What Browser is Safe? Maybe Chrome

Similar to stealing this newly featured pony segway (via Gizmodo) from someone, is the ease to which Hackers were able to bypass security on Internet Explorer 8 on Windows 7, Firefox 3 on Windows 7, Safari 4 on Mac OS X 10.6, and iPhone OS 3.

Yesterday at the annual CanSecWest digital security conference and the renowned Pwn2Own contest, these well-known companies had to watch contestants demolish their security. Geek.com provides the details,

"The well-known name of Charlie Miller returned this year and took down Safari, a feat he has achieved three years running. Vincenzo Lozzo (of Zynamics) and Ralf-Philipp Weinman (post-doctoral researcher at the University of Luxembourg) managed to bypass the iPhone OS security, and Peter Vreugdenhil hacked Internet Explorer 8. Firefox was taken down by Nils."

Each contestant that succeeded gets $10,000 and the laptop that they hacked into. For more details on prizes, check out DVLabs website.

The funny thing is that no one attempted to hack into Google Chrome. This is starting to make me think that I should download Chrome for my MAC. I wonder if Firefox 3 on a Mac OS X could be hacked into. Anyone know?

Otherwise, I think that what these companies are doing is very intelligent. This will provide them the ability to make their browsers stronger against security glitches and problems. If I were them, I would hire the people that hack into their applications. Obviously, these people could prove to be a great asset in making their applications stronger.

I want to be an iBlogger, and you?

That's right! A company called illuminex has created iBlogger, a real mobile blogging for iPhone and iPod Touch users! iBlogger works with nearly any blog, including WordPress, TypePad, and MovableType, helping bloggers post quickly from iPhone and iPod Touch, anywhere, any time.

It's said to be compatible with Blojsom, Drupal, ExpressionEngine, MovableType, TypePad, and WordPress. (If you didn't see your blog hosting site there then DON'T FRET! . . . like I did.) iBlogger has optimized plugins for easy configuration and compatibility to: LifeType, LivingDot, My.Opera.com, SquareSpace, TypePad (I thought we already did this one), WordPress (um...I know we already mentioned this!), Xanga (that is old school!), Blogspot/Blogger (that's what I use! To bad they haven't added picture posting yet.)

It can work with any blog engine that can connect to an iBlogger generic API type like MetaWeblog or MovableType.

The point is that iBlogger will be able to let bloggers take pictures, add their thoughts, tags, categories and geotag links on the go. (That means no more carrying around a laptop and taking up space in Starbucks. BUT it means I can blog while talking to my friends. Time to be a Pro Multi-tasker!)

If you are a mac user (like me!) and have used ecto, then you might just appreciate this new app that was based on ecto. "ecto, the popular blogging application on the Mac, is the heart of iBlogger, and it purrs like a V8 motor." said Gary W. Longsine, illumineX CEO.

So what are the features?

* easily configure a blog in seconds, with RSD (Real Simple Discovery)
* post your thoughts
* effortlessly include a picture from your library, or take a picture on
the spot
* automatically saves your post in case you get a call while posting
* categories and tags to promote your blog
* customizable standard signature
* one-touch geotag location link
* works great on WiFi, 3G and EDGE networks
* Secure HTTPS connections

More Information: http://illumineX.com/iphone/iblogger/

iBlogger is available for $US 9.99, from the iPhone App Store

Sadly you have to pay for the app, but isn't $10 worth the ability of mobility?

Audi A4 Challenges IPhone Users Driving

The first major car manufacturer to tap into the iPhone phenomenon would be Audi. They created a new iPhone application called the "Audi A4 Challenge." As the news release states,

"a driving game that utilizes the iPhone's accelerometer (motion sensor) to steer
a digital version of Audi's entirely new 2009 A4 through a series of
progressively challenging courses. Players maneuver the course and race against
the clock to beat their own personal best time. The application is now available
free of charge on Apple's iPhone Application Store. The 2009 Audi A4 will be
available in Audi dealerships nationwide starting in September of 2008."

The game was created in two weeks and is featured on their specifically designed for the iPhone website: http://www.truthinengineering.com/a4/iphone. As Scott Mellin, CEO of Factory Design Labs (the ones who created this ingenious marketing campaign) says, "This is the first application by an automotive OEM, but it's also reinventing the shopping experience. In combination with the A4 iPhone web site, this is the first viable mobile marketing solution in the automotive space. Importantly, it is also a unique way to engage the consumer with the DNA of the Audi brand."

As a person that values a good marketing campaign and a company that embraces technology; I commend them on their approach to engage consumers. The other part of me is screaming at the idea that every car maker will be looking for a way to up the ante. It's only time before they find a way abuse this idea. hopefully it will not come to that and companies will continue to leave the choice to the consumer as to whether they want to learn about the product.

More infor go to http://www.audiusanews.com/

iPhone's That Give Light

For those of you using an iPhone or planning to buy one, here's something to keep in mind. Do you want to make the Apple logo do something cool like GLOW?!?

If there weren't already enough things that you could do to your iPhone, let's find some more! (I'm not saying this is stupid but it amuses me to see that there are tweaks being done. Let's add a pull out keyboard and a mini DVD player to it!)

It's a iPhone mod that some Russian iPhone fans created by replacing the Apple logo on the back of an original iPhone with a glowing version. The source claims it's just a matter of, "removing the aluminum 'fruits' and inserting the glowing ones." (what the hell does that mean!?!?) Basically, it involves replacing the metal insert on the back of the phone with an LED-equipped plastic one. Hacked Gadget suggests there is a similar step-by-step mod.
See video below:


[Engadget Via Hack a Day]