Michael's Insight

Researchers find vulnerability in online encryption

Flaw Found in an Online Encryption Method [New York Times]

The protocol used to encrypt certian online transmissions might have flaws that could expose encrypted data to exploits. Used for online shopping, banking and other secure services, the protocol is supposed to keep data like credit card numbers secret from hackers that might attempt to snoop on Internet transactions.

Recently a group of computer scientists released a paper that indicates the system is not as secure as it should be.

From a basic level, data is encrypted with two sets of keys. The first is a random combination of two large prime numbers. The second is the product of the multiplication problem of those two numbers. Critical to encrypted data being impossible to break into is the randomness of the first two numbers. 

The scientists used a database of publicly available keys to determine that many of the prime numbers used in the first key were not as random as they should have been. In fact, in around two of every one thousand uses, the numbers weren't random. While that's a small percentage of all uses of the encryption protocol, it represents a small number of supposedly secure transmissions that could be cracked into by hackers.

Because the problem originates in the protocol itself, there's not a solution for end users. It will be up to individual web sites to make changes that eliminate the vulnerability.

Google circumvents Safari privacy controls

Google Under Fire For Circumventing Safari Privacy Setting [TechCrunch]

Google was caught last week circumventing the built-in privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser to install third-party cookies on users machines. Third-party cookies are typically used to track user web surfing habits across all web sites, not just the site that installed the cookie. The exploit could have allowed Google to follow all Safari users' web activity.

Safari is the default browser on all Macs and iOS devices. There's also a PC version available.

The problem was first documented by a Stanford graduate student and later became the subject of a Wall Street Journal article. Google used a hidden Javascript form to opt-in to third-party cookie installation, even if users had explicity blocked third-party cookies in their Safari settings.

Google claims the workaround was designed to allow its "+1" buttons to serve up personalized advertising for users with accounts on the search engine. Obviously, given the way Google achieved the third-party cookie installation and the lack of disclosure is concerning to privacy advocates.

Apple to preview next version of Mac OS

Meet Mountain Lion: The Latest Mac OS [All Things D]

Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will be released in a preview version this summer.

The most significant feature included in the newest Mac OS X version is full iCloud integration, including "Documents in the Cloud," which will allow documents created on a Mac to sync to the Cloud for use on iOS devices. 

Mountain Lion will also have extensive Twitter integration. Numerous applications will allow tweeting directly from the program. It will also include a new feature called the Tweet Sheet, which can be accessed through a new Share menu and will allow for sharing various kinds of media and writing tweets directly from the OS. Facebook integration is, expectedly, absent.

Mountain Lion also includes many popular iOS features, further blurring the lines between the two operating systems. For example, Messages will be added to Mountain Lion to replace iChat and sync with iMessages on other devices. Other iOS features Notification Center, Reminders, Notes, Game Center, and AirPlay will also be included in the Mountain Lion. 

In the past Apple has waited 18 to 24 months between OS upgrades, but Lion was released just last summer, so the release schedule appears to be speeding up. 

 

Kindle Fire is 14 percent of tablet market share in last quarter of 2011

Amazon Steals 14% Tablet Market Share In Q4, Apple Share Drops To 57% [Tech Crunch]

A recent report from iSuppli shows that the Amazon Kindle Fire has made an impact on the tablet market, which had previously been dominated by Apple's iPad.

Apple still has the lion's share of the market with 57% in the fourth quarter of 2011, but has seen its share drop for the first time. Apple had 64% of the market in the third quarter of 2011. Amazon, on the other hand, picked up 14% of the market in the fourth quarter after the Kindle Fire was released. Apple still shipped 15.4 million iPads in the quarter, while Amazon shipped 3.9 million Kindle Fires. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab and Barnes and Noble's Nook, which have both been around longer than the Kindle Fire, took third and fourth place with 8% and 7% of the market respectively.

Startup plans to stream broadcast television channels

'Aereo' To Test Copyright Law With Internet-Streaming TV Service [Multichannel News]

A new startup company backed by Barry Diller has launched in the New York City area and proposes to offer a novel way to watch broadcast television. Aereo will give customers access to live programming from FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS over the Internet.

The service also includes Internet-based DVR functionality and a guide. It will be available for viewing on phones, tablets, and connected TVs, as well as a few devices like Roku and Apple TV. It will also involve a monthly subscription that costs a bit more than Netflix.

But how is Aereo getting around the legal challenges that are sure to start popping up for offering this type of broadcast programming over the Internet? Other startups have attempted to stream over-the-air television, only to find themselves on themselves on the losing side of lawsuits launched by broadcasters.  

