By JOHN SCHWARTZ nytimes.com 12/30/us/30privacy
Published: December 29, 2009
The technology exists to reveal objects hidden under clothes at airport checkpoints, and many experts say it would have detected the explosive packet carried aboard the Detroit-bound flight last week. But it has been fought by privacy advocates who say it is too intrusive, leading to a newly intensified debate over the limits of security.
Screening technologies with names like millimeter-wave and backscatter X-ray can show the contours of the body and reveal foreign objects. Such machines, properly used, are a leap ahead of the metal detectors used in most airports, and supporters say they are necessary to keep up with the plans of potential terrorists.
“If they’d been deployed, this would pick up this kind of device,” Michael Chertoff, the former homeland security secretary, said in an interview, referring to the packet of chemicals hidden in the underwear of the Nigerian man who federal officials say tried to blow up the Northwest Airlines flight.
But others say that the technology is no security panacea, and that its use should be carefully controlled because of the risks to privacy, including the potential for its ghostly naked images to show up on the Internet.
“The big question to our country is how to balance the need for personal privacy with the safety and security needs of our country,” said Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican who sponsored a successful measure in the House this year to require that the devices be used only as a secondary screening method and to set punishments for government employees who copy or share images. (The bill has not passed in the Senate.)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Critics of H-P Software Soften Their Stance
By Justin Scheck
Two people named Desi and Wanda recently set off an uproar with a YouTube video claiming that Hewlett-Packard computers are racist, based on the performance of the company’s facial-recognition software. After a discussion with the company, they seem to be backing down a bit.
Desi is black and Wanda is white. Their video shows H-P’s software making a Web cam follow Wanda’s face, zooming in and out as she moved near or away from the computer. But when “black Desi gets in there, no face recognition anymore,” Desi says onscreen. Indeed, the camera does appear to stop moving when his face shows up.
In response, H-P issued a statement that “proper foreground lighting is required for the product to effectively track any person and their movements.” A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment on why lighting that was okay for Wanda was apparently insufficient for Desi.
After the uproar, a publication called The Grio tested the device for itself and concluded the software isn’t racist: “When our staff sat in front of the face-tracking camera, it responded effectively to people of all shades and colors.”
Through it all, we didn’t know who Desi or Wanda were. Now, it looks like they’ve come out.
A statement issued by Wanda to the Web site Mashable says that their names are Wanda Zamen and Desi Cryer, and they work in the sales department at Toppers Camping Center in Waller, Tex.
The statement says it was their intention “to provide a good natured chuckle to our fellow man,” and they did not imagine that so many people would watch and react to the video.
“We do not really think that a machine can be racist, or that HP is purposely creating software that excludes people of color,” the statement continues. “We think it is just a glitch.”
Somewhat more mysteriously, the statement adds: “H-P has been in contact with us about this matter, at this time that is all we are at liberty to say.”
How does the company characterize what happened? “We had a friendly conversation,” the H-P spokeswoman said. “We encouraged them to use better lighting.” ------From WSJ Blogs
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Two people named Desi and Wanda recently set off an uproar with a YouTube video claiming that Hewlett-Packard computers are racist, based on the performance of the company’s facial-recognition software. After a discussion with the company, they seem to be backing down a bit.
Desi is black and Wanda is white. Their video shows H-P’s software making a Web cam follow Wanda’s face, zooming in and out as she moved near or away from the computer. But when “black Desi gets in there, no face recognition anymore,” Desi says onscreen. Indeed, the camera does appear to stop moving when his face shows up.
In response, H-P issued a statement that “proper foreground lighting is required for the product to effectively track any person and their movements.” A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment on why lighting that was okay for Wanda was apparently insufficient for Desi.
After the uproar, a publication called The Grio tested the device for itself and concluded the software isn’t racist: “When our staff sat in front of the face-tracking camera, it responded effectively to people of all shades and colors.”
Through it all, we didn’t know who Desi or Wanda were. Now, it looks like they’ve come out.
A statement issued by Wanda to the Web site Mashable says that their names are Wanda Zamen and Desi Cryer, and they work in the sales department at Toppers Camping Center in Waller, Tex.
The statement says it was their intention “to provide a good natured chuckle to our fellow man,” and they did not imagine that so many people would watch and react to the video.
