November 04, 2005, 5:57 PM PST
HR solutions that aren't technology oriented
Posted by: Dorian Benkoil

I had an interesting exchange with a colleague yesterday about a proposed technological solution to a problem that's not really technological at all.

A business, if I read the proposal correctly, wanted to give other businesses the chance to lock out employees from systems after they've left the company, especially if they were fired or laid off. There are actually a lot of ways to do this, and anyone who has a half-way decent security system should be able to lock people out once they've been let go. (It's nearly impossible to fully protect data someone has access to while they're working. If they really want, they can always take notes by hand, do screen captures, or use a bunch of other means.)

The issue in this case, though, is more an issue of how to manage a layoff or firing than how to lock someone out of a system. It's more important, for example, to do things in the right sequence: take former employees away from the system (for example into another room or out of the building), ask for their ID card, turn off their access, and not let them back in, as well as give them their final pay or severance only after they promise in writing to bring no harm, do no theft, and so on. Here are some HR-style tips from Entrepreneur.com on how to manage the process to avoid a lot of legal issues. On the technology front, I'd say it comes down to thinking through the security issues and holding to them in a mannered but firm way.

I've helped businesses large and small through just such issues, and the solutions have always been logistical and managerial, not technological.

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November 04, 2005, 3:22 PM PST
RFID casino chips? That's nothing
Posted by: Molly Wood

Where there's a gambling addiction, there's a way. A well-known casino cheater says new high-tech methods designed to thwart high-stakes cheating are a joke. Richard Marcus says a good cheater can find a way around RFID, facial recognition, and even Ed and Danny from Las Vegas. Oh, you wish, Richard. You wish.

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November 04, 2005, 2:48 PM PST
3G comes to Sprint
Posted by: Kent German

First it was music, and now it's TV. This week, Sprint announced the launch of the Sprint Power Vision network. Running on Sprint's new 3G EV-DO network, Power Vision promises data speeds of 400Kbps to 700Kbps, which--if the speeds hold up--are marginally faster than those of Verizon's V Cast network. Besides the Sprint Music Store, the service promises access to streaming video content from customized news, sports, traffic, and entertainment channels, and the faster data rates will speed up picture messaging and downloads of large files. Three different plans will be available for $15, $20, and $25. Of course, you'll need a phone that supports EV-DO, so Sprint has also announced its first 3G phones. The Samsung MM-A940 has a swivel-screen design along with Bluetooth, a 2-megapixel camera, an MP3 player, and a TransFlash card slot. Alternatively, the Sanyo MM-9000 flip phone has a speakerphone, a 1.3-megapixel camera, an MP3 player, and a Mini SD slot. And unlike Verizon's EV-DO phones, these handsets support analog roaming. Sprint Power Vision is now available for 130 million people in 75 markets nationwide. By early 2006, Sprint says it will cover more than 150 million customers in 200 markets. For a complete list, see Sprint's Web site.

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November 04, 2005, 2:21 PM PST
Swing up, sweet door
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

As evidenced by all the cars sporting them at SEMA this week, Lambo door hinges are all the rage amongst car modifiers. About a quarter of the show cars I saw there had these door mod kits, from trucks to sports cars. Originally seen on Lamborghinis, the doors come out slightly, then lift up. The one seen in the picture here are from GT Factory, which also makes a Gull Wing conversion kit. I've found it's too easy to knock your head on the edge of the door, but they do keep you from slamming your door into other cars or walls in parking lots. However, they don't keep other people from knocking their doors into your paint job.

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November 04, 2005, 1:21 PM PST
Microsoft buys Foldershare.com
Posted by: Robert Vamosi

Yesterday, Microsoft acquired FolderShare, an online file synchronization service that allows subscribers to access data from a variety of mobile devices. For example, if you rely on a particular customer sales spreadsheet, you can access it anytime from your office, your home computer, or a mobile device while on the road. FolderShare automatically syncs the updated data and also allows others to have access to your files, say, for collaborations. Our only real complaint with the service was the lack of encryption.

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November 04, 2005, 11:59 AM PST
Movies and maps
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

At SEMA, different car gadget technologies were crashing into each other all over the place. Initial had a portable navigation unit and DVD player, the GD-58, at its booth. The combination makes sense, as both require an LCD screen big enough for maps or movies. Initial's expertise lies in portable DVD players, but it produced the GD-70 navigation unit earlier this year. The GD-58 combines the two in a nice-looking package. The navigation relies on SD cards for its maps, and I found that inputting destinations is fairly easy with the large, 7-inch screen. The unit opens up like a clamshell, revealing a DVD drive, making it a good companion on airplanes. And the navigation makes it perfect for the subsequent rental car.

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November 04, 2005, 11:30 AM PST
GPS with turn signals
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Dual had its XNAV3500P NavAtlas GPS unit on display at SEMA, and I was most impressed by its flashy turn-signal ears. The unit itself is comparatively small, similar to the TomTom Go 300, with a 3.5-inch LCD screen. But it also has two short cylinders sticking out of the sides housing blue and red LEDs. When the navigation indicates an upcoming turn, the appropriate side will light up, first with blue, then red as you get closer. It serves as an extra visual indicator of when to make a turn. The other specs are fairly standard. The NavAtlas takes SD cards, shipping with a 1GB card preloaded with maps of the United States. It has an internal battery, giving it about three hours of runtime outside of the car. It also has the capability to play MP3s or movies, as well as display photos stored on SD cards.

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November 04, 2005, 11:21 AM PST
Audiovox car PC
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Most car computers made so far involve bolting Mini-ITX boxes into the trunk, but Audiovox is selling a computer that fits right in the dash. The AVDINPC is a single-DIN form factor (meaning it can replace a car stereo in the dashboard) that Audiovox had on display at SEMA. It uses a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, and a 40GB hard drive. Although it comes loaded with Windows XP, it has a quick-play function so that you can play CDs or DVDs without booting up the system. Although the front of the unit has a car stereo look, it requires a separate touch-screen display and keyboard to control the operating system. The power supply is also a separate unit that needs to be mounted somewhere else in the car. Probably the biggest drawback to the AVDINPC is the lack of a customized interface to easily access mobile applications, such as navigation and cameras, all of which could be added on. That said, it is a good, simple starting point for a car computer build. The unit sells for $1,699.

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November 04, 2005, 10:30 AM PST
Apple patches QuickTime flaws that affect actual Macs
Posted by: Molly Wood

Now here's something you don't hear every day. Apple has sent an alert saying that flaws in some versions of QuickTime could let malicious hackers use your machine to launch DoS attacks or execute code remotely. And by machine, I mean your Mac. Your OS X Mac, in fact. First Firefox, now this. What's this world coming to?

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November 04, 2005, 10:22 AM PST
Nigeria sick and tired of Nigerian scams
Posted by: Molly Wood

It's pretty disheartening to be the country in the world whose name is synonymous with scam. So Nigeria is partnering with the British government and with Microsoft to help warn people about fraudulent e-mail promising hidden Nigerian fortunes. Unfortunately, all their warning e-mail messages were promptly filtered to the trash.

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