Aereo's headquarters is currently housing thousands of thumb-sized TV antennae – one for each Aereo subscriber. The company, with full expectation that broadcasters won't be happy about having their channels streamed over the Internet outside the retransmission consent process, plans to argue that because customers are technically watching TV via their own over-the-air antenna there is no difference whether they're streaming the channels or watching them on their own TV.

If Aereo's strategy is successful against an expected challenge, one wonders whether traditional multichanel providers could do the same thing.

Netflix planning additional original programming

Netflix Planning More Original Series [Broadband Reports]

Netflix's customer growth has begun to create larger demands from programmers whose core businesses are in competition with Netflix's on demand, commercial-free streaming. Several programmers and studios have been raising rates and creating longer delays in releasing programming in licensing deals with Netflix.

In response to the increase in fees being imposed on content, Netflix is investing in original programming. News of Netflix's original content investment broke when they announced plans to air a new show from David Fincher and Kevin Spacey named "House of Cards." At the time, Netflix said it was not considering original programming as a major future business, but since that time other original programs have been announced for the streaming service.

Netflix will soon be airing new episodes of the cancelled Fox show "Arrested Development."  The company has also committed to a new show called "Lillyhammer" starring Steven Van Zandt, and is also reportedly working on a comedy with the creator of Showtime's "Weeds."

Today's Netflix may have a different look in just a couple of years, with significant amounts of content that is available on traditional television.  It's a further confirmation that consumers are seeing more and more options in how they watch television than ever before.

Mobile video now accounts for half of all wireless data usage

Mobile Video Now More Than Half Of Wireless Traffic: Cisco [Multichannel News]

Cisco is out with its latest Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2011-16, and it contains some astounding data about consumers usage of mobile video.

By the end of last year, video viewing accounted for 52 percent of all wireless bandwidth usage. In the next four years, Cisco expects that to grow to 70 percent of all mobile data. Growth in video viewing was one of the main drivers that led to all mobile data usage more than doubling in 2011.

Cisco predicts that mobile data usage will increase by a multiple of 18 by 2016, totalling 10.8 exabytes used each month. 

 

Time Warner Cable brings live TV to the computer screen

Now Launching TWC TV for PC – in Beta [TWC Untangled]

Time Warner Cable has added yet another way to watch live television on something other than a TV screen. This week the nation's second largest cable provider announced the release of TWC TV for PC, allowing TWC customers to watch television on their computer (PC or Mac) via a Microsoft Silverlight powered web site. 

The site supports all recent version of major web browsers and is similar in functionality to the company's already released TV viewing apps for iOS and Android.

Customers can watch TV, control their DVR, view up to 7 days of guide information and search for specific shows. 

TWC is releasing the site as a public beta, which means there may be some issues in the early release that will be smoothed out over time. 

Boxee considering DVR functionality

Boxee may launch a DVR subscription service [GigaOM]

Boxee recently released an addition to its Boxee Box peripherial called the Live TV tuner, which provided users the ability to watch over-the-air broadcast TV via the set-top.

Since offering the Live TV tuner, Boxee has reportedly looked into adding DVR functionality to its set-top.

Boxee sent out a survey to its users during the past weekend that specifically asked about users' interest in and willingness to pay for DVR functions through the device, hinting at the possibility that the DVR functionality is under active consideration.

 

 

Google applies for satellite downlink license near Kansas City

Is Google planning to offer IP video to Kansas City? [Ars Technica] 

A recent FCC filing suggests that Google's Kansas City fiber project could include an IP-based video service.

The FCC recently reviewed an application from the company's Google Fiber subsidiary that proposed the installation of a fixed, C-band, receive-only satellite station to be placed about 200 miles northwest of Kansas City in the town of Council Bluffs, Iowa. The application states that the station would be used to provide analog and digital audio, data, and video services. The bands that the application proposed to operate within are used for satellite TV downlinks, which would be a necessary component of a IP-based video service.

The FCC has partially approved Google's application for the satellite station.

It's been ten months since Google announced Kansas City as the location of its fiber buildout project.

So far Google has not announced an interest in providing a video in Kansas City, but has admitted that they are continuing to explore the product offerings that will be made available via their fiber network there.

Is the TV economic model finally changing? Nielsen study reveals growing number of broadband video and broadcast TV watching households

Nielsen: Cord Cutting And Internet TV Viewing On The Rise [TechCrunch] 

A new study from Nielsen suggests that cable and satellite consumers are starting to say no to hefty rate increases.