“We do not really think that a machine can be racist, or that HP is purposely creating software that excludes people of color,” the statement continues. “We think it is just a glitch.”
Somewhat more mysteriously, the statement adds: “H-P has been in contact with us about this matter, at this time that is all we are at liberty to say.”
How does the company characterize what happened? “We had a friendly conversation,” the H-P spokeswoman said. “We encouraged them to use better lighting.” ------From WSJ Blogs
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
HP Investigates Claims of ‘Racist’ Computers
By Brian X. Chen
December 22, 2009
The YouTube page -- The YouTube page-------- The YouTube page
WATCH THE VIDEO
The YouTube page The YouTube page
WATCH THE VIDEO
--A COMMENT A software problem with light and a missed opportunity for financial gain.
From wired.com GADGET LAB
December 22, 2009
The YouTube page -- The YouTube page-------- The YouTube page
WATCH THE VIDEO
The YouTube page The YouTube page
WATCH THE VIDEO
--A COMMENT A software problem with light and a missed opportunity for financial gain.
From wired.com GADGET LAB
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
US appoints Howard Schmidt as cybersecurity chief
The White House has appointed its cyber tsar, following a seven month search.
Howard Schmidt, a former eBay and Microsoft executive who advised President Bush, was appointed after others turned down the job.
Mr Schmidt has been set the task of uniting various disparate agencies and organisations to shore up the country's defence against cyber attack.
In May this year, President Obama pledged to personally appoint someone to the post.
In a letter posted on the White House website, John Brennan, assistant to the President for homeland security and counterterrorism said that protecting the internet was "critical to our national security, public safety and our personal privacy and civil liberties".
"It's also vital to President Obama's efforts to strengthen our country, from the modernisation of our health care system to the high-tech job creation central to our economic recovery."
Mr Schmidt would have "regular access to the President and serve as a key member of his National Security Staff", he said.
The White House's acting cyber-security head, Melissa Hathaway, stood down in August after complaining that the post did not allow her to implement necessary changes. --BBC NEWS
Howard Schmidt, a former eBay and Microsoft executive who advised President Bush, was appointed after others turned down the job.
Mr Schmidt has been set the task of uniting various disparate agencies and organisations to shore up the country's defence against cyber attack.
In May this year, President Obama pledged to personally appoint someone to the post.
In a letter posted on the White House website, John Brennan, assistant to the President for homeland security and counterterrorism said that protecting the internet was "critical to our national security, public safety and our personal privacy and civil liberties".
"It's also vital to President Obama's efforts to strengthen our country, from the modernisation of our health care system to the high-tech job creation central to our economic recovery."
Mr Schmidt would have "regular access to the President and serve as a key member of his National Security Staff", he said.
The White House's acting cyber-security head, Melissa Hathaway, stood down in August after complaining that the post did not allow her to implement necessary changes. --BBC NEWS
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Virgin Extends Government's Free Cell Phone Program
Sascha Segan - PC Magazine Sascha Segan - Pc Magazine – Wed Dec 9, 10:02 am ET
Free, government-funded cell phones may be the target of right-wing rage but they're real, they're out there and they're getting more free minutes.
Virgin Mobile on Wednesday announced Assurance Wireless, a government-funded program to offer Kyocera Jax phones with 200 minutes per month to poor or disabled people in New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. That's a big bump up from their major competitor, TracFone's SafeLink Wireless, which only offers around 60 free minutes per month, varying state by state.
Free phones and service are available to low-income families or folks participating in a range of government "welfare" programs, including Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
The free phones aren't a new, Obama-era benefit; they're actually part of a program that started back in 1997 called LifeLine which followed from the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The program was enhanced in 2005 during the Bush administration, and SafeLink started disbursing free phones in 2008. According to LifeLine's Web page, "similar programs have existed since at least 1985."
The program is funded by the Universal Service Fund, which you see as a surcharge on your phone bill. The USF used to subsidize landline service for low-income and disabled people. Now it's allowed to subsidize wireless service as well. That especially helps folks who move frequently, or are living in motels, bunking with family, or are homeless - in many cases, the most struggling folks in America.
Up until now, most cellular LifeLine service was provided through SafeLink, which operates in nineteen states. SafeLink's service provides fewer minutes than Virgin's, but their phones may have better coverage. Virgin, a subsidiary of Sprint, exclusively uses Sprint's network to make calls. Depending on where you live, TracFone may be able to use multiple networks to provide better coverage.
