

— Bug sprays

— Bubble bath Bubble bath balls (that contain gel)

— Eye drops and gels Gel deodorants (solid stick is permitted)

— Gel caps

— Hair styling gels

— Hair sprays, including aerosols

— Hair straightener or detangler

— Lip gels and liquid glosses (solid lip glosses, lipstick and blushes
are permitted)

— Liquid foundations

— Liquid medications (up to 4 ounces of non-essential)

— Liquid sanitizers Liquid soaps (bar soap is permitted)

—Make up removers and facial cleansers

— Mascara

— Mouthwash

Nail polish

— Nail polish removers

— Perfumes and colognes

— Saline solutions

— Toothpaste

Foods and Drinks

—All beverages (excluding formula and breast milk) — Gel based sports
supplements

— Jellos

— Puddings

— Yogurts

Other Items

—Baby teethers (that contain gel or liquid)

Children's toys that contain gel

— Gel candles Gel shoe inserts

D'oh! China has banished Homer Simpson, Pokemon and Mickey Mouse from
prime time. Beginning Sept. 1, regulators have barred foreign cartoons
from TV from 5 to 8 p.m. in an effort to protect China's struggling
animation studios, news reports said Sunday. The move allows the
Monkey King and his Chinese pals to get the top TV viewing hours to
themselves.

Foreign cartoons, especially from Japan, are hugely popular with
China's 250 million children and the country's own animation studios
have struggled to compete. Communist leaders are said to be frustrated
that so many cartoons are foreign-made, especially after efforts to
build up Chinese animation studios.

The ban hasn't been formally announced, but newspapers already were
criticizing it Sunday as the wrong way to improve programming.

"This is a worrying, shortsighted policy and will not solve the
fundamental problems in China's cartoon industry," the Southern
Metropolis News said. "The viewing masses, whether adults or children,
will have no choice but to passively support Chinese products."

Chinese animators produce hundreds of hours of programs a year but
aren't known for flair or originality. They draw on traditional
stories such as "Journey to the West," about the adventures of the
Monkey King, and have yet to invent characters to match the appeal of
Mickey Mouse or Japanese icons such as Pokemon.

The cartoon campaign comes amid efforts by President Hu
Jintao's government to tighten control over other pop culture, ranging
from movies to magazines and Web sites.

TV stations have been told to limit foreign programming, stop showing
scary movies in prime time and have their hosts dress more
conservatively and use fewer English words on the air.

Most cartoons on China Central Television, the national broadcaster,
are Chinese-made. But more freewheeling local broadcasters show
everything from "The Simpsons" to Japanese, South Korean and European
cartoons dubbed into Chinese.

Film studios have been pushed to merge in order to create big,
well-financed competitors. Officials have set up 15 animation centers
to nurture the industry, invoking communist guerrilla vocabulary by
dubbing them "production bases."

"The reason for the regulation is clear. It is to protect domestic
cartoon production," the Southern Metropolis said.

The newspaper cited what it said was a recent study that found that 80
percent of Chinese children surveyed liked foreign cartoons and
disliked domestic animation.

Chinese studios employ thousands of skilled animators, but many focus
on doing work subcontracted by Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. and other
Western or Japanese studios.

Broadcasters were told to limit use of foreign cartoons in 2000 at a
time when Japanese animation dominated the market. In 2004, the
government stepped up controls, saying Chinese cartoons had to account
for at least 60 percent of the total shown in prime time.

In February, regulators banned programs that mix animation with live
characters in an apparent effort to protect Chinese studios, which
don't produce such programming. Regulators haven't released details,
but the ban could affect popular children's TV shows such as "Blue's
Clues" from the United States and Britain's "Teletubbies."

The government also protects Chinese film studios by limiting imports
of foreign titles. But that strategy appears to have backfired by
creating a market for pirated movies, which both foreign and Chinese
studios say robs them of box office revenues.

On Sunday, Chinese moviemakers accused TV stations of becoming part of
the nation's thriving movie piracy industry, airing up to 1,500
pirated Chinese movies a year.

Beijing also has thrown up barriers to other pop culture.

In April, the government disclosed it was no longer granting
publishing licenses for foreign magazines in an effort to protect its
domestic industry. That came after a joint venture that published a
Chinese edition of "Rolling Stone" was forced to dissolve after a
single issue.

InfoWorldMike writes "IDG News Service's Robert McMillan reports that researchers at French Ministry of Defense say vulnerabilities with open source office suite OpenOffice.org may rival those of Microsoft's version. With Microsoft's Office suite now being targeted by hackers, researchers at the French Ministry of Defense say users of the OpenOffice.org software may be at even greater risk from computer viruses. "The general security of OpenOffice is insufficient," the researchers wrote in a paper entitled In-depth analysis of the viral threats with OpenOffice.org documents. "This suite is up to now still vulnerable to many potential malware attacks," they wrote. The OpenOffice.org team has already fixed a software bug discovered by the researchers, and the two groups are in discussions about how to improve the overall security of the software. "The one real flaw in the programming logic has been fixed," said Louis Suarez-Potts, an OpenOffice.org community manager. "The others are theoretical.""

Yahoo! Mail service vulnerable to hacking

Exclusive: Simple security vulnerability allows hackers to gain
control over email boxes by sending malicious code. Yahoo: We are
distributing a repair
Ehud Kenan

A security vulnerability exposes Yahoo! Mail private mailboxes to
hackers, Ynet has learned.

A test conducted by Nir Goldshlager and Roni Bahar from the Israeli
security company Avnet shows hackers may gain access to Yahoo!Mail
users' mailboxes by sending an email message with a malicious code.

According to a test conducted by Ynet, and without disclosing the
process, a new email account was opened. An email message was sent to
that mailbox along with an html file with the malicious code, as an
attachment.

Opening the tainted email on Internet Explorer undetectably sends the
user's cookie to the hacker's server. The user is exposed to the
vulnerability without having to download or open the html file.

Full access to users' mailboxes

At this point, the hacker can retrieve the cookie from the remote
server, and gain full access to the user's mail box, with no time
limit. The hacker may read and send emails from the mailbox.

The hacker cannot change the password from within the mailbox, since
such an action requires entering the original password.

However, according to Goldshlager and Bahar, tools available online
may be used to retrieve personal information from the cookie. The
information may assist the hacker to use the password retrieval
system, normally used by users who forgot their password.
Alternatively, the hacker can exploit the vulnerability for performing
phishing and by sending different malicious code, he can direct the
user to enter his password in a site resembling Yahoo.

A user whose cookie was stolen may change his password, but it will
still leave the hackers with access to parts of the mailbox, such as
user's calendar.

Yahoo's spokeswoman, Kelley Podboy told Ynet: "Online security issues
such as this bug are taken very seriously at Yahoo! We have developed
a fix and are in the process of deploying it worldwide. Yahoo! Mail
users will not be required to take any action to be protected from
this exploit."