story first appeared on usatoday.com
Science fiction version: Mad scientists inside Apple's ultra-secretive lab plunge a recent iPad into boiling stew. What emerges is a near identical but considerably smaller and lighter tablet.
Figure Apple relied on more conventional (if no less secret) lab behavior in designing the iPad Mini that reaches stores Friday. But no matter how the downsized tablet came to be, the natural question is how it differs from its bigger sibling and rival tablets with similar-size small screens, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, Barnes & Noble Nook HD, and Google Nexus 7.
The smaller form changes the way you approach the tablet. I've never hesitated to travel with the bigger iPad. It's terrific for reading, watching movies and playing games on an airplane — but given a choice, before a road trip I would now more likely grab the little guy. It's the right size for immersing yourself in a novel. Held sideways, it's simple to bang out an email with your fingers. Battery life is excellent
A tour of the Mini reveals the usual home button on the bottom front, power button and headphone jack on the top, and volume controls on the side. Front and rear cameras are on either side, just like on the bigger iPad. You're greeted by the customary home screen layout with icons for Safari, Mail, Videos and Music parked at the bottom of the display.
You can even exploit the Siri voice assistant. And the Mini runs iOS 6, the latest iteration of Apple's mobile operating system software.
But it is the multitude of apps — 275,000 optimized for the tablet are available in the Apple App store— coupled with Apple's formidable iTunes ecosystem for music, movies and TV shows that represents a major reason why the iPad, big or small, is still the tablet to beat.
That is not to say that the Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, and Nexus 7 don't pose strong alternatives to the iPad Mini. Those tablets have starting prices of $199 that undercut the $329 starting price of the Mini that has Wi-Fi only and 16 gigabytes of storage.
Amazon, for one, already is running ads comparing Kindle Fire HD with the Mini — bragging about the Fire's impressive high-definition screen and its stereo speakers. The speakers on the Mini are mono. And its screen, though nice, does not afford the beautiful, super-crisp "retina displays" on the latest larger iPads, iPhones or Macintosh computers. But the Kindle is heavier and has fewer apps.
(Update on Wednesday: Amazon is no longer running the ad. Apple confirms that the Mini does indeed have stereo.)
Prices for the Wi-Fi-only Mini climb to $429 for 32GB and $529 for 64GB. The Wi-Fi + Cellular models, available later in the U.S. from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, command $459, $559 and $659, respectively. (The unit I've been testing for a week is Wi-Fi only.)
To be sure, the 7.9 inch display on the Mini, vs. 9.7-inches for full-size iPads, gives you a lot less screen real estate to play with. But at a shade under 0.7 pounds and 0.28-inches thick, the paperback-size Mini is 53% lighter and 23% thinner than the newest iPad. It is just wide enough that I was not able to stash it in one inside sport jacket pocket but was able to slip it into another. Compared with the 7-inch screens on some of Kindle, Nook and Nexus devices, though, the iPad Mini is 35% roomier.
Sitting in a cramped airline seat, or lying in bed, I found reading on the Mini to be a generally a more pleasurable experience than reading on the full-size iPad. But though you can now more easily hold a Mini with one hand, I still tended to use two.
Speed: Inside, the iPad Mini has an Apple-designed dual core A5 processor, a version of which powered the iPad 2. But I did detect some sluggishness. At the same time that I was downloading some content in the background, it took several seconds for the screen shots I captured on the device to land in the Photos app. I've never experienced the delay on a bigger iPad.
Cameras: The iPad Mini has two good cameras, including one on the front for doing FaceTime video calls, and a rear 5-megapixel camera that can capture 1080p high-definition video. The quality of FaceTime is related to your network connection, so even in a Wi-Fi environment, I sometimes lost sight of the person at the other end of the call.
Battery life: On the Wi-Fi model, Apple claims 10 hours of battery life while surfing the Web, watching video or listening to music. I was well on my way to confirming that. Nine hours into my test with Wi-Fi on, brightness at 75% and a video playing, I still had about 25% of juice left. But I cut my test short because of a power outage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Apple promises about an hour less battery life on the cellular models.