According to this study the number of homes that rely solely on free, broadcast TV and broadband Internet has increased 22.8% over the past year, though the category still only represents 4.5% of all households. It's still a meaningful increase.

Frankly, this comes as no surprise to me.  Whether you get your television from a cable, satellite or phone provider, the video product is getting more and more expensive.  Ironically, it is getting more expensive primarily because of the soaring cost of programming while that same programming finds its way onto Internet delivery platforms such as Hulu Plus and Netflix.  No wonder some consumers are seeking alternatives.

In particular, local broadcasters that are affiliated with the four major broadcast networks and sports content are the primary drivers in making TV so much more expensive.  It has been reported that some of these stations have demanded up to 300% increases in their price to cable and satellite distributors upon renews of their contracts.  Something has to give.  

To be clear, Nielsen stops short of declaring all the households in the "Broadcast Only/Broadband" category "cord-cutters." Some growth could simply be former "Broadcast Only/No Broadband" households which have since upgraded to broadband Internet. Still, the growth of this group and its higher than average streaming video minutes is very real and should not go unnoticed by content owners.

Disney considering delay for releases on Netflix

Disney Might Line Up for 28-Day Netflix Delays [Gizmodo]

Just about every other major studio is doing it, and Disney appears on the verge of requiring a 28-day waiting period before new releases from the studio are made available on Netflix. Warner Brothers, Universal, and Fox all already have at least a 4-week waiting period.

Disney held an investor call this week and discussed the possibility of imposing the waiting period to protect the initial window of DVD and Blu-ray new release sales. 

While Disney is only considering the move at this point, there have been no mentions of when the move could become official. It's likely that a move would not only affect Netflix, but other rental services like Redbox.

Apple reportedly testing HDTV with Canadian companies

Why Telcos Would Be Testing an Apple iTV Prototype [Wired] 

It seems a few research labs in Canada received a prototype of Apple's new HDTV set – the iTV.

The news was shared by The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, who reported that the labs are owned by Canadian telecom companies Rogers and Bell. This would seem to suggest that Apple was at least considering taking a route similar to the one taken by Microsoft when it teamed up with Comcast and other providers to have TV services added to the Xbox, as opposed to Apple offering its own form of subscription video service.

The Globe and Mail went on to say that Apple was actively looking for a partner on the project with wireless and broadband capabilities. IHS analyst Jordan Selburn suggested to Wired that Apple would be more likely to reach out to a broadband and video company that had the most customers, given how Apple likes to make a big splash with its new products.

In addition to the report from Canada, a Best Buy survey leaked on Monday that asked buyers whether they would be interested in an Apple-branded television. Further, Apple was reported last week to be reaching out to suppliers for a display and other television set parts.

 

 

Amazon signs deal with Viacom for additional streaming video content

Amazon, Viacom deal brings more TV shows to Prime Instant Video service [EngadgetHD] 

Amazon Prime Instant Video has added a significant amount of new videos to its lineup from MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon and many other Viacom-owned networks. The two companies have official a new licensing deal, beefing up the offerings of the online video service. 

This addition brings Amazon Prime's movie and TV show offerings up from 13,000 to roughly 15,000. These Viacom titles will not, however, be offered through Amazon's a-la-carte video service.

Amazon currently provides the Prime Instant Video service as part of its Prime Membership – which also includes free two-day shipping on all Amazon orders.

The streaming video service market continues to heat up, with Redbox and Verizon having teamed up to join in the competition – along with other current Netflix competitors like Hulu Plus and potential major entrants Google and Apple.

Although these types of products certainly provide consumers with alternatives to cable's video packages, cable is also, by far, the best widely-installed technology to deliver these terrific new services.

 

Internet traffic dropped by 20 percent during Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLVI Drove Internet Traffic Down As Much As 20% [Multichannel News]

Network management firm Sandvine has crunched the numbers during last Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast, finding that Internet usage dropped as much as 20 percent during the game compared to the average Sunday evening. More than 111 million Americans were watching the game on television, with the interest in the game action and halftime show trumping Internet usage. The game was the 6th highest rated Super Bowl ever.

Sandvine found that NBC's first time streaming of the game online accounted for 6.2 percent of all downstream broadband consumption during the 9pm Eastern hour on Sunday. NBC has announced that 2.1 million watched some portion of the game online.

Netflix usage was one of the top victims of the game, with downstream traffic attributed to the streaming service dropping by as much as 40 percent during the game.

While it's clear from Sandvine's broadband traffic count that Americans still prefer watching the game on traditional television, the most important number resulting from the game, at least for this avid New York Giants fan, was the final score. Giants 21 Patriots 17.

