Dutch, Mexican iPhone rumors; Cirrus audio in iPods; more

[AppleInsider]

Two independent reports claim to know when the iPhone will be available in Mexico and the Netherlands. Also, a report says Cirrus Logic has likely been tapped for the audio in future iPods, an inside job at an Apple store briefly stole 332 iPhones, Adobe released Photoshop Express, and a MacBook Air was first to fall in a major hacking contest.

Rumors point to iPhone for Mexico, Netherlands

Apple may be prepping two new international iPhone launches for the spring, according to separate stories.

The Mexico City newspaper El Universal alleged on Thursday that multiple dialogs with Apple support would have the iPhone launch on Mexican carrier Telcel in June, in time for Apple's planned version 2.0 firmware.

The device may be as much as a third more expensive in Mexico than in the US after factoring in taxes, the report added.

Meanwhile, Dutch Apple reseller The Innovators also posted teasers the same day for a special event to take place on March 29th at 11AM local time. The third-party store was mum on details but dropped hints that it would present on a product that had previously been unsold in the Netherlands and would make it easy to place calls.

While suggestive, the use of a reseller for a presentation would be uncharacteristic of Apple's past iPhone launches, which have only allowed iPhone sales through official carrier stores as well as dedicated phone stores such as the UK's Carphone Warehouse.

Analyst: Cirrus Logic to replace Wolfson in future iPods

Although Wolfson Microelectronics has only just been cut out of new iPods due this year, a successor is already in place, Jefferies analyst Adam Benjamin said Thursday.

Already known for its computer and set-top box audio chipsets, Texas-based Cirrus Logic was predicted as having won a position inside the fourth-generation iPod nano as well as the second-generation iPod touch. No direct sources are cited for the switch.

If confirmed, the part swap is nonetheless poised to boost Cirrus' business by as much as $15 million in the latter half of 2008 and up to $20 million more in 2009, Benjamin estimated.

Apple Store staff caught stealing 332 iPhones

In a relatively rare example of employee theft at Apple, two workers at the company's Rockingham Park store in Salem, New Hampshire were found by their supervisors to have stolen 332 iPhones.

Joshua Garrand and Christopher Nashed were arrested for stealing the handsets with the intent of reselling them at higher prices. At the official $399 price, the iPhones were worth $132,468 to the store, according to the local Eagle Tribune newspaper.

Local police described the case as unique in the history of employee thefts for the area.

Adobe launches web-based Photoshop Express

Belatedly fulfilling a promise to begin a migration to the web for many of its creative apps, Adobe on Thursday launched a public test version of Photoshop Express.

Considered a web-based alternative to basic, offline image editing programs such as iPhoto or Photoshop Elements, Express allows users to organize and publish a gallery of images as well as make simple changes, including crops and color fixes.

The web app is completely free to use and gives users 2GB of photo storage, but requires a browser with Adobe's own Flash 9 animation plugin installed. A paid service is forthcoming and should add more features as well as extra storage space.

Mac hacked first in security expo contest

Apple's track record on security was tarnished on Thursday when Mac OS X was the first operating system to be compromised in a hacking contest at the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The mystery crack by Charlie Miller was dependent on visiting a website containing malicious code. The exploit took just two minutes to surface at the start of the day, which also invited guests to hack Linux and Windows systems.

The exploit was presented on the second day of the three-day conference and appeared only once the competition eased rules, permitting hacks to require user actions rather than the strictly automatic hacks that were allowed the day before.

Miller wasn't allowed to publicize how he accomplished the feat, which organizing firm TippingPoint said would be passed on to Apple so it can develop a fix. However, the coding expert received the more immediate rewards of a $10,000 prize as well as the system he had infiltrated -- a new MacBook Air.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[nagromme]

Releasing info to Apple BEFORE public release of the security hole? How novel and responsible

[Denton]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Rumors point to iPhone for Mexico, Netherlands

Apple may be prepping two new international iPhone launches for the spring, according to separate stories.

The Mexico City newspaper El Universal alleged on Thursday that multiple dialogs with Apple support would have the iPhone launch on Mexican carrier Telcel in June, in time for Apple's planned version 2.0 firmware.

The device may be as much as a third more expensive in Mexico than in the US after factoring in taxes, the report added.

Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!

[aplnub]

Originally Posted by nagromme

Releasing info to Apple BEFORE public release of the security hole? How novel and responsible

It makes me wonder what took so long with the Leopard Firewall and it's settings out of the box. I wish they would go back to the Tiger Firewall setup.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by nagromme

Releasing info to Apple BEFORE public release of the security hole? How novel and responsible

This sounds a lot like the previous hack on a Mac a couple years back. Something about this sounds odd but I'll wait until we get more info before expressing my thoughts on it.

As for the prize being the machine that was hacked, it makes me wonder if Windows or Linux was even attempted.

[audiopollution]

Originally Posted by solipsism

This sounds a lot like the previous hack on a Mac a couple years back. Something about this sounds odd but I'll wait until we get more info before expressing my thoughts on it.