Connectors: Like the new iPhone 5, and fourth generation iPad announced last week, the Mini makes use of Apple's new Lightning connector. Unless you purchase adapters, you may not be able to use the Mini on some older accessories. Speaking of accessories, Apple has designed a handsome $39 iPad Mini Smart Cover (in one of 6 colors) that magnetically aligns itself to the tablet. It's made with a microfiber lining that Apple says keeps the screen clean.
But in the absence of a USB connector or SD card slot, you'll need pricey $29 Lightning adapter accessories to connect the Mini to a digital camera or to insert a memory card from your camera into the tablet. On older iPads with a 30-pin dock connector camera kit, you got both connectors for $29.
The big picture on the small iPad: Despite a few quibbles and strong competitors in the space, the Mini is a splendid choice for folks who held off buying an iPad because it was too large or too expensive.
Showing posts with label Mac. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mac. Show all posts
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Flashback Creators Made Bank on Mac Virus
Story first appeared in The New York Times.
Last month, cybercriminals embarked on what quickly became one of the largest-scale malware attacks on Apple computers to date. Their motive was financial: security researchers now estimate that the infected computers made the malware’s creators $10,000 a day.
The malware, called Flashback, targeted Mac users and infected their machines through a security hole in Java software that Oracle patched last February, but that Apple did not patch until early April. In those six weeks, Flashback spread to over half a million computers.
It spread through particularly nefarious means. Unlike most malware, which typically requires users to click on a malicious link or open a compromised attachment to get infected, Flashback downloaded itself onto its victims’ machines when they visited hijacked Web sites, often compromised WordPress blogs.
Security researchers determined that Flashback used infected computers for click fraud, in which clicks on a Web advertisement are manipulated in exchange for kickbacks. Researchers at Symantec, who studied Flashback’s code, determined that a Google search for “toys”– which would ordinarily send a user to Toys “R” Us — instead redirected the user to a site where the attackers, not Google, would get 8 cents for the click.
With 600,000 computers infected at its peak, Symantec estimates that Flashback generated $10,000 for the attackers each day. Two weeks after Apple issued a security patch, the number of infected users dropped to 140,000 from 600,000. But last week, researchers at Intego, another computer security firm, discovered that a new variant of Flashback, Flashback.S, continues to spread through the same Java vulnerability. Companies using Macs should invest in professional Security Solutions to avoid further breaches.
Intego researchers did not say what the new variant of Flashback was being used for, but researchers at Symantec that analyzed a portion of the variant’s code said that it communicated with the same command-and-control servers as Flashback and that it would be safe to assume the intention with this variant was the same.
To remove Flashback, Apple encouraged users to run their software updates. They can also download a Flashback removal tool on Apple’s support site, which lets users know if their computer was infected.
Security experts predicted in 2008 that when Apple’s share of the PC market reached 16 percent and Windows antivirus software became 80 percent effective, Mac users would become a more frequent target for cybercriminals.
That day is not far off. Apple currently holds 12 percent of the PC market and antivirus software has reached 95 percent effectiveness, according to AV Comparatives, a nonprofit that audits antivirus software.
For more technology and electronics related news, visit the Electronics America blog.
For national and worldwide related business news, visit the Peak News Room blog.
For local and Michigan business related news, visit the Michigan Business News blog.
For healthcare and medical related news, visit the Healthcare and Medical blog.
For law related news, visit the Nation of Law blog.
For real estate and home related news, visit the Commercial and Residential Real Estate blog.
For organic SEO and web optimization related news, visit the SEO Done Right blog.
Last month, cybercriminals embarked on what quickly became one of the largest-scale malware attacks on Apple computers to date. Their motive was financial: security researchers now estimate that the infected computers made the malware’s creators $10,000 a day.
The malware, called Flashback, targeted Mac users and infected their machines through a security hole in Java software that Oracle patched last February, but that Apple did not patch until early April. In those six weeks, Flashback spread to over half a million computers.
It spread through particularly nefarious means. Unlike most malware, which typically requires users to click on a malicious link or open a compromised attachment to get infected, Flashback downloaded itself onto its victims’ machines when they visited hijacked Web sites, often compromised WordPress blogs.
