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That’s one of the topic discussed at the RSA conference by Dan Kaminsky. His point is that web browser design flaws can let hackers change the settings of your router and open the door for an attack.

Upon visiting a web page, Javascript code could be used to access the router configuration page and modify the security settings. Of course, I imagine that widely popular routers with default local IP addresses, administration login and passwords would be more vulnerable to such an attack, so changing these would offer very good protection. Also, it would be nice if the browser could not be tricked into doing such things in the first place.

While Motorola and Palm have been taking a beating in their recent earnings, HTC does much better – at least in terms of profitability. Their earnings increased 38.6% compared to last year to top $1.08B.

HTC does not have the perfect line up, but they consistently create good phones that will stir interest or outright love from consumers. The company sometime takes considerable (calculated) risks and it pays off. Good job HTC!

Posted Apr 9th 2008 6:49AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Handhelds
Still confused about the whole MID thing? Fret not, as you’re certainly not alone in nodding your head furiously up and down. About the recent Bossaconference 08, one particular fellow managed to get some quality face time with Ubuntu Mobile and Moblin and break things down in bulleted fashion. Put simply, the former is a handheld (read: not phone / desktop) Linux OS that’s optimized for touching and meant to be seen on 4- to 7-inch displays. As for the latter, it’s merely a “project site for embedded Linux development,” not an operating system in and of itself. Think you’re ready to get schooled further? Tap the read link and dust off that Trapper Keeper.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

6000º Kelvin. That’s the temperature at the surface of the Sun. It’s also the temperature inside the new hyper efficient plasma lightbulb from Luxim, which puts out 140 lumens per watt. That’s double the efficiency of an LED and almost ten times better than an incandescent bulb.

The little pod sits inside a ring of “dielectric material”, which concentrates an electrical field into the bulb. The contents of the bulb vaporize and the plasma glows. A single of these tiny bulbs is brighter than a streetlight.

Back to that temperature. 6000 K is close to the color temperature of daylight (5500K), so the Luxim bulb doesn’t suffer from a “cold” light like some energy saving solutions. Right now Luxim is pushing its tech at the entertainment industries: projectors and light displays. As costs fall, though, this could end up everywhere, except perhaps a mood-lit bachelor pad.

Video: Luxim’s tiny but powerful plasma lightbulb [CNET via Treehugger]

A freeware program recently featured on LifeHacker known as nLite offers great news. Just like we diet to shed pounds our computers can shed the extra weight of features and components that may not be needed. Spending extra RAM, hard drive space and battery power on unnecessary features is – well – unnecessary. Microsoft Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003 can be stripped down. You heard me right. Windows stripped down to what may be called a sportier model. Vista has not been left out but will require vLite instead.

Is there a PC user alive today that would not welcome a peppier version of Microsoft Windows? Or a Mac or Linux user that would not appreciate a virtual Windows experience with a leaner list of features without the bloat of unwanted ones? Powerful computers with mega GB hard drives are now the norm but that has not always been the case. On the other hand some new computers such as the Asus Eee PC and the Van Der Led Jisus are now selling with a mere 4GB SSD (Solid State Drive). Then there are those PCs and laptops relegated to storage because they don’t have what it takes to satisfy any longer – kept just in case. Just in case of what I am not exactly sure unless it is a second chance at a useful life. In all of these cases hope and help is alive and well with nLite. 

You probably already have everything required to burn a new Windows CD the nLite way. The list is short and includes a Windows installation CD, nLite, a PC already running Windows and a CD burner.

At the time of this writing I have not completed the entire process but I have visited the nLite site. It is a great place to find answers to questions you probably have and the forum is full of users discussing issues and successes.  After my visit I am confident that I can do this. Enough talk, let’s get to it. Once at the nLite installation wizard you will be asked to reveal the location of your Windows installation CD. The install files will need a temporary home so create a folder on your hard drive. Click Next to copy the files from your Windows CD disk to your new folder. 

The next window will show you any previous sessions if there are any. If you have one you could reuse those settings but if you don’t a fresh session is started. This is pretty cool. Not only can you can add or remove features - you can also add features that the original Microsoft Windows installation disc lacks. Service Packs, updates and hotfixes are a few examples of something you might want to add.

For anyone that has deleted files and then wish they had not, nLite looks out for you. As you choose components to keep or to discard nLite tells you what the consequences of your actions might be.

Once you are happy with your choices nLite will build a new trimmed down Windows installation CD. Burn the files to a CD and try it out. As in the beginning, this session is saved and can be used again. I am anxious to try nLite to build a new Windows XP install disk for my old PC that now runs Windows 98. It will then be transformed into a machine to test new software. 

Program [nLite] Via [LifeHacker]

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Pioneer and their Kuro range of plasma HDTVs are undoubtedly the best of the market, and have received a large number of awards, especially for their extremely impressive black levels and overall image quality.

