Every problem is caused by a piece of dust. This is like when we go into Costco and a food item that's usually available can't be found and when an employee is asked about it the answer is, "That's a seasonal item." I'm sure that's what the managers tell employees to say in answer to such a question. We get that answer when asking about canned mushrooms. Sams Club has them, why not Costco? After all, mushrooms are grown in the dark year round and are available pretty much year round in all grocery stores. Maybe it's the cans that are only made in the summer for Costco's canned mushrooms.
The hardware may last longer before failing, but I'm not sure PCs have gotten much better in terms of processor speed and overall performance. Of course, the newest processors use less energy, but that's been the case for older processors, too. One big advance is the introduction of Solid State Drives (SSD) which make boot up almost instantaneous compared to their spinning drive cousins. The increase in RAM also increases performance by allowing memory hog applications to run fast. With PCs having these couple of advances, why buy a new PC if a newer one would have about the same, excellent performance as the one you already own.
I just read that Microsoft has fixed the problem in the latest updates (October, 2017 ?) for all supported Windows versions. Apple has done nothing according to the latest report. Some Google phones will be updated in the November security update. Other Android phones will depend on carriers to do the job, which is not likely unless pushed by Google, or someone else, to do so.
I'm not sure older devices have the hardware capable of supporting Android 8.0.0, aka, Oreo. Even phones a couple of generation old would likely would become unacceptably slow with the newer OS. A huge majority of Android devices are not Nexus or Pixel devices and generally not updated by the carriers. Even older Nexus devices are not guaranteed security updates by Google.
The best thing might be for Google to provide appropriate security patch software for WPA2 for all versions of Android to carriers but it's likely they would never reach customer phones.
Some years ago it was reported that a large liquor store in our town was using unencrypted communication between cash registers and an on site computer. They got hacked by someone outside the store in the parking lot. After that discovery and for a while they were using the old fashion carbon paper swipe devices for embossed credit cards or took only cash. The problem was solved by replacing cash registers with ethernet wiring.
The lesson here may be to use the ethernet connection on your laptop when possible for sensitive data use until its WPA2 software is updated. Oh, wait, most new laptops and certainly phones don't come with ethernet connectors and would require a dongle. Ah, the wonderful advances brought to us by ultra thin, lightweight portable computing.
Belkin now has an adapter for recent iPhones that has a 3.5 mm audio port and port for a charger input to the phone that allows charging and using audio simultaneously. This thing is a kluge. The cable is 4 - 6 inches long (I couldn't find the size details) and the female end is about the size of an old RS232 plug. $35. That's what it's coming to.
see: https://www.apple.com/shop/pro...
It seems to me there may not be any absolutely secure way of attaching a number, code, text string, retina photo, or whatever used for an identity authentication system. As soon as the system is established, someone will figure a way of compromising it. Even some kind of quickly changing, encrypted algorithmic solution one might come up with might last awhile, but it won't last. Tell me I'm wrong.
None of this really matters because the earth will begin to end, IIRC, Oct. 21, 2017, according to the guy who predicted it would end late last month because some planet would appear and vaporize us. He re-ran the numbers and came up with a new date. It's all in the bible, an infallible scientific set of documents.
I presume some of the tenants had to have their electric outlets blocked to prevent the electricity from leaking out. Ahhhh, the tecnologically challenged.
I was too lazy to look up the specs. Thanks for the info. Then all carriers and MVNOs can carry the phone and folks can buy it on line. It's generally the case that the carriers decide whether to offer a particular phone. Their problem is that they already have a large selection of phones with a range of price points and capabilities from known manufacturers so a phone that's not going to sell many that takes up shelf space isn't a priority. Microsoft OS phones face the same problem. Same for MVNOs, though most seem to have bring your own phone offers. So, how are the on line sales going?
Agree about the need for GPS. Why carry two devices when one does the trick. Ever gotten lost driving a car without a GPS or its software is out of date? A phone with Google Maps saves the day. One of our cars has a GPS system, but is out of date. The update software costs ~$180, and we don't know how up to date it is. Once we went looking for an address but when we got there the car's GPS map showed we were in the middle of nowhere with no roads. My wife as navigator with her phone and google maps got us there.