Security researchers determined that Flashback used infected computers for click fraud, in which clicks on a Web advertisement are manipulated in exchange for kickbacks. Researchers at Symantec, who studied Flashback’s code, determined that a Google search for “toys”– which would ordinarily send a user to Toys “R” Us — instead redirected the user to a site where the attackers, not Google, would get 8 cents for the click.
With 600,000 computers infected at its peak, Symantec estimates that Flashback generated $10,000 for the attackers each day. Two weeks after Apple issued a security patch, the number of infected users dropped to 140,000 from 600,000. But last week, researchers at Intego, another computer security firm, discovered that a new variant of Flashback, Flashback.S, continues to spread through the same Java vulnerability. Companies using Macs should invest in professional Security Solutions to avoid further breaches.
Intego researchers did not say what the new variant of Flashback was being used for, but researchers at Symantec that analyzed a portion of the variant’s code said that it communicated with the same command-and-control servers as Flashback and that it would be safe to assume the intention with this variant was the same.
To remove Flashback, Apple encouraged users to run their software updates. They can also download a Flashback removal tool on Apple’s support site, which lets users know if their computer was infected.
Security experts predicted in 2008 that when Apple’s share of the PC market reached 16 percent and Windows antivirus software became 80 percent effective, Mac users would become a more frequent target for cybercriminals.
That day is not far off. Apple currently holds 12 percent of the PC market and antivirus software has reached 95 percent effectiveness, according to AV Comparatives, a nonprofit that audits antivirus software.
For more technology and electronics related news, visit the Electronics America blog.
For national and worldwide related business news, visit the Peak News Room blog.
For local and Michigan business related news, visit the Michigan Business News blog.
For healthcare and medical related news, visit the Healthcare and Medical blog.
For law related news, visit the Nation of Law blog.
For real estate and home related news, visit the Commercial and Residential Real Estate blog.
For organic SEO and web optimization related news, visit the SEO Done Right blog.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Apple Fights Mac Targeted Virus Aftermath
Story first appeared in PCWorld.com
It was a busy week for Apple malware hunters fighting the Flashback Trojan horse, which has infected between 270,000 and 600,000 Macs. A bevy of tools to find and remove the malware debuted this week, including several long term security solutions. And two days after promising to release a detection and removal tool, Apple finally offered its own fix.
Now, as the dust settles on what is considered to be the largest Mac malware threat to date, experts have started pointing fingers at Apple as being partially to blame for the scope of the Flashback malware infection. They argue that if Apple were more transparent about security issues--and if it had promptly released a Flashback fix--the extent of the damage could have been smaller. Also contributing to the magnitude of the infections is a boost in the number of Mac OS users, they say.
When the installed base [of an OS] is 10 percent or less, the bad guys don't care. The bigger the user base, the more attractive the target. Web analytics firm NetMarketShare.com estimates that the Mac installed base has jumped to 13 percent in the United States, and research firm Gartner says that Apple has become the fastest-growing U.S. computer maker--overtaking Acer and Toshiba--over the past year.
Apple's Image of Invulnerability--Gone
Perhaps surprisingly, security experts say that Apple needs to look to Microsoft when it comes to handling OS security breaches. For years Apple has mocked Microsoft for its track record in dealing with Windows malware, viruses, and weekly patches. Now the tables have turned.
The Flashback Trojan horse is the final nail in the coffin for Apple's stellar security image. He says that although Microsoft juggles a much larger number of threats, it does a better job of warning customers and delivering fixes.
We have heard dire "Macpocalypse" warnings before. Last year Apple's sterling security image was tarnished with the advent of the Mac Defender malware program. Before that, in 2006, the focus was on the Leap. A virus, the first ever virus for Mac OS X. (For a great short history of Apple Mac malware, check out NakedSecurity.com's timeline from 1982 to 2010.) But this time, security experts insist, Apple's security bragging rights are gone for good.
Mac Security Experts: Full Disclosure
It's worth noting that Mac security software sales jumped as Flashback infections began to dominate tech headlines. That fact has prompted many vocal critics to point out that it's in the self-interest of Mac antivirus companies to be critical of Apple's security measures.