The new 2008 Pioneer Kuro plasmas improve on the very best with even higher picture quality performance. The 2008 second generation Kuro plasmas move even closer to “absolute” black by further reducing idle luminance and improving black levels by five times the 2007 Kuros. This 5x statement is very impressive, and we can’t wait to see these sets in action!

The improved black levels lead to more accurate and higher contrast levels with deeper colours. The 2008 Kuro plasmas are avaliable in 50-inches as the Pioneer PDP-LX5090, or as the larger 60-inch Pioneer PDP-LX6090.

The new Kuro’s have a feature called “Optimum Mode”, which automatically synchronises video and sound, while also monitoring the content and room light conditions and then adjusting the picture and sound settings, which results in the best viewing experience.

All models are “HD ready 1080p compliant” with a 1080p resolution, are just 3.7 inches thick (20% smaller than the 2007 Kuros), feature a new remote, ISF C3 calibration ready, and seamlessly integrate with other A/V equipment. There are also the “H” models of the new Kuros, the Pioneer PDP-LX5090H and PDP-LX6090H, which we believe are the high specification models with both a digital terrestrial and satellite tuners, an advanced user interface with Kuro style graphics, and DLNA compliant “Home Media Gallery” for playback of movies, music and photos through a home network or USB.

Model Information:

• PDP-LX5090 (PDPLX5090) | 50-inch - 1080p - SD Terrestrial - June 08
• PDP-LX6090 (PDPLX6090) | 60-inch - 1080p - SD Terrestrial - June 08
• PDP-LX5090H (PDPLX5090H) | 50-inch - 1080p - SD/HD Terrestrial and Satellite - Region Dependant release date.
• PDP-LX6090H (PDPLX6090H) | 60-inch - 1080p - SD/HD Terrestrial and Satellite - Region Dependant release date.

EA originally licensed the Unreal Engine back in August 2006. Since then Unreal has been used in several key EA games including most recently Army of Two and Medal of Honor Airborne. Now EA has decided to continue its use of Epic’s engine with an announcement of a license extension.

The extension means at least 5 more games will be developed using Unreal, the first of which is thought to be Command and Conquer: Tiberium. Other titles and the studios developing them have not been divulged yet.

Frank Gibeau, President of EA commented:

With the largest and most talented studio operation in the world, it’s critical for us to give our studio teams the best tools they need to make great games … This agreement reflects our commitment to Epic’s technology which, in combination with our own cutting-edge systems, allows us to create ground breaking hits.

Some of you may remember EA got its hands on another excellent engine (at the time) called Renderware when it bought Criterion. Rather than continuing to develop that engine and license it, it has disappeared and now EA are licensing an alternative. Still, at least Criterion Games are still developing games with their excellent Burnout series. I just find it a little bizarre that EA didn’t continue with Renderware seeing as they spent a significant amount of money to acquire it.

Read more at Gamasutra.com

Sharp has introduced two new laptops into the Japanese market, the PC-FW70X and PC-FW50X. While the two laptops’ external design and color choices (black and white) may remind you of the MacBook, make no mistake because neither of them will match up to the computing powers of the MacBook.

Both laptops have a 15.4-inch LCD with 1280 x 800 resolution and are either powered by AMD Turion 64 or Mobile Sempron 3600 with AMD M690V Chipset. Both are covered by UV coated case that also serve as protection from UV rays. Other features of these two laptops include; 2GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive, DVD multi drive, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and infrared support. And for the clincher? The PC-FW70X has a battery life span of 1.1 hours while the PC-FW50X’s battery lasts for an estimated 50 minutes. The notebooks also weigh in at around 5.74-pounds. I wonder what’s inside those batteries if they could only last that long. Major bummer, eh?

Via [Akihabaranews.com] Product [Sharp]

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Speedy is a UK company that pimps wheelchairs. Its range of add-ons will turn the chair into a handbike, a comfy tricycle or a full-on electric chair (no, not that kind). You might be thinking, along with Oh Gizmo’s Luke Anderson, that a pedal powered wheelchair is something of an oxymoron. The Pedalofit is in fact a rehabilitation device rather than a means of propulsion, but Speedy’s other kits, all of which clamp onto your own wheelchair, can be used to ease getting around.

The best, to our mind, is the Tandem, seen at right. Sit back, relax and let some other sap do all the work.

Product page [Speedy via Oh Gizmo!]

Word to the wise: if a mechanical engineer challenges you to a game of oneupsmanship, just fold. Otherwise, you may find yourself going up against the likes of Kettering University student Will Foster. After visiting a local paintball field and seeing players scooting around in their "tanks" — which were little more than dressed up golf carts — Foster got an idea. Why not build a real tank that can fire paintballs?

The fruit of Foster’s labor is a diesel powered half-scale replica of a German Panzer. The miniature is roughly the size of a small car and travel at 20 MPH on a set of real treads. Oh, and that turret on top? Totally works.

[Via The Flint Journal]