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ExtraBITS for 23-Mar-09

Safari Exploited in 10 Seconds in Security Contest — Security researcher Charlie Miller has cut his time to “pwn” (take full control of an operating system via an exploit) from 2 minutes to 10 seconds at the CanSecWest PWN2OWN contest. He was sitting on a previously discovered exploit that he had pre-loaded onto a remote Web site. When a fully patched Mac OS X system connected to the site, he was in charge. He won $5,000 and the exploited MacBook. Miller’s find and two other Safari exploits will be turned over to Apple without prior disclosure by TippingPoint, the firm that sponsored
the contest. (Posted 2009-03-20)

Mixing Older, Newer AirPort WDS Networks — Ted Landau went through a lot of Option key pressing to figure out how to integrate a new simultaneous dual-band AirPort Extreme Base Station with his older mix of 802.11n (rectangular) and 802.11g (saucer) AirPort base stations. He explains how at MacFixIt. (Posted 2009-03-20)

HD Movies Now Available through iTunes — Apple is now offering high-definition movies for purchase (but not rent) via iTunes. Previously, only the Apple TV provided the means to watch rented (with no option to purchase) HD movies. HD commands a $5 premium over standard-definition purchases, with a little over a dozen titles currently available. (Link goes to the iTunes Store.) (Posted 2009-03-19)

AT&T to Offer Contract-Free iPhone — According to The Boy Genius Report, AT&T will start offering the iPhone for sale without a contract, starting 26-Mar-09. The commitment-free 8 GB and 16 GB models will retail for $599 and $699 (that’s $400 more than the subsidized price!), and will be available only to existing customers who wish to add a line, purchase a gift, or upgrade (presumably from a different AT&T phone). (Posted 2009-03-19)

Apple Updates AirPort Design Guide — Apple has revised its guide for planning and building Wi-Fi networks, formerly called “Designing AirPort Networks.” The new guide, “Apple AirPort Networks,” is a fairly in-depth effort at explaining with step-by-step instructions how to configure Apple base stations for various kinds of networks and tasks. (Posted 2009-03-18)

Cables: The Bane of Technological Existence — An elegant graphical recounting of illustrator Christoph Niemann’s “can’t-live-with-them, can’t-live-without-them” relationship with cables, in the New York Times. For anyone who wishes to differ, we have a box of SCSI cables for you. (Posted 2009-03-18)

iPhones Causing Courtroom Chaos — Jurors researching and sharing trial information via the iPhone and other mobile devices is proving to be a serious and widespread problem for many courts. Several major cases have had to declare mistrials after jurors were discovered to be posting trial information via Twitter and Facebook, and looking up trial-related information via Google. While jurors breaking rules via the Internet is nothing new, the widespread adoption of devices like the iPhone has made it far easier and more common. (Posted 2009-03-17)

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