But a brief timeline of Flashback, security experts say, illustrates their point. The underlying Java vulnerability that Flashback exploited was publicly known, and patched by Oracle, in February. On April 3, Apple released a Java security bulletin pointing to the Oracle patch, and declined to disclose, discuss, or confirm the infections. On Tuesday, Apple acknowledged the existence of Flashback and said that it was developing software to detect and remove the malware. On Thursday, it released the Flashback malware removal tool.
What Apple Can Learn From Microsoft Security
First off, there is no disputing that Microsoft, having the dominant OS, faces far more security threats than Apple does. You can argue all day about how secure Apple's flavor of BSD Unix is versus Microsoft's Windows, but the difference is Microsoft's transparency. As PCWorld's sibling publication Macworld puts it: Apple has a good security record, but it still has some work to do in terms of its reputation for security.
Mac OS users unfamiliar with Windows may be surprised to learn that Microsoft regularly schedules the rollout of security fixes on Patch Tuesday, the second Tuesday of each month. But for IT managers and consumers, knowing what's at risk and when a fix will be available is vital for minimizing exposure to threats. Microsoft also issues critical patches as they become available for exploits.
The system is not perfect; coupled with Windows Update, however, it offers a first line of defense against malware, exploits, and viruses.
Mac OS also automatically checks for software updates every week, and you can change that setting for more-frequent updates. But it's Apple's legendary wall of silence and foot-dragging on deploying fixes that have placed it in security experts' crosshairs.
When problems and vulnerabilities exist, Microsoft provides information quickly. Microsoft has been good at communicating, sometimes to the point of being annoying. Apple hasn’t done as much to communicate with its users.
Apple's iron grip on information and the release of fixes has been a nagging issue for years. In 2008, for example, Apple took over four months to patch a DNS vulnerability.
Why Apple did not deploy these fixes before Mac users were victimized by criminals is unclear.
Expect an evolution of threats against Mac users that will largely mirror those that Windows users face: that is, via the exploitation of vulnerable browser plug-ins, such as Adobe Reader, Flash, and most definitely Java.
Apple's Flashback fix, deployed Thursday, mitigates Java flaws. As a security hardening measure, the Java browser plug-in and Java Web Start are deactivated if they are unused for 35 days.
Ignorance Is Not Bliss
The bigger problem, say some observers, is correcting the perception that the Mac platform is invulnerable. That notion has fostered a laissez-faire attitude toward security among Apple customers.
For years Apple has promoted the idea that Macs are far less vulnerable to malware and viruses than PCs are.
Mac users are faced with new threats that require new security precautions.
A system administrator says that many of the student Mac users for whom he provides help-desk services live in denial. An IT manager for several state universities at the Tennessee Technology Center in Shelbyville, Tennessee, says students come to his staff with Mac problems and don't believe that their computers have been infected until shown the evidence.
Over the past few years, Mallard says, he has seen the percentage of infected Macs brought in by students jump from 1 to 15 percent.
Even though the Mac OS is more secure, its users don’t have the awareness. Educating users to the risks that they face is one of the most important things Apple can do, the same way you teach your kid to cross at the green light.
It was a busy week for Apple malware hunters fighting the Flashback Trojan horse, which has infected between 270,000 and 600,000 Macs. A bevy of tools to find and remove the malware debuted this week, including several long term security solutions. And two days after promising to release a detection and removal tool, Apple finally offered its own fix.
Now, as the dust settles on what is considered to be the largest Mac malware threat to date, experts have started pointing fingers at Apple as being partially to blame for the scope of the Flashback malware infection. They argue that if Apple were more transparent about security issues--and if it had promptly released a Flashback fix--the extent of the damage could have been smaller. Also contributing to the magnitude of the infections is a boost in the number of Mac OS users, they say.
When the installed base [of an OS] is 10 percent or less, the bad guys don't care. The bigger the user base, the more attractive the target. Web analytics firm NetMarketShare.com estimates that the Mac installed base has jumped to 13 percent in the United States, and research firm Gartner says that Apple has become the fastest-growing U.S. computer maker--overtaking Acer and Toshiba--over the past year.