Why not one of the other three big carriers which may have better quality services or plans? Maybe I'm ignorant, but if the phones are capable, like Google, sell direct with all US frequencies and bands, carrier unlocked, then customers can get a SIM from the carrier or MVNO of their choice.
There's a group out there who have run the numbers and find the world will be vaporized this Saturday, September 23, 2017, because a hidden planet will come by and do the job. 2100? Enjoy the next few days because 2100 will never get here.
If the hack was perpetrated five months ago and kept quiet, there has been plenty of time for a great use of the data to be used in enormous amounts of fraud. I haven't heard of such, but may not have listened carefully enough. So, is there really a problem?
I think Google (Alphabet ?) makes so much money from advertising they don't have any place to put it so they dabble in a few places, get bored with them, drop them and move on to another thing. Its stock does not pay a dividend, but a nice, fat stock dividend would be a good place to put some of that excess cash.
The executives may have just ordered the engineers to build diesel cars that would meet emissions standards. The engineers did that - the cars met the emission standards during tests. Was there a wink-wink by the executives? Maybe.
But they also failed to have a simple and easy "roll-back" to the previous version.
It's a bit hard for the owner or Samsung to roll back if the TV is bricked. If Samsung can connect to the set, maybe they can fix it but for the owner if the screen is black, it could be tough.
when the algorithm builds a very large power plant that produces enough power to provide continuous, perpetual electricity for a large American city, say the size of the Denver metropolitan area.
Not targeting retreating forces. I'm assuming this laser device is a defensive weapon and can attack weapons headed for the ship it's mounted on. It could also attack weapons headed elsewhere. Let's say a destroyer with one of these lasers detects a cruise missile or intelligence drone flying between it and a land based target such as a Marine outpost. Assuming it can kill such a target coming towards the laser, can it shoot it down flying away from the laser?
I also mentioned that ships with these lasers will also have redundant defensive weapons. They may or may not be as effective as the laser but they will be well tested.
Here are some of the quotes for the original CNN article by the lieutenant in charge of the system or things not said:
"...we don't worry about range..." The energy of the "shot" delivered should drop with the square of the distance from the target. If the laser's target is moving away from the laser device as it heads towards some destination, it's possible that the energy delivered might not be enough to destroy it.
"All the $40 million system needs to operate is a supply of electricity, which is derived from its own small generator, and has a crew of three. No multi-million-dollar missile, no ammunition at all." and "It's about a dollar a shot" I don't know if the $40 million is the cost per device or the development cost. The three operators also get paid whether they're using the device or sleeping, though they will likely have other duties. Nevertheless, this one shot cost at least $40 million +. The second will result in a cost of $20 million per shot. And, what's the lifetime of the hardware, replacement of end-of-life parts costs and other maintenance costs? It'll take many more than 40 million shots to get down to $1 per shot.
"I can aim that at any particular spot on a target, and disable and destroy as necessary" Moving targets can take a circuitous and rapidly change directions. The aiming system, presumably RADAR or some such, must be able to follow such a target and likely uses a mechanical motor driven gear system for that. Can the aiming system follow that spot during the target's travels?
The article doesn't say whether this uses a pulse laser or a continuous laser. If pulsed, what's the recycle time? A fast moving target may reach its target during the recycle time if that's the case.
How does this system work on targets obscured during rain, fog, cloudy weather or dusty conditions? Light beams become scattered under these conditions and the ability to deliver a destructive energy blast could be hampered.
Of course, the effectiveness of this device will be determined while used under combat conditions with simultaneous multiple, fast moving offensive weapons approaching the laser device. Likely the navy will have several redundant defenses on its valuable targets.