Pew study finds that cable TV is now top source for campaign news

Pew: Cable is Top Source of Campaign News [Multichannel News]

Over the past four elections, cable news has grown in reach and now sits alone as the top source for campaign news for Americans.

According to a Pew Research study, 36% of people regularly tune in to cable news as their source for campaign news. While it's a slight drop from 38% during the 2008 elections, local broadcast TV news has dropped drastically from 40% in 2008 to 32% now.

Pew found that network TV news was the top source for 26% of Americans, with the Internet at closely behind at 25%. Newspapers continue to decline as a source for campaign news. Today, only 20% of Americans cite newspapers as the top source for campaign news. 

I wonder if Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert count in this.

Verizon and Redbox announce plans to create joint streaming/physical media video service

Verizon and Redbox team up to launch streaming and physical media service later this year [EngadgetHD]

Rumors of a merger or partnership between Coinstar – which owns the Redbox line of DVD/Blu-ray rental vending machines – and Verizon have had some light shed on them via a recent press release announcing that the two companies are joining to create a subscription service offering both physical and broadband streaming video content.

The joint venture, being called "Project Zoetrope," is designed to be a direct Netflix competitor by offering DVD and Blu-ray videos as wells streaming and downloadable content. Further details, such as pricing or packages that will be offered, are not yet known at this point, aside from the fact that the service is expected to be available for consumers in the second half of 2012.

It appears that the service will be available on non-Verizon devices and broadband providers.  Verizon does claim in the press release that it plans to "erase all technological boundaries."

Google announces Bouncer feature in effort to reduce Android malware

Google's Finally Cracking Down on Android Malware [Gizmodo]

A newly announced feature on the Android Market is aimed at eliminating malware from apps, an issue that's becoming more widespread on the mobile platform. The feature, named Bouncer, scans all of a user's apps and, without interfering with the user experience or with developers, finds any potential malware, spyware or trojans. 

Due to the open nature of the Android Market, where there is not a human review of submitted apps, it's good to see Google taking steps to eliminate the malware problem. 

In addition to detecting malware, Bouncer compares the actual functioning of an app compared to how the app should ideally be operating. It also checks out new developer accounts to ensure that they are not just old malware creators operating under new accounts.

According  to Google, Bouncer has been live for some time and the number of major malware attacks has dropped by 40%.

Facebook working to actually remove deleted photos

Over 3 years later, "deleted" Facebook photos are still online [Ars Technica]

Think those photos you deleted from your Facebook account are gone forever? No so, according to Ars Technica. While the photos may not show up on your profile's photo albums, they could still reside on Facebook's servers for as long as three years.

The tech blog checked into the issue in 2009, finding that "deleted" photos could still be accessed via a direct URL link to the photo. Facebook said at that time that it was working to remove backup copies of photos to prevent this phenomenon, but more than a year later the same photos were still available via their URL.

Now, three years after the original report, Ars Technica again checked to see whether the original deleted photos were still available via their URL and found that they were indeed. 

Facebook has responded that its content delivery network (CDN) has a malfunction that is keeping photos in backup. The social network is working to fix that problem so that photos that are deleted will not be available, even from a link, within 45 days after "deletion."

Chrome browser market share drops in January

Google Chrome Market Share Drops For First Time In Two Years [Tech Crunch] 

In January, Google knocked its own browser, Chrome, down in its search result rankings. Google took the action because an ad agency hired by Google paid bloggers to link to Chrome on their websites – a clear violation of Google's own policy.

As a result, Chrome has dropped in overall browser market share for the first time in two years. According to a report from Net Applications, in December Chrome occupied 19.11% of the browser market. In January, its share dropped to 18.94%.  

Before the demotion in Google's search result rankings, Chrome was the second result in a Google search for "browser." Google dropped it to the 50th result and is currently found on the 6th page of Google results for a "browser" search.

Mozilla's Firefox and Apple's Safari also saw slight drops in market share in January. Firefox dropped from 21.83% in December to 20.88%, and Safari dropped from 4.97% to 4.90%. 

Those drops benefitted Internet Explorer. For January, IE had a bump in browser market share, which has been rare since the introduction of Chrome in 2008.

Pirate Bay founders to remain in prison after losing appeal

Supreme Court of Sweden Upholds Pirate Bay Prison Sentences [Wired]

Some of the world's most notorious Internet pirates are going to remain in prison.