As for the prize being the machine that was hacked, it makes me wonder if Windows or Linux was even attempted.

http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/...wn-to-own-2008

[rickertb]

I don't think holland will recieve an iphone saturday.
all networks are umts/hspda, edge services have been canceled due to takeovers by KPN telecom.

more likely would be that itunes will receive video broadcasts or something like that

[lee.horrocks]

Originally Posted by Denton

Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!

Blame Rogers, not NAFTA (Rogers sucks more.)

[neondiet]

Originally Posted by aplnub

It makes me wonder what took so long with the Leopard Firewall and it's settings out of the box. I wish they would go back to the Tiger Firewall setup.

The first day of the competition was reserved for network vector attacks; the kind that would test the Leopard firewall. None of the systems got hacked on the first day.

The rules were more relaxed for the 2nd day, with potential hackers able to send emails to the systems which the system "operators" would open. Also they're allowed to instruct the operators to visit web sites the hackers created to potentially exploit vulnerabilities.

This is how Mac OS X fell down. We don't know how exactly, but the hacker was able to design some code which when attached to a web site, punched a hole through Safari and gave him access to the machine. Probably just the users own account, but then that's where all the juicy stuff is anyway.

To be honest I'm a bit shocked. I would have thought Safari would be more robust than that.

[sredlums]

To be exact, they didn't say it would be easier to place calls (in general), but easier to call them (specific).

You'll understand that when you see what they DO introduce next saturday ;-)

[skottichan]

I'm curious if the Air was the only one tested, or if it was the only one to fall. If it's the latter, my belief it may be something to do with AirDisk.

It still amuses me how many people will blindly open stuff included in emails.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by Denton

Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!

Yeah at this point, there's nothing to really say about how hard we are getting the shaft.

[audiopollution]

Originally Posted by skottichan

I'm curious if the Air was the only one tested, or if it was the only one to fall. If it's the latter, my belief it may be something to do with AirDisk.

It still amuses me how many people will blindly open stuff included in emails.

AirDisk != Macbook Air

[razorpit]

So, does any one know the stock ticker for Cirrus Logic?

[hezekiahb]

Originally Posted by neondiet

The first day of the competition was reserved for network vector attacks; the kind that would test the Leopard firewall. None of the systems got hacked on the first day.

The rules were more relaxed for the 2nd day, with potential hackers able to send emails to the systems which the system "operators" would open. Also they're allowed to instruct the operators to visit web sites the hackers created to potentially exploit vulnerabilities.

This is how Mac OS X fell down. We don't know how exactly, but the hacker was able to design some code which when attached to a web site, punched a hole through Safari and gave him access to the machine. Probably just the users own account, but then that's where all the juicy stuff is anyway.

To be honest I'm a bit shocked. I would have thought Safari would be more robust than that.

What is the whole point of a sandboxed environment if it doesn't really restrict access through the web browsers.

I love that Apple is putting so much effort into speed & web standards but if this is another Safari exploit it's time they hired some extra security guys on the web front.

[skottichan]

Originally Posted by audiopollution

AirDisk != Macbook Air

I'm just thinking since AirDisk is the only thing not common by default on all macs, that someone may have figured out how to exploit it.

[audiopollution]

Originally Posted by skottichan

I'm just thinking since AirDisk is the only thing not common by default on all macs, that someone may have figured out how to exploit it.

As far as I can tell, based on reports I've read from the conference, it was a Safari exploit.

[paxman]

Originally Posted by Denton

Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!

Originally Posted by lee.horrocks

Blame Rogers, not NAFTA (Rogers sucks more.)

Originally Posted by ecking

Yeah at this point, there's nothing to really say about how hard we are getting the shaft.

I think the reason Canada isn't getting the iPhone is because of a trademark issue with Toronto company Comwave Telecom Inc
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2...trademark.html

[jcgnu]

Originally Posted by Denton

Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!

"Mexico is getting the iPhone before Canada? God! NAFTA sucks!"

Three things:

A. Is that a problem?? Why should you get it before us?? There are a lot of people over here waiting to get one (or unlocking them).
B. NAFTA sucks? Funny, we are part of NAFTA too. Therefore, it doesn't suck to us.
C. It is perfectly logical that the iPhone will arrive to Mexico soon. Carlos Slim (the second wealthiest man on Earth, above Bill Gates now) owns a pretty big share of Apple, Inc. Don't know the actual number but it's around 9-14% of Apple shares.

I'll buy my iPhone in June...

[quinney]

Originally Posted by jcgnu

C. It is perfectly logical that the iPhone will arrive to Mexico soon. Carlos Slim (the second wealthiest man on Earth, above Bill Gates now) owns a pretty big share of Apple, Inc. Don't know the actual number but it's around 9-14% of Apple shares.

That is not reflected at Yahoo finance, as far as I can see:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=AAPL

[audiopollution]

Originally Posted by jcgnu

C. It is perfectly logical that the iPhone will arrive to Mexico soon. Carlos Slim (the second wealthiest man on Earth, above Bill Gates now) owns a pretty big share of Apple, Inc. Don't know the actual number but it's around 9-14% of Apple shares.

I'll buy my iPhone in June...

