Hasta La Gadget!

When Google soft launched its new Gmail composer last October, it did so in a preview release that gave users the option to test it out and turn it off. Not so anymore, because starting today that resizable, pop-up window is now the default interface for its web Gmail client. The widespread change was apparently spurred by abundant positive feedback from users that found the new layout bolstered multitasking — a claim we’re not entirely sold on. Regardless of your feelings towards this permanent switch, it’s headed your way soon and should finish rolling out “over the next few days.” So, turn and face the change, people — it’s not like you have a choice.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Official Gmail Blog

Google has always been pretty firm in its stance that “open systems win.” Now its going so far as to publicly pledge that it will “not sue any user, distributor or developer of open-source software on specified patents, unless first attacked.” The Open Patent Non-Assertion (OPN) Pledge, as the company is calling it, is the latest effort to back open-source software which Mountain View contends is one of the driving sources of innovation in cloud-computing and the internet. The first set of patents that are part of the initiative are related to MapReduce, which is used to process large data sets, though the company will eventually expand it to cover other technologies. The pledge is similar to Twitter’s Innovators Patent Agreement which it announced in April of last year. There wont be any immediate benefit to end users, but anything that encourages innovation and minimizes litigation seems like a net positive in our book. For more details hit up the source link.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Google 1, 2

We all seem to have issues with our cable company. Whether it’s because of weird charges on our monthly bill or unreliable service, there seems to never be a decent cable company out there that can provide a great experience for its customers. However, that’s not all true. It turns out that Verizon FiOS is pretty good, as it topped the list of Consumer Reports’ best internet/cable/phone bundles.

Based on a survey consisting of the thoughts and recommendations of 84,000 internet/cable/phone bundle subscribers, Verizon FiOS came out on top due to its reliability, great picture and phone call quality, and high service satisfaction. Of course, FiOS is only available in a select number of areas in the US, so some customers are out of luck if they’re looking for the best option.

However, Consumer Reports recommends some alternatives if you’re not looking for a complete “triple-play” bundle. For instance, they recommend DirecTV if you’re just looking for a television package, and they also mention Vonage and Ooma as great phone-only options if you’re already happy with your internet and television packages. Of course, many households are looking to cut the cable cord and just go with internet-only options, which many service providers are happy to do.

The report from Consumer Reports is rather extensive, and it features ratings of internet/TV/phone bundles from 14 different companies, as well as companies that offer individual phone, TV, or internet services. The full report can be found in the May issue of Consumer Reports, which is out now.

Verizon FiOS tops list of best internet bundles by Consumer Reports is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Will Vandevanter, of Help Net Security, made a rather disturbing discovery: thousands of Amazon S3 data “buckets” were improperly configured and left exposed to prying eyes. Vandevanter started his probe by generating URLs using the names of major companies and sites that use Amazon’s cloud storage service. In the end he uncovered 12,328 of the so-called buckets — 1,951 of which were visible to the public. Those folders were home to some 126 billion files that contain everything from personal data hosted by a social networking service, sales records, video game source code and even unencrypted backups of databases. By default, S3 accounts are set to private, which means these stores of potentially sensitive data had to be flipped to public manually — most likely by accident. Amazon has responded to the discovery by alerting users who might have inadvertently made their files publicly accessible. If you’ve got an S3 account of your own, now would be an excellent time to double check your own settings. And if you’re looking for more details of Vandevanter’s research, hit up the source link.

Filed under: Internet, Amazon

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Via: The Verge

Source: Help Net Security

Attacks on the submarine cables running along the ocean floors carrying massive amounts of Internet traffic aren’t terribly uncommon. A series of the cables were severed for reasons unbeknownst back in 2008, for example, and again early last year, the latter of which cut off Internet service to various locations in Africa. Now three have been arrested for attempting to severe a cable feeding Internet to Alexandria.

According to Egyptian military spokesman Col Ahmed Mohammed Ali, three men were discovered attempting to sabotage an undersea Internet cable from a fishing boat located approximately 820 yards from Alexandria. As a result, Internet users in Egypt have suffered reduced speeds, something that is no doubt frustrating, and also highlights the vulnerability of an infrastructure the modern world is so dependent on.

Per the announcement, the men were caught while in the process of cutting the cable. Although the extent of the damage that was caused is unknown, the timing of this attack coincided with reports from Seacom, a cable operator, that multiple lines between Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia were also affected, causing widespread Internet slowing. The specific cable attacked in this event is the SEA-ME-WE 4 main lines in the Mediterranean.

The attackers’ motivation for the attack is unknown, and they are slated for interrogation by law enforcement officials. Whether this attack is in any way related to the problems experienced with other submarine Internet cables in recent days is also unknown. The mens’ names have not been revealed. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

[via BBC]
Image via Renesys

Three arrested for trying to cut undersea Internet cable is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.