Slashdot Mirror
Every problem is caused by a piece of dust. This is like when we go into Costco and a food item that's usually available can't be found and when an employee is asked about it the answer is, "That's a seasonal item." I'm sure that's what the managers tell employees to say in answer to such a question. We get that answer when asking about canned mushrooms. Sams Club has them, why not Costco? After all, mushrooms are grown in the dark year round and are available pretty much year round in all grocery stores. Maybe it's the cans that are only made in the summer for Costco's canned mushrooms.
The hardware may last longer before failing, but I'm not sure PCs have gotten much better in terms of processor speed and overall performance. Of course, the newest processors use less energy, but that's been the case for older processors, too. One big advance is the introduction of Solid State Drives (SSD) which make boot up almost instantaneous compared to their spinning drive cousins. The increase in RAM also increases performance by allowing memory hog applications to run fast. With PCs having these couple of advances, why buy a new PC if a newer one would have about the same, excellent performance as the one you already own.
I just read that Microsoft has fixed the problem in the latest updates (October, 2017 ?) for all supported Windows versions. Apple has done nothing according to the latest report. Some Google phones will be updated in the November security update. Other Android phones will depend on carriers to do the job, which is not likely unless pushed by Google, or someone else, to do so.
The router isn't the problem it's the Wi-Fi devices connected to the router. Examine the article carefully.
I'm not sure older devices have the hardware capable of supporting Android 8.0.0, aka, Oreo. Even phones a couple of generation old would likely would become unacceptably slow with the newer OS. A huge majority of Android devices are not Nexus or Pixel devices and generally not updated by the carriers. Even older Nexus devices are not guaranteed security updates by Google.
The best thing might be for Google to provide appropriate security patch software for WPA2 for all versions of Android to carriers but it's likely they would never reach customer phones.
Some years ago it was reported that a large liquor store in our town was using unencrypted communication between cash registers and an on site computer. They got hacked by someone outside the store in the parking lot. After that discovery and for a while they were using the old fashion carbon paper swipe devices for embossed credit cards or took only cash. The problem was solved by replacing cash registers with ethernet wiring.
The lesson here may be to use the ethernet connection on your laptop when possible for sensitive data use until its WPA2 software is updated. Oh, wait, most new laptops and certainly phones don't come with ethernet connectors and would require a dongle. Ah, the wonderful advances brought to us by ultra thin, lightweight portable computing.
Were these the size of a top load washing machine? Maybe they got the size down to an under counter, home dish washer.
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see the price of these guys. Any information out there? And what about the cost of motherboards?
Belkin now has an adapter for recent iPhones that has a 3.5 mm audio port and port for a charger input to the phone that allows charging and using audio simultaneously. This thing is a kluge. The cable is 4 - 6 inches long (I couldn't find the size details) and the female end is about the size of an old RS232 plug. $35. That's what it's coming to. see: https://www.apple.com/shop/pro...
It seems to me there may not be any absolutely secure way of attaching a number, code, text string, retina photo, or whatever used for an identity authentication system. As soon as the system is established, someone will figure a way of compromising it. Even some kind of quickly changing, encrypted algorithmic solution one might come up with might last awhile, but it won't last. Tell me I'm wrong.
None of this really matters because the earth will begin to end, IIRC, Oct. 21, 2017, according to the guy who predicted it would end late last month because some planet would appear and vaporize us. He re-ran the numbers and came up with a new date. It's all in the bible, an infallible scientific set of documents.
I presume some of the tenants had to have their electric outlets blocked to prevent the electricity from leaking out. Ahhhh, the tecnologically challenged.
I was too lazy to look up the specs. Thanks for the info. Then all carriers and MVNOs can carry the phone and folks can buy it on line. It's generally the case that the carriers decide whether to offer a particular phone. Their problem is that they already have a large selection of phones with a range of price points and capabilities from known manufacturers so a phone that's not going to sell many that takes up shelf space isn't a priority. Microsoft OS phones face the same problem. Same for MVNOs, though most seem to have bring your own phone offers. So, how are the on line sales going?
