Hasta La Gadget!

“I think for people running network businesses, it’s not just about improving your security, because I’ve never talked to a security expert who said, ‘As long you do the following three things you’ll be fine, because hackers won’t get you… the question is how do you build your life so you’re able to cope with those things. It’s been a great experience.”

Phenomenal as it must’ve felt to get in touch with his inner defeatist, Schaaff admitted that he “would not like to do it again” — probably because his mouth can only house one foot at a time.

Sony exec says PSN hack was ‘a great experience,’ apparently means it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So far, we’ve pretty much decided that the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution covers those zany thoughts within your skull. But when it comes to more tangible things, it’s hardly as clear. In the past, convicted persons have been forced to cough up keys to what eventually becomes evidence, and in the case of one Ramona Fricosu, the US Department of Justice is assuming that a computer passphrase is no different. But that assumption is causing shock waves throughout the tech community, as the decrypting of one’s laptop files is arguably causing someone to become a “witness against himself.” Of note, no one’s asking that Ramona actually hand over the password per se, but even typing in the unlock code while not being watched results in effectively the same conclusion. The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation is clearly taking a stance against the proposal, noting that this type of situation is exactly one that the Fifth was designed to protect. Only time will tell if Fricosu’s offered immunity as a token for complying, but the precedents that are set here are apt to be felt for decades to come. Tap that CNET link for an in-depth report.

Ramona Fricosu case to determine if decrypted laptop files are safe under Fifth Amendment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kryptonite Mini locks — the hipsters’ favorite, now available in multiple colorways. Photo My Beautiful Parking

The trouble with being a hipster is that you end up looking like all other hipsters. Take, for instance, the Urban Fixed-Gear cyclist or — as Bike Snob NYC calls him — the Nü Fred. This freshly pierced and tattooed trust-fund kid will show his allegiance to the tribe in many ways, one of which is the Kryptonite Evolution Mini D-Lock.

The familiar orange-headed shackle is usually seen peeking out of a rear jeans pocket, a mating display similar to that of a baboon’s bright-red rear. But what if our hipster wants to indulge his other passion: color-coordinating bike and acessories? Well, Kryptonite itself is here to save the day, with the Mini U-Lock Color Skins.

The skins come in three parts. A colorful tube to cover the curved shackle, a cup with a hole which fits over the normally orange section of the crossbar, and a clear plastic dust-cover, replacing the black one already on the lock. Thus, the lock can be made to match a bike in blue, purple, pink, white and red.

The price? Around $5, easily within the weekly allowance provided to our Nü Fred by his indulgent parents. Available now.

Mini U-Lock Color Skins [Kryptonite via My Beautiful Parking]

See Also:

• Hipsters Grieve: The $150 Walmart Fixie
• Designer Chainsaw for Hipster Lumberjacks
• Hands Off! With the Kryptonite Evolution Mini
• Bike Chic
• Hiplok Bike Lock Is Worn Like a Belt
• U-Lock Tool Turns Kryptonite into Wrench

Whoa, Nelly — this one’s not going to sit well with a certain sect. While the Chinese city of Chongqing has been planning this initiative for some time, we’re just now starting to understand the sheer magnitude of what’ll be built over the next two to three years. Cisco and HP — two names that are no doubt familiar to those reading this page — are apparently in cahoots with the nation in a way that overshoots prior expectations by some amount. According to figures gathered by The Wall Street Journal, a whopping half-million surveillance cameras are being shipped over to keep watch across the city, with the awkwardly-named Peaceful Chongqing project giving the government unprecedented views of its citizens.

Critics are wondering why Cisco and HP aren’t being held responsible for whatever China ends up doing with this equipment, but the loophole here is a fairly obvious one; while it’s definitely not kosher for US firms to ship fingerprinting equipment to China, shipping everyday technology like cameras isn’t taboo. Yet, anyway. As you’d expect, both Cisco and HP seem confident that it’s not their responsibility to pay attention to what happens to the devices they ship, and if it’s something you’d like to immerse yourself in, those links below are there to help.

500,000 surveillance cameras to oversee Chongqing, China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is it over? Is it finally all over? Sony would certainly like to think so, finally bringing its PSN service back online for gamers in its home country of Japan as expected. PlayStation players throughout most of the world have been getting their Resistance on for at least a month now, US services leading the way back in May, but the Japanese government had previously asked Sony to keep things on the DL until it was doubly, triply sure all was good. Given that it only took three days after that initial re-launch for people to find another PSN exploit, that’s looking like it was the right call.

Sony brings PSN back online in Japan, wants us to forget about all that hacking nonsense originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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