Please create an account to participate in the Slashdot moderation system

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
PlayStation (Games)

PS3 Hacked? 296

Several readers have sent word that George Hotz (a.k.a. geohot), the hacker best known for unlocking Apple's iPhone, says he has now hacked the PlayStation 3. From his blog post: "I have read/write access to the entire system memory, and HV level access to the processor. In other words, I have hacked the PS3. The rest is just software. And reversing. I have a lot of reversing ahead of me, as I now have dumps of LV0 and LV1. I've also dumped the NAND without removing it or a modchip. 3 years, 2 months, 11 days...that's a pretty secure system. ... As far as the exploit goes, I'm not revealing it yet. The theory isn't really patchable, but they can make implementations much harder. Also, for obvious reasons I can't post dumps. I'm hoping to find the decryption keys and post them, but they may be embedded in hardware. Hopefully keys are setup like the iPhone's KBAG."

Comment Re:Yea, and.... (Score 1) 314

(used to work for Nextel, know their location infrastructure well).
I suspect that the basic reason for this is that customer care doesn't have the tools to do it.
The network infrastructure is there, and the tools are there, but Sprint probably hasn't invested in giving this kind of capability to care organizations. Plus, there ARE some (minor, overblown, redherring but real) concerns there about impersonation, spoofing and such, particularly in Boost land where the amount of information known about customers is pretty minimal to begin with.

Comment Re:Not very bright in most cases (Score 1) 586

I've worked most of my career with PowerPoint types -- people who are actually creating the things because they're the MBAs presenting the concepts.

99% of them don't know how to use Powerpoint beyond dragging squares and changing colors. Styles, templates, master slides, etc are foreign concepts to them.

Often times, these are folks who got MBAs after spending years creating static HTML pages. They did it using FrontPage.

Becoming a competent HTML editor is not difficult, but it still is a skillset that not everyone has.

Comment Re:Not very bright in most cases (Score 1) 586

There are still plenty of corporate websites for even large multi bilion $$ companies that are not database driven. Sometimes, it just doesn't need a database. 400 pages clearly is too many... but I've seen sites developed with 40 static HTML pages. Maintenance is a pain, but it's more expedient to hire an HTML editor than to hire the staff to install, configure and maintain even a simple/FOSS CMS.

Comment Re:research in motion (Score 1) 374

That is a significant point.
The architecture of the BlackBerry system requires all traffic going to a BlackBerry device from an Enterprise email server to go through RIM's NOCs -- all Americas email traffic goes go through the Canada NOC at some point, all EMEA traffic goes through their NOC in the UK. [reference]

While all the transmissions are encrypted end-to-end (to the point that the system has passed US-government security reviews for secure traffic), the transmission of a US President's data traffic through systems that are outside of US jurisdiction and government control can be tricky.

But then again, this gets eliminated if they go with any other wireless email device that does not use RIM's infrastructure; there are plenty, and they can be made to work.

Comment I run the Developer Program for a wireless carrier (Score 2, Informative) 119

n01, you're on the right track thinking about going with a publisher.

I used to run developer programs for a large US wireless carrier, and now do so for a large Latin American wireless carrier. In general, I encourage small Java ME developers not to bury themselves trying to negotiate with the carrier directly. Unless you have something extremely innovative or a brand that a mid-level product manager type in a wireless company can recognize, you're probably going to lose a lot of money, time and brain cells getting anyone who can launch your product at SprATiT-zon to respond to you. And say you DO get their attention: that's almost even worse, since coming up with some kind of content distribution agreement with a gigantic corporation will consume all your waking hours.

So start small, and grow from there depending on how your app does.

- Make sure the stuff works. You should start researching Mobile Publishers out now, but before you do, make sure your game is rock-solid on as many devices as possible.
- Work with a content porting service. There are companies that can help you make sure your game works on all these devices. One I know of that I can recommend (they used to be a development shop as well, they know the pain of the small developer) is Tira Wireless -- they have a program that can take your midlet and help you port it to the hundreds of devices you'll need to build the MIDlet for to get any traction: http://gomobile.tirawireless.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome
- Get your MIDlet run through a generic certification program like JavaVerified. Many operators require it, it is a very good basic quality test that meets about 96% of the requirements of any operator, and at least shows that you're serious. One company I've worked with that does a good job with that is NSTL (https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nstl.com%2Fjavaverified%2Fgui%2Fhome_main.asp). The other labs that do Java Verified (RelQ, Babel, CapGemini) also have good reputations.
- Join the developer programs of operators worldwide you'd WANT to work with. It will give you a sense of whether or not they care about developers like you. Companies in English-speaking countries that I think are able/willing to work with smaller developers are AT&T, Orange, Sprint (the Nextel side), T-Mobile to a certain extent, and of course, we are (although I must say that you're probably not quite there yet to work with us, mostly due to language issues). Particularly, make sure you can that it is easy to get the data services you need for your application to work - since yours uses a data network, if it's tricky to get the service (or tricky for you as a developer to get it working) chances are you're going to be hitting a brick wall sooner rather than later. The forums on these sites will give you a good idea of where the pain points are for developers.

