It is fascinating to see why people pirate software.  ZDNet had an article about just why younger people tend to pirate stuff.  Reasons include financial, the thrill, and just because it’s out there.  The article goes on to talk about how many legal options are not as readily available or is not consistent enough to access.  For example, a game is launched in Japan first, but users in the U.S.A. want to play too…as it’s not legally available, they’ll make there way to obtain it via illegal means.  Malware whether we like it or not is coming heavily towards Mac users.  Read on past the jump to find out why!

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You can’t see it.  Yet, it is there.  Small, concealed, and deadly.  What is such a device?  It’s definitely more than just the good old Dell Axim as that unit only had Wi-Fi (which was perfect back in the day for WEP cracking).  Now, with the smartphone, it can receive and send information anywhere that has cell coverage and what’s more, it can spearhead DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks.  The question is why not?  A smartphone is merely another computer (an even more so for jailbroken devices) and the same risks can potentially apply.  It can be used to interface with credit card readers where people can pick your pocket without even touching you.  It could be used to create bot-nets where they all attack a network.  What about the malicious app?  With smartphones, isn’t it potentially easier to gain access to sensitive information such as address books and the such?  Perhaps – if the app was written with permissions to access such resources.  There are so many app vendors out there now.  Who are these people?  They certainly are not reputable and it goes to say with any piece of software out there – it could be a ticking time bomb set to go off at a particular time.  Of course, if something like that happened, that app would be banned from the respective app store – but still, the damage would already have been done.  Contacts, emails, text messages, could all have been sent out.  Or what if the app sent off internet data without you even knowing about it?  It’s not like people take the time to use packet sniffers to see what actually goes out of their smartphone.  And for those platforms that ask for permissions, how many of you actually think and read before granting permissions?  Most people just click the “Allow” button and think nothing of it.  Even though things are sandboxed, sandboxes are only as good as the exceptions they can obtain from the user.  Companies such as Apple do have the screen each app – but with 10,000+ apps per week, something is bound to sneak in.  No, I’m not telling people to avoid apps and live in fear.  But in the areas of risk management, we do need to be aware of what risks exist and be prepared to handle them should they arise.  Have a safe upcoming 2011!

The time is….now.  So what did Apple have in store for the world?  For some it would be a welcome and changing experience of being able to purchase The Beatles on iTunes.  For the rest of us (yes, I’m in that category where I don’t care about The Beatles), disappointment.

I really was hoping for some technological advancement that would change the world.  This definitely does not count as one of them.  Jennifer, my cousin, I’m sure would be totally excited, but as for me, I’m actually feeling a bit like a sour apple seeing what was unveiled.  iPad, you’ll have to wait to get your new iOS.  because I guess it’s not today.  Phooey!

Cross-posted on The Apple Corps. of Dallas.

According to “Protect Your Bubble”, a cell phone insurance copy, a recent study they did from a poll of 3,000 users showed that:

Six out of 10 smart phone users check their phone BEFORE getting out of bed in the morning.

And for those who don’t have their mobile phones positioned safely beside them while sleeping, they are always within six metres of their handset day and night.

Incredibly, 57 per cent of Brits can’t get ready for the day ahead without first checking for text messages, emails and Facebook updates.

A staggering 88 per cent say checking their phones first thing has now become part of their morning routine, along with brushing their teeth, showering, having a cup of coffee and eating breakfast.

And 68 per cent say they feel more prepared for their working day if they have already checked their phones by the time they get up.

Interesting statistics.  It’s amazing to me of just how far mobile technology has gone.  From brick style cell phones all the way to the latest and greatest Smartphones, phones are now just like an extension of ourselves.  We have to have it.  It’s as essential in the business and networking world like having a car or even a bus pass.  From my own iPod Touch with wireless (which is near equivalent of an iPhone considering I use a VoIP provider), I’m able to conduct business anywhere and everywhere that is Wi-Fi enabled.  Of course, if I had an actual iPhone, then it expands to everywhere that has AT&T service coverage.  The study continues:

The study shows that 86 per cent of Brits are most concerned about text messages first thing in the morning, while four in 10 like to plan their working day by checking emails.

A third of people prefer to check Facebook to see what friends and family got up to overnight.

Using Twitter, checking diary reminders and reading newspaper websites are among the activities people like to carry out while tucked up in bed.