From a February 2000 interview with Carlos Slim:

Q: But you've had some spectacular stock picks in recent years that haven't turned into acquisitions. For example, you bought around 3% of Apple Computer in 1997, just days before Steve Jobs returned to the company to introduce the iMac. You paid $17 a share, and within 12 months the shares soared to $100.
A: Yes, that was good. When we bought those shares, Apple's market cap was less than half the value of the company's assets, and it was a good company. But we've been selling those shares off, slowly. We don't have very many of them left now.

Full interview here.

[slapppy]

Originally Posted by neondiet

The first day of the competition was reserved for network vector attacks; the kind that would test the Leopard firewall. None of the systems got hacked on the first day.

The rules were more relaxed for the 2nd day, with potential hackers able to send emails to the systems which the system "operators" would open. Also they're allowed to instruct the operators to visit web sites the hackers created to potentially exploit vulnerabilities.

This is how Mac OS X fell down. We don't know how exactly, but the hacker was able to design some code which when attached to a web site, punched a hole through Safari and gave him access to the machine. Probably just the users own account, but then that's where all the juicy stuff is anyway.

To be honest I'm a bit shocked. I would have thought Safari would be more robust than that.

To me what's more shocking is that Vista held on its own on that day. I guess Vista isn't as crappy as many others have said. Well at least in regards to security. A bit of a role reversal here for Apple.

[wheelhot]

To me what's more shocking is that Vista held on its own on that day. I guess Vista isn't as crappy as many others have said. Well at least in regards to security. A bit of a role reversal here for Apple.

What you mean? Vista didn manage to get hacked that day?

By the way, I did some search about hacking OS X and people say it usually happen when you install 3rd party device, the guy show a video of how he managed to hack OS X, but again thats cause they managed to hack it thru 3rd party device.

[fpsanders]

Originally Posted by sredlums

To be exact, they didn't say it would be easier to place calls (in general), but easier to call them (specific).

You'll understand that when you see what they DO introduce next saturday ;-)

Seems that you know more about this...?

[djames42]

Originally Posted by slapppy

To me what's more shocking is that Vista held on its own on that day. I guess Vista isn't as crappy as many others have said. Well at least in regards to security. A bit of a role reversal here for Apple.

Wonder if that's due to Vista requiring a password for every activity. I wonder if the Air's user was running with an admin account, or if it would have made any difference had they been using a regular user-level account.

[disillusion]

Originally Posted by djames42

Wonder if that's due to Vista requiring a password for every activity. I wonder if the Air's user was running with an admin account, or if it would have made any difference had they been using a regular user-level account.

As TippingPoint specifically stated that every OS would be in its default configuration, meaning like a casual user without additional knowledge would run Vista, Ubuntu and Mac OS X, I suppose it is safe to claim that „Vista isn’t as crappy as people say“. Its not bad at all, a little too much of a resource-hog, and there are a couple of inconsistencies, overall it is a neat OS, requiring a few tweaks and at least one more service pack. And regardless of what you think, the driver-problems aren’t Microsoft’s fault, there have been pre-release editions for more than a year (I tested the beta versions and I am not even a developer).

I personally loathe such arrogance, Mac OS X isn’t particularily safer than other operating systems. Especially since Leopard (slowly getting production-safe with 10.5.2), Mac OS X is neither rock-solid nor indestructible, however, it is the OS of my choice for quite some time due to its workflow (you gotta love Exposé), absence of clutter, intuitivity – and I got used to it. As for all OS there is one important thing: Brain’s not included – wheter it may be Vista or Mac OS X: Doing stupid things will result in serious damage, rather earlier than later.

I advocate an unbiased view on operating systems, Microsoft and Apple aren’t too much different in the end. No product is perfect, some are more suited to the individual user, some offer more open environments at the expense of usability (with Ubuntu gaining momentum this should change in the next few years).

After all, it might sound like I am a disgruntled Apple-user but in fact, I am a happy customer of Apple products, not always d’accord with their decisions and willing to voice criticism if the views of a shareholder perspective are valued more than the wishes of a consumer.

[sredlums]

yep :-)
But I don't want to say more then this, because I don't want to get 'my informant' (a much to heavy term for this situation, but you catch my drift) in trouble.
And I don't want to spoil the fun.
I'll explain tomorrow after the shop opens.

[monkeyastronaut]

Originally Posted by jcgnu

C. It is perfectly logical that the iPhone will arrive to Mexico soon. Carlos Slim (the second wealthiest man on Earth, above Bill Gates now) owns a pretty big share of Apple, Inc. Don't know the actual number but it's around 9-14% of Apple shares.

I'll buy my iPhone in June...

world's richest people in case anyone wants to check it out.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/03/...llie_land.html

[pichichon]

Wow, I still can't believe that Canada which usually gets the latest Apple gadgets right away still does not have the iPhone, maybe the infrastructure is not up to par to Apple's likings.

[MacBookAir77]

Yay!I really want the iPhone and I have a rich uncle there and he has Tecel so he could buy it for me

[casparz]

Well, the dutch news wasn't an iPhone. It was some kind of mouse-pad

The innovators were kinda surprised with all the publicity they got.