After being convicted in 2009, the founders of The Pirate Bay challenged their sentences to Sweden's Supreme Court. The sentences issued were 8 months for Peter Sunde, 10 months for Fredrik Neij, 4 months for Carl Lundstrom, and one year for Gottfrid Svartholm, along with over $6.8 million in fines.

The Supreme Court handed down its decision on Wednesday and upheld the full sentencing.  

The Pirate Bay founders, and their attorneys, felt very strongly that they were not guilty of the charges being brought over the pirated material that was shared through the site because the specific protected material was never stored on The Pirate Bay's servers. Instead, The Pirate Bay, through the use of BitTorrent, allowed users to share the content on a user-to-user basis.

Sunde went so far to say that he was "a pawn on the morally right side." He further said that he was proud of what he did and wouldn't have changed his involvement. 

The judge did not buy the argument and on Wednesday the Supreme Court of Sweden declared that they weren't buying it either.

Google TV software getting an update

Sony Google TV gets update this week, brings speedier Chrome and 3D Blu-ray support [Engadget]

This week Google unveiled an update to its Google TV product, which included an upgrade to Android Honeycomb 3.2, which the product is based on.

The update offers some notable improvements to the product. Many of the upgrades are aimed at increasing the abilities of Google TV-specific apps. For instance, Google TV devices will now support hardware acceleration and HTTP Live Streaming. There is also an enhancement of how Google TV identifies TV channels, making it easier for designers to include that information in their apps. 

Other improvements include speed enhancements for the Chrome browser in Google TV and 3D Blu-ray support for all Google TV Sony devices and TVs.

As for the Ice Cream Sandwich update, rumors suggest it could be released by the end of the year, and there could be smaller updates in the meantime focused on updating apps.

 

Boxee ending PC client application

Boxee officially pulls the plug on PC client [GigaOM]

Late in 2011, Boxee announced it was shifting all of its focus to the Boxee Box television peripherial and planned to shut down its computer based applications. That announcement is set to be enacted on Tuesday as Boxee plans to remove all copies of the Boxee app for PC, Mac, and Linux from its servers.

Boxee believes "the future of TV will be driven by devices such as the Boxee Box, Connected TVs / Blu-Rays and 2nd screen devices such as tablets and smartphones," according to the company's VP of Marketing, Andrew Kippen. Any future PC video-viewing will be done on laptops directly through browsers, as opposed to software on a home-theater PC, says Kippen.

This move has already drawn plenty of backlash from early Boxee adopters, but the focus on the consumer electronics market instead of PCs something Boxee had to do to keep up with the video streaming competition, like Apple TV and Google TV.

SlingPlayer now available for the Kindle Fire

SlingPlayer App Comes to Kindle Fire, Expanding the Tablet's Video Offerings [Wired]

Users looking for more video to watch on a new Kindle Fire can now watch all the content currently get on their home TV on your Kindle Fire thanks to a new SlingPlayer app.

Just like the apps for other tablets and smartphones, the Kindle Fire SlingPlayer app interacts with a Slingbox attached to your home TV setup.  The app gives a user full control and access to all TV content, through the Kindle Fire as long as there is access to Wi-Fi.

Although Kindle Fire reviews have run the full gamut of positive and negative, one consistently praised feature has been video playback. Apps from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vimeo, and Amazon Instant Video have previously been made available on the Amazon App Store.

Google privacy update attracts concerns from Congress

House lawmakers request briefing on Google privacy policy changes [The Hill]

Google recently made some fairly significant changes to its privacy policy. This update involves consolidating all of a user's data across the various Google services into a single document.

This consolidation will allow Google to easily share privacy data for a specific user among its various sites and services – Google search, Google+, YouTube, etc. The consolidated data will also allow Google to direct advertisements on one Google service based on content viewed through a different Google service. 

Google is selling these changes as a way to tailor overall experiences – search, advertisements, content, etc. – to specific users.

Some members of congress aren't sure that it's as simple as Google has made it out to be. House Reps. Bono Mack (R-Cal.) and G.K. Butterfield (D.-N.C.) requested a briefing on the new policies in a letter written to Larry Page, Google's CEO. While these Representatives have lauded the "shorter, simpler, streamlined policy," they have concerns over how user data will be collected, stored, and secured. They are also concerned with the lack of an opt-out in the new policies.

Google has responded by saying that the new policies do not collect any new data and that users would still be able to control their privacy settings. The company also expressed its understanding about concerns and expressed an eagerness to clarify any "misconceptions about our privacy policies."  

Sounds like Google is finally coming to understand it can't act like a startup by ignoring Washington, DC when it has grown to the gargantuan that it has become.