Agree about the need for GPS. Why carry two devices when one does the trick. Ever gotten lost driving a car without a GPS or its software is out of date? A phone with Google Maps saves the day. One of our cars has a GPS system, but is out of date. The update software costs ~$180, and we don't know how up to date it is. Once we went looking for an address but when we got there the car's GPS map showed we were in the middle of nowhere with no roads. My wife as navigator with her phone and google maps got us there.
Why not one of the other three big carriers which may have better quality services or plans? Maybe I'm ignorant, but if the phones are capable, like Google, sell direct with all US frequencies and bands, carrier unlocked, then customers can get a SIM from the carrier or MVNO of their choice.
There's a group out there who have run the numbers and find the world will be vaporized this Saturday, September 23, 2017, because a hidden planet will come by and do the job. 2100? Enjoy the next few days because 2100 will never get here.
If the hack was perpetrated five months ago and kept quiet, there has been plenty of time for a great use of the data to be used in enormous amounts of fraud. I haven't heard of such, but may not have listened carefully enough. So, is there really a problem?
I think Google (Alphabet ?) makes so much money from advertising they don't have any place to put it so they dabble in a few places, get bored with them, drop them and move on to another thing. Its stock does not pay a dividend, but a nice, fat stock dividend would be a good place to put some of that excess cash.
The executives may have just ordered the engineers to build diesel cars that would meet emissions standards. The engineers did that - the cars met the emission standards during tests. Was there a wink-wink by the executives? Maybe.
They simply fucked up the software.
But they also failed to have a simple and easy "roll-back" to the previous version.
It's a bit hard for the owner or Samsung to roll back if the TV is bricked. If Samsung can connect to the set, maybe they can fix it but for the owner if the screen is black, it could be tough.
What about using a sextant and paper maps?
when the algorithm builds a very large power plant that produces enough power to provide continuous, perpetual electricity for a large American city, say the size of the Denver metropolitan area.
Not targeting retreating forces. I'm assuming this laser device is a defensive weapon and can attack weapons headed for the ship it's mounted on. It could also attack weapons headed elsewhere. Let's say a destroyer with one of these lasers detects a cruise missile or intelligence drone flying between it and a land based target such as a Marine outpost. Assuming it can kill such a target coming towards the laser, can it shoot it down flying away from the laser?
I also mentioned that ships with these lasers will also have redundant defensive weapons. They may or may not be as effective as the laser but they will be well tested.
Properly shaped mirrors might be able to send the destructive beam right back to its source. Bag! There goes your laser weapon.
Here are some of the quotes for the original CNN article by the lieutenant in charge of the system or things not said:
"...we don't worry about range..." The energy of the "shot" delivered should drop with the square of the distance from the target. If the laser's target is moving away from the laser device as it heads towards some destination, it's possible that the energy delivered might not be enough to destroy it.
"All the $40 million system needs to operate is a supply of electricity, which is derived from its own small generator, and has a crew of three. No multi-million-dollar missile, no ammunition at all." and "It's about a dollar a shot" I don't know if the $40 million is the cost per device or the development cost. The three operators also get paid whether they're using the device or sleeping, though they will likely have other duties. Nevertheless, this one shot cost at least $40 million +. The second will result in a cost of $20 million per shot. And, what's the lifetime of the hardware, replacement of end-of-life parts costs and other maintenance costs? It'll take many more than 40 million shots to get down to $1 per shot.
"I can aim that at any particular spot on a target, and disable and destroy as necessary" Moving targets can take a circuitous and rapidly change directions. The aiming system, presumably RADAR or some such, must be able to follow such a target and likely uses a mechanical motor driven gear system for that. Can the aiming system follow that spot during the target's travels?
The article doesn't say whether this uses a pulse laser or a continuous laser. If pulsed, what's the recycle time? A fast moving target may reach its target during the recycle time if that's the case.
How does this system work on targets obscured during rain, fog, cloudy weather or dusty conditions? Light beams become scattered under these conditions and the ability to deliver a destructive energy blast could be hampered.
Of course, the effectiveness of this device will be determined while used under combat conditions with simultaneous multiple, fast moving offensive weapons approaching the laser device. Likely the navy will have several redundant defenses on its valuable targets.