BlackBerry Data Is (Not?) Secure

Phred Dvorak, on WSJ.com:

RIM said the BlackBerry network was set up so that “no one, including RIM, could access” customer data, which is encrypted from the time it leaves the device.

All good right? Many (including myself) have been working under the assumption that BlackBerry devices – specifically their communications tools – are always encrypted.

However, something seems iffy when Bruce Schneier writes:

While the data is encrypted between RIM’s servers and the BlackBerrys, it has to be encrypted by RIM — so RIM has access to the plaintext.

This is similar to how Opera Mini handles encryption: although everything coming to and from Opera servers is encrypted, the servers themselves need see what’s going on to do its magic.

Note that I don’t think BlackBerry has a security issue. But by making a statement that seems technically inaccurate they’re setting themselves up for scrutiny from the users that should be supporting them right now.

Doctorow's First Law

Cory Doctorow, on Doctorow’s First Law:

Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won’t give you a key, they’re not doing it for your benefit.

Although Doctorow is an extremist, he’s a rational one. Most of the things he gets worked up about – not using Macs anymore because of DRM – are things I can understand.

And while I still don’t agree in practice with him, more often than not, I agree in principle.

BlackBerry Torch With BlackBerry 6 OS Announced

BlackBerry Torch in AT&T for $199.99:

As a refresher, the specs for the Torch 9800 look like this: 3.2-inch 360x480 touchscreen, 4.4” (5.8” open) x 2.4” x .57” and weighing 5.68 ounces, an optical trackpad, 4 GB of flash memory built-in as well as a 4 GB MicroSD card included with the phone, 5 megapixel camera with flash capable of shooting 640x480 video, BlackBerry 6 OS, and the usual smartphone features like Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi.

A modern device, with a modern OS – by 2009 standards.

For me this doesn’t mean that BlackBerry is in trouble. They are just not innovative for the end consumer. Other than the huge network effect of BlackBerry Messenger and their superior mail experience, they really bring nothing new to the market.

As long as these are the things that people want, no problem, if Apps, Browsing, Media, etc, keeps reaching mainstream, then somebody is in trouble.

IT, like the world, is becoming multipolar.
The end of Wintel, The Economist.
The Ghosts of World War II’s Past. Taking old World War II photos, Russian photographer Sergey Larenkov carefully photoshops them over more recent shots to make the past come alive. Not only do we get to experience places like Berlin, Prague, and Vienna in ways we could have never imagined, more importantly, we are able to appreciate our shared history in a whole new and unbelievably meaningful way. Impressive visually, technically and historically.

The Ghosts of World War II’s Past.

Taking old World War II photos, Russian photographer Sergey Larenkov carefully photoshops them over more recent shots to make the past come alive. Not only do we get to experience places like Berlin, Prague, and Vienna in ways we could have never imagined, more importantly, we are able to appreciate our shared history in a whole new and unbelievably meaningful way.

Impressive visually, technically and historically.

Lines on Plagiarism Blur for Students in the Digital Age

Trip Gabriel, on the NYTimes.com:

The Internet may also be redefining how students — who came of age with music file-sharing, Wikipedia and Web-linking — understand the concept of authorship and the singularity of any text or image.

I may be a supporter of the Rip. Mix. Burn. school of thought, but still, the Mix part involves producing something. You can stand on the shoulders of others, but you need to add value – even if it’s crap like mine – and always give credit.

This is not a problem of a digital-enabled confused generation, this is just lazy persons.