Other major cell phone companies all participate in LifeLine, but they provide discounted, not free service. Verizon Wireless, AT&T Sprint, Cricket and T-Mobile all offer discounted wireless service as part of the LifeLine program.
-From Yahoo News
Free, government-funded cell phones may be the target of right-wing rage but they're real, they're out there and they're getting more free minutes.
Virgin Mobile on Wednesday announced Assurance Wireless, a government-funded program to offer Kyocera Jax phones with 200 minutes per month to poor or disabled people in New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. That's a big bump up from their major competitor, TracFone's SafeLink Wireless, which only offers around 60 free minutes per month, varying state by state.
Free phones and service are available to low-income families or folks participating in a range of government "welfare" programs, including Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
The free phones aren't a new, Obama-era benefit; they're actually part of a program that started back in 1997 called LifeLine which followed from the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The program was enhanced in 2005 during the Bush administration, and SafeLink started disbursing free phones in 2008. According to LifeLine's Web page, "similar programs have existed since at least 1985."
The program is funded by the Universal Service Fund, which you see as a surcharge on your phone bill. The USF used to subsidize landline service for low-income and disabled people. Now it's allowed to subsidize wireless service as well. That especially helps folks who move frequently, or are living in motels, bunking with family, or are homeless - in many cases, the most struggling folks in America.
Up until now, most cellular LifeLine service was provided through SafeLink, which operates in nineteen states. SafeLink's service provides fewer minutes than Virgin's, but their phones may have better coverage. Virgin, a subsidiary of Sprint, exclusively uses Sprint's network to make calls. Depending on where you live, TracFone may be able to use multiple networks to provide better coverage.
Other major cell phone companies all participate in LifeLine, but they provide discounted, not free service. Verizon Wireless, AT&T Sprint, Cricket and T-Mobile all offer discounted wireless service as part of the LifeLine program.
-From Yahoo News
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Many people don"t like their cell service,according to Consumer Reports
December 3, 2009
Can you hear me now? Consumer Reports polled more than 50,000 readers and found that only 54% of its participants said they were completely or very satisfied with their cellphone service. I know you hear me now.
Almost two-thirds of respondents had at least one major complaint. The top gripe? About 1 in 5 readers cited high prices. As a result, relatively cheaper prepaid service contracts are becoming increasingly popular, the study reported.
Verizon received the nod for offering the best cellphone service, it received higher marks for voice connectivity, customer service, messaging and Web/e-mail service than T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T. But it's expensive.
T-Mobile ranked as the second-best overall service carrier. It offers some plans that are less expensive than Verizon's, which pleases many customers, but it received lower basic scores than its competitor.
Sprint and AT&T came in at the bottom. Sprint got a low score for customer service, while AT&T received complaints for its voice connectivity -- or lack thereof.
Ironically, even though AT&T is the Apple iPhone's exclusive service provider, the iPhone won top smart phone honors, with 98% of users saying they'd buy the phone again. Hmmm...a cellphone won top honors even though its voice connectivity is considered among the worst. My oh my, how the cellphone's purpose has changed.
-- Melissa Rohlin -LA Times - Tech
Can you hear me now? Consumer Reports polled more than 50,000 readers and found that only 54% of its participants said they were completely or very satisfied with their cellphone service. I know you hear me now.
Almost two-thirds of respondents had at least one major complaint. The top gripe? About 1 in 5 readers cited high prices. As a result, relatively cheaper prepaid service contracts are becoming increasingly popular, the study reported.
Verizon received the nod for offering the best cellphone service, it received higher marks for voice connectivity, customer service, messaging and Web/e-mail service than T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T. But it's expensive.
T-Mobile ranked as the second-best overall service carrier. It offers some plans that are less expensive than Verizon's, which pleases many customers, but it received lower basic scores than its competitor.
Sprint and AT&T came in at the bottom. Sprint got a low score for customer service, while AT&T received complaints for its voice connectivity -- or lack thereof.
Ironically, even though AT&T is the Apple iPhone's exclusive service provider, the iPhone won top smart phone honors, with 98% of users saying they'd buy the phone again. Hmmm...a cellphone won top honors even though its voice connectivity is considered among the worst. My oh my, how the cellphone's purpose has changed.
-- Melissa Rohlin -LA Times - Tech
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