Apple's Image of Invulnerability--Gone
Perhaps surprisingly, security experts say that Apple needs to look to Microsoft when it comes to handling OS security breaches. For years Apple has mocked Microsoft for its track record in dealing with Windows malware, viruses, and weekly patches. Now the tables have turned.
The Flashback Trojan horse is the final nail in the coffin for Apple's stellar security image. He says that although Microsoft juggles a much larger number of threats, it does a better job of warning customers and delivering fixes.
We have heard dire "Macpocalypse" warnings before. Last year Apple's sterling security image was tarnished with the advent of the Mac Defender malware program. Before that, in 2006, the focus was on the Leap. A virus, the first ever virus for Mac OS X. (For a great short history of Apple Mac malware, check out NakedSecurity.com's timeline from 1982 to 2010.) But this time, security experts insist, Apple's security bragging rights are gone for good.
Mac Security Experts: Full Disclosure
It's worth noting that Mac security software sales jumped as Flashback infections began to dominate tech headlines. That fact has prompted many vocal critics to point out that it's in the self-interest of Mac antivirus companies to be critical of Apple's security measures.
But a brief timeline of Flashback, security experts say, illustrates their point. The underlying Java vulnerability that Flashback exploited was publicly known, and patched by Oracle, in February. On April 3, Apple released a Java security bulletin pointing to the Oracle patch, and declined to disclose, discuss, or confirm the infections. On Tuesday, Apple acknowledged the existence of Flashback and said that it was developing software to detect and remove the malware. On Thursday, it released the Flashback malware removal tool.
What Apple Can Learn From Microsoft Security
First off, there is no disputing that Microsoft, having the dominant OS, faces far more security threats than Apple does. You can argue all day about how secure Apple's flavor of BSD Unix is versus Microsoft's Windows, but the difference is Microsoft's transparency. As PCWorld's sibling publication Macworld puts it: Apple has a good security record, but it still has some work to do in terms of its reputation for security.
Mac OS users unfamiliar with Windows may be surprised to learn that Microsoft regularly schedules the rollout of security fixes on Patch Tuesday, the second Tuesday of each month. But for IT managers and consumers, knowing what's at risk and when a fix will be available is vital for minimizing exposure to threats. Microsoft also issues critical patches as they become available for exploits.
The system is not perfect; coupled with Windows Update, however, it offers a first line of defense against malware, exploits, and viruses.
Mac OS also automatically checks for software updates every week, and you can change that setting for more-frequent updates. But it's Apple's legendary wall of silence and foot-dragging on deploying fixes that have placed it in security experts' crosshairs.
When problems and vulnerabilities exist, Microsoft provides information quickly. Microsoft has been good at communicating, sometimes to the point of being annoying. Apple hasn’t done as much to communicate with its users.
Apple's iron grip on information and the release of fixes has been a nagging issue for years. In 2008, for example, Apple took over four months to patch a DNS vulnerability.
Why Apple did not deploy these fixes before Mac users were victimized by criminals is unclear.
Expect an evolution of threats against Mac users that will largely mirror those that Windows users face: that is, via the exploitation of vulnerable browser plug-ins, such as Adobe Reader, Flash, and most definitely Java.
Apple's Flashback fix, deployed Thursday, mitigates Java flaws. As a security hardening measure, the Java browser plug-in and Java Web Start are deactivated if they are unused for 35 days.
Ignorance Is Not Bliss
The bigger problem, say some observers, is correcting the perception that the Mac platform is invulnerable. That notion has fostered a laissez-faire attitude toward security among Apple customers.
For years Apple has promoted the idea that Macs are far less vulnerable to malware and viruses than PCs are.
Mac users are faced with new threats that require new security precautions.
A system administrator says that many of the student Mac users for whom he provides help-desk services live in denial. An IT manager for several state universities at the Tennessee Technology Center in Shelbyville, Tennessee, says students come to his staff with Mac problems and don't believe that their computers have been infected until shown the evidence.
Over the past few years, Mallard says, he has seen the percentage of infected Macs brought in by students jump from 1 to 15 percent.
Even though the Mac OS is more secure, its users don’t have the awareness. Educating users to the risks that they face is one of the most important things Apple can do, the same way you teach your kid to cross at the green light.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