But all this bedtime gadgetry appears to have taken its toll on our literary habits. A third of smart phone users now say they are more likely to spend half an hour in bed at night checking their mobile phone than reading a good book.

It is sad when a good book is replaced by people checking their mobile phone – unless they are using it as an eBook reader…but I doubt it as most Smart phones have a pretty small screen size which is not conducive to a pleasurable reading experience.  It seems that people are very interested in talking about themselves and reading about others where they could potentially forget about all the dangers associated with social networking.  It’s important to remember that social networking is like posting on a bill board that can never be deleted.  So I sure hope people think before they do their status updates.  Back to the study:

At the end of a long day, 53 per cent of Brits choose to unwind in bed by texting loved ones, while 33 per cent like to go on social networking sites.

Three in 10 people like to play games on their smart phones when in bed, while 23 per cent are obsessed with checking emails until they’re on the point of drifting off.

Listening to music, watching films or videos and phoning friends and family are all things folk enjoy doing between the sheets late in the evening.

Interestingly, 13 per cent of professionals make a point of trying to send work emails on their phone or laptop late at night to look good.

Stephen Ebbett continues: "The funny thing is that Brits can’t bear to think they are missing anything – so although most people will go to bed around 11pm and wake at 6 or 7am they will still check the phone just before they go to sleep and as they wake up.

"Goodness knows what they think will happen on social networking sites and with friends and family while they are fast asleep.

"But the other thing iPhones, BlackBerrys and Android phones all have in common is their entertainment value – so whatever your location you can continue reading, playing games and communicating."

But has our fixation with our phones gone too far? A brave 44 per cent admit they are addicted to checking their mobile phones, while 54 per cent would get out of bed to hunt for their handset if they had forgotten to take it to bed.

Just like any other good thing, moderation is the key.  I think this is an age now where we have more goodies and toys than any other previous time and people could and would be experiencing withdrawal symptoms should they be separated from their communication device.  Personally, I’ve been offline and not using a computer for 6 months.  It was one of the hardest experiences in my life.  But that was with a desktop.  Imagine how much more one can be addicted to with a mobile device as it can go with you everywhere!

The past couple of weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to stay more on top of the news as I’ve been watching the stock market.  Up goes the Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) soaring to new stock highs despite disappointing results of iPad sales and Steve Jobs talking bad about Blackberry’s and other tablets.  Releasing the new Macbook Air and Mac OS 10.7 “Lion”Apple now has made the decision to not include Adobe Flash player preinstalled on it’s Macintosh computers.  Barring Flash also as a development environment until recently, it seems that the big A’s are poising into positions of greater hostility.  The bright side of these happenings would be one of security.  Usually, by the time a person purchases their computer, Adobe Flash already has some updates that need to be installed.  By not having the player, it would force users of new computers to download the latest version thus ensuring they have the most secure version available.  This is the only reason that makes sense not to have Flash preloaded and is not a bad idea.

On the other hand, that only addresses Macintosh computers.  The iPad and iPod iOS platform still bans Flash web browsing and that is starting to really annoy me.  Being a avid user of Google Finance for stock charts, I really like the ability to scroll through charts and see exactly the effect of breaking news in correlation to the stock market.  Many sites these days do use some bits of Flash.  And certainly Flash adds rich content which can add enormous functionality to a site.  Perhaps what Apple should do instead of making enemies is just jump on the band wagon and make a version of Safari where Flash would just work – and besides, it is the iOS platform…shouldn’t everything be sandboxed anyway thus preventing problems?  I’m happy that HTML 5 is here, but I still want my Flash.

I seriously feel that Apple is the little kid on the block trying to bully others in the industry.  Like a little dog which may have sharp teeth but overall he’s still tiny and he’s barking at the wrong and very much larger dog which could shred it to pieces.  With upcoming tablets such as the Archos which supports not only Flash viewing but offers a slew of additional technologies including the webcam and a micro SD slot for only a mere $300-350 USD, the appeal of getting an iPad begins to drop.  Apple is shooting themselves.  Many people know how to develop with Flash.  It kind of leaves a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth when yes, now you can use Flash, but previously Apple fought hard and lost due to public pressure.  The tablet war has only just begun – don’t get too puffed up Apple as a simple pin would make a pretty loud bang.