NOW, find a publisher.
There are a number Publishers or Aggregators that work with guys like you to get good game placement without trying to gouge you too badly. I will mention two that I have worked with and respect (and that have a good reputation), and that are of a size that would work well with what your game sounds like it does.

- Digital Chocolate - focuses on social mobile games. Good company to do business with from a carrier's perspective. http://www.digitalchocolate.com/
- Cellmania - they're an aggregator that also runs a number of storefronts for various operators worldwide. They do a good job putting apps on the long tail to see what happens with it. http://www.cellmania.com/content_providers/

IF YOU ARE SERIOUS about it, then do this. There is money to be made if your application really is good and different and sticky.
If you're not in a position or willing to spend some money on it up front, or to dedicate serious free time to it, don't try to do the cell phone thing. You're better off with other platforms:

Option A: Port it to the BlackBerry, participate in their Venture Fund, and see what happens. They're really trying to kickstart their developer community for consumer applications, and yours sounds like it could REALLY use the always-on network that the BB device can boast. Plus, the BB is all-Java on native, so you won't have to recode too much, and BlackBerry apps tend to sell for higher prices than their Java ME counterparts on sites like Handango.
Option B: Port it to the PalmOS -- you're going to live in Shareware Land on this, but you'll get your app out there, and it can support Java ME without too much of a fuss.
Option C: Port it to Android -- who knows how this is going to work. I don't think any developers or providers know yet how they're going to make money on content here, but it's getting people talking. Once the app store is up, perhaps it will be a different story.
Option C: Port it to Windows Mobile -- again, you're going to live in Shareware land on this, mostly because there aren't too many carriers who have figured out the Windows Mobile distribution channel.

Good luck.

Spam

Washington Post Blog Shuts Down 75% of Online Spam 335

ESCquire writes "Apparently, the Washington Post Blog 'Security Fix' managed to shut down McColo, a US-based hosting provider facilitating more than 75 percent of global spam. " Now how long before the void is filled by another ISP?
Earth

As Seas Rise, Maldives Seek To Buy a New Homeland 521

Peace Corps Online writes "The Maldives will begin to divert a portion of the country's billion-dollar annual tourist revenue to buy a new homeland as insurance against climate change. Rising sea levels threaten to turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees as the chain of 1,200 island and coral atolls dotted 500 miles from the tip of India is likely to disappear under the waves if the current pace of climate change continues to raise sea levels. The UN forecasts that the seas are likely to rise by up to 59 cm by the year 2100. Most parts of the Maldives are just 150 cm above water so even a 'small rise' in sea levels would inundate large parts of the archipelago. 'We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land elsewhere. It's an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome,' says the Muslim country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, adding that he has already broached the subject with a number of countries and found them to be 'receptive.' India and Sri Lanka are targets because they have similar cultures and climates; Australia is worth looking at because of the immense amount of unoccupied land in that country. 'We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades.'"
Hardware Hacking

Physically-Challenged Gamer Hacks Together Custom PS3 Controller 50

Destructoid has a neat post about a gamer whose condition prevents him from using a standard video game controller. With the help of a company called GimpGear, which markets devices for people with limited mobility, he designed and built a custom input device that makes use of fingers, toes, and even sips or puffs of air to control his favorite games. Pictures and a video of the setup are both available in the post.
Government

State Lawmaker Wants To Ban Anonymous Posting Online 471

bfwebster writes "According to a local news article from last week, Kentucky state lawmaker Tim Couch wants to ban anonymous posting on the internet in order to 'cut down on online bullying', which he says has been 'a particular problem in eastern Kentucky.' His bill would require posters to register with their real names and e-mail addresses under threat of fines. Looks like another battle in the right for anonymous free speech."
User Journal

Journal Journal: Biased Science

While I hate seeing articles like this one, where the veracity of scientific claims are brought into question, it's something that the public needs to know.

Slashdot Top Deals

You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your desk.

Working...